A little photoshoot...

You can tell I just love taking photos of my new dining table can't you? I think I've taken just about every angle of it and it seems I just cant get enough lol

It's amazing what a great camera can do for a photoshoot too, I've been using a Canon EOS 60d which is a far cry from my last camera which was a Nikon d90 (which I loved) but due to dropping it one day while on holidays, it would've cost an arm and a leg to fix so I opted to buy (and try out) the Canon to compare since it was a little cheeper

I'm still learning how to take great photos with it and using it to it's full potential, but as you can see... I've still got a ways to go

And trust me, the kitchen doesn't always look this tidy all the time! That's the OCD in me, I have to have a clean and tidy work area before I take a shot and god knows how loooooong I spend trying to get everything right!

On a different note...I love how the dining setting gives great contrast to the dark kitchen and can't see any other colour giving the same effect...well done to me lol

Sometimes I wish I had nice dark stained timber floors so I could've had my nice white and timber kitchen to go with it, but since hubby was against timber floors (deep down I think he really would've liked them) I had to go the opposite somehow to compromise :(

That's why I came up with the look that it is now, and being quite found of charcoal anyway, as soon as I saw it in the Polytec display book, I knew I had to incorporate it into the home

Should I have combined it with another colour...perhaps white top cupboards....probably

Should I have gone for a whiter bench top too....probably

Should I have gone with a lighter splashback as well...probably

But I love my kitchen the way it is and at least I can change the decor to suit my ever changing mind whenever the need arises!

Until next time... 

Delivered at last!

We finally had our dining room suite delivered today and not a day too soon. I cant begin to tell you how frustrating it's been since ordering the darn thing. 

When we decided that the other one (seen here) was going to be too small in such a large area, we found the perfect size and probably a bit better quality (not to mention a few extra $$), but none the less we think this one would be better suited. 

So once we ordered it and paid our deposit (back in Oct), we were assured that we wouldn't have to wait too long for the next shipment and we should have it in 3 weeks.

Well that certainly didn't happen and because of a minor (to them) error, we had to wait for another shipment which was due to be docked mid December.

Again waiting patiently (not), I called the store to chase up our order only to be told that the table was in the store but the chairs hadn't arrived.....are you freaking kidding me!

So we waited some more and were notified just before xmas of their final arrival, but due to the docks being on strike we were told that they couldn't be delivered until sometime in January!!!!!! Arrrrrrg, it was the most annoying time I've ever had to wait for something and especially since we were having family over for xmas day, yes 12 people = 12 bums needing to be seated for a xmas spread fit for a king. 

Alas, I made do with what we had by way of the outdoor setting in the alfresco and borrowed a small table and some chairs off a very willing and helpful neighbour...phew!

Suffice to say, I love our new dining suite and cant wait for our first dinner party to christen it lol.

I guess once all the chairs have been sat on and used, those creases will flatten out. 

I'm so glad I talked Geoff into letting me have white chairs and as much as he hated the idea at first, he's more than happy we didn't go with his pick of the chocolate colour. 

I'm also glad I changed my mind about the bigger table of 3m long (that I ordered first) and got the 2.5m instead as I think it suits the area better and doesn't shrink the kitchen like the 3m one would've.  Although it still would've fitted nicely by having all the chairs like above and none on the ends, having such a small kitchen (the only downfall to the design), wouldn't have given it balance and perspective.

Maintenance jobs...continued

I had the lovely Fred (maintenance guy) and another MJH guy pop in to install my new microwave today which was a super surprise!

As I explained in this post, I was happy just to see the mw get fixed, (deep down I was hoping for a new one), so after a good 3 or so weeks and the guy from Kitchen Imagine coming last week to cut out some more vents, I certainly was surprised to see a brand newy to turn up!.

My Kitchen Rulez!

Well I put the finishing touches to the kitchen yesterday and I'm so happy with the outcome. 

I managed to take some pictures before the kids got home from school so they didn't devour all the apples again...especially if I was to have an explosion (as always), of teens and pre teens popping in too!

A splash of colour!

Making the kitchen POP, was something I've had on my 'to-do' list for ages and I've finally got around to adding a bit of colour.

The Hub...

My goodness with all the workings going on out side, I forgot to do a post on my favourite place to be in of all time....the kitchen. 

Like all of us mums, it's where we tend to spend all of our time in, either cooking, cleaning or even the odd homework from time to time. Having a central kitchen is wonderful as it allows me to still see what's going on outside without the need of being there!

I love how it just opens up to the alfresco making it a great thoroughfare for indoor/outdoor entertaining. Just to the right is the home theatre with it's own Lin 1 cavity sliding doors, and the billiard room which has it's own view to the pool area, then to the left of the meals area is our additional formal lounge which in turn pushed the master bedroom further back giving us an extended alfresco area as well. 

This in turn has given us the perfect view to the pool area from the master suit...a major bonus! 

I would've loved to have had timber floors, but Geoff was adamant that we were not having them ever again....wahhhhhh.

I think they'd set the theme off perfectly but I can't have it all my way I guess and we had to compromise on some things. I do love our Polished Porcelain tiles none the less and they're relatively easy to keep clean...that's once you've spent days on your hands and knees polishing the protective wax off. 

I swear I looked like a female version of Arnold Schwarzenegger with my arms about to fall off by day 2 of hand over and the morning of the 'Move'.

I had just finished the main areas by the time Geoff and the boys arrived with the first truck load, leaving only the entry to finish off as there wasn't any furniture going in there! 

They're an off white colour and some of the photos (depending on light situations) show a yellowish tinge, but that's due to lighting and my camera settings.

You can see why I looooove my bifold doors...with the kitchen being in the middle of the home, I have no window to let in fresh air. The westerly breeze goes right through the house which was a godsend during summer and saved having to put the air conditioner on. 

these 2 bar stools were outside in the bar, I just brought them in to take a photo until we get our new ones that'll match the new dinning suite.

see, no handles....I loooove my kitchen!

I soooooo wish we had gotten 40mm caesar stone bench tops for the island and perhaps waterfall edges wouldn't have gone astray either, but we had to stop spending $$$$ somewhere. Having the Polytec cupboards, Lin 1 doors to pantry, extra bank of (soft close) pot drawers and C-chanel was budget blowing enough!

We've decided it's time our old dining suite had a new home, so this one is for sale if anyone's interested. She just doesn't suit the new colour scheme which is sad because many a story or joke has been told sitting here during dinner parties and get togethers. 

this will be our new one (when we finally get around to ordering it) with white leather chairs, the bar stools will be the same

one day I'll get time to sort the pantry out!

Shine on you crazy diamond....

We made it....we got our keys, our shiny new house keys today and we are so over the moon in love with our new home.

SIX DAYS TO GO

I can't believe it's down to days not weeks or months, it's almost all ours...hip hip hooray!

You light up my life!

Oh my god I had the best afternoon looking at my awesome lights just before the wonderful Sam left for the day.

I have to give praise where praise is due, and boy has he worked his magic on our house!

Great job Sam and team, and great job to you MJH

Take a look at my Saturn Horizon Range here....I just love them!

I've been looking forward to seeing these...I just looooooove them