Interiors - Children's Bedroom Inspiration

When my marital home was sold and I bought my own place I had to downsize considerably. Practically I just couldn't afford to maintain a house of that size on my own... the heating and electricity bills were crazy for a start. I'm sad to be in a smaller space with less impact. Interiors are one of my things... I just love interior design (I even did an evening course in interior design when I first moved to Glasgow). Although that said, it probably was good for me to move on and have a fresh start. 

I'm conscious that the kids rooms are really small. The littlest is in the smallest room. Anyway, I've been giving some thought about making the best use of the space that I do have, and I think it's probably time to sell the bulky single beds that I do have and invest in a cabin bed or midi sleeper of some sort. This way I can store plenty of her things under the bed and give her as much floor space as possible. She is four now so I think she's probably safe to be on a raised bed now so long as there is a barrier.

Unfortunately this bed is £2,330 at bobo kids!! But isn't it fab!

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This then got me day dreaming about all the other interior touches that I could add to make the space beautiful, and of course I've been pinning like crazy!!

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What is your favourite interior find that you have in your little ones bedroom (or yours for that matter!)?

Home & Interiors - French Connection

Whilst in London at the weekend we spotted a French Connection home store on the King's Road.

I wasn't even aware that French Connection did homeware, and the items on display in the store were beautiful.

Here are my top picks:

Caged Bird Floorlight, £85

 

Nest of Tables, £185

Paper bag effect ceramic vase, £25

 

Small Hurricane Candle Holder, £25

Woven Straw Baskets, from £26

 

 

Which is your favourite?

{Homes & Interiors}

Homes & interiors is my thing. I'd quite happily forgo clothes & make-up to enable purchases of house-related goodies! Possibly quite tragic, but I'm sure there are others out there like me?

I get excited about paint colours, fabric patterns & soft furnishings. I can't wait to decorate my new house & transform each room. All the furniture from the old house was efficiently placed into the appropriate rooms by the removal men, but it's only now...6 months down the line... that I'm starting to rearrange the rooms & figure out what works best where. 

You'll have seen from earlier posts that the kitchen and bathroom have already had mini-makeovers, using up paint from the old house and a few purchases of mirrors, shelving & storage accessories.

The 'playroom' or dining room has also had some changes recently. I was given some B&Q vouchers from my sister for my birthday with which I bought some more paint. My dad's wife had suggested a better layout of the furniture which I eventually did (thanks Jo!) & it all works much better! 

Next on the list is the living room. My new Marks and Spencer sofa arrived (purchased in the sale & put onto a credit card!) and it's glorious to have something comfortable to sit on. Pure bliss! I've started painting the walls (navy, inspired by my sisters house) and just need to put on the second coat. A wood burning stove & a plush carpet are on my wish list for this room, but funds won't allow it just yet. But I can dream for now & write out my (never ending!) list...

These stoves are beautiful!

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Something I'll need sooner rather than later is a desk chair for my hallway landing office space - at the moment I don't have a chair & have to keep dragging a dining table chair upstairs - I'd love a Ghost chair in either clear or grey:

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I've also been lusting after a new bedside lamp - I'd love something with a bit more impact & have been craving these ones for a while!

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Carpet for my stairs & hallway are also on my list...the current carpet is blue, it's rather grubby and not to my taste at all. But I'm living with it obviously until I can afford something along the lines of these:

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Finally (well for this post anyway!), a bench for the garden... I'd love a bit more in the way of seating so we can have more space to entertain. The warmer weather must surely be on its way and there have been a few sunny days in Glasgow lately!? I'm envisaging garden parties & lots of BBQs :)

For my tree, although I just need a half circle bench! {image source}

I'm also hoping to convert a low concrete wall into a bench, like this one here.

Watch this space for how I get on!

{#JanuaryJoy - clear out}

It's the last Florence Finds #JanuaryJoy prompt, which is 'clear out'.

Over the last few years I've minimised my clothing & accessories and successfully completed Project 333; I've decluttered the house (including the kids toys and my kitchen) because last year I moved from a sizeable 5 bedroom mid-terrace property into a more reasonable 3 bedroom semi and in the process I've sold a number of pieces of furniture on Gumtree and still have a few more things to clear out. I also gave a number of boxes of 'stuff' to my dad's wife Jo who has taken everything to a car boot sale for me.

I actually don't think there's much more for me to clear! Yay!!

One thing I know I need to work on is my digital hoarding... I have so many photographs it's unreal and I could be done with spending some time to ditch the rubbish ones and organise the good ones. *Adds digital decluttering to the to-do-list.

So, that's it... I hope you've enjoyed reading my #JanuaryJoy posts. I've certainly enjoyed writing them.

Can you believe it's nearly February already!!!??!!

{Change}

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In just a week, everything seems to be clicking into place!

At the end of July I sold my house... I had no firm plans on where I was going to go (other than my friend Kath's house for a week or two!)... and things were a tiny bit stressful.

I started packing because I had just 6 weeks to vacate and I shared my tips for moving house here.

I had been viewing houses, seen a few I liked, but they were selling soooo quickly it was unreal.

And then I found a house that ticked nearly all the boxes... There was one other note of interest, but luckily for me they weren't in a position to make an offer... so I made an offer, which was declined... I increased it, but again it was rejected... and finally, after much deliberation, I increased my offer one last time and it was accepted!!!

Yippee - I have a house! It needs a bit of work, but it's ideal and I'm over the moon.

I'm already planning how I will decorate over on my Pinterest board 'For the Home'!! So exciting!!

I think the move is going to be emotional, and there have been tears shed already - there's still another 5 weeks to go before I actually have to move! 

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I sold the corner suite that was in the living room and I cried when it was taken away. I don't think I realised just how many bad memories I had associated with the sofa and it was relief in a way to get rid of it. 

I'm looking forward to a fresh start... new house, new beginnings!

{Daughter's New Bedroom}

I said a while ago that I would separate my son & daughter into bedrooms of their own. I had really wanted them in share a room together, but it just wasn't working out as I had planned. Over the past month or so I've been gradually making my daughter's new bedroom nice and pretty. Tonight I managed to get a little bit more done, and it's really starting to take shape.

I painted the walls in a dusky pink colour by Valspar called Rose Beige, with one feature wall that is slightly darker (can't remember the colour off the top of my head, and the paint tins are packed away now!).

Anyway, here are the pics:

Flower print curtains from Ikea

Chest of drawers from Ikea, Coloured ball lights from Cloudy Blue

Prints from Ink Tree Press on etsy in Ikea frames

Bunting that I made myself for her birthday

Dolls House Bookcase from Argos (currently on sale at £24.99)

Bunny rabbit that her big brother got her when she was born :-)

Cot from Tesco Direct

Her amazing red tutu!

Cute wooden pram - a gift from Auntie Ali

I'd still like to get a couple of other prints for the walls, and then I think I'm done! Yay!