Sunday 23 March 2014

Reno - Week 37

So we've been in for a week now. As mentioned previously, the bathrooms and kitchen were not fully operational, largely due to the fact that there was still some tiling work to complete (we were about 2 or 3 metres short.) And just our luck the supplier was out so we had to wait for a shipment to arrive - from Italy!

This week the stainless steel benchtop in the scullery was fitted which coincided with the arrival of the tiles so our Tiler was able to return to finish off the ensuite and tile the splashback in the kitchen.

Tiling progress in the Scullery
Now we're cooking with gas
Our Smeg freestanding oven has a small splashguard at the rear - there were also plans for our stainless steel benchtops to have an upturn against the wall. I thought it would look better to try to integrate them resulting in a seamless finish, so the oven was brought in early on so that the S/Steel Fabricator could measure up accurately. I won't go into too much detail, but it turned out to be a lot harder than I thought. However the end result is fabulous:

Fits like a glove

Oliveri Sink welded into the benchtop
There was a small niche planned in the ensuite shower for shampoo/conditioner, etc and I was hoping that the tiles in the niche would line up with the surrounding walls. Unfortunately at the time this did not look like it was going to happen. However I was adamant about this and despite trying to be talked out of it including comments like 'you'll never notice', I jumped up and down and I eventually got my way - the niche was rearranged, re-waterproofed and I finally got the result I was after:

See - perfect!

Another feature in the ensuite is the ventilated skylight - so much natural light and a gorgeous view of the sky:

This particular morning we had a glimpse of the moon
We also had some dramas with the bathroom tapware that was originally specified and during construction we had to find an alternative. After some extensive shopping (online of course) I chose to replace all the taps with a range from Astrawalker. Bad news is it ended up costing three times as much (whoops, yet another variation to the contract) but they do look amazing:

Shower detail - two heads are better than one


The steel balustrades on the front stairs and around the terrace were fitted, ensuring that any concerns regarding safety were now put to bed:



Still waiting for our frangipani tree to be planted here
I've been having so much fun on Instagram lately, and as it turns out, it's also a great source of inspiration. I was still unsure about what type of front fence (e.g. height, profile, colour) to use (at the time it was sitting in the too hard basket.) Then I found this picket fence detail on a house that was designed by highly regarded Melbourne Architects - Kennedy Nolan. It was perfect for our cottage as it closely mimics the rear elevation of the house:


And then I thought about painting it black (believe it or not, there were many supporters of this on my Insta feed) but I kept with tradition and stuck with white:


And by the end of the week, things were finally starting to come together. Thought I'd finish this post with another before/after. The 'before' really doesn't show the condition of the house as it was pre-reno (is was pretty bad.)


We chose to remove the palm (and the weeds) so it does look somewhat bare at the moment, but we have replaced both with plants more appropriate to the setting - we just have to wait for them to grow.




17 comments:

  1. Your renovations are looking fantastic!
    Love the metal bench top in the kitchen very nice.
    And I'm with you on the lined up tiles in the bathroom niche, I spent ages with my tiler doing our bathroom to make sure he was going to lay the tiles all lined up exactly as I wanted, and it worked now I look at them all perfect and Im so glad I persisted! We made the niche box ourselves and had it tiled in a mosiac whereas the rest of the shower is all white tile :) Its my favourite thing about our bathroom I love it and so much better than a rusty shower caddy hanging on the wall!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your Reno is amazing. It's so specific in its details, and they all really paid off. Good on you for jumping up and down for your little shower nook-you totally would have noticed! It's just incredible! Well done!! Xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. What an outstanding outcome Caroline. I've really enjoyed following your journey but a little sad now it's coming to an end. Bit like finishing a good book. I esp love you've chosen quality over quantity in every regard. We've just moved back into our home after 2 yrs o/s and have found with older kids we now use it differently. Family and house are evolving. Wondering if you might do an update in 6 months when you've all made it your own. Surprises? Tweaks? That kind of thing .... just a thought :) Enjoy your achievements! Merridy

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm glad you put your foot down about the niche, drives me crazy when people do those and the tiles don't line up it makes them look like an after thought!
    You've pulled a fabulous house together,makes me wish we had the budget to finish ours and maybe make it a touch bigger than the 82 square metres it is!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love the picket fence, it's the perfect combination of modern yet traditional.
    The photo of the subway tiles, cabinetry, polished timber floors and view of the green grass outside is simply stunning. x

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's looking so lovely. Caroline can I ask please where your subway tiles are from? I'm looking for some at the moment.

    One day I would love to enlist your architects on a project. They are amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi J - Thank you. They are Italian tiles from Classic Ceramics. I thoroughly recommend OVP - great team to work with. xx

      Delete
  7. Ah when I heard they were Italian I thought of Classic Ceramics. I was Classic's Architectural Rep many moons ago. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  8. It looks like you had a very long week! But what made it great is that the reno was almost done and you got satisfying results. I think it’s way better to take things slow, than finish it ahead of time and have potential problems that will require you to redo the job later. Anyway, thanks for sharing!

    Evon Brow @ Athens Plumbing

    ReplyDelete
  9. It seems like the renovation of your house progressed really well. I love its simplistic but contemporary look. I guess the entire revamping are done now, right? I hope everything turned out according to your plan. Good day!

    Lynn Williamson @ DAL Builders

    ReplyDelete
  10. I never ever read such type of info before this was really incredible.


    Commercial Painting

    House painter Brisbane

    ReplyDelete
  11. Subsequently, after spending many hours on the internet at last We\'ve uncovered an individual that definitely does know what they are discussing many thanks a great deal wonderful post.
    garage door service seattle

    ReplyDelete

  12. Thanks for the article! Do check out my website deco-man

    ReplyDelete
  13. Looking for painting company Brisbane? Prolocal Painters focus to provide best painting services to house and commercial properties without disruption to your daily business. They are one of the best, licensed, and professional painters with more than 10 years of experience in different regions of Australia.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nuts & Bolt Pearl scaffold has been over 50 years of experience in Nuts & Bolts Dywidag Formwork, Clamps, Cones for Climbing Formwork, and others Accessories in the local and overseas market.

    ReplyDelete
  15. The Plastic Tarpaulins coverings are manufactured to 270gsm and have 16 x 16 weave Count. Thick eyelets of 20mm metal are fitted at 50cms interval, and each corner is fitted with a 3-bolt support fix.

    ReplyDelete