Something Gorgeous

Laundry Work

2013-06-19T10:57:00.000+10:00

The builders are here working away and very soon my Laundry walls should look like …… walls!

I'm trying to make decisions now on cabinetry and bench tops. My laundry is quite big and I would like it to be very streamlined with everything in its place, no clutter or things on display.

I'm also including a bar area and I'm considering buying this bar fridge.

I like that it has two zones, one for wine and the other side for beer and soft drink. I also like the fact that it will fit neatly into the 1 metre space I have in one corner of the room.

Anyway I have the plan of the room sorted, just need to work on the cost. I was going to go for Caesar stone to match my kitchen, but have been pleasantly surprised by the improvements in Laminate so am going to investigate Laminate before I make any decisions.

xToni

4th Bedroom Dilemma

2013-06-18T13:09:00.001+10:00

I've been toying with the idea of turning our 4th bedroom into a dressing room. The room is right next to the master bedroom so would be a convenient location.

Turning this room into a dressing room would effectively turn my home into a 3 bedroom house and I'm worried about resale.

My idea would be to turn our existing walk in wardrobe into my husbands wardrobe and the 4th bedroom into my space.

via My Ideal Home

via Made By Girl

via My Ideal Home

Alternatively I could keep the 4th bedroom as a bedroom and extend our existing walk in robe into the sleeping area.

Has anyone ever turned one of their existing bedrooms into something else?

xToni

One Bedroom Apartment

2013-06-17T09:00:00.000+10:00

Whilst reading the Design Files I couldn't help but fall for this gorgeous one bedroom apartment in Sydney's Bellevue Hill. The apartment belongs to Cassandra Karinsky who runs the wholesale business Kulchi.

Her apartment fits neatly into my monochromic phase I'm going through.

The apartment boasts an abundance of natural light, important when living in any home especially a small apartment.

Every piece seems to have been placed with care. Cassandra has achieved the perfect combination of furniture, artwork, and soft furnishings and of course my true love a simple colour palette.

For more photos from Cassandra's home go to the Design Files.

Or check out her beautiful range of rugs and design pieces from Morocco at Kulchi

xToni

Decisions

2013-06-14T08:30:00.000+10:00

Last week was huge for us here at home. First, there was a hold up with our construction certificate! So, after the initial euphoria that accompanied the builders arrival, the demolishing that occurred downstairs, the disconnecting of services and the installation of a new gas hot water system, there was a lull in activity for about a week and half and this was very disconcerting.

However, we did make some major decisions during this break in activity.

We chose our kitchen from Freedom Kitchens and a Heat n' Glo gas wall heater (550TRSI),

The surround will be different.

the colour of our colour bond roof, (Surfmist)

and we've narrowed down the choices of bamboo flooring to two colours.

The good news this week, was that the building certificate came through and the builders are back, and have started the excavation for the footings...in the rain, of course!

While this is happening, I need to start looking for bathroom and laundry pc items and tiles. As usual though, I've left some big decisions to the last minute.

Life is very hectic, but its funny how I've always seemed to thrive on busyness and getting other things done while working and taking care of a family. Why is it that the less I have to do, the more disorganised I seem to get?

Giulia.x

Hidden surprises

2013-06-13T08:30:00.000+10:00

At the far end of my yard, I have been patiently awaiting the regrowth of some very old camellias. We found them last year when we 'defoliated' the outer, upward banks of the yard. They were woody, leafless and very tired looking. We ruthlessly cut them right back, fed them and removed all the weedy undergrowth.

To our surprise they quickly grew new, green leaves. It was then that I knew, that come this winter, they would bloom again. I just didn't know what colour the blossoms were going to be.

In the last few weeks they have revealed gorgeous new buds in a variety of colours!

A large stunning white with yellow centre,

a pretty vibrant pink,

and my favourite is this cherry red blossom.

Last week, I also finally, planted out the back curved garden which I have been nurturing by regularly composting and feeding for at least a year and a half now. I decided on Gardenia Florida, as they were the only few flowering choices which would survive in this shady, damp section of the yard.

