House Renovation. One Year On. 28.07.12

Here's the front of the house on Thursday the 28th of July 2011. Notice we have no front door, just a couple of pieces of wood to keep the elements and the undesirables out.

And here's the front of the house today, Saturday 28th July 2012. We have a front door - aren't we posh?! We have a name plate; hubby has planted some lovely 'cottage garden' flowers in the bed under the window, plus his Father's Day wisteria is there too and is finally starting to grow - perhaps one day the front of the house will be dripping with gorgeous purple flowers.

 Here's the chimney breast and fireplace in the snug; freshly plastered and looking good on Thursday the 28th of July 2011, although the opening for the fire itself looks tiny.

And here it is today, Saturday the 28th of July 2012. Painted and with a hearth, but lacking a fire surround. Still, that doesn't stop us using the fire when its chilly - such a lovely thing to be able to sit in front of an open fire warming ones tootsies.

This is the opposite corner of the snug with another freshly plastered wall on Thursday 28th July 2011. Is it just me, or is there something very strokeable about fresh plaster? It's so smooth and lovely, it makes me want to stand and lay my cheek (on my face - in case you were wondering) against it; very tempting to leave it just like that.

 But instead we painted the plaster and stuck furniture in the room; I'm not so tempted to lay my cheeks (either pair) against the walls now.

More fresh plaster, this time on the ceiling in the hallway, on Thursday 28th July 2011.

 Looking better this year with freshly painted walls and a new blind at the window. And notice the lovely sunflower which hubby grew in his greenhouse.

 Here are the new doors fitted on the spare room (to the left) and the bathroom (to the right) on Thursday the 28th of July 2011. When I first saw these doors in situ I thought they had a look of prison cell doors about them - all they need is a little metal slot cut in the middle where food trays can be pushed through and HM Hinton is ready for busy.

And here are the prison cell doors today, Saturday the 28th of July 2012. Actually, I rather like these doors now - they're very bright and a little bit interesting without being too 'in your face'. They're looking a little in this photo as they've now been glossed; notice also how much nicer the bannisters look since they were painted bright white.

Here's the lovely plastered wall and new door in the bathroom on Thursday 28th July 2011.

And the same space one year on - the shower and bath are fitted, the tiles are on, the walls are painted, we have a door handle (very useful if you don't want to be the old maid who got stuck in the lavatory) and even a hook on the door for dressing gowns, etc.

Ahh, another freshly-plastered wall; this time in DC's room, plus his new door.

And the same spot one year on. Looing a lot more like a little boy's room now.

More fresh plaster; do you see a theme developing here? Yep, looks like this was the day that the plastering got done back in July 2011.

The same spot today; much brighter and a toilet seat too - fancy or what?!

 Here's hubby trying out the platform that the plasterers erected back in July 2011 to make it easier for them to plaster the ceiling in the open plan area downstairs. You can see why they would do it that way - imagine having to get up and down the stepladders otherwise?!

 Here's the same room today, with the London Olympics on in the background!

 And the other corner of the room, with the plastering platform in place, on Thursday 28th July 2011.

 And here's that corner of the room today; perhaps we could do with the plastering platform to cover the mess... Quite honestly, it really does look like an explosion in a toy shop in this photo; it doesn't look quite so bad in reality, but it's not far off.

This is the view from the rear garage door, looking out into the garden on Thursday 28th July 2011.

 And the same view today, Saturday the 28th of July 2012. Looks a little tidier now, doesn't it?! And the paddling pool shows just how good the weather has been for the past few days.

 And finally, the back of the house on Thursday the 28th of July 2011. Nice pile of rubble in place of a patio.

And the same view today, Saturday 28th July 2012. Taken from under the shade of a parasol because it really has been that hot! The rubble has been replaced by a proper patio so things are looking a little tidier out back.