Floorboards Airing out

Tonight I met with the second contractor who is quoting for the floorboard installation. Their prices are similar so Im going with contractor number one as he can start next Tuesday! Floorboards need to air out and acclimatise to the humidity of the room in which they are being installed for 2 weeks so I'll be a few days short of that target but I think it will be ok. On Monday evening I put spacers between all the boards to ensure they can dry out properly.

Floating base cabinet

I like wall hung cabinets which dont touch the floor as they always make a room look bigger and more spacious. The green tiles are a bit intense, but I like how this simple white cabinet looks. I dont have space for two units, but could consider an undermount sink like this one with a white corian top.

Replacement Boards

Today Sergio helped me collect some surplus floorboards from a friend. I was lucky that he had a roof rack on his van as at 4m (13 feet) long they didn't fit inside. Getting up the winding staircase to the flat was the next challenge, but luckily we were able to maneuver them up the narrow gap between the stair balustrades one by one.

They are now happily drying out in my bedroom as they are slightly damp from being stored outside under a tarp. Now to go onto www.ratedpeople.com and find a a flooring specialist who can help me lay them.

Thank you so much Sergio!!

Flooring in kitchen and Hallway

I've been debating about whether or not to replace the floorboards in the kitchen for ages and have finally decided to go for it! The plan is to replace these non-original boards with nice wide 250mm width ones to match the remaining Georgian ones in the other rooms. There is an annoying joint between the kitchen and hallway where the boards are cut unevenly and the gaps only fill with crumbs which I plan to sort out in the process.

Tiles running up bathtub

I quite like the way the floor tiles wrap up and clad the side of the bathtub in this bathroom by architect David Mikhail. Like the image, I also intend to only tile the wall behind the tub to full height where I need it for the shower - the rest will just get painted.

Tiling the floor is a difficult option as the floor is sloped and uneven and Id need to lay down quite a thick layer of plywood to prevent any movement in the floor which might cause cracking - which means Id have an annoying step up into the room.

This is what a £1500 shower system looks like

It may not look like much from the image - but really I find this entirely lovely! This is the Axor Citterano 'Shower Pipe' system from Hans Grohe and unfortunately it retails for £1500! I love the gracefully arched top, the simple cylindrical shower head and the simple hand spray. Mmmm. Alas Im still saving up for my kitchen countertop so I'll just have to dream about this for now.

Bathroom Storage Idea - Above Door Shelf

Cute extra storage idea from Martha Stewart. Plus this photo has yellow in it.

Existing Bathroom

I just realised that Ive never really shown you any images of the bathroom as it currently stands. Its the last room in the flat to refurbish and has remained untouched as it works and is fairly inoffensive in its appearance (unlike the purple walls in the bedroom!). The sun pours in through the window in the late afternoon and makes a luxurious afternoon bath seem like a day at the seaside. The things that need to get fixed in the refurb include:

1. Adding a shower including shower curtain (I dont like glass screens - they just get water spots and look dirty!)
2. New sink, tap, base cabinet and mirror
3. New ceiling light and exhaust fan
4. More storage to replace plastic boxes
5. Decide what to do about the flaking paint on the floor - re-do or new finish?