kitchen reno part 2

From the living room. I'm getting a light fitting put in over the dining table. I have a Tord Boontjie garland light fitting I was thinking of putting there but am worried it'll be too small - thoughts?

Slowly, slowly the place is starting to resemble a house again. I spent the weekend putting the doors on and the shelves in place and tidying up the endless supply of sawdust lying around the place (thanks to the rain, the benchtop and sink hole was cut inside. So you can imagine how pleased I was about that). And this is how it looks now.

The view from the hallway.

I had to go back to Ikea today to get the plinths (kickboards to cover the legs) and a few other things they either didn't have before (like LACK wall shelves) or that I totally forgot to buy last time I was there (shelves for the end cabinets that face into the dining/living room). I also was desperate to get the benchtop oil because it hasn't been treated yet. I'm hardly precious about things and quite like the timeworn look of wooden benches and tables. But I'm NOT happy that on the second day of the sink side being completed I discovered this...

Naughty naughty

Luckily, this should easily sand out (hope so anyway!). But people are still banned from my house now because I also discovered yesterday that the electrician had damaged one of the doors while leaning over to fix one of the power points with his tool belt. I'm going to turn it around and swap with the door next to it so problem solved but still highly annoying.

Plates and random glass collection!

Not annoying, however, is the fact I can access my plates and glasses by simply shoving my hand through the top of the cupboard (I haven't put the handles on the doors yet so the less opening and closing of doors, the better!). Obviously this is temporary until the benchtops get put on next week!

The sink, gooseneck tap and dishwasher - my true love! How did I put up with handwashing for sooooo many years?

So this is the sink side. I bought shelves for these base cabinets today and there will be an open shelf the full length of the wall just above the tap and then three horizontal wall cabinets above that. Now, my dilemma. I wasn't going to get a splashback for either side - just one little piece behind the stovetop. But I will, because I think it'll finish off the space and also because I'll need one!! The wall is so uneven there is a rather large gap between the benchtop and the wall. Plus, while being extra careful because of the non-oiled benchtop, I've realised how much water goes everywhere in a kitchen. Never noticed this before! Glass is out of my budget, stainless steel won't go and so I'm starting to lean towards tiles which I was sooooo against just days ago. Any other suggestions? I seriously considered pressed metal (a friend has it in her kitchen and it looks amazing) but I can't imagine that being very practical or easy to clean. So if you have any brilliant ideas/suggestions, I'd love to hear.

Here are the holes the electrician cut in the wrong space. Steve patched them up today, but the eventual splashback will cover them anyway. Phew. But note to oven manufacturers: I'd happily pay an extra dollar or whatever it'd cost to put on vinyl stickers instead of those crap cheap ones that DON'T COME OFF. Gotta get some metho or something. Grr

Still to do....

- Paint the back wall properly (and the little wall with bathroom door in it - plasterer only finished patching it up with this most recent job)

- Paint the ceiling

- Paint the window architraves

- Sand back and re-stain the floor

- Build and attach the wall cabinets and open shelves

- Place the other benchtop

- Hook up the rangehood

- Attach the plinths

- Oil the benchtops

- Get a splashback

- Figure out what to put above the fridge - there will be cover panels on either side of it so you won't see the sides of the fridge. Wall cabinets will be too shallow and base cabinets too high for the space, so maybe shelves? But they'll be too far back too. Might need to custom-make deep shelves for the space.

Hmm, that should keep us busy!!

you can thank us for all the rain and cold...

I'm a fan of my new living room fan. I'm also a fan of the fact I can walk around this room again without tripping over a saucepan or slipping on sawdust! PS: That corner cabinet is usually home to linens and towels. This is until the wall cabinets go up in the kitchen. More on the kitchen tomorrow. PPS: I know I say this a lot, but apologies for crappy quality of images. Turns out, it's a crappy camera, not crappy photography. I know what I want for my birthday this year...

