SEVILLE: Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija

For me one of Seville's gem's is the Palace of the Countess Lebrija.  If you like houses and interiors you'll find this one tucked away in the historic city center on the Calle Cuna.  The Palace was built in the 16th century but remodeled in the 19th century and is mainly noted today for its impressive Roman mosaic floors.  The late Countess Regla Manjón Mergelina who acquired the property in 1901 was really passionate about historical artifacts and bought the mosaics from archaeological sites, where they were installed between 1901 to 1914. A real labour of love and commitment  She was also an avid collector of busts, art objects, etc which are displayed throughout. The spectacular Mudéjar style patio and brightly tiled rooms are really something else as you can seen from the photographs below.  It was opened to the public in 1999, and unlike the Alcázar, it's the homely touches that bring it alive. Sadly we couldn't see the upper floors as the tour wasn't scheduled until the afternoon, but every space that we did see was spectacular.

 

"Houses have their own countenance.  They have souls.  They have something indefinable, born of an idea or feeling. Now, renovated and embellished, it is the short compendium into which my whole life has been condensed." ~ Countess de Lebrija

A NOT SO SMASHING SOLUTION TO THE DILEMMA OF A TILED BATH PANEL AND BOXED PIPES

Three years ago when our bathroom was being tiled, we discussed the possibility with our tiler about tiling the side of the bath.  It was for purely aesthetic reasons. I've always loved this look but wondered about the practicality of it: What if you spring a leak and need to access the pipework ten years down the line? It's unlikely you'd be able to get the same tiles again if you had to smash it out... There was also the little question about boxing the pipes (which the tiler hated doing) so it was all left that we would box the pipes, decide on the bath panel and get back to him... Then three years passed in plaster dust, paint fumes, laying floors, building cabinets, block paving and a lot of digging and planting outside.

During that time it was always at the back of my mind to work out a way of doing it. I'm hoping this is a solution of sorts 

The bath panel has been cut from moisture resistant plasterboard, which unlike hardboard won't expand/contract under temperature. 

 

Moisture Resistant Plasterboard

It has been cut into three divisions which mirror the existing grout lines on the wall. This makes removal much lighter and less cumbersome.

 

Three by Three

The panel is attached to the bath cradle with the use of magnets. These are heavy duty cabinet catches with a 6kg pull.  I've used three of them to hold each panel.  

 

Magnetic Cabinet Catches

Strong nylon line acts as a safety line should the magnets fail.  This prevents the panels from smashing on the floor should they ever fall out.

 

Safety lines

Smashing Prevention

Removal

After tiling each section should be able to be removed by scraping away the grout and pulled with a suction cup lifter.

 

The boxed pipe section are also secured to the wall with magnets and can be removed in sections. 

 

Everything now is ready to be tiled!

 

 

THE PARAKEETS OF SOUTH LONDON

It may seem strange to glance out of your window on a mid December day and find your apple tree visited by four hungry feral rose ringed parakeets, but not to those living in South London. 

Nobody knows how many of these there are but it is estimated that there are as many as up to 50,000 in the Capital.  Urban myth has it that a few escaped from Ealing studios during the filming of The African Queen in 1952 and that their numbers have steadily increased since then.

COURTYARD: A YEAR LATER

OK! So my blog is like the Twilight Zone where a whole year disappears! 

Six months ago I lost all my photographs & other work when an external storage drive became corrupted.  This kind of made me blue and reluctant to spend as much time on my computer as I normally would and as a result this blog was neglected.

However, on almost the anniversary of my year long absence, I am back! 

Needless to say work has continued regardless of the lack of blog entries.  So I thought I'd pick up from where I'd left off... Spot the difference!

The uneven red paint on the brickwork from the previous owner has now been replaced by Sandtex Ultra Smooth Masonry paint in Plymouth Grey which blends almost seamlessly with the concrete grey block paving.  There is a path down the center which still needs to be resurfaced but that will be a job for next summer.

Almost finished

Doorstep still needs to be cast

In the Moroccan planters are a nice selection of winter flowering evergreens: Cordyline australis at either side of the door; Skimmia Rubella; Azalea and lastly a tiny Viburnum tinus.  I'm sure in the summer there will be some additional Geraniums to add a splash of colour.  

