It's All About The Ochre!

As I have decided to embrace the Autumn season well and truly, I also realise I want to help those hygge vibes along and create a warm, cosy and inviting space for me and the family to relax in. I am a big believer that the space around us really can influence our mood, and with one or two areas of 'Home Sweet Home' still not quite finished off, my mood can be a bit fickle at times ;) I wanted to begin to bring a little Autumn love into at least one room and so the lounge was decided upon. I still love the florals, and they will always play a part in my home decor for sure, but ones tastes do change over time and so I've decided to cut back from the flowers (a little) and am aiming for a more simple, streamlined look, with plain walls and pops of colour! 

After a little mooch, that turned out to be a bit of a shopping spree at Dunelm (it will always be Dunelm Mill to me!) I found some lovely bits to help me create that cosy feeling that I was yearning. 

I also think I found my 'pop' in the form of 'Ochre' a particularly lovely autumnal shade of mustard yellow. Oh my goodness I can't get enough of it and have been surprised with how it can compliment many a backdrop. You can see the popping of colour in the haul I got! 

I just had to have the cute slippers with their ochre pom pom!

Once I had a chance to have a good look through my haul, a couple of the cushion covers didn't quite do it for me, so I decided to exchange them for some other ones. Ah yes, now that's much better! With the dog in mind of course, seeing as he sits on the sofa as much as anyone else ;) 

And whilst he's up on the sofa, it seems I'm not the only one who also loves cosying up with the fury throws. 

Against the crisp white walls the ochre lampshade looks so cheery! 

And with the colourful party lights this is a lovely corner of the room. My daisy wooden wall art had never quite found its perfect place in 'Home Sweet Home' over the years, but now with the ochre love in here and its tiny yellow disc centre think it's found its new place! When the party lights are on, this corner is one of my favourite spaces to sit.

I'm just loving Dunelm's cosy teddy bear range, so as well as picking up a couple of their throws, I couldn't resist a super soft hoodie for Miss. Poppins and I to snuggle up in. Being a teen, I have to take every cuddle opportunity I can get and these will definitely help to get some mum/daughter time I'm sure!

As we have been looking for a rug to suit the lounge and realised the previous one, although super lovely, was a little too small, saw a great one at Dunelm, and even better was half price so a great buy. I must be growing up a bit as my teen said "You're turning into Nainy (welsh for grandma) as it's the sort of thing she'd buy". Well, my mum often gets lovely compliments on her home decor so it can't be half bad. The rug looks great, adds warmth, not too in your face and seems to compliment all the mustard love! 

We have had our Ikea sofas for longer than I care to remember, and the time has come after many years to bring some new sofa love in. Our lounge isn't that big a space so we have to be really careful with not having something too big, but we seem to be quite taken on a corner sofa and a two seater/sofa bed. However we have looked, and looked, and looked and looked (you get the picture) and just can't decide. Apart from the colour (a light/medium grey) we are no further, and perhaps the trusty Ikeas will be sat on forever! 

Talking of Ikea, I have had this Ikea chair on my wish list for ages....so maybe the ochre love has always been there. 

I'm also getting quite fond of the faux plant vibe and having only a few real plants dotted around my home of the green variety, I think the faux look can really help to fill the space. I picked up these ficus spray's whilst at Dunelm and they look surprisingly good and only cost 99p a stem. 

And this Ivy looks lovely across the mantle above the led candles so no fire hazard issue there! 

I also find smells and fragrances help to create a lovely mood and I knew as soon as the Gingerbread candles and diffusers came back into Home Bargains, I was going to get my hands on one. Obviously what fragrance one person likes candle wise can be very individual, I tend to be a vanilla, coffee, chocolate type of girl so Gingerbread is perfect for me, and these smell delicious! I've yet to try the Gingerbread diffuser out so shall leave that in it's packaging until we are well and truly in the depths of Autumn. 

