New HOUSE - NEW Project .. onwards and upwards

A new move to a nearby area. A great step forward and a new DIY mountain to climb. Some before and afters... 2 years so far ...  THe StReSs... Have PTSD even looking at these pics which are a big jumble...

Enjoying the balmy evenings

With sunlight in just the right spot this deck corner really heats up mid afternoon. So many evenings just sitting out and having a drink and reading. A great oasis in an urban space.

The Best Garden Before and After Ever!!

Five years here and it took that long to get a plan together for garden. It's nearly there, a new water feature and we are done. I just love it and dread the winter as the garden just dies a death until April/May again. Still love it right now and it was worth all the effort. To give himself his dues - he's a natural gardener.

A little Bathroom Revamp

Painted the panel boards 'Parisian Ice' by Fleetwood. Thick patterned Lino on floor which covered the old laminated floorboards. New sanitary wear in classic style. Same bath. Toilet Rolls by 'Who gives a Crap!'. Total Cost a cheap and cheerful EUR850.

 

Lockdown Project -- Cheap wall panelling

Well Woodies had a sale or special offer and we got these timber planks(?) for really cheap -- about EUR120 for hall and stairs.  Couldn't get Farrow and Ball paint due to lockdown so got a Fleetwood mix of the colour 'Hague Blue' in eggshell finish. It's to die for. Great result, paint actually makes the wood look passable. Otherwise wood was cheapest grade and would take a lot of sanding if you only wanted a natural finish. Anyway happy out with the result and all my wonky walls are now well hidden. Given a chance I would have done proper panelling but alas walls were too bad and price as too high to fix. 

Internal Windows - Aye or Nay...

Couldn't decide whether to cut a large hole out of hall/kitchen wall and replace it with an internal window. ... The hope was that it would allow more light into a very dark kitchen.  So off I went and ordered a window --  1 mtr x 1.1mtr double glazed, black frame with black planter bars. EUR225.
We then cut a large hole in the wall using a saw and fit the window in place. A few screws and wooden surround later hey presto - it's done. Except... it didn't work. Nothing happened.
Still it looks nicer and surely there must be some chink of extra light coming in somewhere ... it's not obvs though 😅

Last 'Big' Job .... THE DECK - I Hope!!!

This was something I yearned for since we bought the house in 2017. The ground level of the house is dark and 9 months of the year that can be offset with warm lamp light, candles and the open fire. However in the summer I can't bear to be in the kitchen for too long and we all crave the light that's so strong and vibrant in the garden but two foot away in the kitchen is non-existent.
So off we went, purchased the materials (not cheap but best value around) and started the work. The space when cleared in the back yard was bigger than I perceived and to be honest it was a bit of a challenge to resurrect the timber foundation between rain showers and also with minimal noise to neighbours as we live in a terraced echo chamber.
Anyway more or less done .. minus a few steps and it's rained since. Not to worry there's years to be had on this deck yet and I can't wait to sit on it on a warm day with a cup of tea and a good book.

Mix and Match Kitchen - as long as there is colour.

I spend a fair amount of time in my little kitchen space so I really want to like what I'm looking at. Colour is so essential to my peace of mind and I surround myself with colourful crockery and cutlery. It's the best way to counteract a lack of workspace - a consolation prize as such. It's all mix and match from Pip Studio, Avoca, Dunnes home etc.   The more the merrier. Wine glasses next : )

Winter Evenings Cosy and Warm

Old houses can be so cold ⛄⛈🔥 over the winter period and despite central heating and modernisation of pipes / boiler etc it's still quite cold – the walls in some places are 2 foot thick and can't be insulated in the modern sense. I try and offset the temperature with the ambience and warmth of candles. Now I love my candles but I use the ALDI range for everytime burning. They are not too scented and burn well - especially at 4 or 5euro a pop. I reserve my special candles for spa nights and special occasions. Molton Brown are a big favourite but others brands like La Bougie and Max Benjamin are just right... Here are a few little recent pics, nothing special.

FInal Final Re-do's – Craft Room / Bedroom Suite

You have to live in a house to really know what is needed and what doesn't work – well my craft room has always been a problem. Not enough storage, too small, wrong light etc etc. Well my ground floor re-hashed room is just perfect. A cheap fitted kitchen from Ikea and some small old pieces from my shop days. It's clean, functional and still pretty. Delighted and look forward my Christmas orders.
Also now that my craft room has moved downstairs I had a lovely 'ante' room which is just what I always wanted. More a bedroom suite than anything with discreet wardrobes and storage but a lovely luxury (but cheap) finish.  LOVE it and a great hideaway from kids and dogs... although they will always find you!

Guest Bathroom Makeover

Finally got around to this final bathroom - badly placed on ground floor behind dining room. No light, air or ventilation really. Still if you are stuck it's handy!  I love the tropical trend, so colourful and modern but still retaining colonial undertones. Again I'm on a cheap and nasty budget. Mirror EUR47, Shelf EUR18, Plants EUR40 - all The Range. The Wallpaper is a favourite from Woodies. Paint is Egg Shell frinish from Dulux colour range. All in about EUR160. (Sanitary ware withstanding). Molton Brown is the perfect match for this interior -- so it's off to Kildare Village for the 'Buy one get lots of free things' range!!

Bathroom makeover

This is the last room of the house to be renovated and although it looks very similar in the before and after it was the mother of all jobs. New pipework, new position of sink and shower, new tiles. All done on our usual shoe string. We retained original ceramic fittings (out of necessity) and the bathroom cistern which is wall mounted fits in really well with the overall look of the room. Pale blue making a serious comeback too .. well a certain shade of pale blue.

Slow and steady wins the race

'It's only November' – hearing that bleating parrot of a sentence makes me implode. I want Christmas. I can see it, I can smell it and I just want to start surrounding myself in blissful colour schemes and intoxicating festive smells. So there it is, time to start decorating the house.
This wreath is from The Range. It was EUR24 and has an in-built set of warm Christmas lights. Perfect for front door or internally as I have used it here. Image does not do this justice.
Now for the rest of the house...

Cosy Autumn Corner

Love this little corner where I watch my favourite TV programmes and crochet my heart out. This area in the house is quite close to the main road so a good high spec window supply and installation was critical. We used Munster Joinery and choose a PVC Black Ash Sash Window.  It's warm and cosy here in the Autumn as the sun shines in the daytime. Perfect crafting space.

Work in Progress 'Before'

Cosy corner for Crafting 'After'

A little 'Make and Do' on this sunny September morning....

Repurposing is one of my favourite hobbies. I love the whole transformation process. A yard of fabric, a nail gun and some old wood – hey presto! a lovely new 'To Do' Chalkboard. I need this badly, some accountability is no harm when you are self-employed .. and the bigger the better. This old bookcase is transformed and big and all as it is I need it to be HUGE. Busy season ahead, it's the one time of year where I work all hours, it takes care of the leaner Spring season. So here it is, soon to be full or orders, delivery times and ideas.

Painting the Walls – Living Room Update

Not a major renovation but painted the Living Room in 'Wild Garlic' by Colourtrend at the weekend. What a quality paint, wouldn't consider any other brand after testing so many over the years – nothing matches the coverage of this paint.  We couldn't get a carpenter to build bookshelves, they had to be wall mounted so did the usual spin to Woodies, B&Q etc and bought two sets of cube shelving. Nine squares per unit. What a job. 24 mounts, screws, book brackets later the cubes were mounted and now house approx 250books. A little risky but what the hell. Sofa by Harvey Norman, Rug by Caroline Donnelly, Curtains by Next. Must add some wall pictures and we are done.