Paving

We're almost finished the front paving, just the driveway and lawn seeding to go, yeeha!

Path from gate to front door

The driveway and wooden gate posts.

Clearing a Path

We are now putting an end to the Muddy-Pass! Between dogs, visitors, ourselves and the day to day to-ing and fro-ing around the front of the house - things have been a bit boggy to say the least. We've got the good old Ramm brothers to help us transform the front, our criteria was - make it so we can park the car, it won't grow weeds out of every nook and cranny, keep a lawn for each side of the path and my extra request was to be able to walk bare foot - so no stones! : ) We've chosen large natural stone slabs for the path and front, with rugged grey/natural coloured edging. The drive will have a smaller version of slab. We're widening the gateway slightly so we can park inside the gate, with wooden gate posts and a new gate to follow. Does the money ever stop draining?! But we look forward to cleaner doggie/human feet coming into the house, simple and clean.

Good bye Tree

Sadly, the Sycamore tree has to go. The roots have taken over our storm drains and natures force is beginning to interfere with the foundations of our house. So the leaves that draped, shading our front bay-window, are no more. I was tempted to put a small sign up on our gate to let the locals know we had to do it, that we didn't want to. (Husband talked me out of that idea.) But we shall be planting another tree further away from the house someday, I would love one with a blossom, we'll see. Here are some pics of it's last day, it's new role is to burn brightly and heat us in winter, good thing.

Our new view or the lamp post!

Summer? One year on...

It's been a year since we were handed the keys to Forty One, we've done a lot yet there's still so much more to do. The garden has been lovely to watch though, all the plants springing up and blossoming through summer. The Autumn colours are here now, but just though I'd put up some pics I'd taken over June and July!

This creeper flowered for a few months, beautiful!

The back garden got a good clearing out

Maybe next year I'll make some Elderflower Champagne!

The path down to town, always changing.

Exotic colours in a Japanese looking tree...

(Couldn't resist a close up)

Front of House

We eventually decided on a colour way for the outside of our house in August. The windows needed a good sanding and a dark paint is ideal for covering up the bumps and ridges. We went for black drains/pipes/fascia so we thought black windows and sills would be good with an old rugged cream wall. The cream paint seems lighter than we imagined, but I still like it. We are only some of the way there...if it would stop raining in this country we'd get so much more work done!!

You can just about see the black windows...

Green is good

Although our painting skills may have improved and we're now very savvy with the 'tricks of the trade' (or should I say 'Husband is very savvy'- I still have a less focused 'free' approach!!) we've managed to paint the hall. Here is a sneak peak at the glorious green that welcomes me as I come through the front door, it's been there about a month now, still love it. Above the picture rail needs papered as it's so uneven, I grabbed some samples from the local paper shop - not our style - so I've earmarked some online treats for when we find the pennies. It's just the one side of the hall that's painted green, the rest, including the timber cladding is all white. Ah, constant progress, all in good time, slow and steady, no need to rush...all that great advice my Grannie gives me.

Coat Cupboard

I love a good storage cupboard, somewhere where the coats, hats and shoes belong... rather than slung on the nearest possible chair or corner, that always gets out of control by the end of the week! So I was delighted to get this little end of the hallway organised, done in a couple of hours, just a lick of paint and some reclaimed carpet from my father-in-law. Also, the last picture is of our newly hung curtains for the lounge, my mum made them for us from the fabric we bought in John Lewis online. I love the yellow light when the suns coming through of an afternoon! Thanks Mum.

Secret doorway (Handle gives it away a bit!)

Not much going on here, needs fixing!

Painted, Carpeted, Shelved and Hooked up!

This is now packed out with shoes...

High hooks for hat rack to the left

Making Use!

Just a hello...Recently it's been on and off with the good weather, so our work plans haven't gone entirely to plan! I'll post some pics of what work we've done inside the house soon. Just enjoying using the rooms we have finished for now and going for adventures outside to clear our lungs from the smell of paint!! Husband took this shot, not sure whether it was his love for his guitar or me that captures it...but I like the illusion that I might be able to play guitar : ) and you can see my lovely throw draped over the back of our sofa, it works perfectly with the grey wall behind.

Hurray for sitting rooms!

Eventually, after 6 months of no sitting room/lounge/living room...whatever you like to call it- we have one. Such a lovely feeling to have one room out of seven completed and the whole process seems like it's worth it some more! Sofas moved in, the old piano has found its nest and the cushions I've missed are back to squish into for a movie. All I need now is to hurry up and make the curtains I've bought fabric for, and get that huge rug cleaned somehow- industrial bob will be called I think. So the soft furnishings will warm it up some, but for now I'm loving the freshness and clean space...just in time for spring!

The window looks out the front, sofa fits nicely. These are make-do curtains for now (Thanks ikea rejects bin!)

Piano from our local charity shop, husbands been tinkling (on the piano) it sounds great!

An inherited 'pouffe' and table nest.

Just love the old doors when they're painted fresh.

Pure Luxury for me, the 9 year old Natuzzi scrubbed up well, i feel spoilt!

Marimekko by Maija Isola cushion, 20p in Oxfam, madness.

Light in the window

We'll see how the white floor works out, still looking good for now!

Gotta make/find/steal from friends studios some artwork for the walls

The old cornice and picture rail, still in such good nik, sits pretty in white.

Painting the floor...

This is our plan: undercoat/primer, same again, treat any knots with B.I.N concentrated primer (so there's no staining) one coat of Johnstones Industrial Flor-Tred, and another...and another!
Took us a couple of days, but so worth it... now just the furniture to unearth!Oh and I painted the fireplace (which was orangey oak) white, then realised it didn't suit the old tiles within; so I went for black, i like it a lot...look forward to getting some white little bits and bobs on top of it, they're in storage boxes somewhere, ah.

from this...

to this...

to this!

Switch On

The Wet Room is complete and the bath fitted...I'm hooked, I've never had so many baths in one month! Along with radiator, sink and the cabinet, our new bathroom skylight window which we knocked through the ceiling for is complete...lovely day light! 

For 'cosy' areas in the house, we've tried to stay of olde with our electric lighting, but couldn't resist the modern style in 'clean' rooms like the bathroom and kitchen, even the tiles are fresh with greys, whites and gloss pin-stripe!

Living Room lighting

An old iron and glass 'Railway' lamp for the hall... behind it the replaced picture rails.

Step down into the new 'Wet Room', with mosaic stone floor.

Shower perched in the new Wet Room extension, including the external door! 

We really must get that sticker off the bathroom window!

Kitchen tiles in grey, with oiled oak worktop & black hob...Note: first flowers in the house courtesy of husband!