Art 101

One of the things I have particularly thought about during the build is what type of artworks I would like in my new home. When a new house is such a blank canvas and in need of personality, I feel the art I select will be important in achieving the right feel for the house.

I have spent hours flicking through magazines, looking for the types of artwork I like. I really like the homes shown that seem to be able to include a big range of 'types' of art. Some successfully mix 'poster' type art, photography art, abstract art, calm watercolour paintings - all or some of these in the one house - and do so effortlessly. I worry that if I try to do a mix like this, that it will just look wrong.

I have always loved photography - black and white inparticular. I completed a few courses at The Australian Centre for Photography (ACP) at Paddington many moons ago. That was pre-kids when I actually had time for a hobby! Not that I was great at it, but I did LOVE learning to print my own black & whites and play with effects on film. These days, with digital photography, some of that fun and magic is lost.

Anyway, getting back on the topic, I again find myself googling artists whose work catches my eye in magazines etc. Of course budget will be my biggest barrier. One artist, Jane Fontane, had one of her artworks featured in a house showcased in the latest (August) Home Beautiful. Considering my research has so far found that her art sells for between $12k - $60k+ I won't be displaying her work in my house!

Here are two samples - they are paintings.

Water is something that features in alot of  the art I like. Once upon a time I was a swimmer - one of those up at 4.30am everyday and then back again every afternoon people...crazy I know. But I have always loved water, swimming, the beach etc so I guess it isn't surprising I'm drawn to art featuring water.

I also found these photographic prints, again featured in a home in 'Home Beautiful'. Found at 'Aquabumps', a Bondi based store. Depending on size, these started, unframed, at around $450 from memory. A couple of the pics there I like include:

This is one pic where I think you'd find something new to catch your eye everytime you look at it. Bondi on a very busy day!

I love the drama that black & white brings to this shot.   

Aerial shot of my local beach - Cronulla. Love the fresh Summer colours.

Bondi Icebergs. The lanes remind me of my swimming years. Love the colour again, sunlight highlights etc 

Another from the air of Cronulla 

The other pics I looked up come from the UK. When I was away I bought 'Living etc' magazine which is a UK one (holidays give me more time to indulge in my magazine addiction). I really liked the fun in these prints found at 'Woop Studio'. There is a large range called the 'Collective Noun' collection. Here are a couple I liked:

Love this one - A confetti of Love

A concentration of Kingfishers 

A watch of Nightingales

And finally, the decorator I met with a couple of weeks ago recommended, perhaps for my bedroom, the art collections of Gav and Waz from the 1st season of 'The Block'. They are called 'The Designer Boys'. No idea of the cost of these ones. They are more organic, earthy, textural (is that a word?) and perhaps more calming for a bedroom. Here is a very small sample of their work:

Anyway, I thought I would share my thoughts on this topic. I am always searching for new art that catches my eye. I will continue to dream of what will grace my new walls - very exciting!

I am having 'Stormygirl' - for those of you familiar with her blog, do one of her beautiful butterfly frames for my daughters room. I also like her idea of a framed pic of the london underground network - am thinking of doing a bit of a UK theme in the study as my husband is a pom and I thought it would be nice for the kids to see this connection...


Opinions or recommendations are welcome, I always love hearing peoples thoughts.

Cheers
Kylie

Beautiful one day, Perfect the next!

Even in the middle of winter! Yes, I just got back from the sunny Gold Coast today. The weather was superb with the kids swimming at the beach throughout the week. Had a blast at Movie World and overall enjoyed the break from reality and 'the house'.

So what happened at the house whilst I was away...Painting continued. Apparently there was painters there everyday but there is still a fair bit  lot to go considering it was meant to be finished last week. Some more external painting happened. Our feature Charcoal/grey colour, Dulux Western Myall looks fab. Unfortunately they didn't paint the outdoor room piers in this colour as they were supposed to, so this will need to be fixed. Downpipes went on. Unfortunately these have to be painted in surfmist, which will look very average next to our Lexicon, so we will just have to repaint these later. The ones that go down the outdoor room piers will also be painted sufmist but should be western myall, so another paint job for post handover.

