Christo's Cucina

[Bandrasco]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Wow Christo, this is just getting better and better. Plasma cutter, welder, nothing like a plasma cutter to brighten up a day .

You have such a wonderful area out there, it looks very tranquil. A nice water feature like a rock water fall or something similar would be very cool... Any plans for that?

Take care,

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

You mean something like this:



I love it. But think it is a bit too much for the kitchen/patio. It just did not seem to fit. Maybe somewhere else someday....

But yes. We plan for a fountain but likely stone or cast in the medium size range (4 to 6 ft tall max).

Christo

[chuckster]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Where did you get that big concrete planter? How much did you pay for it? Did you use concrete sealer on it before planting it?

I have a plastic covered foam one and its already coming apart.

thanks - Chuck

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Ahh. The white planters - sorry. No idea they came with the house. The builder left them behind.

They are urethane and were white when I inherited them. I mixed up some black latex paint with water and gave them a wipe down to make them look a little more interesting. 6 years later and they are still doing fine. - One thing I did which may help - I put a bunch of closed 2 liter coke bottles in the bottom of each planter before I put the dirt in them - they are still plenty heavy but no where near as heavy as they were when completely filled with dirt. I think that may also be helping to prevent them from cracking and splitting.

Christo

[gjbingham]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Nice work Christo. I keep watching your progress from afar. Happy to see you're done moving earth and setting patio stone. The project is coming together nicely. Funny how these things seem to take ages to complete when you do them yourself. Years pass as think about and consider the possibilities. Committing to them and finally starting seems to me, to be the hardest part.
I like you're idea for a water feature posted above, but like you, I think it doesn't fit the area. Perhaps a tree shaped sculpture with water pouring from the branches would fit in the space?? Hmmmm. Regardless, I love the look you're creating.
George

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

George,

Talked to my wife about the tree shaped sculpture and she loves it.

I saw some mention of cement fondu on the site here and googled it - there are lots of people scuplting with it and it looks like a mix between cement fondu and copper could make a great tree.

Gonna have to thaw out here before I start on that.

Christo

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

A little more progress.

I was christmas shopping for my wife and found some wall sconces I thought might work in the niches. They fit like I made the niches around them! (3/4 inch around on all sides)

They were not what I originally had in my mind when I built the oven enclosure but are starting to grow on me. One more thing off the punchlist! As you can see from the pics - I seriously need some tool storage - the flue tile I was using finally finished cracking in half.

We had a bit of snow here this week, so I've also attached the now obligatory pic of the oven in snow. Snow seems to make things look so much better!!!

Have a great weekend!!! It sounds like Neill may be finished with his oven/kitchen area this weekend. I can't wait to see it.

Christo

[exceloven]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Christo,
Those sconces look great. Its amazing how great they fit, even the radius of the arch is perfect. Your project just keeps getting better.

Mark

[egalecki]

Re: Christo's Cucina

I can't believe you didn't make the niches just for those sconces!

It looks really good. Even all snowed under.

I'm still looking for a good tool storage thingy too- I keep going to the place that has the really ugly jar, but the store has the strangest hours I've even seen. The posted hours bear no resemblance to reality. At all. I don't know how they stay, well, I'd say "how they stay open", but that doesn't actually apply here...

[james]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Thumbs up on the decorative niche. I think the little details make all the difference. Very nice.

Ahhhhh. Tool storage. Now there's a topic....
James

[Dino_Pizza]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Yes, Christo, the whole look is coming together nicely! We just now looked over your entire building thread and it's like a great story. I was really interested in your oven landing which looks deep and wide. What is your vent-landing dimmensions? I just posted my thoughts on my build-thread that I was going to open up to 24" wide at the front and it would be 16-17" deep. How is your access working out?
Thanks, Dino

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Thanks - Progress is slow but satisfying!!!!

Dino - as far as the opening - I was actually going to leave you a PM on your opening..... I love the wide splay of the entry - allows me to see almost the entire inside of the oven and allows lots of manuvering room with the peel. I've never used a straight entry oven, so I can't talk much to knowing the difference.

Dimensions - 20 inch width at dome entrance; 27 inch width at decorative arch ; distance between outside edge of dome and outside decorative arch - 16 inches. I have a bit more than a brick and a half in my entryway. the 16 inches so far has worked out great - There is enough room to bake cookies there when the dome is still too hot.

You didnt ask but my dome is a bit more than 19 inches high and door is 12 inches tall.

Christo

[Xabia Jim]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Those sconces should be a standard design element....very nice Christo! Good use of the space.

[christo]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Thanks Jim!

The niches are tucked into the space between the dome and the flared opening. Still had room for insulation - I used some small scraps of the cermaic insluation where I had any concerns - the niches run cool as a cucumber!

Christo

[g8rjoe]

Re: Christo's Cucina

Christo,

My first look through the entire thread and I must say, you are a major pizzaiolo stud. You are on my list of WFO Heroes...a sort of WFO Hall of Fame. (Which makes me wonder if anyone has thought of a thread for the WFO Hall of Fame?)
The weird thing is that I have very similar dreams of an outdoor area as yours. As if separated at birth. I've started my oven and it sits on a corner.
The roof is one of my biggest concerns being here in Florida with the rain and such. Did you ever conside a pitched roof?
Also, did you have good wife support? Mine has been good to date. If I don't hurry, my grace period may end.

Great job, Christo.