Basement

Basement Update

The basement had been converted into a 2 bedroom apartment years ago and we are incorporating this back into the house with new stairs and a total renovation.

The basement has now been totally cleared out and ready to be re-modelled. The space is being fully renovated to deal with damp issues and re-configuation which will include a mud room, laundry room, wine cellar, my office and a spare room with an en-suite + lots and lots of storage space.

The space will be designed to allow as much light in as possible with light walls and finished off with a polished concrete floor with underfloor heating throughout.

Wine Cellar to be

The view from 'my office to be' to the garden (at present)

Office to be

Office to be

Laundry Room & Storage + stairs to be re-introduced

Beautiful old stone wall hidden behind plasterboards.

Kitchen

So excited about getting my new kitchen, as some of you know I LOVE cooking and it's my true de-stresser as I just switch off and cook although preferably on my own and this kitchen is just that - a kitchen!

No open plan dining/family room - just a kitchen, no excuse for kids to run around my feet and I can close the door once the cooking is done and ignore the washing up.

As our kitchen is a combination of 2 huge windows, 2 very large doors, a chimney breast, very high ceilings and no straight walls, it has to be made to spec - lucky me ;-)

Our kitchen is the creation of my own ideas interpreted and improved by the talented Morwenna Gerrard and will be built by the equally talented Patrick McKenna of Wabi-Sabi (www.wabi-sabi.ie) in Dublin.

The kitchen design will have a contemporary look with white spray painted handle-less doors with internal carcasses made with oak veneered timber. The central island will have a brass coated welded steel frame supporting a slim Carrera marble top with the basin, dishwater and bins built into a white box underneath.

All is planned very carefully as space is premium and tricky, but actually it's going to be just great. I will have all the storage I need around my 'work' area and the coffee machine, cups etc. is in a cupboard where David won't be in my way when he makes his 10th coffee that morning.

Still deciding on appliances and taps - current favourites are VOLA taps (Danish of course), Quooker tap, Miele ovens and Dishwasher and a 91cm Liebherr integrated fridge/freezer with an ice maker but no water dispenser. Lets see how the budget works out - have promised David to be flexible in some areas.....

Below are some images of the old kitchen and some 3D drawings of the new one plus a lifestyle image of my chosen light - the very cool 'Bent Chandelier' by Workstead, which will also be available in my shop very soon.

Old Kitchen 

Old Kitchen 

Old Kitchen 

Old Kitchen 

New Kitchen Design - by Wabi-Sabi

New Kitchen Design - by Wabi-Sabi

New Kitchen Design - by Wabi-Sabi

My chosen light for the central island - 'Bent Chandelier' by Workstead 

Demolition

The demolition or 'enabling' work as the architects call it is progressing nicely, and various engineers, conservation people and specialist contractors have been visiting to review the next steps ie. restoration and how to go about it in a sensible (economic) way.

All very fascinating, we had a walk round with the team recently and one of the floor boards in the 'Green' room was lifted to see what's underneath.

The Green room is in the oldest part of the house 16th Century and was apparently where the tower of Booterstown Castle was ie. the 4 walls of this room is the remains of the tower, and the rest is under our floor boards = big chunks of stone! This means that in order insulate under the floor, the boards now need to be lifted as impossible to get under the floor as hoped.

So if the budget escalates to much we could always sell off a few stones as historical artefacts :-)

Here's a few pictures from recent visits.

Green Room - under our floors, remains of Booterstown Castle's Tower

Kitchen being stripped back - we found a copper tank & boiler tucked behind the units

Kitchen - many layers of 50-70's wallpaper hidden behind the cupboards.

Patio doors in Hall and plaster boards under stairs - all gone!

The current view from my new basement office.

Basement nearly stripped out and ready for renovation, underfloor heating and polished concrete floor.

View towards to the garden.

Where the stairs will be re-installed to the basement and remainder Laundry Room.

Beautiful stone walls hidden behind the plaster boards - hoping to clean these up.

Basement Guest Room - Stone Walls to be given a good clean and maybe paint.