Heavenly hallways...

Can you remember way back when I shared pics of our living room in a post and said ' wait until you see how my style is changing as I'm gaining more confidence?', here is the post to prove it. ( Read the post on the living room reno here - I'm chomping at the bit for winter to come and allow me to paint this room dark now!)

So I really need to get better at taking 'before' pictures, unfortunately this is the best I have of our hallway previous to it's reno. Between it's 'all white' walls, red carpet (which it NOT ideal alongside a heavily molting yellow labrador I can assure you) and broken lighting didn't have much else going on. 

We thought to leave this space to renovate last as we didn't want to destruct it doing the other rooms, yet somehow Craig managed to have this AND the bathroom going at the same time (typical Craig). So for quite some time now we have been juggling the two, flitting from job to job in room to room. 

But now, 4 months later, we have a bathroom, and I can happily say, a beautiful hallway space that is beyond what I ever could have imagined it to be...

Again we used Abigail Ahern paint on the walls and floor, this time in Bedford Brown and Hudson Black. The brown is so gorgeous, it's comforting yet still classy. In some lights it even has a hint of grey.

 This felt VERY dark at first, and we lived with no lighting for a while as I didn't want to rush into buying for the sake of it which I'm sure you can imagine led to lots of disapproving "oohhh its dark in here" comments. BUT last weekend something MAGICAL happened...

We managed to bag some Laura Ashley chandeliers at massively discounted prices as they were getting rid of them; I was like a kid in a sweet shop as the manager was reeling out boxes of discontinued shop from the 'back'. This is a prime example of being in the right place at the right time.

We compromised on keeping the ceilings and woodwork white ( Craig was not having my Abigail Ahern inspired lust to paint it all out in the same colour), so I have brought white through into the scheme with accessories and lighting to keep it cohesive. I have to admit as much as I love her and agree that that 'knock it back' paint technique is visually brilliant, I am keen on how the white woodwork keeps the space looking timeless and crisp, and I'm possibly just not quite cool enough to pull off that dark, hunkered down feel anyway!

Pulling the carpet up in the hallway made the space feel instantly fresher. We decided to paint the floorboards and go with layered rugs to add different textures and pattern. I always thought floorboards required specialist paint, don't get me wrong it's out there, but I was advised by an expert in the field that as long as the boards were sealed with a varnish, plain old emulsion on the floor will do! So we did just that, two coats of emulsion in Hudson Black and two coats of clear, matt varnish on top. Bob's your uncle!

We also swapped out two naff white radiators that provided nowhere near enough heat to this space with one BIG DADDY of a cast iron number. The heat output from this geezer is literally amazing, and the smell you get from the  cast iron tops it right off! Again we got this from architectural salvage  in Tynemouth.

This little table was £15 from IKEA!!! I love the idea of having little occasional tables dotted around.  There is much more to be added to this space yet but we will hopefully collect pieces we love over time.

Rug above was from h and m. The white wall lights are Kartell, they act as a modern contrast between the classy glass chandeliers. The standard lamp below is Laura Ashley, I stole this from the living room to tie in the duck egg from that room scheme.

 This black mirror (which once was gold), was spray painted using plasticote spray paint in black gloss to make it much edgier. I am on with collecting art, pictures and anything else I fancy to create an interesting gallery wall along here, I've made a start with my bargain £10 zebra print and quirky MIHO Stag head from Liberty of London...

GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS!!! The cut glass just shines AMAZINGLY, photos do not do these lights justice! They add a touch of glam to the space - who doesn't need a bit of that!

Mirrors in round or unusual shapes add interest to spaces - look out for something different to your average and you'll have mirror envy from all of your guests I promise. Also think about where you position your mirrors. With the one in the above picture, I wanted it placed low enough so that the chandelier's reflection (below) was in full view. Unfortunately my INSANE husband likes things in lines and when I told him this was in the wrong place he told me that 'it is exactly in the middle of the wall and the beam above'

 WHAT ON EARTH!? Who in their right mind would look at a mirror and think 'That is out of line with that tiny stump of wall at the top' 

NO ONE- that's who! 

So that mirror needs shuffling to the right a little so it looks in the middle of the wall BY EYE, and shuffling down a bit so that when you can't see the actual chandelier, you see its reflection. This trick is good with artwork too, use your mirrors to your advantage, let them bounce your cool things around your space.

