The first is our handrail! Our outer stairs, while improved, still needed a handrail for extra security, especially when the weather is frightful. The amazingly talented David Cross of Rio Bravo Ironworks took our list of needs and wants and created and installed this elegantly simple and sturdy handrail.
David, who's studio can be visited here in Elora, is also the ironwork master behind our beautiful signpost.
Thank you so much David!
Our second project was begun in March 2018 and only completed in November!!! There were a lot of unexpected road-bumps but it was worth it in the end.
It all began with our desire to have some form of reliable heat that wasn't dependant on electricity as our area is being hit with more and more ice storms and unpredictable weather. The thought of leaving this house in a power failure in the Winter with 5 sets of bathroom water lines to worry about freezing was terrifying! We decided to get a gas fireplace insert in our existing fireplace, which wasn't in good enough condition to burn wood.
So we visited a number of places but settled on Bast Home Comfort in Waterloo and a Valor fireplace. A large part of this decision was due to the knowledgeable, approachable and aiming to please salesman, Christian who answered all our questions, supplied a lot of information we didn't even know we needed to know and found answers when he didn't have them at his fingertips.
Then the fun began: the chimney had never been cleaned according to the chimney sweep, the chimney was in poor condition, and at one time the fireplace had been sealed up and there was a foamy/glue residue around the outer edge that had to be removed or it would stink. On top of all that, there was a hole in Creature Comfort where a little pot-bellied stove probably once was connected to the chimney and this had to be properly sealed.
So, it was only in November that we finally got our fireplace insert installed.
Wow! It's nicer than we imagined. Not only does it give us the power-failure security we wanted, it adds a lovely ambience to the room and provides a comfortable, adjustable heat. On these cold mornings, we have the fire warming the dining room and parlour before guests come down for breakfast and it's lovely to sit by the fire on cold, snowy days.
Thank you to everyone involved in this long process! Ash Chimney Sweeps (who had to come three times), Castle Masonry (extremely impressive to watch) and of course Bast Home Comfort!
