August 23, 2007

What did we do all summer?

We have been looking for the things first to do:

- roof tiles
- windows
- doors
- tiles
- facade
- interior walls

Most important: To close, isolate the house.

1) roof tiles: we agreed with the architect to use new clay roof tiles that look 'antique'. The color of the tiles will be clay / slightly orange. This is a regulation of the city of Pizzo for the hioric center. Roofs must have the same harmonious look.

2) windows: we had three different manufacturers coming to the house and doing measurements for a bid. Although the one who wanted to do everything different from our idea, didn't came up with a bid. We had to decide about the material (aluminium or wood or both) and the colour. We choose aluminum for the outside in order to have not to repaint the frame regularly. The colour for the outside frames, again, is regulated by the city. It should be a wooden brown colour. Some of our neighbours did not follow the rule. However I got used to the idea, as the windows have another white painted frame on the facade. We choose the fake wooden structure instead of a plain brown RAL colour. Angelo said, this looks better and I had let me persuade. For the inside, we choose wood and for the colour we changed our mind in the last minute. Instead of a natural brown we decided to have the frames painted white for a more elegant look.
The scuri, the shutters, that are before the window on the inside (not outside) are going to be white as well.

3) doors: we have three entrances. The manufacturer that makes the windows will do the doors. The architect proposed to draft a design. They will be wooden from the outside, cherry brown as I remember.

4) tiles: I posted about the tiles before that we ordered for the terrace and the balcony only (no bathrooms yet). We choose a light blue watercolour tile (40x40cm) for the terrace (70m2) with a hand painted border tile that goes all around the terrace - and costs as much as the tiles for the whole balcony(!) My husband insisted. For the balcony we will use the same tiles, just in a different size (30x30cm) and no border. The balcony is wide (11m) but not equally deep (2-3m) for this kind of decor.

5) facade: we defined how much, how less respectively we would like to renovate the facade and which colour to use. I think for choosing the right colour someone has to travel back to Italy to make sure we like the house at the end!

6) interior walls: we will knock down two walls on the ground level in order to open up the space between the living, dining and kitchen area. And we have to displace a wall in the first floor in order to enlarge a toilet that will become an entire bathroom.

So we signed the orders and the contracts needed just before August, when whole Italy is on the summer holiday.

In September/October things will start.... hopefully according to Angelo's 'execution program'.

2 comments:

  1. Suzie,

    Sounds great! You must be excited! Can't wait and see before and after pics.

    Cheryl

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Cheryl,
    I have sooo many before photos. Can't wait myself to see progress!

    ReplyDelete