Monthly Archives: July 2012

Spare parts

Okay, so life keeps getting in the way of blogging.  And decorating.  But here is one room that is on its way; the spare room.  It started life as a (20 year old, ripped and cartoon stickered) wallpapered room with a falling down curtain, and a carpet that had seen better days.

Remember this?

What’s been done:

  • Painted white (on top of the wallpaper as we couldn’t afford to strip it properly)
  • Carpeted in grey
  • Window dressed with another bargain IKEA roller blind until we can afford more
  • Fireplace board removed
  • Grate blackened
  • Dressing table found in an alleyway before we left the city painted and given new handles
  • Ercol armchair ‘covered’ (i.e. wrapped) in fabric
  • Canvas covered in same fabric

It needs more personality – some photos, and a bit more nature and art.  But it means that we have a nice place for guests to stay for the first time in two years.  Kinda vital when you have moved away from all of your friends (phew!)

 

Can you see the edges on that dodgy wallpaper?  And the minton floor (all the minton floors) still needs a good scrub with white spirit and wire wool.

This is part of a 3 piece Ercol suite picked up on eBay. The rest is yet to be titivated…

I can’t compete with N but hopefully the hydrangea stem from the garden will dry nicely (I can’t take any credit: it just grew). Bedside table also found in an alleyway in the city and needs a repaint!  And if I was a stylist it would be full of vintage fabrics amassed on my travels.  Oh well.

The bed is too big and my photography skills too poor to do it justice. I need some lessons, N!

 

The dressing table started out like this…

Before…the formica was just too nicotine stained and the handles wouldn’t polish up (they weren’t good quality anyway)

After a few coats of craft enamel and some new IKEA handles

 

Bed IKEA from old house (wouldn’t fit in our new room).  Bed linen Homebase (the glamour!)  Silk peonies TK Maxx.  Green pots (on mantel) and ceramic pin pot (at bedside – with the Queen’s seal) charity shops.  Green vases IKEA buys over the years.  Lamp IKEA.  Silk bird (stuffed with lavender) a lovely handmade present.  Fabric IKEA (for teenagers’ rooms, so they reckon).

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Cut roses from my garden, they smell amazing.  Mr Owl bedside lamp bargain from BHS (£35- half price down from £70) and 50p charity shop vase.
Nx

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by | 06/07/2012 · 7:47 am

Mirror mirror on the wall….

OK so I probably haven’t exposed myself as the true shopaholic I really am as yet but here’s the truth (B, I’m sure you are already aware!),  I LOVE SHOPPING!!!!  In whatever form, books, clothes, house stuff, either online or on foot!  Charity shops, designer boutiques or Ikea.  J, my husband, thinks I’m bonkers and can’t understand my endless appetite for looking at pictures of different rugs or searching eBay for the perfect bedside tables or the right dress for that christening in 2 months time, whatever the project I can while away hours browsing the net or trawling the shops, I love it!

Having done plenty of scouring to find the perfect mirror for over the fireplace in our bedroom, I thought I’d share a few of my favourites and the one we finally chose. I love mirrors, they make everywhere look lighter, brighter and bigger which is why they are one of my favourite ways to accessorize a room.

Brissi Josephine Mirror, John Lewis

Brissi New England Mirror, John Lewis

Over Mantel Mirror, Graham and Green

And some of my favourite looks with vintage ones:

Design Sponge: Sneak Peek Paula Mills and Family

Petits Papiers

As you can see we went with the Lattice Window Mirror from Graham and Green which I’m over the moon with.

My bedroom fireplace with the Window Lattice Mirror from Graham and Green

Nx

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