Unbelieveably, trim on the front feature projection won't be painted western myall either - it will be monument, same as the gutters. This will look ridiculous. Not even sure what colour they will paint that timber bit in the front, but again, this was very glossed over during our external colour app. Looks like we were incompetent in our colour selections and it makes the builder look bad too. This building company really needs to get their act together in terms of their consultants understanding this stuff better. No one explained or pointed these items out to us - and really it is their job to do that. Hopeless, not happy Jan, unacceptable etc.

Bi folds stained...looks better in person

Doors to our bedroom, these look great too

Next topic: tiling. It started back on the 7th of JUNE. One month on and we are still not done. What a joke. I have one small bathroom, with a seperate toilet, one laundry - only floor and splashback tiles and one ensuite to be done - not exactly a massive amount of work. To say that coming home today to find this not completed is disappointing, is an understatement. They ran out of tiles which were due to be delivered last Tuesday...

Kitchen bench has not been removed to be fixed.

Electrician is due to be back this week but that can't happen until painting has finished.

Are you starting to see a trend here? Are you feeling my pain? Not the 'happy, look at everything that's been done whilst I've been away' post I was hoping to write.

Let's hope this week is a better week. Apparently SS was handing over 3 homes yesterday so I'd say they took priority (and most of his time). So hopefully this week more will happen...won't hold my breath.

In the meantime, I'll close my eyes and pretend I'm still here:

Cheers Kylie





Mini Update

I felt the need to make one more little update before departing for the Gold Coast tomorrow - not on Tiger Airways thank goodness! Weather channel is telling me to expect sun all week with a couple of days being 23 degrees:) Fingers crossed.

Painting has continued the last 2 days. A full day today - great work for a Saturday! It's all very white. Again, not everyones taste but I do love the clean crisp lines - my decorating blank canvas! Because we don't have a huge amount of natural light, it really helps brighten the place up. Throw in furniture, artwork, a rug, a feature wall or two and it will be lovely.

The dark bamboo floors and asian night island bench will add warmth to the room and totally change the look here.

They have done 1 coat of stain on the pantry doors. I heart my pantry doors. Can't wait til they do the bifolds and front door as well.

Our master bedroom. I think the whole house may actually have 1 coat now. Plus the doors were done in gloss yesterday. 

Late this afternoon they were sanding the trim which they'd filled in nail spots etc earlier in the day.

I'd been there since early morning having the proper check measure done for the shutters. I also went to the showroom and chose the material for the other blinds. Went a touch over budget chosing an upgraded fabric for the rumpus but I do love what I chose. All in all it was a good day.

No news yet on the kitchen bench situation. I really am not too worried - it is sure to work out.

I really hope to see that the tiling is finished by the time I get back. Won't be happy if it's not. I guess painting should be done by then too and hopefully some more of the exterior painting soon.

Have a good week everyone. I will keep in touch with your blogs while I'm away as I love hearing everyones progress.

Cheers
Kylie

My Name is Newbuild & I'm a Benchaholic

I have to admit, the feeling I got seeing the benches going in this morning was, I think, the most exciting point of the build so far (does that make me strange?). Sure demo was delightful, the slab being poured was slabtastic, framing was frameulous...you get the idea, BUT I was on a high all day after seeing the benches this morning. Kitchen is 40mm white shimmer and bathrooms are 20mm osprey.

I sent a pic via my phone to DH - with the comment 'the island bench looks HUGE'. It certainly looked the right length but was wider than I expected. On returning this afternoon I now know why it looked bigger...it is! The bench is about 30cm wider than the plans indicate. Now yes it is a bonus - it looks awesome (although when I went back it was covered in cardboard to protect it) but the out facing side looks wrong. One end/half has push/touch opening cupboards and shouldn't have the bench coming out over the top. The other half has a recessed area for stools.

In theory it sounds OK but in reality it looks like an obvious mistake. What has obviously happened is that they have measured the 30cm recess at the wrong end - thus doubling it at the right end.

I'll show you a couple of pics to help explain. Quality of the pics is very dodgy so my apologies.

If you can see through the snowstorm of dust, this is the bench starting to be put on. This side (which faces in) is spot on.

