kitchen Archives - Journeys Are My Diary

Look at my house – Ground Floor

July 29, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

The other day I posted about my Little DIY helpers and about this series, “Look at my House“. However what I forgot at the time was that I hadn’t actually finished the series, having still to do the bottom floor. The truth is, I was most excited about the ground floor and I think that’s why I saved it till the end. However as the floor that also has the most rooms, I’ve been putting it off as it might take too long. However I’m diving in now, here’s my ground floor!

The Lounge

When we first moved in, the lounge was red. The TV was on the wall (right where the sun shone in on it), there were black shelves up (already taken down by this picture), black fireplace and black curtains. It was a proper man den. This needed to be changed before we even moved in as I didn’t like it at all and it didn’t feel homely, so with the help of experts from My House Painter we decorated it with a beige colour and tried to lighten the feel of the room.

Though this picture was taken on the night we moved in, you can see already the big difference and in all honestly we didn’t touch this room much at all over the years. By hiring a house removals company you can also get a level of service that ensures a happy and successful transfer.However in the big redecorate we did touch up some of the areas, like the floor with the help of the tiler and of course over the years we have added pictures to the walls and nic naks around the room.

I personally think it looks a whole lot better than it used to and on a clean and tidy day, I’m actually pretty proud to call it the heart of my home!

Dining Room

The truth is, when we first moved in, the dining room was our junk room. I didn’t really like it as a room anyway and Chris had used it as a gaming room, with his big white board on the wall and everything seemed a bit tatty and dirty. Since it wasn’t essential to our home life, we didn’t really touch it at all, except for tidying it bit by bit as we found room for the items. However over time, the dining room also became my work room – especially on the launch of Closet Geek. Even then, everything felt very junky and unorganised. On the day we decided to decorated, I actually had to close my store. I had so much stuff everywhere that it wouldn’t have been possible to work around it and packing it all up and moving it away to a different room was the only option.

This was exactly what my dining room/office looked like before packing it all away!

Obviously the main outstanding point is that it’s tidy, but believe me when I say we did a lot of work in the room! All the walls were painted, the ceiling was striped and painted, the coving was plastered and painted, plus all the skirting boards and glossing was done. Another suggestion if you want a wall to stand out is to place murals on one wall as an accent. Check out Murale Design for great quality murals. Though sadly it didn’t stay that tidy for long, its now one of my favourite rooms in the house – especially as all my Disney love splurges out there!

The Kitchen

When I moved in with Chris, the kitchen left a lot to be desired. There was one side of the room which has a tiny sink, one cupboard and a set of drawers. On the other side of the room were 4 wall cupboards and 4 ground cupboards.

As such, the first thing we did was add more cupboard space and more work top space. We left the wall cupboards and added extra underneath, including a corner cupboard.

On the other side of the room, we added a double cupboard and a larger sink. There was also a free-standing set of drawers, which we put at the side of the cooker, along with a small worktop piece to cover it.

Other than that, we didn’t do a lot. We had plans to add a new floor (since it was only half floored), another wall cupboard, paint the walls, install Epoxy Flooring and re-plaster etc etc.

Over the years we added a new light fitting and even bought a new cooker, but the rest just got pushed to one side, until the big DIY we did earlier this year.

When we overhauled the house, the kitchen had one of the major upgrades; we even used ICFs for the new wall additions. We plastered the walls and painted, we put up a wall cupboard. Of course there was a whole new flooring put down and the top cupboards from before got a new door coating, to pull the white altogether. Believe it or not we didn’t have door cupboard handles or drawer handles for about two years, so we finally got them too!

The Bathroom

When I first moved in, the bathroom was my least favourite room in the house which was so sad as I love a nice bath to relax and instead I didn’t even want to be in there. The first thing we did was change the toilet seat, add a toilet roll holder, a new lampshade, a place to hang towels and a bathroom cabinet (read this to know more about the cabinet).

This definitely helped a little but it wasn’t perfect. I wasn’t keen on any of the wood parts, the radiator was rusty and the wall plaster was peeling. Over the years, we didn’t do much except replace the shower when it broke. However in our DIY overhaul we pretty much sorted it all out.

Other bits and pieces

Obviously this is the last of the rooms and the last floor but there was other work done too – both inside and outside. Here are my last few pictures.

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Granite Adds Excellence and Elegance

June 9, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

When you imagine your dream kitchen or bathroom, what do you see? There is a high chance that granite countertops and tiles make an appearance in your longed-for home. The kitchen remodeling and bathroom remodeling professionals are ready to work with you so that you can find just the right pattern and color palette for your kitchen or bathroom, along with the most ideal layout and design that will impress family and friends. Trusted Anchorage general contractors can help bring your vision to life with expert craftsmanship and personalized service. Your dream home is actually a lot closer than you might think. Your dream home is actually a lot closer than you might think.

