Category: 2016
Easter x
(Bella Spring cleaning her room)
So how was Easter?? Not that it’s quite over here yet…kids go back to school tomorrow..but it’s been – needed to be – a quiet, simple time for us just gently shuffling to the waltz of life with two steps forward…three steps back.
But it’s been a hurrah for moral depravity – early on we lost all the electrical sockets upstairs due to a fault with our tumble dryer which took a while to track down…which meant no washer, no dryer..no phone..no alarm clocks..no computer. Such a shame. I personally saw it as proof of the after life and a neon message from above to say opt out: If you were a decorator, you’d have all day to paint. If you were a cleaner, you’d be left to remove 6 months of builder’s dust. If you were a nanny, that would be your job. If you were a writer, at least you’d have a job title. To do all four at once is quite frankly disgraceful and flashy…give up now. So I gave up blogging..
Progress after the builders has been made – the hall is now painted, the cellar is nearly done, but the house is still in great upheaval, mainly because rooms can’t be sorted until various cupboards are painted (which is a god forsaken task and takes time) and carpets are down (due end of April) at which point the spare room can be unpacked.
But actual Easter was delicious: 32 members of the family together at my brother and sister-in-laws for the long weekend. Pretty special. We have three big traditions: Decorating hard boiled eggs for the ‘best dressed egg’ competition.
Charlotte with her trophy! An egg hunt in the garden…
Followed by an egg race using newspaper thwackers to hit said eggs around a cunningly designed course, avoiding the moving obstacle of hungry dogs. Old, blind, Molly wasn’t such a issue…but Olly ran away with Charlie’s egg..there were tears..
All the cousins together..
The period also coincided with The Husband working ridiculous hours (back at 2..up at 6). For most people (read me) this would eventually result in a weeping, gelatinous heap in a far corner. He goes the other way – the insert for the cutlery drawer? sorted. A new recycling bin? found and ordered. Someone to pick up the backlog of washing and ironing after socket disaster? I let out an unprovoked shriek when they appeared at the door. The missing knob to the le cruset dish? We now have a new one. I’m thinking pace and recharge whilst he’s spinning faster and faster, I’m just Hoping I’ll be in a fit state to catch him when he falls…
And then I went to write this post..and discovered he had updated the whole computer ‘to make it run faster’..so much so it didn’t even recognise the printer..it took me twenty minutes to download the new software to get them speaking again. I went to add photos…and realised, before I could I would need to download my entire photo library again….The truth is I actually wrote this post last week…
Two steps forward…three steps back…
Laters, Kate x
Top design x
The children are on holiday which always make for an interesting dynamic: There’s the eternal conflict between my projects and their needs which sometimes overlap…but not always. The mornings are usually my time to write, organise and plan whilst they learn to squeeze every ounce from the fruit of boredom. Which sounds desirable, except Charlie, like a heat seeking missile has the unfailing knack of finding me just at the most concentration-needed moment. Yesterday I was writing a letter to Building Control (he’s here right now..spooky) and there he was at the study door. ‘No!’ I said, holding up my hand, ‘not a step further…do not say a word…you have to give me ten minutes.’
‘But Mummy…’
‘No..I have to get this done NOW. I cannot speak to you’
‘But Mummy…’
‘What part of no am I not making clear? I will not speak to you..yet you are forcing me to speak to you..so I am now getting cross and feeling like a hamster in a wheel because we’ve had thIS same conversation SO many times. Except now the hamster is dead..no no.I didn’t really say that – ignore me..it’s just I don’t want to formulate words to you, I want them for this – I need to sound like a rational human being. GO!’
‘But Mummy..I don’t want to speak to you..I want to look in this mirror and see how cool I look…’
Hole. Ground. Open up.
Todays project is a crossover and one for all of us….to tidy up Charlie’s room…which looks like a nuclear war zone. If I were Olga Kostina living in Kamarchaga in the Siberian Taiga his rubbish would probably provide the most wonderful creative outlet. Her work with 30,000 bottle tops is sheer genius.
Except I’m not.
Blood could be spilt.
Laters, Kate x
Wall Bling..
There are three large storage cupboards at the back of the underworld room – four if you count the boiler..
Would it be an utter extravagance to attempt to disguise them?
Hmmmmmmmmmmm….
