Time For A Change

I have a particular interest in mirrors. I just love them, I don't think you can ever have too many. Vanity? Maybe but they are great for small spaces as they can be used to reflect light, make rooms look larger and add interest to awkward spaces.  When we working on our home we used a beautiful floral embossed wall paper in the stair case which we painted in a gorgeous deep red by Dulux.  I loved it so much that I refused to put anything on the wall until.....one day while wondering around IKEA I came across this. As a mirror I wasn't really feeling it, but as a frame for my wall paper I was absolutely loving it!

BUT.......

I'm a woman and I've changed my mind.

Well it has been there for a few years, time for a change.

 

 

 

I found this one on eBay and you have to agree, it's stunning!

I will post photos of it in situ to show exactly how lovely it really is.

Stay Tuned......

 

Thinking Outside The Box

Candles are a great way to add accent and ambiance to any room, but what I find is that the selection of candle holders is not great.  I decided to go the unconventional route to show you that different is not a bad thing.  I like the unusual, so I was very pleased when I stumbled on this pair of silver Maltese fish candle holders.  They are very heavy and only cost £20 from a shop in Clapham Common.

 

 

 

This is a 100 year old pewter Salt Pot, it definitely can't be used for salt so why not use it as a candle holder?  You can find these at boot sales and markets and they never cost more than £3.

 

 

These brass candle holders were purchased on eBay, I didn't mind that they were brass but I thought that they could look better painted. So I spray painted them white.

 

 

This old brass Owl was also purchased from eBay. I really liked all the work that went into creating the feathers and the cut work is gorgeous. It's very unusual and I have never seen anything like it.

 

Lastly I found these at TK Maxx, they were less than perfect, but I loved them.  I got the little holder at boot sale.

 

From Just Plain Shabby To Chic

If you remember a couple of months ago a purchased this small cabinet from Vauxhall Market with the intention of turning it to something Fabulous.

 

 

TA DAAHH!!

Grey is the new Black and works well with so many other colours.  I used a deep red for the hinges and handles to give the piece a bit of sophistication. I love it!

A lick of paint

I went up to the loft yesterday and found a number of my Charity shop treasures, among them was this old mirror. I originally purchased it to for the lounge but as usual got sidetracked and moved on to something else before even thinking about what to do with it.  I was was quite excited as the master bedroom really needed a lift.  The thing is....we started with one brown piece of furniture that belonged to my grandmother and somehow everything else that followed was also brown.  BORING! I was immediately attracted to this mirror because of the heavy framing but it's original colour was hideous. (In my haste to finish it, I forgot to take a before photo) The actual mirror is starting to patina so it's not completely clear but this add all the character.  I painted the frame in this gorgeous Dulux Teal (it looks a bit blue, but it isn't) there is no name for this colour so I will call it teal tastic!
As soon as it went up you I knew that this was £10 well spent. This just proves that you don't need to spend a lot of money or make major changes to make an impact.  You just need to think it through.

Freshing Up

At the moment the budget will not allow a complete over hall in the bathroom. So.....I decided to give it a mini makeover.  You don't have to go all out.  Keep it simple, making small changes can make a world of difference. Here I spray painted the old brown storage basket in grey and bought a new blind from blinds2go. I also added a splash of colour with some pink accessories from Tesco et Voila!

The room has been transformed and it cost about £80

  You can see how the colour instantly made the space brighter.

Roasted Chicken with Tumeric Basmati Rice

Once a week I try to prepare a dish that I have not made before, or at least add something new to an old favourite.  Yesterday I decided to BBQ some chicken, but because I was out all day it was too late to try and light the coals. Instead I decided to roast it instead.  This is nothing new in our house so instead of the usual salad we would have had, I made some savoury tumeric basmati rice.

      YUMMMMMM...............

Chicken Marinade

1/2 Chicken or whole Chicken Spatchcocked
1/2 Teaspoon of Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Sea Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Paprika
2-3 Sprigs of Lemon Time
1 Finely Chopped Chilli
1 Spring Onion (chopped roughly)
(you can add more or less of any of the above, it's all down to your own taste)

1/4 Cup of basmati rice per person & Tumeric to taste or preference (1/2 Teaspoon)


Add all the Ingredients to a bowl with the chicken pieces and let marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour. (This will ensure that the flavours really get into the meat, overnight is even better)

Put it in an ovenproof pan and cover with foil (you do not need any liquid), it should take about 40 minutes on a medium heat (about gas mark 3). You don't want it too cook to quickly, baste it half way through and just before you think it's done take the foil off and turn the grill on to crisp up the skin.