Smooth and Seamless

When you first walk into a room and see the glisten of sunlight reflecting off of a granite countertop or tile mosaic, you imagine that you are in a royal palace or a luxurious hotel getaway. Yet believe it or not, that same feeling can be conveyed in your home or business. With a granite counter in Ottawa, those streamlined designs and expert layouts can be all yours. Granite is a wonderful choice for homeowners and business owners because the material is smooth to the touch, making it tactile and easy to work with. It will stand up to wear and tear for years to come, so you know you are getting a great investment.

Versatile and Varied

The lovely granite tiles and slabs come in a wide variety of textures, patterns, and colors so you can select just the right option for your space. Think about the mood that you want to convey in your bathroom or kitchen. What are you looking for? Soft neutral tones, or something more dark and striking? Whether you want a touch of elegance on your kitchen backsplash, or you are in the market for an entire new set of granite countertops, then make your desires known and the experts will work with you to bring the vision to life.

Scores of Satisfied Customers

Both businesses and residences alike can benefit from a granite countertop or lovely tile mosaic, when working in a remodel project, consider getting help from this spreaderbar hire service. In restaurants, the backsplashes and tiled walls provide an inviting atmosphere for clients as well as a lovely work environment for cooks and employees behind the scenes.

It all adds up to create an award-winning ambiance that will have diners coming back for more. In homes, the regal simplicity of a granite countertop or cabinet refacing is a wonderful way to elevate the market value and desirability of your living space. Check our remodeling gallery to get more great ideas.

DIY Update

March 23, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

It’s now been a week since we started our DIY and I figured I would check in and let you know how it’s going!

We started off a week ago with a huge list of jobs we wanted to complete. There was at least three jobs remaining in every room, with as many as ten in other rooms. Right now our list is less than half this and I’m so pleased!

The attic room isn’t any different, but the stairs leading up to them are now painted, as is the walls to the side of the stairs. The girls room hasn’t changed at all either, but our room is finished, all bar the glossing of the door. The landing and stairs down are completed. The dining room has had it’s ceiling stripped and it’s walls painted, though I still need to gloss. The kitchen floor was done before we started this week, but the walls are now painted, as is the ceiling, a kitchen cupboard had been hung and fitted, while another around the free boiler is being built. There are new homes St Louis which are built with incredible interior design which would have you mind-blown since they are not only amazing but also they are for sale at affordable prices.

The boiler was a little rickety but did have Boiler Cover to it. The backdoor area is almost done, painted twice but needs another coat and the glossing needs doing too. This Bathroom Remodel started with us having the walls plastered, painted and glossed, with just a little bit left to complete. The lounge is untouched as yet (except the plastering that’s been mended) but there isn’t too much to do there. We have two more days of work left until we hope to be pretty much done so I will let you know next week how we’ve done! Those who need to demolish a small part of their home for a renovation should consider working with a soft strip contractor.

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Guest Post – Small Changes That Can Increase the Resale Value of Your Home

May 28, 2015 by Bel Leave a Comment

With house prices rising steadily in the UK – banks are reporting increases from 8.5% overall to up to 20% in some areas of London – you may be considering selling up to take advantage of the housing boom. Maybe you’re thinking that you should put your house on the market right now so you don’t miss out.

Well, not so fast.

You have the right idea – you certainly want to strike while the iron is hot. But you really have to ask yourself, Is my house sale ready? If you want to get the most bang for your buck when you sell your house, make some of these tiny changes for huge returns. Don’t miss to check this site out. for more ways on how you can sell your house.

Get cooking in the kitchen

Have you ever noticed that people tend to gather in the kitchen at parties? It’s considered the heart of the home and one of the first places people want to see when they’re viewing homes for sale. Click here for a stamp valuation report if you want to transfer ownership of your property.

Ensure that you kitchen is clean and up-to-date. Replace the faucet set, update lighting fixtures, and be sure to de-clutter. If you’ve got the budget, ensure that the cabinets match – at least having matching handles. A Mold Inspection can also be a great step to ensure your kitchen remains healthy and free from mold-related issues.

The kitchen should feel homely, bright, and welcoming so that future residents can envision themselves preparing meals there.

Cleanse the bathroom

A not-so-nice looking bathroom can be a huge turn-off to potential buyers and is a common reason buyers will undercut a sale price. A complete remodel of the bathroom can cost up to £8,000 but you don’t have to be that drastic — Bathroom Takeaway has lovely bathroom suites for less than £100! Or, you can just add a floating vanity. Here are some details from Unique Vanities.