You know how when you wash your car, it rains? Well we had a double whammy: we had bore water installed last week and so it has not stopped raining since. We've used the bore water once. We also had fans installed in all the rooms, hence the wintery weather. And of course, to top it all off, we're all running out of clothes because nothing is drying in the awful weather and we didn't have much to choose from in the first place because I pretty much threw out the entire contents of my wardrobe one "I'm sick of my clothes" day and because the babies grow quicker than I can shop for them. So anyway, you might recall my whinging about the fact my husband wanted a different fan to the modern silver ones we were putting in the bedrooms? Well, I finally got him to the fan shop to choose this "different" fan and this is the result. Steve attempted to choose the bronze version but after headslapping him for such a suggestion, I pointed out the nice black version and SIX WEEKS LATER it finally managed to get attached to the ceiling. So after all my umming and ahhing about whether it'd look weird, it's in and I actually love it! It doesn't have a light on it, so we had wall lights installed on one side of the room and they're all glowy right now and lighting up the room up perfectly. Of course, none of the fan/light installation throughout the house was without drama: wiring in wrong place, no wiring at all, too much wiring, bonus studs and beams, complications in putting fan together... The fun of renovating an old place. Apparently, the previous owners had done some rather strange DIY electrical work. But considering these very same people tiled the back of the bathroom door, I wasn't even slightly surprised at this news! So what do you think of the fan? Fit in ok? We choose the eco version of the Futura Lucci for the bedrooms in the matte silver. They're great - nice and quiet and for fans, look nice too!

kitchen reno part 1

What I'm looking at right now. You should see the other side of the living room!

Am completely knackered, so not going to bore with all the details just yet, but let me update you in numbers and pictures...
Number of days without a kitchen: 8
Number of sandwiches eaten: 42
Number of arms incredibly sore from sanding and painting three times in one day: 2 (they would be mine)
Number of hiccups so far: 6
Most number of trips to the hardware store in one day: 6
Number of cabinets in place: 5
Number of cabinets to still be put into place: 10
Number of taps working: 0
Number of appliances working: 0
Number of holes in the wrong place the electician cut into the wall that was already sanded and painted? 2
Number of flies killed because the doors were open all day every day: 723. Wait. 724
Number of times we've fallen onto our butts because the floor is so damn slippery from all the swept up sawdust? Me: 2; Steve: 1; Z: 4
Number of days before my dad can come back and finish putting the kitchen in: 12 :(
Number of hours before we can get water and power on in the kitchen: oh god please let it be no more than 15!

Day 1: Looking better already!

The mouse's house (left) and grass growing inside the wall!!

Several floorboards had to be replaced. We nearly had this gaping hole overnight, but luckily the new floor was put in on time.

Day 2: Electrical and plumbing work

Day 5: new walls in and plastered and lights installed

Day 6: dad and his little helper putting together the cabinets. Funnily enough, that plastic hammer worked: teh nails actually went in!

Day 7: Pantry done. The other cabinets on that wall are not flush with the wall yet. Dad needs to come back and put the benchtop on. Am hoping the electrician can connect the oven and cooktop tomorrow. I'm tired of sandwiches and takeaway!

My temporary benchtop!! These are the offcuts from the other side's bench and the cut out from the sink hole!

And just because I don't have enough things in my life to keep me busy (!) I signed up to Twitter last week and actually spent longer than two minutes on it tonight working it out. I think I've got it. Here is where I'll be sending all those little quirks, annoyances or snippets of news too minor or time-consuming to blog about. And much excitement is the fact I can SMS the updates and they'll appear magically on my Twitter profile. How genius. Not sure how long I'll follow this fad (am really good at losing interest in things - Facebook? I only get on to look at friends photos now!), but for now, you can follow me at twitter.com/belindagraham

i'm a winner!

Proof I'm a winner. And lovely! hehe. Hmm, never noticed how horribly off-centre the middle of my banner is! Oops.

