Sounds simple enough...

2nd February 2008

When we bought the house, one of the main attractions for us was the fact that much of it had remained untouched for many years. The rust, the peeling paint and the beauty of its decay are bound up with its unique character. We are now making decisions which will affect the way the house will look for at least the next few decades and we don’t want to spoil those things that made us love it in the first place.
Sounds simple enough, but it’s not.

One good example is the doors and windows. They were made of metal. Old rusty metal and, according to most, must now be changed into ‘traditional’ hardwood with double glazing and a protective polyurethane seal to prevent wear and tear. We are suggesting to our builder that we quite like wear and tear and would ideally like rusty metal windows and doors, just like they used to be.

The floors. Many years and countless euros have been wasted trying to make ceramic tiles look like traditional handmade cotto ones. The argument is; pay more, lay them easily, and you never have to touch them again, they will stay like that forever. Aaaagh! We are suggesting to our builder that we would like to see them change over time with successive, deepening layers of wax, just like they used to.

Now it looks as though we are going to be ‘on our own’ for the floor, and that means choosing, buying, laying and treating it all myself.
Sounds simple enough, but that won't be either.

The stupidest thing I did today;

I'm not sure, but I think I may have killed my new best friend

Makita - my new best friend (possibly deceased)

Comments

[amanda]

Thanks for stopping by Marie, such beautiful photos over at your place I think I put on weight just looking.

[Marie]

I had fun checking out your blog today, I was day dreaming about living in Italy! Ahhh, such great thoughts!!

[Judith in Umbria]

Actually, the window thing could make you be very cold in winter, but since you are from the UK you may have lived in one of those cooler environs and be used to it.

I am for old cotto tiles. I have three rooms of them. They get raw linseed oil once a year or so and are maintenance free-- although the one 400 year old room could be in better shape!

All these houses were plastered originally and that's why they are still standing. The mortar between the stones doesn't hold up when exposed to the weather, and most of these houses were rather rudely made.

[lorraine@italianfoodies]

Grrrr I left a comment yesterday but didn't come through:( Anyway love the blog, look forward to reading all about your adventure in Italy:)

[amanda hyzler]

At last some response to the comments, see we're learning!

Yes, Michelle, you can light the candles and say the prayers coz the great Makita is no more. This was a mighty power tool that took no prisoners and lived its life to the full. It will be missed.

Nell, its strange because no one does restoration of 'public' buildings as well as the Italians, think all that wonderful architectural steel meets crumbling renaissance that you see in Florence and Siena. If only that could translate to domestic living.

Great idea Joe. We saw some beautiful old windows that had been glazed with mirror glass in Florence yesterday.

Yeah, Yeah, Maryann, I can fake it too!

[Maryann]

I love the look of wear and tear also. I can beat things up real good to make them look rustic . You killed your friend?..funny :)

[Joe]

Amanda, I agree with you 100%... there's something about old and weathered that can't be replaced with something new. There are some great old barns and stone walls here in New England that helps shape its character and I wouldn't want to replace it. One idea: if you replace the windows, can you preserve it and hang it on the wall like a portrait? We have some friends that did that with an old window and it looks great! Good luck. Joe

[Antonina Cross[Nell}]

Dear Amanda,
Italian seem to me a people who cannot for some reason accept the beauty of things in their simplicity . Items were made to last. The beauty is in the detail. Nope, I saw this when I visited my cousin she had a beautiful old horse stable she turned into a villa high in the hills overlooking the Teriann Sea and Town Of Termini Immerse were I was born. She wanted to modernize the windows and the tile roof she thought, I commented that I'm sure the 400 hundred year old olive grove would no doubt benefit from such upgrades. She got my point! I grieve with you on the demise of your machinery Marito, condolenze.

[Michelle]

So true! I see it all the time here with the old buildings with exposed stones--have to cover them for safety! Yes but then they're not pretty or enticing anymore.

It's like Italians can appreciate the patina and whatnot *in theory* until it comes to their own houses and then they want it all new and clean and perfect. I don't get it either.

May I suggest lighting some candles for Mikita? I don't really get that whole thing either, but somehow it seems appropriate.