There is something to be said for moving into a house and immediately starting a country kitchen renovation before you have even properly unpacked.
We arrived at Roseville to find dust flying, walls disappearing and a growing appreciation for just how many rats may have been hosting nightly gatherings inside the kitchen. Thankfully, their tenancy has now come to an abrupt end.
As always, we are incredibly grateful to have Barry helping us bring the vision to life. His patience with old flooring, old timber, old houses and occasionally overenthusiastic ideas continues to amaze us.
One of the reasons we decided to tackle the kitchen so quickly was the view and don’t forget that corner stove that kept breaking our backs. The garden is a huge feature from inside the house. Every morning we look out across the lawns, watch the birds splash around in the water troughs and admire the frost covering everything in a blanket of white.
The original kitchen only captured part of that outlook, so we decided to add another window and open up the space. The new window is now in, the doorway between the old and new kitchen has been opened up and the back door — which as previously established is actually the front door — has been replaced with French doors to match the windows.
The result is that no matter where we are, whether making coffee, cooking dinner, working on the computer or sitting on the verandah, we can enjoy the gardens from every angle.
Then came demolition day.
The kitchen arrived and almost immediately the old kitchen began disappearing. For the first time we could really see the space and start imagining what it might become. It is exciting to finally see months of planning beginning to take shape.
Of course, living in a regional town comes with its own set of challenges.
One thing we quickly discovered is that nobody seems particularly enthusiastic about delivering large appliances to Guyra.
The fridge and stove were delivered to Dad and then somehow needed to make their way to Roseville. This involved ropes, a truck, a slightly nervous daughter staring at a 120-kilogram fridge wobbling in the back and Dad repeatedly saying,
“Stop looking at the fridge. You’re making me nervous.”
Thankfully, the fridge survived the journey and with the help of Barry, the beekeeper and several willing volunteers, all 120 kilograms eventually made it safely into the house.
For now, we are operating with a makeshift pantry and bench in the dining room. Eating out has become a regular occurrence, which has had the unexpected benefit of helping us get to know the local cafés, pubs and restaurants rather well.
The family room currently resembles a flat-pack furniture warehouse, thank you Kaboodle Kitchens, with cabinetry spread everywhere and two outdoor chairs serving as our lounge room furniture. It may not be luxurious, but it is certainly memorable.
The good news is that the cabinetry is now being assembled and for the first time we can start to see how everything will come together. The electrician arrives next week, the benchtop measure is booked and things are moving remarkably quickly considering only a short time ago this was all happening on paper from Sydney.
As if a country kitchen renovation wasn’t enough, we have also started work on two new garden beds. One sits at the front of the house and is currently home to the legendary seventy-year-old ferns that have become the subject of ongoing family discussions. The other is near the back entrance — sorry, front entrance — and had become a little untidy over the years.
Apparently moving house, unpacking boxes, renovating a kitchen and preparing for winter wasn’t quite enough to keep us occupied.
Dad initially seemed surprised that after fifteen years I wanted to make changes to these areas. However, after a few discussions, some plans and a growing collection of AI-generated garden concepts, he now agrees that fresh eyes can sometimes be a good thing, I did run a garden maintenance company for 15 years so I hope I have learnt a few things.
The 70 year old ferns, however, are yet to formally comment on the proposal. Dad initially seemed surprised that after fifteen years I wanted to make changes to these areas. However, after a few discussions, some plans and a growing collection of AI-generated garden concepts, he now agrees that fresh eyes can sometimes be a good thing.
The fern saga has also had an unexpected bonus. Through the great fern debate, I have made a new friend who shares a love of old homes, gardens and landscaping. Who knew a seventy-year-old fern could be responsible for expanding my social circle? It turns out a seventy-year-old fern can be surprisingly effective at bringing people together.
Stay tuned.
We may also have a well-known gardener visiting Roseville after the Guyra Garden Club lunch in July, which has provided all the motivation required to get these projects moving.
And if that wasn’t enough excitement, there are also some very special new residents arriving soon. Before they arrive, however, we have one important task ahead of us:
Toast-proofing the property.
What could possibly go wrong?
If you haven’t been here long and wondered why we moved here you can read about our reason for moving to Guyra here or otherwise, stay tuned for new garden beds, new residents and plenty more adventures from Roseville.
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