Friday, March 25, 2011

Artwork up

Before heading out on biz travel, we put up a few pieces of artwork.  Makes things look so nice !  Though a bit tricky, because the stone walls are not helpful.  Put the picture hook in the wrong place and it has nothing to hold.  Hit a rock and you may be ok (if it can be drilled into, it will hold well).  Stud finders don't seem to be useful in old stone walls !

Here is a lovely pic of the far wall in kitchen, with my painting Spring Waratahs (thick textured oils on canvas, 90x120 cm) up.  I love how it looks !

Also, kitchen builder Mark Feltus came by yesterday with the new drawer fronts, so they can have the double knobs as per design.  They look great and also practical--I have put pantry and crockery items in these drawers, so some are rather heavy.

More from the road !

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Inspiration for New Palette

This week I have found the inspiration for a new colour palette I want to use for the next stage of our renovation.  The back extension project, which will have a 2d bathroom, permanent laundry, very small extra guest room, and a sun room.  Adding in the small bedroom is a new idea, and a very good one.  Just room for a day bed or sofa bed, something that can be a comfortable sleep plus a small bit of wardrobe space.  I think we can fit that in, if we are clever with our space and design.

I learned we need to fit a watchmaker's bench area onto the shed, so that plus the above will sandwich in the patio space we planned.  It seems time to pull out the measuring tapes this weekend and do a little survey !  Work out what is what.

Meantime, more fun to think about colours.  Inspired by some timbers cut off fallen branches of an old tree.  I liked the moss growth on it when I saw it.  Then when I saw the tidy pile of sawn pieces of it, I knew I had to capture it in a snap !.  Earthy grey brown, charcoal, sepia tones of bark dressed with stunning mosses in verdigris, sea foam, citron, and acid yellows and greens.  A few other pics I took also had some glossy emerald green leaves in them which enhanced the scheme.    This is all I need to take off and start the concept for Phase 2 !



Meantime, backsplash tiling is done by the sink.  Looks great and lovely to have another thing done, crossed off the list.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Getting Set

I have been crazy busy.  Moving in, moving out, cleaning up, unpacking, setting up.  Again.  I was absolutely shattered with exhaustion last week, working all the while and a long week this week too.  Whew !

So just a couple very quick views of the the first week.  Stunning kitchen, though feeling a bit empty in the middle, until the island Ian is planning gets built.  He will soon start to source the metal for making that and we have spent the week looking at design ideas and agreeing (negotiating ?) design features, aesthetics, functionality, and parts.  I have a business trip coming up soon, and will be bringing back an extra bag full of metal bits (some heavy industrial wheels we are sourcing in USA plus other things).  Which is not so new (I often get to carry back things for Ian when I transit USA).

The cooker is absolutely gorgeous, the colour is excellent and a fantastic punctuation amongst the neutral kitchen finishes.  Lighting is brilliant, we are very happy with that, it is stylish and also really great for work lighting.  The old vintage factory clock looks great above the cooker area and I found an old stove top tea kettle in a pale green to match the clock's finish.  Looking really great.

It is a dream to have a dishwasher again too !  Ian is very happy with the upside down fridge, which also looks fab with its cabinets.  The porcelain tile flooring is awesome, looks good, and very easy to clean and tidy up.  I need to make a mat for in front of the sink.  Thinking to make one from vintage french linen/hemp fabrics.  I just need to find or work out the binding I want.

Saturday, I spent a whole day putting things into cabinets, getting it all organised for efficiency.   Then today, Ian did most of the sink backsplash tiling.  We await the little capping tiles for the tiptop row and they arrive next Tuesday.  When they are in, I will snap a pic of that, because it is looking very elegant having it done too.

Meantime, we are finishing off lots of things.  Filled and sent away a skip bin (dumpster).  Ordered crisp white timber venetian blinds for the Dining Room windows, essential to provide needed insulation value during colder weather.  The firebox is installed.  We have to build or source a mantel for it.  Shower screen is in, security door installed, gas upgrade done.  Electricity in all rooms.  Towel hooks put up, another door painted.  Art work has not gone up yet.  Every day there are heaps of little things to do.  We even got out and did some gardening in front.  Just a start, but a start and looking nice.

Winston loves the lounge room.  It is all coming together, more soon !