A little extra...
I made a small addition to my Canal House. And I really mean small!
A few years ago I added a box to the back of my Canal House to make room for an ensuite to the bedroom and extra room for the upstairs landing. Of course this meant the house could no longer be pushed with its back against the wall and all the wiring and other things which should not be seen, could be seen from the sides.
In Amsterdam there are seven or eight very narrow houses which are only a little over two meters wide, just wide enough for one window. A narrow extension like this would be perfect for hiding the wiring and the box at the back of my Canal House.
I used a few ornaments by Sue Cook next to the front door. I tried to match the style of this facade to the one of my original house, which I made 10 years ago! Actually, the Sue cook ornaments are more ornate than the ones I made on the big house, but I just had to use them. They are so beautiful!
The light was quite bad today so I couldn't get a very good shot of the two houses together, but this way you get an impression of how they look from the front. I used more ornaments for the top of the gable. I still have a few additions in mind for that.
I still had the leftover bricks I cut from sandpaper which I used to make the sidewalk and street with all those years ago. Never throw anything away ;-) ! You can see from the new part how much the handling, dust and light have faded the original bricks in those ten years.
As I don't want you to actually look through the windows, I have made some very simple curtains of a thin white cotton, glued down this time, not sewn ;-)) I like the simplicity of them.
It looks very pretty, but does not distract attention away from the main house.
A clever plan and it looks really great, Josje! I remember looking at all those houses tucked in next to one-another when I walked in Amsterdam, not sure that I saw the ones you refer to though, they all looked small to me ;-)
ReplyDeleteThese are really narrow houses Elga, you may have seen one or two as there are several in the area near the silk shop. We can have a look next June ;-)
DeleteA great idea!!! Looks really good Josje!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :-)
DeleteJe trouve cette extension très bien réussi. Elle s'intègre parfaitement avec la maison d'origine.
ReplyDeleteAh thank you, that is what I was aiming for!
DeleteMe encanta como has hecho la extensión,se ve muy real y el aspecto es muy agradable,la puerta de entrada es fantástica!!!
ReplyDeleteBesos.
Thank you Pilar! I quite like the door as well ;-)
DeleteAlways a delight to se anything from our hands; lovely addition!
ReplyDeleteThank you Synnøve!
DeleteWONDERFUL idea Josje, and in fact I think it enhances the original house. Great idea too to light it making it look as though there really is 'life' behind those windows, but to force us to imagine it by drawing the curtains - and there is NO way we'll be imagining wires and such.
ReplyDeleteHi Norma! Well it is funny how the mind works isn't it? We all know there are wires behind it because I told you ;-) but the mind chooses not to think of those and just see that facade. Perfect! I am still working on the lighting behind the windows as it also shines through the gap in between the walls. But I agree with you it adds to the illusion of life going on inside the house, so I do want to keep it.
DeleteIt's similar to the way the mind sees mini scenes and accepts them as full human size don't you think. We see what we 'expect' to see. When looking at your rooms always I have great difficulty truly realising that they are just tiny. It is of course a testament to the detail and perfection that you craft because without that the mind could not be 'tricked'.
DeleteThank you Norma. But I also think it depends on how you photograph something. I usually try to make it look like you are inside the room, taking the photos at 12th scale eyelevel or below that. That helps too because that's the level you are used to seeing things.
DeleteAnd as it is digital photography I can take a lot of photos and then pick out the ones which look best ;-)
Geweldige oplossing Josje! De ornamenten zijn bijzonder mooi.
ReplyDeleteDank je Sabiha! Ik wil over het algemeen veel zelf maken, maar Sue Cook maakt zulke prachtige dingen en dat kan ik soms echt niet weerstaan.
DeleteWat een geweldig goed idee Josje en zoals gewoonlijk weer perfect uitgevoerd, tot aan het onkruid tussen de steentjes toe! Maar het nadeel is natuurlijk wel dat we nu heel nieuwsgierig worden naar wat er zich achter de ramen afspeelt ;-)
ReplyDeleteHaha, ja dat mag je zelf bedenken ;-)
DeleteWhat a FANTASTIC idea and beautifully executed. It really adds a wonderful contrast to the front of your canal house. This is really a magnificent addition. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteSue Cooks work is so lovely. It is a real inspiration to build something just to use her pieces.
Thank you Catherine! I also like the contrast between the two buildings, it makes the original one stand out a bit more I think.
DeleteI actually bought the Sue Cook pieces for my other house, but they looked so good here I just thought I'll have to order some more for the other house. Her work is very detailed and crisply cast, really lovely!
Het is supergeweldige idee voor rommelige stekkers en snoeren om verbergen.
ReplyDeleteAlle troep uit het zicht, perfect toch?!
DeleteAll i can say is ..... Beautiful !!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMario
Che magnifica sorpresa. Un'altra cosa aggiunta a questa casa che in molti credevamo fosse già finita!Per fortuna, per noi, hai ancora da fare.E' bella quella scritta sulla porta!