Placing mirrors near lights will also bounce the light around your space really cleverly too!

Craig laid Yorkshire stone at the porch end of the hall. This creates a separate zone for the entranceway and also adds another dimension of texture.

I really am in love with this space and I have surprised myself at how a hallway can actually feel like a room in it's own right. I hope this too has inspired you to be a little more creative with your hallway/ entranceway. I certainly never dreamed I'd have one that guests, and us, stop and linger in. If I can do it, anyone can! Please feel free to leave your comments, and if you have any questions I'd love to try and help in anyway I can.

Happy hallway-ing.

XOXO.

Finally Finished...

Happy Fathers day!!!

So it's been a while, sorry about that. Since finishing uni for the summer I've bagged myself a really exciting internship with artist Gillian Arnold (which I'll ramble on much more about soon), and despite it being amazing and really inspirational it is unfortunately taking up most of my days, hence the lack of LD presence on the social media scene.

Today I'm back though to FINALLY share with you our FINISHED - yep you heard me, FINISHED bathroom! And how excited I am to do so. So kick back after chilled Fathers Sunday with a full belly and cuppa in hand and enjoy this post as much as I am enjoying sharing it with you. I only wish I had before pictures ( no idea how we missed that bit, I think Craig was just so eager to rip the tiles off the walls!) so I will briefly help you conjure and image in your mind...

...Think pale blue and yellow STRIPEY wall tiles, complete with large blue bow motifs FROM FLOOR TO CEILING ON EVERY INCH OF WALL, complete with a yellow painted ceiling. There was only a corner bath, toilet and sink with built in cupboard underneath in here previously. That was pretty much it - old school as you like.

I wanted to create a grown up, laid back room that would make me want to never leave the bath tub. Nothing majorly structurally went on in here, but here is a quick run down of what we have done:

- Ripped off wall tiles (much to Craig's delight)

- Knocked out a small cupboard that was in the hallway and blocked up the door to create enough space for a shower cubicle.

- Moved the corner bath from right hand corner and replaced it with a new one directly under the window

- Moved toilet from under the window to right hand wall so that the toilet and sink sat along one wall creating more space.

- Used an old free-standing pine unit to house a countertop basin- replaced the wooden knobs with white ceramic ones from h & m

- Tiled behind shower cubicle - shower and cubicle were new additions

-  Created an oak shelf to sit on top of boxed in bath pipes
- Painted the walls in Abigail Ahern by Craig and Rose 'Overtly Olive'
- Replaced old yellowy vinyl flooring with new black and white vinyl

Voi la...

The wall colour felt really quite dark when it went on and stood mainly alone, but plenty of lighting and the white touches brighten it right up. (Look out for a post soon on lighting tips.)

I love this alternative style chandelier from John Lewis, I wanted a feature light above the bath and this adds the touch of black that I was looking for. It also casts really gorgeous shadows...

All of the accessories here are from h and m. Plants and pots all Ikea.

 We sourced this lovely reclaimed radiator from a salvage place in Tynemouth, it came fully finished as in the picture.

The mirrors were complete bargains from TK Maxx! I liked the idea of not going for the typical one mirror above the basin and using two means I get to have my own at the perfect height for me, and Craig gets his own too. We are toying with the idea of hand painting 'his' and 'hers' in black scroll above them - haven't quite decided on that yet!

We sourced the shower, basin, bath and toilet from James Hargreaves in Stockton. I couldn't recommend them enough. We looked around loads of bathroom places and they were either totally overpriced or seriously bad quality. The stuff we got from them is really good quality which is obviously totally important when it comes to the technical stuff! They had a nice showroom too so you can sit in the baths and try them for size rather than just picking from a catalogue - don't judge me if I'm laying in it it needs to be comfy, right?

I was really keen on using marble in the room somewhere as I knew it would bring a touch of timeless glamour. These beauties were from Topps Tiles, placing them in a herringbone pattern adds a touch of needed pattern to the blocks of wall colour. Again the lightness they provide the room with lifts the depth of the olive paint colour. Despite wanting gold/ copper fittings, I was talked out of them by Craig. I do wish I had put my foot down on that matter though but it was going to work out more expensive so I gave in. That is probably the only thing I regret about this room- maybe in 15 years when we do it all again!!!

