Unique Style

There are many different styles of interior design that I can admire, appreciate and fall in love with, but when it comes to making my own house a home there is one style that I cannot help myself from using despite all the influences and fashions - the same style that I have used ever since those early, heady days when I embraced my own space for the first time - that of making the best of what I had, could find, make or transform, to make a cosy haven on a limited budget.

And although since then I have moved onwards and upwards, and my budget although still limited has increased from those early days, I still find myself drawn to the second hand junk shops, the boot fairs,  eBay, an antiques fair or auction, to see what hidden treasures there may be, rather than the expensive and often soulless furniture stores.

This by definition means an eclectic home, with many styles and ages of furniture and soft furnishings, full of vintage finds and treasures, but the whole linked together into something that reflects my taste, my style, and is therefore unique - no chance of walking into anyone else's home and seeing the same cushions, rugs or coffee table all together.

This way lies..........

........the thrill of anticipation of what you might find.

.......the fun of transforming it.

......the satisfaction of a bargain.


These are heady things indeed.


So, for me, rather the charm of well worn, previously loved or hand-crafted pieces........


 

rather a well worn table and unmatched furniture



 

rather  a make-do kitchen with character


 

rather a simple elegant ageless re-covered chair and a unique cushion


 

rather some shabby vintage trays with soul and make-do dresser in cheerful gingham


 

rather my own style and choice of colours than the latest trend


 

rather a beautifully shaped and detailed second-hand cupboard

rather a shabby old painted chest of drawers (source: Pinterest )


 

rather a shabby wall cupboard with vintage wallpaper and china

 

rather a pretty loose cover over an old chair than a new chair


 

rather a shabby old comfy chair or sofa with soft linen cushions


 

rather an elegant old dressing table


 

rather an unfitted kitchen


 

rather an unfitted bathroom


 

rather a handmade throw and shabby patched cushion from old fabric


 

rather a simple country chair with soul and a secret history


 

rather shabby timber windows with peeling paint.


Rather..... a unique home with soul.


What's your favourite style?


( NB: Sadly, none of these gorgeous photos are of my own home!
For more beautiful images of homes and interiors, visit my Pinterest boards  )

All photos from Vintage Home tumblr  except where stated

Shabby Chic cushion

Just thought I'd share with you a cushion I have just finished for my Etsy or Folksy shops.

The centre panel is a pretty vintage pink and white floral cotton, surrounded by dusky pink linen.

The reverse (and all of my cushions are made to be reversible as opposed to just having a backing that you would not normally display, so that you can use the cushions in a more versatile way.) is made from a  vintage pink and white candy striped sheet, and has a vintage pink crochet flower attached.

Am just loving this cheerful candy pink stripe and plan to make more in this fabric!

Have just installed an upgrade to Picasa which has turned out to have some quite significant changes, and first of all filled me with dismay as the new version doesn't have the little "Blog This" button despite having many new features. Once I'd found an alternative way to upload my blog photos via Picasa Web Albums (which I used to use sometimes anyway)I stopped panicking!

And instead had a little fun exploring some of the new features......

The above has a drop shadow effect which in my compose screen looks no different!

This one has a  Polaroid effect applied

This one took sooooo  long to upload I've forgotten what I did - a lesson there I think - having looked it up it was HDR (High Dynamic Range effect) followed by a Vignette effect.

And this last one..........

....was the first one I played with and apart from adding a 1960's effect to it I really can't remember at all!

These gimmicky effects are a bit of fun and I'm sure will have their uses! 

With Picnik going soon, many of the effects that are on there can now be found with Picasa, and is presumably the reason behind the extensive update for which I am grateful! 

NB: The reason this post is title-less is that I appear to have lost the title line and can barely click on "Publish", "preview" and "save" - hhmmmmm. Now why would that be? Oh well........

Ah ha!

Have disabled a toolbar and now it's all back! Hooray!!

Was feeling a bit naked without a post title......

Painted Furniture

Well hello everybody, it seems a while since I posted - nearly a week!

I hope you are all well, and that you've been enjoying the sunny spring weather.

And a very  warm welcome to all my new followers!

