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Tantastic

A few lovely images which caught my eye today. I'm loving this combination of tan, grey and a little splash of colour. x

Images (clockwise from top) via: Because It's Awesome, Duchess Fare, From The Right Bank

Round these parts...

I realise I've been a bit lame with my posts again recently, so here's the lowdown on what's been a happenin' round here. We finally have a working kitchen... still minus splashback tiles but I'm not complaining! It's great to be cooking again and I'll be sure to share it with you once the finishing touches have been added!

Currently working with a fantastic client on a very exciting scheme in the heart of the countryside. It's great working with someone who shares the same tastes and who also has their own creative ideas. This is the first of a few conversions we're working on so I'm really looking forward to the next phase.  

Back to the house, all the walls throughout have been plastered and Steve's brother kindly set to work with the white paint to tide us over for the time being. As much as I love their fresh new look, I'm planning to slap on a shade of grey in the near future. I also couldn't resist painting the spare bedroom floorboards too while we were at it.

Colour is slowly being added to Number 8 one step at a time. We've painted the living room 'Elephant's Breath' by Farrow & Ball, a shade which I love and which we had in our previous flat. I knew I had to use it again somewhere! Now I just can't wait to introduce some pattern & textiles.

Above all, the most exciting news which we found out 8 weeks ago.... (no, not that I found a knot the shape of a heart in one of our floorboards - although I was very excited!) but at the top end of the excitement scale, we'll soon have a little addition to our little, two person, one lurcher family come September!! We're stupendously thrilled and happy and I'll admit, slightly fazed by how much we have to do over the next five months, but the news couldn't have come at a more perfect time!

It's given us both all the more incentive to push on with the remaining jobs in the house and plans for our design business, but we can now do these each day with even bigger smiles on our faces! xxx

All images: My own

It's been a while.

1⎢2

Just popping in to say I'm still here!! 

We've had a busy eight weeks full of exciting surprises along the way. I'll be back tomorrow to resume posting and to share what's been happening with you all. x

Custom Cabinetry

With the bones of our kitchen completed, I thought it would be good to share some spaces which have helped inspire me (us!!) along the way. I've mentioned this gorgeous kitchen by Windsor Smith before and it still ticks all the boxes for me. I love the overall classic vibe to the space to which more informal and textural layers have been added.

The lovely Virginia of Blue Fruit left a comment the other day (thanks Virginia!) regarding our wall units (or lack of them). We opted not to use them in our kitchen this time round for a few reasons. Whilst they are fundamental in a space where storage is crucial, we're lucky enough that the number of base units in our kitchen will suffice and I've always loved the idea of simple open shelving on which to mix and match my kitchen items.

This was the space a month or so ago, looking from what will be the living/dining area into the corner of the kitchen. Our base units run the entire length of the wall to the right hand side with a central island and tall units to the top left corner of the room which is out of shot.

To me, open shelving has such versatility and the possibilities are endless. Simple, neutral crockery looks great stacked in a pared-back scheme, whilst splashes of colour can be introduced by displaying coloured vessels, glassware and favourite objects.

Clusters and collections displayed on these shelves almost become a work of art themselves in these spaces. I quite like the idea of using our shelves to prop up large pieces of art (once they're fitted) and interspersing them with items we'll be using on an everyday basis.

I have to say, I really don't think you can go wrong with stunning cabinets like these and if we were going for a more traditional look and had some extra pennies, I would definitely have considered a more bespoke option and would have designed something similar. I'm sure I would have found something to store in them!!

Whilst my style is a good dose of old with a splash of new, I have to say I do love the clean lines of these contemporary units.

Double-bank units look extremely effective if you're lucky enough to have the ceiling height.

More stunning joinery...

...and talk about saving the best till last. How about this for some bespoke storage? 

Complete with gorgeous ladders too. Mmm!

So, what does your ideal kitchen look like? x

Images via: To come tomorrow... (laptops about to die!!)

Accessorise...

Judging from today, our kitchen should be complete by tomorrow afternoon (minus our worktop!) and I have to say I'm really loving it so far! I don't doubt it's where we'll be spending most of our time and I'm looking forward to sourcing some decorative pieces to complete the look. We opted out of wall units so I'm very much on the hunt for some nice artwork and a gorgeous display unit like this wouldn't go a miss either. x

Images via: Color Me Carla, Brunch At Saks  

Nice busy!

