Starting from scratch with colour

It can be a bit daunting knowing what to do with a new build when it comes to colour. You’re handed a house that’s blindingly white or magnolia and it inevitably stays like that, at least for a bit, while you have more pressing things to do. And before long, maybe you fail to see it any more or perhaps it seems like too huge a task because once you start, isn’t that you committed to painting every surface in the entire house? How do you see the potential past those blank walls?

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How to paint a rainbow over varying angles and curved surfaces

I’m writing this one as I found no help online to achieve this – I wanted to paint a rainbow in Scarlett’s room that started on one wall, travelled over her door onto the ceiling, came down an eaved part of the ceiling, and then came down the adjacent wall.

I get these ideas in my head sometimes that I can’t get out. Things that aren’t actually that practical or even feasible, but I want to do them anyway because I think they’ll be amazing if they work. SPOILER ALERT: this worked. It’s in the header image right there.

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Ain’t no sunshine

I’m trying really hard to think of a way I can get a yellow sofa into the new kitchen without it being absolutely destroyed by Jude… still thinking on that one!

In an ideal world, I would like a buttery yellow, plump Chesterfield-style sofa in something soft, like velvet. It would be deep but supportive, and have big arms to lean against when I’m reading.

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Rightmove

I’ve been spending quite a lot of time on Rightmove recently.  As much time as I can, given I have a toddler, work part-time, study part-time, and have pursuits outside of these things too.

It’s a bit addictive.  Almost as addictive as that ridiculous Hay Day game (note to self, must check on my cotton; it takes forever to grow). Continue reading

New year, new… home?

We’re way off buying a new house, but we’re stepping up the search now.  As Scarlett is nearly two, her school options are coming closer and closer, and we’ve started thinking now might be a good time to have a look to see what’s available on Ye Olde Rightmove.

We started looking in two directions: towards my work and towards my hometown.  These are diametrically opposed.  We went as far as to view a house near my work this weekend.  It was a beautiful Victorian house, gorgeous stained-glass windows with light pouring in, big kitchen, porches, nooks and crannies, and period features everywhere.  Needed loads of work to make it live-able, so slightly out of our price range because of that.  We could have worked with it.  But it didn’t feel right.  We’d have been moving to an area we didn’t know, to be closer to a job that I don’t know how long I’ll have.  And no closer to familial support, which is what we’re lacking. Continue reading

White stripes

Kiki 1Not much decorating going on at the homestead at the moment, so I thought I’d show you the handwork of one of my friends, Kiki.

Kiki’s home is awash with colour, it’s got real personality and she’s painting anything that stands still long enough!

Kiki 2Her daughter Violet is the same age as Scarlett, and she’s just decorated her nursery – she’s very much feeling the coral at the moment.

Kiki used Pinterest to gather inspiration before deciding on the final theme.  Decorating the bedroom in coral stripes took a lot of tape, a steady hand and the patience of a saint.

Kiki 3I know the power point (bottom left of the wall) drove her mad that it fell within the coral stripe, but once the bedroom furniture was replaced, you can’t even tell.

The colourful nature of the fabrics in the rest of the Kiki 4room and the white furniture means the wall doesn’t overpower; it’s an interesting backdrop to a lovely nursery.

What do you think?  I love it!

 

 

Nursery inspiration

I had a look round a lot of websites for inspiration on nursery themes and colours, and this was by far our favourite, from Project Nursery. The soft pink and grey is really soothing and calm, and it’s also very girly, which I love!

My friend Michelle saw this and immediately went and bought a tester pot of Dulux’s Sorbet, which is a similar pale pink, and it seems pretty perfect! We’ll go for a lighter grey than we’ve used in the living room, and try to break it up with the white furniture and pictures.


My friend Helen’s given us a rocking nursing chair and stool which are currently cream, but I think we’re going to try and dye the covers or re-upholster them so they’re grey to match the room.

Hall of shame

In response to the post in which I mentioned heinous carpeting, my friend Jules confessed to me the other day that she was in possession of such a floor covering on her hall landing.  I’d like to make it clear, she came to me.  And here it is.

While discussing this with another friend, she came up with words like:

  • “vintage”
  • “retro”
  • “classic”

These words are very flattering for the carpet pictured, and yet I’m sure this style will be very popular again at some point (not just yet).  I’d like to point out that Jules didn’t actually choose her hall carpeting herself, it was there when she moved in, and she would like to change it.

Is this better or worse than boring beige?  Is it a talking point?

Kudos to Jules for accessorising the carpet with her beautiful pooch Mojo, who definitely distracts from the pattern. Altogether now, “ahhhh”