Saturday 7 December 2013

Reno - Week 26

There are only two weeks left before it's 'down tools' for the Christmas break so the race is on to get as much done as possible before then. There's still joinery, tiling, painting and fit-off of basins and tapware.

This week the remainder of the kitchen joinery was installed and on Thursday during our site meeting, the marble for the benchtop was delivered and fitted. The splashback in front of the kitchen window consists of a single 20mm thick piece of honed marble which, when the morning sun hits it, becomes opaque and highlights the grey veining in the stone - it looks like it's been backlit:


Although these photos don't show it very well, incorporated into the marble splashback is a stone shelf that sits on either side of the kitchen window. This shelf will be great for storage, keeping the main benchtop free from clutter. And of course there isn't a surface in this house that doesn't have a curved decorative cut-out:


The benchtop in the laundry, made from the same material, was also installed - we are still waiting for the stone upstand/shelf to go in:

Pull-out laundry hampers are fitted into the end 3 cupboards
The tiler is booked to start next week, firstly waterproofing the wet areas and then tiling the floors with the bluestone hexagon tiles I ordered more than 10 weeks ago. There have been moments where I've wished I stayed with the original tile specification but I wanted something a bit different. Let's hope they work out OK.

A clear, ventilated skylight in the ensuite shower has been installed, bathing the entire room in natural sunlight. Despite that there are no window openings in the ensuite, the light quality is fantastic and will become even brighter once the room is painted and tiled with gloss white wall tiles:

Ensuite - ready for waterproofing
Painting has commenced in the extension at the rear - the hallway and bathroom (which is a series of small rooms for the WC, shower and washbasin) has a similar feel to a built-in verandah of an old Queenslander:


And the first of the bed plinths in the kids' rooms is almost complete. (It is the exact size for a single bed mattress to fit on top). The cabinet maker constructed the 4-drawer unit which is now being encased in Blackbutt timber.


I'm guessing there is only six weeks to go before handover - packing has already commenced.

17 comments:

  1. That marble is just amazing...it all look sensational.

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    1. Thanks C - the more I look at it the more I love it. Still lots of work to do. xx

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  2. You must be so excited! The marble is beautiful, I wish I was as close to the end as you are. x

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    1. Hi E - yes, after all these years we're just about there. Most people forget that we bought this house back in 2007! You too will get there. xx

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  3. Wow with the light hitting the marble it really is stunning. The built-in verandah look is lovely. x

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    1. Thanks Z - although we have a contemporary extension, there are lots of features and details that hark back to the original cottage. xx

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  4. Love those kids beds!
    Cheers, Col

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    1. Hi C, The built-in beds have come up a treat! Just a pity that all that lovely blackbutt timber is going to be covered by a mattress. xx

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  5. So many things to like!! The quirky signature cut-out is very cool - like how it is used throughout the entire home. Xx

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    1. Hi A - Yes it certainly has become a theme that is featured everywhere. I often wonder if people would have noticed all those curves if I hadn't pointed them all out. xx

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  6. Your cabinetry is going to look really lovely, love those children's beds - how much space is saved! Marble looks glam and crisp. Is that a recessed slider door in your hall near the children's bedrooms? I love skylights, they should be used more!! I would have fit in more if I could.... 6 weeks will go fast. I am dreading the final move and clean up. 2 weeks' time we will be in the middle of it. You'll be in there before you know it, very exciting. Good luck this week.

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    1. Hi and thanks for your lovely comments! The sliding doors in the hallway pictured above (there are two) are the doors for the WC and Shower. They are just a solid core door that run on continuous brass running tracks.They move nice and smooth and will eventually be painted white. xx

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  7. Wow, so much progress! The marble is gorgeous, so are those curved cut outs (but you knew I would say that). The light in your ensuite is fabulous, gives me hope for our tiny second bathroom where we regret not putting in a window. And the bed design is so practical, can already see those drawers stuffed full of lego. Looking forward to seeing it all beautiful and pics of the moving truck! mel x

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    1. Hi M - from your previous comments I knew you would be a fan of 'the curves'. In regards to the ensuite I initially did have some concerns about there not being a window in the room. I strongly feel that bathrooms should have natural light and ventilation. There was some indirect light from the window in the WIR (the wall in-between the two rooms is not full height) but since the skylight went in the light quality is fantastic. What I like the most though is that you can see the sky above (which is better than looking into the neighbouring units.) Definitely recommend putting one into your second bathroom - they are not that expensive. xx

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  8. Oh it is all so breathtakingly beautiful. The marble steals the show. What a statement. Marble in the laundry, what a dream. Loving the bed. It will be stuffed chocker full of toys, how wonderful.
    www.lasscreative.com.au

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    1. Hi - my 'normal' practical self would never have selected marble, especially with four young boys, however it's such a beautiful material I had to take the chance. xx

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