As part of a new blog series we will be revisiting some of our previous projects to get a feel for how our clients have settled in to their spaces and what their thoughts are a few years on from project completion.
This month we are featuring this impressive Floreat project we completed 6 yrs ago which involved a complete renovation of a 1950’s cottage with a large modern extension added at the back of the home. For project images please see the portfolio page here.
I love my food preparation area and the breakfast bar facing it. The kids all eat their breakfast there in the morning and it is so convenient cooking up eggs on toast and then sliding it over the breakfast bar to them. On the weekend, Steve will prop up with a drink and decompress the week that was whilst I prepare dinner. That area is definitely conducive for creating family moments.
Yes I am very happy with the design choices we made. We installed our new kitchen around the time our third child turned 1… and 6 years down the track our kitchen looks just as good as the day it was installed. The cabinetry finishes are timeless. I do think Italian design has a way of transcending time as our kitchen still looks like something you would design and install today!
Yes, when we have friends and family over, they tend to gravitate to the kitchen. As there is such a large breakfast bar and benchtop area, it lends itself to people milling around enjoying food and chatting. It is a great design as I can easily keep preparing food and not be removed from the conversation. It means that when I am choosing things to cook I am not restricted to things that require minimal effort as can invest the time in cooking whilst still being social.
I like to serve food at the large benchtop area opposite the dining table. When I am entertaining, it is a great space for setting out food for guests.
The quality of our Italian kitchen cabinetry is faultless. It has handled the wear and tear of a hectic young family with the grace and style you would expect from an Italian product.
I know renovations are stressful as I have been a passive bystander to many and also done a handful myself with Steve. However, the one we embarked on as owner builders almost 7 years ago now was not at all stressful. I think some of the reasons for this were that:
I think what is also essential is having the right mindset. Buildings are built by people and therefore human errors are inevitable, even with the best tradespeople. The best bricklayer can have a bad day and build a wall slightly off, which in turn has knock on effects that just need to be managed, these kind of quirks happen at all stages of any build. It is how you create work arounds for those errors or quirks of a job that really determines how stressful the renovation becomes. You need to have a flexible mindset and know that the end result will be as you intend even if the journey there requires a bit of creative problem solving.
We’d like to thank our clients for allowing us to review their renovations and for answering these questions so openly. We hope you find this information helpful for planning any new projects.
Be sure to visit our new showroom when it opens in mid July at 156 Onslow Rd, Shenton Park or give us a call on (08) 6101 1190.
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