The delicate craft of self-inflicted idiocy

First why did I think I wouldn’t
try to build another house? 

Costs, space, silliness of it, antisocial activity etc etc.

Yet doing itonce again – huh?

For the same reasons as first time round I think.  Learn new skills and physical disciplines, keep brain stimulated problem solving, making an attempt to control a mini environment, general daily discipline of mind and body – keeps me ticking over.  Enjoyment in smaller projects but mostly as mind  ‘bends and stretches’ whereas I think I do prefer the marathon of a house.

Diary of mini doings 

Sunday 2nd to Wednesday 5th

Sunday – Art Deco(ish) House – ooh, I do so like a challenge

Which bay window shape?

Not flat roofed sun balcony Art Deco (there are old models of dolls houses available/new being design built) nor the rounded bay, thin high chimney stacks ‘cos there are the Fairbanks and Mountfield dolls houses – no point me trying to make one, (believe Fairbanks no longer around as new).  Square-ish shaped bay from that period?  Probably not as there are models available both new kits and older.

This is a style I rather like but far too many tiles and square bay.
Imperial War Museum 1940s house
The film clips of each room are very useful.

Trying for something ‘other’ instead

Monday – Brooding on idea of ‘other’

What’s with the metal window thing?

Quarry Hill Flats, Leeds, West Yorkshire
Wikipedia

Lived first 18 years of life in Leeds, West Yorks.   One of our aunts lived in a house with metal windows I remember but I don’t recall if they were flat or curved. What’s with the windows?  Well I was fascinated by the shapes and look of Quarry Hill Flats which used to stand towards the city centre.

Unusual looking, it is well worth a quick view if only for the trip down memory lane.  There are photos of children in gabardine raincoats using a slide provided in the central area of the flats and behind them there is a horse and cart delivery being made. Generally if you have any interest in the history of public housing provision and haven’t seen the flats, take a look .

• History of it  “A delegation from Leeds had visited Vienna in 1932 and been much impressed by the Karl Marx-Hof, Red Vienna’s showpiece…
• Knocking it down

Always wanted to know, as this building was round to oval on the face I passed on the bus, were those hundreds of window frames bent to fit.  Strange child, I know – metal windows, bent or not have stuck in my imagination.

Tuesday – Found photo on Pinterest
(first on the page linked below – at the moment – labelled “Untouched 1930s house, N18 | Flickr – Photo Sharing!”)

A pair of semi-detached houses that appeal to me with a bay that has a single curve for sitting room and main bedroom in metal.  In this pair of semis the bays run across both houses so up and downstairs bays together form a block:

Computer sketch of shape of joined  bays on pair of semis

The pair of semis together would have been a bit like this perhaps

 Love the possibilities of one of pair of the semis showing the period of its original design when the other one has recent refurbishment.  Houses are ‘living’ artifacts, changing with climate, fashions, entropy …

To do what with?

Think would like to stretch idea of one being still 30s/50s and may fill the second with current take on Deco with compromises.  Shiny kitchen machines, emphasis on chrome/shiny steel, black and/or white surfaces bare floorboards around and about – a possible nod towards fairly recent return to lino?

Benefits?

Get to try for two houses in one, each with totally different time ‘attitudes’.  Time flies and things change. Compare and contrast sort of thing.

How far from 30s to 50s – mix up

Only have memories of bits Edwardian (grandparents), bits of Deco of late 30s (aunts and uncles) and was living in 50s so there’s lots of war time Utility too.  A mix of these probably and try to watch what I’m doing?

Keeping what from Pintrest photo

• Going for the bays and roofline form
• Changing a window size at side of the door and eliminating what I think is a room there, adding other windows. Shifting one chimney I think.
• Really do like the angular garden wall.
• Is side door in the kitchen?  Think might put it at an angle of hallway under the stairs in one house and close it off in the other to make way for utility/cloakroom.
• Perhaps carry on white render band round side?

Doing it up

Been researching costs of furnishings.  Art Deco bits for mini-ing are beautiful and, because of the delicacy of work, are going to take some saving for.  Go for mix of Utility and earlier Deco so have fireplaces, mirrors, ornaments, plus brown Rexine furniture and that pile fabric on old bus seats.  Might be able to make some – 3-piece suite perhaps? Eternal problem:  how to meld together homemade with finer finish of bought items?

Utility mark: stamped with sign like 2 pacman game heads and model number on furniture bedding, everything inc label inside our liberty bodices

Wednesday – Found another picture

from the site Early 20th Century Housing – at side heading of  “Hipped roofs which slope”

Showing details of styling.

What from this pic?

1.  The first photo seems to show in the opening light of bay window what might be slipped lead strips(?) and this picture has a chevron pattern in that same position in similar style single curve window.

2.  Look into having more areas of render. Might not be possible without losing the contrast brick styling?

Later Wednesday – Materials

The woodworking problem

Costs of building materials pus not willing to ask for help cutting every darn piece.  Think probably use thicknesses of foamboard and card and place on MDF or hardboard base – need help cutting that.

Need to find out if can do bendy end to window frames – different types of card, thick foil baking trays, tin strip, adapting ready made shape from other object … ?

Next up: floor plans and elevations

Further Info:

• Dolls House Past and Present – as in the title of the site many, many images of houses going back in time and of new build too.
• Art Deco
• V&A Art Deco