ReplyDeleteAh no the house is not quite finished yet. I can imagine it was a bit of a surprise for you ;-) Glad you like it! Thank you Blanche!
DeleteCiao Josje, ti riscrivo su questo post a distanza di tempo. Sono interessata al tipo di rivestimento che hai usato sulla facciata. Sul tuo sito scrivi che i mattoni rossi sono in realtà della carta. Mi potresti dire che tipo di carta hai usato? Mi saresti d'aiuto perché mi piace l'effetto che hai dato. :-)
DeleteErg mooi gedaan Josje! Zeer orgineel!
ReplyDeleteDank je Vall!
DeleteWhat a Wonderful idea Josje! And the best part is that it is authentic to the time and place of your original house! Such a fascinating thing a narrow house... too bad no-one will ever see inside it!! LOL! (I would be tempted to make it another house!!) The door surrounds are beautiful and the bricks left from the first time just says "Destiny"!
ReplyDeleteHey Betsy! Well when I first drew my plans for this addition (about four years ago) I did have all sorts of wild ideas for this addition. But it was getting very complicated and really made the solution worse than the problem ;-) So it will remain just a facade now!
DeleteThat was indeed a perfect solution, Josje. The Sue Cook components are such a lovely addition to your 'addition!' I'm very impressed by the inclusion of weeds peeking out the cracks --such a little thing. (Makes all the difference)! I will definitely file away the idea of bricks cut from sandpaper for a future project: sheer genius.
ReplyDeleteHi John, it's funny you mention the bricks (not an original idea from me by the way, I'm sure I have read that somewhere back then) as I was thinking of how to approach the bricks on my new Canal house. With sandpaper I worry about the quality of the paper and how long it will last.
DeleteA few days ago I decided to go to bed early and read some nice dollshouse books. I read in the M&R book how they did their brickwork and I thought, well if that's how they do it, then that's what I should do. The next day I was reading through the old posts on your blog and read the post(s) about your brick and stone work. Talk about coincidence! You did a magnificent job on it!
I have a friend who owns one of the M&R houses in the book, so I can even inspect how they have done it up close. Strange how it has never registered with me how they did the bricks.
Anyway, like I said, I worry about the quality of the sandpaper bricks. I would not actually recommend using them. I did because that's what I used ten years ago, but I wouldn't use them for a facade or so.
Josje, your house is always beautiful, the idea of extension is great!
ReplyDeleteI love more and more your canal house… ♥
Thank you Léa for your sweet comment!
DeleteOOOO I really like it, beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda!
DeleteA perfect solution, and so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks Brea!
Delete
ReplyDeleteHoi Josje
wat een goed idee om alles weg te werken,dit huis is nu bijna klaar?haha
groetjes adrie
Jaaaa nou het duurt niet nóg tien jaar hoor! Ik nader nu de voltooiing. Maar er is altijd nog meer te doen dan je denkt. Ik heb laatst allerlei kleine klusjes zitten doen, plintjes die nog misten etc. dat was nog behoorlijk wat werk!
DeleteJosje, how clever! There is a house like this in a city where I used to live, and a friend in New York sometimes sees skinny houses built where alleys used to be. It greatly adds to the illusion of the house being on a real street, and hides the wires nicely (aren't wires just the ugliest things?).
ReplyDeleteThank you Anna! It is one of the things I really like about this addition, the illusion of it being on a street. I suppose in any city it is a struggle for space, so anywhere they can someone will build a house, even if it is extremely narrow.
DeleteHello Josje,
ReplyDeleteI feel like I am walking in the street and looking at a real house. It is justs pectacular! The extension is great and adds a lovely touch to an already beautiful facade. Excellent craftsmanship...you always impress me.
Big hug,
Giac
Hi Giac, thank you for your sweet comment! I should add some waste bins, bikes and
Deletesuch to add to the realism ;-)
Josje,you ARE the cleverest, most wondrous house builder in the mini world. And I hope that all the others will forgive me but I amtotally partial to you
ReplyDeleteWonderful extension!!!
Haha Rosanna, that is so sweet of you! Thank you!
DeleteSo amazing and regal looking! :D Fantastic work and I admire your inventiveness using leftovers to make such ornate embellishments!
ReplyDeleteMany mini hugs,
Jackie
Thank you Jackie! I did use some new things I bought as well, not just leftovers ;-)
DeleteJosje, Wonderful solution, but doesn't it make you want to continue the street scape as it is so pretty!
ReplyDeleteRegards Janine
Oh yes Janine, that would be so lovely! An entire street! If only I had the room for that!
DeleteWonderful and perfect idea for a fantastic house.
ReplyDeleteBye Faby
Thank you Faby!
