Last minute change of heart

Aargh why do I do this? I am having second thoughts about deciding to go with a rangehood, I think I should have done an undermount and just went cupboards all the way across. It would have looked simpler and cleaner. I still love ranghoods but just looking at my kitchen today I just now think it's not a huge kitchen and I think it will just look too overwhelming for the space. I like things to be simple and this last minute regret is really throwing me. Other than ripping out the top cabinets again (not likely) it looks like I will just have to go with it now, totally my own fault. Talk about an eleventh hour decision. Worst comes to worst I will see if we can just leave of the ranghood and install later after I have decided.

Stay tuned.....

Finally Kitchen Arrives

Well as the title suggests our kitchen finally turned up. We got a heads up that it was turning up last Thursday and sure enough when we went out late Thursday afternoon there she was sitting in bits and pieces all over the family room floor. We were able to get in too and check her all out.

 

 

As you all know from my previous post this is when we discovered the profile of the doors wasn't quite right. We have decided to keep them now that I have seen it all up as to me it is such a tiny little variation and the doors in the bathrooms will be changed over to panelled to match the kitchen. It seems that this was an M paperwork issue and not the kitchen company as such. So glad we made the last minute decision to have panelled doors in the bathrooms as I think the panelled just looks so pretty.

Kitchen will be installed in two bits, they will come back and put on the island skirting once our floors are put down.

The kitchen must have been put together on the Friday but I was unaware as I thought due to the door issue that it would not go up, it wasn't until very late Sunday that I made a last minute decision to duck out there just to check if our water tank had turned up and I also had a mat that I wanted to check the sizing of for the laundry. I was literally standing at the back bifold doors trying to see if they were open not even seeing the kitchen. I got quite a shock when I finally noticed it. Luckily a window was still open and the girls and I were able to get in to look. I'm such a chicken I made my daughter look it all over before I would actually myself look at it haha.

Our new kitchen

As you come down the hallway from front door.

Love  

Island end gables with skirting detail

 

Over head cupboards.

Banks of drawers either side of oven.

 

 

 The pantry looks much bigger than I realised. The upper bit will just be some open shelves to put pretties on. This is the side with the benchtop and sink. Sorry this pick is blurry.

 

                                                                Other side of pantry

Open shelving above fridge space.

 

The laundry was something my husband and I came up with. I love open shelves to store baskets in. There is also a shelf  in the middle up the top and underneath that we will put a rod to hang ironed clothes onto. I am so happy with this and can't wait to start doing laundry haha. It's missing doors on top on the far side and the kitchen company is going to pop them on after the build is over.

Shelf on top and rod to go underneath to hang things.

I am thrilled with it. The gabled ends and skirting feature on the island are perfect and exactly what we were hoping for. To think that we struggled to convey to M what it was we wanted and it was all up in the air on whether it could be done even right up to the day our block was being levelled. Overall happy with everything I am quite amazed really that we all managed to do this via email and  pictures and that the kitchen company had never done this style of kitchen. Island is a great size and not so large that it obstructs the walkway to the front door.

Relieved!!

Hope no one minds but I will probably post all these pics again once the caesarstone is on...and probably when the pendants are installed too. Caesarstone is due to be installed on the 25th of this month, woohoo!

In other amazing news we are booked to have our walk through on the 8th of March! They will then take 2 weeks to do any fixups needed and then they are allowing another 2 weeks for our bank to do their thing. Too exciting and I have so much I need to get ready still.

Hope everyone enjoyed the pics (sorry for the blurry ones) I'll keep them coming.

Tash

Juju Hat

Must have one! Saw it on The Block last night in Phil and Amity's bedroom, never heard of them...where have I been?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Got One!!

What you are thinking? I finally got one of those overpriced ceramic drums except I only had to fork over $40! I was doing a happy dance when I picked them up and totally embarassed my daughters to which the little one asked "what do you do with them?"

