About Me

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antrim, antrim, Ireland
Hello and welcome to my blog. If you like flowers and gardens, housey stuff, food and banter, then this is the place for you. I am a decorative artist, florist and maker of things. I sell painted furniture, plants and crafts, through a local retail shop, in my native Ireland, and wedding flowers from home. I am married to a lovely patient man and have a smashing little girl. I blog for the fun of it. Thank you for listening.

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Mixed messages?



The above photos are collages I made on Picnik, using images from www.pinterest.com before they closed. I was formulating ideas about how I was going to decorate my sitting room. There is little I enjoy more, than poring over paint charts and magazines and brochures, planning and thinking about what I would like. The trouble is, in my head I can mix   industrial chic with cottage garden and a bit of French detailing, thrown in for good measure. The trouble is, I like everything. I am very susceptible to other people's ideas. The trouble is, is my head, I do not worry one iota about expenses. The trouble is, in my head, everything is new, and I don't have to fit in  my old stuff.
 Hence, sometimes what is in my head is very difficult to translate into reality!
Sometimes, things have to go wrong before they go right.

Here is my sitting room, before the assault.



The walls were painted a light stone colour, with 2 walls having a tongue and groove paint effect.There was a painted panel over the fireplace. My curtains and cushions were the same chintz pattern. So the whole effect was creamy and pretty, with a few red accessories.


I imagined that I would like a complete change. I wanted a dark grey on the fireplace wall with a lighter grey on the rest. Industrial style lights, metal baskets and filing cabinet style furniture. No, hang on, perhaps that is just a little too modern for me! Perhaps I could combine the greys with a potting shed kind of theme. I was beginning to get a little confused, as you can imagine. So, I thought I would start with a colour for the fireplace wall.......Slate Grey................


Mmmm, love the colour, but just not sure if it's me. I will try the other walls...an offwhite as a base, colourwashed  with French Grey.............

Mmm, more French looking, more me.....oh oh, the dark wall has to go now. 

I added the blue doors from my larder cupboard, a seagull and some starfish.....not what I had planned in my head at all, but I like it.

Above the fireplace I pasted an enlarged image I got from the http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.co.uk...my cottage by the sea. The white fireplace was antiqued using a grey wash. That is the story so far. I need to either get a new sofa, or make a new cover as my old one, although it goes, has seriously shrunk from all the washes it gets. The floor is mahogany coloured wood, which I would prefer painted. I need new curtains. So, you can see I have a bit of work to do yet. 

I have learned a valuable lesson though, to listen to my own heart. I am a romantic, I like pretty things, it is allright if my house stays like that, regardless of what is in the magazines or on the web. I can like other things, as long as I live with what makes ME happy, and my family of course. (My husband doesn't know why I wanted to change in the first place, but he would have left the colours that the previous owners had).
Do any of you have these tumultuous battles with yourselves, I would love to know? I will finish with some pretty flowers to  make you smile.




Aren't the foxgloves fabulous, they just make me think of 1930's children's books? Have a lovely weekend, and thanks for listening to my madness. Love Linda x

13 comments:

  1. Your story made me laugh! I know this all too well! Sometimes I have so many plans in my head that I do not even start! It is important that you and your family loves it all. As you say no matter what the magazines say. If you would follow them you would have to change in spring, summer, autumn, winter and christmas and easter... no way! The other day I walked through our home and I thought "what would I think of it all if I was a visitor?" and I thought I would really love it! So that's a good discernment and at the moment I am enjoying it and focus more on the summer outside. Have fun - your place looks warm and beautiful - there is a good heart living in there - I can see that! Christa

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  2. Your home is beautiful
    no matter what colour you choose

    I love all the photos
    but probably if I'm honest prefer the first pics
    before the transformation(ducking now so you don't throw things at me!!)

    My goodness I would have to tidy for a week
    before I could photograph my home - I have too much stuff !!!

    Hope all are well, lovely to see you blogging again.


    x Fiona

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  3. Hello Linda:
    Your head is obviously brimming with so many wonderfully exciting and creative ideas. We are not surprised that you have difficulty settling on any one and are also not surprised that you are in constant demand from people who look to you for inspiration as to what to do themselves.

