Welcome to my blog

We moved to Ireland with the notion of building our "dream" home in May 2007 after purchasing the site earlier on that year. Mr C is Irish and originally from Limerick but he remains in the UK during the week, his job is running www.cruise.co.uk and earning the bucks that will hopefully allow us to "live the dream."

It's taken us almost two years but ground will be broken on the site by the end of May 09!! A lot of blood, sweat & loads of tears (all mine!) have gone into this project already, we left a fabulous house behind in Newcastle...and now for my Kevin McLeod bit, "can the new build can live up to my expectations and the old house we left behind"? I'm not sure...keep watching my blog and you'll find out!!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

girls about the house....

Took the girls for a quick snoop round their new house on Saturday afternoon.
Our visit was cut very short as we came across an unexpected visitor who scared the life out of us...... a {HUGE} blackbird!! Can only think that he must have got in down a chimney, poor thing.  

Anyway, there was a moment or two of slight hysteria, we are not a family who likes big flapping birds in confined spaces!! As you can imagine, no one wanted to hang around for long after the discovery, so here goes with some quick snaps from my camera phone..... 

Eve in our family room (open plan from kitchen)
This was taken around 5pm at the beginning of April, so I'm hopeful this will always be a light filled room {even with a dark floor}.


This is Orla at the other end of the same room, standing right in front of where our tv will go.

I'm going to run low level wall to wall drawer units under the tv {these will be the same style and colour as those in my kitchen}.  These units will disguise the paraphernalia that goes with TV's and will also be a place to hide the kids bits & bobs.


Girls in front of the fireplace.
 
I have been in love with this Altanta Bartlett fireplace for the longest time. This was most definitely the inspiration behind the big inglenook fireplace space in our family room above.  
Think I tore this out of a copy of Living etc magazine, way back when I used to rip out pages for reference {I'm laughing 'cause I can even see a little black arrow that I've drawn in at the top....!!}

This is the stove that will go into my nook - it's a Stratford TF90B boiler stove.

we saw signs that second fix had begun.....


Amelia not looking impressed enough at our 
walk-in pantry!


 ducting for my 
island extractor
the ducting has been in place since the concrete floors were poured {back end of last summer!}  I was 100% sure that I wanted a down draft extractor and not a ceiling mounted contraption {sorry they are a pet hate of mine}. 

 I've just ordered an extractor like this
 from De Dietrich 


Will Leave you today with a parting shot of where my kitchen office will go...

There does seems to be a bit of debating going on out there in "blog world" about the need for these in kitchens.  For me undoubtedly 100% the right decision....

and hey if it's good enough for Martha, well then I'm in good company!

5 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for joining my blog. Wow your house looks like its going to be amazing!!! I cannot wait to see progress. You have 3 beautiful girls with beautiful names!!! I bet the house will be filled with lots of love & laughter when finished :)

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  2. AnonymousMay 10, 2010

    Hiya, just came across your blog as I was doing a seach for downdraft extractors!! We started building in Cork in Sept 2009 and had have just started first fix (major drama with our foundations, but that is another story!). Your house is looking very similiar in style to ours!!! We are having a big gable window in our dining/kitchen area and we are looking at the statford stove as well :-) so have you ordered the downdraft from DeDietrich and installed it already?? I was originally going for an eclica island extractor over the island but our vaulted ceiling is over 6 mtrs high! So I don't think its gooing to work. Now looking at downdraft option so wondering what your feedback is? you can mail me on helenmbaldwin@hotmail.com Love your house!

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  3. Hi, funny you should ask about the extractor it was just delivered this afternoon! Will drop you a line and let you know how it goes, kitchen due to be fitted in about 4 weeks.

    I already have the Stratford stove that too should be going in very soon.

    We were delayed for months with our windows...there's always something isn't there!!

    Best wishes, Jo

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  4. Hi Mrs C., We (my 3 girls and I) have just tripped across your blog. They are all excited about your house. They want us to do a blog aswell, but I would not know where to start.Check us out on www.abbeywoodfurniture.com.
    Congratulations, project looks very organized and clean. Regards Donal

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  5. Hey Donal and girls...thanks for stopping by!

    I agree with your girls, you should start a blog, easypeasy with "Blogger" and the more Irish Boggers the better! Your kitchens look gorgeous, and are definitely worth blogging about.

    Call back soon,

    Mrs C x

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