Barn Development - The Front Garden

We drafted out a design for  the area in front of the large barn windows as we did not want to look out on to cars and a stark brick wall.

The builders set to work building a small pagoda.

They paved underneath so that I could place a couple of chairs there.

The area next to the small summerhouse needed sorting and with the help of the digger the area was transformed.

The builders then made some raised beds out of sleepers.

The areas around the paving were lined with sleepers to keep the soil from the gravel.  A gate way was left so we can nip next door quickly if need be.

The new area in front of the summer house was paved.

This was how it was originally and many years ago housed a pig pen.

On the right hand side some of the drive was dug out for more raised beds.

I bought a rusty reflection pool and started planting right away.

Barn Development - Back Garden

David our builder laid down some hard core where the new garage will eventually be located.  He also laid some more up the path to the back door so that we could walk outside  with out becoming muddy.

He then had to leave us to go and do some  building work for some one else, as we didn't have the planning through for the garage. 

We were eager to enjoy the garden for at least  the end of summer and so ended up hiring another builder to build us a patio area and some retaining walls.

We had to leave the builders as we shot off on a holiday to Japan with some family members while my brother house sat and kept an eye on things.

When we arrived back the garden was well on its way.  Lets just say we had some problems with the garden which were resolved to our satisfaction.

As our land is on a slope we had to have a higher area outside the barn with steps coming down to the area outside of the kitchen.

The earth was held back with sleepers.

Finally the hard core was down and the grey lime stone slabs were being laid down.

We have made some planting areas and two sets of steps up to the garden.

The garden area was finished and ready to plant up with some low maintenance plants and garden furniture.

Barn Development - 26

We chose a Neptune painted kitchen from Ben Heath in Newbury.  We wanted a very simple layout with minimal wall units.

The day the kitchen units arrived  was very exciting. It didnt take long before they had been arranged along the back wall.

A plynth was added to support an upstand at the back of the work surface.

The island was then bolted together.

The extractor fan was assembled and put up.  It was quite a  complicated proceedure because of the zinc roof.

Pegs were added to support a shelf either side of the extractor fan.  Meanwhile the lighting was going up as well.

The island work surface is oak and was made especially.

The sink area was completed and a few days later the granite was templated and fitted.

Once the shelf was added with lights the area was complete.

We chose granite along the back wall also and once that was down the hob was inserted.






The completed kitchen.

Barn Development - 25

The floor being laid down the hall way.

I moved some of my sewing things into my new sewing room and this was an attempt to keep the cats and dust out!

More flooring.

The en suite floor tiles going down.

The walk in shower taking shape.  Kevin is an excellent tiler.

The main bathroom, or my sanctuary! walls being primed for tiles.

The tiles over the bath completed and the radiator hung.

Meanwhile we are starting to move furniture into the master bedroom.

Space yeh!!!





We bought a whole load to wardrobes from Ikea so that we could put them up straight away and begin to get sorted.  If they fall to bits some time later, then we can think again.