Crikey, it’s Monday!! Something must be aligning correctly in the universe for me to be writing this on an actual Monday instead of, contrary to the post title, a.n.other day entirely. As I lie here (yep, writing this duvet ensconced, I’m typing furiously as the electricians will be here in less than an hour to connect our…. wait for it…. UNDERFLOOR HEATING!!
This is momentous, truly momentous. For Mr M & I at least. Maybe not for the electricians, who’ve doubtless connected heating before. As most of you know, for two long years we’ve had no heating at all apart from the gas fire in the room we live in amidst the chaos, then for a year before that whilst we saved for the build, we’d only gas fires and mini heaters once our decrepit gas boiler gave up the ghost. Cold times in a draughty Edwardian home with virtually all external walls. It’s become a way of life, living & coping on a building site, so having proper warmth is going to be seriously weird. I’m going to be naked a lot.
Anyway, that’s the big news but lots of other stuff’s been happening. Most of it mucky, thanks to the vacated rental flat of hell which has sucked up our week. Making something which is so dismally grim Moregeous again will be no mean feat, but here are some of the things which have inspired me and kept me sane.
We need new worktops in this mini-rental and for months now my eye has been drawn to the glamorous look of viola marble. Carrara marble is hugely popular and for good reason but this is so, so tempting for splasbacks. Or maybe I should be a sensible landlord and save these viola colour pops for Moregeous Mansions? Real marble in non-luxury rentals is a bit crazy as it does stain, so maybe just the decorative upstand…. decisions decisions!
Talking of colour pops, how about this for a carpet? Should rentals always be patternless? Would this be crazy? I’ve ummed and ahhed about whether to have luxury vinyl like Amtico or Harvey Maria in this flat but carpet would be warmer just because of the floor construction over the cellar. Do I go grey or do I go wild, choosing something like this beauty from Alternative Flooring, seen at Decorex in September. It’s bonkers but I love it.
If you’re wondering why my imagination is going wild then you only have to look at the room. It’s a rather compact studio which is a huge challenge in itself and it’s very bland. Nearly ten years of the same tenant wanting magnolia and no landlord input, plus then leaving it in a pretty desperate state. This below is after the deep clean with everything shifted out and around. We want an amazing short stay rental which guests fall in love with immediately. Serious chocolate / brain power input required.
Wall-wise – if I don’t go for a crazy carpet – pattern input is essential. I’m thinking: along the left hand wall above, wrapping round the fireplace then stopping at the shower room door corner. Dancing round my head is the below image from the 100% Design JetClass stand – simply patterntastic, totally on trend with geometrics, botanicals and smudged minerally water colours. The problem when you see such fabulous inspiration is choosing which one you actually want!
Lots of new wallpapers are currently picking up the trends shown above. Which one would look great in this little mini project? That’s my dilemma as clearly the answer is all of them.
Or do I shun colour and stick with monochromes, sticking to a stylish palette of grey, black and white but throwing in a touch of wildness with the print, like this amazing paper by Middlesborough surface designer Glenn Todd at Feathr. Beyond cool. One to watch. Quite fancy this for here at home too.
Lots of inspiration for you this week, all these things which have been keeping me design sane as we get down ‘n’ dirty renovating and rejuvenating properties in our world. Can’t do a blog post without the obligatory DIY snap though, can I. The colour looks a bit odd in this IG but here’s the gorgeous Mole’s Breath going onto skirtings and window woodwork to add edge detail and framing to the room. Who needs gym classes when you’re a lady builder eh….
….and stretch one, two, three #absworkout
I’m aiming to have the flat finished in fortnight, juggling it in with this week’s mammoth window install at Moregeous Mansions, box gutter replacement and beginning our kitchen design. Ever optimistic here 😉
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