This side faces out to the living room. The ledge comes out about 30cm this end (waterfall edge). It shouldn't come out at all. It should look like the other side of the island - just a small lip for the edge. This is actually what the other end should look like.

This overlap is around 60cm. It's OK - I actually don't think 30cm is quite enough, but it is a very deep recess  when you see it in person.

Now we haven't spoken to our SS yet about this situation. We are trying to decide if we should leave it be or not. DH wants it fixed - he is very unhappy with how 'wrong' it looks on the living room side. His solution is to leave the benchtop the size it is and extend the cupboards at that end so they come out to where they should (edge of the bench thus making the cupboards deeper). The stool end won't matter so much being deeper, with stools there it should be difficult to tell it isn't to plan - so we would not change that end. I agree that this would be a win situation for us so I think that's what DH will suggest when he speaks to our SS tomorrow.

The bathroom and ensuite also had their benchtops and sinks put in. Love the double sinks and the fact there is plenty of room on the bench for both decorations and my crap when I'm getting ready for the day (or a night out!) Some nice towels rolled and on display in the shelves will add a splash of colour too.

Kids bathroom - small but neat.

Painting has started. The guy (there was only 1 there today I think) has been doing the ceilings which look lovely and white. Apparently next week there will be a few more there helping him. I did jinx the tiling on my last post - the 2 days in a row work record was not improved upon. The word is, they are waiting on some more of one of the tiles, which they expect to be delivered next Tuesday. Hopefully that will then get FINISHED! Painting should be done around the middle of next week. The guys painting the outside haven't been back but they are from 'Hebel' and have done a fair bit of the work on Saturdays so maybe they'll be back this weekend.

I am away next week, so hopefully when I get back all of these things - and maybe more - will be done. I am taking my laptop with me - I suffer withdrawal without it. This way I can keep up with the latest on everyone else's builds - so keep the posts coming.

Will let you know of any bench updates as they come to hand.

Cheers

Kylie

Now that's what I'm talkin Bout!

Woohoo, we are back on track down in the Shire. So pleased to see my front entry and bedroom regyprocked yesterday. They did the cornices too and the chippie was there finishing skirting and trim this morning. And the biggest surprise was that the tilers worked a second day in a row today!!!

Between yesterday and today, the laundry and toilet skirting tiles were applied and grouted, laundry splashback tiles completed and I think the kids bathroom is done except the shower niche (it was being grouted when I called past this afternoon). I think the guy (they seem to be a husband and wife team) was about to start more work on the ensuite. I doubt they will finish today so I really hope they return tomorrow to finish - not wait another week before returning!

Some pics:

Here is our fixed up master bedroom - good as new

Now I can have my 'proper' check measure done for the shutters that will go on the windows in this room 

Front entry now ready for the next stage - can't wait til my doors are stained

Laundry tiles applied and grouted - nice clean lines

 

Next pics are the kids bathroom. I didn't take more this afternoon as the lady was working in there and I didn't want to get in the way...only difference is more grouting is being done

The coloured tiles look a little green but they are a really nice stone colour in reality. The wall with the window will look great when the shutters are on - nice crisp white. Glad we tiled to the ceiling in the bathroom and ensuite. In the afternoon, tiling was done up the wall and around the window.

I have to admit, the photo that I was most happy to take was this one:

The paint 'stuff' has been delivered. Lets hope they start tomorrow! SS says the inside painting should take about 4 days. I also hope the outdoor painters return soon too - make hay while the sun shines and all that.

 

Also promised this week is the stone benches - I really can't wait for these to be installed! Does the undermount sink need to be there for installation when they put the island bench on or can they do that later? Don't think it's been delivered yet...

 

I bought a couple of vintage inspired bedsides on ebay for my bedroom. They aren't my first choice but reality is my budget won't stretch to first choice in everything and some compromises will need to be made (for the short term). So I figured I'd have a bit of fun in the meantime. Purchased from my favourite ebay seller, they are in great condition and will look great with the bedside lamps I have my eye on and I will get the chair I found in Adore living which is a rich velvet and an upholstered bedhead in a near match Warwick fabrics velvet (it will be similar to the one a couple of pics down - another ebay store. I now just need a dresser...

