Out came the sunshine and dried up all the rain...

No words needed...there was dancing in the Huddart house today!

Raindrops keep falling on my head...

Reasons why our packed picnic lunch on Saturday was eaten in the dryness of our friend's house just down the road:

Still, there was some fun to be had...

...though some of us sensibly decided to remain in the car.

I expected these would also be reasons why the slab was not poured today as planned, while Toph was quite hopeful that it would. There's a reason why he is the builder and I just write about it. Slab poured today, photos here tomorrow. Hooray!

Warmth in Winter

In-slab hydronic heating pipes went in this week so you can rest assured that when you visit us in the chilliness of a Victorian Winter your toes will remain warm!

Decorating wishlist #2 - More hanging around

Studio oat was another find and would like to keep at the Finders Keeper market. Hobart based, they had great cards, wrapping paper and prints to hang on my future walls.

This series of four called Seasons:

And this one called Freedom:

Hmmm...anyone need a Christmas present idea for me this year?

Progress this week

Sewer pipes in place (appropriate for carefully selected loo) and pre-slab preparation by the concreter ready for formwork then reinforcing steel. Next in-slab heating pipes installed and concrete can be poured (as dictated by the builder).

The importance of choosing a loo

No longer is it simply a matter of whether to put it inside or outside. No, the 21st century brings us loos that are squat, tall, squarish, oval, soft-closing, narrow rim, wide rim, hidden cistern, back to the wall......the options are endless. On the one hand one thinks 'it's just a loo in it's own little room, it doesn't really matter, who's going to notice, so long as it flushes...' but on the other hand you troop off to the loo shop (about the only aspect of house-related choices the kids have truly enjoyed) and the sheer weight of options makes the choice become, well, kinda important. You do have to choose one loo over another loo and another and another...and there must be a reason why you would choose one over another so you want it to be a good reason so you consider all the options...and before you know it a disproportionate amount of valuable life time has been spent worrying about which loo to choose. I mean, really.

And it's a choice (along with the bath) one makes very early in the building process as it affects where the plumber was putting his pipes last week.

Here 'tis:

The Villeroy & Boch Arcitectura back to the wall S-trap rear water entry with soft close seat!!

Decorating wishlist #1 - We are living in a material world

2010 has been the year in which I discovered how much I like fabric. I like the texture and the feel and the warmth and colour it can add to a room. I like sewing with it and I think I will like decorating with it. With such a great range of local hand-printing boutique producers, here's some thoughts on what might adorn various walls, couches and lampshades (not yet constructed) in the new house (still not yet built). I mentioned ink & spindle in this post. These are a few some more of their lovely fabrics. I can see some of the lamps in my future.

I have also been a frequent visitor to the cloth fabric website, which is based in Sydney, These birds (ducks according to the littlest Huddart) might be a future wall hanging.

And finally, in this little round-up of current favourite fabrics is Marimekko, a little less close to home but with so many cool fabrics that could be stretched over canvas in this house-to-be-built of ours.

A looooong pipe

We have a very long pipe. The sewer and stormwater outlets are at the very, very bottom of the block requiring a long trench.


The trench had to zig zag to allow for the potential, possible, maybe, hypothetical location of the pool!

Live update

This is the block this week. More people and machinery as the string lines were set out and the plumber got busy.

But the best bit is the big pile of dirt

Who can resist a big pile of dirt?
Not the children...
Or me!

We've dug a hole

Hooray! Irreversible and fairly dramatic proof that a house will be built on this spot.

I made some cushion covers.

For the new couches (not yet purchased) in the new house (not yet built).


The fabric is from Ink and Spindle a Melbourne screen-printing company who have a lot of other great prints that might find their way into the new house somewhere. It was purchased at the Finders Keepers market held at Docklands a few weeks ago. There were lots of other things at the market that would look great in the new house (not yet built) but expenditure was limited to this cushion fabric (and a new dress pattern for the girls).....this time!

A peg in the ground

August 2010, something seems to be happening...

Spot the difference

This is the first bit of development on the block.

August 2009 to December 2009

Yes, it's a new fence. Progress! Actually, not so useful, because the horses next door can no longer get on the block to keep the grass down.

Calling in a professional

Zen architects came to our rescue. Big fans of a number of their homes seen in various publications -loads of natural light! contemporary style! modest, efficient spaces! But also knowing a full architect service was out of our reach (and scope considering there's a draftsperson and builder in the house) we made the call anyway and discovered they offered a sketch design service - hooray! A meeting at the block followed, some thinking time, growing excitement and then first sketches delivered...

...Success! We love it - loads of natural light! contemporary style! efficient spaces! Just needed a bit more storage so we could store, you know, sheets, towels, toys, games and stuff.