Dreaming of decorating

I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but even though my new studio isn't even built yet, I'm dreaming of and planning the interior

White is going to play a big part...no surprises there...but I also want a few little splashes of colour....like pink.

These images are from Fiona Douglas of Bluebell Gray. The fabric is what caught my eye, not the blue walls, even though I think the whole effect is stunning!

I'm thinking something floral for some side curtains in my new little room.

Then, I saw this in this months Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

This is on page 39 of the October BHG.  The little lamp shades caught my eye as well as the art on the wall.

Then there's this...lovely, although a little jumbled

Apart from the studio, I'll also be re-decorating the spare room to make it a little more "kid" friendly when we have sleep overs here.

It'll be light and bright with a nice rug on the floor. I've been through the linen cupboard and found some bits and pieces that will be perfect in there!

This is the reading room from the Lettered Cottage. Great job!!

...and this...well this is just lovely. I've had it for ages and can't remember where it's from. Sorry.

We're in!!

We moved into our new bedroom this week...and boy am I glad ! !

The room isn't quite "finished" yet though. There's still some tweaking to do. I  have to hang the photos/pictures on the walls and bring the mats in and Bill has to deliver the wardrobe doors, which are at the painters....but apart from that it's just about done.

The next painting project is the front hallway...but that can wait till after Christmas...much too much to do at the moment to be thinking about painting.

I'm finishing off the old coffee table with some tung oil, have to put the timber top and final coat of paint on that old chest of drawers and start decorating the "tree". We're not having the traditional tree this year, it's going to be a twiggy affair...more on that later.

Now...it's back to work for me

Friday progress.....

The final coat of gloss is going on the bedroom floor as I type... but I thought I'd show you how it's looking so far.

This is after the second coat and MONT and I are really happy with the way the floor's turned out, especially seeing I had to go through all that hassle to find floorboards to match so they could be "slotted" in with the old ones. You can see the difference in colour up in the corner. But once the bed and bedside tables go in, you won't even know.

Yep...really happy.

...and here's a little Friday flower...inspiration from Sarah at Molly's Maison..

MONT picked it from our garden last night. It's the first gardenia to bloom on our bush out back....the perfume is amazing!

Have a great weekend....by Monday I should be able to show you some more progress...fingers crossed

Look at this....

Isn't this room gorgeous? Leigh posted it on her beautiful blog, Brabourne Farm and when I saw it I thought "YES"!!!

This could be our bedroom, or at least, our version of this .

I'm not that keen on having a bath in my boudoir and MONT would not, under any circumstances, allow a chandelier in there either. But the white, the timber floor, the airiness, the curtains and light....they all add up to LOVELY!

Thanks for posting this Leigh....it's given me more inspiration and hope of getting our bedroom "right"

The first sanding and coat of clear gloss went on the floors yesterday, the second is coming this morning...and I have to say it's all looking rather clean and shiny.

Decision Made

Call me a coward, call me boring, call me indecisive. Yep, guilty as charged

But you can also add practical, because I've discarded the idea of painting the bedroom grey and have gone with what I know... Antique White USA...albeit half strength.

Here's the new cornice after the first undercoat

...and here's the end of the room that looked so darn bad last week. It has just a light undercoat on it as well. I swear the plasterer did such a good job!!! You cannot see any sign of where the old part of the ceiling meets with the new. It's marvellous!

Now, there are a couple of reasons for this colour decision... while hunting out all the painting gear I found a 10 litre can of paint in Antique White USA. There was about 6 litres in it and I also had a can of plain white low sheen, so the two were carefully and thoroughly mixed together and that's what I decided to go with. I thought it would be a little bit wasteful if I just let it sit there and go and spend a couple of hundred dollars on a new colour that I had no way of ensuring I would love.

The second reason was I couldn't be confident I could find a shade of grey that I absolutely loved and could live with, without first seeing it on someones' walls

So there you have it.  If I eventually come across a grey that takes my eye, the paint brush and roller will be brought out again and I'll re-do the room, but until that happens....it's off white for us.

The first top coat was applied yesterday...I'm just about to head in there to put the final coat on now... YIPPEE!!

What a difference a day makes

Can you believe the difference a few days really make?

Here's our newly plastered bedroom....

This is what it looked like a few days ago.

Plaster, or as our North American friends call it, "drywall" is one of those marvellous, versatile, relatively cheap products that, if hung and finished well, can really make a house.

I'm so, so pleased the cornice worked out so well. It covers a multitude of sins and looks sensational.

