Wednesday, 29 February 2012

With Knobs On!

A house with two pisceans living together is not going to be a very organized place. We float along in different directions not really planning anything but seeing where we get to.  As followers of John Lennon's philosophy  "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans"  it seems sensible to avoid over organization.  Our attitude to kitchen design has followed a serendipitous  route.  Until Huseyin Usta knocked down our old kitchen in a flurry of dust and rubble, my husband was still hoping that we could get away with just a new sink.  Twenty years ago, when we last built a kitchen,  we engaged a designer in İzmir and ended up with a kitchen made in Germany and Italy and I think it took several months from conception to the first boiled egg.   This time we didn't even draw a plan. Everything except the sink was sourced on the  Bodrum to Ortakent road. The cabinets were built by a carpenter originally employed to provide a loo door.  His friend laid the tiles beautifully.  A Farrow and Ball paint chart enabled me to have the exact chalky colour I wanted mixed in Koç Taş.  From wreck to finish, the whole job took 18 days. It would have been quicker if we hadn't taken our time choosing the work surface and as for knobs: there is just too much choice, but decision made, the last one was fitted this morning.

Adem, the carpenter, who came to fit one door and ended up building a kitchen.

8 comments:

  1. I like the "no plan" plan...sounds like it went very well!

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  2. . . by and large, I have nothing but praise for Turkish trades/craftsmen. Seldom have we been really dissatisfied with their efforts and all round good humour. Your new kitchen looks great!

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    1. I especially like out electrician who comes about 10 minutes after being phoned, several times a day without complaining.

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  3. How different the Bodrum to Ortakent road is now compared to your your first time in Turkey. I call it the North Circular with a lot more sun! Kitchen looks fab. A room with knobs on. We must pop round to take a gander.

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  4. Where are you Jack? The coffee machine is plugged in.

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  5. OMG. I love the sparkling new tiles on the wall!!! They are gorgeous!

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  6. Mrs Ergul, Just found your site, it's great. I put it on my list. The tiles are actually like a quilt, so they catch the light.

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