Further progress on new living area and laundry

We are enjoying the Summer months with the verandah in place.  It's so great to open the house up in this warm weather and enjoy the cool breezes flowing through the house. 

I have planted a row of agapanthus along the front of the house, which in time, will add a dense greenery in front of the white verandah batons.
 

We enjoyed Christmas afternoon and evening on the new verandah and the old trestle table is working beautifully for all the entertaining that happens at this time of year.

 

The ornamental pear trees that I planted along the northern side are thriving, and add a little extra privacy and greenery.

 

 

 

The sun seems to cast such interesting shadows thanks to the detail of the balustrade.

 

 

 

New Living area
Dad continues to make great progress on the new living area and laundry.  It really is hard to believe that this major renovation is being undertaken by one man!

Here you can see the back of the house with the new extension taking shape on the southern (left) side.  The large picture window is part of the living area, which adjoins the existing kitchen and dining area at the back of the house.  We were grateful for some help from lovely neighbours June and Matt when this window was installed.

 

Here is a closer view of the living area - ready for the weatherboards to be added.  In keeping with the sustainability of this project, Dad is re-using weatherboards that were removed from other parts of the house.

 

Below is the interior of the living area, looking towards the south eastern corner that looks out to the greenery.

 

 

 

The new laundry is located on the western side of the living area.  You can see below it has a French door on the western wall, which will lead to a new drying deck with steps to the clothesline.  It will have a long high window above the laundry tub, which will look out to the greenery on the southern side.

 

 

The below image was taken from the front verandah, looking back towards the new laundry and living area.  Eventually, this whole side of the house will be extended out to where you can see the

piers in the ground.  It will house a new ensuite and walk-in-robe, which will adjoin a new master bedroom.

 

Here is the southern side of the house, with the extension in view at the back.

 

 

 

Front door
I received a Magnolia 'Little Gem' for Christmas which I have planted next to the front door in my painted planter box.
 

 

 

It's such a great time of year to be enjoying working on the house and garden.

 

 

Summer blooms and framing up of new living area and laundry

Summer blooms

Summer has well and truly arrived, and the garden is enjoying the rain from Summer storms.  The gardenias, roses and hydrangeas are all thriving.

 

 

 

 

Framing up of new living area
Dad has now framed up the walls and roof trusses of the new living area on the south-eastern corner of the house.  The photo below shows the new eastern wall of the living room extension, incorporating a large picture window.



 

 

The photo below was taken inside the new living area, looking towards (what will be) the south eastern corner of the room.  This room will look out onto the private backyard greenery, and I am also hoping to plant Hydrangeas directly outside these windows once the extension is complete.

 

 

 

This photo shows the inside of the new living room, taken looking through the southern window.  The wall and two doors on the opposite side of this room will eventually be removed, which will result in an open plan living area, kitchen and dining room.

 

 

 

Below is the new dining room which Dad converted at the start of this renovation (it was previously the kitchen of the back flat).  The wall and two doors on the left of this photo will be removed to make way for the new living area.

 

 

 

Again, you can see the wall/doors which will be removed below - soon to provide a fresh open plan kitchen and living zone.

 

  

 

Here is the back of the house (looking west), with the extension on the southern side of the house.  The (old) back laundry and carport will eventually be removed to make way for a back deck.

 

  

New laundry

Dad has also started framing up the new laundry, which is located adjacent to the new living room, also along the southern side of the house.  You can see the laundry starting to take shape below. 



 

 



 

 

The new laundry is located conveniently next to the existing clothesline.  A new deck will be built next to the laundry, just where you can see the new set of timber steps below. 

  

The below photo was taken inside the new laundry, looking towards (what will be) the external western door to the new deck.  You can see the existing (former) laundry ramp in this photo, with the end of the verandah in the background.  Eventually, all of this space will be built in - comprising a new ensuite, walk-in-robe and main bedroom.

 

Here is the new laundry again - from a different angle.

  

Living area framing up and new security door

Warmer weather
I am loving the warmer weather and the opportunity to spend so much more time outside.  The Ornamental Pear ('Capital') trees that I planted at the start of Spring are growing well - especially thanks to the rain we had over the past week.  The Jacaranda tree in the backyard has also started flowering - one of my favourite times of the year.

 

 

 

 

New living room



The former bathroom and toilet of the back flat has started transforming into (what will be) a new living area on the south eastern corner of the house. 
 

Here is the start of the framing - looking from the eastern end.  (The steps that you can see towards the left of this image will lead off a new laundry deck - once it is built.

 

 

We put up the eastern wall frame of the new living room today.  Dad pre-built it so it could be carried over from his shed and installed. You can see below how far the new room extends out to the south from the previous footprint of the house.

 

A large picture window will look out of the living room to the east - such a great outlook.

The picture window will look out to this view of the backyard and Jacaranda tree.  I will most likely also plant Hydrangeas outside the living area which should enjoy the protected aspect.

 

 

Here is the new living area looking from the western (front) end.

 



 

 

Dad has also cleverly repurposed some old glass louvre blades (from the former front kitchen window) and transformed them into these long slit windows below.  These windows will sit along the same eastern wall as the picture window - looking out to the backyard greenery.

 



New security door

I had a new security door installed a few weeks ago on the front door.  It is powdercoated black to tie in with the front door and is great for letting a nice breeze flow through the house now that the weather has warmed up.



 

 

 Here is the outside - with my new planter box (ready for a plant to be added).  I will plant something reasonably tall to balance the space between the light and planter box.  I think it will especially stand out once the house exterior is painted.



New bathroom and study nook and dismantling of old bathroom and laundry

The warmer weather has finally arrived and I am loving being able to open up the house and soak it up.  The living area on the north western corner of the house is such a great spot all year round for making the most of the seasons. 

New bathroom

The new main bathroom is now fully operational and is working a treat.  We kept the colours and style very simple - light neutral floor tiles, timber benchtop with white timber cupboard doors, large white rectangular tiles in the shower and a frameless glass shower screen.  The large northern window is also fantastic in letting the light stream in.

Study nook
The new study nook is also operating now and is such a handy zone.  I am still setting it up with filing storage and a few other bits and pieces, but already using it regularly.

The window into the study has added a lovely feature and also allows natural light to flow in.

Dismantling of old bathroom and laundry
Dad has now dismantled much of the former bathroom and toilet in the back section of the house.  This area will make way for a second living area with a south easterly aspect. 

Here is the former bathroom before it was removed.

Here is (what is now left of) the bathroom and toilet - looking from the outside.  A small amount of asbestos sheeting has now been removed from this back section and we will be soon removing the old cast iron bath (it weighs a tonne!)

Extension on southern side of house
You can see here that Dad has started installing the LVL joists which will support the new extension on the southern side of the house.  The extension will house (looking at the below image from right to left): a living area, laundry, deck off the laundry (where the new steps are located in the photo) ensuite, walk-in-robe and main bedroom.
 

 

There will also be a new deck on the back of the house where the old laundry (below) currently sits.

 

Here is the southern side of the house looking from a different angle.

 

Here is the front south western corner of the house looking back towards (what will be) the new extension.

 

Spring!

Meanwhile, Spring has well and truly 'sprung'.  The new 'Capital' Ornamental Pear trees and Gardenias that I planted about five weeks ago are thriving and forming a layer of greenery next to the verandah.

 

The lavender is also thriving and is a haven for bees.

 

 

I have also invested in a black steel security screen door (with a criss-cross design to tie in with the verandah style) to be installed on the front door in the next week or two.  Will be great to have the door open in Summer and enjoy the breeze.