I have to say I really love plaster. I love the way it looks just before you paint it when it's all smooth with all the gaps filled in and sanded...now to the painting!!

Footnote:

I won't bore you with any more pics of the bedroom until it's finished now. I don't want to bore you with unlimited updates of mess and painting etc... I've got a bit carried away I guess because I'm kicking myself  I didn't take any photos when I first bought the house and only a few during the building of the extension and I didn't want to miss this stage of the renovation.

So there you have it...the next pics you'll see will be of the completed bedroom

Bedroom Update

OK, back to the wonderful room that is consuming my every waking moment...

As you can see, there are rather large gaps along the top of the walls. MONT pulled the cornice down and was surprised that it came away relatively easily and with minimal damage. The ceiling looks like it's floating in mid-air

He's also wired in a couple of down lights, so we can read in bed, and put in a two way switch (concealed just behind the bed) so we don't have to get out of bed to turn off the main light.

Plaster goes up today and the cornice goes up on Monday. Hopefully, it'll be ready for painting by Wednesday, which gives me enough time to finish it before the floor man turns up to perform his magic.

Which Grey ?

Finding the "right" colour for your home can be problematic, because making a decision based on a small colour card can be a long, difficult process.

Right now, the interior of Number 10 is painted in Dulux: Antique White USA. The ceilings are plain white and all the trim: the doors, window frames, architraves and skirting boards are white as well. I opted for AW-USA because a friend had painted her lounge in that colour and I could see how it looked on a large scale at different times of the day and in different lights. Perfect. Basic. Clean. Simple.

But it's going to be a different story for our bedroom....or at least that's my plan at this moment.

After seeing the photos here of the Queensland house that's up for sale, I started thinking about painting the bedroom grey...but which one?

I went to my local Bristol store today to get some colour samples and I bought a small pot of a colour called QUARRY, but I fear it may be a little dark. Half strength may be better. I also checked out Harbour Mist as well as some other greys (dawn frost, imperial mist, mountain peak) from other brands...but WHICH ONE ? ?  Do I go for a cool or warm grey? What will look best with white? ...and which one am I least likely to tire of in a couple of weeks?

Anyone have a favourite grey I could try? I'm open to suggestions.

Number 10 Bedroom Update

Yes, I am absorbed (read: obsessed) with our bedroom at the moment, but when you're sleeping in the lounge room, both spare rooms are chocka bloc full of stuff, there are plaster fragments and dust and bits of timber all over the place and pre-Christmas dinner with the family is just 5 short weeks away, then that's really all I CAN think of !!

Things are moving along though....MONT and his mate Paul completed the floor on Saturday....

It looks a bit patch-worky now, but once it's sanded and polished it'll be fine.

Then, when I got home from work yesterday I noticed a bigger hole in the bedroom wall than when I left, because MONT had removed the bulkhead. Just like that.

Now you see it.....

Now you don't.

It makes a huge difference with it gone, much more than I expected. We'll hang the plaster this week and hopefully, the plasterer will be here next week to finish off. I've ordered new cornice and it'll be ready for pick-up tomorrow. Long story short: We had to replace the old cornice with a new design because the one we had is obsolete and it was cheaper to re-do the entire room than have just one, 4 metre length made.  Crazy huh?

Once all that's done,  I can paint it all and get the floor man in so it should will be finished by the end of the month. Fingers crossed!

Think I'll make it? Yeah.  I work best under pressure...and then I go stark raving bonkers.

Kristine at The Painted Hive has also renovated her bedroom, and it looks sensational!

Check it out.

Bedroom Love

As you know, MONT and I are renovating our bedroom and I thought I'd post a few photos of beautiful boudoirs that have caught my eye over the past couple of years.

Sometimes, achieving a balance can be tricky. It can't be too "girly" because we both have to feel comfy in there ...but it can't be too bland either.

I rather like this...no, I LURV this, but MONT can't stand wallpaper, so that's a no-no.

This is nice but a little stark and not really practical when you have a black and white cat and two enthusiastic dogs

This is simple and livable and looks like a bedroom that would be very comfy.

...and this is extremely "white". A little too white for us perhaps.

Then there are these two beauties. I found them on a blog called A View on Design and they're from a house in Queensland that's up for sale. I absolutely love the grey walls and polished floorboards.

...and the two toned curtains are sensational!

Decisions, decisions....What I do know about our bedroom is this: It'll have polished floorboards and white trim. But after seeing this gorgeous grey, I can't be sure which way I'm going to go colour-wise on the walls...

