Build Diary 18

This month we turned our attention to the entrance area, which to this date was still unfinished. After weeks of staining and varnishing precisely 85 pieces of long, narrow timber by hand, we put together the screen & gate for the area between the kitchen and entrance door. Until now, this gap was fairly open and allowed full views into the kitchen from the street which we didn’t particularly enjoy.

We also made up a set of 5 large vertical & horizontal beams that form the frame for the roof which will cover the entrance steps (the roof will be a separate job later on). The dimensions of these beams are 15x5cm each so it was quite the challenge to put them into place.

As we love the Japanese look, we planted some more bamboo along the new entrance area which will hopefully grow as tall as the roof and create a natural screen for further privacy and protection from the harsh afternoon sun.

In honour of our late Bali dog Molly (who loved to munch on Frangipani flowers), we planted a beautiful dark red Frangipani tree into a round cement planter in front of the house. Her ashes have been mixed into the soil and a small statue will provide a space to place the fresh flowers as they fall from the tree.

Last but not least Sean made up a sign for our house name from leftover building materials, with the letters bent by hand from steel.

ALLAWAH HOUSE is an Aboriginal word which roughly translates to “sit down, rest, stay here” and we thought this is quite fitting for our new home.

Thank you for following our build diary this far!

Anna + Sean