I was tipped off last night whilst browsing a thread that mentioned that the Reject shop had them for sale again and after checking out the catalogue sure enough there they were on the front cover so I madly dashed down to our one and only store here in Toowoomba only to be told that a lady the day before had purchased all the white ones, 6 in total. Gosh I was peeved at that lady, there were some mutterings of "greedy people" under my breath haha. So I tried Gatton which is around half an hour away and they had two white ones left, quick girls trip out to Gatton and they are all mine.

I know a little obsessed about these but I'm so happy I didn't have to fork out for the expensive Matt Blatt ones. If anyone is looking for one of these, check out Reject right now as I know there were a few of you looking for one too. They only have them in red, black and white...white if your lucky and quick it seems.

Great day all round as I also picked up a gorgeous rug in a turquoise chevron, herringbone type pattern for her bedroom from Loot.

$40 people!!

Tash

Paint Pics

The house has been painted inside and out now for a couple of weeks but I only finally saw it last week. The interior is still a little too dark for me but I think I just need time to adjust to seeing colour other than light cream on the walls. The exterior is perfect, I'm happy that it doesn't look too dark.

 I think now seeing the front door painted white we will now at some stage paint it a pretty light blue after seeing so many other blue painted doors around on other blogs just to add a splash of colour to the house. Wouldn't a lovely pistachio type light mint green look lovely too? Kinda like the pistachio Kitchenaid mixers.

The exterior was painted in Dulux Milton Moon and we were actually lucky enough  to know of another house painted in this colour so we were hoping it would work for us too. I actually now would have also used Silkwort and maybe one day when we repaint that colour will still be around to use. All the trims on the outside are in Dulux Lexicon, M would not allow us to use any other shade of white not even quarter Lexicon.

The interior is Dulux Tranquil Retreat for most of the walls and in the kitchen, family and dining room we opted for Spanish Olive. I first saw this colour via I think the House of Turquoise blog which featured the most gorgeous house ever which as it turned out led me to the Georgica Pond blog where the same colour is used. I quite like it but I just wish that with the tranquil retreat I had gone only 50% strength. Painting is in our future! The trims inside are all Dulux Vivid White which is a beautiful crisp stark white with no hint of any other colour. The ceiling and cornices were M's standard, Lexicon Quarter.

For anyone looking at the colour samples I have provided below or even pics of my house please get sample pots and then view them in all different types of lighting as the colours on my computer screen  do not really match up to what they look like in real life, I don't even think the white looks accurate on my computer.

Family room in Dulux Tranquil Retreat

 

 

 

Front bedroom in Dulux Tranquil Retreat

 

 

Dining, Family and kitchen area all in Dulux Spanish Olive

Internal door to Main Bathroom

 

 

Entrance ceiling

 

Dulux Tranquil Retreat

Dulux Spanish Olive

 

 

Side of house

 

 

The front - a splash of blue would be perfect

 

 

 

Milton Moon

So there she is all painted up and I think she looks a little Hamptonish (new word), not the main house in the Hamptons more like the pool or guest house out the back out of view, haha.
To be honest I think everyone in Australia just uses the word Hamptons to describe any painted weatherboard house but I'm happy to use it no matter how far off I am.

 I want to do a post showing a pic of our house side by side against M's promotional pics, I think they look like two different houses.  


I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Tash

 

 

Kitchen Selections

Ok so this is long overdue considering my kitchen is already here in frightening little pieces on the floor of our family room.

So I am going for a "shaker" style kitchen I guess although I have no idea what that really means but to me I always think a kitchen with square panelled doors, this is a look way off from what I nearly ended up with and it was a blog post and a few other blogs that changed not only my kitchen but the look of my whole house.

I originally was going to have a super modern house all rendered with a two tone kitchen, think black or wood veneer on bottom and white overhead doors with possibly a mirrored splashback or a soft grey splashback, no handles. That was until I discovered  A-M's blog and her beautiful house, it changed my build all around. I then discovered the two other blogs with the most stunning kitchens, Georgica Pond and White Verandah and I knew that that was what I really wanted my house to look like too and modern went out the window. Ruby and Belle's kitchen is one I have looked in on too for inspiration and if anyone hasn't read these blogs should pop in for a look.