I did find this smaller variety of Gardenia called 'radicans variegata', which I've planted in the front of the 'augusta florida'. I liked the shade of grey and cream in the leaf, which contrasts the Florida and it too, blooms a double white flower in Summer.

Even though I've planted twenty plants in this garden bed, it still looks a little bare, but I guess it's a start. What I need now is something that flowers in the Winter time, so that there is something blooming in the garden all year round!

I hope you are enjoying this gorgeous winter weather, as much I am!

Giulia. x

A done deal

2013-06-11T09:24:00.002+10:00

Well, we signed on the dotted line and ordered our Freedom kitchen. I was able to take advantage of the current Freedom Sale and so with 40 per cent off the cabinetry... who could refuse?

I chose alaskan gloss cabinetry in white. I loved the high quality finish of the cupboards. They are coated with a thermoplastic eco-friendly material. The main features of this glossy, "mirror like" surface are its exceptional brightness, 95% gloss and its enduring character and uv resistance.

The Freedom service was second to none. The designers regularly travel to Europe, keeping up with the latest trends and technology. My kitchen designer was able to assist and advise me with any query or doubtful issue, as well as make suggestions on the latest designs.

Another fantastic service is that they will liaise with my builder, streamlining work and installation. To me that is a real bonus. I don't have to worry about the timing of the installation. They work with the builder and take care of any foreseeable problems.

BTW, thick, stone, bench tops are out and thin tops without the waterfall is in. That was a tricky decision to make but I still have time to decide. Colours for my bench top and splash back will be made with my personal designer and friend Toni. (ha he he)

Have a lovely day!
Giulia.x

backyard fun

2013-06-10T08:30:00.000+10:00

When its raining Maple and you're exhausted from raking...

Then why not leave it to the children ...

Hope your long weekend is lovely!

Giulia.x

Baby It's Cold Outside

2013-06-06T09:15:00.000+10:00

Winter is my favourite time of the year. Here are some of the reasons why…

Images via Something Gorgeous Pinterest

xToni

Cream/White

2013-06-05T09:00:00.000+10:00

xToni

Images via Something Gorgeous on Pinterest

Freedom Kitchens

2013-06-04T08:00:00.000+10:00

In my search for a kitchen provider, I've looked at several options now, including the builder's preferred cabinet maker, Ikea and now Freedom. I have to say, I am impressed with the gorgeous finishes in the cabinetry, design layouts and the personal service that Freedom provide.

When my husband and I went to investigate on Saturday and after talking with the sales rep, we discovered that the prices were very competitive.

I do like that Freedom is a one stop shop providing everything your kitchen needs, including installation and they are Australian made.

There seemed to be every choice in cabinetry, splash backs and stone benches. Of course you are not locked into everything. You can just choose their cabinetry if that's what you so choose.

There was only one drawback that I could see and that was that they only offered one choice of appliances of which was Baumatic. This is an Italian brand which apparently comes out of the same factory that Smeg is made out of. Admittedly, I don't know much about this brand but I'll be doing some research.

My personal appointment with a Freedom Kitchen Designer is next Thursday night and I'm pretty excited when I look at some of their innovative ideas!

If they can offer a complete kitchen within my budget, I think they might become one of my preferred options.

If the "The Block Sky High" is screaming their praises, then its probably worth checking out further. I'll let you know!

Giulia.x

Leaves and much more...

2013-06-03T07:30:00.000+10:00

I love the magic that Autumn casts in our back yard every year. Our giant maple sheds its Summer's foliage and creates the most amazing carpet of golden colour.

It's that time of the year again when I need to spend some hours raking. The leaves make great mulch and deter the weeds for several months.

With all the rain last week, progress with our builders was slow, but I've managed to continue researching the answers to some big decisions, like kitchens and gas wall heaters, so not all time was wasted.

Have a lovely week.
Giulia.x

Chickens

2013-05-31T09:33:00.000+10:00

We didn't plan on having chickens; they just kinda ended up at our place… a long story that I won't bore you with. But the problem is we have two dogs and not enough back yard to allow the chickens and the dogs their own patch of grass.

