MAC House

 This is a client home that we built last year and handed over a few days post Christmas. It was custom designed to suit a lovely retired couple with regular visiting family, and built to a tight budget. 

 It is contemporary in style with an Australian beach house feel that fits in well with it's neighbours and seaside location. Two large deck areas take advantage of cooling breezes. 

The house is built 'upside-down' with the kitchen, main living and largest entertaining area located on the top level from where ocean vistas can also be seen.

This upper level also contains the main bedroom, en suite, WIR and guest powder room.

 

Downstairs, and on the entry level is the family room, three more bedrooms (all with custom fitted robes), main bathroom with separate W.C and laundry facilities.

Unfortunately, these pictures were taken before completion and before the installation of shower screens and mirrors. The client wished to occupy three weeks earlier than planned; a request we accommodated.

There were a few 'tweeks' that ensured this property was a perfect fit for the client in addition to the structural plan. All joinery was taller than standard to accommodate a family genetically blessed in height. Toilets and shower heads were likewise specifically selected to be comfortable in this regard.

Relocating from overseas, the owners look forward to frequent visits from their children and grandchildren. The lower floor accommodation therefor provides independent living, a room for bunk beds and laundry and bathroom facilities capable of handling a crowded house!

One of the low cost but impact making features is the use of panelled internal doors and feature wall linings to the entry and stairwell which contribute to the desired casual 'beach' vibe of the new property. All fixtures  are deliberately neutral to ensure style longevity and adaptability to most furnishings.

Hope you enjoyed this house tour!

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. 

You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!

Bits & Bobs and some wee house progress!

 There's been lots going on here lately but not enough time to post. My poor little blog has definitely been neglected! 

Of course it's holiday time and there are books to read, sunshine to enjoy and friends to catch up with after the frantic pace of Christmas and New Year. I am yet to put the tree and decor away...this afternoon is earmarked for that onerous chore and I'm procrastinating!

My West Elm gold cutlery has been packed away in a new canteen from POK.

 Mattress-gate has been resolved and we are sleeping comfortably at last. Who knew how traumatic buying a new mattress could be? ! Long story short, NEVER buy an $8K Tempur mattress if you or your partner are hot sleepers...that thing will cook you alive! When we eventual bought successfully (Sealy Posturepedic Nouvelle Plush Gardenia from Domayne; BLISS!), we bought J a new mattress too. . . and of course some new bedlinen was required. He he!

Abode Euros, Cultiver Linen, Bonnie & Neil Cushion.

 The Table-gate episode that occupied FIVE MONTHS of 2014 and that I thought was resolved HERE, wasn't. It is now though, with the item being returned and refunded. We are however, back to square one and table-less once again. Recommendations welcome! Minimum 3 m length x 1200 mm wide.

The upper floor bathrooms have seen no further progress as our tiler is still unavailable. We're looking at him starting in two weeks but I'm not going to hold my breath! In the interim, David has started prepping the top verandas so they'll be ready to tile too with the french pattern travertine bought exactly a year ago! He doesn't want to lay any timber flooring or carpet upstairs until they're completed due to potential damage. Which leads me to...

 (insert drum roll, trumpets and fanfare)

TIMBER FLOORING

Yup. Finally decided, purchased and it's ready to rock 'n roll!

21mm thick, extra wide engineered oak flooring; colour Matt silky oak. I probably would have gone for a lighter tone but decided to err on the side of caution and not be too trend specific.

One pack of our flooring laid out!

As mentioned, Davey has made a wee bit of progress here. He had planned to do more but needed to work between Christmas and New Year to finish a client's house as they wanted to move in three weeks earlier.

Thankfully, we were able to meet their request, sans shower screens and mirrors. I'll show you more pics of this one in another post.

Our latest completed, custom client home.

In the last few days, David has worked here and the top veranda outside what will be our bedroom, and the entry, now have ceiling linings. J assisted his Dad with the last piece and has shown himself to be a great help when needed.

The bar-front under the bi-fold window area is finished and now just needs sealing. 

A beautiful bone-inlay chest of drawers that has been on my 'wish list' forever, finally made it here. I'm going to use it in the main bedroom and officially announce an end to my bone-inlay obsession!

I bought this great Pony Rider pouf for J's bedroom too. It was on sale for $90 from $229 (yippee!) and it will make a great spot to sit and put on shoes etc. 

J has finished Primary School and is headed to High School this year. The end of the year was frantic as along with the usual Christmas functions we had graduation events too. I made J and a girlfriend's daughter, signature bears dressed in mini uniforms as a grad gift. Sommer loved hers and had all her mates and teachers sign it but J wouldn't even take his to school. Boys. I should have known better! LOL!

 My craft skills were more appreciated by my middle child though. I posted HERE about A's desire for a Dream-Catcher for Christmas. Below is the one I made her and which she liked. Thank God!

It was very easy to make but the materials (especially the lace) were exy so I didn't save money by making one, I just made a more spectacular version for the same outlay.

That probably brings the blog up-to-speed with the goings on here and hopefully I'll have more House Progress posts to share soon!

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. 

You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!

Happy New Year

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!

2014 end countdown....

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!

Christmas. Take 11.

Well, THAT was a depressing post! I'd actually decided to post some of my better gift ideas and somehow went off on a tangent. Funny how good intentions can derail like that!

Anywho, thankfully the pessimism I felt pre-Christmas eventually lifted.

 I decorated the tree. Wrapped pressies and organised food and family. 

My monochromatic + metallic theme was sabotaged by Santa's wrapping!

 We had two Christmas's.The first was with Mum and Dad on December 23rd (also Dad's birthday) where I made a really simple Aussie style, mango and chicken salad, served with king prawns, fresh bread rolls and followed with pav. Easy peasy lunch for ten!

Then we celebrated here with the children and their partners on Christmas Eve with a more traditional European baked dinner of turkey, lamb and chicken, peas, roasted veggies and lashings of gravy. 

Luckily the weather was cool and forgiving! This is the first hot Christmas meal I have ever prepared for a large number and it was surprisingly easy; I had all day to prep (hubby generously helped) and roast the larger pieces of meat and then we served it on platters so everyone could help themselves. There was very little left - which is always a good sign!

our Christmas Eve table

Desert was macerated fruit (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries) in brandy snap baskets (Shh...store bought ones) with brandy infused whipped cream and ice cream + a mini Flake chocolate in each! Yum. All pre-prepped and put together to serve in less than 5 minutes. (Yup; I'm no cordon bleu!)

We then opened presents on Christmas morning while eating croissants and mini egg / bacon and feta pies I'd made the day before so the older children could scoot to their partner's family luncheons. 

And we got a real surprise gift from Santa!

As this was our first year with all 'knowing' children...we tried to add some fun for our 12 year old by getting him involved in the Chrismas Eve, Santa arrival prep. This included making e-mail videos through PNP for the older children, who J decided to nominate as on the the 'naughty' list. (Yup. He's 12. And a boy. LOL!)

Imagine our surprise on Christmas morning on finding alien wrapped gifts for us all in our stockings from Santa! We were on the 'naughty' list too with chunks of coal* inside!

BEST present ever! Still LMFAO!

*Without channeling Scrooge, I'll quietly note that daughter #2 is currently dating a miner!

Merry Christmas!
 

x KL

Thank you for stopping by my blog. 

You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!