Of course I couldn't resist a little light of the teeny version, these are such a bargain at only 59p I can see me going back for many (many) more! 

I'm trying to watch less telly (which is a bit ironic as Autumn is usually a great season for some fab tv dramas) and get reading more, of course my new book had to match the decor ;) 

So, its a start, and with bare white walls in the lounge, I may be inspired to add a little colour, but for now I'm slowly starting to feel the Autumn vibes and am enjoying my cosy time! 

Hope you are feeling the cosy love too, I'd love to know what helps you to create the Autumn love decor wise at this time of year!

X 

New Seasons

Normally at this time of year as one season blends into another, the days get shorter, and the nights draw in earlier, I have a little wobble. I'm definitely a spring/summer girl and as these colder, darker months creep upon me, I tend to want to hide, to hibernate and pop out again come spring! Ok, ok I physically don't hibernate to the outside world but the want is certainly there. I do however feel Autumn is a beautiful month with the change-over, and to be embraced, so I have decided to soak it all up and help make the change over that little bit easier.  

First some inspiration from one of my vintage Ladybird books!

And here is what it says...

"There are many, many things to look for in autumn, just as there are at any other time of year. You will, of course, soon find such things as blackberries and hazel nuts, but if you know where to look you might also find the nests of the wood wasp hanging from twigs, or a bumbles bee's nest in the bank - in which you might even discover a field-mouse curled up. You can look for the large flocks of various kinds of birds, some in their young plumage, others fully adult, and some still half-and-half; and sometimes you will find all the males together in one flock, and all the females in another. This book will tell you about many other interesting things that you can see, and will greatly increase the pleasure of your country walks." 

Gosh what's not to love! I shall enjoy dipping in and out of my little book. To get me on my way, I took a little visit to the library to seek out any other inspiring books. I found a great Selina Lake one called "Winter Living".

It has some great ideas for transforming your home into a welcoming haven inspired by the romantic charm of winter. I'm really into the Hygge movement and so anything that helps to create a pretty, calm and inspiring space I'm all up for! There is a great little piece on winter florals and creating a pretty backdrop for the home.

 I really liked the idea of drying out some pretty hydrangeas and having friendly neighbours with an abundance of the pretty flowers, kindly let me have some. There were so many pretty colours and I looked quite the country girl collecting them in my lovely Freecycle wicker basket. 

A couple may have been just past their best for picking but lovely all the same and I couldn't wait to get displaying them. 

I'm yet to remove all the leaves and so am enjoying the very best ones before they start to dry out, which they are starting to do.

I'd like to find other ways to display them once they have dried out so if you have any ideas please let me know. For now I'll enjoy looking at my little arrangement which sits on a recently painted little table I found on Freecycle. I just love Freecycle and I don't think there is any room in my home that doesn't have a least a couple of Freecycle, or Freegle as its now called pieces in it. Very often a piece that I have up-cycled. 

The little rose gold  'Dream' sign was a 99p bargain from Aldi from their clearance sale. We're also in the middle of a re-decoration in the lounge and whilst browsing in Laura Ashley found this lovely wool blend rug in their sale. A real bargain at £38 from £125!

It's possibly a bit too small for the room, but I couldn't resist the cheery check and it'll be a great addition to any of my other rooms. I had seen another stripey bargain (ex-display) rug at the same time, it was bigger, but I couldn't make my mind up which one to get. The next day I realised the stripey one was probably a better fit for the lounge being bigger, so I dashed back to get it. As I went through the the shop door I saw someone at the till buying it. Ha! I wanted it even more then ;) So the hunt is still on for a larger rug that isn't going to break the bank. 

For now I shall enjoy dipping into my inspiring library books to help me get into the changing season mood! 

