Form over function is an eternal struggle. It’s very rarely you find a beautiful item that is equally practical, so, you have to decide which you want to live with. This can be a beautiful silk tablecloth that would stain before you can say red wine, or an offcut of garish PVC that will wipe clean in two seconds and a million other choices. 

Our more recent big decision is kitchen worktop. We’re opting for a traditional looking ivory kitchen, complete with range cooker and plate racks, but can’t decide on the material for the worktop. Granite is pricy, glossy and too modern, but laminate looks dull and could potentially ruin the hard work we’ve put in to get the look we want. 

Our hearts want to go for the surprisingly costly solid wood option but are so worried it will mark easily (especially when a certain husband seems to love nothing more than splashing mugs of tea and dropping slices of beetroot all over the place and not cleaning them up). So, I turn to you…. Do any of you have solid wood worktops? How easy are they to maintain? Do they mark easily? Do you regret the expense? Tell all…

Long before Kirsty Allsopp found her beautiful deco bath for her Handmade Home, I have been a fan of Art Deco styling. – we even had it as a theme for our recent wedding! 

So, it was hard for me to come to terms with the fact that finding a similar bath was almost impossible, not to mention ridiculously impractical. I also began to talk myself out of the idea of a period bathroom. 

All the upstairs rooms will be decorated less traditionally than downstairs (the land of ornate cornicing, ceiling roses, grand fireplaces, stained glass and the like), so it made sense to go for something simple that would be practical and not date.  

The idea was to opt for a simple white suite, smallish shower, painted tongue n groove to dado height (probably in a light blue/green) and the rest all white. And then we found the Plaza range by Ideal Standard. Nods to deco stylings with its geometric lines and affordable and available, plus, it would allow me to indulge in my Art Deco loves, which I haven’t been able to horn into any of the rest of the house. 

So, we are now thinking of checkerboard tiling on the floor, bold black and whites, lines and ideally a small deco mirror above the sink. My worry is that it may be a little too over the top for such a small room but we’re going to give it a try – here’s to bathroom bravery!

So, with such silence on the site you’d be forgiven for thinking things have been ‘full steam ahead’ out at the house. Unfortunately not. You know things have hit a low when even your builder says he feels things are moving backwards and that he finds the days he’s out at the house depressing (at least he now knows how I feel!).

When we got the keys back in April we were inundated with friends and family demanding to know when we would be moving in. Bizarrely they all seemed to think all we needed was a ‘couple of coats of paint and you’ll be alright’, or ‘just move in and work on it one room at a time’. So, just to give them a necessary reality check we explained that we’d be in by ‘Christmas if we’re lucky’. Oops!

Yes, the festive season is approaching at rapid pace and we currently have no central heating, no kitchen, no bathroom, windows needing replaced, no flooring…and that’s just the internal work! So, I think, given the cold snap, we will be postponing all exterior work to the Spring and keeping our fingers crossed we can get the house habitable in the next couple of months.

There have been dramatic changes and, of course, ones that take days but are barely noticeable.

We’ve been doing our best to document them and have updated our Flickr if you want to have a look.

 If there’s anything in particular you see you want to know more about or what our plans are for it, then please leave a comment and we’ll share what we have in mind (if anything!).

You’ll have noticed very often that on shows such as Channel 4’s Grand Designs, when people are asked when they expect to be into their new homes they say in time for Christmas. It makes sense. Christmas is a time when you spend more time with your family than at work, more time in your home than at your desk and it’s also marks the final straight of the year.

As the months have flown by we’ve gotten pretty frustrated having to reiterate how much work the house needs and how it needs more than ‘a lick of paint’. Every time we say we’ll ‘hopefully be in by Christmas’ we get a little laugh as if there’s no possible way it could take so long and that we’re obviously having a little joke, or that I’m playing up my pessimist side.

The truth is that adding up the number of things still to do the other night and then how many working days there is until Christmas, I’m really starting to think that it’s a bit optimistic to imagine our first Christmas in our new home will be this coming year.

But, I am going to think positively (for once!) and use it as a goal to aim for so am busy imaging our new home brimming with festive cheer and smiling faces – I’ve even begun making the decorations!(see above) Now *that’s* positive thinking!!

One of our greatest challenges in our new property is the quest for good light. With tall ceilings, intricate detailing and a North facing kitchen it hasn’t been easy!

The biggest difference has been replacing the old skylight with a much larger Velux window which has not only brightened the stairwell but also produced one of our new favourite areas of the house – the upper landing. With room for a comfy armchair and floor to ceiling shelving, it’s hoped we can make this a great spot to come and relax.

The decision to remove walls both upstairs and downstairs in the North side of the house (between corridor and bathroom and between dining room and kitchen) has caused a lot of hassle but the lightness and increased sense of space has definitely been worth it.

We had always been adamant that we didn’t want to ruin the house by going ultra modern and opting for open-plan living but removing these walls was common sense given how tiny the original bathroom and kitchen were (too small to even take a decent ‘before’ picture in them).
Our latest (and unfortunately belated) decision has been to add an additional window in the kitchen. Only time will tell if it will make a measured improvement to the quality of light in there but we very much want it to be a hub of the house and I would rather have a dark kitchen, where I know I have done all I possibly can to brighten it, than be left with a nagging ‘what if…’

It’s now just a question of sourcing suitable light fittings for all rooms and the outside of the house! Decisions, decisions…

Yes, that is little old me, trying unsuccessfully to look happy about the fact a team of builders had just dumped a ton of rusty metal, plasterboard and planks of wood into my once beautiful front garden.

The front garden and approach to the house had previously escaped the scrapyard look but it seems nowhere is safe and I now spend my days waiting for Steptoe to appear.

