Wednesday 14 January 2015

Putting the face on

Hello 2015! 

So far the new year has been rather busy here in our new home. We got our moving-in permission on Friday 19.12 and the movers filled the rooms up during the weekend. 

I was determined I would not do Christmas at all, but our young ones decorated the tree for us and put up a few decorations between all the boxes. It was lovely.

We spent the holidays unpacking, building LEGOs with the boys, pretty much just trying to catch our breath after the crazy fall. 

While my master plan once was to finish unpacking before the new year and take January off, that did not happen. As one bathroom has to be recreated, a study has to be finished, a storage room has to be made, closets have to be built, a three month delay of the cladding and so forth, there is still a touch of a building site feel to our home. There are boxes that cannot be moved until other boxes are moved which cannot be moved until the storage is build which cannot be built until the closets are in place. You know how that is. Besides that, I am more concerned that we will get it right instead of rushing things, so we’re taking our time.

The house itself is very modern and minimalistic, which I am not. I want it to feel like our home and not like a showroom or a page in a glossy interior magazine, so for now we’re not replacing stuff unless we need to. The first thing that got finished was the downstairs bookcase. 

It almost looks like a scrap quilt, doesn’t it, with all the lines and happy colours. I love looking at it, and rediscovered some much loved re-readable treasures during the process.

I hung the first pictures today using 3M Command hooks. I’m not sure what I think, there are too many and the bottom line is not quite straight, but they will have to stay up there for a little while. Unless they fall down; this is my first experience with the Command products.

The carpenters are busy putting up the cladding, and what a difference it makes! 
(The slightly sloping roof is partly covered with solar panels, and the rest with cladding)

I almost missed the scaffolding when they took it down as the living room windows are huge, but I’m getting used to them. They are almost like mirrors in the dark, creating more interesting views as the outside and inside reflections merge. 

Twice as many orange goodies...

Can you see the face now? The sideburns will be trimmed.)

It’s a bit gap toothed as the glass panel which will go between the windows has not arrived yet, but I love the warm teak coloured skin. It was indeed worth all the trouble. The light makes it look like two different colours where the curved roof begins, and there will be even more variety when the vertical cladding is finished and the two accent colours are added, one of them matching the fab orange door.

With this patchwork-y image and the hope of getting back in my studio soon, I bid you farewell on this rainy winter day. Thanks for stopping by:)

12 comments:

  1. Congratulations on getting in to your new home! It looks like you have a breathtaking view, and plenty of space to be creative.

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  2. Wow! looks great! where is your studio going to be?

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  3. Congratulations and best wishes on your new house!
    I am sure you will make it into a home soon :-)
    xx

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  4. Have fun settling into your new home!

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  5. So exciting! I love that orange door! It's so good to take time to have it the way you want, and not to rush and then be unhappy. Where will your studio be? We will surely need a tour of that :)

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  6. Love it! The orange accents are going to be fabulous too! Take as long as you like and get it right. Beautiful home.

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  7. Pretty dramatic building. Nice views I bet though. The windows look majestic. I can see you cozy-ing up this minimalistic space with your quilts. Nice to have the solar. So prohibitive cost wise here. Luckily we are super insulated and are using about half the oil of most other houses this size. Good luck unpacking, we are still working our way through with details too. Need big bookcases myself. xox

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  8. So good to hear from you, Nina. I was wondering about you yesterday, about the time you wrote this... I think we have a trans world connection.
    I do feel your pain. I'm quite traditional, too. I love watching the old movies, sometimes just to see the old architecture, the plainer décor, the comfy spaces, the beautiful woodwork and fancy fittings. I like the 19th century style homes, the gracious large rooms with high ceilings. They aren't practical anymore.
    I also feel your pain with the boxes everywhere... I'm not even going to unpack the rubber stamp hobby that fills the other tiny bedroom. (He's already talking bigger house.) The sewing room is tiny, gotta watch my step in there. One bump and I could have an avalanche. It's such a mess that my hubby probably wouldn't find me in that room if I didn't say anything. All the boxes have been opened, but most left in boxes because there is no room for my stuff. Guess I should have less stuff. Ugh.
    We moved into this house mid November and that's how it is. It took my hubby weeks to get the garage (storage space) organized so we had space enough - just enough - to get the car inside.
    Hope your improvements go easily and finish soon.
    Hugs

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  9. Wow! What a fabulous new home! I'm sure you'll have the modern look toned down as soon as you get all your furnishings unpacked and settled in. Lovely to get a peak at your new home!

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  10. How very exciting! I wondered why there were no posts for a while! Well, congrats on being in the new house. It looks like fabulous space; I especially love all the windows. Which direction do they face? Can't wait to see more....

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  11. Hello Nina-Lise, how exciting - you have a new home - and what a remarkable building it looks - and it looks as though it's set in wonderful scenery! The room and bookcase you've completed so far look fabulous, you're going to have fun doing the rest, good luck with it all.

    I wish you and your family all the best in your new home and for the New Year too xx

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  12. Your home is incredible!!!! What an interesting design. All of that light is going to be amazing - so lucky.

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