A Naked Chimney

We finished stripping down the out of place wall that opened up the original hallway and continued to work on the chimney. It is finally free from the drywall and boards. We now have three sides that still have the original plaster, and one side that is, well, naked. It took quite a bit of work and I am sure that the chimney itself will need some repairs before we can hook anything wood burning to it.

What we found to be really exciting was that we now have proof that the chimney was originally exposed. On one side of the chimney, the original baseboard and chair rail are still in place, but painted.

I am hoping that we can remove these pieces whole and use them to find reproduction mouldings to use around the rest of the house. We were also able to determine what most likely was the original color of the kitchen - a pretty sage green - or possibly a really bright lime green with a sort of caramel colored hallway. I really like the color sage green and may use that for the hallway, but I am planning on doing the kitchen in red and brown with a coffee theme.

We also have the original connection hole for the wood cook stove. I wish I knew how the original kitchen was laid out, because it just seems a bit strange to us at this point. However, we may have a better idea once we start putting in some of the walls where they are supposed to be.

When we originally took the drywall down from the front of chimney, we could see that someone had put up some sort of concrete layer, which was used to provide a relatively smooth surface for the boards that the drywall was nailed to. At first, I was afraid that the concrete would prove to be too hard to remove.

Thankfully, I was able to remove one section in about half an hour. It was slow going at first because I was afraid of causing additional damage to the bricks. The only tools I had for the job were an old sharpening steel and a 4 pound sledge hammer. Not the best tools for careful work, but they turned out to be the right tools for this particular job.

I was able to get the second side off in about fifteen minutes. For some reason, this side literally came off in 3 and 4 brick sections. I am not sure what made the difference, but it sure made light work. You can see that there is some discoloration from the two cement strips. I am hoping that a quick clean with a scrub brush and vinegar will help eliminate that. Plus, once it is properly framed out with moulding, I am sure that the differences will be negligible and fade over time and exposure to the sun.

All in all, I am really happy with how the chimney looks. My husband was joking last night that our house is starting to get that "expensive" loft look with the exposed beams and chimney. I just keep telling myself that it can only get better from here.

I am not sure what we will be working on next, but I will be sure to keep everyone posted on the latest developments.