island highland

Architecture Awards 2011

2011-06-15T23:02:00.000-07:00

This Saturday night is the Tasmanian Architecture Awards 2011 - a pretty exciting event for any Tasmanian architect clever enough to have a building entered (unfortunately not me). I think the standard is particularly high this year - just goes to show what good things are happening on our island.

Here is a sneak peek at a few of my favorites. Photos from the awards website here. Be sure to enter the People Choice Awards to be in the draw to win a Pure Tasmania holiday package for 2 people!

Allens Rivulet House 2 - Room 11

Photograph Ben Hosking

Little Big House - Room 11

Photograph Ben Hosking

Photograph Ben Hosking

Mount Pleasant - Preston Lane Architects

Photograph Derek Swalwell

Marion Bay House - 1+2 Architecture

Photograph Jonathan Wherrett

Grey start to winter

2011-06-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

A blue start to winter

2011-05-31T17:29:00.000-07:00

It was a foggy start to winter. The D'Entrecasteaux Channel was clouded in white with a frost on the ground and fog floating through the trees. But as I came into Hobart, it turned into a wonderful clear blue.

I wish I had stopped the car and got some photos of the fog but really it was too cold to do anything. So here are some shots of my walk through Battery Point on my way work.

I love the shadows that the iron lacework cast on the brick houses & the last few autumn leaves. There is the definite feeling of winter in the air but as long as it is sunny I don't mind.

House - for Alice & Tom

2011-05-17T00:08:00.000-07:00

Occasionally I find some time to help out friends and family with their house renovations/extensions. Usually I have to kindly say 'no' because I simply don't have enough time or energy (especially whilst working on our own house).

But this family friend is a pretty lovely lady and I simply couldn't say no! I don't think she knows it but I have always admired her (since from the age of about 12) and I am very jealous that she has made a business out of doing the thing she loves best - taking photographs. Check out her website here Alice Bennett

I went to have a look at the house located on the picturesque property of 'Fulham' on her boyfriend Tom's farm (now husband!) not far from the lovely seaside town of Dunalley. The house was very livable - just needed a bit of sprucing up and a new room & deck to take in the sensational 180 degree views.

Of course the site visit entailed a home-cooked dinner and plenty of bottles of wine and this is what we came up with - with the help of some very talented builders and Tom's watchful eye over all the details. It does help that Alice & Tom have great taste in furniture and have transformed the house into a really lovely home.

The last harvest

2011-05-01T23:58:00.000-07:00

It was time to pull out the last of the tomato bushes on the weekend. I didn't realise there were quite so many green tomatoes hiding under the foliage!

I carefully pulled the tomatoes off and filled two shopping bags before I got sick of the process. There was only one thing to do with them - green tomato relish. I used the recipe from the Snug Cookbook (a household fave of mine).

Note - we don't have a functioning kitchen at the moment so cooking had to be done on outside picnic table.

Easter road trip

2011-04-20T21:59:00.000-07:00

Easter time. Holidays - well a long weekend anyway.

My husband is on his way to pick up the kids at the moment and I am counting down the hours till I get to leave work. Tonight is going to be family night and general catch up (haven't seen them since January). Tomorrow we will head off on road trip. It will probably involve a few nights at the lakes and a few nights in Queenstown.

I have attached a few old photos from previous road trips heading in such a direction. I love the road from Derwent Bridge to Queenstown - full on majestic panoramic mountain views and lush green rainforrest. The last photo is a personal favorite of mine. It is my dad sitting, watching and waiting for a trout to rise. We have spent many hours sitting on this bench...waiting and talking (usually with a red wine in hand). Oh how I love that spot....

Renovations thus far...

2011-04-14T23:46:00.000-07:00

A quick snapshot of where we are at with the house renovations. We have been going steady with it since late January (seems like forever). Currently we have no kitchen, dining area or laundry. Luckily we have a toilet & shower in ensuite. I am getting a bit sick of washing up in a plastic bucket and not having an oven to cook in, but apart from that life in our somewhat reduced house is going well.....considering!

Fire places removed (bricks to be recycled as paving). Laundry & toilet demolished

The laundry slab removed

Footing trench & pier holes being dug

Kitchen joinery about to be removed & kitchen demolished

Plasterboard walls demolished - i love the look of exposed weatherboards (except for the 100 year old spider webs & dust)

Roof & walls coming off...

Apparently it is much quicker with the chainsaw!

Walls down

New brick foundation wall and pad footings

Brick retaining wall (with bricks recycled from chimneys that took me hours & hours to clean) Garage in background that we built last year

The framing begins...finally

We have walls!

and the start of a roof

Rafters & ridgeboard in place

Ariel view

This weekend we will hopefully have roof sheeting on and perhaps even some weatherboards!

Island Highland - Hello

2011-04-13T00:11:00.000-07:00

First blog... probably a little premature and definately a bit nerve racking!

Only recently I have become obsessed with the world of blogging. I have my best friend Catherine from little glowinging lights to blame for this. Most mornings at work I find myself checking her blog to see what exciting and fun things she has been doing without me! So now it is my turn to take the bull by its horns and give it a go....

I love islands and I love the highlands. Especially those in Tasmania.

10 quick things to tell you about myself to begin with:

I live in Electrona, south of Hobart, in a smallish timber weatherboard cottage that is currently being gutted & renovated.
My husband is a builder which helps with the above.
I love fly fishing - in fact all types of fishing.
I drive a Troopcarrier. Have had it since I got my learner's licence. Its name in Bacchus and I will never sell it.
I am an Architect.
I like to go to antique shops & tip shops on the weekends (when not renovating which is very rare these days).
I don't read many books but devour design magazines within seconds.
I inherited 4 new step-children when I got married in March last year. I love it when they come to stay because I can act like a kid again.
I mostly wear black but love chunky brightly coloured jewellery.
I want to travel around Australia in Bacchus for 6 months.

view from our shack at the Lakes

camping trip to north-east coast Tassie with kids

I hope this is the start of many (hopefully interesting!) blogs to follow. I am sure they will be full of renovating stories & photos plus plenty of Tasmanian camping trips thrown in for good measure.

Rose