Harry's New Lounge Bag

Well it is only fair that if I have new things that my puppy has some new belongings too. He will be coming back to Daddy after a looooong holiday in France with Uncle Froggie. Ohh did I tell you that completion is anticipated to be the 3 April. YAY

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It's Getting Closer

So this morning, the postman delivered the inventory of the house of what is and what is not included with the sale of the house - this can only mean one thing - that settlement is on it's way (or exchange for the British readers).
It's both exciting and nerve wracking as I am looking at the pre and post mortgage budget --- boo hoo --- it's time to pull the belt in some what.
I spent the morning trying to prioritise the order of works for the flat - then we can see what is left to do and not left to do. This is how I think I will do it:

• Studio room
• Carpets up
• Aqua-Loc+ flooring laid
• Wallbed installed.
• Wardrobe arranged / fitted including extra storage.
• Kitchen Set Up
• As outlined in the kitchen blog - nice galley kitchen which will allow for the wall to be opened up when/if the bathroom is moved.
• Open French door to garden
  
• Knock wall out into 'ex' bathroom space.
  
• Bathroom
  
• Build bathroom as per bathroom blog
• build in window / sky light & fan
• Clear out old bathroom, knocking down joining wall to kitchen and to use full floor to ceiling french style windows out to garden.
• Flooring
• Aqua-Loc+ the new areas so that it is uniform in colour & presentation.
  
• Garden (this plan if the extension plans are not approved)
  
• Build decking or pave outside new area at kitchen.
  
• Building BBQ area
• Hanging pots for strawberries
• Room for developing fruit trees and shrubs.
• Outside office/shed - which has to be be built 5 metres from the current dwelling IF the application to build a conservatory is denied. It will be nicely connected to the new decking or paved area.
  

Kitchen Seating Area - Options

The joys of home buying and having lots of time on your hands before settlement is that you can shop around and see all the different options that are available for the spaces you think that you will have available. The whole kitchen and seating area will have Aqua-loc+ laminate wooden flooring which will compliment the chosen kitchen suites as outlined in the previous posts.
I envisage that the kitchen will be a galley kitchen thus allowing for a nice seating area of about 2.5 meters in depth which should fit in a nice 2 seater sofa and a groovy coffee table which converts into a dining table, as pictured here too. There convertible tables are stupidly expensive  ranging from £300 up to over £1000, for a coffee table and  dining table - I will just wait and use the  great extend-a-table I picked up for free from Croydon Free-Cycles. I am still looking at the Danish convertible table on e-Bay. We'll see.

For the walls, they will all be white painted and I will have the Beatles picture as shown here, mounted then put up on the wall above the sofa. (it's clearer in my head than it is to show you here ... but the photos will be the proof after moving in.

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Bathroom Going ... Shower-room Arrives

To maximise the space of the studio, I have thought that an ensuite bathroom should be installed which will allow for the kitchen area to be opened up for a sitting / eating area and a back door to the garden.
The style I will be looking at is as outlined in the pictures and it will go in the current corridoor- it may need a little extra space, which I will gain with some space left over from behind the fridge enclosure. Then comes the question of where the washing machine will be installed, I had originally thought of putting the washing machine in a specially made shed just outside the back door with the washing line running off that next to the side fence. Who knows? I could put it next to the money tree as well. **sigh**

Knead it or want it? Whip it, slice it, squeeze it and make it a Reality?

This little baby is going to make my kitchen oh so functional. I have decided that the Kenwood KM023 will be an 'ultimate' piece of machinery which will do the work of 4 or 5 separate electronic gadgets and when you are living in a studio situation, space is of the essence.

All Donations Greatly Accepted **grin**

The specs:
This Kenwood KM020 is exceptionally powerful. Maintaining power and speed for even larger quantities. This is the most powerful motor ever seen in the kitchen machine range with a huge 1500 Watts. It will transform your cooking with speed and ease. Even the most demanding and professional of cooks will not be disappointed by this!

This Mega Pack gives you the KM020 complete with the following attachments

AT640 Multi-Pro Food Processor
A950 Mincer
A996A Stainless Steel Blender
DS800 Chrome Scales With Glass Platform
AT960 Citrus Press
AT320 Glass Multi Mill

• Powerful 1500W Motor
• Composite metal gears
• Polished Stainless Steel Bowl
• 6.7 Litre Bowl Capacity
• Transparent Splash Guard/Cover
• Cast Stainless Steel K-Beater, Dough Hook, Dough Beater and Wire Whisk
• Superior Planetary Mixing Action
• 3 Speed Settings
• Silver/Grey Full Metal Body
• Quiter Running Sound
• 12 Month Warranty
• Dimensions - 40cm (L) x 22.7cm (W) x 29.7cm (H)

The Kitchen is Shaping up (in theory)

So a lazy Saturday (because I left all my marking at work) has allowed me the chance to go 'net' shopping and see what is around and what I would like to do in my kitchen ... I thought that I would share some of it with you.

The Kitchen shell / cupboards etc will be an Ikea quickie using the Faktum Sorbo range - it's the grey with wood contrast, the small photo here isn't overly helpful buy you will get the idea. I will have stainless steel squared handles on the cupboards and drawers. I have been umming and ahhing over the stove and oven to have in the kitchen - keeping in mind that this is a studio that I need to fit in the kitchen so it has to be condensed but maximise storage of all my gadgets and so on.
I found this stove (hob) which I think is too funky not to buy and the oven which goes with it, i am still contemplating purely based on the price of the oven, although it is pretty ... it is also pretty pricey. It is getting more real and more exciting because I know that the time is getting closer and closer to the day when I am handed the keys and my life of tight budgeting commences. Everyone says it will be worth the pain and worry ... I don't know if I believe them yet.
I have bought a great dish rack which can be mounted in a cupboard or on the wall, above the sink which will, quite nicely, house all my dishes and allow for a great natural, air-drying of all the crockery. It wasn't cheap but it is going to give ease of use / storage for all the plates and bowls - I hope.














The ultimate in bench savers is this wonderful josephjoseph fine striped glass number which will brighten up even the most dull of dull rooms.
It's everything but the kitchen sink - almost. There are 2 sinks I have been looking at in particular. I have my eye on a corner sink so as the draining board can actually be placed under the hot water service (boiler) which is in the corner of the kitchen. I will see if Stuart is able to build a cover for the boiler in the same materials as the kitchen so as it is hidden. I would like a sink that will not take up too much bench space, however, the flexibility to have 1 1/2 sinks would be great to then have the possibility to insert a food disposal unit in the 1/2 sink down the line would be great. The tap between the two is a little exciting - mixer taps are not the norm in England - so a little difference is always good medicine. It's all a little confusing to try and sort it out and then try and find the money to finance it all and still go on holidays.
The next step now is to try and work out how it will all fit in ... including trying to find room for a slim line dishwasher and of course decide where a washer / dryer can be installed. Maybe this will be installed in a clever way in the reverse fashion into the bathroom wall but access from the 'extended' eating / sitting area. The fridge / freezer will be on the opposite wall and set in flush with a right opening door.

January 2008 Progress - Solicitor Contact

Dear Jordi,

Happy New Year to you.

I have just received the draft contract from the Seller's Solrs so can now submit the searches. I am however still waiting for a copy of the Lease which is "to follow". I have your Mortgage Offer.

As soon as I have anything further to report I will contact you.

Regards

Rosemary

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