Image 1. This is Glamorous
Image 2. Ideal Home-UK
Image 3. Unknown
Image 4. Phoebe Howard
Image 5. New England home
Image 6 & 7. via A View On Design

If you've come across any other photographs of beautiful bedrooms that have caught your eye, I'd be interested in seeing them too.

Whelan the Wrecker

It's all happening here at Number 10.

The bedroom renovation is well and truly underway. Last night we cleaned out the entire room and  moved our bed into the lounge room.

Then MONT the wrecker moved in this morning...he says it has to be done and Melbourne Cup Day was as good a day as any.

The robe doors and frame were removed and the centre drawer unit was also knocked out...unfortunately we couldn't save it for future "tweaking"...

Charming ceiling huh?

Fortunately, the whole false floor under the robes came up in one big piece, so we'll be able to use those floorboards again...

As you can see, the floor under the old built-ins doesn't reach the wall...whoever built this house back in 1951, decided to go for the easy option and put in a false floor instead of extending the floorboards to the end of the room. Crazy really, as they used leftover floorboards to make the false floor anyway.
It means we'll have to remove some of the existing boards without damaging them and then stagger some new ones in, then get the whole room sanded and polished, yet again. Might be time to call in the professionals I think.

So...it's all systems GO! We have an opportunity to get a really good plasterer here to finish off the room, but he's limited for time, so our window of opportunity is just three weeks....we'd better get cracking!

The Emperor has new robes

It happened yesterday afternoon. I got home to find our sensational cabinet maker, Bill, fitting the new robes (closets) in the bedroom.

They're basically large boxes, made off site and assembled here. Yeah I know they're melamine, which obviously isn't as good as solid timber, but as everyone knows, when working to a budget, we all have to be realistic and practical.

So...here they are. They're yet to be painted or have knobs put on. In fact, they don't have any hanging rods or compartments inside yet. But I think they look lovely.

That brown strip across the top is a small bulkhead so new cornice can be put on so it looks like the robes have been there forever...

The doors will be "two-packed" so need to be taken away...while they're off getting the treatment for three weeks, we'll demolish the old robes at the other end of the room, plaster the end wall and extend the floor to the wall...then I'll paint the entire room and get the floor polished (again).

More pics as the transformation continues...
Happy weekend everyone. Have a good one.

Let the renovations begin...again !

Old houses present their own challenges and Number Ten is no different. There's always something to do or change and more often than not, one job leads to another...and another.

This is the third time our bedroom has been "modified".

The first was when I bought the house over 10 years ago...my funds were limited so I spent it on what I thought to be the most important things...the house was re-stumped, an essential job before any other work was done and replaced the drooping ceilings and cornices throughout. I also had new doors made for the wardrobes and had the floors stripped and polished.

The second round was replacing all the plaster on the bedroom walls and repainting the room.

...and now, it's bedroom renovation, Mark III, with new built in robes being fitted at the opposite end of the room so we have more room for the bed and bedside tables.

Work began on this project at the weekend...

Hi MONT....

The doorway had to be made smaller so the area where the robe is going would be deep enough.

MONT removed the 820cm door and door frame, packed it out and then called in the heavy artillery. He got a builder mate, Paul to come and hang the new 720cm door. MONT can do it, but says what would've taken him all day, took Paul less than an hour. Paul has his own company and MONT does some work with him. Paul has won awards for his renovations, not that hanging a door at Number 10 will add to his impressive portfolio.

What changing the doorway also meant was that the old fibrous plaster in the hallway had to be removed because new plasterboard is thicker and we wouldn't have been able to seamlessly hang the new next to the old without the join showing.

This small part of the hallway's the only part of the house that hasn't had new plasterboard put in, so it's good that we've had to replace the old stuff.

The walls have now been insulated for the new plaster to be hung. Once the robes go in we can shuffle everything around so the other end of the bedroom can be demolished and the walls can be plastered there as well.

Then it's up to me to paint everything again. Luckily, that's one job I don't mind

Advice and help please...

MONT and I will be renovating our bedroom soon and part of that will involve relocating the built in robes.

At the moment our old robes are very dark and consist of four doors (2 on either side) and drawers in the middle with a mirror, making up a sort of dresser. They were in the house when I bought it 12 years ago and all I did was have new doors made as the old ones didn't fit after I had the house re-stumped.

Old robes at Number 10

The advice and help I need is: What sort of configuration is best?

