New from North Sydney

[LDH]

Hi all, Im new to posting on this forum however have been hanging around reading a few threads and am enjoying some of the great input and responses that people give so wanted to get involved.

About me, Im 27 and 4 years ago I started my first renovation on a 2 bedroom apartment in north sydney. I got to co-ordinate things like plasterwork and gyprocking as well as floor sanding and I did some things myself like painting, carpet removal and painting the floorboards etc etc It was awesome as I was able to do everything I wanted and loved every minute. I lived in that place for just under three years and it has been rented out since then.

Now for a tougher project... my partner has just purchased a 47sqm 1 bedroom apartment in a 1920's building and I get to give my "persuasive" input whilst trying not to be too biased towards my own taste for girly things... being helpful without being a pushy gf on this stuff is hard! ha! none the less I am hoping to revert back to these boards when I have questions. I look forward to hearing from you all and thank you all in advance for help received!

LDH

[dmplus3]

Welcome LDH!

So do you live in this new apartment as well? I only ask so that I have an idea of how much influence you can get away with!!!!

M

[Julie-Ann]

being helpful without being a pushy gf on this stuff is hard! ha!

My goodness is this even possible???:D:D

Lovely to meet you LDH. I hope you will share your renovation journey with us. If you need anyone to bounce ideas off we will be happy to help - without being pushy:D. If you have any photos of your apartment that you renovated we would love to see those too.

[LDH]

Welcome LDH!

So do you live in this new apartment as well? I only ask so that I have an idea of how much influence you can get away with!!!!

M

At the moment no one is living in it and the option of it either being rented for 6 months while we get organised is an opportunity. If not, he will move in and I will follow a few months after.

I'd say that while I can maintain giving advice without being bossy, I'll have a fair amount of input. That being said, girly frilly stuff aside, we have pretty similar taste. We flip through mags and like the same things mostly so it shouldnt be too challenging.

[LDH]

If you have any photos of your apartment that you renovated we would love to see those too.

Here are some shots of the my place not long before I moved out

[LDH]

And for a bit of a laugh - this is how the place was presented when I went to inspect it before purchase. I am not kidding! :eek:

[dmplus3]

The post-renovation pics are just gorgeous, very chic!

Pity the last residents couldn't put their washing away, eh? Good to know that you could see past that, and create such a beautiful home.

[Elements]

Welcome LDH, your apartment was so cute and you have great taste.
As the master of husband manipulation;):D I can help persuade a converstaion when its really needed. Sometimes husbands and partners can think they know too much about decor and we need to pull them back a little that is where we come in.:D
Seriously I have a hubby with great taste but it has taken years of moulding to get him to have such great taste and I have told him it really makes things easier if he just trusted my instincts to start with.
You sound like you 2 are all organised though.
Welcome again.
Ps I am not that bad, i don't manipulate that often........I am of course writing this in case he reads it.:D

[rosierose]

Elements: ROFL......

LDH: what a cute place....got a bit of shabby chic going on......
Which way were you heading design wise for BF's place? i.e.Modern, traditional?

[LDH]

Thanks very much for all the welcomes and kind words from everyone!

Elements: ROFL......

LDH: what a cute place....got a bit of shabby chic going on......
Which way were you heading design wise for BF's place? i.e.Modern, traditional?

I havent really tried to give a genre to my thoughts on styles and possibilities running through my head yet I guess ... can i have a style called "stuff i like"? hehe jks.

I guess classic with some modern touches but mostly more traditional. Casual, informal etc but a little bit elegant ... I dont know.

So far Im keen on either grey walls with white trims on the interior, either that or plain white walls then we can be more crazy with art and rugs and cushions etc and be less restriced by wall colour.

Also love boards and all things timber. I wont paint timber floors again, Im glad I did it but I have developed a love for wood grain since so I would want to go with that next time for the floors ... maybe a light walnut stain to take the yellow tinge out of what will probably be cypress pine boards ... and now im starting to get into detail so will leave it there for now or i could write all night!

[Julie-Ann]

Your renovation was simply gorgeous LDH:thumbs up:.
How did you find keeping the white floorboards clean? I have often admired them but wondered about cleaning them.
I am loving the darker wood stains at the moment for floors.
I think you sound like you have some great ideas for your new place. And trust me you will never bore us with details. Unlike partners who can get a glazed over look in their eyes we love this stuff:D

[LDH]

Re the white floorboards. After having lived there for a few years but also spent a substantial amount of time house sitting for a friend who has the darkest chocolate, almost black, semi gloss finish boards, I actually think black is much harder to keep clean than my gloss white boards.

The most noticeable thing on the white was my dark hair after i would blow dry. Although I was given one of those "ergorapido" va*** cleaner things as a house warming present from my nanna which proved a really quick and easy way to keep it clean.

http://www.electrolux.com.au/node37.aspx?categoryid=258

I would do that each week and then mop either fortnightly or monthly, depending on how often i had a house full of people.

Like I said, glad I did it - It suits the small 2 bedroom place well! but I dont think i'll do it again next time. I do like lime wash but I think the next ones I want will be a flatter finish and lightly stained so the grain still shows through. Something like these photos attached. Its not super in fashion, i know, but i think thats why i want to go for it, less likely to date.

[LDH]

Then again, black japan has been aorund for how many hundreds of years? :) Ah the dilemas. But I would never sell the BF on very dark boards ... quite sure of that!

[rosierose]

When asked questions it kind of makes you stop and wonder hmmm..what is my style...?

It would appear you are a classic style, like me......grey walls and white trim lovely but yes white will allow more accessory colour choice and prob better for resale. I really loved your painted floor...always wanted to do that but never had the guts...walnut is a lovely colour choice too....:)

[LDH]

well if you ever decide to take the plunge (and get a white floor) let me know! It was a little while ago now but I did a fair amount of research on which paint to use etc and I ripped the carpet up and did the painting myself (although got a tradesperson in for the sanding component - that big drum sander thing looked too heavy!) - it was a lot of fun ... although a lesson learned in ventilation as i finished coat one high as a kite and thinking i could taste licorice! ooops!:eek: floor paint is way more heavy duty than dulux wash and wear wall paint tee hee!

[Julie-Ann]

Rofl - I have a very amusing image of you high on paint. Too funny:D:D