ALL GREENED UP

The last couple of months have been busy.

New shared driveway laid (a great place for scooting!), new side gates are in (makes the view from the street much nicer).  Just need to add a bit more black paint.  Added in a cypress batton screen on our rear deck side to remove the view of the neighbour's rear patio and garage. Landscape design finalised. Pavers and edging bought. Trees selected.  We had a landscaper individually concrete pad in our bluestone pavers, put in the front edging and lay the lawn.  We did all the rear edging, planted all the plants, adding in lots of compost and manure etc.  It was a big job, but we enjoyed it.

The difference a bit of green can make.

The side mature trees make quite a statement!

Lots of citrus in the back garden. And cypress hedges which will become a great screen.

The garden will be well clipped once it starts to grow.

A bit of green in the side light court make a lovely feature, especially at night with the 2 uplights.

We kept some of our old hardwood rafters from what was demolished and made a bench seat under the Golden Robinia tree in the rear yard.  A lovely place to sit.

Now I've just got to keep it all alive, but great timing as the rain has just started.

More underplanting is planned in the near future.

Fences

We are settling in.

A few more final touches are being made.

Skylight in the store has been plastered.  An attempt at connecting our underground power was made, the booking was cancelled by the electrical supplier, resulting in no power from 8am til 4am on a 43 degree day. Don't ask.  Far out.

Rear paling fence was demolished and rebuilt much higher. Once the weather settles down I plan to plant a fast growing hedge along the rear.

Front picket fence was installed, gates go on tomorrow. We painted it black, I am pleased!

Cabinet maker spent another day or so here in the horrid heat finalising last finishing touches.

Planted some more vegies in the veggie patch and feeling more and more at home!

RENO - WEEK 25 - WE'RE IN!

We are in!

It's taken me an extra week to post, as things have been rather hectic to say the least.

It was a mammoth week up to last Friday, the builder (we owe it all to him!) and trades worked around the clock.  All got done on time, just some extra painting and cabinetry to be finished off in January.

We are so pleased.

The move happened on Monday, then turned around the rental back to the agent by the following day (xmas Eve).  Can't believe we achieved it.  Our new house already feels like home.

So many things happened simultaneously that last week, it was a blur.  One good memory worth a mention was my marble splashback going in on the Wednesday.  250kg, one single piece of Statuaretto marble, took 8 men to get it in.  Far out. The attention to detail in that kitchen is splendid.  Love that fridge handle and the range hood and island bench legs!!  And yes, the cubby was built, it was all the boys wanted to see, and they absolutely love it and the sandpit and their 'bike' garage underneath.

I feel very lucky and overly pleased with the result, I still can't believe this is our home.

Here are some initial photos just before we moved in.  I'll put some more in when I catch my breath.

RENO - WEEK 24

Each week ramps up just that bit more.

Not long to go now.

Bath went in. This was no mean feat.  Stone composite bath was very heavy.  Imagine 4 strong men struggling to get it up and around the U shaped stairwell, it was very difficult. I was very grateful.  Then me shining a torch underneath whilst the 4 guys lifted it up and onto the waste within millimetres!  Far out.  Really pleased with it.

Shower screens were installed.

Painting inside continued, the back room looks much better all white.

Basins and tapware started to be installed.  Love that wall hung basin in the bathrooms!

Each night the builder would work til late installing the oak flooring when the trades had all left.  He finished it after working all day Saturday and Sunday as well.  Love the crisp stairs.

Original fretwork was reinstated in the hallway and I love the combination of 1920s original with the contemporary feel of the home.

I painted one of the brick walls on our boundary in our back yard in a charcoal, in anticipation of a cubby/fort being built this week.  I think I need to do the gutter as well.

I continued to clean up the dust, to try to make the last week easier, dirty work!!

Chasing the stone benches and marble splashback, hoping it will all be ready for installation next week.

Hydronic panels started to be installed as well.

Add in a 2 year old who won't sleep at night again, and a sick 5 year old.  Plus christmas looming.  Starting to feel slightly loony with tiredness. It will be worth it!!

RENO - WEEK 23

The builder and the trade worked exceptionally hard this week.  Some days there were painters, electricians, cabinet makers, builders, plumbers, roof plumbers and renderers all on site at the same time.