So there is still some finishing touches to add, I want to hang some art, get some rugs and add a little stool by the bath but for now I'm so happy to this room pulled together. It is EXACTLY what I wanted it to be. I hope it has inspired you to take a few risks with your own bathroom, even if just a lick of paint.

I'm off in the tub!

XOXO

P.S if you didn't catch the last post on bathrooms, click here to head on over. Please feel free to comment, would love to hear your views or about your own bathroom projects! Don't forget to follow LD on Facebook and twitter if you don't already!

TGI Friday...

Ahhhhhhhh, TGI Friday right?
Well I hope that's how you're feeling, but to be honest my weekend is going to be very much a weekend of work. I'm not complaining though as the light at the end of the tunnel is (kind of) near and it will be sooooo worth it in the end.

I'm loving using this blog as an escape from uni work and the routines of day to day life so I really hope you guys are enjoying it if even just a little too.

I thought I'd try a little theme for this weekends blogs, continuing from Wednesdays post about the little touches, it's a perfect time to chat home accessories.

This is probably one of the biggest littlest things I have learnt through reading up on decorating and DIY-ing; 

we all stop decorating too soon, FACT. 

We pour that much time and effort into choosing colour schemes and laboriously painting walls and woodwork that by the time it's all done we can't wait to get the sofas back in and slouch on down with a glass (or bottle in my case) of wine. It's time to reassess the stage we class as 'finished'. I am no stranger to this, our house is absolutely at this stage at the minute and it's driving me NUTS. It feels so boring and impersonal.

So basically what I'm saying is...

the more things in a room, the more stuff there is to look at and take in; and subsequently the more exciting the room becomes.

My style crush Abigail Ahern (along with may other interior gurus I am finding) is all about this idea, and I have found it to be completely true. Now when I walk into a room with bare walls and floors (my living room is quite the perfect example) I instantly scan it and think,

 'OK so that's it, fun OVER.'

Lets mix things up a little. Throw in some texture, some art hung in unexpected places (over the door perhaps), some personality and quirk.

Accessories can come however you'd like them to, it's your space after all. You should be longing to fill it with cool stuff that you (and your guests) never get sick of looking at. I'm talking lamps, rugs, cushions, throws, artwork, chairs, tables, flowers, photographs, candles, ornament, more lamps, more rugs. MORE STUFF!

 A biggie and the easiest thing is to fill a room with stuff that reflects you and your stories. That weird vase you picked up on holiday for example, get it back out of the cupboard! Then put it somewhere where you wouldn't expect to see it and watch the magic happen. 

I could ramble about this all night long but, besides a few insider hints and tips of arranging and styling (this post will follow!) , it really is dependent upon you and the style of your home. I'm going to show you a little example of how I'm muddling through this and kind of beginning to feel like I'm finding my way. Firstly we will talk colour with accessories, then posts will follow on arrangements.

So as is evident from the bedroom, hall and bathroom (the latter two are soon to be revealed!), I am well and truly crossing over to the dark side. I am fully embracing using dark colours on walls to create intrigue and cosy, grown up spaces. HOWEVER, despite my love for the lady, I cannot quite convince Craig (and admittedly myself wholly) to follow the wisdom of Abigail Ahern completely by painting the walls, ceilings and woodwork out in one colour - it's still a little scary.

So in order to make sure that the white ceilings and woodwork don't stand STARKERS against the darker colours, I am embracing white in the form of accessories and furnishings. You see, as I am learning, this draws the eye from the ONLY BIG THING in the room you've chosen to leave white, and helps to mellowly blend it in to the rest of the decor - are you following? (This stands true even if your walls are 'beige', the white ceiling will still stand out if it's the only white thing in the room.) So rather than it sticking out like a sore thumb, it is now completely in accordance with your well planned colour palette ;) I also find it gives a crisp edge to the darker colours rather than leaning towards too edgy.

Currently I'm going for mono. White, black, grey and of course a little metallic ( personally I love to mix up metallics. I see no wrong in pairing brass with aluminium or silver and gold) are my go to for accessories right now.

A little bonus here is because I have chosen to GO BOLD on the colour of the walls in my rooms, I can reign it in a little with the accessories. I am now finding myself accessorising rooms with similar palettes - yeah I hear what you're thinking, could be kind of boring, BUT at the same time makes it SO EASY to shop my own house when I get bored of seeing stuff in the same place. When I'm sick of seeing the white occasional table in the hall, I'll move it into the bedroom and use it as a bedside table. Clever no? This also gives a little continuity throughout the house.

