Making an Entrance

Having made the most of this lovely mild weather over the weekend by catching up on a little gardening, my thoughts now turn once again to inside the house, where I am (very) slowly turning my house into a home which reflects my tastes rather than those of the previous owners.



Note this is NOT my hall although I wish it were........

I am the worst kind of decorator in that although being quite competent with a sander and a paintbrush, I am very prone to acting on a whim and as the mood takes me.

Thus we have a very-nearly-almost-but-not-quite finished family room / dining room (really just the french windows to finish now, honestly that's all).

A half started study/bedroom ( two walls with one coat of paint only, so a long way to go with this one......)

And

a half finished hall

So it is with a sigh of regret that before I can honestly allow my conscience (and paintbrush) to tackle the living room, to rid the walls of their dark gold colour and replace with a paler colour (like in the images below).........

and before I can start to paint over the gloomy battleship grey cupboards in the kitchen and transform then into something like those in the the lovely kitchens below.........

 



I really must finish the hall first.

There's a staircase to prime/undercoat,  and then paint as it is currently stained dark brown.
Having stripped the newel post a while back and found the results not all that wonderful, I have decided to paint all but the handrail which I will strip and keep natural wood, along with the newel post.

Then there are the walls to finish - they've already had a couple of coats to cover the dark mushroom colour - and the woodwork - the picture rail and skirting board already primed and undercoated, just needing  a top coat of satinwood  - and then the 5 internal doors, thankfully only 2 left to top coat.

I think thats all :(

And so I thought I'd share with you some lovely photos of hall and entrance ways that I am finding helpful in making me grit my teeth and get out the dust sheets.

all images from Vintage Home

I think this last one would be a little hard to live with, albeit it makes a most cheerful entrance!

Thank you for all your interesting comments on my last post - I hope you enjoy these images too!

Inspirational Rooms

As you've all had an overdose of pictures of my home in the last few posts

as I've shared my furniture painting progress,

I thought it might be nice to have a look inside some other homes for a change!

So I've found some gorgeous interiors here from one of my fav tumblrs, Vintage Home, which I hope you'll enjoy

cushions to make a statement in front of an eclectic selection of artwork

a collection of colourful patterned bargello cushions displayed against a turquoise wall

more interesting cushions and an eclectic mix of vintage furniture

 simple stripes with a limited palette can add a real punch when woodwork is painted to match

an unusual but successful colour combination with a comfortable velvet chaise paired with bold wallpaper and natural textured rug

cosy little attic bedroom in zesty shades

simple country style using a limited palette of strong powder blue and off whites

I just love this chair in this simple room conducive to creating!

cheerful modern country style with limited palette - love the stripey sofas with that hit of colour supplied by the throw and flowers!

pretty country style entrance hall

love these colours and the beautiful painted cupboard

pure vintage mix

strong colours and bold prints here used to great effect

now what a clever idea to display all those old shirt buttons!

a beautifully colour co-ordinated yarn stash to die for!

And the cupboard's just gorgeous!!!



Hope this has stimulated your homemaking creativity a little!!

Or, at the very least, provided you with some eye candy!

Seeing Red

Of fallen camellias, red lampshades, lopsided crocheted cushions and charity shop bargains!

As I selected the photos for this post, it occured to me that it has a bit of a red and pink theme going on.

As the first camellia flowers fall, I am reluctant to just leave them lying there on the lawn (although for some reason Logan loves playing with them flipping them and picking them up!).

So yesterday evening I floated them on water where they looked a little shabby but still beautiful. Tried to find the floating candles but without success - that would have been perfect.

By the way, the true colours of the floating flowers are more like that in the first picture - the colour didnt come out well by night.



Continuing with the red theme, my daughter made a cheesecake in the red and white polka dot dish I got from TK Maxx for £5.

She made it without a recipe - I love the fact that she felt the freedom and confidence to just go for it - I think it tasted great but she wasn't so sure.

She just combined cream cheese, cream, icing sugar, honey and vanilla essence, then put it on a biscuit base made the usual way, and decorated it with sliced kiwi fruit.

***

Am having a thing about red lampshades at the moment - they seem to bring such a lovely brightness and zing into a room setting.

It started with the hall, and then a few weeks ago I came across a pair of red silk lampshades in a sale and so thought they might come in handy somewhere.

So yesterday, whilst trying to inject a bit of character and colour into the family room I remembered the red lampshades and thought they might do the trick.

 The lampshade sits on one of a pair of mahogany lampbases that I got for a few pounds at a boot fair last summer, and stands on an old oak barleytwist table bought for a couple of pounds at a charity shop, currently waiting to be stripped and then either waxed or painted.

The other lampshade I put on the other lampbase

I added my bright patchwork cushions to the large sofa after having thrown over a creamy white bedspread picked up for £1 at the local weekly antique and flea market ( that reminds me, I haven't been for months - is on tomorrow so I might pop along )

I put up a few pictures, added the lamps and moved the furniture around a bit.

Then I remembered an unfinished crochet cushion cover in shades of pink and red, so I found it, sewed in the tail ends and then cheated by stitching it onto the front of an old pale pink cushion.

But my "ta da!" moment was spoiled when I remembered that it had never looked quite right.

Look!!!

It's wonky!!!

Skewed!!!

Why I don't know - I made it last year, can't remember which pattern. It starts as a circle then changes to a square, and somewhere I must have either gone wrong or changed my tension - any suggestions from you many talented and experienced crocheters out there???

But what the heck!

It's colourful, adds a shot of colour, is handmade and Has Character!!

Still sticking with pink, whilst going thru photos for this post I spotted this pink blouse which I got for £3 at the charity shop the other day

And this gorgeous embroidered panelled just- above- the- knee flippy skirt - just like a Boden one but not! And not the price either!

I also spotted these photos in my Picasa files - this lovely bright pink crocheted mohair scarf that I bought from Green Rabbit Designs Etsy shop - I meant to post about this when it arrived a week or so ago - its gorgeous!!

It came beautifully wrapped and presented - thank you Vivienne!!!

Ok, I must get on - these posts take me forever when I get sidetracked with other photos I see!

I now have a footstool cover to make and a patchwork piano stool cover I want to try out - it's too wet for gardening.

Have a great day!!!!