Verandah timber detail & rain!

We have had some beautiful rain in the past few weeks and everything is looking so much fresher and greener... we are very lucky.

Verandah

The verandah has really added a whole new dimension to the house as it shapes up. There is so much work involved and Dad is continuing to custom-build all of the decorative post infills... a big job! The timber work is beautiful and very special to be designed and built by Dad.

You can see the post infills in place below.

The below photo shows the new front entry shaping up. There will end up being a set of timber gates here, which the new front steps will lead to.

...and how beautiful was today's sunset? 

Here's the new front entry - looking from the front yard. The new central front door will be installed just near where that down pipe currently is. 

The below photo was taken on the southern end of the front verandah, looking north. 

Here is the front of the house, looking at the south western corner. The posts and infills on this side are next to be done. 

Garden

The garden is really 'smiling' after this rain and the Heaven Scent roses are smelling as heavenly as ever.

Don't frangipanis just remind you of Summer? :)

I have planted Creeping Fig along the base of the water tank which should work nicely to soften the overall look.

And how lucky am I!.. a gorgeous Cumquat tree from lovely friends :) 

This home and reno project really is bringing so much satisfaction and joy. I even had a lovely lady walk past the other day and comment that the project is also bringing much joy to the neighbourhood :)

Verandah timber detail

The verandah continues to progress with half of the posts and part of the balustrade detail now installed. 

Dad has designed these 'signature' balustrade panels which will be erected above all of the double post footings. Between each of these will then be a lower (handrail height) balustrade with criss-cross detail. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, the old timber and aluminum windows/doors will be replaced with solid timber french doors and windows along the side and front of the house. There will also be a roof over the verandah. 

Here it is again looking towards the west. Can't wait to set up those new cape cod chairs on the verandah once it's done! I can see lots of catch ups with family and friends on this verandah when it's ready to be christened :)

What a beautiful sunset today after the heat!

Here's a closer view of the timber detail. 

Just had to include this last photo... view of the jacaranda and bougainvillea from my backyard. Stunning.

Verandah floorboards complete

Dad has now finished the huge job of laying verandah floorboards - and it looks great! The front (western) side of the verandah is around 14 metres long, and it almost feels like longer again when you are standing on it! We are really pleased to have used the wider boards - it seems to do more justice to the space. 

Here is the northern side of the verandah with the boards down. The screen door to the left of the new french doors will be replaced with another matching french door (which will be fixed in place, with the top half opening as a window). The aluminum window in the middle of this photo will also be replaced with another french door...

Here is the northern side of the verandah - looking east towards the backyard. I have bought another pair of adirondack (cape cod) chairs which I'm looking forward to setting up out here...

Here is the front (western) side of the verandah. You can see the landing where the front steps will meet. Dad used narrower floorboards on the landing area as a feature to distinguish between the rest of the verandah. 

The central front door will end up being positioned where the down-pipe currently is. To the left of the front door will be a beautiful old large timber double-hung window. To the right of the front door will be a set of french doors, as well as a set of six old feature windows on the far end of the house. These windows will be re-used from the previous back flat...

Here is the front verandah - looking in the other direction to the south...

This photo shows the front verandah - looking from the south western corner of the house...

Here is the latest view of the house looking from the front of the driveway. I love the extra dimension that the verandah has already added - even before the posts, balustrades and roof are on.The jacaranda tree in the backyard is flowering.. I love this time of year...

Backyard bliss ...

Verandah floorboards & more hedging

The verandah is coming along really well and I can't believe how big it is going to be!

We decided to go with nice wide floorboards - to tie in with the scale of the verandah and it also seemed to be the most efficient option. The floorboards on the northern side are now done and it has already become a great place to sit. 

Part of northern floorboards done

All northern floorboards done 

I bought a couple of new Adirondack chairs the other day. I think they will be perfect out on the verandah :)

Meanwhile the western (front) verandah floorboards have started. It's a big job - almost 14 metres along the front!

