And still not completely water tight!.....

The good news is that we have about 70% of our window's in and we are super pleased with them. Really glad we went for the matt black and the solar integral blinds. We think they look amazing, hope you do too. Particularly stunning when contrasted with the Trebarwith Slate.

We had many big pieces of glass to be installed and these chaps managed to move and install them all without a mishap. I couldn't watch! Took this photo and then took a walk into town.

We even managed get one of the large velux's installed. Unfortunately our excitement didn't last long. Because we were putting three windows side by side we needed a special connection plate that unfortunately no one had ordered and we then found out would take a minimum of 10 days to get to us! We have gone for the biggest windows Velux make and boy are we pleased we did, the view is fantastic and they let so much light in to the room.

Our flat roof (s) and secret drains are now 90% complete. Just the final trims to go on once the roofer's have finished. Until those pesky little drain outlets are leaded and tiles we are getting little puddles inside whenever it rains!

The lead work on our build has been outstanding. This edging on the upstairs balcony (first photo below) is particularly stunning, even the screw head covers have been lovingly hand made in lead. I don't think there are many lead makers coming through the apprentice chain so don't know what we are going to do once all the leaders retire.

I love to see my funny little sketches turn into reality. These photo's show how Bed 3 started and then it emerging just how I imagined it.

Fitting a free standing bath into this room was a challenge, but I found this lovely little 1550mm long modern slipper bath which fits perfectly. Once we got it on site, Will our fab carpenter then built the corner section with the alcove to frame the bath and then finally we found the perfect tiles to set it off.

Bed 4 ensuite started the same way. One of the joy's and benefits of being able to be on site every day (its joy for me, may not be for the builders 😂) is being able to make sure all the little details such as alcoves are in the right place and just the right size. Hopefully negating any nasty surprises when have finished.

I just had to share these photos of the "highest" tide of the year, a wopping 8mtrs! Such a slog to get these shots, we had to sit at Greens Wine bar sharing a bottle of wine and wait for the tide to rise!

You know you are turning a corner when the first fix gets underway and it always amazes me how quickly the first fix electrics and plumbing get done. It is also a bit scary as this is when you have to solidify your design decisions and commit to where things need to go. Essentially you have to have worked out how you are going to use these services to be able to get it right. The upside is that it starts to connect you to the finished design and actually how you will live in the house.

The insulation and boarding has also started in earnest. It is the most horrible job to do and I do feel for our builders, but it is so essential to the overall coziness and the noiselessness of the home that you want the best materials and definitely not gaps left anywhere.

When the first fix electrics get underway it also motivates you to start thinking about light fittings. Without having and idea of "what" you are going to put "where" it is very hard to make your first fix decisions. I must confess I like this bit very much as it's like colouring in the vision in my head. We are so lucky to have a fabulous lighting shop in the nearby town of Wadebridge called Glanvilles. It's an aladins cave with the most helpful and knowledgeable staff. If you can't find what you want in the shop you can sit at the table and browse there numerous catalogues for hours and hours. A perfect rainy day task.

If you have been following my instagram @thedunlins you will know that I have chosen these gold wire cage shades with large filament bulbs to go over our kitchen island. There are three sizes, and we have chosen the middle ones that are about 470mm in diameter.

And finally the components arrived to fit the triple velux window. They let in an amazing amount of light on their own, but once our boarder, Abs, had finished (he splays the board around the window) the light reflection into the room is even better.

As is typical of this time of year, rain and storms are forecast and we are still not water tight! The frustration is that wind and rain mean that the roofers won't be able to work. Let's hope we get some breaks in the weather and I will be able to report being water tight in my next blog.

Until then,

Stay safe, well and happy X