The scaffolding is up as we work to repair the roof and repair all the rotten wood in the roof detailing. So far it has gone quite well but the replacing of the porch/arch has highlighted that the keystone has dropped and painting all the new wood, combined with over a hundred years of soot everywhere (the house is next to train station), has resulted in husband resembling a young Al Jolson for the last 2 weeks.

Yesterday we had a bit of a disaster when our team of East coast builders failed to realise the tempremental nature of West coast weather and decided to cut a huge hole in our roof (without protecting the stairs beneath but don’t get me started on that!) to install a new Velux window in the hall. Cue a torrential downpour and our stairs soon resembled an indoor waterfall, complete with sticky soot and rubble. No amount of “I’ve never seen rain like that!” could dampen my rage.

Another rage-inducing incident occurred when First Scotrail had a half-assed attempt at dealing with our Knotweed problem. Not only are there new plants over 3ft tall in the bit they ‘treated’ but they decided to leave the bit they say is not theirs! So, there is still a jungle of this (over 15ft tall now) burying through our walls and garden and no one willing to stump up for it to be professionally and permanently eradicated. Ugh.

In better news we have had the plumber and electrician through to do the first fix and, despite electrocuting a plumber, things went quite well! (Are you beginning to think we may be jinxed?).

After all this drama we decided to treat ourselves to some retail therapy and went to the current John Lewis sale to see if there was anything we fancied spending the gift vouchers we got for our wedding on. In the end we plumped for a lovely Denby white covered dish to go with the dinner service we got as a wedding present and a huge patchwork quilt for the guest bedroom. Strangely we had always thought we would be decorating this in shades of blue but the warmth of the red and white quilt has swung us!

We’ve finally decided on a layout for the new kitchen and bathroom and also to move the boiler into the outhouse. None of these are perfect but it’s a matter of making the best use of the space we have and the lack of budget available.

I promise a more chirpy Home Report next time – hopefully!!

If there’s one thing that drives me mad about my husband it’s his lack of taste.  I’m not saying he has poor taste (he married me didn’t he!), but that he has no taste at all. When asked what he thinks or what he likes, I am invariably met with a non-commital shrug and an “yeah, it’s OK” or “I don’t mind it”.

So, imagine my surprise when he said he ‘really liked’ the above wallpaper, even more so when he pulled it out and suggested it! It’s bold, it’s retro and I like it too. What a relief! Perhaps hubbie has some taste buried deep down in there after all.

It’s quite pricey (about £30 per roll) but I think it would look great on the end walls of the studio (former bathroom) and that would only need about one roll.

The wallpaper is by Sanderson and is part of their Options 10 collection. The design is called Dandelion Clock and is available in 4 colourways from national retailers.

I have finally found one advantage to having a house where there are holes and dirt and rubble wherever you turn – you can make as much mess as you want!

Recently the kind folks at Dylon sent me a load of great dyes to try in my crafty projects and for once I was not filled with resulting horror. As a longterm hair dyer, I have mountains of ruined towels and, even worse, bathrooms in my wake so was a little anxious about home dying in our place (we’ve had the bathroom and en-suite replaced in past couple of years).

So, check out this for a dye-safe bathroom! There’s not even any walls to get marked! Now all I need to do is get my materials out there before the plumbers remove the bath!! Wish me luck

This week’s Found Friday is what I think would be the perfect little getaway. Let me introduce you to Glenmalloch Lodge.

This cosy little lodge for two is located in Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway. It lies in the middle of a wild glen, framed by wide views of the surrounding hills, with the Solway Firth just a mile or so away.

The cottage was built originally not as a lodge, but rather as a picturesque schoolhouse through the philanthropy of Harriet, Countess of Galloway, some time before 1842.

Not only is this ‘find’ a wonderful choice for a retreat (there’s a great last minute deal here: http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/availability/late.htm#20Jul ) but it’s also some pretty wonderful renovation inspiration.

The Landmark Trust, who hire out the lodge, spent £310,000 on renovating the lodge in 2007. For more great picture details look here: http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/future_landmarks/glenmalloch.htm

If your tempted to experience Glenmalloch for yourself bookings must be made through the Landmark Trust: http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk

Architect in the House, in partnership with the NHBC, is an innovative scheme that matches homeowners with an RIBA chartered architect who gives up an hour of their time for a design consultation. In exchange, the homeowner makes a suggested minimum donation of £40 to Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity.

Whether it’s inspiration for a study, an extra bedroom, or just better living space you need, an RIBA chartered architect can offer creativity and professional advice that will help bring your ideas to life.

How Architect in the House works:

• Register your contact details and the location of your project when you sign up. The project can be based in England, Wales or Scotland but not Northern Ireland.
• You can register up to 6pm on 1 July. Contact details of your architect (subject to availability) will be emailed to you in mid July.
• Please contact the architect as soon as possible to arrange a consultation. This can take place at any mutually convenient time until 30 November 2009.
• At the end of the consultation you will need to make a suggested minimum donation of £40 to Shelter. Alternatively you can donate in advance online.
• Please note that if the scheme is oversubscribed, a match with an architect cannot be guaranteed.

What you can expect from an Architect in the House consultation:

• Make sense of your space, and let an architect bring your design ideas to life. The architect will listen to your ideas, helping to pin down what you want to achieve.

• Whether you are moving or staying put, an architect will help you make the best use of your space. Great design is a long-term investment you can trust.
• RIBA chartered architects are not just great designers, they can also advise on planning, and manage the builders. They can specify a range of fittings and lighting and can suggest energy-saving, environmentally friendly options.
• After the consultation, you and your Architect in the House architect can decide if you would like to continue to work on your project on a commission basis.

For more information and to sign up before July 1st go to: http://www.architectinthehouse.org.uk/index.php