Whoo hoo! After stumbling upon a lovely little competition at the La La Lovely Things blog, I gave my two-cents worth of advice and was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the top three AND drawn out as the winner! My prize? Aside from the satisfaction in helping someone, talking decor and meeting a nice new blogger - Trina McNeilly - I also scored a Made By Girl poster. Yippee! I think I'll go with the LOVE for my lovely Layla. Then my kids will have his "n" her Made By Girl posters in their room (Zak has the personlised ABC). Sweet!

Thanks a bunch to Trina for the competition - she was after ideas for revamping her family room. Here were a few of my suggestions and picture inspiration. To see what she ends up doing to her space, keep checking her blog. She's also promised more giveaways so keep your interior decorator hat nearby!

Trina's fireplace

Inspiration & suggestions: paint the whole wall the same colour as the brick - mantle top included. Balance out the imbalanced placing of the fireplace with a rustic bucket of chopped firewood on the right in that little corner with a few pics propped up against the brick behind it - you don’t need to buy anything; get your kids to draw something and frame that (and they’ll get a kick out of it too!) On top of the mantle, group a whole heap of samey objects - again like in the picture - on the left-hand side. I love these white things and it could easily be achieved by grabbing a heap of cool-shaped cups, vases, objects from a thrift store (or around your house) and spray painting them the same colour. I’m going to do this in white in my own place for my new recessed shelves. One day… I’d prop something large - a canvas or big frame just off centre to the right with a few framed pictures in front and to the end. Mix up your frames with your “Ms” and add to the collection like in the pic below or grab some cheapie plywood ones and customise them yourself. On the left-hand side a few pics just stuck on the wall casually - maybe a group of three (odd always looks better than even) different sized pictures; they don’t even have to be framed. Picture from Domino (this was one of my fave houses from Domino!)

A cute collection of "E"s. Image from Urban Grace Interiors

Trina's shelves

Inspiration & suggestions: go nuts mixing books with fave objects. I’d personally paint them white too because that way the objects would take centre stage, but as they've just been painted, maybe incorporate that greeny colour in the room with some cushions on the couch to lighten it up and a nice white throw. Pic from renovate + decorate

Trina's couch


Inspiration & suggestions: place the mirror over the couch or do the wall collage there instead with a mix of letters and picture frames. Pic from VT Wonen

My prize! LOVE poster by Made By Girl

By the way, I'm not for a moment suggesting I'm an expert on this, but if you ever want some advice or ideas for any aspect of decorating or renovation, I'm more than happy to help. It's good fun!

Phew. Cornice crisis over

I realise this picture has nothing to do with cornices, but I do have a question about the sink - below. Picture via Haus Maus

My plasterer managed to track down the cornice, thank goodness. But of course that wasn't without drama either - the place that makes it wanted to charge me $200 for delivery. The cornice will cost about $12. My plasterer quite rightly said thanks but no thanks and is going to get it for me tomorrow and will finishing on Tuesday. Yay! So if I don't melt from the hot weather and lack of fan (another point I forgot to add in previous post: fan control broke so no fan until we get a new one), I should be able to start the painting sometime next week.

Then we're on to boring stuff like moving powerpoints and the air conditioner so it's not in such a stupid place, installing new fans and a few wall lights. And then the kitchen. Poor old kitchen. It's always one step forward, three steps back with that one! I do have one question someone might be able to help me with: I'd love to have a white porcelain sink in a wooden benchtop but realise the lack of drainer, water and wood won't be the best combination. So, has anyone seen a sink like this one in the picture above in Australia? It looks like it has a cover over one side of the sink or it is a drainer, I can't tell for sure, but either would be ideal as I plan to do as little handwashing as possible seeing as I've been without a dishwasher for the last 10 years. And I don't want the Ikea one that sticks out of the cupboards. Oh so picky I am!

Have a good long weekend. And I'll try to be a better blogger next week. I seem to say that a lot, don't I? Sorry!

two bright ideas

ok these aren't "green" ideas, but after searching for a lightbulb picture for the whole bright ideas concept, I came across this, which is very cool! From TimeInc.

