Two years ago I sat with Lizzie and we talked through our thoughts about our home. On my part, I've wanted to rip the kitchen out since the day we first moved in, whilst we were also aware that for a bit of "future-proofing", another bedroom would be a massive plus. You see, we really like where we live - its convenience, its proximity to coast and country, the peaceful streets, the local walks, and the garden. Not enticed to spend thousands of pounds moving, we eventually arrived at the idea of extending - knocking through the kitchen into the adjoining garage, keeping the front end of the garage for a utility area, and sticking a bedroom and en-suite shower room over the top.
Well fast forward through the builders' quotes, architect's plans, council planning permission, ecologist report and building control, and what a transformation it has been. I'm going to gloss over the year of absolute misery (we didn't even bother celebrating Christmas last year, most of our new kitchen units were piled up in the lounge and there was nowhere to put a tree) and tell you that it has turned out to be one of the best decisions we've ever made - to the point where it feels like we've bought a new house.
This is how our house looked in September 2019. Amazing really, the bobcat's sitting roughly where our oven now sits, in the corner of the kitchen. And the kitchen is the best place to start, because it's my favourite part of the build. We've transformed it from a dingy, small cooking space of "utility" feel, to a whole new living space. Yes I cook here more than ever, but it's also a wonderful place to sit and read the paper, listen to the radio, or (if coronavirus ever desists) host friends. I'm naturally drawn to the space now - we've made it bright and inviting, and I also love that because it's at the back of the house, it's completely out the way. The eagle-eyed will even notice that we've re-positioned out "ooh la la" Becky Bettesworth print, which hung in the old kitchen - it looks better than ever and, well, who doesn't love a bit of continuity?
Upstairs, the new bedroom sits atop the kitchen and garage space. We put in a south-facing Juliet balcony to maximise the light, and I'm particularly looking forward to spring, as we overlook next door's magnificent magnolia tree - that'll be a treat indeed. The view from the window (particularly in winter, when the trees are bare) also stretches out to the countryside surrounding our town. The bedroom is well insulated, and really cosy - perfect as we head into the bleak winter months.
The front of the property has taken the longest time to get right - there was a huge delay in the manufacture of the new garage door, and then delays with the renderer coming due to the rain. It's pretty much there now, barring another coat of paint around the frame. We're hoping to get a nice climber growing up through the trellis next summer - a clematis (if it reaches) and a Virginia creeper (if it's safe enough) are both of standby and will provide a lovely covering. Meanwhile at the back of the house, we also undertook a full refurb of our decking. This wasn't in our plans for the year, but I put my foot right through the rotten old boards back in the spring, so it had to be done. The decking we've chosen is a composite, which should last for years and years, and requires only the occasional soapy scrub (being relieved of the misery of having to stain and treat the deck every spring is worth its weight in gold, as far as I'm concerned!)
It would be a lie to say that we're not both a little scarred by the goings-on here this year, but in many ways that makes the enjoyment of our new spaces all the better. And as we head into the Christmas season, the bond we're feeling with our home is going to grow stronger yet. So here's to a more relaxed home life. And as for the question of whether we'd do it all again, well...
(apologies to the non Home Improvement fans, to which this will mean absolutely nothing!)
Fabulous! I love it all...and I hope you have many happy years enjoying it all.
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