The pantry doors went on last week

The renovations have slowed somewhat. We'll get there. Scotland Girl may lose her mind in the process.

A Saturday night in

The girls are having a nap

Kitchen Part 4 - Brown be gone

It was a long weekend and we thought "Yeah let's work on the kitchen." Some would say a wasted long weekend, others find delight

Let the painting begin!

We started here;

Got the minimal amount of gear from the shed and Misch got on to the coffees.

After a wet week it was a shame to spend all weekend walking from the shed to kitchen and back again. This is how wet it was this week. Urska didn't make it undercover in time...

So back to the kithen. The spray gun came out. How does it work again?

And we ended here.

Oh yeah we also had time to go hunting. We were lucky enough to get a kill and we celebrated by showing off in the traditional fashion... by mounting the head on the wall! What is with that tradition?

Misch quickly started "dressing" the kitchen.

Misch tidied, dusted, scraped and cleaned the house from top to bottom.

I think this is the first kitchen ever assembled on an old coffee table. One day I'll grow up and get a work bench for the shed... and then some proper tools and... "Woah, easy fella. One step at a time".

Kitchen Part 3

Yes we were at it again this weekend.

Doesn't look like we did much does it? Probably looks worse if anything.
What we did do was;
- plaster board the hot plate recess
- fitted the p/b edging trims
- fixed the cabinets to the wall
- fixed the bench-top in place
- started flushing the mortar joints ready for a texture coat
- lots of finishing trims were cut and put aside

I'm still enjoying the renovation process. Misch's enthusiasm comes and goes. We're taking our time and not rushing it so we get it right and looks good.

Oh and we also installed a solar powered motion sensor light. We have to wait 36hrs for it to charge before we can use it. Misch finally has light to unlock the back door. Its only taken 18 months of nagging, sorry politely requesting for it to happen.

That's the weekend right there.

I'd also like to wish our good mate Benton an easy transition to a more peaceful place. Thinking of you mate. Vale Juksey.

Kitchen Part 2

It all seems simpler this time round. Either that or we're getting better at assembling Swedish kitchens.

We want it to match this;

but it looks like this;

So we're doing this;

and this;

and we're currently at this point;

meanwhile Archie is wandering about the house in his rather fetching mushroom smoking jacket.

Kitchen

Ok its been awhile since our last post but we have finally done some stuff.

We have painted the place white. Radical I know but much better, brighter and lighter.

The kitchen renovation was kicked in to action due to the imminent arrival of Caroline and Arend. We managed to get half done before Christmas and then we rested for the summer. You don't want to rush these things...

So just before Christmas we went from this

to this

to this

Now we have started the other half.

The purchase of the Hacienda

So Misch and I have bought our first house. The purpose of this blog is to record it's transformation. Hopefully I'll update it after each weekend of painting, wall removal or kitchen update as it happens. All the big milestones will be here.

The Starting Point.

The less we say about the house the better. Needless to say this is not our dream home but merely a stepping stone to something better. At least we're no paying rent any more and we can do whatever the hell we want to it.

After viewing nearly 60 properties over a three month period we finally put in an offer on Bridson Court. It took our eye as it was a large block - 834sqm and therefore sub dividable under the soon to be ratified rezoning of Hamilton Hill - and the house was in a very tidy state. We're hoping that the area will increase in value being close to Fremantle (10 mins) and close to the new Coogee Marina (10 mins) which is due for completion in 2010. It also has a massive shed! I no longer have shed envy.

Given it is our first renovation we thought it prudish to start on an easy one. Prior to the purchase of Bridson Court we also debated long and hard on the purchase of an 1890's cottage in South Fremantle which is where we really want to live. We thought better of it in the end as it required some serious money early on in the project just to make it liveable. I've been through a few

renovations with my parents over the years and obviously being an architect I know a little of what is involved but Misch has never painted a wall before. Therefore South Freo was out and Hamilton Hill was in.

Here are some glory shots of the house when we bought it.

The Entry

The Living room

The Dining room

The Kitchen

You get the idea. Untouched 1970's in all its glory. More photos to come and hopefully more interesting/witty dialogue to accompany it.