My Plans for The Block Week 4

Oh my lord, this was a hard choice! There are sooo many amazing bathroom options floating around out there! I'm trying to be tough in my selections but I find so many options every time I look!!

I do not own the rights to any of these photos they are images I have used from Pinterest the online photo sharing site, so citing the true owner is a bit tricky. I have included the link from the place they were "pinned" from.

Main Theme

http://www.lauracaseyinteriors.com/blog/2011/06/09/all-white-bathrooms/

I know it's white and I'm a colour junky but in the utility rooms such as the Bathroom and the Kitchen I ease off a bit on my white hate as it's the best space to be neutral and relaxed. My main love here is the cabinet. The draws, the stone bench and the double sinks are exactly what I would have gone for. I am also a fan of the hanging mirrors and accessories used here. I'm also a fan of the white subway tiles. Using the wall with an archway to section off the wet area is something I really like as well.

Feature 1

 http://www.houzz.com/photos/215734/Matrka-Inc--traditional-bathroom-other-metros

While I love the period features in this room, it's a little too much for these houses but oooohhhhhh I love the walk in shower/wet room! It provides privacy in the shower and a nice secluded area to relax in while having your shower. I also love that as you wash and dry off in the wet area that there is a rug and timber floor in the main area of the bathroom creating a more relaxed and less traditional bathroom feel. The chandelier is a little much but I could imagine this bathroom in a castle and in that it would suit.

Feature 2

http://www.houzz.com/photos/start=32

I love the period features here and I'm going to be honest, there isn't one feature I like here it's the look I like. The whites and blues and the cute chair and make up station, leading to a big opulent bath. I do like the light here, it's period without being over the top.

Feature 3

 

 http://www.welke.nl/lookbook/nynkevisser1/kerkpad-3

Ok, so this style doesn't match but the idea of a bit more privacy for the loo is a big plus for me. It also creates more storage which is always a plus in the bathroom.

Stunning

http://zsazsabellagio.blogspot.com.au/

Ok so this wouldn't really match in the bathroom I've planned (or would it) but I just had to add this picture as these tiles are SPECTACULAR. Totally beyond budget I'm sure but just WOW!

After that it appears my plans are a little sporadic so I'll explain a little further. As before I'm using Brad and Lara's room as inspiration. I would raise the wet area like they did however instead of a glass divider I would have put an archway in giving a bit more separation and wall area yet still allowing the light in. I would have put the bath against the side wall and would use the whole other wall as a double open shower space and the area left at the foot of the bath would be a drying off/ towel hanging area. Then down the step I would keep the toilet where it is but put one one of these dividing walls with storage. Then I would keep the cabinet where Brad and Lara had it, yet I would change to this style over modern and would hang one large mirror rather than using the plain edgeless one they used. I wish I had a program where I could whip up a floor plan to show you..........

Ok so next up Week 5 Entranceway, Stairs and Final Bedroom :-) xxoo
Roxanne

The Block 2012 Week 4

Oh my I am getting sooo behind! And this week I have no excuses, I've just been a tad lazy, especially since I had planned to be caught up by this week.... :-P

Oh well, I'll get there soon. So Week 4 Bathroom Week. I scary week really as sometimes a bathroom can make or break a house........ Also a slightly controversial week when Dan and Dani broke the rules massively and used power tools all night long. Even though they left the property each time it was very obvious and quite frustrating and disturbing to the other contestants, especially since the ability to use power tools on a Saturday can be removed if there are enough complaints!! Some have questioned why they didn't use just an manual tile cutter? I have since learned that since they were slate tiles they are too thick and strong to cut without a power tool. Also people have asked why they didn't focus on cutting the tiles earlier and then work all night to lay them (ie me) but I guess that may have been too confusing or something, so not floated as an option..... Either way the producers chose to penalize them by fining them $1000. A massive blow as money is getting rather tight and they spent about $5000 on the bath alone (WTF???) but they were still allowed to compete for the week. I was slightly annoyed at them on behalf of the other contestants and was also a little pissy because I loved their bathroom but did not want them to win out of principle. However this is just a TV show, it's a competition and these are REAL people so vilifying and attacking them (as many did) was completely ridiculous and out of hand. The producers chose a course of action and this occurred around 10 weeks ago, so is old news to the people on the block. So lets move on and discuss the rooms :-)

