my inner space

Every now and then I indulge, taking time to fully immerse myself in a sea of architecture.

Tonight im doing just that. I imagine standing in the spaces and it sends me somewhere else. Feeding my inner space. I absolutely love upscaling and the idea of adding in unnecessary moldings wherever possible has my mind whirring with possibilities, (I drove the Mr nuts when we did up our country house) so I was fascinated by the details of this compact place.

 It looks like an average gorgeous loft but they have squeezed so many good things in here. There is more to it than first sight tells. Like the odd door with odder windows above the larder completely mismatched to the one next to it. They could have had two same doors, it would have been easier.

The way the kitchen door is set into a column and therefore gives the illusion of being set into the wall.

And the view has been allowed through every angle with additional windows so a complete disregard for furniture placement. Who cares where youll put the couch and tv when the room is so pleasing.

Every window is an odd size and at differing heights.

Whoever built this could have blocked in the end wall to remove the angle but it seems they have left it for interest.

Maximum storage was given in the bathroom by building fluidly across what looks like the whole wall from end to end, something we rarely do in Australia. In such a limited space it might have been a gamble to think of using up so much floor room. If they didnt have this it would be junked up with everyday bathroom needs anyway.

Now this! This is so inspiring when you break it down. And since I found this the most enlightening room of all, in an architectural way, allow me to do it for you.

Breathe, breathe.

The large window used here gives a symmetry and balance not to mention the deepest window ledge ever. Again you would think it would encroach too far in on this tight tiny room but it only gives it a wonderfully english homey sense while providing a bench in which to work from. I mean even I would be able to fold all of my washing on that! And I would want to.

Ive never seen the use of a high bench in which to place appliances either, so there is no bending to be done. Ive always thought dryers too high up (so you miss finding the other sock) and front loader washing machines too low to see into. I like the matchboarding, who doesnt? and a heater in the laundry would be handy to take the dampness from clothes, wouldnt it? 

house tour - joe and helens

If sometimes I mention we will stay in the city for the night, most likely it is at Joe and Helen's.

Their home has its own atmosphere of age and my midnight snapshots dont do it justice. One day soon I may remember to get the camera out before the sun goes down, but I like it just as much at night. Ive never thought to ask about why there always seems to be a huge bowl of enough tomatoes to do an italian chef proud.

They will soon be renovating this home in big way which was half my reason to capture it how it is.

day 1 - his room

After announcing last night that I was going on an 11 day mission I did what any self respecting procrastinator would do. I went to a friend's house and drank coffee in her gorgeous garden all morning.

But I had to come back eventually.

Ive started with his room. His studio in our back room. Ive begun here as this will be the hardest for me.

It needs to be tidied up but needs to be just how he likes it.

It hasnt been like this for long but it gets like this very easily. Too easily.

We begin the tour here at a table that is the dumping ground for anything that enters the space. He never sits here to work as the chair is too low and needs to become a stool. There is a spare one in the bathroom. Good. But I dont know where to put the chair? Maybe on the front porch for now. It needs covering if we keep it so that will go on the list im compiling.

 How he likes his paints left? or how he leaves them? im not sure? he can deal with this.

The entire table load of stuff. Time to phone a friend to chat to while I do the sort out for the next half hour, hoping I can do it with one hand. Two out of these four chairs need to be on the list to be painted white.

I had taken it all down from here and have scrubbed the drawers to rid them of old stickers, theyll both be painted soon (put on the list). That pile of canvasses and frames, although it has been rotating, has stayed there for a year. Ive tried to attack it every now and then and failed. I dont know where else to put it? Or do I........

 The brushes are great in old silverware containers and they are easy to access when put on a tray.

So thats easy.

But all the small stuff needs to be put in his top drawer with all the rest. I re-used the box but it went in the drawer too, plus I threw out a few old containers and brushes that were beyond repair, and stored away any art products in the window seat. (Id like to say here that I found one of my best dinner plates and some good glasses and bowls that had become art containers so someone needs to keep a supply of old tins and jars from now on.) I mean me. 

