You (still) can’t beat a good list (see the bottom of this post for the previous ones) – this is the current position:

In Progress

• Flooring and tiling
  We’ve bought slate wall and floor tiles for both bathrooms and travertine for the ground floor. Finally, we’ve also selected oak flooring for the first floor. No more tiles to buy – hooray!
• Internal doors We’ll go for relatively traditional hardwood doors, but not ordered yet.
• Storage
  We’ve got a utility area in the kitchen and will install cupboards in the dressing area (including on the high wall above the door to the landing), under the stairs and in second bedroom. We will install shelving on the landing and hopefully find some really neat storage solutions for various other nooks and crannies – continuing investigations!
• Lighting
  Pretty much all bought – details soon.
• Appliances
  Still Need: Cooker, fridge-freezer, washing machine, TV.
  money, money, money
  Got: multi-fuel stove.
• Furniture
  Still Need: Beds, dining table and chairs.
  Settee and chairs have been bought.
• Paint Internal and external
  Internal paint is clay based and the first coat has been applied (except in the bedrooms). We will use eco-gloss where woodwork is to be glossed, although this will be minimal. A subtle shade of green has been selected for the exterior paint work – picture soon!
• New – Wood Store
  Build an external, wood store from wood and slate in the yard for storage of firewood.
• New – Treat internal woodwork
  Wax (and otherwise treat) all the internal woodwork, especially the stairs and bannisters.
• New – Progress Kitchen
  Complete assembly and installation of the kitchen units.
• New – Progress Bathroom
  Install shower cubicles and clean, grout and seal all tiling.
• New – Shutters
  Find affordable (under £3000 which is the quote I currently have) for shutters for the yard side window.

Previous lists:
Attention to detail – November 2007
Attention to detail – April 2008
Attention to detail – October 2008

I have a rather tricky carpentry challenge in that my hot water cylinder / accumulator and the all the paraphernalia associated with my solar panels, hot water & heating system has grown beyond any expectations and has now occupied a large corner of the second bedroom.

The challenge of how to box this in (or at least camouflage it from view) is one that stumps me, go on take a look and see what you think…

(This isn’t even the most recent picture, things are now even more complex)

To make matters even more complex, note a) that this all sits below a Velux window – how can I box it in without boxing in the window? and note b) there is a water header tank in the only place it could be – awkwardly above the only door into the room.

And yes, I hold my hands up – it’s all my fault as I decided to remove the airing cupboard from the plans, I also sited the equipment where it is (it sits on a supporting beam so there is some logic in it) and thought that was the best place for the Velux to be located – guilty as charged.

If anyone can suggest how to tidy up this plumbing, piping, tanking puzzle I’d be most grateful…

Answers on a postcard please (there may even be a prize)…

A couple of other angles:

A couple more useful sites that I’ve used recently and can recommend.

So if you want something antique but don’t know where to start looking then get on to Scavengers and they may be able to find something to fit the bill for you. I bought a chandelier from Scavengers which despite having a bit of a battering in transit should work well in the barn. I would never have found myself rummaging through antique shops or trawling ebay.

Determined to beat my previous poor showings, here’s the April update, just a few days after April has ended … impressed?

This post should really be titled Stairs Progress ~ April 2009 (but that’s already been done) as there’s not a great deal more than the installation of the stairs to report.

In addition, I’ve progressed with painting the bathrooms, having finished downstairs (except for the utility room) and the landing. I’m using an off-white just to give myself a break from the white…(big deal!)

I’ve also put the standalone sink unit together (complete with sink) ready for the plumbing.

May holds the prospect of completing the painting (or at least the first coat – can’t even think about having to apply the second coat throughout the whole place such is my love of painting) and tiling the showers. Then I’ll be back to lime pointing…