Sotto Le Stelle 03 - Walls Stripped Bare

The builder is in, the plaster is off, rubble is away and the wonderful vaulting is revealed.

Pietro has been taking photos and sending us regular updates on the cleaning.


Cleaning the plaster off the walls and ceiling

Where the arches of the vaults meet each other at right angles you get a lovely "Christmas star".


Christmas Star

The stonework will be sand-blasted and repointed. The plan is to plaster the vertical surfaces and leave the arches stonework exposed. Which walls get re-plastered depends on how we plan the re-build. The jury is still out on that.



We will also need to put in some additional steps to improve access to the stairs up to the roof.


Stairs from street and up to terrace

Saverio spotted that the doorway into the kitchen had traces of an arch. Here he has taken away the narrowing walls to reveal a wonderful, elegant arch.


Archway into the Kitchen

The external walls also need cleaning, repointing and painting. So up goes 14 metre scaffolding.


Scaffolding on valley side

We go out in mid-February to see the progress for ourselves (and pay the first part payment). Seeing the apartment "in the flesh" may help firm up our remodelling decisions. Can't wait.

Loads of photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmclellan/collections/72157632449775651/