Looking south along the front verandah

Looking north along the front verandah

You can also see here where the new front steps will be built in the middle of the front verandah. They will end up leading to a new solid timber front door, and the existing windows along the front will be replaced with solid timber french doors, an old large timber double-hung window and a set of three timber windows. 

New hedging

I have also planted a new hedge of 90 Buxus 'Faulkner' (a type of box hedge - the same as what was planted along the front fence). 

Spring!

... And Spring is here with the roses in full bloom again. 

... And a new pot of Petunias. 

 

Verandah joists, steps, sustainability & new plants

Very appropriate that this post is a Father's Day one - Happy Father's Day Dad :)

I'm well overdue for another blog post - not because of a lack of progress, but I just hadn't found the time since being back at work! There has been quite a lot happening over these past few weeks.

Verandah joists & removal of front landing

Dad has been busy installing the verandah  joists, and most of them are now in place. A big job considering how big the verandah will be! The former front landing has also been removed to allow for the new verandah to wrap around the northern side. 

Here's the old landing and front steps before they were removed...

And here it is after their removal...

Designing new front gates

The cast iron panels from the former landing will be repurposed into new gates for the front pedestrian entrance and driveway. The decorative panels wil be incorporated into steel frames and powdercoated black. It will be so special to retain another piece of the original house, and give it a fresh new purpose. On that note, there really isn't anything that is not being re-purposed or recycled as part of the renovation and extension project (unless it is useless). The sustainability value is excellent, and it is so special to retain the character and sentimentality into the future. It is also lovely to pay such homage to the past. 

New steps (x 2 sets)

Dad has converted the former front landing steps into two sets of new steps - one set for the southern side of the house (off the new laundry deck), and a second set off the deck at Nikki and Tony's new office. 

Here are the new steps which will eventually lead off the laundry drying deck on the southern side of the house...

And here are the new steps leading off Nikki and Tony's office deck...

So clever! :)

Spring planting

Spring has finally arrived and the garden is starting to take off again. I have planted a couple of new gardens in the past fortnight. 

These 'Jennifer Susan' camellias are the same variety as those I planted behind the roses last year (with a pale pink Autumn flower) . They'll end up forming a hedge along the northern fence - between the fence and the shed.. a little hard to see in this photo, but they should start growing well. 

I have also planted 90 'Buxus Faulkner' (box hedge) plants along the newly painted front fence. I love the look of greenery with white, and am really pleased with the result. I'll grow them to a low hedge around 40cm high.

Painted front fence & removal of old front carport

It has been a productive couple of weeks since I got home from Europe. 

Front fence

I have painted the first coat of the front fence and am now halfway through painting the back of the fence. I'm really enjoying the satisfaction that comes with watching your progress, and it has also been nice to receive comments from passers-by. 

Here's the first coat...

I love the refreshed black letterbox with its new criss-cross feature...

My plan is to plant a low dark green hedge along the front of the fence, probably during Springtime to give it a chance to establish a little before Summer. At this stage I'm thinking of Buxus Microphylla 'Faulkner' - hardy, with a low compact habit and a deeper green colour than others. I have always loved the look of white with greenery. 

New verandah battens finished

Dad has been busy finishing the decorative battens around the base of the new verandah and also removing the former front carport.. a big job!

The below photo shows the new verandah battens - along the front and northern side. I love the detail and the solidness of the post bases. I'm excited at the challenge of figuring out a planting scheme for along the base of the verandah. 

Here are the battens along the northern (driveway) side. 

Removal of former front carport

The former front carport has been removed in the last couple of days... it makes such a difference to the appearance of the house. 

Here is the carport 'pre-removal'...

During the removal process...

And here it is 'post-carport'...

The below photo shows the battens and detail which will sit below the new central front steps...

The removal of the carport has unearthed some great solid timber lengths which will be recycled/re-used as part of the new verandah :-)