Here's the thing: Dan has a new job and, while we're both thrilled for him because it's a great opportunity for a great company, his time to work on this build just plummeted. Dramatically. To practically no time.
And here's another thing: we can't put off the kitchen renovation because we're sort of locked into the time frames having already ordered the kitchen...
And here's the final thing: our budget allows almost nothing for labour. Dan is our labourer.
So, there you go. An interesting predicament. The kitchen is being installed for us but we need someone to line walls and replace some flooring and install new windows. Dan is going to try and do what he can in the next few weeks and after that, who knows?
I sincerely hope I am not stuck using the back verandah makeshift kitchen for months though.
Anyway, let's not let this little speed bump deter us from important things like looking at inspirational pictures on Pinterest, shall we?
Here's a look at where we're headed, style-wise. This is the closest thing I've found online to what we're doing: the cabinets are very similar to what we've ordered, and we're going with timber bench tops. We'll be doing what we did in the Little House: buying bamboo benchtops from Bunnings and then putting several coats of two pack finish on to harden them up.
This room, as you may notice, has a large pressed tin ceiling, which we also have. I love the colour they've chosen - I'd only really thought to paint ours in white, but it looks great dark here - it really emphasises the detail.
Here's another example:
We've ordered a sink, a fluted double butler's sink, not unlike this one:
Dan has ordered timber sash windows to put back into the kitchen and bedrooms, replacing the aluminium windows there now. We were going to do the kitchen only (for now), but while he was at the supplier's, he saw four windows in the 'seconds' section for a fraction of the price - apparently they were just a custom order that hadn't been picked up. They're quite tall and narrow, so two will be fitted side by side in the two outside bedrooms.
Exciting times!
i LOVE butler's sinks! if i ever built a house, that would be on the top of my list. so deep and beautiful!
ReplyDeletegood luck with everything.
Hello , I found your blog last night through instagram , loving both :) good luck with it all , exciting times ahead . kris_avondalecottage
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it will all be fabulous when it is done!
ReplyDeleteLovely inspiration. But yikes about your free labourer being so busy! can't wait to see your new windows too. xx
ReplyDeleteIt's always the way with renovating plans........nothing goes according to plan even if you have a great plan......the goal posts always get changed. Well if he is working, he is bringing in the money so that's a good thing. I think that first kitchen photo is STUNNING............ I love the dark ceiling as it sort of grounds the whole kitchen (even though it's the roof). and the old pressed tin really is silver so a slate-ish colour would be STUNNING........I'd be going with the darker colour or charcoal but it's your kitchen and untimately you get to decide what you like which is a great thing. I renovated years ago my first two houses on a very minor level, kitchen, back deck etc. painting the entire inside myself but paying professionals to do the house paint on the outside as it's not something I could have done given they were both on stilts. I would have LOVED pinterest or the internet back then as there are so many more sources these days and on-line at the click of a finger and some postage anything can arrive on your doorstep...makes it a whole lot easier. Hang in there it will all work out in the end. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane, Australia
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathy! Yup, I'm loving the slate colour too. And I don't know where I'd be without Pinterest and Google Image Search! x
DeleteLove the Kitchen, so classic you can't go wrong, and the grey metal ceiling just brings it all together :-)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the grey ceiling!
ReplyDeletexx, kara
I don't like the grey ceiling but that's me. ;) I think it makes the room look smaller and top heavy. I have seen it successfully done with a light pastel green though, which I think is a typical colour for Queenslanders. It's nothing like dark heritage green, I think it's called apple, or something like that.
ReplyDeleteOne thing going for the darker ceiling though, is how it would hide a multitude of insect droppings which tend to find their way around light fittings! White on the other hand, shows them up incredibly.
I once knew a woman who waited years for her kitchen to be finished by her husband, who was a cabinet fitter by trade. She was stoked afterwards though, because she got the granite bench-tops she always wanted - which was her husband's way of making it up to her for being so patient!
Good luck with your renovations. :)
It would be a boring world if we all liked the same things ;-) That green was actually used really extensively through this house. Most of it has been painted over but as the newer paint chips away, you can see the apple green underneath it. So yes, definitely very authentic.
DeleteCongratulations Dan on the new job!
ReplyDeleteThe windows sound a bargain. Where is that supplier? We have hoppers and sashes and louvres, oh my! Quite a few could use replacement. The painted ceiling is a great idea but what colour?
ReplyDeleteYour kitchen ideas are similar to mine! We are currently renovating our old Queenslander in Kilcoy. For a couple of weeks all I had was the laundry sink - so I hope you get yours sorted soon - I now have half a kitchen :)
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