Last month we moved out of our run-down house in favor of rented accommodation (we are now dryer, cleaner and more rodent free - thanks for asking).
One consequence of this move is that our garden has been severely neglected. In our absence, it has taken advantage and is now out of control like a wayward teen.
This is eight weeks ago:
This is today:
Rainy season in the tropics. Who knew?!
We continue our exploration of the little things in our house. Today we document the various hooks embedded within our walls. These hooks are a common sight in old colonial homes as Yucatecans traditionally sleep in hammocks suspended between them. Given how hot it can get, it’s an ideal solution for a cool and comfortable sleep.
We have decided to document the little things that make our run-down house so special. Respecting these tiny details will make or break our renovation. We start today by documenting the exterior doors.
The exterior wall of our grand room, as with so much of our house, clearly needs work. You can see the lime-based plaster has fallen away to expose the stacked stone construction. Stacking limestone rocks to form walls, called mamposteria, is the traditional building method in Mérida. It leads to thick walls about 1 1/2 feet that are incredibly durable over time.
The issue with these walls is the lime-based plaster expands in the humid climate, cracks and falls out. This is what leads to the gaping holes seen in the image above. The modern solution is to fill the holes with concrete instead of plaster. Concrete, lacking the lime, is not as susceptible to humidity and therefore lasts a lot longer.
Although it may not look it, this is a huge 6m (18ft) high wall that faces into the center courtyard. Right now it’s so beautifully distressed, it seems a shame to restore it.
The left building, our kitchen, is a recent addition to the house. It has a much lower ceiling than the rest of the house. We will most likely demolish it.
The back boundary (as well as other boundaries) is delineated by a limestone rock wall.
This room has a very high sloped ceiling that starts at 6 meters (18 feet) on one side and will ultimately serve as our grand living room.
The doors in the house are one of it’s greatest features. They are in wonderful condition (a rare thing to find), and deserve the utmost of care when refurbishing them.
This door is screened by a patterned concrete block wall that helps shade from the southern sun.
Our house is only 1/2 of what used to be a much larger house. The boarded up doors beyond lead to the other side. The pasta tile floors you see here lend a bit of color and texure to the otherwise monotone house.
