We have Lights!

Great excitement yesterday when the electrician found his way back to our house. So aside from boring stuff like finishing off some power points and a phone point, he had time to put up almost all our lights. Only ones to go are the second one in the hallway (which is a new point from scratch) and the porch light.

I had managed to find a light for the lounge on Thursday in case he came back, so very happy to have them all bought and now up and pretty happy with them all.

So photos!!

Firstly my favourite, our bedroom. A black chandelier that we found in Launceston last weekend. Love it!

Next is the guest bedroom. The electricians have left the plastic on for now, so will get that off next week when there is a ladder in the house again. Also the globes sold to me with this and the office light were the wrong fitting, so we haven't seen this one on yet.

Next is the office. An impulse buy and a little quirky, but some fun and it should go well with some of the colours we will have in this room. It is made of wood and painted.

The lounge room. Very happy with this one and should go nicely with our couches and rug. Again, plastic covering still on and no globe yet. 

The hallway. There will be two of this light, but one is still to go up. I was unsure when I got these as bought online and it appeared that were round, but are actually like a squashed ball. But now up and with the white I am happy as the blue is so nice against the white. I bought online as I had decided blue glass is what I wanted and it was impossible to find anywhere.

In other news, the inside painting is complete. The outside will get going in the next few days. The hydronic heating is almost complete, finishing Monday.

This week is floor coverings - carpet and lino Monday and Tuesday and hallway sanding and stain from Wednesday onwards. The builder will also be back briefly to put up our blinds and knobs on cupboards and a few little bits and pieces.

Almost there now and only 9 days until move in day!

Outside Progress - last post for today...

We have had a couple of labourers here since late last week to demolish the old laundry/shed which was basically being held up with ivy and other foliage. So three extra large and one small skip later, it has all gone. Paul our plasterer has diversified today and added lattice to the fence to start to restore the privacy from next door and is also moving the clothesline up from further down the yard. It has added a lot of extra space to the backyard.

So before and after...

And our new roof is 95% complete. Before, during and after shots below. 

That's it for now!



And then a bit of colour...

Our all white blank canvas will be perfect for some pops of colour!

Current plans are

• light bought for guest bedroom has a fairly bright green shade
• light bought for the office is a deep orange
• light bought for our bedroom is black and very dramatic (ok not colour, but not white)
• lights bought for the hallway are blue - just arrived (internet buy) and need to decide if we keep or not as not exactly the shape I thought they would be
• cupboard door knobs have been bought online at an Etsy store and are currently on a plane from Portugal (as you do) - see image below

• and best of all the front door outside will be yellow!

Now reading all that in one spot makes it almost sound ridiculous, but I think it will be ok and hopefully a lot better than ok. We also haven't wanted to spend a fortune on lights and blinds (which are bought and all charcoal romans - thank you to the Spotlight sale) as we didn't exactly put them into our rather conservative budget...

So this is the front door colour (to be painted next week) - Dulux Dancing Daisy.

And our cupboard door knobs. I ordered three of one design for the guest bedroom and four of the other for the office. I can't remember which of which.

I shall post photos of the lights once they are up. Hopefully our electrician will be back early next week to finish things off. Just a light for the lounge to find now and all shopping done... well maybe. I am sure I can find some new things to shop for!

OMG it is WHITE!

Hi,

Well lots has happened in the last week and a half, so shall probably break it up into a few shorter posts. This one - clearly all about paint. That is, white paint. Or more accurately Dulux White on White paint.

While it was a little of a shock when the painters got started and I worried that maybe it is possible to have too much white or too white a white... well now I am very happy and can see how it will all come together once dark flooring, lighting and furniture are in place.

I am especially loving the high gloss on the skirtings and architraves etc which started today. Pre-painting I was feeling a little guilty having decided to paint the woodwork, but I really just prefer the painted look so decided to go for it. Plus a lot of it wasn't in great condition to be just stained and some was already painted. Definitely a mix of things going on.

So some photos are in order I think.

