To ‘offer an olive branch’ is to make good with someone, to try to resolve issues. The definition I found online was ‘to do or say something in order to show that you want to end a disagreement’
Our builder may define things rather differently. He was at a tasting in an olive grove this weekend, and managed to walk into the branch of a tree while not wearing his specs, very badly bloodying his eye in the process
Oh, the irony. He looked terrible, poor man, but assures me it looks worse than it is
At today’s meeting he confirmed that the structure I have found is indeed a very old fireplace, but said that the work required to uncover it (my work, not theirs) would be far greater than I realise. Part of me wants to continue, but once fully revealed it would surely compete with the wooden 19th C fire surround next to it
It’s tougher than I thought, this job!
When we bought the house we knew the building was 17th C, but the huge attraction was very definitely the 19th C aspirational makeover, which was done with some conviction and was largely intact. The danger is the distraction of earlier finds, some of which (the lion murals, for example) will have to be worked in, because they are very special
So I will document this latest find and allow the builders to put plasterboard in front of it, thereby preserving it, at least. I had hoped to avoid using plasterboard, as I know that builders can be overly fond of it, but perhaps in this instance it’s the best thing (however, if you ever see me referring to the use of ‘plasterboard’ in a future post, please stop me!)
We don’t want this house to be sanitised and shrouded in board. It must keep its character, but because of that we must also hold onto a reasonably cohesive scheme – something I was reminded of only today by another blogger’s post
Perhaps covering up this very early fireplace is our offer of an olive branch to the ’19th C’ house we fell in love with:
First step to owning our new gorgeous wreck/house in Quillan
Poshbird with Passion 
What a lot of interesting happenings! Sorry for my lack of communication, time flies. Our holiday was great, Hawes was a small market town. Love, mum xx x
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Glad you had a great time. Sorry I have been a bit preoccupied over here! x
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it must be hard to let something like this fireplace go
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It is hard. I was looking at it again yesterday and thinking that it’s such a shame. But it will be kept safe for the future, at least
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A house with character is all well and good but too many characters and you might get crowded out. Groan, I know, I’ve had too many coffees…
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Definitely the right thing to do, hard decision though it is. You can’t be a slave to another time and the house has to work for you, visuals and all. (Pretty fab to find it, though!)
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Your post really helped galvanise me this morning, thanks!
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I think you are doing the right thing. That room works well with it’s 19thc vibe anyway.
If any of the other rooms shout 17thc more than 19thc, then maybe you can divert there!
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Glad you understand. I felt like a turncoat but you probably know what the house wants almost as much as I do!
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That project is very definitely a full-time job. What’s your timeline plan for it?
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Timeline plan? I just hope I live long enough! It’s a take-a-week-here-and-there job, but it really doesn’t need to be finished for a very long time – say, ten years?
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