Carron Tiles from Walls & Floors Leading Tile Specialists are a classic geometric design of Victorian floor tiles in various traditional colourways @ £220.95 Exc VAT/Sqm
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
HALLWAY: Floor Tiles
I do have a bit of a love obsession with Victorian Floor Tiles and do indeed dream of one day having a hallway covered in them. Please find below some images and suppliers:
Carron Tiles from Walls & Floors Leading Tile Specialists are a classic geometric design of Victorian floor tiles in various traditional colourways @ £220.95 Exc VAT/Sqm
Monteith 70 Tiles are a classic geometric design of Victorian floor tiles in various traditional colourways @ £134.37 Exc VAT/Sqm
Carron Tiles from Walls & Floors Leading Tile Specialists are a classic geometric design of Victorian floor tiles in various traditional colourways @ £220.95 Exc VAT/Sqm
FUTURE IDEAS: Shutters
Put this in "future ideas" as it isn't something which we will be able to afford for some time but I found the most beautiful picture that I just had to post it. To be honest, I wouldn't mind having shutter blinds like this in every room in our house:
EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE: Paint ideas
The previous owners decided to paint the dark 1950s brickwork a nasty bright red colour. We plan to paint this over with something a lot more tasteful in the summer, when the weather will hopefully stay dry. It is surprisingly hard to find paint inspiration for outside walls online. I think it isn't as popular thing to do in the UK as it is perhaps abroad. I have given up looking on the paint brand websites for now as unfortunately they don't seem to show images of the paint on exterior wall, they only seem to list the colour as a block and a tin, which makes it very hard to imagine in situ. I am therefore going to start at the beginning and look for inspirational homes which I like the colours on and then try and match those colours with paints.
Here are some images of painted buildings which I like (most are of houses abroad but I'm looking at these predominately for the colour pallet):
I guess this really doesn't bring me much closer to a decision as I do like all of these colours equally. But at least it gives me a pallet of colours which I do like to try and find testers for so that we can make a proper decision in the summer.
Here are some images of painted buildings which I like (most are of houses abroad but I'm looking at these predominately for the colour pallet):
Monday, 7 March 2011
LIVING ROOM: Art options
Last time I posted on this I thought that I definately wanted go for a painting option. I have since seen an amazing piece of metal art in a restaurant which I much prefer:
.... so now I'm on the hunt for something similar in the shops. Let me know if you find anything before I do.....
Search for shop bought version begins:
I was actually quite surprised at how many options there are online at very reasonable prices. Please see below:
This tree, called Leaf Spray Metal Wall Art on the website, is a very nice option from Dunelm Mill @ just £16.99 for dimensions: 64cm x 76cm (26" x 30")
This Contemporary Metal Wall Art "Metalic Disc Branches" is from a lovely little website called Garden Ornaments & Accessories which I haven't come across before but seems to have a lot of different options on it. This one, which I particularly like how it reflects the light comes in @ £29.99 for dimensions: 32" (81.5cm) Wide 22" (56cm) High
I like the shades of the metal on this Abstract Panel Metal Wall Art from Artisanti Elegant Living which comes in @ £30.00 for dimensions: 81.5 x 2.5 x 63.5cm, but I worry about the shapes looking too straight and masculine.
Search for shop bought version begins:
I was actually quite surprised at how many options there are online at very reasonable prices. Please see below:
This Sculpture BUBBLES IN A BRANCH is another nice option from Garden Ornaments & Accessories @ £32.99 for dimensions: 28"(71cm)high 28"(71cm)wide
FUTURE ROOMS: Back Ground Floor Extension
It is always worth keeping an eye on the property market in your area, both to keep an idea of localised pricing and to scope inspiration from other similar properties. I was on Rightmove the other day doing just this when I found a house of a similar era in our village which had put on a back extension similar to what we aspire to do in the next 10 yrs. It just goes to show what potential well built 1950s houses with big gardens have...
The floor plan for the downstairs (left in the above image) shows the original house up to the end line of the lounge and the family room with by folding doors to the garden.
Though we want to do a kitchen diner across the back of our property rather than a family room this still shows a very good example of what is possible.
Here is their gorgeous extension:
MASTER BEDROOM: Antique Bargain Success!
It is always worth while checking out second hand stores, eBay, Freecycle, and antique stores before buying new. The best thing about, it I find, is the ability to find such unique pieces which you won't see in everyone else’s home too.
Here are my tips on how to get the most out of your second hand/ antique bargain shopping:
And that's it! - Good luck shopping!
I went, with fellow interior loving friend Cammie, to one of my favourite antique stores in the area the Ampthill Antiques Emporium. This place is so great as it is four floors of a really old lovely building which is rented out in sections to lots of different antique dealers and it is choca-block with every antique imaginable!
