The wall
We were at John and Aussie Bronwyn’s for dinner with the rest of the neighbors when Rick first announced our intentions.
“We’re going to tear down the wall,” he said.
Suddenly the room fell silent. Forks were held frozen in mid-air. Mouths full of food had stopped chewing.
This was less than a year after we’d arrived here in Martinborough, and we didn’t yet understand that our house had come with an advisory committee.
“Which wall?” Kiwi Bronwyn said, looking somewhat concerned.
Everyone was staring at Rick.
“The brick wall between the dining room and the lounge,” he said. (We’ve grown used to calling our living room a ‘lounge’ as Kiwis do.)
Kiwi Bronwyn’s husband, Jim, spoke up next. He’s the mad Welshman who helped me fix our pump. “Whoa. That brick pillar’s load bearing. You can’t take that out.”
Rick shook his head. “We’re leaving that. Just the wall.”
The brick wall we were talking about was a funny thing. It didn’t reach all the way up to the high wooden ceiling. It just rose about 7 feet, then stopped – a great barrier in the middle of an otherwise large, open room.
From the head of the table came the voice of the Great Matriarch of Martinborough, Olwen. She’s also Welsh, and she’s married to David, a kindhearted Englishman who used to be in the Queen’s Guard. They’re in their late seventies, and they migrated to New Zealand as newlyweds so many years ago now that they actually came by ship.
“How far down are you taking the wall?” Olwen said. “Are you removing it completely?”
She was watching Rick closely.
The sky the other evening
I have to say that Olwen is like the most wonderful grandmother you could ever have. She makes these incredible things called Welsh Cakes, and when she found out I can’t eat gluten she started making batches of them gluten free, just for me. She’s also got very strong opinions about nearly everything, and she’s not too shy to tell you what she thinks.
Rick was fidgeting in his seat. “Um, well… I’m thinking that, maybe, half of it will come down all the way, to make a walkway. The other half will be about 7 bricks high.”
The great debate
In front of our eyes, the pleasant dinner party transformed into something like a United Nations hearing. The Kiwis, Welsh, English, and Aussies were discussing the fate of the foolhardy Americans as though we were no longer in the room.
I listened with great interest, wondering if we would be be allowed to take down our wall.
“It provides thermal massing, so the room is warmer in winter,” John said.
“And the room might feel a bit drafty with it gone,” Suzanne added. She’s the neighbor who gave us our geriatric rooster, Old Man Henry.
“But it’s true you can’t see the fire from the dining room table,” Kiwi Bronwyn added. “And that’s a real shame.”
“As long as they leave the pillar, it’s okay,” Jim said.
The fact is that at that point our neighbors had probably spent more time in our house than we had. For years and years they’d enjoyed dinners in our dining room, back when the property belonged to Priscilla. They’d enjoyed countless glasses of wine on our front deck, and they occasionally stored things in our hay shed. Even the goldfish in our pond had originaly come from Olwen and David’s place. In some ways, this property belonged more to them than to us.
Then Aussie Bronwyn spoke up, “Oh, the boys could paint that blasted wall purple if they wanted. It’s their wall.”
Lavender and cows
“But they don’t know what they’re doing,” John said. “They’ll be cold in winter!”
“We’re used to colder winters than this,” I said, but nobody seemed interested in my opinion on the matter.
“Well,” Olwen announced, and the room fell quiet again. It seemed she was about to deliver a verdict. “I think it’s just fine to take down the wall. In fact, I think it’s a very good idea.”
And that seemed to settle it.
The wall comes down
Having obtained permission from the Committee, two weeks later Rick and our friend Ed took sledgehammers to the wall when I was at work. It created so much dust that it took nearly another two weeks of cleaning before we’d seen the last of the grit.
One by one, the neighbors stopped by to see the result. They stood on one side of the room and then the other. They looked up at the large, wooden ceiling that arches over the main living space. Slowly, they each nodded and gave their approval.
Rick and I breathed sighs of relief.
Then Priscilla called.
“I hear you took down the wall,” she said.
