And this is what it looked like 3 hours later....
Almost finished!! The dishwasher still hadn't arrived this morning so will be delivered on Friday. The 3 guys that delivered and installed the kitchen were great! Really fast, acurate, polite and funny, all qualities not normally associated with delivery guys! They do expect a tip! Not wanting to offend them I asked around before to see what is the "expected" tip for a kitchen delivery - around €50. Oh well, they deserved it!
After they left the "worktop guy" came and measured up and made a plywood pattern of the worktop! I was told this would be ready in about 3 days but he said it's more likely going to be Tuesday!!! I pleaded and begged that they do it sooner.... Friday would be perfect. That way on Saturday Alessandro could put in the oven, the sink etc... I've also asked him to give me a quote to make a breakfast bar or what ever they're called! Who knows how much a 130cm x 35cms piece of composite worktop could cost?!? Oh, plus 2 side panels each 35cms x 90something cms!?! Well, I'll know tomorrow when he calls!
On the other side of the flat in the bathroom Stefano "fought " all day with the bidet. Being a back to wall bidet he had trouble getting it right as all the pipes are hidden! It kept leaking but he couldn't tell from where. At one point I think he was ready to throw the bidet out the window! In the end he sorted it out!
There's still a long list of things to do in the next few days but at least all the major work is over and done with!!! I just have to do a major tidy up and clean! It's so disgustingly dirty!!!
p.s. before leaving Stefano rested the cooker on the kitchen cupboards and attached the gas as they've done every evening. I lit the gas so I could boil the water for some pasta but after awhile could smell gas!! Aaaah, so many problems with the gas!!! We ended out eating take away pizza!
Tiling in the kitchen has finished!!
Apart from the grouting on the left side....
I really like the overall effect but.... once all the tiles were up we realised that 1 tile is a different colour!! See bottom right tile in the pic below.
It's not a big deal as it will behind the cupboards but that one tile is the sample tile that i brought home from the tile showroom. It's the colour that I chose. It's a more creamier white where as the ones that I have are a colder starker white. I don't know if this is good or bad yet. I guess we'll see tomorrow when the kitchen is installed!!
Stefano is in the bathroom as I type putting up the remaining tiles that I picked up this morning.
There are so many "little" things that need doing before tomorrow morning when the kitchen arrives. Alessandro has to finish doing the wiring, fix some of the plaster, put in the down lights, touch up some of the paint on the wall etc etc...
p.s. ONE MORE SLEEP....!!!
Missing still 12 tiles on the right side and also 12 tiles on the left. Alessandro is still confident all will get done in time.
I've been attacking the bathroom door as we're leaving the original frame but changing the architraves. So I've been out buying all the necessary wood and nails, scraping away at the old paint and generally covering myself in dust and pieces of old paint! How glamourous!!
p.s. 2 more sleeps....
Yesterday was Matteo's birthday!
It was a really hot and sunny day so we and what seemed like nearly all of Rome headed out to Lago di Vico (about an hour drive away). We had lunch at a lovely restaurant that overlooked the lake. Just as we finished there was a sudden summer thunderstorm which drove nearly everyone back home!! We resisted and after the storm the boys had a swim in the deserted lake!! A lovely day away from our dust infested flat!! (grazie a Paola, Valerio e piccolo Dario!)
and a not so beautiful smooth bath....
You probably can't see in the pic but my bath is covered in dirt that just doesn't want to budge. I've already cleaned it and a lot of the dirt has gone away but it's still feels rough and it's not lovely and smooth anymore! >:-( I'm going to soak it in some warm soapy water then see if it'll come off ....
Wish me luck!
Taken standing.
Taken sitting on the loo (on the closed seat that is!).
See what I mean? It's meant to be a floating sink. Do you think it's a problem, is it worth worrying about? Or is it fine as is? Here's another pic taken standing back.
In the kitchen walls have been sanded and given the first coat of white! The tiles have been brought up from the garage and tomorrow Stefano is going to start putting them up!
I still haven't decided about those pendant lights. I'm going to have a look on ebay....
p.s. 5 more sleeps (until kitchen arrives!)
The bath tap was also installed today, as was the radiator/towel warmer.
Holes where drilled in my lovely dropped ceiling. Problem being the size of the holes - only 7.4cm diam. Workmen's hands were too big to get through to reach the wires so who ended up balancing on the ladder doing it? Moi!
The missing tiles were meant to arrive today or tomorrow but of course they are still sitting in the warehouse somewhere in Sassuolo (northern Italy). After many phone calls we managed to arrange for a delivery for Tuesday, which was the best they could do.
Today I also ordered the wood and mdf for the washing machine cupboard. I'm getting it all cut to size so it will be ready next week sometime. I'm going to wait until the bathroom is completely finished before I start on the bathroom cabinet as I'm still not sure how big I want it.
I'm not quite sure what will be going on tomorrow, maybe some tiling in the kitchen?!
p.s. 6 more sleeps.... :D
I was also looking for the small pendant lights but with not much luck! I didn't see any that i liked at Leroy Merlin or Ikea. I then went to a "snobby light shop" to get some ideas but they were waaay too expensive (very lovely but unjustifiably expensive!!). Then in a "normal light shop" I saw some very similar to these ones in the pic below, maybe they were even smaller (7cm diametre) which is good, but... they're not that cheap either and I'd have to order them - 15 days! Actually I don't really know how much to expect to pay for proper lights as I've always had cheap Ikea ones!
Here's a sneak preview of the loo! I had to warn the kids not to use it as it's just resting there!!
And Alessandro has been grouting....
And I've been looking for lights....
These are just 2 types I saw at Ikea. Not exactly what I'm after though.
Today in the kitchen the electric motor for the out side blind was put in. The beginnings of my gas meter cupboard can be seen below.
This hole was made in the kitchen wall near the gas meter as required by Italgas (not for spying on the workmen on the building next door...). Tomorrow we'll have to paint the area around the hole on the outside as big chunks of plaster fell off the wall whilst Alessandro was drilling. We are 3 floors up!! Luckily no one passed by below!
Tomorrow morning Raimondo, from the kitchen shop, is coming by to check on pipes and wiring, then if all is good, the kitchen will be delivered next Tuesday. So that gives Alessandro and Stefano a week to get the dropped ceiling in, the tiles done, the walls painted and whatever else needs doing done! I can't wait!!!