Of course there is no right or wrong when it comes to colour, again it's your home, What I'm trying to say is 

ACCESSORISE YOUR HOME. 

I think it's something we so easily forget to do. Maybe if you can't bear the thought of abandoning your white walls ( god forbid - give me a month you will!), then add colour through your accessories. Stick to 2/3 different colours and go wild. Don't be afraid of pattern too. This is highly underestimated in the power to change stakes ( again by the old me ), as long as you don't let your colour palette get too out of control, try mixing up a few different patterns, it's all about creating interest. Although I reiterate, do watch your colours, we want interest not gaud. 

I'll leave you on a few pics of my growing accessory collection, which in the absence of an accessory I used to think only concerned old people, highlight how important they actually are. All will be revealed.

TGI Friday folks.

XOXO.
P.S when arranging your accessories, stick to grouping things in odd numbers. It's a little rule in design - much more appealing to the eye as my uni co star always reminds me.

P.P.S notice how bare the walls look, I NEED STUFF!!!

HOUSE RENO CONTINUED...a proper grown up bedroom.

Good morning, things are pretty manic this week after the Easter break but it's great to get back in the studio. There's a bit of a mad rush now until our studio deadline in little over three weeks but I'm gonna try my best not to let the blog posts slip!

Last week I shared with you a glimmer of our very own house reno, starting with the living room and conservatory. Well I thought seeing as though were getting to know each other nicely it's about time to share a few more snaps of the pad...

Today lets tour into the bedroom, which I think has to be my favourite room in the house.
Evidently, it's got a pretty different vibe to the rooms you saw last week -  I'm blaming this on my girl/ interior/ career and all round general crush, Abigail Ahern. Since I started reading her books and following her, interiors stuff just makes so much more sense and our house has definitely got A LOT COOLER! 

I plan to incorporate THE TIPS and cooler colours we've used in the latter renovations (bedroom, hall and main bathroom) into the rooms we did first (kitchen, conservatory and lounge) later on - Craig is about ready to kill me already so I'm not sure he can handle another paint job quite yet! This is not to say I don't like these rooms, I just feel they lack, hmmm, spunk.

So the master bedroom originally had a small, awkwardly (and stupidly) fit bathroom on the side, we knocked the dividing wall down and very, VERY BRAVELY opted to go for an open plan wet room in the bedroom space - complete with toilet! Yep you heard me, our loo is open into our bedroom. To be honest I've heard just about every man and his dogs opinion on this that I'm wayyyy past caring, it might not work for everyone but it WORKS FOR US, its our home and WE LOVE IT :D

P.S Please excuse some of the earlier photos, mid- reno we were just snapping with iPhones so the quality isn't great.

And AFTER...

 

Forgive me for the photo overload  -  I'm practicing my photography skills! I've also added some pics mid- decorating below to show the progress. Again, this room is not totally complete - we're waiting for some wood sills and we need way more art and 'stuff' to make the space more interesting, but hell it's one big improvement don't you think???

 I'll post up some pictures of the sill when it comes, hopefully that will be next week. 

This room was HARD GRAFT and did almost break us (just kidding - came close though!), but to say we now have a gorgeous room that is so MUCH MORE than a room to sleep in is amazing. Craig did much of this work himself (obviously under close supervision), but that really helps with savings if you can do it. I think if we'd have had to pay labour we would'nt have been able to afford a room like this. Have a go I say, you might surprise yourself!

  I've never really had a proper grown up space like this before, and I'd say the colour plays a MASSIVE part in this feeling, it creates such a 'hunker down' feel. So many people knocked this idea of DARK BLUE walls. "What all over?", " YES MAM EVERY WALL WILL BE PAINTED DARK". My advice to take from this - tell everyone who is interested that you're painting your rooms white, then let them be pleasantly surprised when they see how gorgeous your newly painted dark walls are! I was nervous as hell when I started painting the walls, but I stuck with my instinct ( and Abigail Aherns advice) and went for it. And now I feel there is no going back, you'll see what I mean when I share with you some more snaps of the latest paint jobs.

Be brave - it's game changing!

XOXO.

P.s We used Farrow and Ball Hague Blue Estate emulsion on the walls if your interested ;)