Replace what you can within your budget. If the floor is looking a bit dingy, you can re-tile the floor yourself and save a ton of money, after you continue learning about how to do so. You may consider replacing your old tiles with calacatta marble tiles. Replacing the tub or shower can really make a huge difference to the look of the bathroom. If that’s beyond your budget, re-grout the tile, replace the toilet seat and sink to completely refresh the room.

Property valuation experts estimate a new bathroom can add as much as 5% to the sale value of a house, so this should certainly make the top of your priority list.

Check for bug infestation:

Having a pest or bug infestation is one of the worst things that can happen and you will never be able to sell your house if the buyer finds about the bugs. You can hire professional pest control and bed bug control services like the ones from Bed Bug Removal Buffalo New York to inspect your house and get rid of your bed bugs if you have any. This way you can just have your furniture checked and you do not have to spend money on replacing them. You can learn more about benefits of hiring a pest control company here.

Grow up those kids’ spaces

Children’s play rooms were probably great for keeping the kids occupied, but they can actually decrease the resale value of your home, this link will show you more. A couple might visit your home and prefer to have a guest bedroom; a single man might want it as a man cave.

Let potential buyers see themselves living there. Empty nesters or a single person may view your home and be turned off (even unconsciously!) by a kiddie pool in the backyard or a climbing wall in the basement. Your house should be neutral, so turn that space into a den or another bedroom instead so potential buyers feel like they can make it home.

Keep that curb appeal

The first impression is a lasting impression, and the first thing potential buyers will see is the outside. People certainly will judge the value of your home based on how its curb appeal, so make sure there is nothing offensive about it, so having a good paint and a great driveway can make your house look amazing, and there are services like Townsville Concreting that can help creating the driveway you need.

A fresh paint and regular maintenance is all you need. Give your house or front door a fresh coat of paint or change the color if it’s a hue that divides opinion. We like this interior painting company
because they provide the best service. A nicely mowed lawn and a clean walkway will make a great first impression. You can also hire professionals to do Residential concrete work on your driveway or walkway to improve your property’s curb appeal. Another great idea is having an imprinted concrete to add an appeal to your walkway or driveway. Try to check on the imprinted concrete driveways prices so you can allot a good budget for this task.

Also if it fits within your budget, you can as well hire a landscaper to plant a few shrubs and clean up the yard. You can also contact pest control Melbourne to have your home inspected for pests like termites, cockroaches, rodents, and more.

Making these small home improvements like adding lovely flooring, patios, and walkways can change people’s perception of your home and increase its value at the same time. Visit helpful sites like https://sanantoniostampedconcretepros.com/ for some home improvement services that can help you achieve the best style you want. It’s both time and money well-spent if you’re thinking of putting your home on the market.

Ozeri Curva Artisan Series Double Wall Beverage Glasses and Tumbler Review*

October 4, 2013 by Bel Leave a Comment

Everyone in the house is getting really sick and sadly I’ve not escaped it! I’m full of cold and starting to cough somewhat too but I’d promised myself I’d get on top of a whole bunch of blog posts this week and so here I am!

Today I want to tell you about some Ozeri Artisan glasses I was kindly gifted, in order to review them! These glasses are from the same makers as my scales that I blogged about, back in September.

The glasses arrived a few weeks ago and on first impressions I was immediately sold by them. They are genuinely such beautiful and curvy glasses, that I actually just fell in love with them. The packaging they arrived in was incredibly good. Both the box inside the outer box, then the glasses inside the inner box. Nothing was damaged which was a bit of a surprise considering the way the post gets treated sometimes!

I took a whole load of pictures because I like to document these things properly. I’m actually very glad I did though as the box contains a lot of the information you need to know and also far better pictures than I could ever acquire with my iPhone camera.

Each glass is individual in style, each one a little different. However as they are all handmade, they are also unique in the sense that no two glasses will ever been 100% the same. The glasses hold 8 ounces, which is just less than a large glass of wine!

One of the many great things about these glasses is that they will hold both hot and cold liquids in them. As they have double-walls, the heat doesn’t burn your fingers and the cold doesn’t cause condensation (and in turn wet hands). They are dishwasher, microwave and freezer safe, which I think is pretty awesome! Though I haven’t tested the freezer part, they certainly work fine in the dishwasher and microwave.

Despite looking quite fragile, feeling light and delicate, the glasses are incredibly strong and hard wearing. As I said before, they were absolutely fine in the dishwasher, not even a chip.

So a few Sundays ago, we had a roast dinner, complete with very chilled wine! As you can see, no condensation and very pretty glasses ;) If I could have afford to do so, I would have bought another set, to have at our Murder Mystery the other night. However when funds are a little easier, I’m definitely going to buy some more. I think they’d be really lovely to have out at a dinner party. Don’t you?

*This product was gifted to me free of charge, though all views and opinions are my own