Totally Floored

We are finally at a point in our renovation where we are starting to see finishes applied to the house. After eight months of renovation, it’s gratifying to see hints of color and texture appear.

First up, the upstairs bedrooms get a lift with the laying of reclaimed pasta tile from the former living room. With a splash of orange, the house starts coming back to life.

Although the tiles were meticulously cleaned before being laid, it took not three hours before the flip flops of our workers had covered them in a thin film of concrete dust and returned them to the dull state they were in when we bought the house. We can’t wait for the tile polisher to come in and restore them to their former shine and glory (this action will also signify the exit of worker flip flops, stage left).

“Antique White” Pasta tile is the choice for our bathrooms. At only eight pesos per tile (20x20cm), it’s an economical option that fits with the aesthetic of the house. In the photo below, we have laid a lozenge pattern edged in a square strip of the same tile. The edge marks the transition between the bathroom and an outdoor private terrace. Cut at a 45 degree angle, we are thrilled this edge came out so well. Sometimes it really is the small things that make us happy.

The space to the right of the edge will be filled with gravel. To the left (and bottom) a hardwood slatted shower platform will allow you to cross from inside to outside barefoot (and naked).

Downstairs in the outdoor living room, a smooth layer of concrete foundation has been poured.

To this, an application of locally-sourced limestone tiles called crema maya (or macedonia) is going down. As the room is a screened outdoor garden space, the limestone brings this outdoor feeling inside.

Inside the media room, we find yet another layer of concrete.

As pasta tile is the choice for this room, the foundation has been poured roughly, with stones poking through the surface. Each tile will sit on a hand-troughed bed of mortar that will bond tightly to the rough surface beneath. Also visible here is a layer of plastic sheeting laid under the concrete to prevent moisture from rising up from the ground beneath.

Quicker than we imagined, the floors are coming together and giving us some finished surfaces. Next up, wall finishes. We can’t wait!