Two little tips I thought good enough to share!
1. I hate spending money on completely practical items. If they're pretty or you REALLY need, them, fine, but a salad spinner? No way (how did we manage before it?) A knife sharpener? Nope. Because my dad shared this tip with me aaages ago that my Oma used to do and because I only just remembered it and tried it last night, I thought I'd share. Cause it works! Turn a porcelain plate over and use the rim it sits on to sharpen your knives. I'm assuming you have a plate, so if so it'll cost you zero! And in case you're wondering what I did before to sharpen knives, I'm ashamed to admit I did nothing. They've been blunt for what seems forever - I just seriously worked my arms to cut through!

The Ikea Lycksele armchair bed, $289 each

2. I just posted a nursery tour at mini meez and loved this idea. Instead of buying one sofabed, go for two single ones: it means you still get the couch, but can accommodate two visitors if they're not a couple but can be pushed together as one bed if they are. Clever!

new plan. for now. cause i'm aces at changing my mind

My latest plan - these cabinets with the birch benchtop. And the lights are the same ones I bought yesterday, so I'm not very original... I'm hoping it won't change again, but we'll see. At least Steve likes this one too, so that's one battle I don't have to have!

Ok so my Applad-being-cream fears seem to have been warranted. I received lots of good feedback on the comments and via emails so thank you! I told you my "borrowed" catalogue would come in handy: I discovered the Solar door fronts have come down in price this year*, so I did some sums today and if I did it correctly (maths was not my strongest subject), it looks like it won't be too much more expensive. It'll be $1200 more in the cabinets but we won't have to buy drawer dampers as you do with the Applad. I don't actually know what drawer dampers are, just that you have to buy them separately with that particular door. They're also a nice white finish, better quality and what I wanted originally but didn't think I could afford. AND we also won't need to buy handles as they're integrated, so really, it's only about $1000 more all up - I can justify anything. The only thing I had to sacrifice with this door front was the pull-out pantry - they don't have it in Solar. So I'm getting the normal five-shelf pantry with normal door and will buy the pull-out interior fittings separately as I need/want them.


So going full circle, I'm back to the original inspiration: it should hopefully look something like the image above in terms of cupboards and benchtops. I think this is the best Ikea kitchen I've seen, so I'm happy with that! What do we think?


*Also reduced in kitchens are: Stat, Abstrakt White and Lidingo.

i have a dilemma

Do these cabinet doors look cream to you in this picture? No. But in person? A little. Grr. Ikea Faktum/Applad kitchen from Ikea website

Not a big one, granted, but a dilemma nonetheless. My visit to Ikea yesterday was to check out the kitchens yet again to confirm my plans. And to check out all the new stuff seeing as the new catalogue is out (and which I, um, forgot to return to them at the counter as you're meant to. Rather happy about that though - now I can peruse it as much as I want. It comes in very handy). I was pretty sure I was going with the Applad doors, but when I actually saw it yesterday I was a little concerned to see it looked cream. Now I happen to love cream - with ice cream and pancakes and yes, occasionally all by itself - just not on kitchen cabinets. So, now I'm all confused again: is it just that it was cream compared to the whiter options? I know there are a gazillion different whites, so maybe all by itself, it will be white. But one of the displays also looked a little cream and I really couldn't be sure if it was the lights or the colour it is. Sooo, if anyone out there has an Applad kitchen, please let me know - is it noticeably cream in your home? Or is it as white as it looks in the brochure? That's the annoying part: in the pictures, it's white as white; in the flesh, not so much. Which now has me looking at the other options: Abstrakt which is glossy white and therefore I don't think very complementary to the wooden benchtops; then the Solar which is a nice bright, flat white, but more expensive and not available in the pantry I want. And I don't want the patterned versions of white. I'm sure it'll be fine, but couldn't hurt to ask.


