Sunday, June 30, 2013

Ikea Hack ... Billy Bookcase turns Library

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So last update on the Library was us painting .... oh the joys of painting.

This weekend we finished the bookcase and boy are we happy.

We started with placing and spacing all the units - Starting at the wall we worked our way outwards we with temporary spacers being screwed into place to keep things accurate.

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Next we plaster boarded up the end - necessary because we needed a moulding on the edge and the bookcase was to thin itself to hold onto it.

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Skirting was then fitted with the bookcases being raised so that the skirting ends where the bottom shelf begins.

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The hard part was the top moulding with us needing to have the perfect join at the corner.


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Finally the front moulding panels, we went with something fairly bulky and plain to counteract the ornate skirting and top moulding.

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Overall we are nearly done, a bot of no more gaps, putty and repainting and it will be all book ready but for now I cant say how proud we are of how it has turned out!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Beautiful Homes .... Frontages That Sing!

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Don't get me wrong, I adore my house however every so often I see a frontage I would give my right arm for  (don't worry I'm left handed)

Most of them seem to be situated in the most beautiful parts of the US and UK.

How on earth do they create such beautiful buildings .... heaven can be a home!!!

So many beautiful styles, era's and sizes, which is your favourite?


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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

A Week Of Busy ....

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A day sick in bed, a crazy insane wedding, a flat tyre, a few storms and a hockey game.

Our weeks just seem to get fuller and fuller and while we adore every single moment of our lives it just seems there is so much to fit in into a relatively short amount of time.

So today my week in pics ....

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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Library Ikea Hack Begins ....

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That's right, the library hack has started and like all good Ikea Hacks it begins with a box. OK maybe a few boxes.

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All the normal putting the frame together without pulling your hair out steps to start with.

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Then we move onto the more detailed work, we wallpapered the back panels of the units with a lovely navy blue and white printed paper.

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So simple and so pretty.

Then we slid them in to the back and did the usual nailing ect.

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Finally we start painting all our trim with a high gloss acrylic paint in the ever faithful Antique USA White.

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Such a good start but oh so much left to do - next we are onto spacing and framing it out. Not such a big job though when you think about it - one step at a time. 

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Blank Space ...

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For me, sometimes the most interesting spaces are unusable. What I mean is they are not a room, they have no practical purpose other than moving between practical spaces.

Hallways, entries, corridors. These are the spaces that most people forget.

I find that these spaces help to give a house its personality. These are the bits that don't have to be practical, they don't have to be functional ..... they can just be pretty.

But so often we forget these spaces, we make the corridors plain and boring and functional. We don't see the potential to make them beautiful and elegant and just so .... nice.

Here are a couple of my favourites and let me tell you .... if I ever get the courage to build again be concerned .... because these are going straight into my next house!

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Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Bathing Beauties ....

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That's right, I'm talking about spectacularly beautiful bathrooms. The type of space that everyone aspires for.

Slightly unusual to our normal designs but still ... heaven in a small tiled room.



What do you think, any of these take your fancy?

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Monday, June 17, 2013

The Library Begins ...

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Obviously from my previous posts you would probably have the picture that for me a library is my biggest ever want ... unfortunately for me we don't have the space for one at this present time. 

If I had my way we would build the most amazing library ever and I don't think I would ever leave the room. These are a few of my current favourites.

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Coming back down to earth we do however have a large landing which will hold a series of bookcases beautifully. So now the bookcase design begins. If im being honest ... which I usually am I really don't have the money to build the dream bookcase that I want. So again ... like all other great projects this one is going to start as a set of humble billy bookcases and yup .... we are going to hack them!

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After a great deal of thought and research this is going to be the look we are going to try to achieve .... a lot of work - Yes.


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Worth it if it turns out even half as good as this .... certainly!

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Lust Have's ....

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Every so often you find a store that has the most fabulous furniture you just want to buy it all.

I have found that shop ... its called "The Corner Store" and its located in Fremantle WA. For me this is heaven. Beautiful unusual pieces that I just want to own.

Here are a few of my current favourites and I already have places for each and every one in my home.

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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Lounge Room Dreaming

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So obviously the whole idea of focusing on one room at a time is a good one ... however every so often I look at the empty spaces and think to myself, "I want it now!"

Beautiful couches and rugs and mirrors ... oh god I love furniture.



It also makes me think about what exactly I want to do with the space ... here are some of my inspirations for the downstairs lounge room.

I think I like the warmth and relaxed nature of the first one more than the formality of the second, a mix of different wood tones, lovely linen chairs ... heaven is the top lounge room.

The bottom one I just love that hint of pale blue and gold. The beautiful light fixture and the restraint in detail is beautiful.



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