I went in to get a Linen Cabinet (ideally glass fronted) - budget £150, and a dressing table and stool for the budget of £100. I came away with the following:
Glass fronted display cabinet (which will work perfectly as a linen cabinet) for £80 (bartered down from £85)
Shabby Chic short cabinet (to use as a dressing table) for £80 (bartered down from £85) perfect height for the 3 way mirror which I had already bought a couple of months for £8 from a charity shop which just needs a lick of paint
Childs school chair (to use as a dressing table stool) for £15 - simple, wooden chair painted white and the perfect height for my new dressing table too
So I started with the aim of spending £250 total and ended up, even with the set next day delivery charge of £25, only spending £200! Result!
Here are my tips on how to get the most out of your second hand/ antique bargain shopping:
- Go with an loose idea of what you want, be open to compromise, and try and think outside the box: e.g. don't say I want a dressing table in a specific style and era in a specific colour and no other will do, as all you are doing is narrowing your options. Instead.... have several colours or tones in mind which might work and be open to furniture which isn't officially of the function which you are looking for but would work well. e.g., dressing table; desks, cupboards, side boards, console tables and bureaus are all thing you could consider
- Measure the space before you go shopping, make a note and keep it somewhere safe (I tend to use the notes section on my phone as I always have this on me) and remember your measuring tape when you go shopping. When you do measure, take the measurements for the maximum the space can take (length, width, depth & height) then as long as you work within these it does matter if it is a little less in any one direction
- Set yourself a budget and stick to it! - remember to take account of delivery charges or auction charges if your at an auction - try wherever possible to come in under cost
- Barter - Always! Always always ask for their best price, you might shave off £5 - £10 which really isn't to be sniffed at
And that's it! - Good luck shopping!
I went, with fellow interior loving friend Cammie, to one of my favourite antique stores in the area the Ampthill Antiques Emporium. This place is so great as it is four floors of a really old lovely building which is rented out in sections to lots of different antique dealers and it is choca-block with every antique imaginable!
I went in to get a Linen Cabinet (ideally glass fronted) - budget £150, and a dressing table and stool for the budget of £100. I came away with the following:
Glass fronted display cabinet (which will work perfectly as a linen cabinet) for £80 (bartered down from £85)
Shabby Chic short cabinet (to use as a dressing table) for £80 (bartered down from £85) perfect height for the 3 way mirror which I had already bought a couple of months for £8 from a charity shop which just needs a lick of paint
Childs school chair (to use as a dressing table stool) for £15 - simple, wooden chair painted white and the perfect height for my new dressing table too
So I started with the aim of spending £250 total and ended up, even with the set next day delivery charge of £25, only spending £200! Result!
MASTER BEDROOM: Complete change of Layout!
We've had a very productive weekend...
I had already arranged for our electrician to come to sort out our bedroom electrics to go from 1 single plug socket for the entire room (hello 1950!) to 2 doubles each side of the bed + a double where there already was one + another double where I wanted the dressing table + two bedside wall lamps. When he arrived we started measuring up as per the proposed floor plan which I had put together and we realised if I wanted to put in my dream IKEA PAX wardrobe then there just wouldn't be enough space:
So it was time for a rethink...
(to be honest, we had put the bed where it was in the plan above for no other reason than this was where the previous owners had put it, jusy goes yo show that you should always always think outside of the box and consider all of your options before making a decision - I urge you to always do this - I have certainly learnt my lesson on this one)
We talked through different options for quite some time and came to the conclusion that the best headboard wall is the one with the fitted wardrobes on in the plan above. Here is my new floor plan (by no means to scale but just gives you an idea of the change around):
I had already arranged for our electrician to come to sort out our bedroom electrics to go from 1 single plug socket for the entire room (hello 1950!) to 2 doubles each side of the bed + a double where there already was one + another double where I wanted the dressing table + two bedside wall lamps. When he arrived we started measuring up as per the proposed floor plan which I had put together and we realised if I wanted to put in my dream IKEA PAX wardrobe then there just wouldn't be enough space:
So it was time for a rethink...
(to be honest, we had put the bed where it was in the plan above for no other reason than this was where the previous owners had put it, jusy goes yo show that you should always always think outside of the box and consider all of your options before making a decision - I urge you to always do this - I have certainly learnt my lesson on this one)
We talked through different options for quite some time and came to the conclusion that the best headboard wall is the one with the fitted wardrobes on in the plan above. Here is my new floor plan (by no means to scale but just gives you an idea of the change around):
Can't believe that we never thought of this option before. By having floor space at the end of the bed like this it makes the room feel so so much bigger!
We finished stripping back the grotty cheap laminate floor & took great delight in burning it on the bonfire. I've clean up and thoroughly hoovered the wooden floor underneath which is a really pretty pine, needs sanding when we get the chance but is liveable until then and far better than the fake wood laminate!
Headboard wall is going to have this lovely Colours by B&Q Sienna Wallcovering Purple
wallpaper from B&Q;
and the oposite wall will be painted in this gorgeous Aubergine paint from Wickes:
...and a neutral colour - yet to be decided will go on the other too walls. I feel so excited about sorting this bedroom again! x
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