X

Interior Styling With Oak Furniture Company

I really enjoy blogging about home interiors and when I was challenged by the Oak Furniture Company to imagine styling a room in my home incorporating a product from one of their ranges, I knew straight away which room I would use for the challenge. Master Poppins, who is growing up far too quickly and is now at the grand old age of nine, is also getting to that age where the vintage style low bed I purchased some years ago just isn't cutting it for him any more. Something much, much cooler is required. 

This is where I think the lovely Aspen White painted furniture range from the Oak Furniture company would be perfect to give him a new very stylish pre-teen bedroom.

He already has the perfect seaside inspired wallpaper that would look great with the bright white Aspen bed.

Although his bedroom is an attic conversion, it currently is serving as a twin room with not one, but two of the vintage style beds in there and which proves very useful when guests stay over. Though having somewhat of a girly corner is not a look he wants when his mates come over. Luckily all things girl-related can be out by the time the boys arrive. 

The after shave would have to stay though...

Yes definitely time for a new, more grown up bed I think. 

So space wise, the Aspen White double bed would just fit in there, or even replacing the old beds in there with two of the Aspen single versions would look super. 

Of course boys also tend to come with quite a bit of extra stuff, so just having the one single bed would leave him with a nice space for storage to put all that much needed (to him) stuff in. I can imagine his lovely Cath Kidston bed linen on this beautifully painted bed and of course the fresh white look is a classic style that in my opinion never dates and fits in perfectly with the traditional look I love so much. It is simple, sleek and also practical with a wipe-able satin finish. In fact I think he'd feel like a true prince sleeping in this grown up bed.

The timber used is from renewable forests so he'd be doing his little bit for the environment too. Oh I can just imagine it here looking mighty fine.

It's extremely adaptable and could be incorporated into many looks for a bedroom, and would be great for a teenage girl's room, a spare room for guests, and it would even sit very comfortably in my own bedroom amongst my shabby chic wares.  

With the white flooring already fitted in Master Poppins' bedroom, adding this bright white bed would create a really crisp clean look and turn what is currently somewhat of a little boys bedroom, into a lovely grown up space perfect for his ever changing needs and it is definitely a forever bed that would look great in any of his future bedroom styles. The white bed would coordinate so well with his already red, white and blue scheme and fits very well with his seaside background.  

We even have a lifebuoy that goes so well with his current look, and I also notice one also sits very well within the Aspen range imagery too. Great minds...

So, it looks like I'll have to sit down with my ever growing son and look into us perhaps saving some pennies and see if we can get him that much wanted grown up bed he so desperately wants. 

X  

Disclosure: This blog post was sponsored by and created in association with Tots100 and The Oak Furniture Company, all words and opinions are my own.

Iconic Lights - LOVE LIGHT

I love mood lighting, and if that lighting actually involves the word 'LOVE' then I'm hooked. I adore the light up signs often found at vintage, country style wedding's with words such as 'MR' and MRS' or 'LOVE'. There is definitely a flair of Hollywood glamour (I'm thinking those lovely dressing room mirrors) with the light up bulbs and I for sure would have them at my own wedding if I was getting married all over again. 

When Iconic Lights got in touch and enquired whether I would like to become a brand ambassador I jumped at the chance, I love to try out new, exciting products especially around a home decor theme and although on the face of it our 1960's home is quite 'average' looking from the outside, dressing up the inside is great fun. I really enjoy putting my own stamp on things and it always makes me happy when visitors say how they like the little corners of my home. As an Iconic Lights ambassador, I shall be getting involved with getting to know their products and how well they sit as a backdrop in my own home. Of course, there may even be that special light that takes centre stage.

As I have begun to learn more about Iconic lights, I have been really impressed with their quirky, up to date and also vintage style lighting. It must also be emphasised that the lights offer great value for money. I fell in love with this 'LOVE' shaped wall hanging light and knew it would fit right in with my home decor. It is battery operated so super easy for moving around to different spaces should you wish. At £18 for this love light, I thought exceptional value and featuring a cluster of 20 warm led bulbs, it really pops out at you when it is turned on. 

