the kitchen...

We've also been pretty happy with the kitchen...

Things we did RIGHT:
- the round tubs are wonderful
- having an island bench with stools has worked brilliantly
- having a dishwasher is great
- my layout of what's where and the spacing worked out well - the flow is great
- Drew's skinny long cupboards are brilliant (not too deep so the rear cans are carbon-dated, but lots of room to see everything and it fits everything)
- wine rack at the top (where I can't reach it) - forgot how many bottles it fits
- getting a fridge with a water dispenser (which isn't really a reno but worth it just the same!)
- finding a little room for a small alcove for tea-towels to hang and store cutting boards
- the colours have worked out fine
- enough room for two people to work around each other
- opening up the wall between the kitchen and the dining / living room
- removing the asbestos!
- we've well and truly tested the kitchen out and it has performed well exceedingly well!


Things we'd CHANGE:
- get someone in to do the rangehood as it's a little tricky and still isn't hooked up
- get some tilers who cared a bit more about keeping a clean finish with the splashback (still have to re-paint but there's a few spots to do at once, all over)
- Drew would like to rip out the splashback tiles and do something different - I don't mind them but the top looks unfinished - maybe it needs a silver strip or something?
- get fixed shelves in the cupboard (you'll never change them and being able to bear weight is important
- maybe a cesar stone top down the track, but I'm happy with the standard laminate one as it feels a bit more in keeping with the house
- even though it's a largish kitchen, you can never have too much storage space!

the bathroom...

Overall we did a great job on the bathroom, but there are (of course) things you would do differently...

Things we did RIGHT:
- removing the tiny 'linen' cupboard (suitable for pillowslips and hand-towels only)
- moving the wall forward to gain more room
- moving the toilet to the bathroom from the outside landing
- thinking ahead and putting in the laundry shoot (as yet unused until we lift the house)
- the general use of available space not bad - especially in comparison to other houses we've seen (in the same street)
- despite what people thing initially, no, the openness of the shower doesn't result in water everywhere!
- the overhead shower head is wonderful!
- love having a shower / bath / spa combo


Things I'd CHANGE:
- the floor tiles - I don't know if sealing them would have made a big difference - fact is I could never get happy enough that all the grout and dirt off them so I could seal them. Don't get textured matte, unsealed tiles - bitch to clean, to keep clean.
- wish we had a better window solution (and I don't like the glass tiles pattern chosen by Drew)
- should there have been a step to get into the shower/spa? might have been a bit more elegant and helpful for older people, but then it was a space issue (visually and physically)