Luxury accommodation in the Aegean countryside

Must get faster at carpentry

This will just be a quick post. I wish there was more to add: we’re pushing on with the kitchen, but the date of the previous post is evidence that progress hasn’t been all that dramatic. On the positive side, we’re learning lots of woodwork tricks that should make us faster in the future.

Here’s a shot of one of the kitchen cabinets, almost done. From left to right that’s going to be four drawers, an open slot for storing wine (above) and trays (below), and a large corner cupboard that will sit up against the washing machine. As you can see, we’re going for the rustic look.

Cabinet for the left side of the kitchen

Cabinet for the left side of the kitchen.

We’ve picked out the tiles we’re going to use for the worktops. Very Turkish! There will be some interesting cutting to get those hexagons to work, but we think it will be worth it.

The tiles we've chosen for the worktops.

Tiles for the kitchen worktops.

As of yesterday the cabinets actually got dragged into the kitchen itself, which was a bit of a milestone for us. No doors on the cupboards yet, and the worktops still need to be trimmed and screwed into place, but you can start to see what it’s going to look like.

Cabinets in place.

Cabinets in place.

Real drawers will work better than a wicker basket.

Real drawers will work better than a wicker basket.

Lots of room in those corner cupboards.

Lots of room in those corner cupboards.

A couple of weeks ago I finally found the bag that had my camera gear in it, so I now have a tripod again which means night-time photos are possible. I know I should get out and capture the atmosphere of some of the local towns after dark, but for starters here are a few shots of home.

View of our garden by night: the winter rains have made everything green.

View of our garden by night: the winter rains have made everything green.

Looking back into the village from outside our gate.

Looking back into the village from outside our gate.

10 Comments

  1. Marg and John

    Hi Jason and Sirem
    You two seem to be working very hard and making great progress with the development of your house. We are most impressed. Good luck with your continuing efforts.

    Cheers to you both
    Marg & John

    • Jason

      Thanks! Some days I wish we were faster, but I guess it’s about the journey and not just the destination.

  2. Cliff & Diana

    Hi You Two,
    Jason,
    You are obviously attempting to impress us with your levitation skills by trying to make us believe that the tiles are resting on air. Crafty move, but you don’t fool us.
    Well done on the carpentry front. If you’re not careful your prowess will be in demand all over Hidirbeyli.
    Good news on the feline subject ? We’re getting a substitute , (not a replacement),at New Year. We’ll make sure you get a photo.
    Happy Hammering! C & D

    • Jason

      Hehe. :) The tiles are hovering especially well there because each tile comes as a cluster of seven hexagons, so that’s actually only two tiles in the picture, not 14. And there will of course be a nice solid supporting layer of 18mm plywood sandwiched between the cabinets and the tiles!

      Thanks for the carpentry compliment. You’re right; the neighbours are already demanding a sedir and a kitchen just like ours. Will have to make a trade for continuing fruit and vegetable supplies.

      Very glad to hear a substitute feline is on the way. I know what you mean about replacement being impossible. We look forward to seeing a picture.

  3. Bonny

    You guys are doing such awesome stuff in Turkey, I’m well impressed! And those tiles are gorgeous <3

    • Jason

      Very glad you like them! You should come and visit ASAP and take a few days in Istanbul as well: I’m sure you would get lots of design ideas.

  4. Jane W

    Love the solid looking kitchen, it’s going to be interesting to see how much its all going to cost. A bespoke, handmade, wooden kitchen….. lots of £££ to buy. What type of sink are you going for? Old butler sink? Love the tiles too.

    • Jason

      Asking the tough questions, Jane. :)

      The materials costs are not too bad: about £500 all up for timber, MDF, plywood, tiles, sink, tap, screws, hinges, etc. It’s much harder to put a price on our labour, of course. We’re doing it all much slower than the professionals would — learning as we go. On the other hand we’re building up some experience that should be very helpful with bigger projects later on. And we’re enjoying the process, so it’s hard to put a number on it. I guess I should at least factor in what it costs to feed ourselves and pay the bills while we work, but those numbers are not too bad here either.

      We looked at old-fashioned butler sinks but they’re not so easy to find here, and we were worried it would be too big for the room. So we’ve compromised and gone with a plain metal sink with a round bowl. Modest and inoffensive, but it won’t be the main feature of the design. I think the tiles will be the main thing people’s eyes are drawn to.

  5. Josh and Angella

    Hi Jason and Sirem,
    really impressed with your increasing skill set and the changes that you have already achieved with your new home.
    Can we also wish you a merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.
    Best Wishes Josh, Angella, Rian and Gabriel.

    • Jason

      Thanks very much! We are testament to the fact that anyone can learn how to do this stuff. :)

      I hope you all had a great Xmas also. Have a great 2015!

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