Month: September 2018

Kitchen renovations update

Kitchen renovations update

I know I owe you a full-length post on our kitchen renovations but for those who followed our adventures on Instagram, dealing with the Swedish giant hasn’t been plain sailing. Besides the 5 weeks delay, they also managed to deliver seven kitchen doors with the wrong finish. Mistake that we sadly noticed only when the doors were fitted and the protective film was off. An expensive mistake that costs me 200 euros to get the guy back to take down the wrong doors and fit the right ones. Sadly, I’m pretty sure that it is not something that IKEA will refund, despite the fact that the mistake was made by their kitchen planner at the time of my order… On the plus side, I absolutely LOVE our kitchen. It’s becoming my personal laboratory to create and test new smoothies and green juices recipes. Soon, I’m hoping to tackle protein balls so if you have any great recipes, please share!! The new layout works perfectly for us. Steve and I can be both in the kitchen without being on …

A garage converted into a Summer house

A garage converted into a Summer house

A garage converted into a Summer house is an old dream of mine… We have 2 garages and a workshop filled with junk at the back of our home in France and every now and then, I long for the space to be converted into a Summer house. A place where we could host friends, a space I could use as a photography studio in Winter time, and somewhere where my growing teen Mila could hang out with her cousin and her friends. However, whether or not you have space at the back of your home, this inspiring garage converted into a Summer house is one to bear in mind for future projects. This converted garage has the same long rectangular shape than ours which makes visualisation easy. It has also a lot of features that I’m sure you will love too. Simple, modern lines and high-ceiling. Open-plan living, plywood walls (check these other amazing plywood kitchens projects). Large bay windows and consequently lots of natural light. Last but not least, views of the ocean… Dreamy, isn’t …

Our minimalist, beachy hallway makeover

BEFORE & AFTER: Our minimalist, beachy hallway makeover

I’m excited to finally show you some of the renovations I started in our home in France before our Summer holidays. As some of you know, our holidays home became our main residence when we relocated to the beach in France after twenty-three years in London. When we bought the house about twelve years ago, it was really in a sorry state. Yet, both of us could see the potential of the house which had a good layout and came with a 2175 m2 private garden. For Steve, who grew up on a farm in New-Zealand with a lot of space, the garden was everything. To this day, the outdoor space we have is one of the things I appreciate the most (that and living close to the beach!). Since it was 12 years since we renovated the house, it was time to freshen up a few corners… THE BRIEF: Turn our entrance and hallway into a welcoming, summery space with a beachy feel, Add storage to put away things we use often, Make it easy to clean THE …