Trying out a look

Well I bought some Schumacher fabric a couple of weeks ago and I am still deciding what I want to do with it. Currently I am trying it out on the bedhead. No real effort went in to this other than draping the fabric over the bedhead.

I am still waiting to find the right piece of art to hang over the bed so I guess I am looking for a little makeover fix in the meantime.

Hmmm, still not sure – It kind of feels a little grown up for me.

And here is the bed before my latest massive makeover. It took me hours to drape that fabric just right you know.

Before and Afters from Canadian House & Home

Does everyone love before and after shots as much as I do? Well I guess you would need to know how much I love before and after shots. A lot. Especially when the transformation didn’t involve major construction work.

Here are a couple of makeovers from Canadian House & Home -

And here is the second Before and After

 

Ideal Home Show – this weekend!

Sometimes I think I must live in a bubble. A friend at my daytime job mentioned the Ideal Home Show is on this weekend and would I like to go along. Well I am not sure how I missed the fact its the end of October already and the Ideal Home Show is on this very weekend but I did. Anyway I won’t be around as I am taking a trip down to Killarney but if you are in Dublin this weekend you might want to pop along to RDS, Dublin 23-26 October.

There will be a free Goodie Bag upon entering the show, cooking demonstrations, Fashion shows, a pamper zone, DIY demostrations and Dulux will be offering free Interior Design advice so bring along a photo of a room you wish to decorate.

A New Blog and Fabric love

Today I have fallen in love with Schumacher Fabrics all over again and found a new blog. Whilst innocently browsing the web I came across this most wonderful blog, Little Green Notebook run by the very talented interior designer Jenny Komenda.  You have to check out her daugther’s bedroom makeover. She recovered the headboards in super cool Schumacher’s Chiang Mai Dragon, painted the side table, turned an old mirror into a funky hot pink framed chalkboard, created art for the walls, repainted an old lamp, revamped white bed linen, revamped a mirror, constructed pelmet boxes for the three windows and the list goes on …… Amazing and all doable!!!

and if that ain’t enough Jenny has just completed her office makeover.

After I stopped drooling over all the colours I searched the web for some Schumacher fabric and just purchased a metre and half of Hot House Flowers! Yippee.

Tips from Better Homes and Gardens

While cruising the web I stumbled across this article from Better Homes and Gardens on how to maximise space in a small bedroom. Now I strongly disagree this is a small bedroom but I do agree with the tips to maximise space. So I thought I would share their wisdom with you.

First tip – choose furniture that allows you to see through to the floor. This gives the impression of more space.

Second Tip – Frosted glass on internal doors lets more light into the room and also lets you look beyond the room giving the impression of more depth. I am not a door closer but I like this idea. We would definitely benefit from this tip for the door that leads from our bright living room into the dark and scary hallway.

Third tip – Hanging fabric panels, or curtains to you and me, on the front of your wardrobe instead of doors to save on space. I like this one because I have a curtain over a storage closet in the space bedroom / office as there was no room for a door to open and close.

A good weekend

Sometimes the weekends whizz by without much happening but this weekend was full of little surprises.

We scored a new dining table from Oxfam on Francis Street for 40 euro and its exactly what I wanted.

and I set up a new work area for blogging / sewing / sketching using the old dining table. It needs some more finishing touches but I love having an area all of my own.

and finally the green thing I have been watering for two months finally sprouted a flower. I think I’m right in thinking this is a type of pansy? Whatever it is it made me happy to see the sunny little flower on Sunday morning.

Mixed bag of pictures

A cool way to display your recyclable wine bottles between visits to the bottle bank.

I love how long roses last – these guys on going on two weeks!

New chairs from Dekko

Wallpaper is not just for walls

The lovely ladies living the simple life over at Hygge & West are now selling their absolutely stunning wallpaper by the yard. Aimee and Christiana realised that people use wallpaper for dressing all kinds of things besides walls. So they thought why not make it available to their customers by the yard so they can wallpaper a can or a box or a bookshelve or a drawer or a cupboard or…. you get the picture. I flippin love their wallpaper so much I can’t decide which one I like the most. And if you love wallpaper but don’t own your own home wallpapering small movable objects is a great way to get a fix until you can wallpaper your very own walls.

Pic 1 – Pieces by Julia Rothman Pic 2 – Daydream by Julia Rothman Pic 3 – Amaze by Julia Rothman

Also I have become obsessed with jewellery displays lately. Just look at these ceramic wall knobs!!

I want, want want!!!

And you have to check out Aimee and Christiana’s blog – Picnics Under the Moon

Look at this clever idea from Christiana using the gold knobs.

Our new bathroom

We were delighted when our landlord decided to renovate the bathroom, especially since my family will be here next week! Now I wasn’t on hand to ‘direct’ the design when it came to the tiles but I was pretty happy they went with white tiles for the wall and grey tiles for the floor. Plus we now have a glass screen so no more clingy shower curtains! Here is how it looks at the moment after some finishing touches by moi. (You can click here to see what it looked like before the makeover).

Small & Stylish

Emily’s place may be a tiny 300 SF but this place ooozes effortless style so many of us wish we could pull off.

I have just posted two pics of the house tour to show you two of her DIY projects but you have to check out the rest of the apartment.

She made the jewellery boards herself. Just grab a couple of boards, some foam cover in linen and voila! So simple but very elegant.

And I just love the bedside table Emily’s Dad made for her. Not to mention those gorgeous pink glass lamps!!!!