Daisy Cottage Renovations - 17 May 2008

The renovations are moving on quickly and we are very happy with the pace of works being done. As of yesterday the following are now complete/started:

PLUMBING:
- First fix complete
- New radiators now installed
- Oil tank moved from shed to yard
- Shower trays in en suites now in

UPSTAIRS:
- Bathroom floor replaced
- Walls and ceilings now rebuilt and plastered
- Walls drylined
- Floors repaired
- All rewiring done
And now ready for painting next week

DOWNSTAIRS
- Hallway ceiling studded and ready for plastering
- Hall floor removed and new sewer installed and floor ready for tiling
- Door frames removed
- Doorways raised in height
- Old kitchen cupboards removed
- Floor in kitchen/diner leveled to a single level as opposed to the 2 different levels previously
- Pipes in for large fridge/freezer which supplies chilled filtered water and ice cubes on tap
- Kitchen/diner ready for painting

- Utility area picked and plastered
- Downstairs bedroom picked and plastered
- Downstairs en suite plumbed and ready for tiling
- Walls dry lined

The roof on the games room area has been releaded and the roof on the extension is reslated

The new staircase will soon be ready and the new banisters and ballastrade too. I think these will be white with a dark wood main newel. We chose a nice cappuccino coloured carpet for the staircase and it's neutral enough to allow me to paint the walls in the hall any colour I chose.

So, there's plenty done and now we are getting ready to have the new kitchen fitted. We went yesterday to pick a kitchen style and this will be handmade over the next few weeks. We went for a beautiful old style kitchen which will be in a creamy vanilla colour.

The major splash out here is a solid highly polished black granite work top. This of course adds a lot of expense but I think it will be worth the extra money and will look fabulous with the creamy coloured kitchen.

Using a large plumbed in fridge/freezer adds a lot of expense too but being used to one at home, I think it is well worth the money. I guess we are just totally spoiled at this stage having ice on tap and chilled filtered water on tap! I'm sure our future guests will appreciate these extras.

This afternoon we went to the tile store we will use and I nearly passed out at the price of the tiles for downstairs - before we even begin to take into account the tiles for the bathrooms! Initially we had decided on all tiles, then changed to hardwood and now we're back to tiles. I want the traditional style black and white tiles throughout as I think these will look very clean and set off any furniture added. While in the store I saw some gorgeous mosaic tiles in a beautiful aqua colour which I may use in the bathroom.

Last week I bought a beautiful cherry red sofa suite for the living room. I went for 2 three seaters and one two seater which gives lots of comfortable seating. I found a really beautiful old cabinet which may go at one side of the fireplace (if it fits!). It is a really unusual cabinet - double glass doors, legs and the top curved into 2 domes. The wood is dark but I'm not sure what type of wood it is. It may go in the living room or I might have to find somewhere else for it as a delightful old cabinet I bought about 20 years ago is being given back to me by my mother who no longer wants it. This cabinet is a dark wooded Edwardian affair - really ornate and a delightful piece and this is the one that may go into the living room. We will have to wait and see which one suits better. Oh, and to go with the cherry coloured suite I found a really groovy chandelier with red beads on it! Wow!

I also found a really nice Edwardian sideboard last week. Once again, it is dark wood and has 2 side cupboards and I think 3 drawers in the centre and stands on very nicely shaped legs. It is inlaid with a paler wood and will probably be in the hallway.

I really feel the house is coming together really well and I hope it will end up looking as great in real life as it does in my mind!!!