Renovations – IN IT FOR LOVE

before and after [our outdoor renovation]

It’s been a while coming the before and after of our outdoor area, though this whole renovation seems to have been not just a while coming but a while happening!

After 4 years living here, we thought it was time to fix up the outside area. It just wasn’t functional! Small concreted area that then sloped down unevenly, the roof area tiny so not much shade or shelter from the elements. And it just wasn’t a space we were using!

Queensland weather is just so good most of the year, apart from some crazy storms or cyclones, but for the most part, its the perfect weather to be enjoying the outdoors while in your own home!!

So hubby took a month off work, December 2014, and got to it. Deciding that the best way to do it was himself!!

And here we are, almost there 4 months later. Its one of those things, working full time and only have weekends to do the work, but we are nearly finished. Just the side access bits to do with the majority of it done. The new roof, new concrete area – YES THAT IS CONCRETE not wood – and raised garden bed.

So impressed with my husband though. It was all his vision. All his want. And all his hard work with just a professional concreter doing the slab. The rest was all him with the help of some wonderful family.

So here you are – I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves! But definitely loving this space!

Before & After - home outdoor reno

before and after - initforlove.net — one of my favourite flowers, Angelonias, in the garden bed and in pots.

IMG_2187before and after - initforlove.net — The raised garden bed which my husband built.. Him and I spent 4 hours shovelling 6 tonnes of soil to fill it with. My back never hurt so much!

before and after - initforlove.net

Love that the floor is stamped concrete. My husband has wanted it for a while and it came up really well. Looks just like wood but really concrete so no need for varnishing

xx Finley

renovation love [grateful heart]

It may have taken us nearly 4 years, lots of saving and plenty of time, worry and the occasional argument – but we are almost there with our outdoor renovation to our little townhouse.

It’s something I have to recognise as being extremely grateful for that we have the opportunity to renovate.

We both have never done anything like this the two of us, well its the first home we’ve owned, but its been fun and I’m so grateful that even though there has been a few issues (namely the roof arriving too long and hubby having to cut it by hand!) but we’ve had a relatively smooth run.

Part of the fun as we are almost finished (and I say almost because the side access hasn’t been completed yet), is heading to that place called IKEA where you just can’t walk into without taking something home. Only adding a small little three piece lounger to our outdoor area, I was joined by my little Millie cat in supporting me as I allen-keyed it all together. Cats and their boxes!

Its so funny how, as women (unless its just me) we get so excited about new home items and I raced to get it all put together and outside ready for when hubby got home from work. Needless to say, he wasn’t as excited as I was about it but he did sit on it and showed his excitement with oooo’s and aahh’s haha and maybe a whoop de doo! A little token effort and he did say he liked the colours matching with our other table – I’ll take it!!!

Just have to take a couple more photos to add to the before’s and afters and then I can’t wait to pop it up for you guys to see the changes to our outdoor area.

But for now, I’m heading out to sit on the lounger 😉

initforlove - outdoor furniture, renovation2

finding beauty in the new garden

Some weeks you just say thank goodness its Friday with more gusto than other weeks – this week is one of them!!! We have a long weekend this weekend in Brisbane so Friday couldn’t come fast enough!

Even better is its a weekend where we have the whole weekend to spend at home, working on our home whilst in the midst of renovations with cleaning up after our upstairs was painted and getting stuck into the raised garden bed which my wonderful husband built himself! Oh and piles of washing but no one wants to do that 🙂

Not only will we be having some yummy veges in the garden soon, but I’m so excited, as a huge flower lover, that we’ve planted some beautiful little flowers!!!

What I loved so much about sitting beside the flowers this morning was seeing a couple of the flowers opening up as the sun hit. I found them so much more beautiful partially open than fully open – I feel like I’ll miss them doing this a lot but completely enjoyed this beautiful moment with flowers now a part of our house 🙂

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