Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Furniture and more for bramble cottage


This table was my first purchase. It's amazingly weathered and missing a foot but I love it all the more. I'm thinking it will be in the kitchen, maybe raised a little for the main work surface, bar, communal area to hang and drink too much red wine.  It's going to be the place I will watch from when ericas cooking :-) I can see it with cutting boards and a little bit of marble on there, trust be this will be "layered". Oh and also what do you think of the name bramble cottage.  In my family we have all used the name bramble in honor of one very special black Labrador.  My mum and dad fist had her, then my Aunt had a bramble and then my sister had a bramble.  Anyway whilst throwing some names around with some friends, (fairfax cottage, the brambling, jordan cottage??) I came across this and loved it, lets see if it sticks, trust me i would prefer to have the Lab called Bramble but city living doesnt work for me with a dog just yet!


This guy, I mean how couldn't I. He's beaten in to perfection, almost falling apart (see this similarities?). This home will most likely have nothing new in it, maybe a bed or two should be new i guess!. He needs a new tweed cushionin it and a fire place to go beside him. Then it will be perfect. Oh and said Labrador, that would probably be essential ! Anyway i cant wait to lounge in it with a good gardening book and some sort of booze!


Now this is the piece that got me In trouble. If I hadn't got hooked by this then all the rest wouldn't have happened. It's almost black the wood, and it proportions are so elegant, tall and handsome. Maybe a little grand for an old farmhouse, but I'm so excited to load it up with all the white china I've been collecting for years. The yellow in the back may need taking back to white or grey or sanding down but that will be a great project to get on with. Its really really amazing, still cant quite believe that its mine!


Now this table is going to be the centre piece of the dining room. It's wont be a formal dining room as it's more a connecting space, door to the garden and the room that is between the kitchen and the living room. But this will hold lots of people and will be perfect for putting a thousand bits and bobs on and forever changing and arranging them. He needs a little glueing back together and work, hopefully the drawers will work back in to those slots again. 

On a more serious note the home got vandalized this week. So many properties that sit empty get broken into. They just stole the copper pipes which has, believe it or not a really good resale value, when you have no money. Luckily they turned the water off and now they will be replaced with pex pipe which is somewhat of a silver lining. This has happened at three other properties that I have looked at so after the initial shock and fear I guess you just move on from it. If someone wants to break In there going to no matter what. It did raise the question of security on the place when I'm not there so I decide to install a security system. Nothing to involved but one of those new wireless devices that connect to a Service that will get the police out if something happens. Also on a plus it has some great feature that will let me assign codes to visitors so if I ever wanted to rent out etc it would be another feature.  That will be one of the first things to go in, i mean who wouldent want to raid a house full of old white china and aging furniture!  

Full stream ahead with only 7 days to go.  I got myself a truck, an old ford ranger. This in itself was an hilarious journey, a bus into new jersey.  Getting told off on the bus for trying to drink tea (no beverages aloud on NJ buses fyi) , not knowing where i'm going all happened.  Then driving around a bunch of cash machines looking like a crazy person trying to get enough cash out to buy the thing.  Anyway after a few hours of feeling like a fish out of water (why is my dad in another country, this is what dads are made for, buying used old trucks from random car lots!)  i have a not so shinny old truck.  Perfect for all the crap I will lugging around, it will fit total 5 people in, albeit snuggly but it will serve its purpose, and its great! 

Friday, February 13, 2015

New toys for renovating the Upstate cottage



So I finally got the power tools I've always wanted. Bosch. They are some of the best tools around with a great reputation for quality and as a bonus there not a hideous neon color (I'm a visual person, we've established that!). Previously I've alway had my trusty black and decker which have been good to me but I wanted a more powerful drill, sawzall, circular saw and jigsaw. Super excited to put these to good use. Obviously in true thrift jordan style these are used but still have a lot of life left in them. I most likely will invest in some new battery packs as these are what go over time. Get ready to see a lot of these .....

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Initial Planning, the kitchen

So now is about the time i can start to get excited. I have committed to the property and contracts are signed I'm just trying to finalize the mortgage stuff.  SO obviously what i need to do reduce the stress this causes is to start shopping.  Look at these lovely taps (faucets to my American friends).  I know most people hate single taps and love a mixer, but with this house, its not about resale or investment, its about indulging all the things i love and want! yes there corroded and old and most of all, beautiful.  I have this giant kitchen that really can just be what ever i want it to be, there is nothing there right now.  I'm in love with the idea of a big old soap stone sink that will go along the wall where the sink is now.


I will be doing my usual and trawling craigslist and then enlisting friends help to pick up one.  All in due time. But the taps i already bought!
My first think on the list to do is work on the living room.  I need to take out the wall and also put in the  wood burner.
So excited and cant wait to get up there and get working on it. I'm starting to gather up all my odd bits of furniture scattered around the area and gradually move them up there.  This weekend I'm trying to motivate to take a car load up and put in a storage unit close to the house so its all up there.  Send me motivating vibes !




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