A bit of a lame post I'm afraid. I've been on my own this week, holding fort in the office and overseeing things in the house. In the last few days we've had everyone in...the plasterers, floor fitters, our joiner, the kitchen fitters (yes, it's underway!) our electrician, plumber and a chimney sweep. Things are definitely starting to take shape. Near the top of my list, along with the reclaimed doors is to finalise our choice for the fireplaces. Two entirely different but lovely ideas. x

Images via: 1st Option, The Decorista

The Hallway

Finally, here are some snaps which I've been promising you, beginning with our entrance hallway. I thought I'd break it down into rooms over the next week or so, rather than bombarding you all with the hundreds of photos I've taken on my phone. 

On the lookout for a nice console table to display and store bits and bobs...yes keys, I will not lose you underneath piles of crap anymore!! Oh and I couldn't write this post without mentioning the jaw dropping entrance of Jenna Lyons' home, right. What a doorway!!

Removing the internal partition instantly made a huge difference to the space and it really took it from 'office' to 'home'. Removing the fire exit signs probably helped too!! 

I love a classic black and white staircase and we'll be incorporating this into our hallway, whilst adding decorative touches and colour in some form or other. Can't beat a statement floor.

Next on the agenda - sourcing some reclaimed doors for the entrance to the living/dining room on the right and a half glazed door for the lobby. Even though there's still quite a bit to be done on this floor, the kitchen and living room are the nearest to being completed (well, nearly dirt and dust free), so it would be nice to close this area off until the rest of the house catches up! 

We had the kitchen floor sanded today too - progress! Will show you tomorrow. x 

Images (clockwise from left) via: Greige, source unknown, Accessorize & Organize, From The Right Bank

We'll get there!

Steve and I seem to be saying that a lot recently!!!

I'm taking particular comfort in the few plastered walls throughout the house and it's beginning to look and feel like home! I WILL get more images uploaded over the weekend. Happy Friday folks! x

Not a Pine type either!

Yep, it's not for me!!

Ok, so stripped Pine was all the rage not too many years ago, but I'm with the Victorians on this one and I'm happy to pull out the paintbrush in a few of our rooms!

We've stripped back a piece of floorboard on the ground floor as we've got plans for the timber in both the kitchen and living/dining room and will be trying out some wax finishes at the weekend. It's always exciting to see the timber revealed after years of dirt, even if you know what will be revealed!  

I'll be posting more on this tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll be picking up the wallpaper steamer again tonight to tackle the remaining few bits of woodchip and will hopefully get some photos on here of the rooms so far, for those of you who have been asking. x

Pantone

So Pantone have named their colour of the year as 'Tangerine Tango'. I have to say I've never been one for any shade of orange really, interiors or fashion, and whilst the orange shade in these rooms is not on the reddy side of this Pantone colour, it is just enough 'tango' for me. I suppose that means I must be more of a Soft Satsuma type!!

The image above left is taken from the beautiful house tour on Design Sponge of jewellery designer, Jennifer Sarkilahti, whose rooms seem to flow seamlessly into one another.

Don't get me wrong, I think 'Tangerine Tango' has the effect that was intended, 'to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward,' but in terms of translating fashion to interiors, I'm very much veering more towards the pastels we saw on the runway for S/S 2012. I think the softer orange shades work fantastically as colour accents within a muted pink or lilac scheme. 

Lemon, however, would still be the shade of choice I'd team with pastels in my own home!

Are you loving the trend for tango?

Images (clockwise from top left) via: Design Sponge, The Plush Pad, scanned from World Of Interiors (Dec 2011), Daily Imprint

Here's to a great 2012!

Slightly belated as usual but wishing you, my family, friends and fellow bloggers all the health, happiness and laughter a year can bring!

My usual spell of de-cluttering and organising in between Christmas and New Year has left me feeling refreshed, inspired and ready for new challenges. So many exciting things to come and I look forward to being inspired as always by you all. x

Image via: Pretty Little World

Bedrooms on the brain...

Currently looking forward to purchasing a nice new bed and having a sophisticated(!) clutter-free bedroom once and for all. If I can take the beautiful dogs too while I'm at it?!  

Images via: The Aestate, Shelter

Tidiest Skip Of The Year 2011!

...and the prize goes to....Ian Hunter!

I know this is a pretty lame post for a Friday, especially after four days of no posts, but those of you who know my dad will probably share my amusement. 