The stool in place of the chair and if you look beyond you can see a wooden box that had been floating around on the floor that fits so perfectly. Maybe he can store his 'in use' paint tray in it? Too good to be true. There is some nice wall space there for art. Perhaps ill hang the 'working on' canvasses up?

In his defense he spent last week downsizing his fishing gear into this practical number. I had to live with hooks all over the place for a week but he nailed it.

A few products at the end of the table left for tonights art production as on monday evenings we have friends round.

Those cushions need to get revised. I dont want colour in here as it would be great to have a blank canvas (no pun intended). Ive always imagined this black and white out here. A masculine aesthetic for the Mr.

Here im really proud of my achievement. Ive fitted canvasses inside others (never thought to store them this way until today) and the pile is stacked to look half the size and off the floor. Big high five.

The cushions will get washed, put in another room once I decide where, and I dont seem to have any subdued colour covers already done for the window seat so ill be making something (but not too many), to go on the list for another day. 

Im loving the blank canvas for now. These are only foam rectangles covered with cream blankets so something's got to happen here too. On the list.

I havent been able to throw out much from his room as its all pretty damn useful, being art gear, but this pile is going to the shed. Not bad for an afternoons work. He'll never know I spent the morning at my girlfriend's!

Yep. He's going to be pleasantly surprised with his 'new' space. I anticipate something wonderful from tonights to-doings.

 I dont have any crafting to stare at tonight but I have an amazingly sorted space.

villa renovation part three

I cant seem to upload photos to my computer to give you anything crafty at the moment. So ive been scrolling through some more of the shots from our villa renovation that I had saved for a rainy day.

 A glimpse of the finished rangehood that isnt yet constructed in the shot underneath.

We attached it to the wall and then built around it, much easier than having to measure.

 We had no electricity for ages so we had lamps at night which I think gave it a really nice frenchy glow.

 The tiles were big 600 by 300 travertine which I cut up with a grinder into 5 smaller tiles (I love my grinder)

I wanted the effect of handcut tiles, and adore moroccan tadlekt in particular, but they are NOT CHEAP and we needed 6 metres of them so I decided to give it a go. Afterall, it was either going to work or it wasnt.

This is the bad photo of a photo that has taken all this time for me to find and im now wondering if it was worth the search.

This is the best I could do but nothing can make this kitchen look good.

The floor sloped by a whole brick height from one end to the other.

The stairs were built across the window.

The electricals were never done ie. the stove was plugged into a powerboard under the sink!

It was a challenge.

If you are doing up a house at the moment please leave me a comment as id love to check it out.

even more white in the country

More 'White in the Country'.

Our renovation in Warburton, Victoria.

Above is the staircase after just being constructed and in a very raw state, complete with problem plumbing pipe from the ensuite that would have to be dealt with somehow.

If I knew it was going to look this good I probably wouldnt have taken months to finish it. Two bug infestations later. In forty degree heat. After the first coat of lime wash. If youve ever limewashed anything this means that if you sand back anything (meaning hardened bug carcases) it alters the wonderful effect you were trying for and you risk it looking whited out completely. May as well have just painted it plain white to begin with. Much simpler. I consider myself lucky.

This gives you a great indication of how I tackled the pipe. I couldnt bear to waste the space I had gained so opted to build (yes me on my lonesome) a decent sized linen cupboard. I was going to put a door on it but it really looked homely just the way it was.

This is a close up of the ugly cumbersome stair rail that we inherited with this place. These are in way too many australian homes if you ask me. The two lower bars were removed and we painted it white. (They are normally in dark stain wood look)

Here you get a glimpse of what we were dealing with and the sheer darkness of the wood stains.

A good friend built this over a weekend and he gave us a crash course in welding (my hubby had done it before but I hadnt). Im totally hooked especially with the forging part. It happens very quickly and you almost cant believe your eyes. Beautiful curves made by fire.This ended up costing only $340 for the steel. Although we did have to purchase the welder as well. 

I hope to inspire you to deal with ugly features that you want to change around your home. It took us three long years to decide to take the plunge with the stairs. I wish we had done it the very first weekend!