Dan and Dani's Bathroom/Laundry

So as I admitted earlier I loved this room. The tile work, both the hand made subway tiles and the large slate worked perfectly. The big bath and funky lighting. I like the floating toilet but would have liked the cistern to be hidden in the wall rather than sticking out, although I did like the extra shelf it creates. The walk in shower/wet room was perfection and I thought they had enough space in here for the laundry even if the judges didn't. The wooden accessories were a lovely touch and really softened the stark colour palette and the steps make the bath a bit more family friendly.

My Vote 9/10
To me this bathroom/laundry was fantastic. Not much surface space, as I like to have a place for all my toiletries etc but all in all a lovely feel. As this couple loves, it's extremely modern, my only concern here is how quickly this room will date and need updating.... Also this couple spent WAY too much money in here, to me this look could have been achieved on a tighter budget if they'd tried a little harder.

Mike and Andrew's Bathroom

There was A LOT going on in this room..... The amazing mirrored cupboards brought so much storage space they're brilliant, the intense lights in between each door was a bit much though. Those would be great around one main mirror not a series along the wall. the shower and bath were spacious and lovely but the space could have been used a bit better....... I would have maybe only had the one glass wall on the shower along the front and would have left the bath side open, creating a wet room feel. I like their surfaces and wall and floor finishes however it seems that every surface is either reflective or shiny and all in very pale colours.... It's a little assaulting on the eyes.

My vote 7.5/10
I agree that they tried a little too hard in the styling department and the red was all wrong. I would have gone a taupe or brown and a green for the styling as it would have softened the look of the space rather than kicking it up like the red did. I love how much storage space they have and the bench space and I really like the toilet on the mirrored wall, it's spunky and elegant. And of course as always the boys finishes are perfection.

Brad and Lara's Bathroom

The winning room ;-) Ok, I'm going to say it.... The white was the right choice here. With the dark flooring and dark accessories it worked. The raised wet room was what won it for me. It's sleek and there are clean lines between the areas. Also buttloads or bench space Yay!! The shelf was a clever little spur of the moment choice from Lara. I actually really liked their choice of door (period look of course).

My Vote 9/10
Again, their styling let them down. The checked towels were UGLY and the robes are just too "residential" for this market. This house has to be magazine spread/pinterest styled and robes are not there. The hooks are great but leaving them blank would have been better. I love their lighting and the big mirror.

Sophie and Dale's Bathroom/Laundry

This room was quite modern looking for this couple and I liked it, yet it still has their style in there. I do not think putting the laundry in here was a good idea at all.The room is small enough as it is without that huge cupboard and having the shower in the bath is fine on an average height bath but imagine your Nanna trying to get into that shower..... Yes the stool is there but I don't trust that sort of thing on a tiled floor. The mirrored wall does open the space, but just not enough to save the space. This room has become more a glorified ensuite than a main bathroom.

My Vote 7/10
I love the tiles on the floor and the space on and in the cabinet but the sink is a touch impractical for everyday uses like shaving and brushing your teeth. The finishes were great and the pieces good quality but it just doesn't quite do it for me.

Now I have to choose a bathroom I would have done here and believe me I'm struggling. There are just sooooooo many options! Off to pinterest I go... xxoo
Roxanne

Homemade Vanilla Essence

I have seen this floating around pinterest and then saw a friend post a link to a recipe on Facebook and I had to try it!! I love baking and use quite a lot of Vanilla Essence and when I saw this I was amazed that I could make my own and maybe make a large batch and give some away as Christmas presents...... I just love that it takes two ingredients and a bit of time and 'Ta Dah' you've achieved another homemade gem :-)

 This photo was taken about 5 minutes ago - 2 weeks old. Look how dark it's getting :-)

I did a bit of research before starting and there's a lot of info out there and a lot of advice. Here are some links to sources that I found relevant.

 http://sugarcrafter.net/2010/01/02/vanilla-extract/

 http://50.56.117.209/diy-vanilla-extract-favors/

http://www.weddingbee.com/2009/10/20/diy-vanilla-extract-and-vanilla-sugar-shower-favors/

http://theitaliandishblog.com/imported-20090913150324/2009/12/26/make-your-own-vanilla-extract.html

http://www.vanillareview.com/make-vanilla-extract/

So taking key info from these posts I've come up with this.

