Wet room ideas

So I've been asked to come up with a few ideas for an upcoming wet room renovation.  So obviously my first port of call was pinterest.  I was told; modern and timeless.  And I'm gonna share some of my favourite finds

So the room is basically this size but with a window in the back wall.  I hadn't considered a seat until I saw this image but the big chunky seat looks modern and sort of industrial/rustic.  Gotta love grey too.

This is a great idea for storing towels in a wet room so they don't get wet and its a total space saver.

I have to say I think these mirrored tiles are dreamy.  Teamed with white they add so much light and depth. 

I like this sprinkle effect but I wonder how long until it would look dated? 

White subway tiles are my favourite ever tiles.  Is it ok to have a favourite tiles list?  Who cares.  I love em in white and mint.

Using plastic panels is a great alternative and they're much easier than tiles to install and change with the trends.

I love the pop of colour from these tiles.  Who doesn't love a statement floor?  I tend to prefer neutral/blue colours in bathrooms.  But the question is to go for the more conservative, yet timeless cream tiles or to go for a more modern look with a statement floor?

Project: ballot box

So I got my hands on a couple of old battered ballot boxes.  They were coated with this awful thick black paint and looked a little bit sad.  Unfortunately I seem to have misplaced my 'before' pictures but I have lots of the finished product.

I got my hands on an electric sander for the first time which was awesome.  I sanded all the gross black paint away and gave it a pale blue paint job.  I actually thought I picked up grey paint but nevermind, I like the result nonetheless.

Then I decoupaged the interior with vintage sheet music.  The yellowy pages are like a hidden detail, I love hidden details.

  

Then I buffed her up real nice with beeswax.  The effect is great, the paint looks really rough but when you touch it it's totally smooth.

The ballot box is currently up for sale in my etsy shop here.  When I found these boxes I had no idea what to do with them, when was the last time I saw a ballot box anyway?  One solution is for storage, like this one here but I think the other should be something different.  Maybes shelves?  Or a really really decorative box.  Any ideas?

Pin of the day: Solitude

Do you have those days where you just want to run away to somewhere quiet where you can just be.  That's what I want today but for right now there is no such place for me so I'm doing the next best thing, going to see family.  So I won't be blogging till I get back.  And hopefully when I am back I'll have more enthusiasm than ever and a lovely big wad of homeware ides.

So heres a pin of a lonely, picturesque house in Scotland, it looks like the perfect place to escape to.

And when I come back I should be ready for this fearful walk!

The Walk Of Faith is a glass walkway built off the side of a cliff 1,430 meters in the air. This 60 meter long walk is not meant for the faint of heart.

Retro accessories

I love the occasional retro accessory thrown into the mix of home deco.  A little bit of old in with the new adds depth to an interior.  Even a little bit of new disguised as something old does the trick.

I think this is especially true of old suitcases.  They're so versatile and reasonably priced at markets and on ebay.  This peacock print suitcase is sold at Liberty of London.  Its a gorgeous print and the colour and works in summer or winter interiors or even as an actual suitcase.  So great.

There has been a serious decline in the old cord home phone, but for an office I still think they can work and look super stylish while they're at it.  This silver Liberty of London phone is to die for.  I would actually start answering the home phone if it looked like this and not like the usual glorified mobile phone.  Putting a silver sheen on an old accessory will always win my heart.

Speaking of metallic finishes, this vintage French steel desk is calling my name!  I love the tarnished material, it's the kind of piece that looks perfect where ever you put it, with any accessory.  Find it at mydeco.com or click the image for a direct link.

Café Français

Today I found a wonderfully designed restaurant/cafe I'd like to share.  You don't have to take my word for how beautiful it is, get a load of these pictures

The first thought that comes to my mind is that it looks like a super stylish American diner.  An American diner as if it were styled by Chanel.  So chic.  The red leather seating looks so juicy and ripe.

The red, blue and gold are perfectly dramatic and luxurious.

The round rooms and seating are offset by the geometric flooring patterns, mirrors and lighting.

And don't you just love the whimsical sky ceiling that brightens up the space making it feel carefree.

Artistic design of the space is by veteran Thierry collaborators, India Mahdavi, and Mathias Augustyniak and Michaël Amzalag of M/M (Paris) Studio.  Click the images for the source.

Pin of the day: Moroccan

Moroccan tiles, patterns and colours are becoming increasingly popular and it's easy to see why on this side of the world where summer is upon us.  I totally burned my arms at a party yesterday and they are sooooore.  Summer has sprung even here in the UK and there are beautiful colours everywhere.

Check out these wonderful patterned tiles.  The beauty of patterned tiles is that they can be used as a small detail that really packs a colour punch.  I like the idea of secret small details that are hard to see, but when you do notice them they bring a smile to your face.  Thats why I'm loving these unexpected stairs.

But even if you're not so into the colour mash, the patterns themselves are so sweet.  This pale blue pattern, although busy, is a cute mellow statement.  It makes me think of a nice shady reprieve from all this sunshine.

