Choosing the windows
was quite a lengthy process that took several months, because they are such an
important feature and there are so many options to choose from. We had to
consider thermal efficiency, maintenance, cost, how the windows would sit in
the frame and how we would render into them. We chose a thermally broken composite
product, which is maintenance-free aluminium on the outside and aesthetically
pleasing timber on the inside, all double glazed with a 14mm argon filled air
gap. The windows look absolutely stunning so we are very happy with the final
choice. The sliding door from our bedroom to the deck was ridiculously heavy,
but the guys somehow managed to lift and fit it.
Building a round
timber frame was a bit beyond the window supplier’s comfort zone, so Jack did a
brilliant job of this. Once the glazing was installed we noticed a bit of
fluff, and unfortunately it was inside the two pieces of glass, so the whole
round double glazed unit is being remade. Someone who isn’t too fussed about
looking at a piece of fluff inside the glass will get a large round window for very cheap!
From some angles
outside it looks like a sphere, but this is just an optical illusion.
The largest window,
facing directly north, is absolutely stunning with the rock wall as a backdrop
and allows a beautiful amount of sun to enter the living rooms.
Beautiful shadows
will be cast through the windows at different times of the day, including the
round window creating a circle on the lounge room floor. We think the river views
will be even more spectacular once the walls are in and the view is framed
through the windows. Take note of how cracked the earthen floor is in this
photo.
Here’s how the home
looks from the outside now with the windows installed.
We tend to focus more
on the curved sections of the house, so you may not have seen what it looks
like from the garden, which is quite a different look to the front of the home.
Here it is under a rainbow at dusk.
Now to the earthen
floors! The first layer shrunk away from the perimeter of the rooms so much, and
formed an incredible amount of cracks, some up to 30mm wide, that we felt the need
to do an improved second layer before the strawbale workshop so that we didn’t
risk damaging the floor too much. This time we called in an expert from
Victoria to teach us all a completely different method, which was “don’t be
pedantic by laying small sections with screeding boards – shovel the mud on,
broom it into the cracks and trowel it”!
Many of the
volunteers that came for the first layer came back for more, as well as some
extra hands, including our designer Graham (pictured on the left). We were
shocked when both earthen floors were done and all tools clean in 1.5 days.
Some of the major causes of the initial cracking were the underlying foam
insulation, too much clay in the mix, and the mix being too wet.
This is how the floor
is looking now, two weeks after the workshop, solid as a rock with nothing more
than a few normal hairline cracks and absolutely no sign of shrinkage.
We were lucky enough
to engage the services of a boat builder friend before he left for Darwin,
Grant, who has installed the deck and our bedroom ceiling (as well as
constructed a trellis for our kiwi vine and many other things). The view from
our bed through the glass sliding doors really is beautiful, and will be
particularly stunning in the mornings since the sun rises behind the mountains
and river.
We wanted a large
deck because we’ve found that we spend more time outdoors than indoors, and are
thrilled with the size of it. All the eaves and internal ceilings are also
installed now, as they will act as our render stops. Above the deck here we
plan to install timber battens at equal distance apart, which should break up
the solid white ceiling.
Being a boat builder,
Grant also installed an awesome secret hatch, as there’s a great amount of
under-deck storage for preserves. This might also be useful for somewhere to
banish Karim when he’s naughty!
We chose to line our
bedroom ceiling with ply rather than plasterboard, and seeing this at Tash’s confirmed
that we liked it. It contrasts the stone wall perfectly, and adds a touch of
warmth to the room.
So now our biggest
task is to try not to panic, as the straw bales have started arriving and the
workshop is only three weeks away – yikes! We will be ready, we will be ready,
we will be ready… and next blog update, you should be looking at a strawbale
house!
WARNING! Way too cute
photos coming up…
To sign off on a
high, we’ve met some wonderful new people, our first wwoofers with baby, Paul,
Titia & Miles from the Netherlands. Paul is helping us transform the
garden from a jungle back to a productive food forest, Titia is cooking us
beautiful meals, and Miles is just being way too cute!
