my living room makeover...befores and afters

Well, finally. The walls have been painted white...I've hung a few paintings...the chandeliers are up...and I'm a whole lot happier with my living room now. Here's why!

The wall colour (this is how it was when I bought the house) really did my head in and it had to go. Oh yes, I should warn you...there are quite a lot of photos in this post. How it was before...bad colours, oppressive beams (they don't look it here but the cross beams were a nasty reddy colour), and light fittings that had seen much better days...

and how it is now...light, bright and without the shonky fireplace. Still have to paint the fly screen white though ...

Even though it does get very cold in Canberra, the fire took up so much room that I had to let it go...I have central heating so it's not an issue...but I still need to get the large square hole in the carpet repaired...soon. Here's what it was like...erk...you can surely see why I couldn't keep it or those attractive tiles!

The townhouse isn't all that big but I like the different levels and angles, even though there's no foyer to speak of (which is very annoying)...this is the before looking up to my study on the left and the front door...

and now...the painting to the right of the stairs was done by my son as his Year 12 major piece and given to me for my 50th. He's tried to get it back, but he's got buckleys :)

It's such a nice room to be in...I couldn't be happier with the paint job...I've never voluntarily had white walls before. When I've lived somewhere that I could paint, there's almost always been a feature wall.

 I'm blaming you lot! Can you spot the vampire slayer? There...in her usual spot...

The dining area has a bay window and was really designed for a round table...but I love my table and I'm not giving it up...the star jasmine better hurry up and cover that ugly mission brown lattice though! 

This is the view from the dining section of the room into the tiniest kitchen in the southern hemisphere...it's on my hit list.

I can't imagine not having lots of art on the walls...heaps more to be painted, purchased or otherwise procured! Buffy was unusually absent when this photo was taken :)

The door on the right there (see below) heads up to the built in mezzanine level where my studio is...and where the 22 year old currently lives! Dealing with that as we speak :) I'm not at all fond of the carpet but it's in such good condition (apart from the big hole where the fireplace was) that I can't possibly justify replacing it...I just try to cover it up as much as I can.

Details of some of my stuff coming up...there's a definite asian theme...

Not a great photo I'm sorry but here are the chandeliers in all their sparkling glory...read about how I got them here...and this also gives you an indication of how high the back wall is...

Gee, you're good if you've got to the end of this...thank you for sticking it out. Oh, and that white paint was worth every cent...Dulux Antique White USA :)

what to do while waiting for the plasterer to arrive...

Can you believe it? A plasterer is actually on his way to do some work at the tranquil townhouse...I am beyond chuffed...and still slightly disbelieving! The area he'll be working on is the bottom 'level' of my bedroom. Sounds much grander than it is believe me...but once the plastering and painting is done I will certainly reveal all.
So while I was waiting...what better to do than sort my scarves...

Hanging on an antique towel rail I bought when living in the UK 20 years ago...I think it's welsh pine...and I love it. And here's the offending area...or part of it...

When I moved in here, there was the ugliest laminate built in desk you've ever seen in this spot. I can't begin to tell you how difficult it was to remove (and I did it all by myself...you can read about it and see some of the ugliest photos ever here) and how pleased I was when it was gone. This space has been designated as my reading spot when it's finally done up...

...provided the vampire slayer doesn't get there first...good luck with that one Kez!

...not room for much more than the chair, but that's ok...

..it's enough space for me to read and look out at the courtyard. I'll be sure to do a proper before and after when it's all done, dusted and painted...those brown windows drive me batty...and they're all over the house...don't worry, on the list!
...and there's the doorbell, I kid you not! Have a lovely weekend bloggy peeps...wherever you are, whatever you're doing.
And...for those of you who want to see Central Australia in all its glory, go here to follow a family of five who are doing it in a campervan...armchair travelling at its best! Us, not them.

a DIY chevron mirror

I attempted a few projects over the weekend. This was the only one that made it to completion. 

With a few hiccups along the way...no surprises there! So here's how it went...
I bought this very cheap mirror at the framers a while back...don't get too excited at the cost...it's not a big mirror (about 10 x 10 inches) and you can see why it was going cheap...eww before photos are ugly aren't they, which is no doubt why they are just that...

I assembled the weapons of construction...flat fats...you quilters are so cute!

Cut out the fabric to the right size...more or less...sprayed the mirror with spray adhesive...there was my first mistake...stuck on the fabric and cut out the centre piece with a good old Stanley knife. Then I got together the bits I thought I'd need for glueing the ribbon edging on with...

Wrong. A glue gun is not the best choice for this...but gee it makes an interesting pattern when you leave it unattended while you spray the ribbon...not the mirror this time. I am nothing if not a quick learner!

And can you see...what a mess when you spray the mirror and not the fabric. I used a variety of methods to clean the mirror up...not yet entirely successfully but let's just say silver cleaner, eucalyptus oil and 'spray and wipe' all got a workout! Lucky I know how to laugh is all I can say. 

But enough with the ugly photos...it doesn't look too bad if you stand back a bit...in the dark...with one eye closed...

And as for those other projects? You'll have to wait for the mini-me fake juju hat but it's coming, I promise you that! Once I get more hot pink turkey feathers...

You think I'm joking don't you!!

I'm going to share this little gem at BNOTP Metamorphosis Monday today and maybe a few other places too including here...

hoping that serious DIYers might get a little amusement from my feeble efforts! It always seems easy in my imagination!

a simple solution for a small annoyance

No, Buffy is not the small annoyance I am referring to...she's a much bigger problem! But this jewellery box, bloggy peeps, believe it or not...was the simple solution...

to this small annoyance...a candle plate that I have had for years and quite like...which of course you can no longer buy the right size candles for (at the right sized price at least)...

What to do? Fill in the gap of course...and create a whole lot of different looks while you're at it...I tried beachy...

pastel...

tribal...

a touch of old worlde charm...(that was my grandma's brooch)

chinoiserie...

bold and modern...

organic...

love anything remotely boho...

elegant...

a bit of bling...(see that Burberry perfume...a little goes a long way believe me!)

and the life aquatic...

 And then what happens...?

...you find a candle that fits almost perfectly...and it doesn't cost the earth. Sigh. Life's like that.

I'm linking this to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

...well it's kind of one I think even though it required no power tools or paint!

all images by me...they took forever to stage, but it was heaps of fun! Just one more procrastination project brought to you by a tranquil townhouse!