31.5.13

Dear Julia: Sandwichgate Alibi




My baby boy has safely returned from his Year 5, three day excursion to the Australian National Capitol, Canberra. He left before dawn on Wednesday and it has been a very, very long three days without him.

He visited Parliament House but I've just unpacked his bags and you'll be happy to hear that his Wednesday lunch has returned uneaten. Julia's dodged missile was not from Copa....LOL!

He otherwise ate well, survived two nights without us, and only lost a beanie!

He LOVED visiting the National Museum and the Australian War Memorial but the Australian Institute of Sport enthused him most. He reckons the basketball players were "six metres tall!"
The school trip crammed a visit to the National Gallery, Questacon and the National Science & Technology Centre too!

I am so proud of my son, after his first independent journey and for also receiving high praise from his accompanying teachers. 


And apparently the cold I prepared him for never materialised...
I'm off to see if he'll grant me another cuddle...

x KL 

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30.5.13

the Festival of Fifty begins!

 Borrowing the term from FF at Faux Fuchsia, the "Festival of Fifty" has begun in in earnest with David's 50th birthday today.



Want to replicate a perfect day? Start the night before with some Jolly Good Indian and then...
take one of each from the list below and combine!

A perfect winter, sun-shiny day.
Excellent company of brilliant friends.
Secret waterfront restaurant with no crowds.


Icy cold Veuve Clicquot & Peronies,
 Enormous platters of fabulous, fresh hot and cold seafood....


Finish the day with a night cap of aged Bundaberg Port-Barrel Rum.


And be ready to continue the celebrations with family on the weekend!

We thoroughly enjoyed celebrating with our precious friends J & C. J coincidentally celebrating her 48th birthday too.

Happy Birthday!!!!

x KL 

 Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

29.5.13

Moving. Dining. Thoughts. Quandary

Daughter No. 2 has just signed her first lease on an apartment!!!
 I'm excited for her but at the same time am silently sobbing inside. Just like I did with the first nest leavers, S and MMwaaah!
Life and growing up happens in a blink of the eye...


In prep for the imminent move she's on a buying frenzy and has bought, amongst other things, this terrific dining suite from one of my best friends as posted HERE.

 It residing temporarily in our future dining space though, has been a bit of a shock.
It is a large eight seater suite and looks minuscule in the area.


We currently have a twelve seater Antique, Edwardian Banquet Table as our family meals table (contracted to seat 6 downstairs) but I'm now concerned it too will look small, even in its extended form, in the new upstairs space! Keeping the table is a definite. David collected antiques waaay before we met and I respect that they are precious to him. (hence the three car garage sized, purpose built, storage area filled to the brim on the lowest level!)

Sooo... do I buy something more suited to this space and add this table to storage or  'make do'?

I was contemplating custom making something but realistically, we'll be downsizing next move and would have no need for a table which I predict may need to be 3.5 - 4 metres in length to 'look' right. 

Life throws spanners at you every which way doesn't it?


x KL 

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28.5.13

check this out....



  Spotted this very cool idea over at signed by tina
Poor Davey. Another project added to his very long, 'In My Spare Time' list!


x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

27.5.13

Our 'HOUSE RULES'!

  


We've been watching Channel 7's new reality series House Rules where six teams from around Australia hand over their house keys to a bunch of strangers to transform their homes. 
In 7 days!

David has been inspired. Unbeknown to me, he set the main bedroom as his first seven day 'zone' challenge. And yep, he made it ... sans decor!
 (The electrical fit out is being completed as I type!)


The upstairs hallway is apparently next.


Who am I to complain about his methodology?
Yippee!


x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

26.5.13

On a roll!




 Dulux Silver Illusion it is! 
Everywhere. Though I may revisit the bedhead wall with Domino or wallpaper when the other room elements are in place. (Sshh- don't tell Davey!) And I may need a new bedhead too. Eeek.

Best news? I'm happy with the decision. Thank God!

One coat finished, one more gloss and wall coat to go before fitting out with lights, fan and door hardware. 
Whilst we're far from 'full steam' ahead, at least the tide is taking us in the correct direction!