What I'm reading: A sketchbook

A while ago I picked up the cutest little book, Sarah Midda's South Of France - A Sketchbook.  Here are some of my favourite pages to share.

"From Sarah Midda. . .comes a wonderous sketchbook of a year's sojourn in the South of France.  This is a very personal journal, crammed with images, notions and discoveries of the day to day." - from the blurb

Even the end pages are delightfully crammed.

Each page is a treasure, filled with lovely little watercolour images that evoke all the senses, giving a real feel for the South of France

I seriously wish I could keep a sketchbook like this.  So neat and sweet.  Mine always look cobbled together instead of elegantly disheveled.

Such ordinary day to day things take on a new beauty with a wash of watercolour.

I'm gonna try and make a deal with myself to spend actual time on my sketchbook.  Why shouldn't I take a little more care with my thoughts and image gathering.  I get so frustrated when the pages don't turn out like I thought they would in my head.  I think it's because there's a little voice inside me saying I'm wasting my time and I could be doing something productive.  I need to teach the little sucker that taking this time for myself is time well spent, don't you agree?

Pin of the day: Flamingoooos

Lately I've developed quite a taste for exotic/colourful birds.  About a month ago I went on a family day out to this place with a farm and there were all these beautiful birds.  There were loads of tiny little brightly coloured ones and some huge peacocks and the most beautiful bird I've ever seen; a golden pheasant.  He was the daddy!  But my real favourite birds are flamingos.  They're so pretty.  So so pretty.

I've been looking for inspiration to design some homeware products but I was coming up blank.  Like artists block.  And then I thought flamingos!  Who doesn't love a big pink bird.  That doesn't sound rude does it?  I've seen so many owls around the past few years, I even have a little owly friend Olive (she's a cushion) and I'm thinking its time some other birds shared the limelight.  So I'm gonna see my birdy inclined friend this weekend and see if she has any birdy books for me to steal cause sometimes having the real life picture in your hands is better than endlessly browsing the internet.  So hopefully I'll be blogging about my ideas and products soon!  I feel like its taking ages getting started; testing materials and whatnot.  Slow goings make me grumpy.  Gotta keep on guzzling that coffee.

Pin of the day: keepsakes

I pinned this a while ago and just re-found it.  I love the idea because I have sooooo many empty graze boxes that I just couldn't throw away and didn't have a use for and here is the perfect solution to my hoarding problem!

I believe this is a Martha Stewart idea/image (please correct me if I'm wrong).  It is such a cute idea, especially since I tend to keep strange souvenirs in random places and these do what they say on the tin!  The boxes can be personalised with patterns and colours to suit your - ever changing - home.  If I saw these in someones house you bet I'd be raking through them in minutes!

Project typewriter

I have finally finished restoring my typewriter!  Well restoring may be the wrong word as I have gone for a more worn look for it but I still think it looks prettier than when I got it.  Unfortunately I wasn't forward thinking enough to take before and during pictures but I do have plenty of after photographs.  

I am currently selling this in my etsy shop here

This typewriter started life as a bland beige, so very sad to look upon.  Now it has attitude and demands center stage!

I used pink enamel paint all over the body and sanded it to a worn, matte look.  I left the keys and base the original grey colour and I think the colours go well together.

It is missing the guiding ruler which is unfortunate but it doesn't detract from the beauty of the typewriter.

And unfortunately I don't have a users manual although I have searched high and low for one.

I have cleaned and oiled the innards and will supply a new ribbon.  The finicky cleaning was actually my favourite part of this project.

What do you think?  It was a love/hate project but I powered through and I adore the result.

Pin of the day: books always

I have to say, when I'm scouring pinterest my interest is instantly peaked when I see a room full of books.  I think books are a must accessory in every room, every time, every day.  Can you honestly pick a room in your home that would not be improved by a lovely book cause I really really can't.  I have books coming out of my eyeballs.  I have books I bought and never read.  I have books I never even intend to read.  I even have books I only bought so I could cut them up and turn them into new books.

So to show my commitment, love, desire for books I bring you this lovely bedroom full to bursting with books.

It doesn't hurt that it's a fantastic room anyway.  I particularly love the throw, mirror and sneaky Hundi lamp.  I must blog about my love of throws soon, another item you can't have enough of.

Bedding lust

In all the hours and hours I've spent trawling the internet for cute products I have never found a bedding collection that quite compares to that on Deny Designs.  If you've never been to their website I urge you to go look now!  Or stay tuned for a few of my favourite picks.  And if it wasn't for my pitiful student funds and the large customs bill I would incur, I would totally be swimming in their products right now.  Feast your eyes on these. . .

Seattle - Anderson Design Group

Mandala Paisley - Belle13

Completely Incomplete - Bianca Green

Elephant 1 - Casey Rogers

Flamingo 1 - Casey Rogers

Giraffe colour  - Casey Rogers

Waves - Gabi

Wipil 3 - Kris Tate

Colour My World - Rosie Brown

Lunchtime - Rose Brown

There's such a variety and it's so nice to see refreshing designs that aren't just different variations of floral.  The other products ain't half bad either.