Cabinets and bench tops

I don't think I've done a proper job on the cabinetry and bench tops we've had installed.  I had some photos printed off in hard copy to show people when they asked me, but I didn't post them on here, which is a shame, because they are quite good and I'm pretty happy with them.

So here is the laundry with the bench top in oiled soapstone Wilson Art laminate and the cupboards in Astral Cumulous.  The handles are plain, ordinary stainless steel rails across the board.  The company that made our cupboards asked me which direction I wanted the handles to go for the cupboards, as opposed to the drawers.  I don't know why they bothered to ask, because they didn't do what I asked.  They did all the cupboard handles vertical.  It isn't worth my time or effort to complain about it and ultimately, I'm not that unhappy with the end result, although, I would have picked longer handles in the bathroom, if I had known they were going to be set vertically, but like I said, it isn't worth the grief.

The ensuite cabinets are in Beigewood (vertical) with a Bronzed Fusion bench top.

The bathroom cabinets are in Urban Bamboo (horizontal) with a Crystal Topaz bench top.  It looks a bit ordinary in the photos, but the crystal topaz has quite a bit going on.  You can get an A4 sample of it to see how it looks in a larger piece.  I'm very pleased with it.  The Urban Bamboo was another story.  You'd think if you had seen the sample in the showroom and asked the person in the showroom if you can get cupboards in Urban Bamboo then that wouldn't be a problem.  Ha!  Think again.  The cupboard guys asked if I was wanting Winter Bamboo since Urban Bamboo "doesn't exist."  Excuse me?  For starters, Winter Bamboo, looks alot like Beigewood, so if I wanted something that looks like that, don't you think I would have asked for Beigewood in both the ensuite and bathroom?  Get real guys.  I had to refer them to the online brochure, page number etc. and they finally told me it took them 3 phone calls to the manufacturer to convince them that Urban Bamboo existed.  How is this my problem?  OK. So I got what I wanted in the end, even if the handles on the cupboards were vertical and not horizontal like what I asked for.  *groan*

Now leaving the best until last is the kitchen.  How many dramas can you have to decide on a bench top?  The cream cupboards were a no brainer.  The cupboard profile was a no brainer.  The bench top was one of the biggest dramas in the whole shebang, but I wont go into that here.  Suffice to say that we have Emerald Pearl granite bench tops with antique white cupboards.  Here are some pictures.

Floors done

I went up today to check out whether the carpet had been laid yet.  The last info I got was on Thursday that the installer had hurt his neck and wasn't going to be installing before Monday.  Today, there was someone cleaning windows and someone else vacuuming the carpet.  The bamboo flooring looks awesome.   I'm extremely happy with how it looks.  They rang me on Thursday to double check which direction I wanted it laid, since the instructions I had supplied were contrary to how they would normally do it.  This was definitely how I wanted it.  I had told them I wanted it laid with the boards in the same direction as the grain on the treads of the stairs.  I'm so glad I stuck to my inner vision.  The end result is exactly how I wanted it.

They said they would normally go with the direction of the longest line, which was perpendicular to what I wanted.  If they had done this, it would have made the master bedroom look narrower and longer than it is and coming down the stairs, would have looked wrong (in my opinion) with the floor boards in a 90 degree angle to the stairs.

Their advice was that what I was asking for, was going to close in the rooms.  YES.  YES.  YES.  Precisely!  That's exactly the look I'm going for.  I'm not looking for rooms that appear larger than they are.  I'm trying to get a cosy feeling here, despite the size of the rooms.

And also,  the master bedroom already feels too short in one direction (even though it really isn't), so setting up the floor boards in the other direction gives it a psychological depth, based on the line and direction of the flooring.  It's the cheats way of making a room feel bigger in a specific direction.  And I was right.  I'm standing in the room and it just feels wider.

Today was a good day.  Not only does the fire streak bamboo look frigging awesome, but the direction it has been laid has directly impacted the feel of the entire house.  Win to team Sarah.

  

Oh and the carpet has been installed as well.  Yes, the carpet looks fine and feels great to walk around on in socks, but in the scheme of things, I can't help but think it's just carpet.

Not long now

The deathly slow progress is drawing to an end.  There's not much more to go now.  On Tuesday the balustrade was installed.  I went up early in the morning before work on Wednesday and got there just after dawn, so the lighting for the photos is a bit dull.  You can see the frost on the roof in the first and second photos.  It was minus 2 as I got to Broadford.  You can also see the ugly cowls on the tops of the chimney flues.  :(  Wouldn't chimney pots be so much better?  Grrrrrr.

Now for the first time in a few weeks, I got inside, so I have a few more photos of the interior fittings.
Here's the fan in the upstairs bedroom

and the one in the study

and the one in the lounge.

The tiling and grout is finished and the mirror cabinets are installed in the bathroom

and the ensuite

The toilets are in

and so is the wood fire, mantle piece and hearth.

The kitchen appliances are in, including the fabulous pot filler tap.  This also gives you a bit more of an idea of the emerald pearl granite that we've got for the bench tops. It's got bling.

The painting is close to finished and the pendant lights are installed in the kitchen.  Neil thinks they hang too low, but I'm not sure yet.

Outside, we have the hot water service, gas bottles and air conditioner.  I don't have a good shot of the inside air conditioner yet.  It is a bit blurry.

On Wednesday the bamboo flooring was delivered and it was installed on Thursday and Friday.  The carpet will be done on Monday.  It was also supposed to be happening on Thursday, but they rang me and said the installer has hurt his neck.

The verandah plastering needs to be finished off and painted and that's about all that's left to go.

Can.  Not.  Wait.