Shelved

Building a house is about compromise. Sometimes the compromise works out better. Sometimes it is not what you'd choose but as good. Sometimes it festers in the back of your mind.

So one of those festering items, for me, were the shower shelves.

I bought two which matched our bathroom set. They were large. Cumbersome. I really didn't like them. But I couldn't find anything else I liked which matched the rest of the items (which I do like).

Spun past today to get a matching hand towel holder, and overheard the salesperson discussing shower shelves with another customer. One look and I was SOLD! Simple. Small. Understated! And they will match the other fittings ;)

Better still - they were happy to exchange the other (not yet installed) shelves for the new ones.

In other news, also picked up some porch lights. Nothing that inspiring - simple oversized recessed lights for under the porch. One less thing to do, though!

Painting Part 5 - The Interior

They're painting the walls today and it's looking great, but more yellow than I'd like :(  I am trying not to obsess about it (I tend to do this) but it's  irking me. So warning - when you come to my house DO NOT comment in any way other than favourably on the colour of the walls ;)

At this stage I am planning to counter the slight colour cast by using cooler halogens. Fingers crossed it makes a difference!

That said they're not 'yellow' walls - and the painter did say once the floors are done that will make them recede a little as at the moment they are the only colour in the house so they are more prominent.

Apparently we're going to need a third coat, too, as the colour is translucent. Am waiting for the office to call with the 'good' news about that ;)

 

I was going for a neutral off white

 

Nothing this yellow

 

Not disastrous, but I am cross with myself about it

Painting Part 4 - The Exterior

Inside the gloss work is now all done and they're doing the walls tomorrow. It's amazing how much brighter the house looks with even the undercoat and ceiling white done - I think it's going to look sensational when the walls are fully done!

But the big news is they've started on the outside! They've painted the eave sheets, the porch ceiling, the alfresco ceiling etc. and have also painted the infill on the facade (they'll be doing the timber detailing probably on Monday). And they have done the undercoat on the front door!!

The photos don't really do the colours justice, but here they are anyway.

 

Infill on fascade done

 

Our front door surrounds! 

 

Taken later in the afternoon so you can see the colour better.

Painting Part 3

No. It's not that we have the world's slowest painters :P  The painters came back late last week after the tilers had cleared off ;)

Today they were doing internal gloss work. So while nothing really appears all that different, they really have been busy!

I popped by this morning and took pics - which seems a little silly given there's virtually no difference to previous photos. But assuming your hankering for pics equals my desire to provide them, here are some (perhaps) some slightly new angles of the same old same old!

 

Living room

 

Living room to the right

 

Living room to the left

 

Meals area

 

Internal windows to alfresco

 

Sitting room left

 

Sitting room right

 

Master bedroom front window

 

Master bedroom side window

I am reliably informed that the next day or so will show a marked difference on the inside as the actual walls get painted. As they say watch this space!

Venting

And today in went the heating and cooling vents.

I wanted to be on site to ensure they were positioned at least some way intelligently. For the most part they succeeded in following instructions!

It's not particularly exciting, I suppose, but here are some pics nonetheless :P

 

Standing in meals area looking across living area.

 

In corner of living looking across to meals.

 

Outside master bedroom door - air intake.

 

In master.

Tiles Part 2

A productive site visit today! Got to see the ensuite and the main bathroom almost finished - and they are looking good :)

Because the tiler had not been told our ensuite was to have 2 individual mirrors, we're now going with one big one. I am OK with that. Would have preferred the 2, but I agree it would look silly, now, as there would be a line right between them :(  Oops - actually that reminds me... there was meant to be a light between the mirrors, too.... better chat with Andrew about that!

 

Looking from master into ensuite

 

Above spa looking back to master

 

Shower

 

Shower base - just going in

 

Shower base and door to WC

 

Laundry floor grouted and tile skirts in

The rep for the cupboard inserts was there, too. He said in 17 years he'd never had anyone want them higher than the standard 1650mm. I suggested he do a bit of focus group testing amongst clients as everyone I knew thought that was too low :P  Anyway. They're being moved up!

So a productive day. A few more things to add to my 'query this' list - but all in all everything is going well.

Gate Update

So in another post I pictured the gates I like. And today I got the quote for them. Over $6k :o :o

I like them. But not THAT much!!!

So now to look for simpler (read cheaper) options! I have a feeling that landscaping is going to cost a bomb :P

Preparing to welcome ALL the family!

So as the finish date draws closer, I start to think about the many things I need to organise before we move in. Gates to make the garden secure. A doggy door for the two smallest members of the household.

