Lots of Pine everywhere

Kids and I managed to get to the building site before the sun had gone down and took some photos of the framing stage.

So now we not only have the first floor framing done, but also the second floor is up. They only need to put up the roof trusses and then the framing is completed. Then I believe it's the guttering, roofing (and because we are getting colorbond it will be on pretty quickly too) and of course the windows. Then doors (front and garage) and then we will be locked out. :(

So this is what our build looks like in all its timber glory, This is the side of the house. See the opening (indent) on the ground floor- that's my large window of my beloved library!

This is what the front of the house looks like. Sorry I couldn't get the whole shot as I was too close. There's a fence behind me that prevents me from going further back.

Plantation Homes has not only been busy building our house with speed, but also they are building the house on the corner of our estate as well as our next door neigbour's house (see photo below) At least we will all completing our build around the same time- less noise, dust and construction traffic.

This is one of the most exciting stages of the build...to see your house dressed in all its timber finery! But I guess the character of the house truly reveals itself when all the colours come together...render, roof, garage, windows, guttering, and brick. I hope we managed to pick the right colours. If anyone has been through this process they know how difficult colour selection is, but I guess you won't know until you it is all put together. Any good or bad experiences friends with house colours?

The framing has started- much to our surprise

I received a call from our On-site Administrator advising that the frames had been delivered yesterday. So I thought I would drive past the house to make sure that they were definitely there. And GUESS WHAT? The frames have not only been delivered, but they have been erected too! So basically the first floor is fully up, with the second floor based started.

Unfortunately I wasn't prepared to see the frame up (thought they were erecting it next week!), so I did not bring my camera with me. So no photos today. But I will get there tomorrow, take plenty of snaps and upload them folks. Honestly Plantation Homes, you sure love to surprise us! Till tomorrow friends.

We've got slab!

Because we live so close to our build, we are there everyday to monitor its progress (and we've also got family all around who call us and update us often too). Hubby thought he saw a cement truck there this morning on his way to work and sure enough, by 5 pm today, the slab was all done. It's quite an exciting process as you can now start visualising the space. Mind you, the house always look so small at this stage in the build. And because we've got a H rating (highly reactive) for our soil test, our slab has had to be extra high; we don't mind the extra height. It could be great in terms of our landscaping. Anyhow here are some of the photos of the newly cured slab!

and all of downstairs with the garage facing you..

the opening is the doorway with the guest room on the left hand side and the lounge room on the right





Daydreaming about beautiful things

In the midst of my intense study schedule, surrounded by books, journal articles and the ever open computer screen, I daydream about beautiful things. And so in my short-lived escape I come across things I want in my house. Such as this pendant light over my dining room table.

As many of you know I love Moroccan lanterns; this inspired Moroccan look will go with all the accessories I have already. And as most of our lights are the energy saving downlights, I want the lights over the dining table to have that wow factor. I looked at chandeliers but soon realised that it just isn't our style. Gotta go with what you love. What do you guys think?

Inspiration and things that matter

From a young age, all I wanted was a home library. My dream house is a house in the hinterland, surrounded by lush trees with a masive library. I am not getting the "tree house" but I will be getting my library- to house all my beloved books and a place for me (of course others in the family are welcome to use this space too..wink wink HR) to reflect and ponder about life....ahhhh I am drooling already! We didn't have anymore space on our block to add a libray so we are are converting our media/theatre room into one.

I can't wait, but for now I can share with you rooms which inspire me...

Are you drooling with me? :) Can you feel the love?

That leather chair above looks both divine and comfortable- perfect for sitting down for hours, lost in the pages of a good book. Although I wouldn't mind owing the Egg Chair either; it's very cocoon-like.

 One thing I am definitely getting is a large antique map of the world. I want that on one of my walls. Any ideas where I can get one from here? Maybe even wallpaper???

Finally- Our colour selection

To take my mind off my ill grandma who I hope to see in a few days time, I will finally reveal our colour selection. DRUM ROLL please.......