When the chickens arrived I quickly bought a coop while we figured out what to do with them.

The coop is reasonably large, but we thought they needed a little extra space. I went onto the net to look for a solution and found this chicken coop extension! Yes, apparently just like humans, chickens are into adding extensions to their house as well. And some fancy extensions there are too. Not wanting to get too complicated or take up all the lawn in our back yard or all the money in our bank account, we decided on this extension.

It arrived yesterday so today I'll put it together and post some photos of the chickens in their new extension on Instagram.
Meanwhile my girls are happy and have started to lay, so we have fresh eggs for breakfast every morning.

xToni

Colour

2013-05-30T15:48:00.000+10:00

I was reading Katrina Chambers blog this morning and admiring her new wallpaper in her entry and the gorgeous world map on her sons wall, when I started to think about colour and perhaps the lack of it at my place.

One thing led to another and eventually I found myself admiring the photos on the blog Eclectically Vintage.

Here are some photos from the home of Kelly Dame, from Kelly Dame Interiors.

If you would like to pop over to see more work by Kelly, click here.

Or check out the house tours on Eclectically Vintage.

xToni

Before and After

2013-05-29T10:06:00.000+10:00

I have a carpenter coming this afternoon to give me a quote to gyprock my laundry. The walls are in pretty bad shape so we have decided to get a professional to do this job. Here are some before and afters.

Hope his price is ok and he can start soon. I'll keep you posted.

xToni

More Laundry Inspiration

2013-05-28T11:08:00.002+10:00

My old laundry has been removed (click here)and I'm left with an empty shell.
I have been obsessing over how to configure my new laundry and what essentials to include.

New Home Design

Net Home Design

Houzz

Form Function

I want my new laundry to have lots of storage and not too much clutter on display. Any helpful tips would be greatly appreciated.

xToni

Bowral Beauty

2013-05-27T09:02:00.004+10:00

I came across this beautifully renovated home in Bowral, NSW on Home Life. I just had to share it with you.

The main bedroom features a gorgeous cast iron bed.

What a perfect spot to sit and apparently it looks out onto a small orchid!

The star of this room has to be the pitched ceiling and the stunning natural light.

A beautiful fireplace takes pride of place.

This home is everything I love. It has a neutral palate with lots of white and timber giving it a classic look.

xToni

For more on this beautiful home click here.

A new home for Ollie

2013-05-24T07:30:00.000+10:00

Once the building started we realised that Ollie was not going to be allowed outside while we were at work.

With fences gone and builders crawling everywhere, he was sure to make a runner!

Last weekend we spent several hours creating a small pen for him to live in during the day while we were away.

The girls in particularly, protested and were miserable at the prospect of him being alone and cooped up in such a small space.

Surprisingly though, during this first week, reports by the builders were that Ollie was strangely calm and happily entertained by the noisy goings on of our building intruders.

There was compensation to come for Ollie though! The best news for all was the realisation that at night time, Ollie had to sleep indoors with us! It was too cold and too far away in the back yard for him to be alone.

A designer bed for a designer dog! (He has to look good if he's going to live inside!)

I don't think it took him too long to realise that time alone in a pen for just a few hours a day was by far worth it, when he could enjoy the warmth and comfort of being with his favourite fans during the night.

I don't think so Ollie!!!

The coming winter months will probably be a little cramped upstairs for us all, but for Ollie and the girls a little more cosy with their furry friend by their side.

Giulia:) x

Doors and windows

2013-05-23T07:30:00.000+10:00

We have decided to go with G.James Aluminium windows and doors. White is our preferred colour ( as usual ).
I love the solid, clean lines of these windows and doors. Across the back of the house we will have fixed glass panels with louvres. This way we do not need to worry about obscuring our view with a pool fence between the back of the house and the pool edge.

Something like this...

