Pompadour

Sunday 21 November 2010

Up the wooden hill to the land of nod

is what my grandmother used to say when we were off to bed as children. The wooden hill has been non existant in our house since about January when we ripped the old staircase out in order to put a new block and beam floor in.

I have never been fond of ladders, but as that has been our only way of getting to bed I have got quite used to them.

Tonight though, will be the first time that I am able to go to bed via our brand new staircase. The left hand upper flight went in today and the ladder has been taken outside where it belongs.

Now I am working full time, Neil has been able to stay at home and dedicate his time to the stairs, with more than a little help from staircase supremo Fred.
In fact Neil seems to think he can take no credit for our new staircase such is his debt of gratitude to Fred, who has planned and worked out all the angles and maths that are involved in such a project, but I know that my husband has spent hour upon hour sawing, planing,sanding and lugging large sections of green oak.



We are hoping the final flight will go in tomorrow, and then all the spindles and hand rails are to be made, but this is a momentous time for us and a central part of the renovation of the house.

I was a tad disappointed that Fred had to rush off tonight, as I didn't get to thank him properly and I had put three glasses on the table ready to fill with champagne to toast the new stairs. I'll have to open another bottle next time he comes.

10 comments:

  1. Congrats!
    You've done a lot better then my ex neighbours years ago who had the local artisan put theirs in.
    He mismeasured then bodged the top step so it was like stepping off the face of a cliff when you went downstairs....not a good idea after a glass or two!

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  2. Great stuff. It is such a nice feeling when you go another step forward, no pun intended!

    Where can I find a full time job for Nigel when when he moves over, he says he needs something to do!!?? His French is not too bad so long as the French speak slowly. Maybe you are fluent by now, while I just keep forgetting everything when I am back in the UK for winter :-(
    Enjoy your nights sleep. Diane

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  3. There are some amazingly bad staircases around aren't there?! and it's not like most of these houses havent got space for a larger one. bizzare.
    Diane - Neil says what's he like at renovating - we could keep him busy lol!!! That actually is the million dollar question for so many of us Brits coming to live here, I wish I knew the answer - I'm just so lucky to have found my job, I hope he finds something, although if you can afford to be retired you will never be bored, there's too much to do!!!!!

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  4. Brilliant! Looks fab. Definitely worthy of another bottle of Champers.

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  5. At least one, or maybe two Tommo!! Thank you :0)

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  6. The staircase looks great and I can onlyh imagine how wonderful it must be not to have to go up a ladder any more!

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  7. Staircase looks great, more so because it is made by Neil. You must be proud of his efforts, and also proud of yourself. Great that you have found a job. I am self employed, and Hubs is still working for his old employer in the UK. Both of our jobs are Internet connected, and for that I feel blessed. Hope you are keeping warm now the temperatures are taking a dive. x

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  8. I wouldn't mind an internet based job for the next few weeks Vera - snow is forcast - yikes!!

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  9. Great staircase. Very much like the one we are planning in our house in France. www.stevebrownbds.blogspot.com

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  10. Hi Steve thanks for the comment - we came up with this staircase design because we have a large beam on our first floor that is at chest height, effectively cutting upstairs in half. The landing is directly beneath the beam with flights going up either side. we love it. I had a look at your site - you are doing a very similar project and I wish we had builders!!! good luck with it x

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