While most blogs related to building a house starts at the very beginning with the purchase of land, then the initial contact with builder, plus the whole agonising period of the colour selection this blog as many of you know is different; ok, it's late. We have commenced our build (last week) and we should have the slab on by next week- weather permitting of course. So I am behind I realise, so without further ado people here it is:

House: Plantation Homes Eclipse Q1 (double story) Miller Facade

External Colours

Roof: Colourbond Evening Haze
Guttering and Fascia: Monument
Windows: Monument (grey tinting/plus double glazing as we have to abide by Main Roads Acoustic regulations)
Garage-Evening Haze Slimline
Front Door: Canyon Black (which is similar to graphite/charcoal grey) in Madison Translucent
Render: Taubman's Field Stone
Feature Render: Taubmans's Canyon Black
Architectural Cladding- James Hardia Linea Horizontal Cladding in Taubman's Field Stone
Bricks: PGH Old Teak
Timber Bi-Fold Staker Doors: Hardwood Timber Stain in Dulux Rich Chocolate

Render Colour: Taubmans Field Stone

Internal Colours

Internal Wall- all Tan Aura
Feature Wall Colour- Ruby Rose behind glass splashback and in two niches (in the same area facing kitchen)
Ceiling- Builders White
Internal Doors- downstairs- Stained Timber Doors (Translucent)

Internal Wall Colour: Tan Aura

Bathroom Colours


Walls: Tan Aura
Kids Bathrooms:
Vanity Top: Quantum Riverstone
Cupboards: Formica Warm White Gloss Finish
Main Floor Tile: Technico Beige
Wall Tiles: Gloss Ivory
Feature Tiles: Listello Chess Beige
Basin: Square Basin

Guest Ensuite:
Vanity: Quantum Riverstone
Cupboard: Formica Warm White Gloss Finish
Main Floor Tile: Technico Beige
Wall Tiles: Gloss Ivory
Feature Tiles: Listello Chess Chocolate
Basin: Pearl Round

Main Ensuite: dark and dramatic (like us!)
Vanity: Quantum Quartz Tornado (grey)
Cupboards: Formica Warm White Gloss Finish
Main Floor Tiles: Technico Charcoal
Wall Tiles: Linea Grey
Feature Tiles: Listello Chess Charcoal
Basin: Pearl Round

Laundry Colours

Bench: Laminex Diamond Gloss Finish Tofee Mineralstone
Cupboards: Stipple Hemp
Floor Tiles: Technico Beige
Wall Tiles: Gloss Ivory

Big sigh..wow that was a huge list. But I think that is it folks. Let me know if I have missed anything!

Can't Keep Up

Well folks, I simply can't keep up with Plantation Homes; they sure know how to move quickly. Last Friday I mentioned that we will be getting a call from our SS to let us know when they will be commencing the build. Well three days later, they cleared, cut and levelled the block and yesterday they put the drainage in. So now it's just a matter of waiting for council to come out and approve all that and weather permitting we should have a slab down by mid-next week. And I have yet to fully update this blog.......will get there people. Maybe tonight after Grey's Anatomy....

Anyhow here are the latest photos from our site- The kids having a feel for the house.

And Amira in my favourite part of the house- the kitchen.

Hopefully the next post will cover the colour selection.

All Fenced In

My mother-in-law called me today to advise that they have fenced in our block. Despite all of our protests, they have gone with the Temporary Fencing (at our expense) to cover their health and occupational safety regulations because there is a lot of people traffic where we are building. All around us are display homes. We didn't think it was necessary, but we couldn't convince the builders otherwise. Anyhow here is our block of land- all fenced in:

Amira peering in....

And now the markings for the drainage which is scheduled for tomorrow, weather permitting.

The SS called me today to introduce himself and to advise what is happening in the next few weeks. We had a really good chat and he sounds very keen to keep an open communication with us. Weather permitting, we may have a slab by the end of next week and the frame started by the first week of March. So it looks like it is all happening....and so quick too. I can hardly catch my breath.

