typography love

A new addition to my growing collection of letters. This one is made of metal and was quite well price considering most industrial stores would have charged triple for it. I also bought a big letter U, yet I'm still to decide where to put it. I think this love is spiraling dangerously out of control.

the weekend

What glorious summer days we've had, it was sooo incredibly tempting to run away to the beach...

But then friends and family would have endure my 'i have no kitchen blah blah blah' winging for another 6 months. Thankfully progress was made this weekend.

slowly, slowly getting there...

Next time I won't announce my make overs - I'll just show before and after pics when it's done. Mind you, I warned progress photos would be few and far between. The sad thing is, it's not even a full renovation, just a facelift.. Like I said, we're slackers.

Still need to paint and I am on the look out for a kitchen island or breakfast bench.

Winge, winge, winge: Currently having cold showers and washing dishes in the bathroom basin

the weekend so far..

Last night, friends and I had dinner and drinks at Movida. Yuuum. Completely over ordered and still managed to squeeze in churros and a citrus custard for dessert. Oh my, deeelicous.

Afterwards we saw Sarah Blasko at the forum. What can I say, she was spectacularly ethereal.

Today JD and I worked a little more on the kitchen (kitchen? what kitchen...?) On the way to Bunnings, I stopped off and checked out a school trash n treasure market. I bought this "It's love that makes a house a home" cross stitch for $2. It's strategically placed amongst the crumbling bricks and mess in the kitchen.. I spose a little cheesiness never hurt nobody.

Going to see a movie tonight with the boy.

kitchen inspiration

images via Shoot Spaces found via Bliss

Our kitchen progress:

• bought, measured and cut the bench tops
• angle grinded into the solid brick wall for the range hood power point, (and still chipping away to make room for the wiring and conjute tubing.. almost done) DUST all over our new floors. Arrgh!
• finally found the perfect sized white tile - 150mm x 75mm (not as easy as you would think)
• discovered the underground man hole in our flat to add extra power points.

Setback:

• The new stove is electric and to be run directly to the power board. But because the powerboard is so ancient we don't have any spare outlets because the building was built and wired back in the 50's, pre-safety switches we thought it inevitable to have new powerboard installed. Therefore drawing out this process longer and of course more costly.
• The upside is my brother is an electrician, so hopefully even though this is a huge favor for his older sister (who never usually asks for favors) he won't take his sweet old time. In return I've promised to always make time to hem up his work pants, overalls or jeans.

Other notables:

I burnt myself countless times with the hot air gun stripping back the skirting and beading. Why we didn't do this prior the floors being done, you ask? Time poor is our feeble excuse. To anyone who has done their own kitchen renos' you are my idol. I am piss weak. I'm thinking of scribing another blog titled 'idiotic & painfully slow guide to renovating'.

our floors

As much as would love to keep a visually attractive blog, and ideally would prefer not to show the hideous state of the floors before.. I've decided to "keep it real" and show the warts and all.

Before: The kitchen with the ever so lovely vinyl glue.

Before: The yellowy orange lounge room:

After: The kitchen

After: The hallway

The floors are actually not as glossy as they appear in the photos. This was taken before the satin finish was completed. Overall happy with the result, although I could have gone a bit darker. But JD really didn't want to and as he happens to live here too, his opinion was permitted :)

I seriously harassed our floor guy throughout every step and process, popping by to reiterate what I wanted and ensuring he understood. "Not red, no orange.. No yellow.. Satin, yes, yes walnut..." Sheesh what a ball breaker I am! Lucky he was very understanding and super patient.

which ones?

Been agonizing over tap ware for our kitchen..

Can't decide, modern?

Dorf - Kemi

Or traditional?

Manor - Dorf

We have to get wall mount taps and spout, which is limits our options as there's not a very big range out there. As we are keeping the original kitchen cabinets, will the modern taps look a bit dicky? They will be mounted up against white subway tiles with dark grout.

Stumped and can't decide... But we can't do anything else until we make a decision!

In my kitchen

Previously an old factory 'A' frame ladder...

Transformed into a home for my jars of herbs, spices, baking trays, platters, pots, and pans.

I have a thing for apothecary bottles..

Another Camberwell Market purchase from a few years ago. JD constructed the timber planks for extra shelving. This has been super handy but not sure if it should stay in the kitchen or be ebayed away?

I still love it, as it was the one of the first pieces of 'make shift' furniture we bought for our flat and I really don't want to part with it, just yet... Oh, I don't think I'll ever have a 'grown up' home!!

Slowly re-vamping the kitchen...

I feel it will be long and arduous task. It's been 14 days since JD pulled out the old oven and still no cooking facilities except the microwave & balcony BBQ. Arrggh!

Along with the new oven, we have decided to give the kitchen a little revamp. We've opted to keep the existing 1950's style white cupboards. Although before we install the new oven we'll be replacing the tiles, tapware, benchtops, new range hood plus stain the floors in the entire house. Which means packing up everything and moving it to various storage areas eg. my mums, JD's parents, a friends garage.

At least the old brown tiles came off today, although not difficult, half off them above the sink were voluntarily coming off anyway.

Brown tiles be GONE!

Excuse the odd product placement but this was the only close up pic of the tiles before we ripped them off - by the way locally made Cunliffe & Waters preserves and jam are delicious!

Kitchen ramblings:

Me: "So I'm thinking clean, simple lines, uncluttered... Hmmm, rustic white slash industrial?"

JD: Scoffs rather loudly "Uncluttered?! You are the biggest hoarder ever, I don't think so!

I know I have no discipline and will never stick to an all white neutral kitchen. Random nicnacs of colour will creep in and find a home there on the shelves and benches..

Please note, you are viewing the DIY work of some major slackers. Fast turnover of before & after pics are very unlikely to be seen any time soon.

Finally a new oven!

JD & I went to the Ilve kitchen appliance sale today, everything was 35% off. I was actually surprised we left with something, but again then there was not much convincing required, we've needed a new oven for so long!

The original 1960's oven from when the apartment was first built is still chugging along but it takes forever to roast, bake or toast..

Our new one is only 60cm but will fit our kitchen layout perfectly. I have always wanted a freestanding oven for my dream industrial style kitchen.

Image via The Style Files