So, I of course couldn't leave emptyhanded as I mentioned yesterday. But the two things I actually really wanted to buy weren't in stock - Mjod glasses and the Sveje rug. They have it in orange and green, but they don't expect the black to be in for TWO MONTHS! Grr. Yes, I realise their website has a stock availability check thing, but, well, I forgot about that until now.

I bought two of these for the kitchen just in case they ran out when it came time to buy them... Basisk pendant light, $25

But still, I did manage to get my add-on clothes hanger and pull-out wire baskets for the wardrobe, some netted curtains for the French doors in our bedroom in an attempt to keep the bugs out this summer, my kitchen lights and a pretty little nightlight for Layla cause I'm sick of the bulbs blowing in the baby ones after two weeks, so might if I'm going to spend more money on an item, it might as well be attractive and something she can use for as long as it's cool!

I bought the small version of the Knubbig table lamp, $16.95, to use as a night light for Layla. I didn't, however, buy a bulb - bugga. A larger version is available for $29. I decided I had to have one after Danielle bought one a while back and brought to my attention its existence!

By the way, these glass lamps would make gorgeous gifts - I don't think many people would dislike the style and they certainly don't look Ikeaish (not that I think that's a bad thing, but for some, it is)! Same goes for the eternal fave of stylists around the world: the Ludde sheepskin rugs.

not another kitchen post...

Warm wood and open shelves: perfect! Picture nicked from Holly's Haus Maus

A few more pics I'd found in my kitchen-inspiration travels and saved to my "kitchen" folder. In case you like to look at them too!

Open shelves are a bit of a theme! Picture from VT Wonen

Cute wallpapered splashback (behind clear glass!) If you could change it easily, great, but otherwise I think it'd date too quickly - '70s orange laminate benchtops anyone? Picture from Domino

Oh look! A tulip table under the window at the end of a galley kitchen! Aren't I original? Ha! I think is from Living Etc.

My plan is to have the open shelves asymmetrical on the wall like this one. Apologies, I'm not sure where this picture is from.

kitchen moodboard additions/alternatives

A few more things to um and ahh over

Well Canberra was fun - it's rather heaven having someone look after you for a few days. Thanks Mum and Dad! I also got some useful info regarding wooden benchtops from Dad who installed one in our old place. Unfortunately they need a fair bit of work - like an oil every three to six months to keep them in tip-top shape. But my mind is made up (for now!) and I think if I put a year's worth of Benchtop Maintenance Days in my diary, phone reminders, noticeboard and on my calendar I might actually do it! And you guys all seem to like the woody version too - thanks for voting! So here are some extra decor bits I'm considering. It might be IKEA overload but they're just so good! And so well-priced...

Lights (left to right)
I definitely think it'll be the white Basisk one I posted below, but until I see them in the flesh, I've got some backups: Kroby, $29; Ikea PS $79; and Foto, $29 all Ikea

Curtains (left to right)
I'm planning to have a nice big window - Steve wants French-style Cascade windows (that push out) - so I want something sheerish to emphasise instead of hide it. We get the sea breeze from here so it's sooo nice in summer. I'm thinking the Shell Capiz curtain will win out, but I do love the patterns and prints on the other two - Tulip Mist and Paisley Au Lait, $US22.99 each from Etsy seller Saffron Marigold. I might still get one style for the two windows in the living room.

Rugs (left to right)
Well my dream rug is a no go. Dad reckons it'll be too heavy to bring back and that also rules out shipping, so I'll prob go for one of these bargains: Sveje Rug, $19.95 and Alvine Rug, $12.95, both Ikea. I wish the Sveje rug was grey instead of black but I guess you can't have everything. Although, it's sooo cheap I could buy one, see if bleach does anything decent to it and then just get another one if it ruins it! They're like disposables! I love the colours in the Alvine rug and think they'll work beautifully with the room and pop on the dark floor. Again, it'll come down to seeing it in person.

