Good blog posts

As in...I need some. I think about things that would sound interesting/intelligent/funny, but when I sit down to blog, it comes out all convoluted and awkward and I end up soundling a 15 year old teenager who just drank their first gin. And I'm not - 15, that is, nor am I drinking my first gin. That was ages ago...I still love the stuff though. And often I see stores or things online that I think others would enjoy. Then...I just don't blog them. SO I think I may try and expand my thought process a little. Instead of focussing purely on my house, I am going to try and incororate other things into this blog. Other things I love, and maybe even take pictures of! For instance...

Food

...which I love. Passionately. Really. This was my lunch a few weeks ago, shared with my Mum and my sister (see below!) I love these snacky/deli/picky type meals. But I also love going out to eat. So I might try posting about that.

Family...

...I see mine a lot. I love them. A lot. And we do fun things together. Both of these pics were taken recently, on a trip to Lorne (with my Dad, Jeni, my sister, her husband and me. Mr Limecello couldn't come...sad., and then one to Daylesford (with my Mum and Sister. Girls weekend!). So I might share them with you.

Holidays... ...I am not well travelled. But I am working on it. We went to Hawaii for friends' wedding not long ago. Loved it. We went to Vietnam last year...I also loved it!

And all sorts of random thoughts along the way. Now, what do you think...are you still interested? Is there anybody out there?

P.S. I am also trying to take more photos...and better ones. Its a learning thing.

Some 'almost' afters

So, we didn't get quite as much done as we had planned, but still, there have been a few changes around here! Hopefully the new light will go up this week, and we will pick up some shelves for that empty wall in the dining room, but it's coming along!

Here we go...piccies! I take terrible pictures, it's something I really need to work on (I like to blame our camera, but really, it's just me!)

This is the pic from the internet listing of the lounge/dining room - it doesn't look too bad, but the living room was quite small, and the colours weren't right - and the kitchen was hidden away behind a door! The wall with the picture on the right has moved back about 2 feet, and also has a cut out through to the kitchen.

And now - our new white sofas (or one of them!), charcoal dining room - see how perfectly the colour matches our dog!

My husband won't be thrilled about this pic, but it's a 'mid-way' picture, taken last Winter.

We love the effect of the white shutters against the new dark colour! It also helps define the dining area from the living room. The light will be fantastic against this colour too!

This is another real estate picture. It doesn't look too bad either, but the benchtops were sticky...ew... the paint was quite grubby, and check out that lino! The tiling was atrocious and there was nowhere for the microwave! Plus...it had no character. We removed the return with the stools under it, replaced it with a cabinet, and added an island that we already had! We made a feature of a the bulkhead (which we hated, but won't come down until we do a complete kitchen make-over) by painting it in blackboard paint. I change the quote about once a month though!

The splashback needs to be painted again (they mixed the paint with the wrong base, so it will be a little darker, and the brackets will be painted too, and we need to add some trim along the top, but it's definately an improvement. You can't really see the limewashed benchtops here either, but they are great!

Lights 'n' Chairs

Ok, so I have a whole lotta lights I love, and a whole lotta chairs I love, and I have to say it like that, because I love the song 'Whole Lotta Rosie' by AC/DC.

I think they all work together, but the styles vary quite a lot, and I was trying to figure out how to make them all work in our dining room, study nook and kitchen, without any one area seeming too industrial, too rustic, too cottage-y, too modern or too retro. And incorporating white, metal/stainless steel and dark wood tones!

BUT, it would seem, I have finally come up with a plan...and both Mr Limecello and I LOVE IT!

1. The white drum light (which we already have), and white slip-covered sofa (we have nearly finished paying our slip covers off, and will hopefully have them by the end of January) are the living room. I thought it was important to include them as a reference.

2. The Barbados light from Beacon Lighting is perfect for our study nook, as its a bit of a feature, but will soften all the hard edges and corners in the little area. The Bertoia chair (yes, it will be a replica) will add a little glam in stainless steel, and not dominate too much either...its a pretty small area!

3. The Lucient pendant from Click-On was the final piece of the puzzle, and I only spotted it this morning in the latest Home Beautiful. It will be just right over our dining table (the Liatorp), with the cross chairs (again, we already have these) and our dark wooden bench on the other side. The Tolix A Chair is one we have both loved for a long time, and will sit at the heads of our table (we keep it in its oval format). If we paint the dining area grey (which is pretty likely!) both the light and the end chairs will sit beautifully against the colour.

4. And finally the kitchen. We will hang 2 of these Foto shades over the wood topped island in the kitchen, and the Ghost stools (replicas again!) will bring a bit of 'fab' to the kitchen (stay tuned for an update on that plan too!)

We both love chandeliers too, so fortunately there is room for 2 of them in our hallway!

I am so happy just looking at the plan...I can't wait to make it happen...even if it takes a couple of years!

Bonus

After all that wonderful-ness, my husband disapeared for half an hour or so this evening and came back inside with a huge bunch of lilies from the garden, for me. They are now on the dining table in 3 vases, and 2 will be distributed to the bedroom and kitchen shortly. He is THE BEST!