• You need 1 vanilla been pod per 1/3 cup vodka
• I don't think it really matters whether you use A or B grade beans as long as you soak them for long enough.
• Don't leave the beans in there for longer than 12 months as their quality fails, but you can replace them after that with fresh beans.
• Cutting the pod is essential, however chopping isn't.
• You can top up your essence with more vodka if you have a bean in there.
• Don't let the beans sit higher than the liquid as mold can develop on them.
• You essence will be ready once the vodka smell is replaced by the vanilla scent. (usually 3 months)
• Using good quality 70-80 proof vodka is best.
• If you're giving your product as a gift give instructions on the bottle, especially if you put a bean in there.

After all this I decided to do a test batch. I searched high and low for a small glass bottle and was struggling in my hunt and then came home to find a used glass sauce bottle with my collection of jars that was perfect! I measured it and it took just under 1 & 1/3 cups so I decided on 4 beans.

I gathered all my bits:

Vodka - I have a 1L bottle left over from my 21st with about 1/3 left in the bottle. I haven't touched it in years (since figuring out Vodka was to blame for all the horrific hang overs of my youth ;-P) It's stunning quality too, so a perfect choice.

Beans - My chef helped my out with these after I learned the price in the supermarket. Although I've since learned you can get them through ebay and fairly cheap compared to supermarket options, however it is for bulk amounts.

I began by sterilizing all the equipment to be involved. This helped kill any bacteria in the bottle and stopped the knife, cutting board and funnel from introducing any.

My bottle was tall enough to fit the whole pods in so all I did was slice the beans down the middle and opened them, exposing that delicious 'caviar'. My hands smelled like vanilla for a day after that!

Once all the pods were in I used a small funnel and slowly poured in the vodka.

And Ta Dah!!! The finished product :-) Next I put it in the back of the cupboard to rest in the dark and gave it a twirl every day for a week.

One week in and the colour is kicking in! Also some of the lovely caviar has fallen to the bottom. The liquid had dropped a bit exposing the tops of the pods so I added a dash more vodka to cover them again. 

The vanilla smell is creeping through and I'm so excited to give it a go as soon as it's ready! I'm also preparing to make some larger batches for gifts. I even found some 250ml swing top glass bottles for $2 near my work, SCORE!! :-)

Now tell me is there anything you're making now instead of buying? I love that this way you can avoid added chemicals etc. I'm thinking next I might try some make-up remover wipes I also saw on pinterest.... ;-P xxoo

Roxanne

My Plans for The Block Week 3

Ok so here goes! I've been having so much fun on Pinterest tonight getting ideas for these rooms plus so many more!! Ohhhh, I have a few goodies coming up for the next few rooms too ;-)

So Bedroom 2 and Powder Room. Again I'm taking Brad and Lara's space into my consideration. Personally I was so impressed with their rooms this week I've been struggling to get their ideas out of my head. I've copied a few of their themes and of course always have their period features in the front of my mind. So here goes.

I do not own the rights to any of these photos they are images I have used from Pinterest the online photo sharing site, so citing the true owner is a bit tricky. I have included the link from the place they were "pinned" from.

Main Theme

 http://www.houzz.com/black-walls/p/672

The colour scheme is a big yes for me here. Grey walls, dark and pale features and a splash of bright colour, Ahhhhh. The mirrors are magnificent and help open the space. The chairs add a touch of class as does the bedhead and ottoman. The styling here is really warm and comforting. I also like the simple light fitting as there's a lot of 'stuff' in this room. The rug surrounding the bed space with the wooden floors is very classy.