    We actually think that all your ideas work, it is just a question of what you are most comfortable with as all your paint colours and decorative touches give such a different atmosphere to the one room. It is truly amazing what a difference paint can make!

    What we are certain of is that your house is a loving home whatever the paint finishes and whatever the upholstery and that, for us, is what matters the most.

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  4. Love the grey so much ....you have a lovely home xxxxx

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  5. Linda I know exactly what you mean! Those battles rage constantly here due to all the influences and styles out there!
    One day I'm in love with shabby chic, the next I feel maybe its a bit too pretty pretty, so maybe a less fussy pale white and grey French feel, but then next day feel its a bit too understated and pale, so needs brightening, and I do love a shot of bright colour, contemporary homespun style with modern bright crochet and patchwork and bright painted furniture looks good, but isnt that a bit too bright and messy, what about some classic elegant 50s furniture,mid century modern, I do love the clean lines of the furniture and the fabrics, but then good old traditional country style always looks cosy, but the clean lines of shaker style are maybe better .........and so it goes on....aarrgghhhh!!!Too much choice, too many lovely styles and you cant have it all!
    But at the end of the day, I just go with a blended mix of all things that I really like and call it eclectic and my Home!
    But none of my rooms would ever look as complete and finished as your lovely living room!
    I love both your before photos and your latest French style look - whatever you do will look fantastic I'm sure as all your changes look so good.
    Gill xx

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  6. Hello Linda

    Your house looks beautiful and you keen eye knows what looks best in your home. Like Christa said if we were to heed magazines and the interior fashion police we would be up on a ladder painting every day.

    Hope you weather is better and you get to have tea in your beautiful garden

    Helenx

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  7. Hi Linda! I think your house looks really lovely and bright! And you are right: one doesn't have to follow fashions, but one's own heart and wishes! Ther must be millions of shabby chic houses round the globe and, to me, they all look the same! I agree with your views.
    You are very, very clever. I have a few ideas on how I would like my house to look, But I don't have the time or inclination to pick up paint and brushes and do it myself. I prefer to do other things (usually not much, I'm afraid!)with my time. What an i saying? My time? What time?

    CIAO!

    ANNA
    xx

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  8. I want to take the lower cupboard doors off in the kitchen and skirt them. My husband cannot grasp the concept. I have shown him many a blog post and magazine article, he just laughs in a loving way.

    I think your sitting room is charming I love how you embrace a look and make it "truly your own".

    So blessed to be your blog friend!
    ~Lynne
    w/L.

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  9. Well I certainly empathise with having a husband who can't see why you wanted to change it in the first place! Mine would leave things forever as they are, probably partly (or mainly) because he has to do most of the work involved in changes these days! Plus he has no sense of colour! So I am pretty much left to please myself, he is always happy with what we end up with. But I too, have these battles with myself, though have to admit what is in vogue, what I SHOULD be doing, what others might think, doesn't enter the equation. It is usually just me, being dissatisfied with what I have and wanting a change, but to what.....? But I always go with my heart, in everything.

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  10. Go with your gut feeling Linda. The trouble with magazines and lots of photos is that we can forget that they are styled for hours to be photographed and we live in the real world. Your house looks homely and inviting.
    x

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  11. Lovely flowers Linda and a most lovely jug for your foxgloves.
    Julie x

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  12. I love what you have done with your living room Linda...the lighter grey is definitely better..and I know what you mean about so much stuff in your head. I constantly see things that I love and want to buy...because I can see the possibilities...but not necessarily for my home...it's hard to walk away and not just accumulate....I'm trying to learn to be more selective (otherwise I will eventually be going home with an extra container load of stuff)..(which would not be a bad thing...I could open a shop). But getting back to our heads....so many ideas rattling around, and so many options on the decorating front...but I think you are right...you have to listen to your heart and stick with what you love to be surrounded by every day...Robx

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  13. Not madness and I like all your ideas, however dare I say I also like it very much as it was. :)

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