There are two types we can have. Glass mounted and door mounted. We have a glass mounted one here - and it annoys me that it gets so manky :(  I am constantly cleaning it. So I am thinking perhaps a door mounted one in the new house?

 

Am thinking in the laundry door would be the best spot.

Tiling

So dropped by again today to see the tiling. Not much more change from yesterday - but I was there early!

 

Laundry tile in.

 

Kids' toilet.

 

Entry to kids' bathroom. 

Seeing the kids' toilet again I am still a bit worried that it looks too full on (floor to ceiling). Spoke to the tiler who assures me that everyone says that when they first see floor to ceiling tiling - but confirmed my thoughts that when the toilet and basin and mirror are in it looks great. Love it in the larger spaces, though :)

Happy girl again!

So Andrew rang this morning. Robe hanging heights will be moved :)

Also stopped by for a quick visit this morning. My laundry tiles are in and looking damn fine! The WC has also been fully tiled. It was a bit full on (wall to ceiling tile) and for a moment I thought eek - is this going to look OK - then I realised it was going to look much better once grouted and with the toilet and fittings etc. in to take away from the unbroken expanse of tiles!

Apparently the tiles will be finished by tomorrow. Might go for a spin around there a little later with the camera :)

Leprechauns?

OK. So it was bound to happen. I am quite annoyed!

It's a little thing, but HONESTLY!

I swear - the man who fitted out our WIR, kids' cupboards and linen was height impaired. Actually - I saw him and he was at least average height - but he has set the rail height in the cupboards so low - at my eye line. Which means 1/3 of the robe is above the shelf and essentially useless! Anything big enough to fill that space is going to be too heavy to lift that high! And, of course, it means I can't do double height hanging for Sean's shirts or the kids' clothes.

 

WIR shelf height.

 

Adelaide's room. 

 

Oscar's room (same height as Adelaide's -

just a different angle.

And the linen fitout is similar. Bottom shelf is really low down. I mean SERIOUSLY?? The floor level section of the linen cupboard is for wheely things like vacuum cleaners. One needs a bit of space! What I DON'T need is a 3 foot gap at the TOP of my linen cupboard ;)

I am pretty peeved about it. It's a small thing, but I am pissed. Enough to ring Andrew about it twice today (and will do so again tomorrow). It is going to get moved. Just take that as gospel :P

Painting Part 2

Impromptu site visit with Andrew today. Got to see inside, which was nice!

The ceiling has been painted throughout and looks great :)  A couple of the rooms have also been undercoated. So far I am liking it all - although obviously will get a better sense when the timberwork is done and the first actual coat of colour is on.

Apparently the tiler will be starting on Wednesday, too. So it's all systems go!

 

Hallway with painted ceiling.

 

Master bedroom with ceiling white and undercoat.

 

WIR.

 

2nd bedroom with ceiling white and undercoat. 

 

Robes in Oscar's room about to be fitted out.

 

Family room with ceiling painted.

 

Meals area with ceiling painted.

 

Kitchen all wrapped up and painted.

 

Another kitchen shot.

 

Painting

So I dropped over to the house today to take some measurements for the gates, and wow - they've started painting!!!

The ceiling has been painted in every room (from what I can see) and in a few rooms there's a first coat on the walls, too. Architraves appear to have been done in most rooms, too. It looks great!

They must have been there yesterday, as they were only just starting to sand on Friday. Can't wait to drop over there tomorrow and get some piccies inside :) Suddenly the whole place just looks so fresh and bright.

Garden - Part 2

Well I am happy to report my good mate Donna has forgiven my lack of enthusiasm about native plants! She has been kind enough to suggest a few other ideas for our new garden:

 

Autumn Joy

 

Pear trees

 

Euphorbias

I am seriously liking. Although I will admit it is daunting to go in a different direction to that of a dedicated gardener! Keep the ideas coming, Donna (and other mates!)

Stoned

Not me - the house!!

Had an SMS from the site supervisor - the painters are on site today. So I stopped by for a quick visit and said hello - and noticed my stone benchtops are all in (except the study nook). They look great :)

In the kitchen, laundry and study nook we've gone with Caesarstone 'Nougat'.

 

Kitchen island from one side -
with waterfall ends.

Other end of the island bench.

 

Waterfall end (and sink hole) in island bench.

 

Laundry stone is also in.

 

So glad we went stone in here, too.

In the bathrooms we went with Caesarstone 'Ice Snow'. Basically identical to 'Nougat' but with smaller flecks.

 

The kids' bathroom.

 

Our ensuite.