At last, stone floors

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Not much to look at but it does represent progress. This is the living room with the very beginnings of the stone floor installation. The walls have been painted Little Greene’s Urbane Grey. The guys call it battleship gray and they do have a point, though this gray has just a hint of blue in it. I wanted nothing to compete with the TV screen, so I went for this grey. In general the walls are coming out a good shade or two darker than I had envisioned,  so I’m glad I went for white ceilings and this light stone floor.

The stone is Pierre de Bourgogne. When it is sealed the color will darken a bit. The pattern is called Roman mosaic, I think. It looks random but it is actually very precise. By this point in the installation the guys have worked out the repeats and all. I had to leave but they had started to move pretty quickly.

This stone will cover the entire ground floor. It will be laid, grouted, sealed and allowed to settle for a bit. The electricians are working to make the final connections for the geothermal system. In three weeks we will begin the slow process of warming up a proud old house that has had no heat for five years.

After all this time I am happy to see finishes. This is by no means the expensive part of the project, just the part that makes it look expensive.

11 thoughts on “At last, stone floors”

    1. You’re fast! The interesting part will be the entry hall, a pale grey with this same stone, some natural wood and a bit of the exposed stone structure. Top or flop? We shall see…

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  2. Top If you think it will work, I am sure it will

    Glad you are leaving a little of the stone structure as a nod to the house’s bones. Me too
    Personally I feel that stone walls everywhere can be a bit of an overkill scenario, and they absorb every scrap of light.

    So many folk rush to strip everything back to the stone, It’s a bit like the fashion that started in the 70’s for the totally uneccessary stripping of painted doors, trim and furniture, it’s not authentic and it’s not necessary.
    A bit of bare wood and a bit of bare stone is more effective than much more impactful (is that a word?) then knocking everything back
    Just my opinion

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    1. Brain fried, right? I’m looking forward to getting the pictures and furniture in place. Of course this room will also get bookshelves and a big TV. That’s when I’ll know for sure whether the color is right or way too much.

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  4. Looks perfect – once you get furniture and accessories in, those walls will be absolutely right. Geothermal is also brilliant, no radiators – and better than underfloor heating which can make your feet swell.

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    1. It makes your feet swell? Really? Uh-oh. Actually, it is underfloor heating and upstairs we do have radiators. A geothermal system is just another source of electricity. It takes the earth’s heat, or in this case the heat from the ground water, and converts it to the electricity which heats potable water, which in turn heats the house and feeds the hot water taps. So, hmm, in addition to wondering whether the cost savings was oversold, I have to wonder whether my feet will swell even more readily than they do now. Sweet.

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      1. Oh dear – hope this isn’t a self-fulfilling prophesy! I know several people with geothermal heating in Switzerland.- but I must have got muddled over how they use it. I do know that once it’s installed it costs peanuts to run, and seems pretty trouble free.

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