We can do it!

Came home exhausted last night after spending the bank holiday painting at my aunt's house. They moved in in late winter and have been wanting to change the salmon pink walls in the living room to something more neutral but figured they'd have to pay someone to do it. Until I got the itch ...

They wanted something neutral and although I'd love to have some before & after pics for you, we were time-crunched and what with covering sockets,floorboards and borders, we didnt take the time. Anyway, here is our inspiration-

we wanted a neutral color for the living room,to complement a newly installed sage green carpet

we also used it in the hallway to complete a new slate tile floor

we chose a warm terracotta for the open-plan kitchen which is adjacent to the living room

the bathroom had a mosaic of small,apple-green and creamy white tiles on the floor,so we picked 

a muted aquamarine blue to create a cool,crisp & calming effect

what do you think?

I'm so sore from squishing into tiny corners to paint behind heating radiators!

Lost in the Seasons

I'm stuck in the middle of endless, miserable weather in a city just west of London known as Slough.
Okay,I exaggerate.
When I say endless, I mean that in between the persistent rain from Sunday to Sunday,there are 1, even 2 hour breaks of sunshine.
When I say miserable, I mean that its August, typically the hottest month of the year in western countries, and the daily average is 16°C.
Having to wear jumpers and socks indoors and even turn the heating on at night does not appeal to me in August.

I'd much rather be here:

i think i would spend most of my time here..

 but instead  I have to go make more hot cocoa :[

Coming Soon to a Room in Your Home...

Old News: The most sweeping Spring 2010 home decor trend is a palette of pastels.

Now lets see how we can add pastels and neutrals to home decor without toning down the wow factor.

3 rooms. 1 theme palette. Lets Go!

The color palette is as follows:

sky blue and muted peach pair up sweetly in this bathroom

minty green and grayish blue keep this room muted yet fresh

All colors are available from the Martha Stewart Paint collector, carried at your local Walmart, Home Depot and other Home stores.

Flowers ,Flowers Everywhere!

It seemed that everyone on my street had caught a case of the green thumb this weekend. Fathers and sons, husbands and wives, parents and kids had their pant bottoms and sleeves rolled up and were digging into the dirt.

All in the hope that a month or two from now, the fragrance of beautiful bouquets will greet us as we enter our homes. What would be better than bypassing the florist and picking flowers from your own garden? Nothing whatsoever.

daffodils and branches 

lily and alchemilla 

 bluebells and chive blossoms

 hydrangeas and lavender 

rose hips

autumn joy, celosia

alliums  

Just beautiful! I hope this inspires you to dig into the dirt!

Tweet Tweet

Spring is the season when all of nature makes music. Crickets chirp louder, rain taps at windows and  the skies clap with thunder.

Best of all, birds require no sheet music to sing their beautiful melodies.

These bird-inspired craft projects will have you humming happily as well!

MS

MS

MS

MS

MS

chickens are birds too!

MS

MS

Resources for decorative supplies: Factory Direct Craft, 

Check out these ideas for cheap, beautiful bird craft projects here and here and here and here. WOW. Heather at Dollar Store Crafts is blowing my mind with these fantastic, wallet-friendly ideas

Bring Spring to Where You're Living in 5 Quick Ways

There are those who are fortunate enough to have the resources to completely redecorate their homes with the change of the season. For the rest of us mere earthlings, here are 5 quick ways to welcome spring into your home:

1

Swap out your accent pillow shams for bright ones

2

Roll up that ornate heirloom or oriental area rug and treat your feet to bright, patterned ,stain-resistant rugs which can withstand the clomping of wet rain boots and sopping umbrellas

3

Slide lightweight curtains into your curtain rods, going from heavy, wintry fabrics like velvet to light, homey ones like cotton or twill and swapping out traditional valances for simple tap-top curtains

4

Decorate with flowers

5

Add an umbrella stand to your foyer/entryway. You're going to need it whilst April showers bring May flowers!

O

As the Wind Chimes and Sun Shines

I went for a walk yesterday afternoon and as I passed several houses in my neighborhood, I heard the beautiful sound of wind chimes. Wind chimes are a marvelous soundtrack to every season of the year. When I hear spring, I hear the hollow chime of bamboo or wooden chimes. When I hear autumn and winter, I hear the cold ting-a-ling of brass or copper chimes. In the summertime..well the summer needs no soundtrack,although ceramic and glass chimes provide a light and delicate melody.

brass bell chime

gong wood chime

glass chime

this site even lets you listen to the chime before you buy it!

the sound of bamboo chimes is my favorite!

If you have a room with lots of windows 

or a pair of french doors which you frequently open,

bring the wind chime indoors for a little more melodious living

get whimsical with this fisherman chime!

support fair trade with this bamboo chime made in Indonesia

When It Rains

I love the rain. I always have. It has been raining all day. 

My dream home will have a spot where I can sit outside

and inhale the scent of the earth when it rains

a place sheltered enough for the sky's tears to just mist me 

sheltered enough so I can stay there all morning and afternoon

so much so that I get completely lost in reading

and lose count of the raindrops

 ~MS

 ~HB

 ~HB

 ~HB

 ~H2H

 ~H2H

 ~H2H