Thursday, June 30, 2011

Designer Admirer

I was introduced to this amazing architectural and interior design company a few years ago by my sister and have admired their work ever since. Based in San Francisco, the company Backen, Gillam Kroeger Architects produce the most breathtaking residential, hospitality, retail and commercial projects including countless wineries throughout California, and here is just a small sample of their stunning portfolio.

























All images from Backen, Gillam & Kroeger Architects
In typical renovation fashion, our builders haven't turned up yet this week. So we are now about a week behind schedule. Ho hum. Still trying to unpack from our move, but thankfully Poppy is on the mend and more like herself. Charlie is still performing concerts in front of the mirror and being a Masterchef, and we are off for a much needed weekend away in the Highlands. 

Hope you all have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. 

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Style at Home

I haven't yet re-posted a post I've read elsewhere until now. Not that I haven't been tempted. There are always countless posts I read on a daily basis I would happily just cut and paste onto mine as they are so gorgeous and worth sharing, but I've been too keen to create my own from scratch, and thoroughly enjoying the process. But I saw this room while ploughing through my emails today and it was so heavenly in every way imaginable I couldn't bare not to show you.









This is the gorgeous home of Style at Home contributing design editor Christine Hanlon, who recently updated her living and dining room with this refreshing, stylish and sunny makeover. For details visited the link. I think it's absolute perfection. Don't you?



Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Our House Project - Week One

Last week was a bit of a hellish week really for all our family. What with sick children, packing up house, moving house, builders moving in, taking sick child to emergency (not a great place to be on a Friday night - who knew so many bones got broken from play fights!), unpacking into rental house, repacking because half our stuff doesn't fit, trying to cheer up homesick husband struggling with work issues, etc etc. Oh well, what can you do - just get on with it really. We did have a lovely outing on Sunday taking Charlie, 4,  to see Mary Poppins. He came home and declared "Mummy, I want to be on the stage", which came as no surprise, he's a born performer.

But I am thrilled to report that our renovation has finally begun. The boys started demolishing the buildings and structures in the back garden last week. We thought they would come in with a bulldozer and knock it all down to rubble in a day, but instead they have been slowly and carefully dismantling it all piece by piece. This seems to be a very slow and painstaking process to us, but apparently the reason is that the tip fees are reduced by separating all the materials into recyclable, reusable, timber, brick, metal etc. There have been countless truckloads taken already.

As a reminder, here's what it looked like before.....this is where the pool will end up.


 

















This is the games room and my current laundry. This will all be demolished for garden and lawn. 









There is something immensely satisfying about watching things be demolished and reduced to rubble. Particularly when they have been the bane of your life for over a year and you've been waiting for the day to see them gone.

The boys are hopefully moving into the house this week to start ripping things apart inside, as we have moved out and made the way clear for them to get on with the job. The pool man is gearing up to start digging the hole. Must put the kitchen on Ebay and hopefully get a few bucks for that.