Tag: Adaptive Reuse
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Every Wall is a Door
Soon I’ll reveal photographs of Rosslyn’s west and north elevations in their new incarnations, hardscape and landscape complete, sunken courtyard and deck arranged with furniture, vision and plan achieved at last. Soon. Spring is still early, and conditions remain premature. But soon. June, perhaps. Until then, a pensée, as our francophone friends might say. Every…
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Door Reconceived for Icehouse Bathroom
It’s time for an overdue chronicle of the antique door we adapted and upcycled for the icehouse bathroom. From concept through re-fabrication and installation, this project demanded the focus, precision, and creativity of Peter Vaiciulis. The photograph of the bottom of this post offers testament to his impressive execution. Although I prioritized upcycling and adaptive…
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Sacred Exchanges
I awoke this morning thinking about Danusha Laméris’s poem, “Small Kindnesses”, and Rosslyn. Two discrete points of reference mingling, as if in conversation. Two planets passing, briefly eclipsing, a gravitational closeness, a tender but fleeting affinity, an ephemeral communion. The echo of a question in Laméris’s lines lingers. Like a hint, a glimmer of affirmation.…
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Icehouse Flashback
Now that Rosslyn’s icehouse rehabilitation has crossed the finish line it can be difficult to recognize how far it’s come. It’s time for a reality check. It’s time for an icehouse flashback to December 23, 2017. Exactly six years ago. Today’s photo essay is a somewhat arbitrary reminder since the icehouse fulfilled the same purpose…
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Lumbering Home
Hymn-along a song ofhomegrown timber,harvested within sightof the renewed icehouse.Hum, drum, and struman anthem hailinghyper local lumberloved, labored, arrayed.Felled and milled on site,then stickered and stacked,courses upon courses,a dozen years cured,between hemlock floor,and fir paneled walls,ceiling stained from fivequarter centuries.Once towering ash,elm, and poplar treesreborn as flooring,balusters, newels, railings. Canopied colossimetamorphosed intostair treads and risers,door…
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Sidewalk Upgrade Begins
Hurrah! I’m super pleased to showcase the swift progress that the Town of Essex has made so far with the sidewalk upgrade. A couple of weeks ago I met with Town of Essex Supervisor, Ken Hughes, and Town of Essex Highway Superintendent, Bradley French, to review plans for replacing the derelict (and potentially dangerous) section…
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Hardscaping an Oasis
I’m overdue for an update on the icehouse exterior — from deck, hot tub, and grass court to sunken patio, gardens, and fire pit — at least in part because this summer’s weather has stalled many of these projects to the point of discouraging doldrums. But today I’d like to offer a glimpse at our…
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Rhyming Relics
I was just looking at a pair of glass artifacts, two Rosslyn relics among so many we’ve discovered and inherited since the summer of 2006 when this old house became our new home. Remember the ferry posters in my “Relics Rhymed” post? These are similar. And different. While the differences are apparent, perhaps the similarity…
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After Wake Surfing
Day’s end. After wake surfing… I’m overcome with gratitude as we head home following an end-of-day, end-of-weekend, end-of-yard-sale wake surf. Thank you. Thank you, Susan, Denise, John, and Cheri, for joining us in a colossal re-homing extravaganza (aka “yard sale”) for Essex Day. Thank you, Pam, Tony, Supi, Glen, and Peter for helping us pull…
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Glass Shower Enclosure Installed
Another exciting, we’re-getting-close communiqué to share today: the glass shower enclosure in the icehouse bathroom has been installed. While these photographs may not do the shower justice (a little bit of perspective distortion, perhaps?), the progress is worth trumpeting because it represents one more notable stride toward completion. The glass and polished nickel shower enclosure…
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Column Flanked Vestibule
Tucked into the folds of the icehouse rehab scope of work some accomplishments stand out more than others. The garapa paneling in the bathroom, for example, has been a long, slooow labor of love many months in the making. Many stages and many hands have shaped this initiative, so anticipation has been building for many…