warm, toasty and cosy!

This is the previous state of the kitchen just 6 weeks ago!

Now look at the amazing work, during this time the wall has been plastered and rendered on both sides. Addiitonally aluminium box gutting was fitted by our builders as the roofers do not do guttering. The builders have then smoothed the edges with really neat plaster work right up to the top where the glass frame starts. And you will notice this week we got delivery of the roof in the kitchen with 2 electric opening vents.

View from below

View from the other side wall of the kitchen, check out the right where you can see the really sharp clean lines of the window frame, the window will be in place next week! Yay!

This is the kitchen, sorry the units which are going to be installed next week. Tons of boxes the most BH and I have done is wardrobes, this looks like a lot of fun!

And the boiler has been moved to insert the flue above the glass roof. This is the utility room AKA Former kitchen. The manifold in the bottom right hand corner was fitted yesterday, so we are snuggly and warm. Thanks a million as the temperature has dropped drastically and we are expecting snow!

This is another view of the utility room, all the pipe work for the upstairs bathrooms is coming through here, huge amount of work as this was all external before, lordy you saw the state of this room before and our pipe work was to say the least dire before the builders got their mitts on it. I watched Mr T using his fab blow torch to fix in all these pipes, radiators and the manifold.

The ladder radiator for the utility room is in place and drum roll... the skirting boards are in place! Don't they look amazing? Actually we know they look amazing.

Close up of the manifold it's the last time you will see this powerful beast.

Utility room door with completed victoriana framing, looks lovely.

The kitchen and utility room units.

Beautiful capaccino marble floor which is so toasty underfoot! Snow eat your heart out we are snug!

Utility room marble floor, we couldn't help it lovely and warm!

The Study

The roof is in place, and our kind builders are going to complete the work as the roofers don't do corners.

Check out those skirting boards! Neat, neat, neat, it's all looking fab, and did I say it's warm too? All heated!

This alcove is the old kitchen door which led to the garden, now it will have shelves in place.

Couldn't help it, check out these skirting boards and the finished floor!

These are the steps down into the study from the lounge, there will be a frosted glass door here, we had to have a step due to the architect doing bad plans, but our builders came up trumps. This cuts into the lounge floor and has a cool ledge on the left [thinking fab uplighters], these are also the original floor boards. Also we had a headache over the skirting boards in the lounge as the ones from the old back lounge didn't match, these look better than the original and very arty. Look at the grooves!

View of the steps from the study into the lounge - very nice!

Skirting under where the TV will be, and the step down into the study, this was such a great idea!

 The Lounge

The door frame to the study is complete, with the step down. Additionally the old picture rails have been srtipped and reinstated. The radiator has been put back in too so very warm now.

A productive week so far!

 Its been a busy week so far we are now making headway to the finish line! We found a fabulous company which came up trumps with delivery in 2 days and a fatastic tiler who will be working throughout the weekend to finish.

The company is called Authentic Stone and they have been an absolute pleasure to deal with, we confirmed payment and details and the tiles were delivered within 48 hours, faster if we required but fine at this excellent speedy response, and they sent samples as promised before we placed our delivery. The chap to speak to is Evrim he talked through the entire order, provided the materials we needed and a tiler to finish the job over the weekend so we were not in the builders way.

 The tiler has started the job here in the kitchen and you can see the Cappuccino Highly Polished Marble looks fantastic.

 We have completed three quarters of the kitchen today alone!

 This has not yet been grouted or sealed and it's still shiny!

 All the tile edges have been lined up so neatly it will almost look like one piece when finished, can't wait!

 

 We also present to you the framework of the roof, this was installed earlier this week, we are waiting for the glass, there will be two electric opening vents in the kitchen and one in the study all covered with glass!

 View from the doorway, we are waiting for the kitchen sash window to be installed fingers crossed it's in next week.

 The builders cleared out the entire kitchen area and there was a huge amount of equipment and materials in here, so the tiler could get on with everything.

 Just appreciating this beautiful marble floor! You can also see the pipe work is complete for the sink, tap outside and instant hot water tap from Insinkerator the kettle is now redundant!

 

 This is a view from the kitchen sink across the new kitchen. The plaster as you can see is still drying, wish it was summer!

The roof, no glas yet but it will be in soon. On the left the steel been has been boxed and plastered and on the right the guttering is in and the plastering is complete ready for sanding then painting.

On another note we are so excited for Christmas being just round the corner we have ordered our dining set and sofa!

We have been promised delivery one week before Christmas and these are the pieces of furniture that are coming.

Sofa from Sofas and Stuff in Parsons Green.
This is our new sofa in a divine claret colour, looks amazing in the light and beautiful plum colour and in low lighting an espresso colour.

Dining Table from Go Modern
Dining table extends from 6-8 with a cool insert in mocha gloss.

Chairs from Dwell
We snagged a bargain we saw these at Go Modern and these are identical at Dwell! Barganista!

We also got some essentials but we won't bore you, the toilet for the utility room arrived along with a funky chrome ladder radiator. You want pictures? Only when BH is in situ on the loo!

That's all folks, will update when the floor is complete.

accident in the bathroom.

