God is in the detail!

Strip light the length of the kitchen as well as strip lighting under the kitchen counters.

           Can you believe there is a hot tub under this deck?!

Paint party!

The walls are currently being painted a really subtle earthy colour.  

The feature wall in the back room is being painted a darker grey.

Step away from the fire!

I've no idea what's going on here.

Ciaran just sent me this photos on my phone - whatever is going on it looks like Ciaran needn't be involved.......he can't resist having a go at certain things.  When the build started first he had a great time  helping the builders knock down a few of the old walls.  

Whiteout!

Who's that cutie in the mirror?

We bought this antique mirror about 10 years ago in an antique shop in Ranelagh (of all places!!) long before we ever thought we would be living here!

                Everything is being painted in white undercoat.

Sorry....

Sorry for no updates folks....


I've been sick for the past few days and then my laptop decided to get sick in sympathy with me too.  For the past while my life has just been made up of visits to the doctor and also visits to the computer hospital.


If you have a computer that needs fixing up I highly recommend Duffy's TV & Computer repair shop in Blanchardstown.  They can be contacted by calling 01-8207374 and are on the Main St. near to TSB Bank, see here.


Anyway I'm all better now so I will see about getting some pics up here over the next day or two!

What's cookin' in the kitchen?

The kitchen is nearly completed.The double oven has been fitted, check out in this picture with the microwave on the top.

                  The counter top is in!  Here it is in all its glory!

                 The tap is black to match the black counter top.

Ciaran is very happy with the kitchen.  I haven't seen it but he thinks it looks awesome.


If you are planning a new kitchen Ciaran wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dean Cooper for the job!

Goodbye Fast Buck Freddies

The majority of our belongings are currently in storage.  It has been over a year and a half since we packed away all of our things.

When we do begin to start moving all of our belongings in to the new house I intend to do a big clear out - hey, if we haven't needed most of these things in the last year, do we need them at all?

One group of items I am looking forward to unpacking are all of my bar accessories.  On my last trip to Key West I bought a bunch of things that I was unable to find in Ireland.

The first thing is a beautiful wooden muddler which I bought in Fast Buck Freddies.  Fast Buck Freddies has now closed down which is such a shame, it was the cutest little "department" store on Duval Street and I always managed to find a few little purchases there on all of my trips.  It seems that the unit is going to house lots of local KW artists which is probably better than a chain going in to this building.

They had a little area where they sold bar accessories and this was where I got the wooden muddler.  I see they now sell them in Debenhams but they are made of metal and rubber and they are not half as nice as my one!

Another thing that I am looking forward to unpacking is my flattened Grey Goose bottle.  This is great!  I got it down at Mallory Square one evening at Sunset Celebration.  It is really useful for any bar - you can use it to slice limes on or you can also use it as a small cheese platter!

I've lots of other cute things for my bar all the usual like shakers and jiggers.  My sister also has all my glassware in her attic.  She was up in her attic the other day and she said I could open a shop with the amount of Cosmopolitan glasses I have.

I am on the hunt for some nice Old Fashioned glasses for making Caipiroskas. They need to be heavy but not too heavy and I think the 10 oz work better then the 8oz.  My sister found some super Old Fashioned's by Waterford Crystal from their vintage range. I could buy the Waterford Crystal ones but I don't think they are exactly what I'm looking for so I'll keep looking until I find the perfect set!

If you are ever travelling to Key West I recommend renting through www.historichideaways.com I think they are a great rental company.

Pictorial

Second bedroom with entrance into the attic.  Ciaran decided not to put an attic entry in the master room (the roof is a double A pitch so there are 2 attic spaces) as attics creep me out.  He thought I wouldn't find it pleasant to sleep with an attic door above me - good thinking from him!!!!

                Master bedroom - lighting still has to be finished

                 Doors open - brings the garden in to the house 

Bench has been made at the back wall of the courtyard.  I sat with my twin sister on this bench the other day.  We couldn't believe how quiet it was in this space.  It was also warm - it's quite a sun trap as it is surrounded by four walls so there is no wind.  It's a really lovely spot, my sister said it was her favourite place in the house!

                       Photo taken from the courtyard in to the kitchen

                     Facing out to the courtyard from the kitchen 
                                - the doors are only half open

                          Little deck at the end of the kitchen 
                            Small bench with built in storage

 

Look at that wood panelling!  It goes all the way to the bottom of the stairs and gives a very streamlined look to the kitchen

Panelling to the left of the hallway leading in to the kitchen

                 There is a WC hidden behind one of these panel!

                    Here's a picture of the upstairs bathroom

Pocket doors are fun!

Did you know we have a sliding pocket door in to our bathroom?  


I love pocket doors! When we remodelled out last house we switched out a regular door in to our tiny utility room for a pocket door - it gave us so much space.  For some reason the pocket door in that house reminded me of a house in East Germany and I nearly expected to find the Stasi behind the door listening to my conversations every time I opened it!


The pocket door in the new house is very different.  The skirting board has been continued over the door so it appears to blend in to the walls.   It is like a secret room behind a hidden door - like I said "Pocket doors are fun!"

Beginning to think of.......

The house is really progressing at this stage.  Ciaran is anticipating that we will be moving in very shortly.  


At this stage I am getting very excited and I am beginning to think about lots of things including furnishings and fittings.  You notice how I say "think" of things like this. This is because I can't actually choose anything without Ciaran giving it the nod of approval!!!   He  needs to decide if it fits in with his overall concept for the house.  


Anyway I'm off now to browse the shops in a very much "Look, touch but don't buy" type of expedition!!!

I'll let the photos speak for themselves.......

Some of Ciaran's paintings

                                        "Dublin Rising"

 

                                "Falling Water"

                                 "Rainy Days"

Progress in the kitchen!

Check out these great photos taken by Dean Cooper as the kitchen is being fitted.


Enjoy!

Hot tubs!

The hot tub has been fitted in the ground.  A timber deck is currently being built around the hot tub.  The next step will be a cover for the hot tub.  It will be an insulated cover on hydraulic hinges.  The cover can be walked on (we hope!) and will look like part of the deck when it is closed.

Here is a picture of it:

And here is a picture of the canopy over the front door.  It will be clad in metal to make it waterproof.

Bits & pieces

The wall hung vanity unit has been fitted in the bathroom.  There will be a mirror above the sink and lights above the mirror.

               The weathering (cor-ten) steel has started to rust

Front garden

The front garden is being paved with the original flagstones taken from the kitchen which were hand made in about the 1840's.

The above picture was taken from the front bedroom window.

Around the verge will be a neatly trimmed bush and in the middle there will be granite chippings to match the granite plinths.

Kitchen being fitted