Direct Wood Flooring - New Floor Part 1

If you are a regular to my blog you will know that we have spent many DIY years working on our home.  We took on a run down 1930's house and have slowly transformed it into a lovely home over the last 13 years. 

Bedroom Style with Palms and House Plants

Here we go again !  Do you have a room that you feel never quite looks right ?  I feel that way about my bedroom. Its been blue and white, all white, grey and white

Top tips for a bedroom worthy of a magazine

image SHOPHADLEYDESIGNS

I am always really flattered when people comment on my home but more often than not they follow the statement with "I could never keep my home so neat and tidy" .  Believe me, I don't spend every waking hour cleaning and tidying my home, I think I've just learnt a few tricks over the years.

Wallpaper or Paint ?

Don't get me wrong I am a confirmed lover of an all white home but sometimes, just sometimes I have a yearning for a bright, patterned accent wall. 

Pine Wardrobe Makeover

It wasn't so long ago that my bedroom caught the grey bug.  I loved it for a while, but then, like always, I just had to go back to mostly white with blue accents.

A Very British Hygge

January, not a month most of us would consider our happiest month of the year.  For many there are the post Christmas blues and the long, long wait until the next payday comes around.  Not to mention the weather ! 

Winter White - Frith Rugs

Decorating our home for Winter is about layering textures and white tones.  White looks amazing in the Summer with the sunshine flooding the windows but can look cold and harsh in the Winter. 

Decorating with Neutrals for Christmas

Christmas , my favourite time of year.  I love everything about the anticipation, the build up, the special indulgent food, the time to rest and spend time with family and friends and of course, the decorating ! 

The Real Flower Company

I love flowers.  More often than not I have to buy them for myself these days.  Whilst rushing round the supermarket I might grab some value roses or our local charity shop often sells "past their best" flowers which will last a day or two longer and bring some cheer to my home. 

Lithophane Ceramics

image Lladro

Despite the rain today, I needed to get a breath of fresh air at lunchtime and luckily I live and work in Heavitree in Exeter.  Luckily, because there happen to be not one but five charity shops, all of which usually have a treasure or two. 

Take a few minutes ......

It's been a year, a year  since I received a telephone call late at night.

Hotel Chocolat Tasting Club

Winter is coming and that means its time to cosy on down.  If I was Danish, I would be thinking all things Hygge.  The pressure is off, I didn't achieve the beach bod over the summer (nor lets be honest, ever will again).

Retuna Recycling Gallery

image Retuna

I've long been an advocate of anything that can be recycled or re-loved.  So when I came across a facebook post of a friend showing the amazing Retuna Recycling Shopping Mall in Sweden, I had to take a closer look. 

DIY Halloween Decorations

image trendenser.se

It's that time of year again.  Although the twins are fast approaching 13. THIRTEEN ! How did that happen ? They just reminded me that they are not too old for a Halloween party and PLEASE can we have one again this year. 

Clive Roddy on Etsy

Balloon pin house by Clive Roddy

Etsy has long been my go to website to discover imaginative and beautiful design.  Browsing recently, I came across the breathtaking work of designer/maker Clive Roddy. 

Embracing the dark side

I love white, its a fact.  Always have , always will, but lately I have found myself in need of an injection of  colour into my home.  

Garden Makeover - Part One

A glimpse of the work so far - A lot of grey 

The Summer has been busy with school holidays and our wonderful once in a lifetime visit to Florida, so the garden makeover has not moved along as quickly as I might like.

Autumn Blues

Summer is on it's way out, so time to cosy up my home for Autumn.  I do this by changing the accessories around.  Cushions and throws are the easiest way to bring a whole new look to a room..

New tap, part two - mini bathroom makeover

Who doesn't love to win a competition !  I do, but my hubby might not agree.  I recently won a bathroom takeaway, instagram giveaway for a gorgeous tap.  You can read the post here.  This resulted in a mini makeover of the  bathroom.  

Modern Moroccan

I've had a Pinterest board  I called Modern Moroccan for some time.  I love to pin beautiful images that inspire me to interpret the ancient look of Morocco in a modern and fresh style.  Mostly in white, of course.

Ideal Home Magazine Feature July 2017

You may remember at the end of last year I had a visit from the very lovely photographer Colin Poole.  Colin spent the day at my home photographing it for Idea Home Magazine.  

New Tap !

I'm not a great one for entering competitions but I have a bit of a problem when it comes to beautiful taps!  When I saw the gorgeous Waterfall Tap over on the Bathroom Takeaway instagram page was up for grabs, I thought no harm in entering.

Soap Daze Workshop - #SpotlightSouthWest

Living in Devon has many plus points, not least the wealth of talented artisans, crafters and independent businesses who live and work here.  One of those people happens to be my good friend Sharon Mitchell who owns the successful business Soap Daze.

Mothers Day #MyGiftToHer

Mothers Day is on the horizon.  Having spent all of my adult life since the age of 17 living away from home, it has almost always been a long distance greeting to my own mother.

Garden Makeover Plans

Photo : ATGStores.com

After twelve years of living in our home we can finally turn our attention to the garden renovation.  The winter is a perfect time to sit and plan how we would like to makeover the garden.

Magnolia - Fixer Upper

Photo credit : Magnolia 

I don't remember when it was, but I do remember the impact the wonderful Magnolia - Fixer Upper programme had on my husband and I as we had our first ever experience of watching this inspiring and uplifting couple.

The January Sales

I'm not a great one for the January sales anymore.  As I have got older I don't seem to be able to cope with the disorder, rails of sale items, tables piled high with last season's rejects and crowds.  I prefer instead to bargain hunt all year round.

Millie Marotta Tableware

Unless you have been living under a rock, you can't fail to have come across the huge trend of colouring books for adults.  Millie Marotta is one of the foremost designers in this area, illustrating her books with stunning images of animals, plants and insects.

stylish winter essentials #Over50

modelwirenetwork.com

Aspiring to buy and still look great in your clothes when you are over fifty, can sometimes feel like a real struggle.

Feel the Hygge

    Becozi

I've been a lifetime admirer of all things Scandinavian.  From the furniture to the landscapes and in particular the philosophy behind the Danish word Hygge (pronounced hue - gah).

Interior home magazine photoshoot

I've been approached on numerous occasions over the years to have my home featured in an interior home magazine but never felt it was up to the scrutiny of those beautiful glossy pages full of immaculate homes and stylish interiors.  

Air Hogs Switchblade

The first thing I have to say about this post is "OMG the cushions covers are off the sofa ! "

Washable paper bag pots

                                                                        Photo :  Tavanastudio


Trying not to go into a total meltdown over the impending visit of the photographer from Ideal Home magazine this week, I decided to have a little retail therapy and treat myself to some new bits for my home.