Firstly our guest bedroom with a built in wardrobe, now with doors. Painting has now started on that.

This is the ceiling rose that we have put in each of the four main rooms - 2 bedrooms, office and lounge. 

Next is our new office with two built in cupboards for office and other storage.

And the hallway, starting with the ceiling rose that we have put in two spots. The photo only has it with a first coat of paint I think, so looks a little patchy.

One more white addition is the radiators for the hydronic heating. The heating guys have been here since Monday and are still going strong. See all their gear below and a lovely shot of Charlie in front of the not yet connected heater.

The old carpets and rugs have all gone now too. The four main rooms will have charcoal carpet (being installed from Monday - yaaay!) and the hallway will be sanded and stained late next week.

All on schedule to move in on Monday week.

 

Plaster, more plaster and a bit of glass...

Hi,

Well our new builders have been busy for the last week or so and heaps has happened. The plastering is nearing completion, built in robes have been framed and plastered, the electrician has been to do most of his stuff and the painter will start in some rooms on Tuesday.

So some photos.
Firstly the guest bedroom. Photos show the new built in cupboard, new wider cornicing and plaster all patched. This room should be ready for painting early next week.

The office is fully plastered and built in cupboards framed. Cornicing still to be finished and skirting boards to go back on. Then onto painting late next week hopefully.

The front door. The first photo is a before shot. Unfortunately this doesn't show the glass to it's best effect! That is - the top three sections were yellow, the sidelights pink and two small sections pink and the large centre piece blue. Stunning!   

We had the glass replaced yesterday, as below. Toughened translucent in the door and patterened etched glass in the remaining panels. I think it has improved the door a million times. Now we just need to paint... I have started thinking colours and will have some samples to show soon. To the right of the door in the photo below you can see a couple of options, but need to get some different tones. Will probably end up with a deepish red. Although yellow does also appeal...

That's about it for now. This week should see lots of progress as things will transform once white paint is applied in large doses. Also the back shed will be demolished which is exciting.

Two more weeks of building/painting and then we have the carpets booked and move in date. Hopefully all will go to plan from here. In the meantime, we are on the look out for light fittings and window furnishings.

Almost there!

BREAKING NEWS: Our builder has been sacked!

The joys of renovating...

We finally managed to squeeze a fixed price quote out of our builder yesterday, and let's just say we are still in shock! It was double what we had expected.

Prior to booking him we did receive a per hour price from him which was ok and that was all we could get as we didn't have access to the house. This was also someone Dale has used on a number of occasions and had always done good work at a reasonable cost. Just yesterday morning we were told he would look after us re costs.

Anyhow, a new builder is coming to quote tomorrow and he is recommended by our plumber. It sounds like his prices will be heaps better based on conversations so far. Let's hope so! His plasterer is also available to start immediately, so if things work out we won't have lost much time.

The previous builder most definitely won't be asked to quote for our much more expensive stage 2 reno in a couple of years time. Oh well...

Update 12/10/11 - new builder estimate in and booked to start tomorrow. Came in at less than half the other quote for the remaining work.

The Joy of Colour

Sample pots, sample pots... I thought I only needed three and I already have six. There could be some more this week.

Firstly outside. I was inspired by the colours used on The Block on the house renovated by Josh and Jenna. The photo below comes from The Block website.

So for us, we have chosen a dark roof in Colorbond Monument and are now choosing a grey for the weatherboards and white for all the trims. So now imagine that colour scheme on our currently multi coloured facade below...

Our grey options so far are Dulux Tranquil Retreat (yes I like the name too!) in either full or half strength. Half strength is the top sample. Impossible to probably judge from a photo really. I am definitely liking the half strength more. Just need to decide if I want to check out some other colours.

And for the white trims, that is currently Dulux White on White. I have also tested this inside and thought it was the one, but have bought three other whites today and have completely confused myself. Yes they all look the same in this photo - and probably not too different in real life. Will decide on that one soon.

The front door will be another story altogether. That will deserve a post all to itself sometime soon!

Jo