Blue carpet not so bad

Another mood board. This time for the second bedroom/office. Both bedrooms in the apartment have blue carpet - the landlord’s budget didn’t stretch far enough to re-carpet. That said I rather like the colour scheme for this room. We purchased the galant desk and malm chest of drawers on the weekend (Ikea) and I had the purple curtains already. The sofa-bed is from Proform Shop. The lamp, pendant light and filing cabinet on wheels is Ikea.

Latest Mood board for the dining area

I can’t believe I am ready to head back to Ikea after the last trip – but I am! Boy will I be glad when the Dublin store opens. Anyway I need a dining table and a couple of chairs. D has just confessed he hates white furniture!!!!!!! But i think he just needs to see it in the right environment. I think I would have all the main furniture white if were left up to me. I already own two lovely white tulip chairs so the table and other chairs need to match

Here is my latest mood board.

Ogla black dining chair – 19 stg / Norvald red chair – 35stg / Melltorp dining table – 29stg / Bergsbo red cabinet – 169 stg / Persisk Rug – 54stg

Bathroom blues

If you have the basics right, a bathroom can be transformed for very little cost. Below are pictures of a bathroom that needs a bit of a lift.

 

My suggestion - add some bright colours through a new shower curtain, bath towels, plants and bright coloured cabinets. Here is a mood board to brighten up the above bathroom which won’t break the bank.

Black and red Atran cabinets from Ikea. 11.99 – 18.99 stg / Wooden Bath mat – habitat / For similar toilet brush holder and toilet roll holder – Dunnes – 10 -12 euros / Shower curtains – Ikea 2.99 stg / Potted plants – local nursery range from 5 – 20 euros / Green hand towel – Dunnes or Ikea 7 – 10 euros

While you wait

Here are two sexy waiting room ideas. Click on the image to see the mood boards in more detail. I think the pink is winning my vote.

 

White mirror, white chair, chandelier and white chaise lounge from Sweetpea and Willow.

Pink wallpaper from Sandersons.

Black screen and coat hook from Graham and Green.

Mood Board competition

Decor8 and Amy Butler are running their annual mood board competition based around fabric from Amy Butler’s new range of fabrics. I entered the below but I am really not liking it so much today. Anyway if you feel like having a go its open to everyone and anyone – professionals and non professionals will be judged in separate categories to make it a level playing field. All you have to do is design a room aorund one of more fabrics from Amy Butler’s new Midwest Modern range. Competition deadline is the 23rd June. Check out the above link for details.

I designed the room for young teenaged girl who is still a bit girly but wants to be a little sophiscated in her girlieness.

Links to Furniture & Accessories on mood board –

(Description – shop – name of product – link)

 

Bed – Ikea – Hemnes Four poster Bed – http://tinyurl.com/6dt94n 

White Paint for Bed – Dulux – Iced White – http://tinyurl.com/6fwbf5 

Bed linen – Clerys – Schiaparelli Stripe Double Duvet Cover  – http://tinyurl.com/6bx78k 

White chest of Drawers – Ikea – Malm 2 Chest of Drawers – http://tinyurl.com/6m9fgg 

Curtain Fabric – Amy Butler Midwest Fabric – Pink Dahlia Range – Fushcia / Fresh Poppies – http://tinyurl.com/4xt9vr  

Pink Chair – Morosa, London , UK – Volant Chair by Patricia Urquiola – http://tinyurl.com/62ddoq 

Silver Pouffe – Wallace Sacks – Metallic Leather Drum in Silver – http://tinyurl.com/6qyups 

Mirror – Wallace Sacks – Versailles Ivory Scroll Mirror – http://tinyurl.com/6oo5fa  

White Vase – Wallace Sacks – White Relief Vase – http://tinyurl.com/5mw38e

Retro Clock – Wallace Sacks – Retro Flip Clock – http://tinyurl.com/5wublh

String Lights – Wallace Sacks – Orchid String Lights – http://tinyurl.com/57k479

Ceiling Light Shade – Pier Furniture – Capiz Shell Shade – http://tinyurl.com/5uy286

Green and Pink Cushions – Pier Furniture – Linden Cerise and Green Small Agra Rib Cushion – http://tinyurl.com/5okqlk and Pink – http://tinyurl.com/5l4f8v 