The doors leading onto the deck are sliding and slide back behind each other, to one side, and will provide a wide opening which will bring the outside in, while entertaining. It was a cheaper alternative to concertina doors but after researching the two alternatives, I actually think that these sliding doors are better because they are easier to manoeuvre into place than those that concertina back onto each other.

The other bonus with these windows and doors is that they include the security crim mesh for no extra cost.

These beautiful pictures give you an idea of what I'm after. Let's hope I can achieve the same look and feel!

Giulia.x

Kitchen to Laundry

2013-05-22T09:00:00.000+10:00

As you can see from previous posts Giulia has started some major renovations at her place. As for me, I have a little renovation going on as well. We are turning our old kitchen into our laundry. The old kitchen has been pretending to be a laundry for 10 years now and I'm finally ready to make it into a more practical laundry space. We have sold our old kitchen/laundry on ebay and the new owners are removing it this weekend.

I'm looking forward to seeing the space empty so I can plan and visualise my new laundry. Right now, I'm enjoying searching through magazines and the internet looking for inspiration.

xToni

A positive start!

2013-05-21T08:30:00.000+10:00

Well, we were pleasantly surprised on day 1 when the builders turned up just as they said they would.

Last night we didn't get home from work till well after dark, but hand in hand and armed with a torch, the four of us excitedly scoured our way under the house.

We couldn't believe the progress. Walls, doors and windows removed and levels had been taken.

Upstairs, where our original staircase had been blocked off with temporary flooring, there was no evidence of work?!? They had cleaned up after themselves, which was a welcome relief at 7.00 pm at night.

This old stairwell is the perfect place to house our winter clothes... for now.

Today the electricians are replacing our electrical hot water system with gas and removing the old air conditioner from the back of the house.

Oh, and I've ordered my doors and windows!
I think that's pretty good going for one days work, don't you?

I can hear a truck!! They're hear again and right on time. Good boys!!

Giulia :)

Turning a Negative into a Positive

2013-05-20T14:26:00.000+10:00

When renovating this London home the owners were faced with an annoying supporting column. They decided to make a feature of the column and create a gorgeous wrap around unit turning what could have been a negative, into a positive.

For more pictures from this stunning home click here

xToni

Window wows!

2013-05-16T11:00:00.000+10:00

If you had windows like these, it wouldn't matter what you had in the room!

These stunning windows certainly have the wow factor.

The sheer height, grandeur and even distressed, aged features definitely take the limelight.

It confirms my belief that your choice of windows and doors are paramount when building or renovating. They really do take centre stage in any design brief!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Giulia.x

D day...

2013-05-15T09:00:00.000+10:00

Goods news. Our builder starts on the 23rd of this month and so far everything is on track to go.

Carport down
Pool deck removed
Back verandah gone.
Furniture downstairs put into storage.

before

after

We've worked very hard over the last four weekends, methodically working through each task and removing all the building materials as we go. Every Sunday night we've welcomed sleep early in preparation for our usual weekly jobs.

We still need to move our bedroom furniture upstairs and take all our garage tools etc over to my mum's for storage and then we can breathe while the work begins.

We are looking forward to just having to make the mental decisions and leaving the physical work to the experts. With Winter setting in, I can't wait to bunker down and watch the progress.

This afternoon we meet with our builder to fine tune any details. I only hope there's no hidden surprises!
Giulia.x

Chocolate nut bananas...

2013-05-14T08:30:00.000+10:00

What about this idea for a moreish, "healthy" afternoon treat after school?

Banana slices topped with peanut butter, dipped in chocolate and then frozen!

I think I'd need to use a whole bunch of bananas for this recipe.
One banana would never be enough for my household chocoholics!

I hope you enjoy your week. ;)

Giulia x

Ink Art

2013-05-13T08:50:00.000+10:00

I'm still on the look out for some art for my place. While searching the internet I came across Ink Art by Matthew Armey.

Matthew Amey is a professional tattoo artist who also works in oil, acrylic, water colour, glass, digital design and sculptural mediums.

Check out Matthew Armey at Uncommon Goods

xToni