The rice is very simple.  In a pot add about a tablespoon of oil, once this has heated add the tumeric and the rice.  You just want to stir it until the tumeric has coated all the rice. Add the water a good pinch of salt. You can substitute the water with stock, but make sure to taste before adding any salt.
Bring up to a boil then turn the heat down to min, put the cover on and let cook for about 10 minutes. (Keep you eye on or it will burn)

Blank Canvas

When your dealing with small spaces, I always think it's best to keep the walls neutral. But.....Magnolia is not the only neutral. Is every house in the UK painted in Magnolia?  I just can't get my head around it.   I find it a bit dull to be honest, there are thousands of colours that can act as neutrals and lend themselves well to art, photos and furniture.  White on the other hand instantly adds a bit of glamour simply because everything looks clean & fresh.  It makes spaces look and feel larger and acts as a blank canvas. Don't get me wrong I love colour, but get it wrong and it could be disasterous! Simple is best the colour will come from the furnishings.

I found this photo in a Magazine and I think it's a very good example of white done well.

A lot of people think that white can be cold, but you can see from this example the room looks cozy. I can see myself sitting on the sofa with a glass of Pinot and good book.  It's all in the detail.

Evolving Envorinment

So you never really finish a space do you?  It just keep evolving, growing with you, in my case getting grandeur (if that's possible in such a small space) with a bit more edge of course.  I think as we become more comfortable in our surroundings our instincts & confidence start to kick in and we get more adventurous. I luv mixing glamour with a bit of chince. Although I have made many purchases these two are actually in situ on our bedroon wall, so they are ready for their debut.....

                                   I loved this figure the moment I laid eyes on it

        I just could not resist another JUJU Feather Hat, they add such glam to a room

           Unfortunately you will have to wait for the big reveal of the entire room  it's        quite finished. 

Upcycle...

This weekend we went to New Covent Garden market  more commonly known as Vauxhall Market in SW20.  I like to get there early as the this is when you find the best stuff.   It was very busy for such a miserable day, but lucky for me people didn't seem to be buying (the rain has that effect) so I took full advantage and quikly visited all the stalls I usually find treasures at.   I bought a few things but this is my favourite.

I am pleased a punch that I spotted and puchased this Vintage cabinet for £20! That's a bargain! I will put it in our bedroom.  I love the legs and metal detailing at the hinges. It's the perfect piece to upcycle, once this badboy is painted it will look like a new piece of furniture. I can't wait to start it, unfortunately I am feeling a bit a bit aprrehensive about what colour it should be so I am going to wait until I am absolutely sure.  Any suggesstions are welcome.

Reduce Reuse Recycle

Using old food tins as plant pots has really started to catch on. I have even seen them used on tables in Bistros.  It's a great idea, I have a couple in my kitchen that I have planted herbs in. 

I planted some basil seeds and they are starting to sprout

They look great in the garden, even when they get rusty

Clever Storage....

I love all kinds of shopping, including window shopping. However the latter only occurs when I'm feeling uncharacteristically indicisive or planning large purchase.  Over the last few days, I have done a lot of wondering around.  Here are some of the things I purchased. 

From IKEA's Komplement series this hanging storage. It works great in our lou as it's out of the way and keeps the clutter to a minimum.

From the same series these soft boxes, they are great for jewellery and make up

 

 

Finally this soft compartmentalized drawer box (you can also put it under the bed). I use it in my drawer to organize my bras, undies and tights. these are great because they are machine washable. Brilliant! 

Not quite the major purchase I was hoping for...but it will do for now.

WoW!

As I set up this blog mainly to showcase how wonderful & versitile small spaces can be, I spend a lot of time on the internet looking for insiration from others who live in spaces like mine.  Today I came accross this and I luv it! I hope that I can get this much personality into my home.

  At  only 178 square feet, it's a fantastic use of space. The more is more approach actually works here.  The Kitchen has been cleverly slotted into an  alcove so it appears to be hidden.  The island doubles as a console and breakfast bar. Nice!

          Using clever storage solutions saves space & minimizes clutter

JUJUing It Up

Since I decided to revamp the lounge I've been scouring antique fairs, charity shops and the Internet for the weird and wonderful.  As the summer brings with it the urge to uncloak  and the overwhelming sense of "feel good", this is always a good time to inject colour not only into your wardrobe but into your home as well.  I decided that a bold coloured statement piece was absolutely necessary.  While on eBay I came across the most unusual wall hanging and decided this was just the ticket.  Now it sits proudly behind my sofa and it's Fabulous!

It's called a JUJU Feather Hat, originally worn by tribal chiefs, royalty and dignitaries in the Cameroonian kingdom during royal affairs, weddings or funerals and now it's entered the world of Interior Design.

                             Now to find some new cushions.......stay tunned!

Ta Daaaa!

After cutting the legs down, much sanding and some gold paint, I finally managed to turn this dark and drab second hand chest of drawers into a fantastic addition to my lounge.

                                                   
                                                      What do you think?

My Latest Project

I recently purchased a chest of drawers for the lounge. Unfortunately it was too high, too deep and the colour wasn't working.  I've since moved it to a less invasive place and stare at it everyday trying to figure out how I'm going to make it work.  I think I've finally made a decision and all will be revealed soon. In the meantime hear it is......

Not exciting I know, but I'm working on it