As newlyweds we moved into our home almost 13 year ago and on and off we have been renovating and improving ever since. We have done a lot of the work ourselves and it almost feels like it is nearing completion.
The final major stage of our renovation has been our wood oven and outdoor kitchen area. We now have a warm, open, sunny place to prepare and cook food and we couldn’t be happier with it.
I hope one day our wood oven is a gathering place not just for our family but also for our little community. Perhaps we could share bread making knowledge or home butchering skills or vegetables or just some warmth and a home brew or two.
Over time I have learnt that waiting for improvements and working towards them results in a more fulfilling experience. The time spent waiting and saving often leads to more thoughtful planning and unexpected outcomes.
Do you have a goal, or a dream or a long term renovation happening?
Are you cooking a lamb roast or bread?
I hope you are having a lovely week.
Missy Piggy
There's not much to be done around our little flat really — but I would LOVE a new bathroom…ours is woeful. And of course I'd like to make our balcony a nicer "space" perhaps with some seats. Your outdoor area is amazing!
Jane S
Thanks Miss Piggy. Yes, bathroom renovations were one of the first things we did to our house. Think 70's style brown/bronze tiles and glass sliding shower door. Impossible to clean and ugly 🙂
lucent imagery
What a beautiful set of images that make me think I would love to be a part of one of your community gatherings one day. Perhaps we'll have to time a road trip with it. It certainly seems you are creating wonderful family times to treasure. The light is lovely. I just love the more gentle, lower lying winter sun. We did our floors just over a year ago and it was such a good thing to really open up our home visually. Any other renovations will be done on an "as needed when something breaks" basis! Have already cooked a cool weather roast lamb!
Jane S
Thank you for your thoughtful comment as always Lucent! You would be welcome at our fire.
lucent imagery
Also, what is The Sheep Dog by Enid Blyton? I loved reading Enid as a child but I don't remember this book.
Jane S
The old book is Shadow the Sheep Dog and was given to our children by a bachelor neighbour, it was a thoughtful gift as it had obviously been in his family for a long time.
lucent imagery
Wow, that is lovely of him!
e / dig in
what lovely photos of your family and home, jane. i love the serenity of the teapot shot in particular. it conveys so much peace.
the wonderful – or stressful! – thing about homes is that there is always something to do. i feel after 7 years being in my home, the 'infrastructure' is just about completed (heating fixed,windows replaced, paths concreted, kitchen upgraded) – so now i'm working on the garden more, which of course changes all the time and is a constant area of improvement and flux with the seasons. you are never really finished a garden, i'm sure.
have a lovely week jane.
Jane S
Thanks e, I agree the improvements never really end in the house or the garden!
Kate @ Kate Writes
It is looking fantastic Jane! I think it always feels better if you have done it yourself or had to save or wait. I hope you enjoy winter wood oven living 🙂 xx
Jane S
Thanks Kate, you too! x
Tammi Jonas
Gorgeous, Jane. We love a good project too, and I have particularly admired your outdoor kitchen space. Love your comment about it being a gathering space beyond the family too – how wonderful to have that to offer! Hope we make it up to visit and see for ourselves one day! x
Jane S
Thanks Tammi, please do visit one day!
Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things
I love this, Jane… Peter and I would be delighted to come and learn to bake bread and roast lamb at your place xox
Jane S
Thank you Lizzy, what a shame my blog friends are spread all over Australia (& beyond!) if I was closer to the big smoke I would organise a blog gathering just as city bloggers do 🙂
Anna @ The Littlest Anchovy
Those Golden Books made my heart sing!
Jane S
Thanks Anna, they have that effect on me too!
Anne @GtSlamseysFarm
Homes that evolve are much better than when people rip everything out and put in new as soon as they move in. I'm sure your wood oven will develop as a wonderful gathering place – with warmth, food and friends, how can it fail?
We're on the verge of renovating an old barn, which is exciting and scary.
Jane S
I loved your barn when you posted it on your blog Anne, please keep us updated on the renovations!
celia
Jane, what a lovely home you've built for yourselves and your family! I agree with Anne (no surprise there :)) that homes that evolve slowly work much better for the family's needs than those we try to do all at once when we move in. My white tiled kitchen floor which drove me crazy for 10 years is a good example of that.. 🙂
Jane S
Thank you Celia. Evolve is a great word 🙂
Mama Smith
What an amazing outdoor kitchen you have! I am not sure that we'll continue to fit in our current place, so my goals are always pretty short term. I always dreamed of buying something early in life and slowly renovating… but alas it wasn't in the cards for me 🙂
xox Lilly
Jane S
Thanks Lilly, I hope you and your little expanding family are well x
Brydie
Your outdoor kitchen area sounds and looks divine Jane. I've dreamt about having something like this for a really long time, one day I hope it will happen…*sigh* one day.
Jane S
Thanks Brydie. It has been a dream for us for a long time too. We are fortunate that we were able to do a lot of the work ourselves!
Sarah Jane
Lovely Jane! I want a wood-fired pizza oven one day too, and a slow combustion stove inside. xx
Jane S
Thanks for calling in Sarah Jane, there is something special about a fire isn't there?
look see (naomi)
What a seriously awesome space you have there! Brilliant! 🙂
Jane S
Thank you Naomi!
tea with hazel
i'm totally with you on the more organic renovation process jane..your outdoor area has a warm and welcoming feel with it's own unique personality reflective of you and your family which makes it very inviting..by the way that roast looks the bomb!
Jane S
Thanks Jane! The roast was delicious 🙂