Pompadour

Friday 7 May 2010

"You took on something when you bought this place..."

Is what Keith said to me as we discussed the work still to be done chez nous. I must admit that at times we have struggled and have been so lucky to have had advice (mostly from Martin) and friends who have been so happy (I hope!) to help. I still believe though that one day we will have a house to be proud of.




Although unfortunately this is not my kitchen (pah!) these are the slate tiles we have chosen for the hall and barn. I chose them because there are colours in them that are echoed by the local stone.
It's a shame we couldn't buy them locally. These were about £18 a square metre, whereas we couldn't find something of anything like the same quality for less than 100 euros a square metre locally. Hopefully by the end of today some of them will be on the floor.

11 comments:

  1. Love the colours of those tiles. Shame it's not your kitchen - actually that kitchen is larger than our whole finca!

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  2. Those tiles are just amazing but as we found they are not cheap here. Diane

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  3. Hello there, I'm so pleased that I've found your super blog via Vendeeblog and TF. Your photos are so good, and what a great deal you have achieved in such a short time. I've got an old house in the Limousin too, which needs a lot of work. Can I be cheeky and ask you which company supplied that lovely slate flooring?
    I'll be a regular reader now, best wishes,
    Ondine

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  4. Jan - I wanted slate but I also wanted a warm colour, I hope these will work and yes, I wish that was my kitchen too!!. Diane - what is cheap here other than alcohol (thank goodness!!)
    Ondine - thank you for your kind comments the company is called Mandarin Stone, you can find them online at www.mandarinstone.com and delivery for just over 60 square metres was about 400 - 450 ish sterling. Hope that helps - it's really good quality stone.

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  5. Thanks very much Roz, they say that the Chinese slate beds produce extemely high quality slate.
    Ondine

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  6. I don't think it's the easiest to lay though!!

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  7. Oh great kitchen. Sort of like what I would like to have, but without the centre island. The colours, though, are wizzo. Love the flooring as well and look forward to seeing photos of your kitchen when it is done. As for us: well, we are going to be in a dusty temporary kitchen for a long time yet. But at least I don't have to cook in the caravan, and for that I count my blessings. Good luck with the floor laying.

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  8. I loved that slate.
    It was worth the struggle to get it to the Limousin, but what a shame that the French suppliers always have 'rip off' first in their minds when pricing materials.

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  9. Do you think its that Helen - or just that suppliers here have to pay such high taxes (sorry I still have no question mark!), I felt quite sorry for the guy in the shop when I said how much I could get it for in the UK, he just couldn't compete.

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  10. No...rip off.
    I bought white cement in Bricodepot at a reasonable price, then ran out before finishing the job so thought I'd go to a local supplier rather than drive miles.
    His white cement, same brand, same quality, cost double what I had paid in Bricodepot.
    I asked him why the difference and, smirking, he informed me that his cement - same brand, same quality - was 'professional' white cement....

    As I say, rip off.

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  11. Funny you should say that - our local builders merchant uses that line too!!!

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