Once upon a time, Priscilla poured a lot of love into this property, and it’s safe to say that it’s a beautiful place because of the work she did. She’s very resourceful and determined in the way many New Zealand women are. She planted our olive grove, converted the garage into guest rooms, and had a separate, free-standing garage built. She herself even laid the terracotta tiles in the main living space, when the tiler canceled on her.
“Um, yes,” I said over the phone. “We took the wall down. Well, really, Rick did. The whole thing was his idea.”
If anyone was going to get in trouble for tearing down that wall, it wasn’t going to be me.
“I’m just down from the Hawkes Bay for the day,” she said. “I’m visiting Olwen. Do you mind if I stop by to see?”
“Um, sure,” I said, somewhat nervous. When I hung up and told Rick that Priscilla was on the way, he immediately started vacuuming.
Priscilla came with Olwen. Olwen had already seen the final result, so we weren’t nervous about that. But this was Priscilla’s house!
Er, I mean, it was our house.
When Priscilla stepped in the front door, her face lit up with a warm smile. “You’ve transformed the room. I always hated that wall.”
For some reason, having Priscilla’s approval meant a lot to us. We’d become the carriers of a kind of torch, another set of caretakers in a line of people who have loved this place.
Priscilla and Olwen then sat down with Rick and me for a cup of celebratory, wall-be-gone tea. That was when Rick announced his Evil Plan.
The wall gone
“I want to paint the ceiling white,” he said.
Priscilla nearly choked on her biscuit. She suddenly looked like a mother who’d discovered that the people adopting her precious baby were actually axe-wielding, homicidal maniacs.
“Oh, no,” she said. “You can’t do that.”
Olwen looked up at the warm woodgrain. “No. Absolutely not. You’ll ruin it. Cover all that gorgeous wood? You must be mad.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m not going to let Rick paint the ceiling. I like the wood.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” Priscilla said.
“But it’s too dark,” Rick said, pleading with his most charming smile.
“Don’t you dare, you cheeky boy,” Olwen said. “You listen to Jared. He’s clearly the sensible one.”
Since that day Rick has taken his case to the local Committee several times. I’m happy to say that the entire valley is against him.
He still hasn’t let go of the idea, but I’m not worried. Whenever he brings it up I just say, “Too bad. The Committee has not granted approval. Besides, Olwen might stop baking us Welsh Cakes if you did that.”
That pretty much stops Rick in his tracks.
What do you think? Is it better with the wall gone? And should I let Rick paint the ceiling white?
____________________
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I don’t think there’s any doubt that the room looks much better with the wall down. My only question is why leave the 7 rows of bricks? What was the point of that.
As to the white ceiling, I actually agree with Rick that the white ceiling would be lighter. It’s just the big psychological thing about covering up wood-grain. And once it’s done, there’s no going back. I would just keep thinking about if for a while yet before taking any action.
I agree with Alan, the room looks heaps better with the wall gone, and why leave 7 rows of bricks? Surely it’s easier to vacuum the whole floor, dusting is a pain :)
I think painting the ceiling white would transform the place, it would much lighter, and give you a feeling of more space. BUT, let me tell you, painting it will be an absolute pain in the “whatsit”. We’ve recently painted over varnished wood, (and there’s plenty of it here), it’s hard work and important you get the right undercoat so you don’t have to sand it all down first. I’ll find out what it is if you’re interested.
I’ll say …. go for it boys…… your house, and you’re the ones living there now ….
No, No, No…Please don’t let Rick paint the ceiling white. The grain and warmth of the natural wood is so beautiful. White is cold…you know…like snow. Cold, freezing, blizzardy Michigan snow. Brrrrr.
Yes! Go white on the ceiling. Too much wood is oppressive. And it’s your house!
Wow the room looks great without that wall! It made it way to dark! Also it got to hot in winter anyway. Great choice!
Looks fantastic, light and airy. I love barrel ceilings. I’d have gone the whole hog though and knocked it all down. Maybe it’s project part 2. As for the ceiling, I’m not sure. Depends if you want a minimalist loft look. Loved the notion of a UN Committee, the community spirit of your neighbours really shines through.
