Shades of Grey and Black .... Pool

Do you ever have those moments when you realise that something is just not going to be easy ... that every single little things is going to go wrong one way or another with a particular project.

For us this poisoned chalice is our pool. Firstly we hand dig said pool out, secondly, the the paver we chose and loved is too slippery meaning we had to go back to the drawing board and try again.

Drama number three - the actual pool sand / colour supplier is no longer being used by our pool builder... not a problem you may think however the new supplier doesn't have a black colour option (See original option above) or any option even remotely close.

Yesterday was spent visiting the new supplier trying desperately to find a black colour that might just do the trick. 

So still having issues - the one they suggested - below is to light grey .... we don't want light grey, it will make the water very wishy washy which is something we really didn't want. The idea behind a black pool was to make a statement ... this pale shade of grey is just too weak a colour to achieve what we really wanted.

Now this colour I found certainly does what I want it to do. The big question here is ... how much more will it cost us .... it has pretty black shiny stones, and clear pieces of glass .... it is exactly what we originally wanted (Minus the glass) however it appears we will be having to pay an awful lot more for the same thing.

 

Here is my question - is it fair for us to have to pay more to achieve the original look simply because the pool builder have decided to change suppliers without letting us know. 

Off the Beaten Track - Chernobyl

So obviously we love to travel, we love to explore and learn and come away with a better understanding of the history, culture and people of the places we visit.

Not all history is good and happy and bright, sometimes its the darker things that need to be recognised and not forgotten. This trip our dark moment of the trip is a visit to Chernobyl just out of Kiev. This makes me somewhat nervous .... these things always do however I can also imagine it will be an incredibly interesting journey for us to make and I'm actually fairly excited about this particular part of the trip.

In my head its going to be a little bit haunting ... a whole city evacuated in a matter of hours ... take a look at some of the photos .... So my question is, would you visit or is this a step to far off the beaten track?

A Brave New World ...

So most of you know I am a fraidy cat .... oh yes, the idea of meeting new people and putting myself in new situations sends me out in hives. However last night I braved the terror (I did make my husband comes with me) and joined a photography club.

Once a month they meet, discuss new products, talk through different ways to improve photo's and really just talk about something they love.

When I went to Scotland hubby brought me a camera to keep me busy and although I use it I really don't understand how to use it. 

 

Ok that may have been an understatement .... Really, what person goes to a Camera Club without knowing what type of Camera they own.

Cue embarrassing moment 

Club Member "So what type of camera do you own?"

Me "A Canon" 

At this point he just looks at me expectantly, waiting to expand .... apparently its a bit like saying your car is a Holden .... Oh dear!

Anyways, I am also going to start getting into some photo editing software so I'm hoping my lovely Christmas Holiday will be filled with lovely professional looking photo's for me to share with you all.... First I just have to work out how to turn it on .... jokes, I do know that!

A Home Gym.... Can Be Pretty

In my opinion a home gym should be a place you really want to come to so for me .... it has to be pretty.

I have just started putting ours together and already I'm in love with it!

Pretty billowy curtains, lovely storage options and nice soft light make this a place I'm starting to want to come to.

It still needs something motivational but I truly think I'm getting there!

Going Back to My Inspiration...

It seems at times I get lost in the details .... I lose myself in a colour or texture instead of remembering the picture "at large"

So today I'm going back to my inspiration .... these rooms are what I aspire to achieve. 

They don't seem fussy or particularly formal, they don't even really have one focus point, everything is soft and warm and just waiting for you to sit down and put your feet up. They are interesting spaces but don't have one particular detail that stands out, for me these rooms are all about soft layers that just build you level of interest.

This is what I need to remember when I'm obsessing over something silly .... this is what im working towards and this is what I will hopefully end up with.

Flowers in a Bathroom?

I found these very amazing flowers which I just knew would look lovely in my bathroom.

Flowers just make me happy and these are no exception ... don't you think they just soften the space .... all those tiles just make everything "cold" these add that much needed touch of warmth! I am thinking other than lighting bedroom and bathroom are now complete.

Still trying to focus on the entry and media room .... its endless!

Still Not Right ....

These frames are going to be the death of me. I think the problem is that I have been agonising over them for so very long I just want them to be perfect.

So take three on the gold frames .... I have now used a textured wall paper and painted it the same colour as the walls. Hopefully this will soften the look somewhat .... god I don't know. Its all so hard ... How on earth do you make decisions like this and know they are right ....

So its out there now .... I need your help. Do you like the patterned wallpaper of the barely there look???