7 June 2014

House Tour


Would you like a tour of our house?
I warn you, this is a warts-and-all tour.
I'm not big on housework...too many other fun things to do!
So here we are at the front door, with smiley face made with sticky notes, by The Artist.
On the left are posters of the stained glass walls at The National Library of Australia.

On the right wall is a selection of hats, a hall table with baskets of hats, 
and a crystal bowl of bouncy balls!
I lifted the carpet in the hall to expose the roughly finished wood,
good enough while we have young boys!

Standing at the front door, the hall veers to the right up to the bedrooms.
On the right is a window The Artist painted 
so we could feel like we lived in a chalet on a mountain.
Against the wall is a permanent mattress,
for The Actor to practise somersaults etc.

If we turn to the left we find the sculpture/painting made by The Artist and I, and the edge of the baby gate used to control the dog, especially when people arrive at the front door. Hope you're not afraid of dogs?

Step through the sliding door, and we reach the laundry, complete with painting and back door.

Here are the warts I was speaking of earlier!
We renovated this room as part of my nesting instinct before The Actor was born.
We installed top cupboards, wooden bench, and cork tiles on floor, and retiled wall.

Let's turn around and turn to the right, into the family room.
First we see the computer desk, covered in lego pieces for the stop motion films The Artist makes.
And the office chair whose seat I recovered(very proud).
On the right out of shot is the buffet where I usually take my internal shots, pretending to be a model!

Next is the TV room and the dog's home. Winter is her name, and she is a Cocker Spaniel/Labrador mix- called a Spanador.

Turning to the left you see through to the french doors 
(toy room and day bed)which we installed as part of nesting before The Artist was born,
and the dining room (Art Studio)

Here is the day bed with second hand curtain, cushions made by me or secondhand.

Next to the Dining room, is the Kitchen with odds and sods along the dividing wall.

We renovated this room too, and installed the wooden benches and tiles.
There are cork tiles on the floor. Lovely in a kitchen when you drop something...it bounces! 
They need a refinish, one day when the kids are older.

Here is the Studio! Typical of the Dining table, 
we have cups of tea, sewing, drawing, reading
 and wood carving going on!
It does occasionally get cleaned up and used as a dining table ;-)
You can just see the edge of the buffet where the art materials are stored.


I bought this dining table for $20 secondhand!
See the grain matching?
It was all dusty with chairs stored on top. There are some scratches.
Very happy, polished up really well.
Felt like a real treasure hunter with this one :-)


If we walk through the kitchen, there is a door into the music room.
This is where I teach, and the kids practise cello, and muck about on keyboards etc.
On the wall are paintings and artifacts from PNG.


Through an archway, decorated by me, there is the warm hub of the house, the loungeroom.
Patchwork curtains made by me, colourful ceiling and walls also by me.
Mess, courtesy of the boys!


Our pretty section, with secondhand chairs, 
and antique chiming clock we gave ourselves for our 25th anniversary.
Also nightvision goggles, a total necessity in every lounge.


The cat Smart-Blue, is hunting his food bowl.
All the cardboard boxes are for the fire, which we are enthusiastically getting ready for, 
but only occasionally cold enough so far.




On the wall of the Lounge, opposite the music room, we have our bookshelves.
We are great readers, but heavy users of the Library, so don't own a tonne of books.
The kids have bookshelves in their rooms and the toy room also has one...Okay, okay, we have a fair few books :-)

And finally we look up to the ceiling you can't miss!
I did this many years ago. I offered to paint over it recently and everyone shouted me down.
It's become part of our family's folklore it seems :-)

So out the door and you're back to where we started!
Hope you enjoyed the stickybeak into our home.
I just realised these are all night shots.
I'll have to take some daytime ones to show you the view...another day.

'Til next time, keep creating!
Jazzy Jack :-)

18 comments:

  1. Your home looks very cosy, I'm glad I am not the only one with a multifunctional dining table.
    It's a while since I lived in Sydney and I had forgotten that expression stickybeak, it's a great expression.

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    1. Yes, when we lived in Canada they commented on it too. I had no idea until then that it wasn't a worldwide expression. One of our friends proudly tried to reproduce it but got it wrong...sticky nose. Not quite as alluring! Thanks for joining in the tour. And making me feel better about posting my mess. I did it deliberately because I think we hold such high ideals because of magazine pictures. I'm trying to say, it's ok to be real, and show others your realness! Now jumping off high horse ;-)

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  2. Jack, you are just the best! :) I love the tour of your home very much. I love that your home has a purpose - to live and create for every person who lives in it. Music, art on the walls (I have already admired the person you've made out of mirror and clock, and now the window with mountains), the dining table with purpose of spending creative times together... That's what family really should be about! The table and chairs are a great find! Love such stories too.

