As is usually the case with reclamation projects like my beloved mill house studio, there will be surprises. I knew the house was structurally sound, so fortunately wasn’t expecting unhappy surprises. But after removing layer upon layer of finishes — walls, floors and ceilings — we are getting down to the original structure. And the original paint. I remember from my Charlotte NODA projects, the mill used three colors of paint for their villages — blue, yellow, and green … and very distinctive versions of each color. It was always fun to discover under a moulding or trim board the original version of the color, always brighter and cheerier than the 100 year old oxidized versions seen on beadboard walls and ceilings.
Well my Lockhart girl has a studio wall and ceiling color that is now a blue-green, but looks like it was originally a deep sky blue (a summer sky). Generally each of the rooms in a house were painted different colors, so I wasn’t sure what to expect in the kitchen. Turns out the walls are yellow, faded now to a pale buttery hue. And the ceiling! It’s dark red … in fact, it’s probably the same red as the studio floor.
And then there are couple of other surprises. A window concealed behind paneling and drywall. And what a beauty! Also structural discoveries in the wall between the studio and kitchen which will require a much smaller opening than originally planned.
So now I’ve got some reimagining to do …