I couldn’t stop laughing as I read this!
A committee indeed. Well, you have now laid yourself open to a far, far bigger committee I’m afraid; nothing less than an International one.
As one who loves doing up houses, here’s my two penneth. There is no question that the rest of the bricks would be far better in the garden and if you do need a division between the sitting and dining areas, then a piece of furniture could suffice.
As for the beams; they are soooo heavy and dark, you must feel squashed by them! They are typical of the era when the house was built. Definitely paint them white -but rather than pure white which looks dirty and grey after a while, perhaps Resene quarter Spanish.
My vote is for painting. Go to it; I say too………..
Too funny! I love reading your stories. Often Becky and I chat about them afterwards. Just last week I was over at Scott and Becky’s house for Mckenna’s birthday and we got talking about the gingerbread story and cookies. Keep writing! You do such a great job.
One more thing…a friend of mine from Australia is in Martinborough starting today for 5 days. I could hardly believe that she was going to a spot in New Zealand to relax that I had actually heard about. Not sure where she’s staying. Her name is Karynne in case you happen to run into her.
Happy writing. I’ll bet you are missing the frigid cold of Michigan!
Hey! NO! That is a gorgeous ceiling… Elegent Wood and texture! Plain wood is so sensuous and natural. Paint just kills the innate spirit of the material. As I emphatically stated my “humble” opinion last summer, PLease do NOT paint the ceiling! It you need more light, add a candle here and there! As for the wall… somehow I don’t recall it… So it appears you have won the international campaign on that one.
I love checking in on your stories from time to time! Enjoy summer you two.
Always a pleasure to hear from you!
Readers – see Lillian as ‘Lily’ in ‘Yurts and magic underwear‘.
2:30 AM Pacific Coast Time, USA, Saturday Can’t sleep with full MOON…and thinking about your ceiling debate. So as a post script (more serious than the dumb candle comment) my suggestion: install a SKYLIGHT! You will enjoy the natural light and preserve the wood beauty of the ceiling. I took a photo just now of one of my skylights (I have 4 in this 800 sq.ft. home–one in each room) I don’t know how to attach it to this, so I will email another way. My round yurt naturally has a round skylight,,, The skylight(5 ft in diameter) shows a round black circle because it is night!!You would probably want a rectangular shape to accent your room. Have a professional install it (to prevent leaks) and Good Luck!
Got the skylight picture. Thanks! And there’s no such thing as a dumb comment!
Looks much nicer without the wall! I also, agree about removing the small leftover wall. I think it would improve the flow of the room. As for the paint, I am a bit torn on that. While white would brighten up the room and give the illusion of space, you would lose the charm and the cozy lodge feel the wood provides.
But, it’s your house and one of the joys of owning a place is transforming it to fit your personality and tastes.
I like the wall gone. It does in fact transform the space. Regarding the remaining wall; I like it and think that it needs to be there. Without that small wall the brick pillar in the middle of the room would look odd and have no connect with the rest of the space. I’m also sure that it is not the bricks that are supporting. The bricks are a veneer for what ever is behind them that is supporting.
Painting the ceiling would be a sin and not very easy to reverse without great expense. Painting it will not make the space bigger, only make it SEEM bigger. Just like people who cover a wall with mirrors.
Keep in mind where you live. Your home should reflect the environment that surrounds it. To put a New York loft in the middle of the country seems out of balance.
Excellent move, and while your at it, the rafters and the ceiling would look great with a couple of coats of light gray gloss paint. It’s YOUR house!!!
A lot of work, but how about sanding the ceiling down and giving it either a coat of plain poly or a lighter stain and then poly? The best of both worlds…keep it looking like wood but a bit lighter?
