Million Dollar Makeovers

I've stumbled across a locally based company Million Dollar Makeovers which completely renovate houses in just 2 weeks - they totally strip them, design, renovate, decorate and then stage them for selling - in 2 freaking weeks! 

They mainly do top end hoity toity homes that need a bit of updating and modernising and these homes sell for an extra $1 million after the renovation. Now that’s a profit! My lil house won't exactly fit into that realm after my renovations but as I slowly chip away room by room I can definitely see the impact renovations make to a house.

Here's my 2 favourite renovations

City Beach House

Entrance Before

Entrance After

Bathroom Before

Bathroom After

North Beach House

Living Room Before

Living Room After

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

I don't know about you but after those renovations I wouldn't want to sell anymore, I'd be staying to live with all those shiny new things for a while!

[Images from Million Dollar Makeovers]
 

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Tough Love Succulents

I thought it was time to get outside and show you my favourite pots and plants .... well the only one I've managed to keep alive thus far!

I bought this big wide pot and some feature pebbles and potted up a few different types of succulents. The pot looked great under the patio on a low lying table which is a bit exposed so gets the morning sun and  also any rain that falls. But the plants only lasted a few months before the leaves went all soggy and fell off. I think it was getting too much water which succulents don't like.

Not to be deterred I bought some more succulents and tried again. I couldn't resist these ones with the cool flower stems. I potted them up and moved the pot under the patio so it didn't get too wet when it rained and I only remember to water them every few weeks which they seem to like a bit of tough love so they're growing pretty well.

How cool are those stems! Sadly the flowers did dry up after about a month so I had to cut the stems off but I'm hoping they'll grow back. If they don't it's ok the plants still look really nice as they are. Who would've thought a bit of tough love with little watering was all that they needed.

I'll be posting a bit more about the outside of the house in the coming months ... we've barely touched the backyard or front garden since we've moved in and I'm so keen to get a herb and veggie garden growing and to start planning the front garden design.

It's time to get outside and get those dainty nails dirty!

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Book Club: Cockroach by Rawi Hage

July's Book Club read was Cockroach by Rawi Hage

Cockroach is about a young guy who leaves the Middle East and ends up living in the cold reality of an American city. The reference to Cockroach is he thinks he is one: a foreigner, unloved and disgusting. You enter the mind of this guy who's a charmer with women, dodgy with his mates, not trustworthy, but still loyal enough to kill. This book is a real play on the good and bad characters of this person.

Admittedly Cockroach is a pretty weird read and at times crude and disturbing. But I'm glad I read it, it was short and to the point.

I would recommend this book for those that are interested in immigration, to see into the mind of people that come to a different country, and how they are looked at and how they adapt.

[Book via Angus & Robertson]

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Scent of a Weekend

Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend and if you don't get spoilt with some flowers this weekend, then go and treat yourself to some .... that's what I'm going to do!

[Images via we heart it here, here, here]

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Shades of Green

I wanted to add a bit of colour to the Living Room to ward of the winter blues so I went a bit crazy on the weekend buying a few different shades of green accessories. The grey throw rug and cushions have gone into the cupboard for some winter hibernation ...

BEFORE

AFTER

Now there's a mix of greens to contrast against the art and feature pistachio rug

I know I'm being brave mixing shades of greens and mixing patterns but I think it works and besides I thought I'd better take my own advice and go for some wow factor.

Teal throw rug Coles $15, Teal and fuchsia cousin Target $13, White pattern cushions Freedom $6.50 each and Green vase Freedom $35.

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Cook-athon

You know those days when you feel like cooking and baking and then cooking some more. Well my Sunday was just like that I had a mammoth cook-athon, I kid you not this is what I made ...

Breakie - A big ole english with poached eggs, hash browns, roast tomatoes filled with herbs and melted cheese and pork sausages

Lunch - Vegetable Soup, full of all the fresh veggies in the fridge and thickened with Pearl Barley

Dinner - Chicken Cacciatore with tomatoes, wine and olives served on a bed of Risoni Pasta

Tomorrow's Dinner - Slow Cooked Curry Sausages and Veggies. Yes I actually cooked up the sausages and chopped everything ready and put it in the fridge so I could just put on the slow cooker this morning before heading off for the day

Dessert - Self Saucing Lemon and Coconut Pudding, it was warm and oozy and delicious

The pudding was timed perfectly to come out of the oven after dinner and I had a smile on my face, lots of praise from my man, and I was thinking hey I really do rock this domestic goddess stuff sometimes!

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Underwater Art

There's one wall in the hallway opposite the bathroom that I haven't got my hands on yet and I know exactly what I want to put there. I have in mind a water scene that will reflect in the bathroom mirror. I was inspired by the stunning shore bathroom on Brooklyn Limestone which you can see more of over here. The water picture looks fantastic in the bathroom - as does the rest of the home on her amazing blog A Brooklyn Limestone in Progress.

I've been scouring etsy for some water art but haven't found the perfect piece yet - here's my favourite finds so far.

Water pictures in the bathroom go together like wine and cheese ... don't you think?



[Images from A Brooklyn Limestone in Progress; By Clare Elsaesser, Tastes Orangy Etsy; By Jason Stillman, Grace Gallery Etsy; ]

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