In answer to your many kind comments in the last post, the car is back (hooray!) but is still not right (boo!!!) and am waiting for yet another car part which will hopefully once and for all sort out the problem - lucky they are not charging me for any more parts or labour since the expensive bit last week. What a nuisance it has been!

But moving on to the positive stuff!

*   It is the Easter holidays and we get a lie in - yyyaaayyyyyy!!!!!!

*  I have my daughter at home!!!

*  I finally found time to set up my Etsy shop (Folksy shop already and waiting too!)

But as you will see if you click on the links they are still sad, empty shops, which is why I have been busy beavering away these last few weeks making goodies to fill the shelves, which is why I haven't been over to see you much recently at your blog - I am sorry for that and will try and visit you soon.

*  I signed up for an Annie Sloan paint workshop!

pieris


I am lucky to have an Annie Sloan stockist in a nearby town, and a friend and I had planned a trip there last week as she had heard they were going to be doing some workshops.

Although Annie Sloan isn't personally running any workshops in the UK this year, stockists of her paint are being trained to run them themselves - see Annie Sloan's website for details of where.

But for you lucky people in the US, Annie Sloan is touring the US this year - visit her website and her blog Paint and Colour for details - although having just had a quick look it looks as if they are over already - they were late March/early April dates, unless there is another lot to come.

Anyway, we signed up for the local workshop and I came away with more Chalk Paint - Old Ochre and Original - both off-whites.


 

I have three of Annie's books - Creating the French Look (2011), Quick and Easy Paint Transformations (2010) and The Painted Furniture Source Book (1998).

For beginners or those new to Annie Sloan paints I recommend the Quick and Easy Paint Transformations, as in this book she covers all the basics and has lots of projects using different styles and techniques, and plenty of illustrations of the job in progress - a really useful book

Any one new to Annie Sloan's Chalk Paints will find them a revelation -  you can just whack the paint on - no stripping, no sanding, no priming or undercoating, no preparation required at all although a quick wipe over first would be good!


Below are a few photos of projects that I have done using Annie Sloan paints.


 

An Edwardian gentleman's chair picked up for £15 from eBay, painted in Country Grey, then distressed, waxed in both antique and clear wax, then touched up in places with gold paint.


 

As you can see, it's awaiting re-upholstery (if its lucky!) or at the very least, some new fabric, and although I love the faded shabby look as it is, the back has a large split so it really has to be done!


 

The kitchen shelf above the Rayburn, painted in Country Grey then sanded.


 

 

The first piece I painted in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint - a two drawer chest painted in two coats of Paris Grey, then clear waxed and sanded then a little Antique wax to finish.


 

I painted over the handles then rubbed them back

 

 

a brown wood nest of (3) tables £10 from a charity shop painted last week in Original


 

An old pine TV cabinet bought for £5 off eBay painted in Country Grey, sanded and waxed in Antique wax.

 

It had rather horrible large pine pull handles which I removed and replaced with these pewter knobs


 

 

And the dresser base which I painted in Country Grey, but which had not been finished - neither waxed nor any thought given to the handles, and which after consulting with you all a few posts ago I have decided to paint the base and top (keeping the newly painted Duck Egg on the back boards) in either Old Ochre or Original  -  but first I need to see how the Old Ochre comes up on a smaller piece of furniture.

An old oak standard lamp that I picked up for a song at a boot fair I painted in Provence last year

Love the bright quirkiness of this, although Mr G had his reservations at first - of course he doesn't really notice these things anyway thankfully so I can get away with them!

As long as he has a comfy chair, the TV and the remote........

Oak barley twist table in Country Grey

Well, I think that's all of the Annie Sloan painted pieces so far - my next little painting project will be a quick job and I'll show you that next time.


But I also have another larger project on the go which I mentioned in my last post - part done, still more to go before I can reveal that though.


 

Anyway, back to sewing for now - after receiving some lovely vintage fabrics last week, shown in my last post, I have lots to do. I shall be busy sewing when I can during this Easter holiday, and also aim to get some items in my shops during that time.


 

I took some garden photos last week which I shall share soon, along with a Giveaway which will celebrate either the opening of the online shops with some stock, or reaching 200 followers, which ever comes first!

Hope you all have a lovely Easter break - what will you be doing?