Feature 1

 http://meganleiter.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/designer-spotlight-candice-olson/

Keeping the fireplace was a stroke of genius! Although I would add a TV like in this photo as entertainment features are a must these days. I would also keep the shelves beside the fireplace as it's a great place for books and to display nick knacks.

Feature 2 

 http://nicety.livejournal.com/952382.html

The Walk in Robe created an extra piece of luxury in this room. Although I wasn't a fan of the centre doorway, I was a fan of the bulkhead but it was a major space sucker so I would keep the wardrobe but would make it quite compact and would place a sliding door to one side as the entrance. I like that the wardrobe in this photo is compact and the way it utilizes the space.

Powder Room

http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/default.asp

Brad and Lara's water saving (and space saving) toilet/hand basin was a great idea for this tiny space. Although a mirror and small shelf is needed also.

Feature 1

The features and artwork here
are fantastic! I love having something interesting to look at in the loo and I think it would become a talking point for guests. I'm a little torn as I was a fan of the exposed brick they used but this style would have been a bit different and fun and a Powder Room does not necessarily need tiles etc. That rug is pretty cool too.......

                                                            http://achadosdedecoracao.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/continuacao-do-jogo-dos-7-acertos_05.html

http://meggielynne.tumblr.com/post/23163717379

Ok, so week 4 is next, the bathroom/drama week :-) xxoo
Roxanne

The Block 2012 Week 3

Ok, so I'm terribly behind but I've been really busy of late and struggling to watch and catch up on the episodes I miss. It's a little disappointing but I do what I can and watch what I can and I'm still love, love, loving it all! I am going to change up the way I write my reviews, I'm going to write a prose regarding each room now rather than a break down of each area.

So week three, another two room week but this week it was one bedroom and the powder room in the kitchen. I was with Dan though in saying it's a little off putting to have a toilet in the kitchen but it was the best way to get a loo on the lower level...... Also a week of spats with everyone being in crappy moods and becoming comfortable enough with each other to "debate" certain decisions..... :-P

Dan and Dani's Powder Room and Bedroom

The BLUE room!! I looooooved it! Yes it was a big, rich and deep colour and yes it made the room seem smaller than paler walls would have but it was so warm and inviting and comfortable. Ahh! It was so exciting! The pale curtains and bed linen plus the white and mirrored cupboard doors broke it up a lot and the splashes of colour were perfect. Though I think they could have done the bed for much less than the $3000 they spent!! The lamp, the chair, the pendant and the bedside table worked perfectly! But I agree a second bedside table and lamp was needed despite the tiny space.

Exposed brick was the popular choice for this room and it is magnificent! I also love the small white toilet and basin and the shiny chrome accessories. And yep, the pendant light is a huge tick for me :-)

My score 9/10
Yes, both these rooms were a bit pokey but I believe that the couple have done a lot with such small spaces. I love their bold colour and modern designs and these rooms looked like they came straight out of a magazine shoot! However again their style is extremely modern and bold and may clash with the idea of a terrace house....

Mike and Andrew's Powder Room and Bedroom

The boys went all out for their funky kids bedroom. The white walls are ok here as there are a lot of 'bits' on the wall (not visible in the photo) The 55' television and the cute tree and rope ladder and I love the hand prints :-) There's lots of shelving and cupboard space and a little desk for a laptop which is exactly what you need in a kids room. The built in bunk............ It's just so permanent, the people who buy this house may not have kids and this might not work for them.... I think they would have been better off just buying some nice bunks with a single on top and double on the bottom. Also I would have gone more a navy colour for the carpet to match the blinds and the colour scheme of the room.

A very plain and simple design but these boys love greys in their wet rooms and of course the mirrored walls. It really does open the space but is the loo a place you really want a full body shot of yourself?

My Vote 7/10
I am a fan, rather neutral and plain though. I probably wouldn't have done the grey going up the walls in the powder room as it's a bit dark for such a tiny space. A white, cream or taupe would have been better. The bedroom is funky and practical and hopefully their potential buyers have kids.

