Saturday 28 February 2015

Barn Works Latest - Pictures Inside

The weather has not been great here recently, so the long-awaited fitting of the new windows and continuation of the rendering of the new walls cannot be done. However, work continues inside. It is so exciting to see what I had imagined in my mind all coming together, and looking even better than I had hoped - though you do have to 'see' past the building chaos... Here's some inside pictures taken today - 

This is the half of my former study which is to become our 'utility room'
There will be an airing cupboard on the left, and kitchen units on the right
(saved from the upstairs kitchen). The washing machine will go in the far left corner.
This is the other half of my former study
destined to be an en-suite bathroom, with showerbath, wc and basin
The kitchen looks huge! The large window sills will hopefully be finished in slate
which was formerly the bathroom floor.
This is upstairs. I am standing in what will be the upstairs sitting room.
The gap in the wall will have double doors with stained glass panels in them.
The room beyond will be Sue's 'playroom' doubling as a guest bedroom.
Here's the first floor sitting room looking the other way -
Straight ahead is the master bedroom, to the right is the landing and bathroom
This is a view towards the sitting room from the master bedroom.
There'll be a built in cupboard on the left with mirrored sliding doors.

Tuesday 24 February 2015

Barn Works Latest - plumbing and electrics

No photos this time, as there's no especially obvious changes to photograph. The plumber was busy last week, and has installed all but one of the radiators and associated pipework. He's done a really neat job - we have no exposed pipe runs at all. I guess that's a benefit of having such major work done, as he has been able to cut holes in plasterboard all over the place, which of course will all get filled eventually.

This week, the electricians are busy. They have had to remove everything and completely re-wire the building, as the system was split for the previous two flats. It will be reassuring to know we have all brand new wiring installed to the latest safety standards.

So - all looking good. Just can't wait to move back in!!

Monday 16 February 2015

Right Place, Right Time

I know I've said before that it isn't hard to take stunning landscape photographs in place that is as magical as the Isle of Skye, though it still takes a bit of luck to be in the right place at the right time to catch that particular frost, ray of light, or cloud formation...

Here's a few more of Sue's recent photos, which ably illustrate her eye for a good snap... (they are best viewed full-screen - just click on any picture)

Sunrise - Loch Harport and the Cuillin from Fernilea
Frosty morning - Loch Beag from just east of Struan
Stunning sky over Gesto Farm
Sunshine and shadow - looking west over the mouth of Loch Harport

Saturday 14 February 2015

Photographing Summer Cottage

Up until now, the outside pictures on our website for Summer Cottage have been the ones taken by the estate agent before we bought the cottage. Now the weather has suddenly become spring-like, I have been out with the camera, trying-out some angles to see if I can make a better job of promoting the cottage to our potential holiday visitors. Here's a few of the shots I hope might be about right:







Barn Works Latest - Staircase Windows In

It's been another week of significant progress. The walls of the garage and retaining wall have had a first coat of render, and the plumber is now on site and making rapid progress with the re-plumbing of the water supply and installation of the central heating. One of the most exciting parts of the build is the staircase. The windows were fitted on Friday, and the external blockwork is up to about half the full height. Internally, the landing is still to have its roof altered slightly, and I can't wait to see the stairs themselves in place. Here's today's pictures:

The window to the left of the staircase is due to be replaced with a deeper window
Looking out from the landing - the new window frames the garden and our fabulous view

Saturday 7 February 2015

Barn Build Latest - Extension Roof On

It seems to be; 'slow,slow, quick-quick, slow' at the moment.

The extension roof is taking ages to complete, and the blockwork has not yet begun... but this week, some radical alteration work has been done on the inside of upstairs. Unfortunately, I can't get a sensible picture of the upstairs landing - though I think it is coming on towards what I had originally visualised.

Here's today's pictures...

This is upstairs.
The kitchen has gone, as has the wall between it and what was the twin bedroom.
The bedroom wardrobes have gone too.
The skeletal partition seen here will be the wall and door into our new big bedroom
The staircase extension looks good from this angle.
The brown board covers what will be a window -
We had to ask the chaps to lower this from its original architect-designed position,
which we felt was was too high in the wall.
The staircase extension looks good from this angle too.
It will eventually be block-clad and rendered to match the rest of the Barn.
My wooden shed will one day make its way back to the back of the building..!
The brown board on the staircase extension covers what will be a long window
with a pointed top, hopefully matching the shape of the roof.

Tuesday 3 February 2015

Sue's Skye Snow Snaps

Sue's been taking photos... It's that kind of weather where almost where-ever you point your camera, you get a great photo, and of course, that applies even more fully in a stunning location like the Isle of Skye... But Sue does have a bit of an eye for a great composition.

Here's just a tiny selection of the many lovely photos Sue has taken in the last few days...

Pool Roag from Heribost
Towards the Cuillin from the road into Roag
Orbost - from the track past Orbost House
Orbost Farm
Approaching Satran from Carbost
Abhainn an Loin Mhoir enters Pool Roag