TIP: Always buy good quality branded paint and ensure three coats are done on new walls / woodwork. Sealer / undercoat is a step that should not be skipped. Enamel painted woodwork is far superior to water based paint's durability...definitely worth the hassle and unpleasant fumes for a few days.

x KL 

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

25.5.13

Indecision


Damn. After thinking the main bedroom colours through for THREE YEARS I am in a serious quandary. Dulux Silver Illusion, Natural White or Domino?
(Detailing and ideas posted HERE before)


The problem is the bedhead. It is made from a beige-y French linen and looks icky against the grey which is the Silver Illusion; my top contender for all those years. It looks great in the Guest room against Natural White but the Main Bedroom is a much larger space and I'm concerned it will look too bland.


So... I'm considering leaving the French Linen bedhead in the guest room and buying a new bedhead for our bedroom. Perhaps a similar style but in charcoal linen or white leather?


Or a greyer coloured linen?


or velvet?


In our last house (seen below; no bedhead to cause drama!) I loved the darker palette than elsewhere in the house so maybe I could use my chosen greys and replicate that concept?


Or throw some of my favourite wallpaper in too?
David's on his way to buy paint as I type....he'll call for a decision any minute! 
Eeeeeek!


x KL 

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

23.5.13

Life

Considering J wasn't having a birthday 'party' this year, (we host one every second year; a cost containment strategy I started as a single Mum many years ago) his 11th birthday has managed to span a week with two cakes and a fun trip with a few mates to see Star Trek Into Darkness with lunch at a local pizzeria.


Mum and Dad have decided to zhush the family home which is 50 years young. New kitchen bathroom, flooring, paint and storage. Exciting! I'll have to get their permission, but hopefully will be able to share the before and afters... Decision 1: Limed Oak Flooring!
*drool*


 Here, the  s l o w  progress continues.... David has finished painting the ceilings in the main bedroom and installed doors, skirting and architraves whilst I've been playing around with some on-line wardrobe planning programmes.

 Is it cold where you are? Winter has hit the Central Coast of Australia with a vengeance today. I'm happily wearing my new boots and living in comfy jeggings (long tunic jumper on top of course!)


x KL 

 Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

18.5.13

I have decided on 'THE' wallpaper!


 After much internal debate, I have finally decided on the wallpaper that I'd like to use as a feature on the entry to upper living rooms, stairway wall.


It is 'Imperial Trellis' from Schumacher. Designed by Kelly Wearstler no less and in the colour Onyx Gloss

I LOVE IT!

Now to find an Australian stockist and find out the fiscal damage!

x KL

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15.5.13

Eleven years ago...

 Eleven years ago my gorgeous little boy came into this world. David's first child. My first son.
He is a miracle that we didn't think would happen...never say never!


His presents this year were a total surprise. He wanted little. He has an amazing sense of humour that belies his age, laughing with us as we presented him first with 'work' boots before the real loot was given. 
We are all off to our local Thai restaurant for dinner, a celebration to be revisited on the weekend when his elder sister and pseudo 'brother' (S' BF) can visit from Sydney.

Happy Birthday my darling boy!

x Mummy

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14.5.13

Too good not to share...Fifty Shades of Grey!

  

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY - (a husband's point of view) - By Pam Ayres

The missus bought a Paperback,
down Shepton Mallet way,
I had a look inside her bag;
... T'was "Fifty Shades of Grey".
Well I just left her to it,
And at ten I went to bed.
An hour later she appeared;
The sight filled me with dread...
In her left she held a rope;
And in her right a whip!
She threw them down upon the floor,
And then began to strip.
Well fifty years or so ago;
I might have had a peek;
But Mabel hasn't weathered well;
She's eighty four next week!!
Watching Mabel bump and grind;
Could not have been much grimmer.
And things then went from bad to worse;
She toppled off her Zimmer!
She struggled back upon her feet;
A couple minutes later;
She put her teeth back in and said
I am a dominater !!
Now if you knew our Mabel,
You'd see just why I spluttered,
I'd spent two months in traction
For the last complaint I'd uttered.
She stood there nude and naked
Bent forward just a bit
I went to hold her, sensual like
and stood on her left tit!
Mabel screamed, her teeth shot out;
My god what had I done!?
She moaned and groaned then shouted out:
"Step on the other one"!!
Well readers, I can't tell no more;
About what occurred that day.
Suffice to say my jet black hair,
Turned fifty shades of grey

x KL 

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11.5.13

We made the cover of TRENDS!