Brad and Lara's Powder Room and Bedroom

Again, soft and neutral with the original period features I love. This room gives me relaxed feelings. With all this extra space they're able to do so much more with their rooms and I'm jealous on behalf of the other teams! Walk in Robe!! Yay, two walk in robes in one house, that's great! The bulkhead is interesting and I think I like it. It hides away the robe and creates extra storage space. I'm also so jealous of the fireplace, imagine snuggling up in that bed with a fire.......

The exposed brick again! :-) Though with the grey tiles.... I'm not sure if I like it or not..... I love, love, love the toilet/basin, it's such a great idea. I've used these toilet's overseas and the water you use to wash your hands is then stored as the water to be used for the flush. Such a water saver!! And of course a mirror is great but a bench, even a tiny one, would make make-up adjustment a little easier. I do also agree with the builder that moving the vent to next to the toilet rather than cutting through the beautiful red brick would have been a much better choice!

My Vote 8/10
The bedroom is amazing! So big, lush and relaxing! The walk in robe, the fireplace, the bulk head, it's almost like a second master bedroom. I agree with the judges that more was needed on the walls and on the shelves but I love the bed styling. I also think a little more storage could have been added in the walk in robe as there's a lot of wasted space in there. In the powder room I most definitely would have also done the toilet/basin combo as it gives you more space and less water wastage. And the exposed brick absolutely rocks!!

Sophie and Dale's Powder Room and Bedroom

I really liked this bedroom, although I do think that some of the decoration on the furniture was a bit much and swapping it out for a bit more wall art would have worked better. I loved the wardrobes and the shelves, it is all very functional. The bench seat is lovely and all the extra space underneath is brilliant. I agree that the little desk was a bit redundant and just a bit of a waste of space in this room. I love, love, love the soft furnishings though.

Aha, exposed brick! I'm loving it with the white walls and timber look floor but still not a fan of the blue skirting, as in their other rooms!! I like the sink and tiny shelf but I think the doorway is just too small for normal sized people to be comfortable..... Also what is that little cut out above the flush button?

My Score 8/10
This couple struggled with the judges this week and received the chump awards for the week but I don't see it, there's lots of innovation and design here and a lovely use of space and colour. These are tiny spaces and I think with the removal of the desk and the shelf in the powder room they would have fared better in the judging. I think this couples retro style is becoming a lot more sophisticated and a lot less sharehousey. Their colour scheme is really taking off too!


So I have two more weeks to get through to catch up on but now I'm going to scour pinterest for my 'what I would have done' post to come soon... xxoo
Roxanne

Chocolate Cupcakes

A friend made chocolate cupcakes this week and put photos on facebook and I was inspired! Chocolate cupcakes were needed. I went to trusty old taste.com.au and picked my favourite recipe, I bought what was needed and the next day I went to work.

You can find the recipe here: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/22173/chocolate+cupcakes


Cake Ingredients -

• 100g dark chocolate
• 1 cup (250ml) water
• 125g butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups (255g) brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup (75) plain flour
• 1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder

Method -

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 18 x 1/3-cup (80ml) capacity muffin pans with paper cases.
2. Combine the chocolate and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition, until just combined. Add the flours and cocoa powder and stir until just combined. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Spoon evenly among the lined muffin pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

My batter ready to go!

Sadly the all cracked slightly but still kept a rather uniform top.

Ganache Ingredients - 

• 300g dark chocolate
• 300g sour cream

Method - 

To make the chocolate sour cream ganache, place the chocolate and sour cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and glossy. Spread over each cake and set aside to set.

NT - I found the dark chocolate and sour cream to have a rather sour/bitter taste so added a dash of thickened cream to slightly sweeten the mixture.

So yummy and glossy :-)

Rather than setting up a double boiler I just used a heavy based pan over a very low heat to get the desired result :-) Beware of this as it's very easy to burn the chocolate this way so it needs your full attention. This is when I discovered the icing was WAY too runny!! I attempted to ice a few cakes but it just ran straight off the sides! This was however a ganache so I didn't need to add anything just give it some time to thicken, it took about an hour and a bit of time in the fridge to thicken. Still slightly runny I added the ganache a tiny bit at a time and used my trusty offset pallet knife to spread it and layered it on bit by bit.