Chairs (left to right)
Ugh, I'm annoyed at Steve for not liking my first choice! I have no idea now what I want. Bugger. I already have this silver chair (Replica Emeco US Navy Aluminium Chair, $148, Matt Blatt) at my desk so obviously like it! But I quite like the shape of the other (Nordmyra, $55, Ikea. Again.) and the birch would match the benchtops...

Now, for anyone who has a wooden Ikea benchtop - are you able to stain it to a colour of your choice? I like the birch, but wouldn't also mind a darker shade. Ahh, decisions, decisions!

my kitchen moodboard

My kitchen will be galley style like this, only with a window at the end

I've finally shoved Photoshop onto my computer and so thought I'd give it a whirl by creating my kitchen moodboard. Or moodboards to be exact. There are two because I can't decide if I want to go the earthy route or the modern route. Although really, they're pretty much the same save for a few tiny changes. But I think overall, those two tiny changes on Photoshop will end up making a big difference once it's all actually done. And then because I'm a commitmentphobe, I have some extra alternatives! The base kitchen will be galley style like above with a large window at the end. The floors will be stained really dark as they are now (Feast Watson Black Japan which we'll have to redo once we've finished), the walls will be - shock! - white, the cbainets will be white Ikea Applad and Lack open shelves and the appliances will be stainless steel. On the open shelves will be pretty assortment of crockery in soft blues, whites and neutrals. Wow, it seems sooo original so far, doesn't it? As I've said before I'm not the most original in terms of decor and like way too many different styles, so here is what I've come up with so far. Let's start the taste testing...

Moodboard 1: white and silver

Moodboard one
This is the white room. With hints of silver: white cabinets, walls, white CaesarStone benchtops with white sink but stainless steel appliances, splashback, taps, lights and chair legs. I do love this look but also think it might be a little too modern and clinical for us. However, the picture on the moodboard is dreamy - I particularly love the marble shelf under the open cabinets (which are actual wall cabinets turned on their side with the doors removed). I was going to do this too, but figured the holes for the shelves would stand out, and plus, the IKEA cabinet frames are not as thick as these ones, so wouldn't look as good. Other details:

1. I like the slight industrial feel to this light. We'd get two hanging in the middle of the room and then undercabinet lighting for the benchtops. Gade pendant light, $12, Ikea

2. I'm not going to tile or apply a splashback to the entire benchtop. In fact, only the stovetop will have one. I thought it'd look odd having a square of stainless steel on a white wall, but I've seen it in many Google Images searches and it looks fine. I don't want to have a continuing splashback because the kitchen blends into the dining room and that end of the cabinetry will be open shelves and decorative pieces and a splashback might just sit weirdly with that.

3. Under the window I'll be popping a little table and chair for breakfasty nook. I really wanted a kitchen island but room is limited so I thought I'd put that space to good use. There is plenty of room between both sides of the cabinet rows so it'll sit nicely. I love these replica Eames chairs from Matt Blatt ($138) - more so with the wood legs - but I've since been told by Steve that he hates them, so unless I can convince him (designer doesn't do it for him - that's partly the reason he doesn's like it!) I have to go back to the drawing board! Any ideas?

4. I'm having three horizontal wall cabinets with glass doors above the kitchen cabinet. I thought instead of just frosted or clear glass I'd add a stamp of individuality with some window film. This is my favourite: Emma Jeff's Otto Window Adhesive about $110 a roll

5. This long Lack shelf will be in-between the wall cabinets and the benchtop (similar layout to the picture in the moodboard). I'm pretty sure our budget won't allow for marble!

6. A white porcelain sink to blend in with the white benchtops, all seamless-like. This one is from IKEA of course!

7. Sleek silver handles for the cabinet doors. I have these on my wardrobes and bathroom vanity so might as well stick with what I know and love. Lansa handles from Ikea

8. I fell in love with this rug after spotting it on Haus Maus. It's from a German company so chances are I'd never see it in my home except that my parents are going there in September to see my Oma and they just might be able to bring it home for me. Although this all depends on the size, weight and price, obviously. I can't read German (even though my own father is GERMAN. Naughty, naughty - he didn't teach us :( grr) so I'll have to get him to tell me all the details when I'm at their place tomorrow.

