Exterior Walls

As you may recall I built this house room by room with only a vague idea of what the exterior would finally look like. I had the basic plan but various decisions along the way meant making accommodations or changing my plan. So I decided to worry about the outside once the interior was done.

Things like wanting a lit fireplace in the dressing room after adding an alcove to the main bedroom, meant I needed more room on the second floor. So I added a 2×4 ledge and continued on my merry way. Eventually I had to figure it out and it meant adding a chimney and the unplanned street level stores LOL

I tested out the exterior wall treatment for the dressing room and then left the rest to the very end.

After adding the final ceiling, it was time to grapple with the outside. All that grandeur felt a little exposed without doors. LOL

I cut pieces of plywood and built my facade with mat board before paining it cream – the paint is aptly called French Château lol Once I was happy with it I glued them together. I was so happy they all fit when I put them on their hinges. I added corner detailing in just plain mat board to add visual interest along with all the columns and embellishments from my silicon molds

Then I had to deal with the inside of the doors – a little paint to match the rooms took care of that. I tried to remember to leave enough of the fabrics, wallpapers and paint to do that when I completed each room

I have two small side doors – one for the blue bedroom and one larger one for both the closet and art studio. Then of course the two big front doors and the attic roof which lifts up.

I added decorative latches to keep them all closed and dust free I planned to weather the exterior but I have not yet gotten around to it. Too busy on the next project

All in all I am so happy with it despite being a little crooked in places. Which is why I called it La Maison Tordue – it’s French for the crooked house LOL

More importantly it kept me mostly sane during the first year and some change of the pandemic and that, my friends, is worth its weight in gold.