A place to just be......

The engawa in my opinion is a special place in a traditional Japanese house that you can sit  with a cup of tea, take in the view and just be....

Source: TANAKA Juuyoh (田中十洋)
Japanese traditional style SAMURAI house / 稲葉家下屋敷(いなばけ しもやしき)

Once we finished the toilet area that leads off the engawa, I knew it was the next project I wanted to tackle. So ready with the orbital sander I got to work and removed the layers of old stain.  

What all that sanding revealed was light coloured floor boards. 

Even at this stage the area was feeling fresh, but there were holes that needed filling with some putty and impatiently I had to wait 24 hours until it was completely dry before I could paint.  

You know painting is my thing and I was just so keen to get some varnish on these boards! But my assistant was even more so.....

After one coat of varnish

Love this when the wood meets tatami!

Ta da! Now after two coats of varnish

Our little engawa has been given some love and now we can enjoy sitting together with a cup of green tea and just be.....