I also think it looks super stylish with the lights unlit in the daytime, and along with the flamingoes, creates a really cute vibe on my dining room shelf.

And then it isn't long before the big switch on...

So, I think it can be agreed I just LOVE the 'LOVE' light and its fair to say is very me. I am enjoying having a browse on the Iconic Lights website to see what other lighting they have on offer. Here's a bit of info about the company's story...

"Iconic Lights burst onto the e-lighting scene 3 years ago and hasn't looked back. It was founded alongside the LSE Retail Group offering high quality Iconic, Stylish, Innovative, Classic & Cutting Edge lighting designs at affordable prices. The guys behind LSE Retail found that there was a gap in the market for such high quality lighting designs, sold at affordable prices. Iconic lights appeals to the individual consumer looking for stylish lighting for their home as well as specialising in supplying interior designers, architects and developers with bespoke lighting designs for their own projects." 

X 

Disclosure: As I am part of the Iconic Lighting brand ambassador programme I was sent the Love light for the purposes of this blog post, all words and opinions are my own.

Homebase Dining Room Makeover

Hello lovelies, I thought I'd share a nice little home makeover post with you today.

I am one who needs no encouragement when it comes to prettying up areas in my home and was delighted to take part in the Homebase #MyWay makeover project. Many a room in my home needs a little TLC, however, there is one room that is not much more than an empty shell and definitely in need of a makeover. The room is the dining area, and I couldn't wait to get decorating.

Homebase has some great inspiration over at the Project Centre and I enjoyed having a browse before starting my makeover. It is said that people on average spend £243 on updating their home decor and get much of that inspiration from online and offline friends, otherwise known as 'Friendspiration'. This encourages many of us to have a go ourselves, and without calling out the professional experts. For this makeover I did it pretty much all on my own (bar borrowing the husband for a bit of drilling and heavy duty sanding) so it can be done! On average, shoppers also spend 29 days researching ideas for the makeover. For my research I created a Pinterest board and although my research took a lot less than the average 29 days, I did have quite a clear idea how I wanted the space to look.

                            Follow Sew_Pretty's board Homebase #MyWay on Pinterest.

So, it was that average amount of £243 (given in Homebase vouchers) that I was to spend on redecorating and updating the dining area. Now, I could have just given it a quick coat of paint and purchased some swanky new bits and bobs and voila, all done. But oh no, when I get stuck in, I get well and truly stuck in. Being somewhat of a thrifter, I really wanted to get as much as possible with that £243, and it took 3 Homebase visits to get all I needed. Here is my trolley on my first shopping expedition...

I was going to go my usual flowery self with the wallpaper but changed my mind as there really is quite enough floral-ness going on in this home. I loved there white brick effect wallpaper and knew it would be perfect, it has an almost 3D look and I only used up 2 rolls doing both walls. I did get an extra roll just to be sure, and it is always useful to have a spare in case of repairs and/or if the wallpaper gets discontinued. So at £12.99 a roll, I spent £38.97 on wallpaper.

 I also spent a small amount on brushes and wallpaper adhesive.

As to the area itself, as I mentioned earlier it is well over due a makeover and getting involved in this project gave the the impetus to get motivated finally. The room had been stripped back previously and needed a little plastering in places. The area was looking not so much shabby chic, but just plain shabby. 

You can see in the corner I had been playing with wallpaper samples so it was a work in progress to a degree, I just needed to get it finished. Once the walls had been cleaned with sugar soap to wipe off any grease, dirt and grit, it was time to get wallpapering. I have wallpapered before and wasn't really fazed, however I do think it is a two wo/man job as it can be somewhat fiddly getting the paper lined up etc. The first piece went up like a dream, however the next one I had a little obstacle in the way, namely the radiator and as I was not over enthusiastic abut removing it, found a very handy video that shared some great tips on wallpapering.




Do I get a gold star?

