The Real Block - Update

 There's been a lot of preparatory work at The Real Block over the last few weeks but not much to show for it I'm afraid. Beams in the verandah roof have been replaced. Insulation has been installed. Taps have been plumbed in. So what have I been doing? Well, as the weather has been cold, I've been cooking up a storm and made this mandarin cake above (Claudia Roden's recipe but I subsituted the oranges for mandarins). I dropped some off to my neighbour who's been very kind to the tradespeople and allowed us to use his backyard as a storage area.

 Meanwhile, I've been getting my collection of vintage, retro and antique lights rewired and repolished ready for installation. The man to refit your light is Kamhl from Chandelier Restorations. He's a genius. And his shop is filled to the brim with gorgeous chandeliers and glass.

I've also been tracking down new internal doors to match the original doors (photo above) for our new bathroom, powder room and hall cupboard. The original doors are timber and just so beautiful. Did you know most new doors are hollow? That's why they're so light. Anyway, the new doors will be timber and will match the profile on the originals. Stay cosy.

Bathroom

 Here's a few pictures of the hardware I've chosen for the main bathroom. If you're looking for a bath, be aware there's a lot of styles and types to choose from. I chose this bath from Victoria and Albert, mainly because I liked the feet.

 For the showerhead I prefer a gooseneck style, I just think they look elegant. The taps (below) have porcelein handles. These are made in Australia by Astra Walker.

 Some people will suggest that you can buy your tapware on on-line as it's cheaper than in the shops. And that's probably true but there is a downside. Some friends ended up with taps that sound like a Mack Truck on a steep incline every time they turn the hot water on. Others have had handles that break or rust. As the cost of a plumber per hour is almost as much as a surgeon, I bought my taps from a real bricks and mortar store.  I bought all my bathware from Winnings Appliances in the Valley. Kirsty from Winnings has been fantastic (even though I've changed my mind more than once).

This is the tile I"ll leaning towards, but I'll add a black border for extra punch. Have you bought any taps on-line?

Budget Cut Backs

  The budget at The Real Block has blown out. It's hard to pinpoint one thing as the culprit as there's been a few unexpected costs. One of them was replacing some beams in the roof. Another one was our decision to add a fireplace. And the other big one, was my plan to convert a small storage area under the stairs into a "mud room".  Basically, it's a small room with lots of hooks on the wall and a bench seat. I'm not sure what to call it - the school room? The dumping ground? It's a tiny room with a big job - to keep all the school hats, backpacks, shoes, sports equipment and other paraphernalia in one spot. 

The mud room is in between the garage and the rest of the house. So the idea is that all the school stuff is dumped in the mud room at the end of the school day and then collected again the next morning on the way out the door. The pictures above were my inspiration.

 So because we're over budget on the building side of thing that means cut backs elsewhere. By "elsewhere", I mean the inside of the house. Due to budgetary cutbacks my budget for artwork now stands at around $50. So I've become creative. 

  I bought these vintage posters from the Woolloongabba Antique Centre and they're going to be framed and hung as art. The prices range from $10 to $20. Very budget friendly.

I

Lights

I've said it before, building a house requires making a  million decisions. And as a Type A personality, I love it (although the tradies may prefer someone less specific about small details). Anyway, yesterday was all about electrical decisions so I met the electrician on site with my tape measure in hand and the children trailing behind. We went through every room of the house and marked out the powerpoints,  the light fittings and the exhaust fans. 

One issue you should know about if you're considering renovating or building is that traditional old light bulbs have hit the dust. They're forbidden these days - like full fat milk, carbs and leaving children in the car for two minutes while you buy the milk. It's all about LEDs, fluoros and energy efficiency. I'm all for energy efficiency but is there a nice warm light option rather than the harsh, cold fluoro? If there is, let me know because as anyone who's been in a fitting room knows, fluoro's add at least 10 years to your face. And nobody wants that in their own home.

 Or in their vintage lights like both of these vintage lights I bought on e-bay. I hope you're still with me, because there's another big issue to discuss. Gas hot water or solar? What are your views? I haven't kept up with the changes to the rebates so I'd like your view. 

Green Fabric

As you know, I'm partial to a green fabric. And one of my all time favourites is Christopher Farr's Carnival. It's featured at The Haymarket Hotel in London (photo above).

And in this apartment by Daryl Gordon in Sydney (above). 

This fabric is very well travelled. Here it is again, this time in the USA, in a lounge room designed by Hillary Thomas (left).

Office

 I'm thinking of a "sea foam" colour for the office. Here's my inspiration.

The Real Block - Bathrooms

Work on our Queenslander, which we call, The Real Block, slowed down this week. The bad weather prevented any demolishing, nailing and sawing. So it was very quiet there this week. Due to the lack of activity, I've added another week onto the calender for the move in date. But the weather is predicted to be sunny this week so I"m hoping there's going to be a flurry of activity. 

I'm meeting the plumber on site. We're going to talk about floor wastes, p-traps and other plumbing requirements. I know this sounds crazy but no decision is too small at The Real Block. (Ok, I admit it, I'm a control freak even about the choice of floor wastes. I've chosen the ones that can have a tile insert so they blend in seamlessly.) 

The exciting part is that my vanities have arrived and are looking The Bomb. I had to get them from overseas, as I couldn't find what I wanted here. The downstairs loo will have a vanity just like the one shown above. The ensuite will have a double vanity just like the photo below. 

I'll add some decoration so the bathroom has some personality. I'll use an attractive mirror, add some wall sconces and then hopefully add some wallpaper. This powder room (left) from House Beautiful is a favourite.



The girls bathroom will have freestanding vanities with turned legs, like these ones (right). And a claw foot bath.


 And in other exciting news, music from The Spice Girls is being turned into a musical. I admit it, I was a fan many years ago. Read more about it here.