Re-building the house

Kitchen_units2Under normal (with heavy emphasis on normal) circumstances, we should all be snug as bugs and moving onto other projects outside of the main house.

Trouble is, we do not seem to be normal and effectively built the house twice. Once in the original format but using plan 'C' and now in the new much more practical and comfortable format using plan 'A' (which we should have done originally)

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Results of the Ebay sale for the kitchen island unit and another addition to the cuisine.

Kitchen_unit_007I didn't sell any island units but it was a good exercise never the less, although, this week I did get an enquiry from an Ebay'er who asked me if I would take an offer on it.

I probably didn't go about the marketing properly (mainly because I could not fully understand how to navigate the site in French) Not to worry, at least I do not have to worry about spending a lot of time making another one at the moment.

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Bob the Builder - can he fix it?

Sink_004Has it really been over one month since I last tapped the key board and updated Perigord Vacance?

It is certainly not down to laziness because I have been doing plenty of other things and maybe it reflects the stage we are now at here in our farm house.

When things were moving at a pace and we were captivated by the excitement of the deadlines, I felt there was something of interest to keep readers popping back.

However, I am sure that no one wanted to hear what toothpaste we used and how many times a day we passed wind so the posts died down again.

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We have moved in to the new kitchen

Kitchen_007Despite not having a fitted sink in the island unit, we have decided to move into the new kitchen and wow! What a feeling. The whole family, spent all of yesterday, moving furniture and ornaments and setting up the telephone wire and satellite so that we have all the facilities in the new room. It is strange how 70 square metres shrinks when you add two sofas and an armchair as well as my desk, the dining room table

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Hand made rustic kitchen island unit for sale

hand made kitchen island unitI have now completed the island unit and I must say, out of all of the things we have created here at Jean Blanc, it is one of the major achievements.

When I say that it is complete, I am not quite correct because I have to put a softwood trim around the top and make a modification for a Belfast sink and electrical sockets.

Not everyone would want these mods if they had the same unit in their kitchen.

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Three burly helpers needed!

Kitchen_island_042Apart from a final sanding, putting on the cupboard door knobs and catches, the kitchen unit is now complete (Oh and not to mention the surface which I cannot fix and cut to size until we have moved the carcass).

There is no way that we would shift the unit with the solid oak surface on it but I would love to get this installed this weekend so I can start the painting - although, I may give it a coat of undercoat using the spray attachment to the compressor when it is in the open of the yard.


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The end of the tunnel gets nearer

Kitchen_island_016I know, from the private emails, that a few of you are wondering how I am getting on with the kitchen island unit. Well, I am getting on rather well as the pictures hopefully demonstrate.

I have taken the next few days off of work to concentrate on getting it finished and hopefully, with the wind blowing the right way, I will have it installed in the kitchen by the weekend.

Mind you, we still do not have the sink; Donna went to Agen yesterday and found one in Castorama but it will take two weeks to arrive which is frustrating. How hard is it to get hold of a Belfast sink?

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Giving it the MFI look

Island_unit_009Another good afternoon goes by on the island unit for the kitchen and the adrenaline is really flowing again.
I must sound like a real saddo but this kind of thing does excite me.

I have to admit to spending some money on plywood though which has spoilt my intentions of trying to build of the unit with reclaimed wood or something which I already had kicking around.

It seemed sensible to invest in the plywood because it is quick and extremely easy to work with. It also means that I can retain the old wood, plus the unused floorboards for all the visible stuff.

I am looking forward to Friday when I will start on the drawers and cupboard doors.

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Update on the 'non Ikea' kitchen

Island_unitAs promised, here is a picture of the new kitchen island unit as it develops. I had a brilliant day today, in fact, I had a brilliant weekend - helped by the balmy weather. Just as a point of interest, and I will not name the company in case they take umbridge, Donna got an estimate - for the design - from a company for the same size unit and the cost? between £11-16k!!!!

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