19 November 2014

KITCHEN AND UTILITY RENOVATIONS (part 2)



I digressed for a little while from the kitchen and utility renovations, 
so these are the next photos of the stripping out stage.

More or less everything had to go, from worktops, cupboards, to the ceiling to the floor and wall tiles to some of the windows. 
Not all of them because we'd replaced two in the sitting area previously. 

Above is looking west towards the utility room.


Above is facing west towards the utility room before we started the changes.
You will see that the door is in the centre of the room.  
We decided that blocking the original door up and adding a new entrance on the 
right-hand side into the utility room, would be far more beneficial to us. 
This giving us, two L-shaped work spaces in each room.


Standing at the new utility door, looking the other way towards the end of the kitchen, 
to the 'sitting area'.


(above) Inside the utility room looking at the new (and very exciting) window on the south side of the house.  Adding this window was such a good idea.  
The advantages of the extra light are immense.


(above) Still standing in the utility room, looking west at the large walk-in cupboard on the left and through to toilet on the right.


(above) What the cupboard and toilet originally looked like.  We've decided to keep the barn doors and paint them.


Looking inside the small room where the original toilet and sink have been removed. 
New toilet, sink and radiator will be added .


This shows two new wooden windows in the utility room and toilet (left-hand side).


Lastly, looking back into the kitchen, from the utility room through the new door way. 

The stud frames on the walls have been put up, floor tiles gone and ceiling with mock beams removed. The room is bare for all its exciting new changes to begin.

13 November 2014

A VISIT TO AMSTERDAM


Taking time off from house renovations
I managed a trip to the beautiful city of Amsterdam.  
Wow! what a treat for the senses that was.......such a cool and interesting place. 




Lots of bikes....


a bit of culture...... 
inspirational images at the exhibitions of photographer Vivian Maier 
and painter Marlene Dumas
then onto an emotive visit to Anne Frank's house.


House shopping at Weldadd, Raw Materials and Sissy Boy

 


 Seasonal vegetables and herbs at the local market.


stopping to look at the graffiti...


and more on the pavements.... (translated means 'dogs must poo in the gutter')
This probably accounts for the reason Amsterdam is clean and not smelly!!!





and finally, 
stunning food at De Kas restaurant located in the impressive renovated 1926 greenhouse. 
Here they grow their own Mediterranean vegetables, herbs and edible flowers,
along with seasonal vegetables they harvest on their farmland in the Beemster area. 
Simply healthy, gorgeous food.