Getting There Slowly

The last rose

Hi everybody and thank you for all your wonderful comments on my last post!

I'm so glad you enjoyed the inspiring interiors images, and I have to say you are a very encouraging lot when it comes to the decorating.

So armed with a bit of determination and willpower, not to say paintbrushes and stripper, and fortified by your uplifting comments, I have managed to spend a few days over the last week moving the hall decorating forwards a bit, and am pleased to say I am Getting There Slowly :)

Now - still unfinished but progress has been made!!

The Latest - see above - handrail stripped, primer/undercoat on rest of staircase, and the stairwell walls with the first coat of paint.

Below is the estate agents picture of the hall before we moved in.

Too much dark wood for our taste, and it made the hall very gloomy, and the walls were painted a dark coffee colour (much darker than it appears in this photo)

Photo of staircase from estate agents details - ie. what we moved in to

Below is a photo of the staircase half primed, and before I stripped the handrail - see the original dark colour still on the wall up the stairs?

Getting there......

As we are now - still a way to go but so much lighter!!!

So back to it when I finish this post!

Mr G has had a few days off for half term, and one day last week we had a trip out which included a visit to an auction house viewing day.......

..........two days later, after lots of research, some rather exciting and nail-biting online bidding, we found ourselves with some lovely new paintings.

Four oil paintings and a watercolour altogether

This lovely (signed) oil painting of a moonlit bay (possibly Monaco according to the info) - I was over the moon (groan!!)that we won this one!

A painting of a San Fransisco street scene (signed)

This was Bella's favourite

An ENORMOUS oil painting of a lady seated by a dressing table - this stands over 1m high, and is destined for the wall at the foot of the stairs - I just fell in love with this one

A 19th century watercolour - in the style of the Victorian watercolour painters of rural cottages and scenes, such as Helen Allingham

 And a little Dutch oil of a winter river scene

Now we will have to push on with decorating the rest of the house in order to display the paintings properly!

We are well into Autumn now, and the last of the tomatoes and peppers have been picked

Halloween has come and gone already - not much happened here except a pumpkin was carved for the porch and a tray of treats was ready for the few trick or treaters who visited

The countryside around here is clothed in its autumn colours, making our school run through the lanes an absolute delight as we hurtle through a landscape of red, russet, orange and yellow

Our dog walks through the nearby woods reveal other autumnal sights

And as usual there has been plenty of relaxing going on here by the four footed furry members of the family

Bessie this morning..................

It's all so exhausting.........................

I can't believe we are in November now, and after bonfire night this weekend we will be in to the (too) fast run down to Christmas!!

Mr G has surprised me by already buying the charity Christmas Cards........

Image from Vintage Home

Have  a great week everyone!



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!