Ulgedook at night

Work commences

Work on transforming the church to a cottage began today, although only with very modest steps. We started with a stop in Lunenburg to purchase a new-to-us kitchen island and two upper cabinets from a young couple who decided to remodel their one-year old kitchen to accommodate their growing family. After unloading the cabinets at Ulgedook, we spent the remaining hours of daylight doing some light work at the church. Susan started removing carpet from the aisles and alter, while I spent time in the belfry removing bat poop and closing the louvres for winter.

The bell is certainly an impressive artifact, in good working condition. It appears to be a complete swinging bell with yoke, A-frame stands, wheel, clapper, and toller; similar to many Meneely Bells found in thousands of belfries worldwide.

http://danart.home.mindspring.com/bellsite/html/

Preliminary plans

and the ideas are... (drum roll please)

Interior Design
(layout, flooring, lighting, plumbing, etc.)
~open concept
~2nd floor from wall to stairs @ "alter"; 11 ft floor to 2nd level
~sliding patio doors to decking outside (Bar-Be-Que!!)
~need a loft about 1/3 of total floor space
~open fireplace in middle of floor or under back window
~stucco wall up to edge of ceiling, then colorful tiles along edge of the ceiling, then keep the rest of the ceiling the way it is
~remove tin ceiling above pulpit for behind Danny's woodstove; need at least 48"x60"
~place kitchen with bar in alter

Exterior Design
(landscaping, decks paths, fences, plants)
~climbing vines and flowers on lattice type wood
~always a big planter (pot) at the front door
~take a couple pieces of tin ceiling down for X-mas present for behind Danny's woodstove
~woodland plants along fringe of forest area
~trellis with climbers on side and front of building
~perennial gardens filled with pea gravel (low maintenance but softens the look) and ornamental grass would look great
~remove siding and utilize cedar shakes or planked board for country setting
~build a cute and cozy bunk house for guests; patio doors on side of house with a stone ~patio/garden between house and bunk house

Color your church
(walls, ceilings, floors, etc.)
~love blue thistle color (348-3)
~ceramic tile in entrance way and kitchen
~let Danny change color of tin ceiling pieces; I'll take them to my shop!!!
~victory blue trim (447-7); snow storm wainscoting (542-1); iceberg below (547-2)
~blend color scheme with color of stained glass; recommend the Tapestry & Mosaic color scheme; Cider chart, pizza pie, cracker ritz, mesa reipe
~end wall facing road: do one color (green) & then do two side walls another (buttery yellow)
~for a country theme, we recommend: morning rose, soft suede, magenta, sweet Annie

Decorating
(furnishings, window treatments, artwork, etc.)
~leave most of the stained glass except for two windows to bring in more natural light
~get rid of windows on the sides, using them perhaps in the loft; install new windows in the sides; keep front and back windows
~abstract art
~leave stained glass windows where feasible
~leave pine wainscoting on walls
~replace paneling with something rustic that matches pine
~replace paneling
~natural lights a must; skylights??
~take down some tin ceiling to have sandblasted and restored to original condition, and don't put so much back up
~replace ceiling with frame and wooden beams on seams
~what's under the paneling... plaster? may be able to paint in a way that enhances imperfection.
~wall scones

Pews-R-Us
(what to do with the pews)
~call Jeff & April; we'll take 1 or 2
~shutters for windows
~auction pews
~use for kitchen cupboard door
~offer them to ex-parishioners
~use some pers outdoors for a firepit... Kum-by-a
~use 4 for around a kitchen table
~use for head and footboard; utilize some to add under-bed storage drawers
~use a few as sofas/chairs, adding lots of cushions
~pews make excellent firewood @ Kearney Lake

Other
(references, considerations, etc.)
~open concept, post & beam; natural finishes; see what's underneath the layers of paint on the floor
~I know a great carpenter who does wonderful word with reused building materials for a rustic look; also - architect Nicole Coolen @ Sperry & Partners is wonderful
~find an "up & coming" local designer who would love to showcase their talent in transforming a church into a retreat
~call Debbie Travis, as she is working with youth to learn about home renos
~call every home make over show/magazine (Canadian) and offer to film a show of place being made over by expert designers

Open House (Church)

We hosted our open house on Saturday November 8th, and were pleased that it was well attended by many family, friends, and new neighbours. Primarily the event was a celebration of taking the keys to Ulgedook Cottage. More importantly though, it was a chance to share renovating and decorating ideas to convert this retired church to a cottage. We were enthralled with the many and varied ideas, but as my uncle observed, some suggestions may exceed our budget. That said, we wholeheartedly thank everyone for their input, and will consider all ideas with equal merit.

As a tribute to all who attended the open house, I present the following depiction of a favourite childhood rhyme.

Possession date

We took possession of the former Wesley United Church on Friday October 31st (Halloween), and have now converted it to Ulgedook Cottage in name only.

After acquiring the knack to unlcok the door with a skeleton keys, I crossed the threshold for the first time as the new owner and was enthralled with the opportunities that await. As the witching hour approached, I vividly imagined the multitude of costumes suited for a Halloween party here in some future year. For now though, we need to allow time to elapse for Ulgedook to transform from a house of worship to a cottage for rest and relaxation.

We spent Saturday tidying up a bit, in preparation for the open house. Furnace works well; very toasty within minutes. My father visited, and it wasn’t long before I heard him ask, "ya got a hammer." Soon he had detached a choir pew, to discover that it is only toe nailed to the floor. We also discovered that the pew is constructed from 1"x16"x6' solid pine boards; great for many applications from furniture to stair treads. Because the church seating was now unbalanced, I ripped up the corresponding pew on the other side. Lodged underneath, I discovered a tarnished coin (presume a penny) from Newfoundland in 1873 (that’s right... 1873).

In three days, we visited Ulgedook three times. The first to walk in and claim ownership, the second to tidy up a bit in preparation for the open house, and the third to deliver a table for the open house. In all instances, we were awe inspired with the architectural delight that this structure possesses, and the wondrous opportunities it presents as a cottage.