Kitchen progress...

Some weeks I think this kitchen will never be finished, and other weeks we make so much progress in such a short time that I can see a glimpse if the finish line in sight. This week we: 

Popped the handles (I bought a little while ago from mother of pearl and sons) on the island:

J managed to wire the power to the island so now the microwave lives in there and we have power points in situ:

(Photo bomb by Lenny ^)

J also cut a hole in the wall to recess the fridge freezer combo:

It has to have skirting board and architrave put around to finish it off but I love it already...

Mum also had a great idea to pop a flat screen above.

And we have been continuing to paint and work on the back of the house, j painted these doors (trying to decide which colour looks best - what do you think)

Hard to tell when roof still needs to go on deck and balustrade, walls etc still need painting...

Also about to order bi fold to go here:

^will take up all the windows seen here at back of house. To be honest I am in two minds about this as I don't want to take away such a beautiful feature, but the flow of the house will be incredible with a huge opening into the deck from living areas so I think we will take the plunge! 

Finally we have been slab shopping last week or so, hopefully will have more to report next week or so :-)

Bargain alert!!!

This is happening tomorrow... If you need me ill be queuing up at your local aldi for 2 air conditioners. 

Wish me luck ;-)

Updates finally...

We have had some more progress since the last post....

Stairs are in and under coated...

Will eventually paint it like this... Once balustrade is installed

We also have installed the lattice batwing doors... So happy with the shadows they cast and find myself just staring at them multiple times a day

Jeff has been busy doing little bits here and there... He put up the ship bell that Hudson chose:

Villa maison nautical lights for the kitchen that I bought of a-m about a year ago...

Finishing of the dining room roof (thanks to trav) 

And finally undercoating those doors in the kitchen... Whose idea was it to get 8 pane doors??? 

In other news we also managed to choose a fridge and freezer combination... 

When we properly install them and use the fisher paykel joining kit it should look something like this 

I know this is kinda crazy to have two fridge freezers in your kitchen, but we had the room and I got a really great deal on the fridge freezers so the whole thing came in under $2400 which for 1050 litres of fridge freezer with water and ice is unheard of. The guy at the store couldn't believe it was going in a "brisbane home" his words "I just didn't think people in brisbane had fridge freezers this big" I said u haven't met my family! I think my mum has 5 fridge freezers at her place, closet hoarders ;-) 

Anyhow if anyone is after a fridge freezer I got the one with ice and water from masters - their RRP is $2400 but everyone sells them for around $1800.  Masters reduced them to $1150 the weekend before last as they new model came out (version 4 I think) so they were clearing out the 3's so I managed to get the floor stock one for $1000... Mum got one too. I got the left hand one and joining kit from Queensland appliances for $1350, they are quite helpful and just at Bowen hills so local. 

Finally as deck is done we are looking for deck roof inspiration everywhere we go, here's my latest obsession the roof at the st barts store on James st:

I will take it all, chandelier and amazing dining chairs included please :-)

Progress...

Thought it was time again for an update to what's been happening at hudsons house... 

About 2 weeks ago we decided to take the plunge and start work on the resurecting the front butterfly stairs and building a back deck.  They had always been high on the agenda, and with Christmas fast approaching we thought why not! 

We decided to put a slab underneath it as we use that area to gain access to the laundry, and we hated that the last house had dirt under the deck esp when the puppies wee'd on it - not a pleasant door :-/ 

Once we had the slab down the blocky cane and built a retaining wall so that we could defer the water away from running under the house when it rains.

Next we ordered the timber, as we were doing the stairs as well the cost was quite high but after sourcing many quotes maxum was the best.  I found the easiest way to source quotes was to email the cut list to the suppliers and wait  for the price to come back - then haggle :-) 

Next the work commenced.  The idea behind doing both jobs simultaneously was that whilst the boys had down time waiting for posts to set (on the stairs), they could work on the deck. 

Hudson loved having a front row seat to all the action everyday.

We are not totally done still have to pop stringers on the sides of the stairs and then balustrading, the end product should look something like this 

We received a number of quotes ranging from 8.5k to 14k to make and fit the stairs inc balustrading, but we managed to be given enough 2nd hand treds from friends and our amazing house raiser to do the job.  After cleaning them up they were in really good condition so all up saved us about 2k.

For the back stairs we decided a really wide set like this would be best.  I have become obsessed with these stairs ever since I saw them on fun & Vjs blog.  Jeff wasn't to keen cause if the price per lineal meter of treds but I think it will be worth it in the end.

We also managed to get a bargain with the balustrade for the back deck. I won around 12 lineal meters plus gate of very good condition hardwood balustrading for $150 on eBay. 

Again it requires a sand and paint but u defined can't argue at that price! Here's what it looks like up so far - only half is installed... This is the view from my parents 

Funny I took a similar photo 6 mths ago when we were moving in - looks so different! 

Hopefully I can share some completed deck and stairs pics in the coming weeks ... 

Girls weekend at Byron

My girlfriends and I spent the weekend at Byron last weekend and I honestly forgot how much I love the place! I love the happy people, beautiful scenery and zen way of life.

We stayed in the most beautiful refurbished "old dairy" in the hinterland of Byron Bay, that was the cutest place I have seen in a long time.

Very much want to take Hudson and Jeff here soon - I don't know if he would know what to do with all the open space. 

Whilst away Jeff and Allen (our cabinet maker) had installed the kitchen island, as soon as I saw it I squealed with delight.  It's even more beautiful and perfect than I imagined, and now can't wait to get the remaining in.

We are now hunting down some marble for the tops and knobs/handles for the drawers.  Love this kitchen from verandah house - might contact them about sourcing some handles like these...

Other than the above I have basically been kept busy setting up more nooks around the house, j constantly says "stop buying pretty things and but stuff we actually need like timber and concrete blend" (for the driveway) - but where's the fun in that!!!