Let it Snow - Let it Snow - Let it Snow

Well I am off on holidays for the next 3 weeks so I have been frantically trying to train the temp how to use outlook and how to book a meeting - so much for complicated cost spreadsheets and formatting hundred page reports - I am stuck explaining what IT is and how to use an internal envelope to a woman who's resume said she was an experienced professional who had 20 years of project office experience.

The good news is Falls Creek has finally started snowing - and boy is it snowing - a lovely white blanket over the whole town making it look pretty and white and perfectly ski'able.

Anyways - enough holidays and more kitchens. I am unsure if I am going to get a chance to blog while away so I thought i would post my kitchen now and then when I get back my sample tiles should have arrived and I can focus on bathrooms.

But my kitchen - The benches are all this lovely Laminate by Polytech called Truffle Lini - Finegrain. Its textured and delicious and I cant wait for my lovely sample to arrive.

The top is Alpine White by Quantum Quartz - I was surprised at just how many colour choices the Quantum Quartz had and although I was firmly in the ceasarstone court I have since converted to Quantum Quartz.

Finally my splashback is a product called from 3-form made from at least 40% post industrial recycled material - it cant go behind my stove but I will be using stainless there for contrast. Oh and the particular design I picked is Thicket Raven.

So overall my kitchen is going to be predominantly dark but I think the stark white tops with waterfall edges should life it and make it warm and inviting.... I hope. I am hoping to have invisible handles - so the stainless steel groove at the top of the doors and draws but haven't discussed this yet with the builder.

Feeling Torn

Does anyone else ever feel that there is to much to do and not enough.... stretch.

We want to travel, always have and there is a list of destinations we are dying to see before we settle down and have kids.

1. Antarctica

2. China

3. Japan

4. Egypt

5. Europe

6. Re-visit Canada

Now here is the thing, there is an amazing deal on at the moment for Antarctica. Its still really expensive but usually you are looking at anywhere between $15,000 and 25,000 per person to travel there, this deal is between $4,000 and $6,500 per person. So I want to go. Like really really want to go but when I do the figures its still up around $20,000. That is huge, I understand that's huge but its something I really really want and maybe I can just stretch the budget just a little bit to get it.

Why do we have to choose, why does everything have to be so expensive and why does it seem there is such a limited amount of time to fit it all in. Realistically I need to think about kids in the next 4 years..... as my grandmother keeps on saying "I'm not getting any younger" but how am I supposed to fit building a house and ticking all the travel boxes.

Ultimately - I feel stretched and it sucks!

More Inspiration

Well continuing on the road to picking my colours / finishes.

I am thinking downstairs now and have, I think, sorted out the guest bathroom, its going to be a bit more glamorous than upstairs with mirror and stainless steal and maybe something sparkly tile wise for the hidden shower. As for the outside powder room I am just going to wait until I am in the tile shop because I have no clue where to start there.

Laundry is done, I am going for whites and creams, god knows why but I want a pretty white laundry. I don't think it will help me want to spend more time in there but .... that's what I want.

Frontage Colour Dramas

Picking the colours for the front of your house is hard - really hard. Especially as this is not something you can just paint over in a weekend, this is it for us, this is what we are going to be looking at every time we pull into our driveway for the next 10 years...... so I found a picture which I love (look to the right of the boards). You can also see I have put together a little colour palette which I am going to try and stick to, and then there is my feature brick which I think I will be replicating up the top on that feature section on the second floor instead of the limestone option...... The big question is, which one do I pick, three options so close and yet so different. I am leaning towards Option One because it seems darker and almost more welcoming but I am still undecided.

Option One

Option Two

Option Three

Oh I should note that the colour Mystery Green isnt actually called Mystery Green - that is just the colour that we like and are unsure of the name just yet - hence its a mystery green....

Bathroom Inspiration Boards

Well I have made a start on my inspiration boards - my ensuite is easy - I want dark and luxurious with a little bit of an overseas influence but I dont want to narrow it down to - Asian or Morrocan, just lots of interesting details that hint at it.

The main bathroom upstairs was a bit harder - It for kids so it has to be simple clean lines, but I dont know which was I am going to go......

Option One - Light colours with limestone and beiges and chocolates

Option Two - More grey tones - colder but possibly a bit easier to keep clean for kids?