    My home is messy. And we too love spending time together, even if everyone is on computer (their own one), but still being together is what counts. Though we love being on our own with our projects as well. Cats. Cooking. Dining table with piles of stuff on it - books, notebooks, games etc. Each room is multi-purposed as we live in a small space...

    The lounge room is cozy and very individual, and I love the vintage pieces of furniture you own. I don't have vintage furniture, though many things aged naturally and I don't want to get rid of them - I figured why buy someone else's old junk while I already have my own old junk. :))) So I mostly buy small pieces (like dishes) in my treasure hunts these days.

    I love it how expressive your home is. Oh, and you have a lot in common with Shawna, don't you? Even your approach to a living space is similar.

    Thank you again! xxx

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    1. Thanks so much Natalia, your comment means a lot, because I admire your style as well! You said all the things I love to hear, about being expressive and creative. I wish more people had the guts to be a little different. I always have people asking about resale and painting on walls...after all we can just paint over it. (Although I had to do that in one house and felt I was murdering it:)
      Thanks again for taking the tour and leaving a comment XO

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  3. Your home is so expressive of who you all are, warm, creative,unique and fun. It has so much personality. I wish I could meet your boys. I think they are wonderful, what little I know of them and I just love the way you are raising them and the way you function as a family. There is so much love and self expression! Do your boys play piano? My son took lessons for years and is gifted but has no passion for it. I believe the passion is completely stamped out by his disabilities which is very very sad. He has a severe anxiety disorder, mild tourettes and ADD. I wonder how common it is for people not to have a passion for something they are gifted in.
    Tell the Artist that I love his window and the sticky note smiley face! Send him over to paint something on my wall!
    xoxo

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    1. Thanks for your kind comments. I showed The Artist your comment...he had a big smile:-D
      I'm sure we would get on if we met!
      Sorry to hear about your son. My sons don't learn keyboard or guitar, both of which I could teach them, no we have to choose an instrument I've never learnt...cello!
      They both do so much music at school, so are getting a good grounding. I don't want to push it too much. Mum doesn't know anything of course :-)
      I had an obsession with the piano from the age of four. I started reading music (self taught) when I started to read words. But I haven't ever had a career in it, although I did some sporadic teaching here and there. Mostly now it supports my singing lessons.
      A thought springs to mind, I have been gifted in so many areas, but don't practice them all. I started feeling guilty that I wasn't using my gifts. But lately I realise just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you HAVE to do it!
      Thinking of your son, the above applies, but also maybe he can use the piano as a release and relaxation without doing performing? I know as a mum it's hard to see them not use a talent they have.
      Maybe it will come around again. I didn't play the piano for ages, and now I'm back again.
      Finding it hard to express what I want to say.
      Hope you get the gist and can read between my words!

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  4. LOved having a visit to-day to see your world of colour. Framing the views of rooms and those 2 gorgeous pets bedecking their spots, underlined all the changes and creations you have all made there over the years. It's a welcoming place with wonderful pots of tea to enjoy(and more) as well as being with all you special people. D&M xxxx

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  5. Thanks! It is interesting to photograph your house. At least for me! I had a different angle on it. As you say...very colourful! I'm glad you feel welcome here. We love having you :-) xo

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  6. What a lovely cosy, creative home you have. I love all the individual touches. You can tell it's a real home and not just a house :0)
    xx

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    1. Thanks! I think I want to live in a painting! With the cold weather approaching Canberra, the loungeroom comes to life. I'm glad you joined the tour!

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  7. This is a home filled with memories. Wonderful tour of an eclectic, artistic well loved space.

    bisous
    Suzanne

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    1. Thanks Suzanne! I was just thinking, I probably decorate the way I dress :-) I seem to be destined to paint on the walls of every house I own! I'm glad you enjoyed the tour! Please come again :-)

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  8. Your house is gorgeous, full of colour and interest - just like you! Your dog is a sweetie! xxx

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    1. Well I am blessed. Such a comment from the queen of interiors herself! I'm glad you liked it. I know you understand the appeal of colour. I have had people sit down in the lounge room and reel at the sight of the ceiling. Not quite the relaxing atmosphere I had in mind! I'll tell Winter your compliment :-) thanks for taking the tour!

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  9. This was an interesting tour! From the look of the place one can easily guess that it belongs to artistic
    people. Very unique, very creative and very cozy. A place with a character.

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    1. Thanks Olga! Creative and cozy seem to be the main descriptions people use. I've found it interesting to see through other people's eyes :-)

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  10. Lovely to see another persons home that is filled with colour and things made by hand and heart. Since I was child I have been making things - its just me, some are good, some not so good however it satisfies my passion for art & craft. Thanks for sharing your creative styled home! Love it

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    1. Thanks so much! I wish more people weren't afraid of expressing themselves. People seem so scared of offending others, or being judged unworthy. I'm always being asked about resale value. If I had listened to them I wouldn't have had the last 20 years in my fun environment! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment :-)

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