Cabinetry carcasses for kitchen, laundry, linen x 2, main robes, entertainment unit, desk storage area - all got installed this week.  The cabinet makers worked their hearts out. Attention to detail was marvellous.  A few slight changes, but all works in really well and makes the most of every square inch of space.

Stone for benches and splashback were measured, what a process!

Strapping and rendering to the facade of the house is now complete.  Front door is on.

Tiler finished and grouted our powder room hex feature wall, both bathrooms and the laundry floor.

Lots of fiddly bits finished off, including the deck.

Upstairs bathroom caulked ready for bath install.

Painters nearly finished upstairs, what a difference it makes.

Packing and cleaning continues.

Final 2 weeks now, counting down!

RENO - WEEK 22

This week seemed to fly past in a blur.

Tiling continued.  I took the 12mm strips to the powdercoaters with my off white wall tile and matched a colour for powdercoating.  It was worth the effort, as the strips blend in seamlessly with the tiles, on the rake under the window etc. Both bathrooms are ready for grouting tomorrow.  Look at those recesses!

Fences went up on both sides.  It sapped alot of my energy this week, lots of liaising. We now have privacy along our hallway and the light court has taken shape.  I would like to clad and stain the inside fence line of the light court and plant some Moss White birches, underplanted with clivia or something similar.  The electrician has put a powerpoint out there, switched inside the hall, and I will place some uplights in the light court.

Plasterers finally finished, and I cleaned all upstairs today ready for the painters to start tomorrow.  Dusty work!  Therapeutic though.

Electricians did more cut outs downstairs. Frameless shower screens were measured.

Architraves went on front bay window, and plantation shutters were measured.  They won't make it in by xmas, but will be worth the wait.  Hoping that my black roller blinds for the rear area (motorised!) will be in by xmas eve though!

We've packed the storage shed to capacity.

Not as many exciting photos this week.

RENO - WEEK 21

Yes, it was a big week. But I think the next 2 weeks will be even busier.

After we realised the recesses in the wet areas were larger than the 300x600mm tile it was supposed to accommodate, there was some last minute villa-filling to the recesses and another visit from the water proofer. Our tiler started on Tuesday and by Saturday afternoon the charcoal tiles were down in the bathroom and ensuite and 3/4 of the white wall tiles were up in the ensuite.  The tiler's attention to detail shone through when we inspected the mitre cuts on the recess and the 90 degree corner wall. Very pleasing!  Then we realised that the white tiles that had been delivered and placed on the walls were in fact my choice No 2!  Yes, the tile shop had given me a tile sample of my 2 favourite white tiles with the wrong codes on the back, hence the order went through on the wrong tile.  With everything going on, it did not occur to me to put the sample agains the delivered tile. But, alas, tile choice No 2 actually looks quite good!  Will require a different grout colour as it is not stark white.  And off to the powdercoater to coat angles to match the tile for the bathroom, as a result of the joins on our raking wall and raking window.

New barges and strapping are on the front facade, and the only eaves remaining are on the eastern side now.  The fiddly bits are coming together.

Borer came and we now have underground power cables.

Electrician has been on site and connected our underground electricity and did the cut outs for upstairs.

Plasterers still have a final few things to do.

And after much deliberation, we gave notice at our rental.  So we really will be in by christmas.

Royal Oak was delivered and I spent Saturday afternoon looking through the variations and choosing the pieces for our floating shelves in the boys' bedrooms, the entertainment unit and the bathroom vanity shelf.  There are real deep toned ones as well as lighter with distinct oak character, which I love.

Still trying to get the last of the light fittings.  I did manage a visit to Ross Gardam and his studio on Monday to look at his Oak pendants - natural oak and stained black oak - one for the kitchen.  

Once the kitchen is in I will decide.  The pendants are really lovely.

And it has rained lots and lots, so the mud is through the house again.

We've rented a storage box nearby, so we are carting boxes away already, to take the pressure off on that final weekend.

Managed to get to The Design Files Open House in Hawthorn on Sat for a quick peek, and some inspiration!  The Dulux dog of Victoria, called Violet, was there! How funny.