Laters, Kate x
Progress x
It’s the painful part of the cellar renovation…painting all the bookcases. Probably more so than usual because they started off black…and they’re going..off black. The reason is the shelving is an Ikea Billy hack – using basic Ikea units to look more than the sum of their parts – and that requires a layer of camouflage paint.
At least I have the TV to keep me company.
But it’s still slow progress.
The hunt has been on for the perfect pink for the stair wall.
And I think I’ve found it via the felt our tap came wrapped in.
Now to get it colour matched..
Laters, Kate x
The kitchen: The Reveal
Before: The original kitchen, in a separate room.
Open to the back.
The front sitting room.
The works (basically knocking down the dividing wall and fitting a two storey eight frame)
The result.
Laters, Kate x
First Day..
It’s the very first day without our builders today – I waved them off yesterday to a fanfare of thank you’s for doing such an amazing job. I’ve been through four big builds now and know how rare it is to finish a project and still have a smile, but Pavel and Jack were exceptional from beginning to end: They knocked down walls, dug out the cellar, laid the parquet, created our kitchen..and even managed to hang some pictures for me. They are the only builders I’ve ever known to bring their own sponge for the bathroom to a job…and use it. Bravo to them!
…Not that they’ve gone far..they’re at my parents now!
So now it’s down to me..and whilst the building works look spectacular (pictures will follow soon – I’m just missing a table!), the rest of the house resembles a bomb site covered in a thick layer of multicoloured dust with nothing in it’s right place: Many of the rooms need painting and the whole house needs unpacking. And the kids break up on Friday for Easter..what fun! But first job is to get our dining room table up and running just so I can take those god-damn pictures – and have a proper meal at it. Because of various water stains we sanded it down a few weeks ago (don’t worry – it wasn’t an antique!)…
And it looked absolutely stunning..
But there were a few white marks where the bubbling of the water stains had cause the veneer to raise up which meant it got sanded to the wood below.
So the plan has been to re-stain them and add darker tones to merge everything together. It’s now ready for it’s final sealing coat.
My Aunt – a very knowledgable lady! Gave me some wonderful tips regarding what oils to use. In view of possible nut allergies with guests I’m opting for olive oil..could be interesting. After that the legs need painting…
Along with most of the rest of the house! Where’s my paintbrush??
Laters, Kate x
Curtain call: Design hero..
I’ve been trying to write this post all morning and failing miserably – head is all over the place as really, all I want to do is start nesting in the new spaces and get them ready for Easter/before the kids break up. But there is a subject that’s caught my eye: The Great Interior Design Challenge has just finished on BBC 2 and it was compulsive viewing (for good and bad reasons) for anyone interested in the story telling of interiors. The overall winner was Sarah Mitchenall who’s designs were a true delight to the eye – she excelled at rooms where the raw ingredients appeared completely wrong (the orange medieval room par example) – but the end mixes proved to be both balanced and exhilarating with Everest sized visual impact and inherent cool.
Like the greatest creatives and raconteurs she has the power to dazzle with what is simply there and squeezing it to it’s enth degree, stepping out of the box, defying convention and believing in what just works.
All these pics are taken from her visual treat of a Pinterest page under the name Black Parrots – named after the company Black Parrots Studio she has co-founded on the back of her winning success.
Luckily for us mere mortals the company isn’t limited to just designing interiors: They already have their own lighting with the aim to design more products, wallpaper, textiles and more.
Look how the stem becomes the flex, and the flex becomes the stem. Genius: Definitely one to watch.
Laters, Kate x
The Kitchen..
Hard to believe..but the kitchen is actually in!! We have a fully functioning oven, sink, taps, hot water tap and fridge-freezer!!!…having said that, it’s still needs it’s handles (they’ve been in various solutions to age them over the weekend and are due to go on today – until they do, there’s no way to open the dishwasher which has sat there, tantalising us…) There’s also the painting of the skirting boards, splash back to be fitted, removal of builders equipment, the addition of a table….and then there’s unpacking the old kitchen. But ignoring all of this – it’s a triumph!! Proper pictures will be taken rather than this sneak peak – but doing a reveal now feels like sending out an opera singer to Covent Garden in just her underwear…chances are it’s been done..but would you want it to be done??!
