The most recent love of my life... MY KITCHEN!

It's easy to spend time in such a beautiful and elegant space (even if I do say so myself). Cooking here and in my new oven is a dream.

I've been baking, roasting, grilling and frying up a storm. Here's a sneak peak at one of my latest creations. Chewy in the middle and crunchy on top with little hidden chocolate delights.

The best ever Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:

½ cup plain flour

¾ cup cocoa powder

1 ¼ cup caster. sugar

160g unsalted butter

2 eggs, cold

⅛ tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. cornflour

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup. chocolate chips

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Line a 20x20cm pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2.     In a microwave safe bowl, add the butter and sugar. Heat in the microwave on high for about 1 minute and 15 seconds. Remove, stir, and cool on the counter for 5 minutes, then stir in the vanilla extract and cocoa powder.

3.     In the bowl of a stand mixer add the warm (but not hot) butter/sugar mixture. With mixing speed on low add one egg at a time, mixing just until incorporated.

4.     In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. With mixing speed on low, gradually add dry ingredients. Mix until no flour pockets remain. Remove bowl from stand and fold in the chocolate chips..

5.     Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan. Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the brownies are set. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30-45 minutes before cutting. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Lights - Teledo Pendants from Schots Home Emporium 
Countertops - Carrara Marble from Corsi & Nicolai
Oven - Belling 110cm Richmond Duel Fuel Range Freestanding Oven from Harvey Norman
Door & Drawer hardware - Cast plain semi-circle drawer pull and Round cupboard knob from Schots
Splashback Tiles - Carrara Bianco Herringbone Mosaic from Beaumont Tiles

Week 29...

So much more tiling this week and I am now totally head over heels in love with our kitchen splash back.

Grouting not quite finished but the cabinetry is looking the goods.

And as you can see the rangehood has been fitted too.

And finally after so many times of going back and forwards we decided on and ordered a dining table.

Bordeaux Dining Table 300 x 100cm

The table is made from reclaimed Elm that is over 100 years old, which has been bleached, repaired, polished and then waxed to give it a lovely rustic finish which perfectly suits our beachy style.

To go with the table we've ordered 10 of these Ashley Dining Chairs.

We're still on the hunt for bar stools which is proving harder than I had thought. We need three to sit at the island bench, they don't need to perfectly match the dining chairs but they will be in close proximity so they will need to have some similarities. But most of all I want them to be comfortable.

Just waiting on some fabric samples to see if any of these will work.

Week 28...

Ok so I've been super slack again (sorry) but I guess this whole growing a human thing has been distracting me.

However, despite my lack of recent posts progress has been happening on site.

The floors have all been finished now including the most gorgeous carpet in the lounge room.

Foss carpet from from Carpet World

We splurged a little on the carpet in this room knowing that we will actually spend time sitting/laying on it (and we have already). I love the fact that it has the beachy look of sisal but is OHHH SO SOFT!!

We also moved the pool table into place this week so the electrician could make sure that the light was exactly centered. Loving the filament globes.

Manchester light form Schots Home Emporium

And tiles. They finally started the tiles!!!!!

Carrara Bianco Herringbone Mosaic Tiles from Beaumont Tiles

Week 17...

It's been a full on week this week. Multiple tradies on site each day, some days up to nearly 20!!! Not that I am complaining in the slightest. The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. Brick layers, plumbers, electricians, builders etc. Not to mention all the deliveries, plaster arrived and so did the insulation, another load of sand and cement for the brickies, more electrical and plumbing supplies and the list goes on.

'Day 1 of bricks'

A big day for deliveries too - cement, plaster and insulation.

As they say "many hands makes light work", especially when it comes to brick laying it appears.

'Day 2 of bricks'

By 'Day 4 of bricks' they were pretty much done. *The unfinished section at the front is going to be boards.  

Finally I got my husband to agree on some tiles for the kitchen splashback on our trip up the coast. They are a little bigger than the ones that I had originally picked so this eases his fierce hatred of 'sh***y little tiles that look like they're from a bad 80's pub room'.

Marble tiles for the kitchen splashback to be laid in a herringbone pattern form Beaumont Tiles

 

The inside starting to take shape with the insulation going in (and sound proofing insulation for the pool room).

'Day 5 of bricks' was the last day. All finished including the wall in the outdoor area to protect us from the sou-westerly winds that come down the gully.

120 days into our build and lock-up is just around the corner. Just waiting on the boards on the front of the house, the front door and the 2nd stacker door to be installed and we will have reached the milestone.

Next week will bring the measure up for the cabinetry, the rest of the insulation and hopefully the plaster :)  

Up to date

As it stands now we are currently in limbo waiting for the council to approve our planning permit. This has been the most horrible part yet. Finally being at the stage where we and the builders are both ready to start and now everything has been paused while we wait for the plans. FRUSTRATED TO SAY THE LEAST!
Roughly two weeks ago we were notified that we had approval with a minor change to where our driveway will be. YAY! I can handle that.
So I quickly sat down and whipped out an updated landscaping sketch and sent it through. Just to begin with the waiting thing again. Remember at the beginning when I told you about 'Mallacoota Time' well this seems to be a perfect example of that.
Any way it is what it is and it's out of my control so instead I thought I'd take this opportunity to share with you a few of my design ideas.
Let's start with my favorite part of the house.

THE KITCHEN

  

Love the bench tops, splash back and lighting

I'm loving the white marble bench tops, contrasting island bench, glass fishing float like pendant lights (all though I will have three) and marble herringbone splash back. We are planning on having dark bamboo flooring through out most of the house with carpet in the lounge room and bedrooms. I'm not sold on the pillars on the bench tho or the door and draw pulls.
I've had my eye of these light from Schots with filament globes since we visited their Geelong show room a couple of years ago and think they are the perfect choice for the 'Hamptons with beachy tones' style we are going for.

My husband and I are currently having a slight difference of opinions on the splash back. I love the look a small marble tiles laid in a herringbone pattern with white grout however like these ones from Beaumont Tiles he has other ideas. Actually not ideas as such rather a hate for small tiles. He says "they look old and s#*t", I keep telling him can't ride off all small tiles, there is a difference. But he is yet to be swayed so we'll see who wins this one.

I plan on winning him over with the beauty of these tiles or if that doesn't work pulling the if you have a say in my kitchen then I get a say in you shed card and hoping I get there that way. Wish me luck.

If you have a look back at our floor plan you will see that I have strategically positioned the kitchen so it can open out into the BBQ end of the outdoor area. I don't know about in your house but it is the same old story for me when it comes to having people over for a BBQ. I spend the whole time in the kitchen organizing the meat, cooking instruments, trays, salads, drinks, plates, cutlery, other various sides, desserts etc. while Jason and subsequently our guest stand around outside chatting and casually turning the snags in between beers while I'm missing the party alone in the kitchen. So this is my solution, a servery window that opens directly from the kitchen to the BBQ area complete with bar and stools so I can be part of the fun too.

My dads pretty handy at building stuff and has promised us a set of bar stools for under this window

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I'm just going to leave this here for your viewing pleasure ;)