 

 

Not everyones taste but they all kind of go with the look I'm after. I may change the drawer handles to be those glass type ones. Less of the casual look that I am used to going with, but I'm trying to go with a more 'grown up' look - haha.

 

Let's hope I can post some benchlicious pics at the end of the week (3 days till school holidays YEAH! - Tonia I know you feel the same!)

 

Cheers everyone

Kylie

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's actually a Tradie!

Actually that's not entirely true...there were at least half a dozen cars parked out front when I pulled up this morning. I have really struggled to deal with the lack of work completed this week, so this was a very unexpected BUT very pleasant surprise.

No, the inside has still not been touched to my knowledge (although we were told the gyprock etc in the front area would be pulled out and redone). I didn't try to spy in windows as there was someone working in every spot I was hoping to peek in through - so I am not sure if the tilers did another half day of work on Friday - apparently their van was there for a little while.

So, what were all these tradies doing? Painting a primer on the render! And finishing little bits of render around the garage that hadn't been completed. They were well underway when we pulled up at 9.20ish this morning and were still going when I drove past again around 2.30pm! I didn't stop at this time but DH said they were fixing render over the primer where it was needed too. SO happy they are taking advantage of this beautiful winter weather to make a start on the outside paint job. I was very worried that we'd have a couple of weeks of sun and then they'd go to start right when rain hits again.

Not sure how well you can tell but there is a coat of primer on here.

There was actually at least one guy working on every side of the house applying the primer. Never thought I would get so excited about a little priming.

Here is a glimpse of our ensuite tiling. The walls are all white except the one you can see. It should NOT have the soap holder there - it will be removed.

This is the kids bathroom. Same wrong soap holder installed (bit hard to see). Their feature tile is on another wall -  itgoes up the side of the bath and then up the wall.

Now, to some people the tiling done so far is great - and it would be - if it was completed! They started 2 weeks ago! It's not like we have heaps of intricate tiling to be done! Hopefully it will be done VERY soon.

I met with the colour/decorator today. I didn't have the guts to tell her I am going with the dark flooring...oops. But to be honest, I really like everything else she has recommended. Colours are really lovely and the pics she showed me really are my style and taste - I am modern contempory with classic touches apparently - and I'd agree. I think I will just need to be aware of keeping other things fairly light and as bright as possible to lift the floors and not make everything too dark. In her opinion, the dark flooring would require more white in the room making it more a 'minimalist' look. No one with young kids can go there - in my opinion - unless they are a full time clean the house mum! (not if they want it to look spotless!)

So hopefully next week is a better week, with a replication of the tradies onsite today, everyday! That will also mean I will have more exciting pics to post next week too:)

Cheers

Kylie



Be very quiet...I'm hunting tradies (again)

I'm thinking they are lost...GPS's aren't working? Otherwise I'm not sure why it is so quiet on site. Plenty of things lined up to happen...so let's let it happen boys!

The tilers obviously work a 3 day fortnight. They turn up, do a bit then disappear for another week. No idea why they don't come, finish the job and then move on...anyone else had grief with tilers?Plus they need to fix a boo boo. They have attached soap holders which we asked to have deleted from the contract due to our lovely big shower niches. SS is aware of this now and will ask them to be removed. - No pics at the moment due to program having a meltdown everytime I try to add one:(

The one kitchen cupboard door that was missing has appeared and our stone bench is due to be installed next Monday...can't wait! I really hope it comes on time - bit over hold ups putting us behind at the moment. We are still waiting for our front areas to be fixed before painting can start (supposedly once kitchen bench is in - so Tuesday would be the logical start day...) Will get back to you later in the week if anything exciting happens.

Plus I thought I'd let you all know (because you've been waiting with baited breath! haha) the winner in our flooring duel is...Sepia! The dark won out, went with our heart and feel very content with the decision. Couldn't bring myself to pick the recommended over the one WE actually liked best.

Night in the city was great. Amazing views, delicious cocktails and good friends for company...good distraction from the house:)

Very jealous of those of you approaching PCI any day now. Good luck, hope it goes well and that the keys are in your hot little hands in no time. I may get there by christmas...

Cheers
Kylie