My trusty offset pallet knife.

The finished product!!

You can see in the middle one of the ones that wore the ganache down the sides :-P

Very yummy!! I've already eaten too many. The recipe says it makes 18 but I ended up with around 22. Also being that they're made with dark chocolate the cakes and ganache are a little bitter so young kids may not be fans of the taste but grown ups will love these and adding a little coffee liqueur to the ganache would be yummy!! Or if you wanted you could exchange the dark for milk chocolate and get a more traditional flavour.

Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I would love to see some pictures. xxoo

Roxanne

My plans for The Block Week 2

Ok so follow up post to The Block 2012 Week 2 with my 'what I would have done'. I have decided that I'm liking Brad and Lara'a ideas the best so I'm going to imagine I'm designing in their house :-) (So glad it's the largest house.... ;-P) Therefore I am imagining I have enough space to design a Master/Ensuite and Walk in Robe.

Again I do not own the rights to any of these photos they are images I have used from Pinterest the online photo sharing site, so citing the true owner is a bit tricky. I have included the link from the place they were "pinned" from.

While I loved the recessed wall/bed head in Brad and Lara's room my plan would be to make it a full wall and put an almost hallway on the window side of the room with a sliding door into the walk in robe and then another into the bathroom. This would turn the walk in robe into a U shape and offer a lot more storage. Also using the window side of the room would give natural light to the walk way and help get some into the ensuite.

Main Theme

 http://media-cache9.pinterest.com/upload/78039006013446647_76I2Xd3t_f.jpg

The colour scheme is what I love here. The grey walls with white edging (though maybe would have gone a little darker in the grey) The wood look floor (laminate would be good as it minimizes noise) The big rug under the bed (giving the bed area a softer feel) and the dark contemporary furniture. That lamp would make a great bedside lamp! I'm not a fan though of the bundle of sticks, the white bed clothes or the asian look to the cupboard.

Feature 1

 http://inthenameofbeauty.tumblr.com/page/3

 I just love this light. To me it gives so much spunk to the room and a little bit of glamour. I would go a little smaller in size and lower it but it's just spunky! Also loving the sliding door in the foreground here. This would work for both the entry into the walk in robe and ensuite in a much smaller size though.

Feature 2

 http://www.grahamandgreen.co.uk/chateau-bedstead

I know it's tacky but I'm loving this bed and matching bedside table set. Ok, ok, so minus the gold....... (kind of) The lovely upholstery and shape are perfect. The gold I'd probably swap to a carved dark wood. Also I'd swap the grape colour for more neutral tones maybe grey, taupe, or navy........

Feature 3

 Link broken

 On the opposite side of the room to the bed I'd have a large dark dresser with a large mirror on the wall. I couldn't quite find a dresser I liked so I've picked this one but I would have preferred it longer and on legs. then maybe an armchair or ottoman as seating (or dumping ground as it would end up in my house). Maybe I'm a little too in love with the dresser in the first photo.........

 Walk in Robe

 http://www.4inspireddesign.com/

So it obviously wouldn't be this wide but if you imagine the opposite wall being just out of shot it's not too bad. I love the slight period features, the colour and the clean lines. The wooden floor is nice and would be easy to clean but maybe a small rug would soften the feel. But I love it!

Ensuite

http://media-cache6.pinterest.com/upload/109353097171586124_Fih64l0O.jpg

 

Sticking to the period feel I want I think this ensuite is nice and relaxed. Again it would need to fit in a much thinner room but with a recessed/floating loo and with a much smaller shower basin it would work. I love the wall sconce and would have the towel rack above the loo there. I know the vanity is a little old school but I like it :-) Sadly there wouldn't be a window though :-( Also, while I love the green, I would have to go a taupe or grey to follow on from the rest of the house.

So do you like my ideas so far? xxoo

Roxanne