Loving the home you have ....

Hi everyone,

Has anyone else been watching the Great British Interior Design Challenge?

I loved watching it & marvelled at the many skills the designers needed - painter of all sorts, upholsterer, wood worker, sewing experts, & then still knowing how to put it all together in a 'cohesive way' while being coaxed to 'push the boundaries' ...

My favourite make over was Lucy's Scandinavian Bedroom in the Half Houses  - a stunning built in Scandinavian style bed with everything really looking calm, coordinated & utterly lovely. It was a lovely mix of old & new with even the curtains having a special touch  ... These are some TV stills I photographed for inspiration ....

However, the kitchens were disappointing, especially when really good (expensive) kitchen cupboard doors were painted & the judges commented that 'the paint is soft under my nail so it will not last' (or something to that effect). After having our kitchen redone last year, I know only too well how expensive it is so thought ... that will not be a happy home owner at all. I would be livid ....

However, it is easy to get caught up in comparing the homes with your own ...

One quote that always comes to mind is

It is too easy to watch such home programmes or read blogs & not love or appreciate what you already have.

Us bloggers are an eclectic bunch & we look for inspiration & in turn I hope we inspire others to be brave with their homes too.  However, the very fact that we have homes to change & fiddle with should remind us to be thankful for the blessing of somewhere to call our own. Millions around the world would be more than happy with what we take for granted - a safe & warm home, enough food, a comfortable bed,  more than enough clothes to choose from, shoes etc

Replace your envy with gratitude & your home will be your safe haven & sanctuary. A clean organised space is something of beauty, however humble it is. Use inspiration to make your home more of what you love, make it unique to you - to tell your story because that is what homes should be, but never stop loving what you already have.

In the Great British Design Challenge, the one thing that stuck out was the phrase 'stop playing it safe' and I thought - WHY? When the cameras stop rolling, someone has to live with designs that SHOUT out instead of wrapping you in comfort. Classic rooms do not date & they are beautiful spaces what encourage you to enjoy them.

My faithful readers know only too well that I love calm, neutral rooms which I can change around. Most of you are familiar with glimpses of my home. It is a place that we love & live in every room, using it as a home not a show home. I love nothing more than collecting, painting, making or adapting things to make our home unique to us.  Old family items sit happily alongside modern bits as is similar in all our homes.

Let me give you a peek in to some of our home ...

All 4 our bedrooms have solid cream painted furniture but they are very different according to the occupants ...

Our guest bedroom has twin beds because it often has single people who like their own bed. It is pretty with painted French style headboards (I painted dated vintage ones to bring them up to date) & an Ikea cupboard that I embellished for the space.

The alcove in the guest bedroom holds my sewing corner - a little  space where I have my things at hand for when I have time to just indulge my passion ...

Our A Wondering Star daughter has a beautiful bedroom too - this is part of her room - calm so it can easily be changed with soft furnishings.  Even though her & partner Andy have a beautiful loft flat in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter, they still have this room at home with their bits for when they want to pop through with their lovely Vizsla dogs, Apollo & Aura. She loved the solid, slated bed & it fits in well with her own art on display.

Youngest daughters is away at university & her bedroom often hosts overnight guests - the bedroom suite & decor was decided by her & it is a lovely space.

Our master bedroom has ornate cream furniture, the shape of which complements the built in cupboards & is perfect foil for regular change

My personal desk is in my bedroom, that is where I write letters, it holds my special bits ...

Last year we had our dated bathrooms redone because they had a leak we couldn't locate. This was our en suite that went from all grey & cramped with a boxed in shower, a dark basin area & a bidet that I loathed .... 

... to a more calming colour with a large walk in shower & a much better layout ... 

The large corner bath was removed and a lovely jet bath was installed, the basin was moved to the other side of the shower wall to make space for the walk in shower & the space is now sleek, beautiful, useful & modern ...

This was the family (girls) bathroom which used to be very dated with patterned tiles, a double basin, gold taps & no proper shower. A leak under the bath had prompted the change & gave us the opportunity to think about how we use the room, especially as showers are the choice these days. 

I designed the bathroom to make better use of the generous space. We lost a basin there but gained a lovely corner shower which is far more practical & useful. Neutral tiles & fittings made the space more open, light & bright - a really beautiful bathroom now which was planned to make better use of the generous space. 

Our kitchen went from dark oak which was dated & drab in need of modernisation & without enough work surfaces & awful tea cup patterned tiles  ....

 

.... to a fab & light modern space now which is a pleasure to be in. We planned the space to be both functional (with generous work spaces & lots of cupboards) and a beautiful light & airy feel ...

Our dining room is conveniently placed by the kitchen & is a cosy space that is used all the time

However, if we have a large group for a meal, it is always in our conservatory which is larger with lovely views of the garden. 

I have my desk in our bedroom & hubby has a downstairs study / office where he works from & which holds all the things he loves - his books, awards, paintings etc 

Most of you will be familiar with the main feature of our living room - the generous inglenook fireplace that often sports some colourful bunting & is where we have our main Christmas decorations each year ... 

 Even our garden is calming - our summerhouse is painted in Country Cream & it offsets all the green plants very well.

Our home, our space, always a list of things to do & upkeep to keep on top of but that is what we love about it - it evolves with us & it incorporates old & new items.  I take inspiration from the gorgeous blogs I read, from programmes such as the Great British Interior Design Challenge but the challenge is all ours to create a space we are truly relaxed & happy in - that is what makes it a home.

I hope this post has inspired you to look around what you have & to be both thankful & grateful for your home & I hope it will always change & evolve ....

Thank you for stopping by, where do you find your inspiration? I hope I have inspired you to just enjoy your space - warts & all!
Dee ~♥~