SHAOLYN
Status : Completed
Site : Lonavala, Maharashtra
Scope : Architecture and Interior
The residential villa - as was brought to us, had weathered in various ways, yet retained its charm due to the scale of spaces and details. We first steps included a detailed study of the building, to understand which areas required to be kept as is, which areas restored to its original form, and which had to be removed all together, while maintaining the original beauty for which is was purchased.
Restoring a 100 year old structure can be a challenging yet rewarding task.
The restoration process begins with a thorough inspection of the wood and identifying any areas of damage or decay and carefully, removing any damaged wood and replacing with new carefully selected species of BTC. This has to be matches to the original in terms of colour, grain pattern, texture to ensure a seamless repair.
The entire roof is sanded down to remove any existing coatings or finishes revealing it’s natural beauty- the surface is then cleaned and prepared for a new finish. A high quality oil based finish designed specifically for exterior use is recommended to protect the wood from further damage.
Load bearing stone walls are a classic example of many old buildings. The building was originally plastered in lime plaster which had deteriorated and was carefully renovated with skilled labour such that the masonary work remains intact. This was replaced with cement based plaster, applied in layers to protect the building.
Extensions were made to the existing building to meet the new way of living which the client required. The building was blessed with the most beautiful china mosaic floor, antiques brought from various travels and solid wood loose furniture. We worked closely with what was inherited and replaced damaged parts of the furniture to match with the new pieces. The door and windows were designed afresh from solid wood salvaged from the false ceiling of the building which was turned down, as carefully treating, processing and sized to fit the new design.
The entire process required detail understanding of materials and labour that were acquainted with the techniques of preserving the original grain of the building.