New house build, need low maintenance landscape ideas
threedogsmom
5 years ago
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Southern Bell
5 years agoHolly Stockley
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Aging-Gracefully-In-Place: Tips for reno or new builds
Comments (34)Good morning to Dorset from Scotland! My husband had a birthday last week and is now saying we're 'pushing 60'. We're active and fit, lol, but sensible too-the day will come sooner rather than later when one or both of us is not able to claim to be spry. Because the little cottage is in such a sad cosmetic state it was listed at a rather amazing price and we locked ourselves into it too early thinking it was a perfect spot for us to grow old. Whoops, thanks to several posts here about doing a reno or new build with a mind to age-in-place we are having to admit that is not the house for us. Luckily the town is the 'gateway to the glens' and if we wanted to use it as a holiday let we could easily. It's also becoming a commuter town-the hardier type people from Dundee and Aberdeen are buying in to take advantage of the great mountain lifestyle whilst being able to easily commute to their 'day job'. We were not looking for an investment property-not especially keen on the idea but more and more we're thinking that's what we've got. We measured the borrowed wheel chair, and also took the measurements of the typical mobility devices available now (the ones that are adverted as being in-outdoors), and frankly held up against the kitchen and bath measurements, there is no way we can make the bathroom work. Up thread (I think it was Deborah Butler of Brickwood Builders) a wet-room was mentioned as being best to accommodate a roll-in shower but hard to do as a reno project. Looking at the floor-plan, home report, and our own measurements confirmed that on this wee cottage-there is no way to do that and no way a wheelchair or mobility device is going to be rolled in that cupboard size bathroom. The kitchen could be managed if we drop the pantry wall idea, but the bathroom we planned to make a shower room is not manageable at all, and there is no room to extend that space. We would have figured all this out but much further down Reno Road, lol, so this thread has been a huge help to us just on that! Because we're now doing a much simpler reno (dropping the wider doorways and sliders, the ramp, and a few other a-i-p doings), the cost to renovate that lovely wee home is much lower too. The only things we won't be able to do ourselves is the shower conversion and the rewiring. A huge savings that we're going to need to find the right place for us! We know now that we need to look for a home with room to enlarge bathroom and kitchen areas, and with a less tricky entry to incorporate a ramp. For starters:) We have to be out of our current home by 1st August when the new owners will be arriving from Australia. We've borrowed the use of a caravan from friends to live in whilst doing the cottage reno (now that's small space living!) and that's going to be a help but I sure wish I'd joined Houzz sooner! I would have started this thread BEFORE locking into a property too small for our needs. Too, rather than use it as a holiday let or sell it on, we may move into the cottage once the reno is complete but we do know now there is no way we'll be able to age-gracefully-in-place in it. Sigh. Oh well, our builder is happy-he wasn't keen on trying to fit those sliding doors:) Take-Away For the Day? Be sure the property has room to expand vital living spaces before making an offer that is sure to be accepted:(...See MoreNew build home , small garden
Comments (10)to do a quick, cheap job, which will tide you over until you have a better budget and more ideas, put down shingle over the landscaping, and limit planting to pots. to get a cohesive look to your planting, you can paint all sorts of pots, from cheap terracotta to even cheaper plastic, with household emulsion. i have done this, and blatantly copied the colours from this wonderful garden in Marrakech. http://jardinmajorelle.com/ang/ to keep painted pots looking pristine you will need to repaint every year. but i rather like the more distressed look mine are taking on. i bought a large tin of blue and smaller sample-sizes for the yellow and orange. you could even paint the shed and fence if you want. with all that colour, a few evergreens will give you interest even in winter. i bought two 'six-packs' for about £6.00 each, of miniature or slow-growing conifers. lavender grows well in pots, but it likes sandy soil, not clay. herbs are also good, growing quickly and adding scent....See MoreNew build living/dining interior ideas to add character!
Comments (18)Hi Amy, I agree with many of the points above, I can see the wall behind the sofa in a dark colour to zone the seating area. I would suggest maybe a funky roman blind at the kitchen window with matching cushions on the sofa. The unit next to the table looks a bit low for the room, could you go for something higher, maybe another sideboard to match the one under the tv unit this will also create more storage and create more balance in the room. I would go for a simple rustic wooden table with a mix of modern chairs to bring some more natural finishes into the room. As above a large rug which goes under the front legs of the sofa and up to the tv unit would help cosy up the seating area and zone the space. As for bifold window finishings, you do not really have room to have pull back curtains at the sides so I think it has to be simple roller blinds, you can get sheer ones that will prevent the daytime glare, are you actually overlooked or would they be adequate at night?...See MoreNew build - woodburner help needed
Comments (18)Thanks for all your comments, lots of food for thought which we will consider carefully. I like the idea of an electric fire but my husband is a pyromaniac so would only consider a wood burner!! The suggestion of changing the position to the wall by the TV is one we will look into, it may not be possible as the living room is a single storey extension so I’m not sure about the flue. The house will definitely be warm enough without the need of a fire but there’s something lovely about having a fire, plus we want to add character to what could be a very modern, clinical new-build. I wasn’t aware you could get rotating stoves so we’ll definitely look into those. Thanks again....See Morethreedogsmom
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