Deluxe Staircase Stained Walnut

Our staircase has had it's staining done!! They are not yet finished. The risers still need further coats of white paint (Dulux Lexicon Quarter) - stairs are stained in 'Cabot's Walnut Stain'(We're not sure if the staining/lacquer is finished yet). There are parts that still need a tidy up. They look really different! I was kind of used to the way they looked in their raw state! It's great to see the colour and with the doors in the same stain, they are tying in really nicely. We had a look at a photo of our flooring that will go down after handover (QLD Spotted Gum) and we think the colours in the timber will match well. Just hoping that they both do each other justice in their own right! 

Stained in Walnut - and lovely and dusty...

Not the worlds best photography - only had my phone

Halfway - Looking Down

Stainless Steel Balusters with Double Handrail

Matching Front Doors - Stained in Rich Walnut

Similar Colour of Flooring (hopefully) - QLD Spotted Gum

Hog Bristle Half Render

It has definitely been a monumental day today. Our coloured render has started!! I've said before that I have been a little nervous about our colour choices on the facade. They were one area that we weren't 100% sure about when we went through our colour selection and took on the guidance of the colour consultant. Render sample look so different to colour swatches too. So I have been looking at our colour swatches lately with a hit of hesitation. So whcen I went past today and saw the colour I was so excited! It's great! We wanted a nice sandy colour without being too white and it's just that. The main render is Dulux Hog Bristle Half. Our second render colour is Dulux Bedbox - which will be part of the small piers and beam - they have done a minor part of this colour today too and it's great to see them together. Feeling so happy and proud of our baby; Nelson!!! Facade colours are a HUGE choice - it's not something you can hide and its not a cheap option to change either. 

Render - Dulux Hog Bristle Half

The render on the small beam under the portico is

- Dulux Bedbox

Dulux Bedbox render on the beams (far pier will also be this colour render - brick pier will be tiles)

Close up of colours together - (not finished)

Garage hasn't been done yet! - It will also be Dulux Hog Bristle Half

Side of House

Looking Forward to Tomorrow!

Garage door was also painted - Hog Bristle Half 

We had this door extended to 920mm so you could get through with a wheelbarrow a little more comfortably without skinning your knuckles!!

Alfresco Beams Painted - Dulux Hog Bristle Half

It's amazing how much more 'finished' this area feels, being painted.  

Metre Box Painted - Woodland Grey

(Not sure why they don't just supply the metre cox in the colourbond colour you pick - it will no doubt chip a bit being a metal opening door - every build seems to be the same - standard Jasper when delivered)

Drainage Pipes Painted - Woodland Grey

Didn't expect these to be done - nice touch Carlisle!!

Sneak Peak at the Stairs!!!

There will definitely be more photos to come when I can sneak in - (tomorrow!!) 

Bath Must be In!!

I wasn't sure I was looking in the right house at first as the kitchen bench actually looked a little clean - I had to do a double take - what a special day today is!!! 

Lights, Camera, Action - Electrical Light Up!!

Photo overload today!! Yesterday when we went past we were lucky enough to get inside as one of the doors had been left unlocked. We made the most of the opportunity! As well as taking lots of photos and having the freedom to have a careful look around, the main reason I wanted to get inside this week was to give the floors a good clean. The carpet will be close to going down and the floors are sooooooo dusty and dirty. You would assume that the floors would be vacuumed cleaned beforehand but I honestly don't trust they would be. The painters had swept the dirt away from the bottom of the staircase but it all sat 30cm away and would surely end up all through the house again. I actually took our old vacuum and started upstairs. It was quite a scene. Within 3 minutes of vacuuming the dust was pouring out the end of the vacuum and the room was thick of dust - I opened every window in a mad panic as it looked like smoke and the last thing I needed was the fire brigade turning up to a dust storm!! So instead, I attacked it all with a broom, brush and shovel. It was much cleaner (took a lot longer) and I opened the back and front doors which limited any dust. It's spotless now! By the time I finished sweeping, darkness had crept in. So I tested out all the lights! It was definitely a goose-bump moment!! It looks like a real house, like a house you would really live in!!! We were really surprised with the brightness of the downlights too. We had excepted that we may need to change most of the globes over to brighter ones once we moved in but they are great!! The photos don't really show the true effect of them - in real life is even better!  

Looking Through the Front Doors

Down the Hall (forgot to turn the bulkhead lights on)

(Dust Free Floors!!)

Stair Lights (with hall lights on)

Stair Lights Only - LOVE THESE!

Study - this room is super bright

Theatre Room

Downstairs Powder Room

Ensuite

Looking the Other Way Down the Hall

Kitchen - only had these ones on for a split second as even the dangling ones were working!

Clean Floors!!

Lounge Room

Laundry

Upstairs Activity Room

Upstairs Bathroom 

Upstairs Powder Room

Balcony Tiles, Deluxe Staircase Staining and More Jobs Off the List!

It was great to get into the house yesterday and see that not only was the balcony tiled, but it had also been grouted! 

Tile - Lifestyle Charcoal Textured 400 x 400 (standard)

Grout - Charred Ash (should be darker looking than it appears but it hasn't been cleaned yet)

Paining works continued yesterday (and again today). The painters were adding silicone along the weatherboards and doing some other exterior paint touch ups. The front doors had their second coat of stain and we are so excited to know that the stain on the stairs has started!!!!!

Front Doors - Cabots Rich Walnut

Stairs Cleaned and Ready For Staining Today

Staining Began on the Staircase Handrail Yesterday

More Tiling Works

Now that the spa bath has been installed, the tiles on the wall (back left) and the front (centre) tile have been completed - they haven't been grouted yet 

With the window in the shower finally in, the tiles were able to be finished 

An extra row of tiles has also been added to the bathroom shower - we think this is due to the height of the showerhead

Theatre Room Reveals Replaced

One was replaced last week and the remaining ones have since been done - yay!

The ensuite bath tap has the incorrect tap so when we go in yesterday and went upstairs it was interesting to see that the bath tap is different, but also wrong!!

Incorrect Tap!

The painters have been using one of the back taps and it is now constantly dripping - note to self! 

Need to check the height of our timber flooring as this part of the wall looks like it might need fixing as it will still be exposed

Portable Scaffold Delivery

We assume this is in readiness for rendering the facade and the tiles 

Facade Tiles

Eco Alabaster Grigio Lappato