Burgman Building: New project: Our Library/study

I admit I have been putting off starting this project, there were more pressing agenda items but it's time to start the Library/study. So we open the door on our next project.

Right of the Garland Parlor lies a bland white box that will soon be our new Library study

This room was used as the Children's bedroom back in the day. In the Victorian era bedroom were simply to sleep so they tended to be rather utilitarian....and they were small. This room is a scant 8' 6 x 11' 8" and its off the garland parlor so it's use as bedroom right off the parlor is just not good.

It looks like the trim was painted directly over the shellac as its heavily cracked

The room was originally painted tan, followed by a  green, followed by SEVERAL coats of white paint and the trim inside, is painted the most horrid pea green, which must be stripped.

To add further insult to injury, the ceiling has been dry walled AND textured. Hopefully the texture comes off easily and we can re-skim The only major issue is with the exterior wall near the old chimney (now gone and capped) resulted in a wet exterior wall at some point in its history (might have been a leak too, before the new roof) so I have some plastering to do.

So given the layout and small size of this room one might be tempted to take out the wall entirely and make the garland parlor larger. HOWEVER the garland parlor has its original frescoed and stenciled ceiling and frieze (currently under restoration), so that is NOT an option.

The layout as it is awkward with a door to one side like it is and with only one small window it is claustrophobic.

So the plan is  eliminate the current door and replace it with a  wider 5 foot wide door which will have fretwork at the top centered to the room. This accomplishes two things , one it lets the Garland Parlor and the new Library/Study act as one space, and two, we do not damage any original stenciling.

In terms of room flow this will be a great improvement. The new Library will have its East wall turned into a period designed bookcase and the west wall will get a new decorative fireplace that will have a register from the new gas fireplace going in the Persian Parlor which will help distribute heat more evenly.

In terms of interior décor all I can say is it will be "over the top", likely done as a Victorian Moroccan/Turkish themed space with lots of decorative stenciling and ceiling work. more to come.