9. Love the lines of the table so I think this will be the one to go under the window. Steve didn't comment on this, so he either likes it or didn't notice it. Fingers crossed! Replica Tulip Table 60cm, $286

Moodboard 2: white, wood and silver

Moodboard two
The more I look at this one, the more I think this will be the winner. Not just because I think it's a bit warmer and therefore more "me", but because the wooden benchtop will be considerably less than the stone one!!! But we all know how much I like to change my mind, so watch this space!

1. Love this glass light. It's simple but beautiful. Basisk pendant light, $12, Ikea. And such a bargain!

2. Even though most of my furniture is dark wood and my floors almost black, I'm not adverse to mixing wood tones and think this colour would be a particularly lovely contrast. Just not sure what to do sink wise: stainless steel or white porcelain?

3. Same handles, although I'm thinking about looking for maybe some nice wood or leather for something different...

4. I think a stainless steel splashback will clash a little too much with the wood benches, so am thinking a clear glass like this one for here.

5. Lack shelf again in same spot. They'll also go above the end cabinets in the dining room. I'll post my 3D plan and floorplan soon.

6. Same rug cause it's sooo pretty.

7. Replica Eames chair with wood legs. I love these chairs. Am making it my mission to convince the husband! Chairs, $158, Matt Blatt

8. Window film again.

9. And the same table. So not too many changes.

I've also got some alternative rugs, splashbacks and additions like curtains and crockery but haven't got around to virtually sticking them together. Again, stay tuned! So what are your thoughts? Which do you prefer? Go on, have a vote (top right!)

Bx

PS: am off to Canberra to stay with my parents for the week. It snowed there yesterday so if I don't post for a while, it's because my fingers are frozen and I'm unable to type. Or I'm just too busy having a fun, relaxing mini break!

EDITED: when did ceiling fans get funky?

Not sure how effective the odd-sized blades are but how sculpturally cool is this? Def one you want to make a statement with! Sycamore $595

I didn't get this memo. I only discovered this while looking around for new ones for our place. I'm incredibly boring and not very rich so won't be going for any of these funkier options, but thought I'd share them cause who knew ceiling fans could be cool (as well as cooling)? All from Beacon Lighting

If the light fitting wasn't so weird looking, I'd get this clear-bladed one. Zephyr $199

Sail away! Avalon, $699

You really can't not see this one can you? Fijian, $269

Very industrial - reminds me of an aeroplane propellor! Industrie II, $295

On this topic, my hubby wants a Balinese-ish wooden fan with light for our living room but the more modern chrome with light for the other rooms. I don't want ANY really, but know we need them. He had a good point: I'm in winter mode so am forgetting how stifling hot it gets in our house in the warmer months. Still doesn't make me want to rush out and buy them though (except for the fact, we want to get them all installed and done before our builder comes back to rip out another wall).

The one we'll probably go with: Futura Lucci, $199

I'm all for mixing things up, but not convinced a different style fan in the living room that will probably draw attention to itself is something I want to do. Especially when we'll be getting a very modern kitchen and flash open-plan dining space that will open up the entire room with a few sleeker light fittings etc. Am worried a chunky wooden style fan will then look out of place. Any thoughts? Am all ears...

[EDIT] PS: Lovely Cstar from Hydrangea Blue just posted a guide to buying ceiling fans which is hugely helpful if you're looking to upgrade or install for the first time.

PPS: Yes I changed my banner again. Bear with my sad attempts at jazzing it up. Despite the fact I work amongst brilliant (and incredibly busy) designers I have no graphic design experience myself, no proper program at home and no real talent. So Renae if you're reading this, I'm still counting on you to make me look nice! If you ever get a spare second... x

eye candy: dream kitchen (and a whole lot of waffle about stealing ideas)

Don't you wish this was your house?