White circular rug – Graham and Green – Circular Goat Skin Rug – http://tinyurl.com/58hm7p

Green Paint for Walls – Dulux Paint – Calm Spirit – http://tinyurl.com/5ub37s

Curtain Pole and hold backs – Poles Direct.com – Antique Ivory Metal Band Curtain Pole – http://tinyurl.com/6cn29x and hold backs – http://tinyurl.com/5aphha

Andy Warhol picture in Silver Frame – All Posters – Andy Warhol Everybody poster in silver frame – http://tinyurl.com/5onpep

 

Low on funds but the kitchen has to go?

Ok I am still on my kitchen buzz. My imaginery client has just moved into their new gaff and the kitchen is awful and grubby. They have their own Fridge/Freezer and can only really splash out on a good cooker & hood. Their funds are really really tight as no one told them about all the hidden costs when buying a house. So no funds to do a complete makeover but they don’t feel comfortable about cooking or preparing food in the old kitchen.

My suggestion rip out that digusting kitchen completely! Repair and paint the walls a lovely bright colour. Then go for a freestanding kitchen for now.

The above combination (excluding the clients own appliances) came to just over 500 sterling and yes you guess it – all from Ikea

Kitchen Island – 125stg, Sink cabinet – 190stg, Mixer Tap – 75stg, Expedit bookcase – 69stg, red drawers – 18stg, red door insert – 10stg, Spice rack – 15stg, Dish drainer – 15stg, wall shelving with 5 hooks – 20stg. New kitchen – PRICELESS!

And the best thing is you can still hang on to many of these items! The kitchen island, spice rack, dishdrainer, mixer tap and wall shelving could blend in with the new kitchen makeover further down the line. And the bookcase could easily be used in another room!

So French, So Chic

The British home that featured in an earlier post titled - Beautiful Interiors - was the inspiration for this french bedroom.

Here is a list of where you can find the above items  -

Pier.co.uk - blue vase, Pewter clock and frame, jewellery box and bird cages

Sweetpea and Willow -Classical White Rattan Bed and Lampbase. (If you like french style furniture this is the place for you – and it appears to be reasonably priced!)

Ikea (of course) - Hemnes white bedside table and dressing table

Laura Ashley - Chandelier, Lamp Shade, Cushion, curtain material, bedspread and rug

  

Where are all the nice shower curtains?

I am always baffled by why there is so little choice when it comes to nice shower curtains! Or is that just me? Shower curtains can really make or break a bathroom in my opinion yet there seems to be so little choice readily available in the shops. I had a quick look online and here is what i found if anyone is looking for a quick summer bathroom makeover -

 

The two on the left are from a UK company Balineum and you can order online. They are a bit pricey but look simply divine.

The two kitsch shower curtains in the middle are just brilliant and I think would give any bathroom the illusion that you live near the beach. Both are from an Ebay seller priced at about 20 euro – click here to view their shop.

And finally Ikea shower curtains – Candy stripe curtain is approx 10 stg and the plain red curtain (Saxan) is only  3 stg and comes in a variety of bright colours!

Drinks trolley anyone?

I have this dream that one day I will be this amazing and sophisticated host. My guests standing around listening to my quirky little stories whilst I am mixing one of my famous beverages. Yes I am so sophisticated I use the word beverages instead of umm…… beer. In my vision I own a drinks trolley with a range of sophiscated beverages, glass decanters and a cocktail shaker.  But sadly in reality I usually invite my friends back after we have all had one two many and get them to mix their own drinks. Maybe if I buy the drinks trolley the rest will follow.

By the way its very hard to find retailers that stock drinks trolleys. First trolley is from a New Zealand crowd Punga & Smith and the second from Ikea. Sometimes if you are lucky you can find retro drinks trolleys for sale on ebay.

One day this will all be yours… What the curtains?

I have just ordered some material from Etsy seller Lucky Keaur Fabrics- which I want to use to make curtains. However I am not sure if I have ordered enough because I have never actually made curtains. I want to put some finishing touches on my bedroom. Lets just ignore the fact it has only taken me two years! here is the material -

and here is what I hope it will look like.