This week the rest of the house was stripped out, adding to the junk that was already lying around in the yard and we had started to think it wasn't going to fill the last skip we had on order. Ok, so this wouldn't have been the end of the world but skips aren't cheap these days you know!

  

Dad was determined to get rid of every last bit and being the methodical bloke that he is, had it all planned out days in advance! On the morning the skip arrived he was like a kid at Christmas!! The aerial view when I went upstairs in the office was the best though! Seriously, I didn't expect it to look like this!

Is this not a work of art to you?!!! x

More on the house to come tomorrow.

Festive

Things have turned a little chilly round here over the last couple of days and Christmas is definitely in the air with festive lights springing up here, there and everywhere! I snapped this little pretty yesterday on our way back from Sunday dinner at the rents'. It looks so much prettier in 'real life'! x

Image via: The Drill Hall Emporium  

And I'd just cleared up!...

This is what happens when three guys are let loose in a roof space!

When I said it had been dusty a few weeks back, I didn't know the meaning of the word! This time every little surface is covered in a layer of soot! The final task this week, and the last in terms of the 'dirty' work in the house was to open up part of the ceiling on the top floor. 

Beforehand, the ceiling height was pretty low and despite the mess, it really has made such a difference to the feel of the space already.

Seeing as it's Friday evening I've downed tools (wallpaper steamer!) and I'm now cosied up in our soot-free flat with a glass of wine, devouring the January issue of Living etc which arrived this morning. Apologies for the dodgy phone pictures but had to post these images of the two stunning homes I'm drooling over. 

The unique and creative home on the left is owned by Nikki Tibbles of Wild At Heart fame, which has previously appeared in Abigail Ahern's 'A Girl's Guide to Decorating'. If you haven't already opened your copy....do it now!  

Have a great weekend. xx

Fireside

Hello December!

On my Christmas list....a fabulous mantel just like this. x

Image via: Greige

Room update

Small but perfectly formed is how I'd describe it. Actually, forget the perfectly formed bit....let's just say the spirit level came into it's own when this room was being boarded!! 

This is how the space looked beforehand.

Before we even began stripping the room we knew we wanted to use traditional style fittings throughout. It's been great unpacking the boxes as they've arrived, like Christmas has come early! 

Who'd have thought I'd get so excited about a basin too?!

As we're working on creating our very own family home for the first time, every little decision, no matter how small has felt huge as we really want it to be the right one! Our decision with the shower room has been whether to keep it light, or make it dark and sumptuous!

With small, box-like rooms, I'm always tempted to go with their small proportions, paint them deep rich colours and embrace the cocooning effect they can have, rather than trying every tactic to make them appear bigger. 

However, the sunlight in this room first thing is lovely and we figured a morning shower in a light and breezy space would be far more invigorating. Perhaps the darker option would have me sneaking back off to bed for an extra hour or two!...(there's always the other bathroom!) 

I know most of these images are not shower rooms as such but each one has an element which I like. I love the simplicity and freshness of the image top left and the classic design to the floor, top right.  The basketweave tiled floor to the room above is a nice decorative touch.

We stopped by one of our local tile showrooms last week and I fell in love with these straight away... although didn't quite love the price as much!! Typical! I am very much of the thinking though, that in certain situations you should invest in items you truly love, rather than using something just because it's the cheaper option. In the long-run you'll get far more pleasure out of that item and will appreciate your initial expenditure.

That said, we have a huge list of items and fittings which need to be picked for the house and we'd prefer to invest a little more money in pieces that will hopefully be with us forever, such as classic furniture pieces and decorative light fittings.

So, after all that,  here's the latest...not set in stone but pretty much the route we'll be going. 

Elongated subway tiles in a soft grey marble-effect gloss, which rather than a matt tile, should help to bounce a little extra light around the space. Floor tiles - I'm veering towards the hexagonal mosaics with a darker grey grout. I think the black and white would feel more 'Deco' and as much as I'm a big fan of the Art Deco style, I'm now hoping to create a more tonal feel to the space.

I know you may think blaagh....but by keeping everything simple, I feel I can switch up the space easily using different accessories when the mood takes me. 

You might notice the snakeskin effect wallpaper in the background. This is a great hard-wearing paper from Tektura which I'm looking to use on one or two small areas. Can't wait to get it started!

Will keep you posted! xx