But all the lights are up and deserve closer scrutiny – this is the brass chandelier as talked about here, now hanging low over what will be the dining room table, opposite the fireplace/mirror. It’s on a dimmable switch which really brings out the details of the edison style light bulbs when they’re dimmed down. I like the austerity of it’s shape with the bonus that if you want to add glass droplets – or ivy at Christmas, you can.
This ornate number is in the hall. The idea is that the intricate ironwork relates to the black of the crittal glass doors arriving soon, but softens the harsher straight lines.
This is one of a pair of wall lights above the fireplace and either side of a large mirror. The design is very simple but the shadows if gives are beautiful. Again, it’s on a dimmable switch which turns the glow to almost candlelight for cosy, shadow dancing evenings.
And these are my unique and gorgeous babies – I commissioned them from the highly talented master canal artist Terence Edgar, they’re proper, original milk churns that the builder’s have cunningly adapted into pendants by removing the bottoms and putting a hole for the flex in the lid, and then hung with brass chandelier chain. I am a huge fan of folk art and feel very privileged to have these stunning examples of canal art as the focal point to the kitchen.
The light they give is magical – like beams of sunlight on the work surface below.
Though they all have similar features, each one is subtly different: On one side is a word..
On the other is a typical canal art scene.
And the three are hung so that ‘love’ and ‘live’ face out..
But laugh always belongs to the cook..
Laters, Kate x
Catch Yee Monkey x
This week has been a matter of smoothing the road whilst riding the battle bus: Lots of things happening, too much juggling and not enough time for writing – something had to give. But we’re definitely on the acceleration towards the end.
Well – sort of end – there’ll still be the decorating to finish, and given my ability to blow the budget, it’ll all be down to me to climbing ladders and wielding paint brushes. Not that I really mind – I like the sense of ownership…and at least when the colours polymorph it’s not a double whammy of paying for new paint and decorators to put right. But I’ve reached the stage I just want it finished…to see everything back in the rooms..pictures on the walls..the spaces given their kiss of life.
Upstairs we have a whole room jammed to the ceiling with bulging boxes and bits. It’s going to be interesting to see what makes it back – what one needs (we’ve managed with very little for the last six months ) versus what one wants (I’ve missed cookery books, wedding photos and vases) versus essentials: a running tap, a sink, a dishwasher…a fridge door that opens all the way..an oven! How have we managed without a kitchen for 6 months??
Today the tap is going in – the oven is in the house rather than in the shed. The lovely French cabinet is also in – but I think photos can wait till all the handles are on. Hehe.
(All pics Pinterest)
At the moment I’m just removing all the lacquer from the brass with nail varnish remover and elbow grease so they can all age disgracefully and develop their own patina. One’s own patina…A life’s essential don’t you think?
Laters, Kate x
A Progress Report: Blue Notes..
Things are changing daily..the lights: wall lights/pendants/milk churns are all up (I think they deserve a separate post..)
But here’s a sneak peak: This pic was taken last week..much has changed since then..but more later..
Down below in the underworld is where decisions are still taking place: The DVD-storage-provider-fireplace now has it’s hinged camouflage grill in place, completing the look..I LOVE it.
The TV needs to be mounted so the wall needed to be painted…and so the polymorphing paint trials started again. Sigh. The aim was for dark blue with grey undertones to link in with a big rug coming in. A blue shouldn’t be a hard colour to find, I thought – classic, straight forward..simple. The sample on the wall looked great – dark, velvety, petroly even – perfect!…except when I painted it on the fireplace wall…it was green. OH.NO.NOT.AGAIN (Yet look at the picture…blue…) but honest to God it was a dark, Victorian green…and looked OK..just not…right – too harsh – too green (I think colours are harder to nail when it’s a room with no natural light, but I am starting to wonder if colour blindness can be brought on by renovations and old age..) Arggghhhhhhhh!
So it was back to inspiration pics..
Back to the rug..
Back to the DIY shop…with the decision that if paint could change, then the exploitation of it should be a controlled decision. I went determined for a smokey blue that could almost be grey, but could be mistaken for a bruised lavender. And I went avoiding all the ‘branded’ paint with their promises of perfection, approaching the much cheaper Valspar range with their choice of 2000 colours…knowing to only trust my eye.
The result is a joy: A summer thunderstorm, the mist on a mountain..the light at dusk.
And look how the bare mdf looks in the pics…like the perfect just plastered putty pink! It’s the next colour to track down..that and a complementing grey..
Wish me luck.
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 