Monday 15 September 2014

My Dream Kitchen

I have been dreaming of my new kitchen for some time. Both my husband and I love to cook and the kitchen has always been a socialising area for us. And after spending so much time in a makeshift kitchen the thought of it has been my mecca... my promised land... my reward. A little bit 'OTT' but oh well. I am just that excited.

I have always loved the look of marble and when Caesarstone brought out the new Calacatta Nuvo. I literally fell in love. The kitchen design then took form around making this stone a feature on the kitchen island bench.

Calacatta Nuvo, Caesarstone
 
My brief was that I wanted space, clean lines, white cupboards, timber 'look' floors as well as splashes of black and chrome. I spent more time than I would like to admit pouring over home magazines and Pinterest. I cut, pasted and pinned. I find mood boards are a great tool. They give you such as sense of what it is you are trying to achieve. It really helped me translate what I wanted to the kitchen guys.



Subway tiles have always been a draw card for me. Both in the bathrooms and in the kitchen. I like their simplicity. And the idea of having a walk in pantry with a place to put everything, after having things in storage for so long, is almost unimaginable.



I thought a lot about the space. Not just the aesthetics but its practicality. I wanted to be able to cook on the stove, with my pots and pans and utensils within easy reach. I wanted the kids to be able to get access to the fridge or set the table without being underfoot. Predominantly I wanted to be part of what was happening around me as I do so.

You can check out my inspiration boards at Pinterest using the link at the top of the page. Happy Pinning.

Thursday 11 September 2014

Our Home

A lot has been happening on Haven farm in recent weeks. I am so excited. The building of our new home has started. It is the realisation of many months labouring over house plans. Day by day it is transforming into all that I imagined. And it's happening so very quickly.

So to bring you up to speed.

The first stage of the driveway went in. I am so relieved to no longer feel I am on safari as I navigate my way around the pot holes. It does however look like a bit of an airport runway at the moment.


 
Then came the clearing of the site for the pad and the framework for the concrete.



Next the pouring of the slab. We had so much fun engraving our names into our bedrooms.



Framework - me oh my. This is the point at which I started walking through the site, feeling the turns and really getting a sense of the space.








Roofing - I am in building heaven. I just love the lines and the colour.




Windows - here is my favourite part. I designed the house to take in our 360degree views. I am most excited about the study window and the view from the desk. I have marked the space outside, below the window, for my morning coffees. So peaceful.



Natural light, cross breezes and passive heating were all important elements in the design.

I love going home each day and seeing the what progress has been made.