Congratulations to my hubby David and his building company, DRW Constructions Pty Ltd on The Avoca Beach House making the cover of the latest issue of Kitchen & Bathroom Trends magazine. It's on sale now.

Congratulations too to the Architects and Interior Design Team, Stephen and Lisa from Architecture Saville Isaacs.
 
(Here's the link to our Australian edition: http://ebooks.trendsideas.com/Book806)
 


I've posted many images of this project before, including when Stephen & Lisa won an Australian Interior Design Award HERE for this house. It's so exciting to see it again featured in print! 
 I don't doubt there will be more to come too!

x KL 

 Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

7.5.13

Bloggy Banter


 I mentioned a little while back that I was the very lucky winner of a Blog Make Over, generously offered by the very talented Katrina from Katrina from the Block who's company, The Media Maid specialises in "bringing the best blogs to everyone who can turn on a computer"
 After a few exciting e-mail exchanges, Katrina had some new banner drafts for me....






 This girl is G O O D ! How cute is the little owl (lurve me a bit of taxidermy, dark colour, nocturnal stuff), and the crown too...(ditto jewelry and bling!) Soooo clever!

I think I like that last one....thoughts?


x KL 

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!

5.5.13

DETAILING: Family Room

 I haven't done a building, detailing post in a long while. Mostly because these posts were a dialogue of decisions made to the top storey rooms as they were being finished. 
The middle level, where we are living, is already completed. The big building stuff anyway. 
I thought I might do some retrospective posts though to show what decisions were made in these rooms and to allow a better understanding of the house as a whole.

So... here is a plan of the family room.


 It is situated to the right after entering the house. It is deliberately kept quite separate from the entry as I wanted guests entering the house to immediately gravitate towards the stairs and the upper level, where the main living area is located. 
There will be a large retractable door / wall between the entry and the family room (rebated track image below) to isolate noise and to provide privacy when necessary. (And yes... those ceiling discolourations are water stains...if you missed the flood disaster, click HERE


 A stairwell to the lowest level; storeroom, plant, cellar and garage is accessed from here too. Doorway to lower area seen above RHS.
To delineate the family room from the walkway, we lowered the ceiling in the thoroughfare (marked in red on the plan above) and also added a bulkhead around the perimeter of the room to accommodate a recess for blinds.(green line) This will mean that when not in use they will not visually or physically encumber the doors and windows they were intended to cover. The bulkheads also provided easy insertion of surround sound stereo equipment as this room houses our largest T.V.



The three large panes of glass seen in the picture above (as is J!) are sliding glass doors that completely retract inside a thick nib wall on the left that I further deepened to create a niche for art. This is potentially a major line of view upon entering the house so I wanted it to be WOW! The latest decor incarnation for the niche was discussed HERE and can be seen again below.


We also doubled the wall cavity on the stairwell / family room wall to allow depth for a television niche and again, the surround sound equipment to be built in.


Provision has been made for underfloor heating which every winter I anticipate greatly! The marble flooring....600 x 600 tiles - is bought and tarped on the verandah, waiting till we move upstairs so the tiler can do his bit! (Completed bathroom marble floors shown below)



 We are also intending on dropping in a carpet piece like we did in our last house above.

TIP: A broadloom metre of carpet (average 3.6 m x length required) is cheaper than a rug any day. Even the exy pure wool ones!!! If you recess it into a tiled or timber floor it is easier to vacuum because it's the same height, looks integrated and is usually more cost effective than the hard floor itself on a completed square metre rate. (which you may then wish to put a rug on!..... Go figure!)

So, that concludes the 'family room'. At present it is our only living and dining area but I am looking forward to relinquishing it to the kids and for family entertaining / movie marathons only!

x KL

 Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment. I love receiving feedback! I also love watching a new pretty picture box added to my followers - would love you to join me so I can get to know you too!