Main Living Area
Desperately needing somewhere to sit down in comfort; the upgrade to the kitchen bar stool was a thing of joy, after using the builders plastic "café chairs" for what seems like an eternity. So my thoughts moved to assembling the large corner chaise and sofa and making a seating zone in the main living area.
Here I hit a slight snag... the boxes and packing proved a struggle on my own. However, yes, I got them unpacked and ready to assemble. Only to find that half the legs are missing. You know that feeling? Sure.
It is times like this that the remoteness of the island hits home. No quick phone call to Dwell, who suppled the sofa about Christmas time! In fact, I have given up on the idea of trying to get the legs from them, it will be quicker to source some replacements here or order something suitable from Amazon, who mercifully deliver reasonably quickly if ordering through the German site.
So for the moment I have a very 'low rider' sofa! Brilliantly comfortable but when you sit in it you are virtually laying down. There is low and there is *low*. Also, being an old chap, I find it virtually impossible to get up once I've got down. Fun.
So, although it looks cool, it is a little too low for these old bones. Meanwhile the recliner and footstool are useful until I get some sofa legs.
I also placed an area rug, just to make the floor suitable for sitting on and more comfortable under foot. Looks good too.
Stone floors (once actually clean from building debris, dust and paint) are very practical for maintenance. But there are times and places where that touch of comfort will be welcome.
This shot taken from up on the mezzanine shows that there is still a fair bit of work to do - TV and fire to fit - but before that I need some stone or glass on the shelf surfaces.
Once the rug went down, the coffee table came out - a glass and bamboo affair that I have had for about the last 37 years, from when I furnished my first house. I am very happy to say that it arrived in one piece, despite its age and light construction. It is a lovely hand crafted piece that you simply couldn't buy now, as the market is flooded with cheap knock-offs from Asia. It looks wonderful in its simplicity. A good buy all those years ago when I believe I paid the ungodly sum of £60 for it (out around £200 in todays money).
The coffee table detail: Timeless and looks as good today as when I bought it all those years ago from Angela's Cane and Bamboo Shop on Beverley Road in Hull. At the time I also bought two Peacock Chairs, and a Hanging Basket Chair (very 60's)... These unfortunately disapearing into the black hole of a divorce many years ago. I do sometimes wonder who subsequently enjoyed the hanging basket chair properties as much as me? LOL
This week also saw the benches for the dining table assembled - they are nice, but I need cushions; looking out for long red leather ones: 150cm by 35cm will do nicely. If anyone sees any please email me!
The benches are splendid and work well with the table. Comfortable for two, you could squeeze three skinny people on at a push. Cushions are required for prolonged eating and drinking. Note: I could not resist unpacking the sound-bar, and the only place I could find to put it is at the end of the dining table - it goes under the TV later! Meanwhile I have 'Blue-Tooth' from my laptop, so have good sound in the house. (see acoustics further down).
So, today I was all set up for drilling some holes and fitting a mirror... only to realise that the well insulated house has drywall (plasterboard) and then insulation... so I need some special plugs to hang the quite heavy mirror. Another trip to Franklim Maximo's tomorrow (like the local B&Q) - I must make a list of things I need...
The top of the mirror will be approximately at the top of the arch, which puts the bottom of the mirror level with the fireplace shelf. Serendipity or good planning. You decide.
The local bin men must be wondering what's going on: This morning saw me take a car full of plastic wrap and cardboard up to the communal recycling bins. I filled them. Still loads to ditch, but I will have to return once the bins are emptied.
Other achievements this past week: The EDA came and connected my mains electricity and of course I received my first estimated electricity bill once I had signed the contract. Nice. But it is good to have the full-fat power, with no chance of the shower tripping out on me mid-flow. Fingers crossed.
The application was made last week for an address to be assigned to the property. Basically I need a postcode and house number in order to get NOS, the Internet Provider, to come and wire me up with fiber (fibre), supply my router and wire up my CAT5 sockets. Of course I can use wireless (and will), but the house is fully wired for CAT5, so may as well use for super fast connections to the outside world. I have a choice of 100Mb/s or 200Mb/s.
55 Euros seems good for the top speed of 200Mb/s, HD TV, Phone, Router, Mobile Card and time etc. Of course cheaper packages are available....
Acoustics and geeky stuff follows:
I ordered some acoustic treatment from Thomann in Germany. I know at least one friend who will be green with envy, as I got it at half price. It is expensive.
Auralex is expensive: I got a dozen of these 4 foot by 2 foot sheets at half price, because someone had opened the box and returned. Cool. They are a wicked shade of vibrant purple, and will bring some colour to the white walls. So, not only an acoustic treatment, but a visual pleasure, looking cool and techno.
It took a little while for the order to get here, but the postage was free and the boxes huge. I had to go and pick it up from the post office in Horta though - no door to door delivery. Thanks to my friend Alan and his capacious 4*4 I was able to just chuck it in the back and get it back home.
So, that's another job to do ... awkward doing it on your own, so I have held off getting glue everywhere and spoiling the walls until I have a descent ladder to get up to the walls. Yes, another thing I need from Franklim Maximo. Add to the list...
Purple, red, yellow. What's not to like? It takes the right space to do this. Done.
The acoustics of the house are actually pretty good to my ears; reading much information on the interweb has informed me that high vaulted ceilings are a good thing (i.e. not parallel to the floors!) and that glass, of which I have a lot, is good for letting bass frequencies pass right through; so as far as the acoustic energy is concerned, the wall doesn't exist in the low to mid frequencies, if made of glass. So this just leaves some upper frequencies to deal with, which are reflected by the glass. Acoustic foam to the rescue, namely Auralex.
Auralex foam is not a 'magic bullet' for acoustics, but can help tame any high frequency flutter echos - I can't hear any, but, just to be on the safe side, I am placing some foam above the large glass patio windows to help neutralise the effect of the window below, and the reflections to the stair wall opposite. It will also look very, very cool.
Note, this is not even in the studio mezzanine space, but for sound that comes off the mezzanine and into the large living area. Also, it will be of benefit when listening to the hi-fi and TV in the living area and kitchen.
The Auralex foam will go above the 3 panels of the Patio Doors. Again as luck (?) would have it, each pane of glass is 4 feet wide, so one panel above each pane, with a gap between, the width of the frames. This is good, as acoustic foam is better employed when it does not butt up tight, but a gap is left between the panels.
Fine tuning will come later, and perhaps some bass traps will be needed upstairs. But bear in mind this is a composition and creative space, not a mastering studio! So long as it sounds musically encouraging and has no big issues with slap-back echo or weird frequency holes, notches, peaks and cancellations, I will be happy. Sounding good so far.
Geek moment ended….
Next Up: Doors Please