It has been an extremely difficult process trying to explain this kitchen, it has made me wonder if they had ever had a client do a similar thing? or has it all been modern flat doors? We provided them with numerous photos of every detail we wanted and were assured we would get to speak to the kitchen company once they knew who was doing it, this is not the case and anyone building with M should know this. So the best I could do is provide pictures and hope I end up with something like I want. Very stressful!

Okay selections already!

For all doors and drawers in the kitchen, butlers and bathrooms we have gone with Polytech's Ballerat profiled door. They have a lovely range of doors. It will all be 2pac in Dulux Vivid White in a satin finish as I didn't want them looking too glossy.

This pictured door is exactly what we got delivered and that is where I think the cofusion lies as we requested this door and this is how Polytech shows it on their website but you can opt to have different edge profiles which is what we did. I don't mind the doors with this edge profile but it's when you get to the drawers that the edge profile all joins up that slightly bugs me.



Dulux Vivid White

The kitchen is all pretty straightforward really. We upgraded to have overheads and banks of drawers around the stove area. The island was widened too (not sure if that was a mistake to do yet) The island is just where it got tricky. We kept the part where the dishwasher is etc the same as standard just moved it around a little but the back of the island we added rows of shallow cupboards. The hardest bit to try and explain was the island end bits and the skirting that I wanted down the bottom. They simply didn't understand and it looked like it would not be done and I kept telling myself to just go with the caesarstone waterfall ends. What will be will be though (sigh). I was hoping for a look like this.

This one has a few extra fancy bits going on that I don't want but it is still a little similar to what I wanted. Can you imagine trying to explain this in an email and not actually meet the kitchen company? Also they told us they have never done a kitchen like this not even so much as the panelled doors, their company does not do kitchens like this. My husband and I just did our best and now it will be what it will be. I'm not expecting it look as good as this but I am just hoping for something a little similar.

M provide a glass splashback as standard in our range and we went against the grain and deleted it and instead will have subway tiling. I seriously think they thought I was mad not wanting the glass. We have used the same tile here that we used in the bathrooms which I think was 200x100.



The handles for kitchen and butlers are from Mother of Pearl in polished nickel.

Kitchen, butlers and bathrooms benchtops are all Caesarstone Organic White. 40mm to kitchen and butlers and standard 20mm to bathrooms. Caesarstone was standard throughout house but the colour and the 40mm were upgrades.

The sink was an upgrade. I think it is called Clark Razor undermount sink.

Standard tap for here is a Dorf Jovian ultra modern square one but we will replace with something like this one. Or even the Ikea Glitteran one.

We got a credit for the standard appliances and have opted to go with a 90cm freestanding oven from Ilve and rangehood too. I know rangehood are not popular and are dust collectors but I have never had one as we had a pullout one in our last house and it was a itch that needed to be scratched so to speak. The microwave is M's standard one with trim kit. I have had my Whirlpool microwave since I was 20 so nearly 16 years can you believe, cost me around $450 back then which was a lot for two poor people and I am not sure I can change to this one, we will see.

Butlers pantry we opted to fit out with a row of cupoards and a bench with a small round sink. We have open shelving in there too in just laminex Polar White. It seems in our contract we have mistakenly been given a square Dorf tap for here but we will replace with just a simple gooseneck one.

The laundry doors and shelves will be in Laminex Polar White and will have standard flat doors. The benchtop will also be Laminex Polar White as we deleted the caesarstone in here.

We also opted to have water tap or something (I can't remember the term) for in the fridge space for a fridge with an icemaker that oneday we might have and we also widened the fridge space too I think.


The kitchen apparently will be installed in two bits...all the main cabinetry will go in then they will come back after flooring has been laid and install the island edge bits and the skirting. Just would have been so much easier to talk to them. I do have a pic of one of the end panels to show you and the kitchen company has done so well with it but since the issues with the doors I am trying not to get my hopes up that we might pull all of this off. Just please let it look a little like a proper shaker kitchen! Right now it looks like a shocking jumble all over the floor, seriously never seen a kitchen come in little bits like it has.


