Pictures of Ya Hala-Deir Al Qamar: April 2008

Ya Hala

" Ya Hala " was the name of Marti's Grandparent's country home in Oklahoma.

The living room

The sitting room in front of the fireplace

The view from the living room facing the entrance and sitting room

The lighting reflects off the beautiful stone walls...

Pictures speak for themselves....

Marti's Room

This is the guest suite underground in the stone cross vault.

This is the entrance facing the fireplace.

Some of our friends visit Ya Hala

The old streets in Deir Al Qamar were built in the Ottoman times and they wind all around the village connecting each old house to the next.

Our friend Rita sitting by the fire...

Haifa and Nadia visiting with Rita while the kitchen was being installed...

Little Yunis makes a trip to Ya Hala with his mom and dad- Anne Francoise and Markus

Shazzy enjoying a glass of wine fireside

Views of the Garden and the Roof top

Our friend Mona and her daughter Caline have been a source of moral support and good advice throughout the whole renovation process.

A view from the roof terrace

This is the patio off the dining room which overlooks the beautiful mountain range in the Shouf

May and her mom, marti and Rosie on the rooftop terrace

Marti oversees the BBQ area

Some of the people who made it happen

This is Joy..... He is the Electrician. We blew a few fuses with Joy during the last months of renovation. One highlight was when he climbed on Marti's bed to install a light fixture.... She was so enraged. You can imagine the scene that followed. Electrifying!!!!

Here is Samir.... well meaning foreman. He grew to love "Ya Hala". He was hoping for a permanent job overseeing the place after it finished. He could light a great fire, but Marti and Janmarie have taken over his foreman job, and have the rough hands to show for it!!

Here is the team of landscapers. They are digging the hole for the olive tree in this snapshot.

Here is Jimmy

Genius architect - Designer

It was a happy day when we found him. As you can see from the pictures below he oozes charm and sophistication, and is a master at creating beautiful spaces.

Jimmy.... does drive Marti crazy. In the process of turning this run down shell of a home into 'Ya Hala', Jimmy fell in love with the space. He loves every nook and cranny of 'Ya Hala'. If the truth be known...he thinks it's HIS HOUSE!!!

This is Nada... the artist who "antiqued" some of the furniture, and other accents in the house. Jimmy brought her to tears a few times with his relentless perfection and eye for detail.

Khalil is the Carpenter from Hell. Marti threatened to kill him on several occasions. He did the beams and carpentry work throughout the house which turned out beautiful

Sheikh Riad from the neighboring village, wears traditional Druze attire. He polished the tile in the house with a crew of chain smoking unskilled laborers...... He drives a very expensive car, and has a hard time delivering due to his busy schedule!