We all steal inspiration from somewhere - magazines, blogs, Flickr. But we do this safe in the knowledge that everyone else has probably seen it too and so it's no big deal. It gets a little trickier when you do it to someone you know. Have you ever visited someone's house and left wanting to steal an idea, a look or heck, the entire house? I do this all the time. Sometimes I do something about it, but most times I just dream about how it'd look at my place and store it in the part of my memory that is house-related for another time. After visiting my editor Deb's house I wanted to completely redo my house in a casual beach style with distressed furniture; everytime I visit my sister Kristie's I want to paint a raspberry feature wall (and steal her tidiness); I looked high and low for the perfect low, long white entertainment unit for my space after seeing one at my friend Pip's; the kids birthday party shoot at stylist Alice's house was the last confirmation I needed to get my cowhide rug (and convinced me I need to change my front door and window combo to a wall of bifolds); I tried to buy the same dining buffet as my friend Emma after playgroup at her house one day but it was sold out; and at my Nana's it's her Hans Wegner-inspired reclining armchairs I want to nick. In fact, I even asked if I could buy them off her and bless her, she's giving them to me for free. If I ever get around to picking them up!

See, I'm a thief! It's not that any of these things are new or original ideas, but seeing them in real life - not in the pages of a magazine or on a website - is usually the clincher. The problem with this - particularly if it is something unique - is that, like ripping off clothing ideas from fashionable friends, we can find ourselves clones of each other, quite possibly leaving the original slightly peeved at no longer being original and risking not ever being invited back! Not me, though. I've been the copied a couple of times and am of the "immitation is the sincerest form of flattery" school.

On Monday I outdid myself: three of us former Cosmo girls played babies at Louise's house (between us, we've had seven babies in four years. Quite the effort really) and I found myself popping her entire home into my "house-inspiration vault". I now want turquoise chairs in the living room, a huge funky chandelier over my dining table, ghost stools and the cool storage boxes on the wall in her son's room. That said, I was slightly thrilled to see a few decorative similarities to my own place: we both have cow hides, the same Ezibuy zebra rug, antlers, wooden letters spelling "love" and dark floors - all coincidences (except the zebra rug which I'm pleased to say I was the copied not the copier of!) - yet she somehow made all of hers look so much better than mine!
But most of all - and finally, to the point of this post - I want her kitchen, which is hands down one of the best I've ever seen. Designed by her architect hubby Graeme Bell, it's modern, sleek, stylish, clean and packed with storage and cool ideas. Like the open shelving on the other side of the island, the mirror splashback, the hidden fridge, the fantastic industrial-style pendant lights, the integrated Corian sink and the funky commercial-kitchen taps and faucet.

Love the Philippe Starck for Kartell Charles Ghost stools, from $211 for small, Top3ByDesign

Look at that gorgeous - and neverending - Corian benchtop! Heaven! And you can just see the cool turquoise chairs in the background (with cute son Jasper)

Lou promises the actual kitchen itself is pretty standard, just well-designed, but I'm still too scared to ask how much it cost! She does share her must-haves though: "Our main requirement was that we have a spot to eat meals together in the kitchen without resorting to the formal dining room. Also, I LOOOVE to cook, so I wanted plenty storage, plus a practical space to prepare meals for 2-20 people! Oh, and the one thing I was obsessed about was the kitchen sink tap. I love the taps in commercial kitchens with the long swivel-y hose." Wishes granted!

The pendant lights are Lampara by Gineico Interiors. Lou made the pinboard herself


Love the mini library as you walk through the kitchen area to the living room.

Gold stars to Graeme and Lou - it's an amazing space and has inspired me to get cracking on my own kitchen renovation which kind of got forgotten what with all the giving birth and craziness of the last few months!

And back to my thievery: we're meeting up again in a few weeks, this time at Pip's new house. I can't wait to see what she's done to the place... and what ideas I can nick! Now, please tell me I'm not the only house-style stalker?!