Possibly not the neatest job, but I'm hoping no-one is going take a nose at the back ;) Soon, I got in my stride and I was really liking the look of the wallpaper as it was going up.

Next, it was time to get painting the sideboard which was purchased off ebay many years ago and for a song. I decided to try out Rust-oleum furniture paint in Dusky Pink  and Chalk White both priced at £12.99 and I have to say I was very impressed.

I used the 'Dusky Pink' for the sideboard and 'Chalky White' for the chairs and table legs. I found the 4 chairs in a skip a very long time ago (I did ask if it was ok to take them) and here is what they looked like before I painted them. 

I decided to make a start on the sideboard and I think the pink colour looks great against the white arty wallpaper. I didn't want too matt a finish, so I gave it a slightly white washed look and which I think gives it some character.

Even though I had decided the floorboards were going to be painted white, they really weren't in very good condition, and as there are floorboards elsewhere in the house to clean up, decided to try out a floor sander for the weekend. One thing I learnt was that sanders weigh a tonne! Anyway am glad we did sand the floorboards first as I think the paint went on so much easier. Here they are prepared and ready to be painted after the sand.

 It was certainly good practice for when we come to use the sander again for the other floorboards. After painting the skirting boards I then used white paint to freshen up the walls and ceiling. I couldn't resist a little play to see which corner I was going to display the plant I had purchased. 

 The paint we used for the floor was Ronseal Diamond Hard White floor paint priced at £31.99 for a 2.5L tin. I applied it with a long handled roller which saved lots of time and it dried really quickly. It gives the space a lovely fresh, airy feel to it. 

I was desperate to get the pretties in and had purchased some lovely accessories from Homebase, however I was a good girl and waited for the floor paint to harden. I also wanted (with the help from husband) to put a shelf up. I did display the pretty frames and which I thought a bargain at only £5.29 each. I used some of a sample wallpaper for the background and that I also incorporated in the sideboard. I then popped a cut out heart shape inside each frame from my favourite fabrics.  

I love the hanging family sign!

Nearing the finish line, my poor thumbs were definitely feeling it. 

Time to get the chairs finished.

I decided to pop a little cushion on each chair that I already had and attached with some ribbon. I love the 'Smile' quote.

It was all coming together and I could finally put my purchased pretties in place. Some of my favourites were the oh so cute squirrel  and I couldn't leave the gloss white stag behind either. I love candlelight at tea time and thought the new tea light holders perfect for the makeover.

So here is the room after my makeover and I have to say I love it.

*Many photographs coming up alert* 

As it's coming up to Easter, I had to dig out the twiggy tree.

The laugh tea light holders look lovely lined up and the glass jars are perfect for displaying the tea lights.

Yum! Little sweet biscuits are definitely one of my favourite things :)

I chose a natural straw runner for the sideboard and matching table mats for the table, I think they add texture to the look of the room.

This glass vase came home with me too, perfect for displaying fruit.

I thought this hanging sign just perfect against the brick effect wallpaper.

Another pretty candle, and it coordinates beautifully with the set of 3 rose canvases displayed behind.

The squirrel and stag look perfectly at home.

This is one of my favourite children's books, and it had to have a special place too. 

Tea lights at tea time...

Time to eat...

I really hope you enjoyed your little tour of our newly decorated dining area, quite a difference don't you think, perhaps you've been inspired to pick up the paint brush? I hope so. I felt so depressed and uninspired in the old room as it was and now feel so much cheerier walking in.  

I was very impressed with Homebase as not only was I able to purchase the basics, like paint, wallpaper, brushes etc, but they also offer some fantastic home accessories and in my opinion at great prices. I was able to really fill my trolley with the £243 budget. Of course, some things I already had, but I always aim to recycle as much as I can rather than buy new all the time. 

Now to enjoy it!!

X

Disclosure: I was sent £243 of Homebase vouchers for the purposes of this makeover project blog post. All words and opinions are my own.