All cut and ready to go

We've got news!

I didn't think I would have anything to report on the progress of the block for a few weeks, but driving by the block with a friend after a meeting, I noticed  that the block has been cleared of the grass and cut. YES, work on the block has begun!!! Our block was a near perfect level block; hence, all they had to do was scrape a teeny weeny bit off.

Now the next step is to make contact with the Site Supervisor (though I thought he would have contacted us to advise that our block was going to be cut today) and then the slab.

It's all happening people. And I have yet to update everyone on the colour selection....another post for another day. Back to my studies now!

Catching Up

So I am supposed to working on my PhD, but alas updating this blog is well...more fun! I won't be able to update everyone on the entire list of colour selection today, but I can go through some aspects related to the kitchen- of course the ultimate room in the house.

I have included a photo of the kitchen below. I absolutely LOVE this kitchen. It has a huge, stone island bench, plenty of storage space and a massive gas oven. And as a splurge, I have included another wall oven- so that I can cook a million things at once. AND, the kitchen inclues a butler's pantry, with stone benchtop and another sink. So that when my parents come and stay for an extended period of time, she and I will have plenty of room to work in and move around.

The layout is exactly the same, but the colours are going to be different. The glass splashback will be ruby red (actual name Claret) and we are going with the glass rangehood.

So here is the display kitchen:

And imagine it with these colours:

The benchtop is Quantam Quartz Everest, the cupboards is Laminex Burnished Wood (natural finish) and the glass splashback is Claret.

Although I like the clean, minimalist look of the 'all white' kitchen, it just isn't me. The kitchen colours I have chosen are inspired by my love of Asian decor, the vibrancy and warmth (yet minimalism) of Zen interiors. And with the stainless steel appliances, I think it will look pretty sleek.

Besides, I won't have to buy new accessories to decorate as I have quite a number of Asian inspired red lacquered vases, candle holders, cushions etc to complement the new interiors.

Hubby is hesitant about the claret splashback, wanting something more tame, but this was the one thingI wasn't willing to compromise. And as I spend more time in the kitchen than he does, I win!

As I have yet to see the claret splashback in a display kitchen (or in anyone kitchen, for that matter), I am hoping it will turn out. .

This is what I am envisioning...

Fingers cross everyone!

Better Late Than Never

Hello everyone!

We had intended to start this blog 7 months ago when we first decided to build again- for the third time. Unfortunately hubby and I are both extremely busy people; hence that intention never eventuated.

However, as the popular saying goes "better late than never". And as we hope this is the last time we build, we would like to chronicle our experience and share this with family and friends (especially for those overseas).

So where to begin- Unlike most people, we found our "dream" house plans first, and then had to find the block of land to fit. Although we are building a double story, the downstairs area is massive and we had to find a frontage of at least 19 sq meters and at least 30 sq meters long. It was a huge effort to finally find that "perfect block" but we found it.

We chose to go with Plantation Homes (Henley Properties in other states) simply because they had the plans we wanted and were willing to accommodate all of our changes. And for what we were getting, we felt we were definitely getting value for our money.

And we are building the Eclipse Q1.
Eclipse Home Floor Plans

We made a few changes to the original floor plan. One of major changes was to convert the proposed study into a guest bedroom with en-suite. We also extended the room to make it comfortable for those staying in it. We also went with quite a number of "extras" as per the display home. This is our last build we hope, so why not splurge a bit, eh?

So where are we at now? Well, we are weeks away from the commencement of our earthworks. We have received advice from our Contract Administrator (who is fabulous btw) that our file has been picked up by our site supervisor who will call us sometime next week to introduce himself. He will also advise us of our start date. This is so exciting!!!

Ok so to catch up-

These are our front elevation with facade plans.


We'll detail our colour selection in the next few days.

We can't wait to see our dream house. Have a great weekend everyone!