So I decided to have a relaxing bath on Sunday morning whilst BH was sweating it out at boot camp from 8am till 9am. I lit some oil burners in the bedroom and the bathroom, from oils4life which is a great company with fast delivery and I got free cinnamon with the order so all very seasonal.

So in the bath salts go and some oils all set up ready to go. Now instead of diluting hot and cold I prefer very hot [and leave it to cool a tad], so popped out to the laundrette with our huge Louis Vuitton  laundry bag. I looked more like Kelly on the right with a face pack on too! haha. Just kidding about the face pack and seriously I do not spend £1200 for laundry bag mine was £2.50 being the true barganista and equally stylish!

SO after the quick jaunt round and ticket to collect at midday decided to wallow with a cuppa which involves making the said cuppa up on top of the washing machine in the lounge full of sweaty smelly builders clothes a hole to the study and very dusty.

Tripped back up and wallowed enjoying the mo. Our friend popped over after the boot camp [when I had finished in the bath but not emptied] for a sneak preview. After she left I unplugged the bath and cripes was I scared! Sounded like a waterfall, legged it down and the pipe wasn't fixed in the builders had forgotten and left it open!!! Water was gushing into the study and the old kitchen like mad; so shot back up re-plugged the bath then spent 15 minutes mopping up all the water from the study and the utility room. Very relaxing.

We then popped out for the footie to Stamford Bridge, wish I had stayed at home, it was freezing, raining and we [Chelsea] got mauled by Sunderland of all teams!

Anyway when we returned all the floors were dry so very relieved!

So the agenda for the week is as follows;
Kitchen to be finished by completing all plastering and white washed.
Roof frame to be installed over kitchen and study.
Boiler to be moved so flue can extend over roof..
Kitchen extractor flue to be completed.
Utility room [old kitchen] to be finished and white washed.
Window in the kitchen to be installed.
All brickwork to be pointed and completed.

where have you been?!

Ok apologies for the lack of updates. we packed the camera charger in the boxes and had to order another one, then work, lack of time brings us to the end of the week and some updates.
The outside view previously you could still see the steel beams now all the bricking is complete looks like it's always been like this!

 Very neat edges for the doors, check out our lovely patio hope they clean up!

 View inside; notice something different? 3 things!
The kitchen wall is up separting the sudy, and the wall is plastered, and there is no more blue walls all plastered!

 Beautiful sharp edge this was previously a curved edge on the left now it's sharp, clean and minimal!

 This is the finished surround of the kitchen window all plastered last week it was still breeze block.

 Above the doors is complete now too! BH had to sneak in another shot of the doors and we are meeting demand from those requests for more views!

 This is the utility room where the washing machine, ceramic sink and tall boy unit will be with warm walnut worktops. All the pipes will be hidden, everything in place for hot and cold as well as the underfloor pipes.

 Utility room view to the doorway, lovely plastered walls, remeber the green paint, the red tiles and all those wires? All gone!

 This was the doorway to the old dining room, there will be a toilet on the right and the recess will hold some shelves which BH will build and install.

 View of the boiler, messy pipes galore, very precarious at the moment and bit scary earlier this week, no hot water and carbon monoxide coming in!

 View of the window, this is filled in with insultation at the moment to keep the heat in, the
temperatures have dropped this week, non stop rain, very high winds, glad we are finishing inside.

 

Bit of a teaser...

• We went to the tile shop to order the tiles and the work top, dribbled around the showroom then made our way to the sports shop [def not as much fun as tiles and work tops].
• Decision on the floor is Diana Royal Polished in 600X400 they are divine.
• Decision on the work top, Brazilian granite called titanium, they will send me some pictures so we will update you next week! THough I have posted one pic earlier in the blog.
• We will have a 3 inch upstand and use the same granite as a splashback behind the hob and on the island counter.

After a strenous morning we then made our way to the kitchen shop and here is a computerised image of the kitchen and utility room!

Smooth walls nearly...

Week 9

The plastering has started!

View of the doors and finished plaster.

View of where the roof will go in, the boxing [in wood] is finished and ready for the guttering.

The floor is ready for tiles, the wet underfloor heating system is in place and the floor is now at the finished level. This was achieved the day of the tube strikes!

The other side of this wall in the neighbours side return is rendered and ready for painting.

Just waiting for the last wall to be plastered now, can see the original lounge blue paint, disappearing slowly!

View of the last wall which will have tall units and the fridge all along. The left corner was curved now prepared for a sharp corner.

View of what will be the study leading to the lounge, a wall will be in place here mid next week.

Smooth ceiling ready for painting and all the electrics will be pulled through for the light fittings.

The wall in the utility room has been put in place with sound proofing and insulation, where the ladders are will be the toilet.

The pipes here will all be hidden behind a tall boy unit with a run of units along the right hand side housing the sink, washing machine and storage space. The sink will be a belfast sink and the worktop will be dark wood.

The old kitchen door out to the original side return has been boxed in, the other side which is now a study will have recessed shelving. Our friend's idea is taking shape!

The floor in the utility room is also ready, this was a huge step down before now up to the finished level.