As part of the committee I thought I had better add to the debate – love the wall gone, but as you know I think white over douglas fir would look terrible. You ( Rick) need to consider how different the white would make your beautiful japanese treasures look – at the moment the wood ceiling complements all the beautiful, things you have in the lounge room. The lady with the skylight (Lillian) is on the right track! And yes I do know there is such a thing as free will!! And it is your house! (Sort of!!) xxx
Priscilla and the Committee are right – white ceilings would over-Americanize the room, and take away from the natural Kiwi beauty of it. If you want to get the idea of it without actually painting, pick up a few pieces of white cardboard and tack them up (gently… don’t hurt the wood!) to see what it will look like. Remember that paint will hide the wood almost as much as that cardboard! Of course, I’m all for natural wood anyhow, so I’m biased. :) The wall looks wonderful down, and I like the separation you get with the low brick that’s left. It preserves the “two rooms” feel without blocking anything off. It also feels much brighter, at least judging by the picture.
Great story Jared. I would have to agree that the ceiling must not be painted and the room looks much better without the wall.
I have to agree with Rev Allyson, painting it would over-Americanize the room. There is something to be said for unaltered, natural beauty.
Wishing you the very best,
Ben
Vote #18 checking in: Until further notice, I am part of the international vote (as well as being one of the wise elders in this debate with years of experience observing change made for no good reason). I have the great advantage of sitting this very moment in the above-mentioned room. Removal of the wall leaving the small 7 brick segment was perfect. There are those moments when someone has to take the reins; the answer to painting the ceiling white is a definitive NO with no further discussion. Yeah right!
Readers – see Aunt Charlie in ‘Storm at Palliser Bay‘
The wall looks great – now it’s not there!
Sarah Richardson (Canadian Interior Design Guru) whitewashed her pine ceiling in Sarah’s Cottage (really a holiday home on her own island!). It looed awesome. Here are her instructions:
“In order to get the effect we achieved with the whitewashing we simply rolled semi-transparent oil-based stain tinted in a variety of shades (see the source guides) and then brushed the joints to ensure an even application. Be sure to test an area first and perfect your technique before rolling away! We did not wipe off the stain as recommended because I wanted greater coverage, but the effect was achieved with a single coat. Note: You cannot apply a whitewash stain over panelling which has a urethane coating – it won’t penetrate (the only solution here is to paint it in a solid stain).”
Ref: http://www.hgtv.ca/SarahsCottage/episodes.aspx?sectionid=300&categoryid=6183229123912999176&postid=67408
The Illinois Delegate (Lakefront District) to the International UN Committee on Aesthetic Modifications votes:
NO, on the matter of proposed application of white, whitish or other colour paint and/or stain material to the interior sloped ceiling surfaces of said domicile.
The Illinois, Iowa, Colorado and Michigan delegation votes are confirmed. Addendum: NAY, on the matter of skylight ruination of ceiling. (For definition of the prior vote #18 “Yeah right” statement, Google Tui Brewery, New Zealand)
I agree with Ray. The low bricks relate to the pillar and look great.
The room is beautiful. I can’t believe I will be seeing in in person soon.
Love to Aunt Charlie! (from another Aunt)
Well, to be honest, I kinda like the 7 brick separation, as it gives definition to the dining and seating areas, but I’d top ‘em with a layer of tiles, just to tidy up a bit.
As for the ceiling, have a think about painting the flat ceiling bits off white, but leave the rafters as they are. We had a stunning house in Whitemans Valley that had that arrangement and it looked great. You had the beauty of the natural wood and the reflectivity of the white paint. Best of both worlds. :)
Paint it white–it’s not as though Douglas fir is a rare and beautiful wood anyway. I used to be a boatbuilder, and much as I love wood there are places where too much natural wood is just too oppressive. As a subtle trim, fine. But those beams dominate the space.
I forgot–the boatbuilding solution (if building a traditional sailboat) is to paint the sides of the beams but leave the bottom face natural. That makes the beams look as though they’re floating in space.
IMHO: Yes, it’s better without the wall. No, I wouldn’t paint the exposed rafters, unless you first finish the ceiling (e.g. with insulation & drywall).
Never ever ever poke at a wasps nest.
Readers – See Leelee in ‘Making olive oil labels at the MAD house‘.