Deleteэто потрясающе)) дом получился очень красивый))) Дверь шикарная!!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Ksandra
Thank you Ksandra! By the way, I am still looking into the online class option. Still a few things to work out. I'll let you know when I know more.
DeleteHi Josje,
ReplyDeleteThis is a really wonderfull solution and addition to your canalhouse.
The front looks interesting with doors on different levels just like the reall thing.
Did you paint the: Anno 1690 yourself or is it a print?
Groetjes,
Jeffry.
Hi Jeffry! I'll leave the freehand sign writing to you ;-)))) I used my printer for this one. I wanted to print it onto painted paper as that would look better, but the ink absorbed into the painted surface and looked horrible. So now it has a white background but at least the print is nice and fine!
DeletePrachtige toevoeging aan je grachtenpand, Josje, je ziet deze smalle pandjes inderdaad af en toe in Amsterdam. Ik wist niet dat er maar zó weinig van waren (weer wat geleerd ;)). Zo tussen andere huizen "ingefrommeld", lijkt het dan!
ReplyDeleteGroet, Ilona
Hoi Ilona, nou dat soort informatie vind ik dan toevallig bij het zoeken op Internet. Ik zou wel eens in zo'n smal huis willen kijken hoe het dan zit met de trap naar boven en zo. Er zal wel een voor- en achterkamer zijn en de trap in het midden van het huis.
DeleteHello Josie,
ReplyDeleteYour canal house keeps getting more and more beautiful. What a lovely addition--you are a creative artist indeed. Looking forward to more posts.
All best,
Brad
Thank you Brad!
DeleteHola Josje, haz hecho un gran trabajo y solo para ocultar los cables!!!
ReplyDeleteBravo!
Un abrazo
:-) Gracias Rosamargarita!
DeleteHello, Josje! Where you can see and possibly buy the "de Stolp" dollhouse like yours or something?
ReplyDeleteHello Blanche! Unfortunately 'de Stolp' is no longer making dollshouses. As far as I know they were the only ones making these canal houses. Sorry I can't help you with this!
DeleteThanks for the information, Josje!
DeleteHi Honey
ReplyDeleteSorry Im so late - I read this Post days ago but forgot to comment, SORRY.
WHat a fantastic idea to incorporate the en suite extension into a smaller side house. More beautiful pieces from Sue Cook I see. It sits SO perfectly next to the main house too! It really completes the scene.
I loved it so much I went all the way back through your older posts - probably why I forgot to comment the last time!
Wonderful work as always Josje.
Much love
Simon x
Oh don't apologize Simon! I know how distracting it can get when you go from page to page. I won't hold it against you if you don't leave a comment ;-) But thank you anyway for your lovely words!
DeleteWhat a marvellous idea. Far better to disguise the extension with something spectacular than leaving it as a plain box.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly Irene ;-)
DeleteWhat you thought of as a solution for a problem, turnes out to be an amazing addition to an already amazing project, I absolutely LOVE it! And those Sue Cook ornaments are great for this, really nice feature. And arent facades different that way often (ornated and simpler). It makes it very interesting I think.
ReplyDeleteThank you Monique! Yes, in real life these houses are all very different from the next house. I spent some time on google earth, just looking at all the facades on the 'grachten'. It's really great because you can zoom in very close to look at all of the detail on the houses without actually going there. Very helpful!
DeleteHi Josje,
ReplyDeleteYou are so clever. What a wonderful solution. It has come together so beautifully, the Sue Cook piece is just beautiful and the number above the door really adds to it. The bricks actually look good with the difference in tone and I love the little addition of moss on the step.
I am still in complete amazement that there are houses in Amsterdam only 2 meters wide.......very skinny people must live inside.......; )
ML Fi xx
Thanks Fi! Well there are not very many houses like that. I think the smallest one is only 1.80 meters wide. I have only seen these houses from the outside but would love to peek inside to see what they look like!
DeleteSorry to be so late with my comment, Josje! What a charming little house the addition turned out to be and I love the curtains you have dressed its windows with. I had no idea that such small houses existed in Amsterdam. Absolutely enchanting! I would love to see inside. Obviously a different room on each floor. And your most wonderful canal house fascinates me every time I see it, especially when all its lights are on. It looks so lived in and like there are things going on inside and like a child, I always wonder what could be going on.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lucille! I think you can find such narrow houses in most big cities, not just in Amsterdam. But I thought it would be a great way to add something extra to the facade of my house while hiding the ugly stuff that's going on behind it ;-)
DeleteOMG! Your works are amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteCheck out my blog, if you want: littlegeorgianera.blogspot.it
Tank you! Good day!
Thank you Diego! I have become a follower of your blog and look forward to your build!
DeleteImpresionante, no sé qué decir, me ha encantado esa puerta de la entrada principal y la del servicio con el número arriba. Es grandiosa tu casa. Enhorabuena por tu trabajo y buen gusto. Besos
ReplyDeleteMuchas gracias Sionchi!
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