A Fresh Look

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Posted on September 21, 2012

One of the benefits of holidays and being away from our home is that sometimes you can take a step back and review things from a distance.

A few months ago I considered buying a new doona cover for our bed since the one we have had for over 10 years definitely does not match the current colour scheme. It has been like that for about 4 years but it had taken me that long to consider it. One of the things that was holding me back was why get rid of the existing cover which is still in excellent condition.

While we were away I suddenly realised that the doona cover on our bed would look perfect on the bed in the guest room and then I could justify buying a new one for our bed.

Here is the revamped guest room.

On Wednesday we looked for a new cover which proved to be quite a challenge as it is obvious that the colours in our room (Wedgewood blue with cream trim) are definitely not the latest trend. Most of the bed linen was either neutrals in cream/grey/coffee palettes or bright geometric designs. However, I eventually found something suitable.

I also bought another cover in a grape colour with a muted floral design. I will use that during the winter months for a change. This is the first time that I have ever had bed linen to change with the seasons. Thanks to the sale prices, I was able to buy the 2 covers for the full price of just one of them.

I am very happy with the results of my rearrangement of the bed linen. Now I have the bedspread which was on the guest bed to put away in the linen cupboard while I consider its fate.

Most of our furnishings/colours are relatively classic and are chosen because they are what we like rather than what is this year’s “must have”. This can make things difficult at times, especially when you are looking for a colour or design that is not ‘in’.

Do you follow the latest trends in interior design or are you happy with what you have? Any tips for updating on a budget?

Back on Track

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Posted on September 20, 2012

It is now 4 days since we arrived back in Australia from our trip to the United States and I feel as though I am back into my routine.

I went back to work on Monday but yesterday was my day off so I caught up on the washing, packed the suitcases away and re-made the guest bed.

While I was emptying the cane waste paper basket in the guest room I noticed that the top edge was broken. It is not really noticeable because there is a plastic bag liner but I decided it would be better if I repaired it.

The cane binding had broken and the overlapping ends were sticking out.

I used some white kitchen string and a large curved needle which had been in some sewing notions that were handed down to me some time ago. I had never used the needle before but it was prefect for this job.

I tied the string in place at one end to anchor it and then held the ends in place while I wound the string around the damaged section and tied it at the other end.

It is not superbly pretty but the repair returns the baskets to its original shape and makes it easy to fit and replace the plastic bag liner.

Do you take the time to make simple household repairs? Do you keep a ball of string or do you see it as useless?

March to a Different Drum

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Posted on July 3, 2012

I was reading the Down to Earth blog last week and Rhonda actually re-visited an earlier post from 2009 about how to start out living simply. You can read it here. In it she speaks about making your own choices rather than following a specific prescription for living simply.

The idea of being an individual and not slavishly following others really resonated with me.

It constantly astounds me how people are influenced by fashion and trends. It is not necessarily just about clothes but encompasses style of houses, interior decorating, colours and so much more.

Magazines are not generally part of my reading material, but occasionally I will flick through one when I am waiting for an appointment at the doctor or dentist. The constant, subtle pressure to conform and consume jumps out from every page. It is not only the advertisements but the articles with titles such as, “Gray is the New Black” which insinuates that you can’t possibly wear the black trousers you bought last year.

Everywhere you turn there is evidence of what is ‘in’ and heaven help you, if you actually consider breaking the mould. Several years ago we were re-building our kitchen and we decided to have a look at some display homes to get some current ideas as it was many years since we had looked at what was available in kitchen design. We headed to a display village of new homes – I think there were about 40 homes and we looked at the kitchens in at least half of these. I was totally disillusioned as they all featured the same basic layout with the kitchen as part of an open-plan living area divided by a long work bench which often contained the sink. The drawers all had over-sized rectangular handles with minimal variation and the decor was universally a bland grey/mocha palette.

People make fun of the 1970’s lime green benchtops which were ‘in’. In fact, if you want lime green laminate or any other colour of the rainbow, you can get it in 2012. However, you need to be prepared to do your own research and choosing by going to the suppliers rather than going to a ‘one-stop shop’ where you will be presented with a range which is really just a selection of variations of the current trend.

Whatever the product, idea, attitude or philosophy, do not feel obliged to follow the crowd. Be an individual, buck the trend and make your own decisions about you and how you want to live your life. It does not have to be based on the latest colours, mobile phone or gadget.

Do you swim against the consumerist tide and make decisions about how you live your life in an independent manner?

Woodworker Wanted

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Posted on May 4, 2012

It is Friday evening and we have a long weekend stretching luxuriously in front of us. Not too many plans and some time to achieve interspersed with time to relax.

One thing I have pencilled into the diary is going to the Maleny Wood Expo. We have lived here over 6 years, yet have never attended this event. We always seem to be on holidays or away for the weekend.

I do have a particular reason for wanting to go this year.

This cabinet is solid silky oak. It was made by my father in the 1950’s from a rather large and outdated (at the time) sideboard. There were drop-down doors on the front originally but they have long since been removed. This has been at my parents’ home for as long as I can remember and when my mother was moving into a small unit I decided to bring it home.

