LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Saturday, March 5, 2011

House Construction 12: Me, My Ceiling & My Glass Door

In keeping with my notion that less is more, and that nothingness is the ultimate declaration of having arrived, I had this idea that I would decorate my new house with air... and a lot of it. To this end, I contrived to fashion the maximum ceiling height allowable on the 1st storey. It's 4 m high (even after the addition of a false ceiling panel).

To get the ceiling, I begged The Ex-Architect for it. It would cost more, I was told. Pleeeeeeeeeze, may I have it? **Batting eyelids** It would be difficult to change the light bulbs, I was told. Pleeeeeeeeeze, I would like to have it. **Bat eyelids some more** It would go against some building regulations, the Ex-Architect lied.

Oh good golly! Just do it! And that was when the Ex-Architect became an Ex.

Now, a semi-detached house has windows only along one side of the house. This is because the other side of the house is joined to the neighbour's and so, both families share a common party wall.

When I divided the 1st storey into 2 parts to carve out a self-sufficient apartment dwelling for Grandma and Grandpa, I gave away all the 1st storey windows along the side of the house to the old folks. This leaves me with the other half of the 1st storey that is pretty much a dark tunnel with natural light only at the 2 ends (back and front of house).

In essence, with its 4m ceiling, my half of the 1st storey is something of a dark cave. And like any self-respecting cave woman, who believes that less is more and that nothingness is the ultimate declaration of having arrived, I wanted a cavernous opening (filled with air and open to the light). After all, the front of the cave is where cave people do the hunga-hunga... and it really is more pleasant to do the hunga-hunga in a cavern than a hole.

And so it was that I begged The Husband for a 3.9m tall by 4m wide sliding glass doors. It would cost double, I was told. Pleeeeeeeeeze, may I have it? **Batting eyelids** It would be heavy, I was told. Pleeeeeeeeeze, I would like to have it. **Bat eyelids some more** It would be quite unstable and would come off the tracks, I was told. Pleeeze, I WANT it. **Level stare** No ball bearings can stand the weight of such a big door, I was told.

Oh good golly! Just do it! But this time, The Husband didn't become an Ex. Phew!!

And I am looking forward to a suite of tall sliding glass doors at the entrance to our cavernous hunga hunga place. And it turns out that there are engineering solutions that can build such large glass doors for strength, robustness and ease of use. And I want them because it is the ONLY luxury in the house that I have allowed myself.

9 comments:

Open Kitchen Concept said...

You are so funny Petunia! I'm looking forward to your new place... Pleezeee can I be invited? **Batting eyelids**

Anonymous said...

Sliding glass doors will let in lots of light...do you have a balcony or deck? That would be very nice to go with the glass doors!

Petunia Lee said...

OKC - Oh of course! Definitely of course!

Petunia Lee said...

Theanne - I have a porch right in front of those windows.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic...enjoy!

Blur Ting said...

Yes, it has to be bright! I like my house bright too.

Malar said...

Excellent way to get things done! hahahahha....

L said...

sounds nice! when will everything be completed?

Petunia Lee said...

Possibly, June...