Something a little different - A Guest Post!

Hi everyone!

 

Some one else has done all the hard work today!

I was asked a little while ago if I would like to host a guest post from Arcadian Lighting, a company that focuses on lighting for the home, and so today I am very pleased to welcome Susi from Arcadian Lighting with her guest post which has some fabulous interiors with lots of lighting ideas!

Taylor Wilson who asked me if I would like to host this guest post tells me that "Arcadian Lighting is the best source for lighting fixtures and accessories at discount prices. Arcadian Lighting has been in the lighting industry for over 15 years selling decorative home lighting fixtures and lamps online, and has become one of the top Internet retailers for home lighting products."

Why not pop over to their site and have a look!

I hope you enjoy Susi's post!

Hi, I'm Susi, a writer for Arcadian Lighting, a blog that focuses on lighting fixture ideas and trends. I'm so happy to be guest blogging here at Gillyflower today. My guest post is a collection of eight inspirational living rooms. These living rooms are full of great design ideas and are beautiful. Hope you enjoy!

This monochrome living room is an inspiring example of how layers of pale color and texture can create a sophisticated room in the absence of bold color and pattern.

I love the beautiful wall color and pattern on the chairs in this living room. Think outside of traditional colors for a unique look. Pattern adds color and interest so don't forget to add patterned textiles and accessories.

The floating seating arrangement in this living room is inspiring. Pulling the sofa away from the wall, then placing a sofa table and lamps behind it changes the flow of the room.

The dark moody living room in the London home of Abigail Ahern is an inspiring example of a dark and dramatic living room done right. Layers of texture with floor lamp add interest.

Mixing strong patterns can be daunting. This living room is a great example of how to do it successfully. A medium pattern on the walls and a bold pattern as an accent keep the room from feeling too busy. The orange against the brown and cream is beautiful.

Despite having navy on the walls, this living room feels light and open. Loads of white trim and stylish wall sconces give the room a fresh, crisp feeling. Don't be afraid of dark walls.

Simple, classic furniture like a tailored sofa and wingback chair are timeless pieces for a living room. But what is really inspiring in this living room is the floor to ceiling gallery wall filled with interesting art work.

Contrast between light and dark, solid and pattern, traditional and casual make this living room full of decorating inspiration. Tailored but not stuffy, this space is an elegant example of neo-traditional style.

What do you think of these inspirational living rooms? Comments are welcome! Don't forget to check out Arcadian Lighting for more lighting fixtures for your home!

Image credits: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |



Thankyou Susi!!!

Well, there are some brilliant interior and lighting ideas here which I shall certainly take on board - I especially like the idea of the floating seating arrangement, pulling away the sofas from the wall and having lighting behind.

I hope you enjoyed reading this guest post, please visit again very soon as I will be announcing my 150th follower giveaway, and then shortly after that I have another surprise giveaway to announce!

Here's a sneak peek at what's to come!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Shelf Life

Don't you just love visiting a blog where you know it will just be a pure feast for the eyes?

Beautiful vignettes and tablescapes that some very talented bloggers just seem to be able to conjour up out of nothing, set within the most beautiful rooms or backgrounds?

The windowsills, table tops and shelves in their homes all skillfully, artfully and tastefully arranged with the most interesting and visually appealing mix of items - some vintage or antique china or glass maybe, or books and candles and flowers, maybe with the seasons foliage or flowers, or a scrap of vintage fabric, shells or feathers, all looking as if they have just been there forever and placed artfully as if without any thought whatsover.

Or even just a simple but somehow perfect pot of flowers.

I am becoming increasingly inspired and amazed by what these clever people can achieve, and can gaze for ages at the wonderful still lifes they create.

Some of my very favourites are Madelief -  her still lifes of the wonderful flowers she has grown, together with the gorgeous vintage (and new) china she collects, positively have me drooling very time I visit. Even the photos of her clothes and closets are always so beautifully arranged and photographed.

And then there's Brenda over at Cozy Little House, who, despite having just moved house a few weeks ago, has already created  the most amazing home with beautiful tablescapes and lovely arrangements everywhere you look (I still have boxes to unpack over a year since we moved!!!).

I love to visit The Summer Porch for wonderful eye candy and inspirational still lifes using herbs and flowers. together with old gardening paraphanalia, pots and statues, all wonderfully put together to create the most stunning outdoor vignettes. And some wonderful words and poetry alongside too.

With these thoughts and images of artful arrangements in my head, yesterday I decided to do a little job that had been nagging at me for ages - to paint the dark shelf above the range cooker in the kitchen. 

Before

and After

I used Annie Sloan's Country Grey and gently distressed it a little

I am quite pleased with how its turned out, as it doesn't draw the eye like it used to, being such a dark element of the room - now it blends in more and looks, hopefully, more attractive - although I need to practise some more with the "arrangements".


As I have now reached 150 followers (yay!!!! Thankyou to you all for visiting and following!) I think its time for a giveaway to celebrate and to say Thank You to all my followers, old and new - no idea what yet so I will have to have a think and announce it soon, so watch this space!


I'll leave you with a vignette of my kitchen windowsill

and lets just see a closeup of that tasteful arrangement shall we???   ;0


LOL!!!!!!

My reality I'm afraid!

So what's on your windowsills, tables and shelves???

Pretty, artfully and thoughtfully placed things that you are pleased with, or are they more like my sad reality, a combination of some quite acceptable and some a downright eyesore??!!!

I'd love to hear ( and see!) so do please leave a comment and share!!!

Also, any clever ideas for Christmas tablescapes and arrangements?? Would be great if you would share your best ideas for us all to have a go at!

Wishing you all a creative and inspiring week!

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!