Trellis corner

Spotted Laurels are excellent plants for shadey corners. I also have my experiment in propagated bamboo transferred from the main garden - most of which died but then started to grow again. There is also a pot of Osteospermum which is partially hidden by the conifer in the black pot.

Spot the gas meter cabinet? Painted and perfectly blended.

In addition, there is also a useful doorstep herb garden is six smaller planters:  It's very handy to grow your own Mint (for Mojitos); Parsley; Thyme; Rosemary: Chocolate Mint and Chives.  Herbs are very easy to grow and can readily replaced with fresh supermarket potted herbs when the plants begin to get old and woody (Rosemary & Thyme).

Doorstep Herb Garden

COURTYARD: THE SECOND FIX & THE END OF THE SUMMER

Unfortunately it was started too late in Summer and the rainy weather got the better of us before we could finish the project, but here is the work that we did resurfacing the courtyard during September and early October. 

 

The rest will have to wait to be completed next year once the warm weather returns and we can get back out there.

In Progress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let the paving begin...

 

Block paving was a good solution to resurfacing the area as it is more durable than poured concrete and less expensive than paving tiles. A pallet of 433 bricks (Bradstone)  was around £170  including delivery.  Light grey bricks were intentionally chosen as it would be easier to blend the rest of the area (borders, etc) with standard concrete, and secondly because it looked less incongruous than using red, ochre or charcoal bricks.  I imagine with time, it will gather dirt and algae and look less like new concrete and more naturally weathered. 

 

Before: Beaten up old concrete

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

Around the same time as starting this work, I'd read a London report about homeowners having their potted bay trees and ornamental plant pots stolen right off their doorsteps by brazen thieves. So I thought now would be a good time to sink a few galvanised steel ties into the concrete so any future plant pots could be chained secure.  If you look closely at the photographs you'll see the rings.

 

We also left a 6 inch cavity between the house wall and the block paving to deter any rising damp and in precaution not to raise the level above the damp course.

 

Sandtex Plymouth Grey exterior masonry paint will be used to cover and refresh the old paint that is already on the walls.  Both walls will be painted up the beginning of the trellis.

 

The doorstep and door area are still to be completed...

 

I have plans for a courtyard full of plants: The bamboo in the garden is growing at an alarming rate, both in height (now around 10ft high) and in width.  My plan is to divide the clump and transfer it into large terracotta moroccan style pots which can be dotted around the sides.

 

 

LIVING ROOM: MIRROR

The Living Room gets a mirror!  It's a great way of bouncing light around a room and making it brighter which is always well appreciated in the Winter months.

The Chambery mirror by Gallery is three stepped & bevelled mirror that isn't too fussy and has a slightly vintage Art Deco feel.  With around one inch of thickness it is quite slim as well.    

Chambery Mirror by Gallery

Does not come with a Pepper kitty

Slim & stylish

It seems to have been a month for mirrors as I also purchased the one to be hung in the lower hallway.  Slightly similar in design but with a stainless steel frame.  For some inexplicable reason this style of mirrors always reminds me of an old Parisian bistro... but maybe that's just me.

A VISIT TO DECOREX 2014

We were lucky enough to have a friend arrange for us a visit Decorex this year.  It was awesome. Decorex is one of the annual trade shows for interior designers and the range of luxury products on display was spectacular: everything from opulent fabrics & textiles to dazzling lighting to bespoke furniture to original hardware.  A great inspirational afternoon.

LIVING ROOM: THE ALCOVE PROJECT COMPLETED

It was completed some time ago but I've been very bad at keeping the blog updated. 

Below is the room as it was photographed by the estate agents, and as it is now.  It is quite a transformation and hopefully you'll agree for the better!  

In addition to the alcove units at either side, another six door cabinet was built below the TV to house my hundreds of DVDs and 360 of them are now hidden away.

There is still some finishing that needs to be done as the skirting boards still need to be attached around the room.  I'm just so happy that I now have a library for all my books.

 


















I wanted a coffee table that could be easily moved around and the Boksel coffee table from IKEA was a perfect find.  A glass top table that is easily wipeable, with plenty of storage compartments, including a drawer to keep all those remote controls from getting lost.

Bookshelf speakers with the HiFi concealed in one of the alcove cabinets.

A couple more jobs to do in there as I would like a gallery picture ledge on the wall opposite the TV, and at the end of September a large mirror arrives to be hung above the three seater sofa, but more on that later...