Friday, July 11, 2014

Flat Out

The past three months have been some of the busiest and most stressful in my life. I've been busier than a one-legged man in a butt kicking contest, but today is Friday- Finish Up Friday - I finished a Flat.

Yes there has been much blogging on the subject; the whirl-winds of activity followed by weeks of waiting just to have blinds hung. Then the bloody upstairs neighbor complained about the noise from the hammer drill and we had to down-tools and wait another week.

But anyway it's done:

Er this is the before shot you know...
Dated, dirty and unhygienic with meters of dirty jagged silicone around the sink and food preparation areas. The back corner of the bench was also collapsing due water damage.
 Ta-Dah!
This bathroom was a shocker; dated, dark, scruffy and dirty with no storage and even less sex appeal.

This was as bad as it gets: the plumbing and waste (circa 1950’s) were incompatible with most modern fixtures. It also had also a history of leaks which had been patched with limited success. The ceiling had to be replaced due to age and water damage... Truly a nasty piece of work- I'm sure my plumber is still having nightmares about it..

again.. Ta-Dah!
What followed was a very long, and messy, total strip out, re-plumb, new waterproof skin, re-tiling of the  floor and walls (to ceiling), installation of an exhaust fan and down lights –frameless shower screen – bespoke cabinetry and a built-in cistern. 


The living room, like the rest, was dated and scruffy with walls painted in a colour that gobbled up light rather than reflecting it.  The carpet was well worn, patchy and lifting at the edges. .



 Now it has new carpet, new paint, a cosy fire and somewhere to toss your keys as you come in the door.


Then I really went to town on some extras, my cabinet designer was like a happy puppy with a bone when I told him what I wanted and this is what we came up with:


With the kitchen so short on storage space, this ‘Smart Sideboard’ offers two large cupboards with ample storage, deep enough for dinner plates. The centre panel has space for larger platters and tall vases and the clever little thing folds out into a dining table.

Everyone needs a place to work so we retro fitted an in-home workspace with an internal electrical outlet and pull out keyboard or laptop table.

So it's done - I can get my life back, enjoy morning coffees with friends, get pedicures, go back to the gym get back to the novel..  and look for the next building project. :0)




Special thanks to Creative Space Constructions - for truly creative solutions and quality work.
















6 comments:

  1. I survived a full kitchen remodel a couple of years ago. It was so draining and time consuming. Congratulations on your beautiful outcome!

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    1. Thanks Tanya, this was relatively painless- I think it was installed in a day, but then I decided we needed a range-hood too so that took a bit longer to cut a panel for and install.

      With my A-Team, I would do another in a heartbeat!

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  2. Fantastic work! It's always so refreshing to do an overhaul like that (though energy-sapping). I can't believe you didn't keep the pink bathroom fittings!!

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    1. Even She-Who-Worships-Pink thought those were the ugliest fitting she had seen, Jen! It was actually not so energy sapping as the split with my husband that happened between the laying down the deposit and the settlement. It actually kept me so busy it kept me sane :0)

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  3. Oh, you're amazing! I LOVE all these before-and-after pictures. I wanted more and more. You've done such an ingenious and beautiful job.

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    1. Thankyou so much! I could have kept going- had loads more ideas but I kinda thought I should keep the spending down :0)

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