I don't know what it is that triggers me to change rooms, but generally it happens when I have been somewhere inspirational with a great vibe, I get home and see my rooms with new eyes and I just do it, straight away, no pontificating, I just crack on while the momentum is hot.
You just know when a room is looking tired and after seeing the home of Tamsyn Morgans, with the cool, pale and relaxing mood, I just had to tackle my bedroom and give it a complete makeover. I share a lot of the same loves as Tamsyn in our choices of vintage items, and it's probably what drew me to go and see her home for myself. One thing that I noticed particularly is that while Tamsyn has collections of objects, she gives them space to breath and let's them be noticed. I haven't changed around the treasures I have on display for some time and decided to pack away many things and rotate some beautiful items that had ended up at the back of cupboards.
My bedroom isn't just the place where I sleep, it is my den, my workroom and my chill-out zone, it is my centre of operations, my HQ. For some reason it is my room of choice for working on the laptop, editing photos and social media interaction. My bed is more comfortable than the sofa and all the cats can fit onto it with me. Also, as my partner is working with musicians they are often in and out of the lounge and kitchen during all hours, so I like to hide away, not worry about what I'm wearing (yes that means I don't get out of my pj's) and I also have a television and Sky box, so I can have films on in the background. Occasionally I need complete silence when writing but more often than not, I have a tv on as background noise. I don't seem to be able to sit and watch a film or series and do nothing else, so if Im not working then I will be knitting or crocheting. There is no start and finish time to 'work' for me, the lines are so blurred that I start the second I wake up and continue through the night.
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| a couple of items influenced the colour pops, mint green, pink and aqua, this oil painting from the 50's has these tones |
My point here is that rooms can morph in their use and then it's time to admit that the name you call the room isn't truthfully what you use it for. We have an office, no-one ever uses it, the computer rarely gets switched on unless we have to print something and it's most common use is for the foster wild animals, so right now the 'office' is actually a squirrel nursery. See what I mean? The conservatory is my prop and craft storage area which also doubles as a place to build room sets and make a dark area for moody shots. The lounge, is a backdrop for photos, the guest bedroom is my other half's den and the sheds in the garden are recording studios and vocal booths. The kitchen, well occasionally things get burnt here, and I make a lot of coffee and toast, but the cats eat in there more than we do.
OK we are very unconventional people, self-employed artist and musician but as more and more people now work from home then it's worth re-assessing the spaces you have and what they are used for.
Hence, the rooms that I spend the most time in need to change probably more than is normal, changing the displays of collections, changing for the seasons and changing for the current purpose too.
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| The Office! |
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| my father used to buy me antique cigarette cases for birthday and christmas, this is one of the most gorgeous ones |
For me the more places in my house where I can photograph the better and a photographers eyes are trained to see things differently. They see the background mess and clutter, they see the light and the way it changes through the day and bounces off different colours. Constantly looking at images makes you hyper critical to how things look, you become extremely concerned with aesthetics and everything becomes a still life. Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly untidy at times (in the areas where I don't have to sit and look at it for too long!).
My bedroom needed taking down a notch, I just fancied pale, whites and tones of French Linen. Less clutter and a cleaner feel. I had in my mind a mix of old and new, Scandinavian in parts with a French influence and this had to work with some English antiques. I knew the elements I wanted but, honestly, had no idea how it would turn out until the very last minute. One thing I did know - the colours would bind it all together.
Chances are that if you read my blog, you are quite interested in interior style, so over the course of the next few weeks I will be looking at different elements of the how and why's of my room transformation. Hopefully some of my instructions and ideas will help anyone who is ready to do this too.
To get the look : Paints Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, new furniture One World Trading, Linens from - Loaf, Soak and Sleep, GZ Badboys.