Tash

Kitchen Door Profile Issues

Our kitchen has just turned up and as the title suggests the door profile is not quite right. They have given as a moulded edge where it is meant to just be flat. It is the shaker style kitchen we are going for and I am unsure on whether to just keep them as I don't flat out hate them or have it changed as they need to change all the doors to the bathrooms (they are flat and need panelling too) so what is a few more kitchen doors too?

Here are two pics of other kitchens - one is Retro Mummies kitchen which has the extra moulding to the edge which is what we have ended up with and the other is a pic of Mel's kitchen which is without it and just has the classice flat edge.

This is Mel's with the flat outside edge -no extra panelled bit just on the inside this is
how I wanted it to look and what we requested.

This is Retro Mummies with the extra panelled bit to the outside of the door which is what
we have ended up with.

Look it's a small difference to someone not as finicky as me but it was something I was very careful about making sure I didn't get. I am a perfectionist and most shaker style kitchens don't have this extra edge bit but they do come in numerous different inside panelled bits. I feel bad for the Kitchen company and I am hoping that it's not their mistake and I should say it's the first time they have done doors like this.

So what do you think? Keep it or ask for it to be changed. The thing is all the other bathroom doors have to be taken off as they are all flat with no panelling which should be panelled so maybe just get it all redone again? I think the only part I really don't like is where this extra panelling all joins up when there are drawers. I'm just not sure as I don't hate. I'm thinking to just let them put the kitchen all up and decided then as they don't realise they have made an error yet as I think they will still put the kitchen up anyway with or without the wrong doors and then they will just change over.



Tash

Fiddle Leaf Fig

I first saw one of these last year on a blog I follow called Honey We're Home which is a lovely blog featuring the most gorgeous American home. Anyway I saw one of the fiddle leafs and fell in love and now have to have one for our new house.

Here is some pics for anyone wondering what on earth I am going on about.

Honey We're Home

They have only seemed to have become more and more popular since then but I was not ready to buy one at the time as I didn't even have a slab at that stage but now I am ready to try and get my hands on one. I heard a rumour on Instagram that Masters do or have at some stage sold them? To be honest I haven't even started looking around at my local nurseries but we will be travelling to Brisbane this Monday to pick up some Ebay purchases and I thought whilst I am there I would check out some of the decorating stores I have been hearing so much of and possibly pick up one of these fig leafs if time permitted. I also would like to stop in at Ikea as we need to organise some shelving and look at a possible kitchen tap.

 My mum loved to have plants inside and there was always one or two dotted around the place. I'm not promising I would keep it alive though. Wondering what prices would range around for these too, I know it always depends on size.

Anyone have one of these wonderful plants in their own home? Anyone now tempted after those pretty pictures?

* Update on house build.....we were painted externally nearly two weeks ago and I have still not ventured out there yet to look, husband home Monday and he will probably check it all out Tuesday. Our Kitchen has only just now been sent to be sprayed and will most likely be another 3 weeks away. Agony I tell you, nothing else can be done until this kitchen and vanities are put in.

Tash

The Block - All Stars

Anyone else watching the block? I love the block and unbelievably I missed one whole season of it when it first came back minus Jamie Durie but other than that I have been a die hard fan of the show. Have been looking forward to this so much all through the School holidays that it was a little unbelievable that I missed the first episode as it coincided with my daughters first class back at Ballet. I caught back up though online and will need to get hubby who is away at the moment to set up the t-box so I can tape it.

I remember Phil and Amity (although not how they decorated), the boys were on the season I missed but I have heard they needed some work with their styling but are very capable with diy side of things, Josh, Jenna and Dan and Dani had me cringing and laughing whilst watching the stress get to them and taking it out on each other, I can't judge them though as there have certainly been moments like that in the privacy of our home and we don't even have to live on site or do any of the work!