Once you paint a ceiling, you cannot restore the wood (as you might be able to do with a wall, doorframe, or window). I was once faced with this daunting dilemma, and decided to punt. I washed the ceiling with a light color, resulting in a light wood that was not painted. It opened up the room but preserved the wood grain. Another option is to suspend some white boards below the ceiling – these could be small and show a lot of wood, or large and create almost a false ceiling. The good news is that they are removable. Long ago in NY City, they used to paint the horizontal boards on the ceiling white, but leave the beams wood colored. It creates its own special look. If you like it, it could work. If you stay with wood, then play with lighting in the ceiling. Whichever you choose, there are options to keep both of you happy.
Hahaha – I can just see Rick going at those bricks like a bull at a gate – once he gets an idea there is no going back with him – he is like a pit bull.
As for the ceiling well, I think Alan hit the nail on the head so to speak. We have a huge psychological thing about painting wood in this country. Its practically downright illegal to do so and there is a big trend on stripping eveything back to wood these days.
Personally, I think a compromise is the way to go. I would paint those ugly bricks, pillars and everything. Painting them a soft biscuit colour or similar will keep the warmth in the room but get rid of the heaviness to it and will tie in the floor and the ceiling better.
Now the ceiling – keep the beams natural but paint the wood between them – it will knock them back without losing the wood all together and tie in the wood elements of the room a lot better.
Before you do anything, go to the Resene website and use the Ezypaint programme to virtually paint it – it will soon show you what works and what doesn’t.
I will send you an invoice for my interior decorating consultation.
Readers – See Ruby in ‘Home for wayward agapanthus‘.
It looks better with the wall down. But I would not paint the ceiling, I love the character of the wood rafters and beams. But hey it’s your house. :-)
I LOVE the debate going on here! And the tips too, about walls, ceilings and even wasps nests. It’s fantastic.
The 7 bricks was because we worried the room would feel like a large warehouse without some division. Besides, we can’t match the flooring tile so that makes total wall removal more difficult.
And the wall’s not done. We’re considering ‘rendering’ the brick pillar and wall (which means ‘plastering’ for the Americans!), and we want to top the wall off with a wooden shelf bit, or at least do something to cover the broken bricks on the side of the pillar. It’s a work in progress.
Regarding the ceiling, Rick of course is thrilled there are so many of you WCL leaving comments here (White Ceiling Lovers).
I however, remain firm. I give a big ‘Amen!’ to Lillian, Ray, Diane (thanks Mom), Priscilla, Hannah, RevAllyson, Ben, Aunt Charlie, Patrick, Laurentiius, and Robbie. Just say no to painting wood! It’s a country house and a country house it shall remain.
Our compromise was to let Rick paint the green and brown pergola outside white. He keeps saying, “Doesn’t the pergola look better white? Imagine the ceiling white…”
He is nothing if not persistent.
Definitely render the bricks!
BTW – you married Rick, for better or worse remember.
Rick – get rid of the handbrake for a weekend and I will come up and help you paint the ceiling!
I’ll be there with you Ruby, haha. I don’t need much notice, as it won’t take me long to get there ;)
Haaaaaaaa I love it Jared…great reading. I got Rach to send this to me cos I seemd to have botched my sub.
Yes the room looks way lighter and cosier without the wall. I approve too…but back off from the ceiling Ricko.
Oh no! It’s comments gone mad!! A revolt of guerrilla ceiling painters! No wood is safe!
I said to Rick, “You have a choice. Either you can paint the ceiling white, or you can stay in a relationship with me.”
He smiled and said, “That’s not an easy choice.”
I’m sure the white ceilings will look lovely ;)
Your sky is HUGE! That particular evening *must* have been breath-taking in real life.
The Scots-Canadian delegate to the International UN Committee on Aesthetic Modifications (to steal from Patrick) votes on the side of Laurentiius: paint the drywall, not the wood. Then you can change your mind at a later date and not curse the day you went slap-happy with the white.
(Personally, I’d keep the wood and change the tiles to something lighter.)
Tack calico sheeting to the ceiling beams to see if you do want/need/like a white roof!