Progress - Mezzanine

December 2013

The view of the structural timbers and roof from above Bedroom 6 got Nico thinking about having a Mezzanine floor above Bedroom 6, looking down into the new Kitchenette and across in the Attic space. Another skylight, previously hidden in the Attic, gave an idea about moving this skylight slightly when it was replaced, so that it was directly above the Stairwell. All the skylights would need replacing since many were currently just glass tiles in the terracotta tile roof. They would need to be replaced with openable, weatherproof, energy-efficient skylights that could be integrated into the roof structure rather than just replacing terracotta tiles with glass tiles.

March 2014

Once the final decision was made to go ahead with the Mezzanine, the actual construction happened fairly quickly, with most of the work finished by the end of March. Here is the view from the Mezzanine after the flooring had been laid, looking towards the Attic and the Stairwell.

This is the view of the Mezzanine from the doorway to the Attic.

This is the view from the Mezzanine, looking down toward the Loft area (before the Kitchenette half-height walls had been constructed).

This is a view of the Mezzanine from the platform above the Stairwell door. Although this view would not be seen unless you were watering the pot plants on this platform, the structural timbers look very impressive!

This is a clearer view of the hole-in-the-wall into which the Mezzanine double-bed will recede.

April 2014

The access platform to the Mezzanine has now been constructed. The stairs leading up to this platform will run along the back wall, following a line that can be seen drawn on this wall near the top rung of the ladder in the photo at right below.

The complementary triangular shapes in the old structural timbers and the new window into the top of the Stairwell can clearly be seen in this photo.

The beauty that will become apparent in the contrast between the old and the new timbers in the Mezzanine is evident in the following photos.

This attention to detail was also evident in the quality of the finish where the Mezzanine Platform met the distressed timber post at the entrance to the Kitchenette. This level of workmanship was assisted by the high quality tools that Nico invested in at the start of the job, as seen in the photo below at right.

Another view of the complementary triangular shapes is seen in this photo from the Mezzanine between the structural timbers and the Stairwell window. Also shown here is the small platform above the entrance door, which will be used to display pottery and indoor plants (in between the up-lights).

May 2014

One of the reasons for the Mezzanine and for keeping the structural timbers visible was to explore the possibilities of light and shadow created by the timbers. Here is an example of one possible lighting effect.

Work continued throughout May on details on the Mezzanine level, showing the unobtrusive nature of the VMC inlet in the back corner of the Mezzanine, and the platform that will go above the entrance door in front of the triangular window into the Stairwell.

June 2014

Work continued on finishing touches on the Mezzanine, among many other jobs elsewhere. The structural timbers were sanded to reveal a lighter, warmer colour. The platform above the entrance door was covered with timber flooring to match the Mezzanine floor, and two uplights were installed for indirect mood lighting on the ceiling and around the structural timbers. Further examples of the craftsmanship going into the renovation were shown by little details such as the rounded fillets where the platform floor met the Mezzanine floor.

The “hole in the wall” for the hideaway double bed on the Mezzanine level can be seen clearly here.

The plethora of triangles and other geometric shapes seen from the Mezzanine is on display in these pictures.

With much of the structural work now finished on the 2nd floor, the view from the Mezzanine is getting close to what it will finally look like.

Nico and Tony take some time to relax and enjoy the view from the Mezzanine platform above the Kitchenette.

Looks like a nice place to hide away from the world for a little nap!