I am loving the extra element that being heritage listed adds, they can't just rip everything down and start again. How interesting was the heritage guy who Amity and Dani bought tiles from, all those boxes of tiles! So great that places like this exist.

This is a pic of my youngest one outside of Katrina and Amie's place. They were our favourites from that year and when we went to Melbourne for a fly in fly out visit to look at display homes we stayed not far away so we made time to have a look. It was just after the show and auctions ended.

Loving Phil and Amity and they deserved to win with their room although I also liked Dan and Dani's room too. The boy's was not so great and Josh and Jenna's was not really kid friendly, more I think an adults room.

 I love how Phil and Amity have no idea what they are doing as I would totally be the same. Phil had a notebook noting down how step by step how he needed to paint the window surround. I think though if I was going on the block I would start practising and reading up as much as possible on diy and current decorating trends but I'm sure it goes right out the door when your thrown in the middle of it all.

Looking forward to the room reveals and after having a sneak peek on the block site it seems the boys have done really well with their first room and there is some drama it seems coming up between some of the couples and the judges in future episodes. Will be staying tuned.

Tash

Paint & Some Selections

So last week we had the interior painted and first thoughts were that it is too dark. I of course went through the process when picking our paint colours of painting them onto pieces of undercoated plaster but it still seemed darker than my samples at home? I think I should have went with 50% strength, I think that would have been nicer. I have only seen it the once when we went to talk to the ss on site about a placement of a light and was a little shocked that it was the same colour as what I have been looking at at home. It is the same though going by the labels on the tins. I have to admit with hubby leaving shortly after for WA with work I haven't had the courage to go back to look. I think there will be some repainting of walls in my future, there always was going to be some painting in the girls rooms but now I may redo a few others.

The exterior was also finally painted, it was delayed due to all the wild weather we have been having here in Qld. It rained that night after it was done so I am wondering how that will affect the finish? Haven't been out to look as I fear I'm not going to like it either. There is a house that has used the same colour as us and I went out to have a look today just to reassure myself that I still like theirs, so it should stand to reason that ours will be the same?? I'm such a chicken. Still another week til hubby comes home and I'm pretty sure I will just wait for him to look first.

I promise I will take some pics when husband gets home for good or bad of the exterior and also of the too dark interior. Lucky I like lots of light furnishings which should lighten things up a bit. I need to remember that paint is a relatively cheap and easy thing to change and it's not the huge disaster I think it is.

Kitchen is still not ready, really there is no point whining or being impatient about this. Ss said it has been delayed again due to a wait on some materials? Whatever the reason it will get here when it gets here. Gives me more time to shop.

How about some long overdue pics of some bathroom selections, although all of the bathroom fittings were not really "selections" as they are just what comes standard. The bathroom is where the mix of modern and classic style mix together as it was just easier to keep the bathroom fittings that were provided by M as I found some of the classic bathroom fittings that I liked to be quite pricey. So tiles are a mix of modern and classic, the fittings are all modern but then the cabinets lean to being more classic as they will have panelled doors.



Standard basins in our range, I think they are Caroma.



I admit we are a household of shower only people and this bath will get no use but
hey it will do it's job by prettying the room up.



Standard shower fittings by Dorf

Standard Dorf basin mixer, looking forward to cleaning around only one tap

I think this is our exact toilet, they kinda all look the same but I know it comes
with soft close.

Organic White Caesarstone

Similar crystal handles, ours were purchased cheaply from recollections.

Not purchased yet but thinking of two of these to go in the bathrooms, we have girls so we need as much
towel hanging space as we can get. Not heated though.







 

Our cabinets are in 2pac Dulux Vivid White and are one of Polytec's panelled doors, this was a last minute change to have panelled in the bathrooms and put us over budget. The benchtops are Organic White Caesarstone in 20mm, this was standard although the colour was an upgrade. We purchased some crystal knobs from Recollections to go on all the doors in the bathrooms. 

Tash