Firstly, thank you so much to all of you reading, and to those lovely comments I recieved in response to my last blog post. They were lovely and I REALLY appreciate them!Sooo... I've made a list (on paper and in my head!) of various subjects I want to blog about and I will now proceed to do so! First up (as it's been requested Lise!) is a photographic tour of my house.
Now, let me give you some background information first; Pete and I bought our house over 7 years ago now. It's an early 80s semi and when we bought it it needed a lot doing to it, not structurally, but a lot in terms of decoration and renovation. We gave it a quick re-paint and a very thorough clean when we first moved in but since those early days we've had a new bathroom, cavity wall insulation, new front door, new windows, new back door (twice! Decadent or what!), new carpets and flooring, new kitchen, decking out the back, landscaped garden (mostly Pete there...), new fences, new paved drive, door knocked through to the garage and every room bar one has been re-painted twice! Well, seven years is a long time and tastes change.. I was 21 when we got this place (I'm a sage old 29 now..). I suppose one day we will move on from this house, but right now I/we love it here.. so please, let me introduce you to "our house!"
Now, I thought it'd be best to show you a few photos of the house back in 2004, but we didn't have a digital camera back then, so I've taken a few pics from our photo album (yes, we have a photo album called "our house"!!). Please excuse the poor quality and glare from lights/reflections. It's nearly half ten in the evening so this is the best you're gonna get folks!
First up we have the stairs and a glimps of the bathroom... you can almost taste the 80s!
Here we have my Dad in the jungle.. sorry, cutting back the garden. He had to use an actual scythe to hack back the grass!
Awww, a young Pete painting our bedroom (the one room which is still the same colour)
What was the office, became the spare room and is now Ethan's room..
Ugh... the original (and I mean original!) kitchen. Ick, ick ick!
Now, please scrape your eyes clean and prepare to meet our house and garden as it is today.. subject to a daily change (because like my mother I am compelled to move furniture around in an attempt to find the "perfect" position.. which of course isn't possible.. but this isn't the time for my quest for perfection..) I won't blab on about what each pic is as they are essentially pretty obvious. I'll start downstairs and then move up.. as if you were having a real tour!
Just a heads up, but when asked what inspires me with regards to our decore, I usually say it's a mixture of things, people and styles. I always enjoy the Ikea catalogue - though we've moved past most of their furniture onto longer lasting solid wood pieces from other places, I love the way they style rooms. Their catalogue is fantastic for ideas. I love their use of colour. Colour is something we as a family are not afraid of, we embrace it! All of us dress colourfully, I always have done. I think it's my creative side coming out. I can never pick one favourite colour! I am inspired by the houses of friends and family. I love my uncle and aunts house, it's homey without being too cluttered and that's something I aspire to. I like to choose pieces and colours that actually mean something, say something about us, not just because they have a purpose. I like a mixture of Scandinavian clean lines and colour mixed with Cath Kidston English cottage chic (without the cottage!). Enjoy!
I love it. You've done such an amazing job with it over the years and it's perfect. I'd barely choose anything the same as you, but that doesn't mean that I don't like your taste, just that it's brilliantly 100% 'you' (just like we dress in very different styles to each other). you have such a bright and welcoming home.
ReplyDeleteI will not dare to do similar on my blog in case someone orders a bomb to be dropped on my house to improve it.
Ah come on lise, they wouldn't! You don't know how many times ive looked through the photos of your house on Facebook, I love it and I've drawn inspiration from it! You know I still wear that sparkly gold wooly bollaro type cardi I bought off your years ago on the forum! X
ReplyDeleteOh, I forgot you bought that! I loved it but it didn't suit me.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I may just take some photos of it now and you will be able to see what I mean - bomb site is a good description.
Such a beautiful home, wonderful! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Binty :) xx
ReplyDeleteYou should Lise! I may be overly critical of my own place (understatement!) but I never see anyone else's place in the same light. Honestly. You could have crap everywhere and I'll still spot loads of stuff to love :)
What a gorgeous home!! I love the colors and decor and just all off it! It's funky, homey and bloody tidy too. My kind of place :) x
ReplyDeleteThank you! Only just saw your comment! X
ReplyDelete