While the dogs waited patiently outside....

Bonnie

...and Larry

...we all had a parquet party!

...well, of sorts. A couple of glasses of wine anyway!

You see. Eight months down the line...

...the Hunter's finally have a floor! 

And a lovely one at that! Big cheers all round!

I'm sure mum and dad would agree the hours and hours spent cleaning blocks were worth it!

A few cheeky bits of rogue timber have revealed themselves...

but it all adds to the character I think!

It's amazing to see all the different shades to the timber.

Just one more fine sanding...

...and a final protective layer and it'll be job done. Here's to another hundred years parquet!

Change of heart

Mum had a sample of this wallpaper delivered and loves it.

You may see it making an appearance in the master bedroom , that is unless she falls for another of their gorgeous papers in the meantime!

Image: via Skona Hem

Decision made

Farrow and Ball's Charleston Gray

No.243

The bar wall will be painted in this colour. When we say 'bar' wall...we mean the wall next to the hob which dad will prop up, beer in hand whilst mum cooks no doubt!!!!

Colour Palette

This image, taken from the portfolio of American interior designer Kelly Wearstler,  is what will most likely form the basis of the colour scheme in the lounge and throughout the dining area.

A lovely combination of Chartreuse, for the chair perhaps...

dashes of Lilac...

greys...

and varying shades of turquoise and teal.

Mum and I are looking at fabrics this weekend. Will let you know our findings. x

Images (from top) via: KWID, Urban Outfitters, Alkemie, Graham & Green,  Biz Bash, Apartment Therapy

A little colour to end the day

Some lovely fabrics picked out by mum arrived in the post and I'm sure they'll be turned into some scatter cushions very soon!

Today is Victor day!!!

...because this is how we're feeling!

Yes, we're G.R.U.M.P.Y with a huge big capital G!!! 

To add to the list of 'things carried out by other people which have gone wrong,' the bedroom shutters now don't fit! Yes, you were meant to be looking at a lovely picture of the master bedroom in all it's new shutters glory and now I'm afraid all you get is a picture of Victor Meldrew - sorry! 

Harumpffff!

I'm sure this will catch on!!

If you can't decide between curtains, venetians, rollers or shutters, just opt for bubble wrap like mum! 

Ingenious!

32 Years!!!

Can I just say, before it turns Friday (we've been at Nanna's) a very Happy Anniversary to my lovely mum and dad.

I think you're pretty damn special!

To have put up with living apart for at least a year, then living together in a teeny weeny mews house....then scraping bitumen of soddin' parquet blocks for hours on end (without ripping each other's heads off)...I think that's pretty good going, don't you?!

I'm really really proud of you both and couldn't wish for better parents.

Love you. ya bairn. xxx

Sunday sneak peek

Ok, so I've been lazy on the photo front this weekend. 

I did actually pay a visit to the house yesterday to see the finished bathroom...(when I say finished, I mean the sanitaryware is now plumbed in - wallpaper to be added!) and I did take pictures, but I decided I'd post all the pictures tomorrow as I've been shopping and cooking for my lovely friend Ange today! Instead, I thought I'd show you the cushions mum bought this morning for her bedroom. They're super nice (well we think so don't we mum?!)

The makings of a bathroom

Give yourself a big pat on the back dad!

I think he's done a darn good job, don't you?

The next stage is to seal it which will darken the slate down, but you get the idea!

Dad looking for his screwdriver (again!!)

Oh, and the newly fitted wardrobes...how did I forget?!

I'm not usually one for fitted wardrobes as such, but with a few omissions (ie. handles!) and 

a nice choice of materials, I think these have turned out great. Well done mum!

They just tuck nicely into the corner of the room so leave plenty of space for other furniture.

Oh, and this is mum and dad's pile of timber flooring...

...actually there's more!

I'm sure there will be an entire two weeks worth of posts devoted to this parquet once we start looking to scrape, lay, sand, brush and oil the flooring...phew, I'm tired just thinking about it! 

Dad the project manager.

Lots happened today...

more plastering...

soil vent piping (!!)...

and this finally arrived...

...definitely looking lonely without it's worktop!

Dad prayed that the madness would end soon!..

and found gathering his tools quite therapeutic!

...but this had to happen really didn't it?! After all...he did break that mirror! 

Oh, not forgetting mum's 'boob' incident yesterday too! I won't subject you to the image but let's just say landing on them after falling off the top of a stepladder does not a pretty pair make!

Saturday sneak peeks

Mum and I went tile shopping this morning! Main bathroom...check.

...and this is being delivered in a week's time. Can't wait!

We sourced this reclaimed hardwood parquet flooring and thought it would look great throughout the ground floor...you don't even need to spend hours cleaning it, or laying it....all you do is close your eyes and POOF...it's all done! Brilliant!

Good Friday...

started well!

Dad started by whitewashing the walls...what a difference!

Mum revved up the new steamer (the sofa's temporary!!)

ooh...look at it go!

she loves it!

no...really loves it!!!

then...shock horror...THIS happened!

yes...that's me, UPSTAIRS!

can I just say, in my defence...

a) this obviously happened because of the 'mirror' incident!

b) I was being distracted by a conversation about wallpaper!

c) who left the bloomin' hole uncovered?!!!

 o.k, so I totally and utterly jinxed myself by writing that last post!