I had no real idea about what I would do but I had a vague notion of being able to reuse the timber – possibly into a small coffee table. However, we recently moved our television from the wall mounting and wanted something to stand it on so used this piece of furniture as an interim measure.

The idea has formed to keep it pretty much as is but the green paint on the inside will need to be removed and I would like open shelving in the middle section to house the DVD player and PVR. The side sections need doors and will be used to store DVDs, CDs and associated peripherals.

Now all I need is someone to do this work and return this lovely piece of furniture to its former glory. That is where the wood expo comes in – I intend to take some photographs of it and hope to find a craftsman who is willing to create the vision I have for this cabinet.

Here is an image of a silky oak tree (Grevillea Robusta), the source of the timber used in this cabinet. The tree is native to our local area so I am hoping I will find someone who has access to a supply of the timber as more will be required for the shelves and doors.

We have often moved and re-purposed furniture in our home but I have never considered undertaking a major restoration such as I am considering. I think it will definitely be worthwhile.

Durable, solid timber furniture that is handed down through generations is much more appealing than the latest mass-produced import.

Finished

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Posted on March 19, 2012

3 weeks after the builders started the bathroom renovation, it is complete apart from a couple of minor things. We need to do the final coat of paint on the window and door frames and once that is done the builder will do the final bead of silicone around those edges and the mirror surround.

Here is the finished product.

It is difficult to get decent photos in a small room so here is another bit. This time the door is open.

And finally, here is the mirror.

I am really happy with how it has turned out – exactly as I anticipated. The dream and the reality matched up!

Bathroom Progress

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Posted on March 6, 2012

Two and a half weeks later the end is in sight. The plumbing, door knobs, mirror and showerscreen are yet to be done. There are 2 double towel rails plus a towel ring

Here is the wall showing the finished recess.

The floor of the shower showing the grate with tiled insert. Also, you can see the spare toilet roll holder and the holder for the toilet brush. I love them being on the wall which means they don’t need to be moved to mop the floor.

I will post some final photos when it is all finished – probably next week as we have to wait for the shower screen and mirror to be made to order.

We are very happy with the way the renovation has turned out.

Making Progress

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Posted on February 23, 2012

The bathroom renovation is underway. After the demolition on Monday we were left with nothing more than bare studs. All of the ceiling, wall sheeting and floor was ripped out. We wanted to make absolutely certain that there was no underlying water damage before we went to the expense of new tiles and fittings.

The new wall sheeting and ceiling are installed so we are now going forwards with the project.

This shows the recess in the wall of the shower which will hold bottles of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. I first saw the idea in B & B accommodation. It makes so much sense to me. Any shelf or soap holder built into the tiles is a hazard that you can bump yourself on and the hanging shower caddies gather soap scum or rust. The tiled recess will simply be cleaned with the rest of the tiles and I love the simple, streamlined look of it.

Finally, I would like to thank all of you who took up the challenge of introducing yourselves. I will respond to each of your comments and look forward to lots of discussion in the future.

Renovation Preparation = Decluttering

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Posted on February 16, 2012

In preparation for the bathroom renovation I emptied the vanity unit tonight. I did not think it was too bad as I had gone through the contents fairly recently, however I proved the rule that you do really need to empty a drawer/cupboard/room completely when you a decluttering. Otherwise it is easy to just ‘tidy it up’ and not really get serious about the worth of the contents.

Here are some ‘before’ photos.

The drawers

Drawer 2

Drawer 3

I systematically went through everything and ended up with 4 piles – rubbish, recycling, rehoming and keeping.

Here is the rubbish pile – even I could not seriously keep 3 tubes of sunscreen that expired at least 5 years ago!

The recycling – although it is not a lot, I did salvage what I could to be recycled.

The rehoming pile is pretty small – extra deodorant which should be in the stockpile box, exercise band which is going with the other exercise equipment and a medicine glass (I do not need 3) which Belle may want.

The rest is packed in a crate which will probably live in the office for the duration of the renovation.

When the new vanity is installed I will look critically at the storage of some items and revamp it. Some of the small white baskets are cracked so I will look for alternatives. I will wait until I see the exact dimensions of the drawers.

It does not need to be as radical as renovating a bathroom but when you are decluttering it is definitely worth removing everything from its location so that you can look at it all with fresh eyes rather than just seeing each item. where it is normally stored.

Preparation & Planning

A New Bathroom

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Posted on January 17, 2012

We have lived in this house for 6 years and have always planned to renovate the bathroom and to quote Lewis Carroll, “the time has come, the walrus said”.

Tonight we contacted the builder who has previously done some work for us. He is coming around on Saturday to have a look at the existing bathroom with a view to getting some ideas and giving us a quote. We also want to get the ceiling lined in the downstairs entry and a built-in cupboard downstairs as well.

This project will not happen overnight but without further ado I will share a couple of photos of the bathroom. These will become the ‘before’ shots………….

and this.