First Clean

So this week the house received its 'first clean'. This involved the windows having excess paint razored off, grout wiped off the wall tiles, cabinets and baths having the plastic protective coverings removed, floors vacuumed and mopped and generally the house cleaned up.

Of course it's not perfect (and I am itching to get in there for a few days to give it a really good once over) but it's a darn site better inside than it was.

 

Kitchen tidied up a bit

 

Looking down hallway to the back

of the house

 

Looking down the hallway to the front

of the house

 

Ensuite

 

Shower in ensuite

 

Kids bathroom

 

Kids shower screen in

Next up are the flyscreens which are being installed this week sometime. Other than the timber framed screens at the front of the house, this should not make much of a visual difference.

The cleaner has cleaned the windows, though, inside and out. Amazing the difference it makes to the house. I am almost inclined to clean the windows here, now. Almost ;)

Driveby

So I was driving past the house on Friday - and was rewarded by seeing someone on site! The flyscreen contractor. He was actually waiting for the site supervisor Andrew to come up and give him access.

So knowing Andrew was on his way, and that I had a quiet morning, I decided to stick around. And just as well I did!

The front windows are double hung - and for some reason I had assumed that, like the others, the flyscreens would be internal. But apparently not. They will be external. And aluminium. And really really ugly :(  So I have arranged to upgrade these to timber frames which will be painted to match the window frames. A much better outcome!

The rest of the windows, being awnings, are much easier. They will be internal mounted aluminium framed screens - which will be fine.

So at least there's progress with the flyscreens!

Saw Andrew on site and he, again, asked about the splashback colour. Which I have again provided. So hopefully they are not far away now, either.

But we're still waiting on a resolution to the soil out back issue. The ground is still so wet that Andrew says there is no chance of getting a bobcat down the side. So I have suggested perhaps the landscaper removes the excess soil when the time comes (and that the extra he charges to do this be deducted from our build bill). So now we're waiting on a price from the landscaper to see if the builder will play ball.

The builder did suggest we pay an additional $500 to have a truckload of rocks dumped there in order to give the bobcat access. But then we'd have to pay to have it removed else render that side of the house completely useless to grow anything. He started to cite something about the contract allowing 'all weather access' which is when I told him if they'd removed the dirt when they should have I would not need to be paying additional to get it done now!

So we're still waiting. For fine weather. Or a quote from the landscaper (and the builder to agree to it)!

On the plus side I think I have made a decision on the master bedroom curtains. Just need to compare the sample to a few more things before I 100% decide.

Two days in a row!

Got in today to see the house again and take some measurements. Also got to check the curtain samples in situ.  Still not 100% - so would appreciate thoughts on the following:

 

 Colours are Sand, Eggshell and Oyster (top to bottom).
Thoughts?

Curtains

So - two posts in one day!

This afternoon I am thinking about curtains. Specifically for the master bedroom and possibly the sitting room.

Over the months I have had numerous thoughts on this. Initially I had thought of quite a complicated design - but as usual my ideas have become simpler and simpler as the time goes on.

For me most of the time less really IS more!

One style I kept coming back to is plain neutral drapes with a sheer underneath. Classic. Timeless. Elegant. And for someone who likes to change bed linens as often as I do, practical!

A very elegant woman I know (R) used this style, and I much admire it! Here are photos from her home (used with her permission).

 

Simple curtains in a neutral fabric.

 

Pinch pleat sheers underneath.

After I found out the material name, I was able to go to Spotlight and see the full colour range there. While there are about 40 colourways all up, these are the ones I was most interested in:

 

Thanks to R's kindness sending me a swatch of 'Sand' which she still had, and Margie's assistance procuring swatches of Oyster and Eggshell, I started to think about what look I want.

In real life Sand is quite a deep colour. Absolutely gorgeous, but maybe too deep to match with my planned blue and greens bedroom colour scheme? Oyster looks quite blue/green in the above photo, but in reality is a little less so. It would match with my planned bedlinen etc. but might limit future decorating ideas for the room.

Eggshell is ambiguous. In some lights it looks as though there are a few green 'threads' in it - yet in other lights it looks a bit more taupe. It's more taupe and less pale than the above photo indicates. I really like the eggshell - but I am worried it may look a little insipid? I took swatches when we visited the house today and it did look good...

The idea is that it would be on a decorator rod like this:

 

I think I will end up going with the eggshell. In the master at least. Really not sure what to do in the sitting room. I think I might hold off on that one until inspiration strikes. As I have only 2 pieces of furniture for that room I really have nothing to guide me. I suspect I will furnish and decorate that room in one hit - so I'll leave the curtains until then.

Inside Again!

Well I know it has been some weeks since a long post from me - but really there has been very little to report. However finally I have some progress shots for you as this morning we were again able to get in.

The sales rep. for the firm that does the robe fitouts, splashbacks, shower screens and mirrors needed to check some details with me. So an 8am Sunday morning phonecall from him, and 20 minutes later Sean, the kids and I are at the site.

I have to say my dealings so far with this firm have not been great. While I specifically asked to be on-site when the robe and cupboard fittings were being done, one day I rocked up and they were in. Incorrectly. Seriously - how hard is it to let me know so I can be there??? So now they have to be changed!

And now it turns out the sales rep. has not remembered our LAST conversation (or consulted the working drawings) and has ordered my laundry splashback too short. So now is saying where I will need to have 'the join'. Nope. No join, mate. If I wanted a whopping ugly join then guess what? I would have PAID for one with a join!

However the bathrooms are now all but finished - so all that needs to be done, now, with this firm are splashbacks and fixing the robes.

 

Still waiting on the splashback - but my

kitchen sink is in!

 

Powder room. Now the mirror and

toilet are in I am happy the tiles are

less dominant than I'd feared.

 

Kids' bathroom with the shower

screen in. Door to shower yet to

be hung though.

 

Mirrors and basins in the kids'

bathroom now in.

 

Loving my floors - looking down the 

hallway to the front of the house.

 

Should have switched the light on! 

Here's the ensuite with mirror and basins in.

So we're still waiting for the soil at the rear of the house to be moved so we can proceed with the driveway and then do the last bits and pieces. Realistically I'd say we're still a good month away if not more. So much for being told '2 weeks' about a month and a half ago!

I am trying not to let it irritate me. I am not succeeding ;)