Let the sun shine...

We are ready for summer! Pool and sun screens now in place.

Final updates

So we still have a few outstanding projects which we slowly but surely are getting through. 

For instance, the stairs. Before... 

Yeah, pretty crappy huh.

Then, add Mark the Builder 
plus a little (or a lot) of help from his friend Howard

 and the result is..

 Yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about!!

Some of you asked for more shots of what the house in finished state looks like. Well okay then, here's a final impression. 

New custom-made cupboard in our bedroom

Ziggy's bed

The study

A good place to work.

Then, the young master's bedroom

 And the mademoiselle's.

The 'receiving room' (as one of our visitors called it),

also with a nice, huge, hand-made cupboard

Ziggy's lounging area

(and play area)

And the heart (or tummy) of the house

And finally, just so you don't think Jos built all this on his own... this was what our dining room table looked like on an average Wednesday lunch time throughout the month of January.

And just consider that 2 of the people who were there this day are not even featured on this picture. 

Notice the foreman sitting there in the middle, just as tough as all the rest of 'em. 

Okay, that's all folks, for this blog anyway. You want to see any more? Better come visit!

The haystack

Okay, okay. In response to popular demand (jeez, guys!), here's an update on the house. Yes, we have moved in. Yes, it is great. No, it isn't 100% finished. For the full 'grand tour experience', do first check out the 'before' shots, and then once it was gutted (make sure to click on the video)... Recognize any of the old features?





Of course, the best way to really experience it, is to come visit yourself! Room rates start at 50€ for the porch room, 100€ for the front room, 175€ for the penthouse suite. Well, we gotta pay for all this somehow... ;)

New house

Yes, we have moved! Which is why we haven't had any time to update this blog, in between work, both kids being sick, unpacking boxes, putting stuff together...

But here's a quick preview.

The house is really great. Light and spacious. I.e.: the kids can build a sprawling train track, build towers from 2 sets of different blocks, and pull out tons of toys all at once (from the awesome built-in toy cupboard Mark made - used to be the door to the old kitchen!), and the house still looks okay. Hooray!

 

And just for fun, here's one of Céline looking under the weather but cute, playing nicely in the play 'corner'.

Rest of the house to follow.

More...new stuff

Approaching the finish line

The scary ladder to the loft has been replaced by... stairs! How novel.
Downstairs wc, tiling detail

Kitchen!

One room has been plastered2nd floor bathroom

1st floor bathroom

laundry room

Starting to look a bit more like a house than just a construction site!

House with full siding

So, after a very rainy windy November, we have managed to have a couple of dry days...
With the decent weather comes further progress on the exterior. Here you can see Jos the builder putting some finishing touches on the siding.

Here is a picture of an almost completed dining/living/kitchen floor. This is a layer of cement/sand mixture poured over all the floor heating coils which snaked all through the entry level floor.