Tuesday 27 December 2011

Deer goodness!


Lately I've started collecting images via pininterest (http://pinterest.com/audunn/house-inspiration/)  enabling me to store interior design ideas and inspiration. On sitting back and perusing these delights I suddenly realise a common theme - deer. Perhaps a result of me finally seeing deer in the fields nearby to our house? I was beginning to think that people were winding me up when visiting and commenting on all the deer they'd seen on the drive here as I'd been doing the route for six months and not seen a (venison) sausage.  Then, a wee winter morning's stroll in the woods and I stumble across not one but two deer happily skipping away with their little fluffy white bottoms bobbing off into the distance. So I'm smugly happy now that I'm at last one of the gang, a fully fledged member of the exclusive 'I've seen a deer' club or at least relieved that people have not been winding me up. Anyway, it looks as if this has inspired my interior design choices as my piccies are full of deer/stag imagery of 'must haves' for the home (I've also recently noticed that I have amassed lots of elephant themed 'stuff' over the years). The deer fetish has even influenced my christmas paper buying. So, for your sheer joy and amusement, here are some of my deer little indulgences, none of which I own. Yet.

Wednesday 21 December 2011

From drab to fab, our calming coastal inspired bedroom

before

after: coastal inspired bedroom

First job here was to replace the defective window with help from Craig's brother in law, a joiner (www.finessejoinery.co.uk), so here's a big up to James whose services we hope to use again in the near future (please!). We then ripped out the wardrobes - sorry Caroline and other fans of the built in 70's wardrobe but there's another set we may keep - we also need to accommodate our own that I spent ages sanding down and painting when in our old flat and can't let this hard toil go wasted.  I hope you'll all however agree that the textured zig zags and woodchip wallpaper also had to go? 


Next up was to line the walls and the lining paper we got from Homebase. This simply involved pasting the wall - quicker and less messy than the pasting table approach where everything but the walls ended up covered in paste. I'm a big believer of 'waste not, want not' so, with this in mind, I went for a good ol' rummage around in the garage for some old paint to reuse. Good old Dulux came up trumps with 'before the snow'(I think but painted over the label so not too sure) and mineral mist Once for the feature wall which I used every drop off. Once, hah! The curtain pole and curtains are from B&Q - my old curtains aren't wide enough for these windows but I have a cunning plan for them which you'll see later if you stay tuned. To finish off the look and keep in with the coastal inspired colours, I've hung up a couple pictures of the Isle of Tiree (where I grew up). Still needs a carpet and I need to edit down some of the furniture once other rooms are done, but I'm quite happy as its now a calm oasis away from the craziness of the rest of the house.... and relax!







Monday 19 December 2011

Back to the Living room and the fireplace dilemma


In the living room we firstly decided to start at the top by tackling the oppressive wood lurking above our heads. It seemed that the easiest thing to do was to paint the ceiling white. Turns out, four coats and multiple hand blisters later, this wasn't going to be such a simple fix after all. We did it though (but please don't make me do it again).



Next we moved on to the walls. Removing the artex was far too scary an option so we've gone mad with the plasterboard. As you can see from the photo, Craig works at a super fast speed. We are now proud owners of smooth walls. It's the small things in life that make you happy...

Now what to do with the most dominant feature of the room, the fireplace? Do we go with the stone clad countryfied look?  Perhaps paint/limewash it? Or more plaster to make it nice and smooth? We could even grab a sledgehammer and take out some of life's frustrations on it? After our rough road recently the latter quite appealed to me but in the end I was too worried that I would bring the whole house down crashing around my ears. It's been a tough call to know what's achievable here, so I turned to the net for inspiration and advice.

Sunday 18 December 2011

step back to 1971









the living room


No this is not Santa's grotto. This is our living room which must win some sort of prize for having crammed so many bold textures together into one little space. You are of course missing the full effect as Craig was that quick in ripping up the spirally carpets I hadn't even unpacked the camera. I'm sure the photo doesn't do it justice in showing off the sculpted walls. The artex has fairly been slapped on and it feels like being on the inside of a christmas cake. The fireplace is clad in sandstone and the look is completed by the orange pine ceiling.  Strip lighting is the only light source concealed above the windows and the buzz is deafening. Speakers have been built into the walls and were hidden behind rather drab greeny brown curtains (quick to make their way to the skip). The previous owners built the house and no doubt would've been very proud of this look back in 1971, so much so they kept it forty years. We now need to decide what to do with it. I have to admit it is so wacky I almost like it!

Thursday 15 December 2011

Our House

So, THIS is our new house. After many years together of city living in a lovely flat in Edinburgh, full of period character, we decided to up sticks and move to the country. The house we bought is not at all what we thought we were after. We (that's the royal 'we' of course) thought we'd end up in a little countryside cottage full of charm and quaint little features. Oh no no no, that would've been too easy. Instead we took some insane notion and put all our hard earned cash into a 1970s retirement bungalow (I hate bungalows!) in desperate need of a revamp.  It's not really that insane though as we are in a lovely part of the countryside yet commutable to Edinburgh and we have a huge garden to do lots with once my green fingers arrive. The word here is potential with a capital P.  So stay tuned to follow our progress on how we transform this on pretty much a shoe string budget. We will be trying to incorporate many of the better retro Seventies features where we can. One day we hope to get an architect in to give it a whole new lease of life but until then, its just us equipped with a paintbrush, a few power tools, some elbow grease, little knowledge  and lots and lots of enthusiasm..wish us luck!
back view of our house (its better side!)