Facade Tiles!!!! Eco Alabster Grigio Lappato Porcelain

I have definitely been in love with a lot of things in this build but this one has really got my heart racing. You know how a cat (I'm not a cat person at all, in-fact I kind of detest them...!! sorry cat lovers) anyway, you know how a cat rubs up against something and it's tail lifts up and it gets all warm and fuzzy, well that is how I feel when I see our facade tile!! I just want to run up to them and touch them and purr!!! I'm so happy with our facade and our colour choices. When you choose your colour selections, it's so hard to envisage it all. We didn't want anything over the top or something that would date. We decided that warm neutral colours would be the best. We feel like the render colours have come up really well. They are light but with enough contrast and variation and I love that the tiles almost match the Hog Bristle Half render colour. They don't stand out but because of their colour variation and look/feel are a sutble feature without being in your face! That is what we were hoping for anyway - everyone obviously has a different taste, but we are super happy with it all!

Facade - Hardwick
Render - Dulux Hog Bristle Half (sandy)
 - Dulux BedBox (brown)
Tiles - Eco Alabaster Grigio Lappato Porcelain
Grout - Travertine
Front Doors - Corinthian Win21 - stained in Rich Walnut
Garage Door - Decowood Bush Cherry
Roof/fascia/downpipes - Colourbond Woodland Grey

Tile Beginning!

Slowly Growing

Loving the Tile Variation

The tiler has done a great job at making sure the tiles are layed with the greatest of variation. We opened a box of tiles to see what they looked like and a lot looked to have a similar pattern, but on the pier they all look so varied and different. LOVE THEM!

Finished Tiles!

Up Close and Personal

Tiles also have metal trim

Oh so Close

Window Infills

I was a little snowed under last week so this is an update that actually occurred last Thursday, the day before our PCI. I was really happy to drive past and see two A & L Window trucks there working away at the windows and doors. They put all (3 missing) infills in, which have been a fairly big part of our journey and I'm so happy to say that I love them!! Of course, I would prefer they weren't there but they actually suit the boutique windows and really finish it all off. We were able to insulate these so we hope this maximises the double glazing. There were also other parts of the windows and doors that were cleaned and replaced, including foot plates, brushes to doors and cleaning out (most) of the mud and dirt from the tracks. 

Here they are;

Window Infills 

Above Dining Room Doors

Above Laundry Door - this is probably the largest

Study Window

Fixed Lounge Window

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

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  

3 Steps Forward, 2 Steps Back.

At the moment if feels like we are taking a few steps forward, only to find other things that need to be done or followed up that takes us backwards! Last week was a really quiet week. Most of what our SS told us would be done, wasn't and things that have been done have either only half been done or are now affecting other things that need to be done.

Termite Protection is now Complete! 

Tick that one off the list!

On Friday the plumbers were there connecting all the downpipes to the drainage points. This is great, except that the downpipes on the facade and sides have yet to have the coloured render applied....... The downpipes were lengthened earlier in the week and they thoughtfully only tacked the brackets onto these areas as it was obvious they would need to be taken off. A week goes by (without renderers) and they need to connect them into the pipework below and now they seem somewhat permanent... Wonder what will happen here (they will be coming off!!!) 

It's great to have the downpipes on so that the rain isn't pooling around the sides of the house. They were put on just in time for the warm weather!

Lots of pipes and unknown drainage points!

This one is out the front and has a different capping to the others - sure to find out more during the week.

This point looks like drainage to clear off excess surface water. It is oh so close to where the concrete for the driveway will be. Maybe you concrete it in to the area to help runoff? 

You can see it's position on the edge of the crossover

The painters were there today. When we went past they were staining the trim (architrave) of the front doors. We thought the stairs may also have been done (as our SS said it may be done last week). The front door architraves were done, but not the actual doors, the alfreco ceiling was painted, but not the small eves at the side of the alfresco, the garage wall that was re-plastered was painted, but not the walls inside that had been patched..... 2 steps forward, 1 step back..... 

Alfresco Ceiling

Garage Wall Painted

Garage Eave Painted

Upstairs Bath Delivered (sitting in the study here)

Tapware on Ensuite Spa Bath

except it's the wrong spout.... (It actually hasn't been connected properly so we think they are aware this is the wrong one.  

I took this photo today because I absolutely love these doors! Sometimes you don't want to lose sight of the amazing things by getting bogged down in the things that no doubt will work themselves out in the end! Looking forward to many dinner parties looking through these babies!!