Have you ever built new robes and if so, how did you work out what best suited your needs?

Did you include certain features, like wire basket drawers and different hanging areas for shirts and dresses etc, but found they weren't as functional as you first thought... or did you forget something you wish you had included?

All I know is the new robes will have swinging doors, (not sliding) they'll be painted white and they'll go right up to the ceiling to accommodate all that "stuff" that is usually left sitting on the floor next to MONT's side of the bed. They'll go all along one wall and will have hanging and drawer space included. Apart from that, who knows.

Any suggestions/advice?

Image: The Wardrobe Guy

This doesn't look too bad...a design by The Wardrobe Guy.

I have a question...

Why are IKEA beds not standard Australian sizes?

Did you know that if you buy a double bed from the Swedish furniture giant, your standard double bed mattress won't fit it?

That's because the standard double bed mattress is 138cm wide and an IKEA double bed is only 135cm

The reason, and I'm speculating here, is so you'll be encouraged to buy an IKEA mattress, which will fit. I'm guessing they also want you to buy IKEA sheets, doona covers and pillow slips as well.

I only found this out today, when a (very angry and disappointed) friend purchased a new IKEA bed for their daughters birthday and discovered the new mattress they bought from another store didn't fit.

It wouldn't be so bad, except IKEA doesn't advertise or notify customers their beds are a different size, they just expect you to know what the measurements are.

Also, if you do buy a bed from IKEA, make sure you pick up the timber slats (at extra cost) as well, because they aren't included in the cost of the bed either.

I love IKEA. I have quite a few pieces of furniture from there and love wandering around the store when I have a spare hour or so to see what ideas they can give me. Love it! But I won't be buying a bed from them anytime soon

Bedroom Beauty

I love a nice bedroom...In fact I love a nice any room!

I especially love this. It's so glamorous.

Image-via this is glamorous

... and this...how lovely to have such a "girly" room to wake up to each morning.

Image - Polly Wreford

Don't you just love the beautiful dress on the wall as decoration?

I'd love my bedroom to look this beautiful...I don't think MONT would be too impressed though. He's not the frilly type...

Going to the Mattresses

As you know, Saturday was a big day at Number 10, what with everyone here for the "meat festival" and me finishing the chester drawers (Teresa). But the best thing that happened on Saturday had nothing to do with Christmas or meat or furniture restoration.

No. It was all about MONT and my sleeping arrangements.

Let me explain. Three years ago we bought a new bed by a well known manufacturer. The mattress had what is called a "pillow top" and we chose it because it felt OK when we laid on one in the department store and because a couple of friends had told us how pleased they were with theirs.

But we regretted buying that mattress from the first night of uneasy sleep. In fact it was so bad, we called the manufacturer to check that we'd got the firm mattress that we'd ordered. Apparently, we had.

We found the bed to be soft and not firm at all...but what we rally hated was the way it developed two, permanent body indentations where we slept, which left us with a hump up the middle of the bed

I called the manufacturer again about this hump and was told to go through some convoluted process of measuring the indentations to make sure they were within the depth deemed acceptable and "normal". Not great after sales service if you ask me, but hey, I'm just the consumer right?. The one who has to sleep in the thing so what would I know?

Anyway, earlier this month I found out the son of a friend was returning home from overseas and needed a mattress, so I offered him ours and he accepted. Thank Goodness!

We toddled off to a bed place down in Preston that actually manufacturers their beds on site. We chose one and told him we needed it Saturday. DONE!

The pillow top was collected, our new mattress delivered soon afterwards and we've had the best few nights sleep we can remember. In fact MONT told me he'd kiss the mattress man if he ever sees him again.

Oh blissful slumber.

To sleep, perchance to dream...

This is not my bed, nor is it my bedroom.

Nor is this one...no-sir-ee. Mine is a little less rustic and a little less lacy.

Nope... not this one either...

But they are all gorgeous in their own way.... The green accents in the first photo are a lovely shade, but I know I could never live with it for longer than say...maybe a few weeks, then I'd want to change it.

I don't do colour well.

The pink bedspread with the lacy detail is to die for and I could live with it for a little longer, but I think I'd end up feeling like I was living like Miss Havisham from Dickens' Great Expectations. It sort of has that feel about it in that setting...

...and as for the last one, well, it is a little more my style. It's quite beautiful in all it's pale blue and green loveliness, but still not quite "me".

Image 1. Inspired Room from Southern Living

Image 2 and 3 Verhext

All via Dwellings & Decor