Wednesday 18 July 2007

Almost a Room of my Own!


The sun is shining through the window at the moment, enough for me to be able to take a photo without the flash on the camera (we've been without a flash for weeks now, M has bought a new camera but I'm loathe to sit down and actually read the new instruction book and am prepared to sit and wait for the sun to shine for a few minutes). This anyway is the view I have if I turn my head away from the computer. We have two living rooms downstairs, this is the one we call the dining room, the one we will never eat in, the one that has never had a dining table in, but the one that has been nevertheless named the dining room ever since we moved in! It's a great extra space to have - I was originally going to have a summer house/shed in the garden but funds ran out quickly for that project and my dream of having a room of my own was shortlived!

My daughters, to be fair, did buy me this bag for my birthday last year and it may well be the closest I get to having a room that is truly mine! However, I am very happy in this little room. The children use it for homework, computer, extra telly, M comes in here sometimes to listen to his music. During the day though the room is all mine! I've got the computer, a window onto the garden, a radio tuned to Radio 4, a comfy sofa, my fabrics and my books.

The cupboard and trunk both came from a junk shop. (I think the image enlarges if you click on it and becomes less fuzzy, maybe I should have read that instruction book). Both were earmarked for me but we realised that we were very short of storage when we moved in so they now house the girls' arty bits and pieces. Shelves of glitter, glue and tins of felt pens in the cupboard and boxes of paint in the trunk. The trunk was a tatty old thing, covered in very smelly old fabric but for only a couple of pounds it was worth buying. I covered it in fabric from Laura Ashley and it does look bright and cheery in the room. Similarly the cupboard was cheap and shiny but scrubbed up well after a lick of paint. Behind the cupboard is one of M's paintings of the Downs.


On the opposite wall is a huge pinboard that I found discarded in the road one day on the way back from school. It is big, about 2ft x 3ft and I painted the frame duck egg blue, added some more of that Laura Ashley fabric to the board and crisscrossed some elastic over it. Perfect for keeping family photos, cards from friends, swatches of fabric etc.
Right, better get back to cutting up fabric now.


Q: How many balls of fabric do you need for 6 tea cosies?
A: I have no idea, but I know I've not got enough!

33 comments:

Heidijayhawk said...

our dining room is officially my studio these days! aaaaawww. to have your own space!

Reflections from the Stone Nest said...

I love your room. You've made it quite inviting. Love the trunk. Everything looks very fresh and lovely. Love those tall cupboards, too. They don't take alot of floor space and you can put in lots of stuff! Have a wonderful day!

Kitty

Cape Cod Washashore said...

Such lovely colors in your home! That painting is BEAUTIFUL!

I love all your Laura Ashley fabrics! When we first married and were in London during our honeymoon, I went to the Laura Ashley shop near Harrod's and bought myself two identical dresses in different fabrics. Dare I say they are STILL in style! I do love Laura Ashley fabrics!

Anonymous said...

Your room looks lovely, very tranquil despite it's multiple uses. Amazing what a lick of paint can do for old furniture, my room has been painted now but is still full of all the household junk - am slowly gwtting rid of it to freecycle/charity shops etc -then I've got an old chest to repaint and keep fabric in

Thimbleanna said...

Very, very pretty Kim. I think I'd just stay in there all day long!

Samantha said...

Such a pretty room.. Snap with the LAura Ashley fabric!

Gill said...

Well almost a room of your own is better than no room of your own I guess! I think I'd be subtly removing everyone else's belongings over a period of time...in time they'd think of it as your room without even realising how that came to be :)
I love old furniture painted, gives it a new lease of life.YOUR room looks very pretty.

AC said...

It looks like a lovely room to work in. I'm thinking of taking over our office...wonder if I'll get away with it!
Hope the tea cosies are progressing well.
Alison x

Perfectly Lovely said...

You've really inspired me to transform one of our rooms into a work/crafts room!
Laura Ashley fabrics are just fabulous, they have the abilty to turn something plain and simple into something beautiful...
Well done you!!
Jennifer.x

Shropshire Girl said...

Such pretty colours and I love that cupboard. Good luck with the tea cosies.
Sandra.x.

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to seeing the tea cosies! I have actually progressed from a teabag in a cup to wanting my tea brewed in a teapot! Love the Laura Ashley fabrics but then I always have...

Jane
x

ShabbyInTheCity said...

I think you may be a close relative to Cath Kidston! You have quite the designer-eye and everything always looks so fresh!
My best photos are with the flash off and I only use it in bright sunshine as 'fill light' for shadows that need taming.

dottycookie said...

Wow, you're lucky to have that space. I have some big baskets and a cupboard to put them in before the monkeys get up in the morning and find them ...

Tracy said...

I love your room very fresh. Why do I never find such wonderful furniture in junk shops.

Betty said...

Kim, I love the fabric on your trunk. Is it vintage? I could definitely be happy in that room!

Sophie Honeysuckle said...

It looks so pretty! Your home has such calming colours in it!! Is it like that everywhere? Have a great weekend!

Tina said...

That is a lovely room. I dream the day I will have one to call my own. ;)
x

pink-petal-designs said...

Lovely pretty colours, i love what you have done with the cupboard and trunk, very nice!
Sarah x

Heidi said...

Your room looks so cozy! I love the Laura Ashley fabrics on things. Having this room look out onto your garden sounds like the perfect space. I always imagine you looking out at a pretty, large garden. Your rag balls are fun decortion just sitting there waiting to be used.

Annie said...

Love those dreamy romantic fabrics

Anonymous said...

You have a wonderful space! I love your way with fabrics, color & charm! Yum--more tea cozies! Happy Day! :o)

Mary said...

Hi
The floral fabrics are beautiful. Love them.Am looking for a tall cupboard that I can make over. Our dinning room is a shambles at present. It needs a massive makeover. We have a huge hole in the wall where we used to have the central heating boiler (new one in garage now) I have just started to cut up the 1980s carpet and now have to decide what we are going to do with it!! I am looking for inspiration!!

Rubyred said...

What a pretty room!I'd like to sit in here , having a chat,cup of tea,slice of cake...Oh I'm gettin carried away!Good luck with your tea cozies,very pretty fabric too!

OhSoVintage said...

It really is good to have one's own space, isn't it? When our daughter left home I turned her bedroom into a spare room/my den and I just love sitting in there sewing and listening to radio 4. When she saw what I'd done she said, 'It doesn't look like my room anymore' and I felt quite mean! Your room looks lovely and I do like that cupboard.

Anonymous said...

It's a wonderful room, Kim! Even if you have to share it it's full of your personality. I love, love, love anything Laura Ashley!! ♥

meggie said...

Just love your posts, & your peeps at your lovely house!

Heather ~ Pretty Petals said...

Hi Kim! So nice to see your little space... I love the trunk! everything is just lovely! What a beautiful painting.

Heather

Anonymous said...

You have decorated your home in some wonderful ways Kim. I would like to live there myself.

Cherry xxx

Anonymous said...

You have a beautiful home.

Raindrops said...

What a lovely space to have. Love all the colours. Tricia

Anonymous said...

Your "dining room" is lovely.

Betty said...

I nominated you for a Reflection Blog Award...go see my site! Hugs!

Curlew Country said...

Oh what a lovely room! The house we're hoping to buy has a conservatory and I've got similar plans. Boys playroom in the daytime and sancturay overlooking the garden and the Churnet Valley hills in the evening. Love your fabrics. Beautiful!
Stephx