Skylight Blinds

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We completed our kitchen extension a few days before Jake was born (almost 2 years ago now-!). Our diner side has very much been a room of requirement with the boys - I have some big plans for styling this room but every time I scroll through my Pinterest boards, I have to remind myself that we have two boys under 4. Now is not the time to invest in a nice rug (loving this French Connection one atm), sofa (oh the day I can tuck into Loaf’s pudding sofa), table or lamp.

But what we have invested in this year is our skylight blind from Skylight Blinds Direct (@skylightblindsdirect). The room was becoming a bit of a hot box during the hotter days and especially during lockdown - we all got a bit hot and bothered-! We’re really happy with it as it’s been keeping us cool during summer and is set to keep the room warmer in winter. Our particular one was the LanternLITE™ The Honeycomb Overhead Blind - The DIY Orangery Roof Blind - Thermal Blinds (full details here).

BEFORE

AFTER

The video below shows it in action (please ignore Jake’s screeching in the background - an unavoidable feature of family life-!).

And the best bit about this particular investment?? The boys can’t reach it!

Please note: We purchased this blind as normal and loved the quality - this ad came about due to my happiness with the product’s quality, and that it solved a very big pain point with our kitchen/diner. I will only work with brands that I know are great quality and that I think my followers would be interested to hear about.

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Kitchen Extension

2018 was a pretty big year for us. We completed the second part of our house renovation - a kitchen / diner extension, garden landscape and driveway installation - and welcomed our second child into the world, baby Jake. Throw a toddler into the mix - our son Josh - and you’ve got a pretty exhausting but exciting 12 months!

As with most building projects, the process had its ups and downs. My last trimester was particularly challenging as we were in full building site mode during England’s hottest ever summer (what timing!).

Here’s the full story…

THE PLAN

We’d left a sun room and office at the back of our house completely untouched and locked away until spring, ready to embark on our first ground floor extension project. This was the first time we’d been able to completely design the structure, layout and fittings of a room to suit our needs and we were EXTREMELY excited!

CURVE BALL

I fell pregnant with baby no.2 - Jake - sooner than expected, in January 2018. The next month, our builders pulled out due to the snowy weather (the ‘Beast from the East’) pushing back their other projects. Had Jake not been arriving in September that year, we could have been a bit more flexible with the deadline and still worked with them (we really liked their work). But we had no choice but to find a builder elsewhere at short notice. Luckily we did and the project kicked off in April as planned.

TRUST ISSUES

In a nutshell, our builders kicked off the project brilliantly. We were so excited and felt like everything was going to be all wrapped up by June. Sadly this wasn’t the case - there were a lot of delays and I started to have visions of breastfeeding in a building site-! Long story short, we parted ways with our builder and my husband L took on a lot of the labour, while roping in local experts to finish odd jobs. During this time, we learnt a lot about the process and how much of the work we could actually complete ourselves, rather than relying solely on one builder.

CUTTING IT FINE

The glass went in two days before Jake was born-! But luckily the rest of the room was complete so we had a working, warm kitchen that was ready for our newborn, as well as 21-month-old Josh.

BEFORE

Our 1930s house had already had some extension work completed on it over the years. For us, we wanted to extend the ground floor into the garden to create some open plan living space, as we felt that’s what the property lacked. As the house is on a hill, we also wanted to enjoy the view so added a patio with steps onto the back of the extension, leading into the garden.

The ground floor looking out into our garden: The left window was the office, right was the sun room. The far left was a bathroom we turned into a utility room.

A large clump of heathers took up a lot of room in the top half of the garden. This is where our extension and patio were built out to.

The sun room (now part of our new dining area).

Other side of the sun room - we’re currently restoring the fireplace.

View from the sun room - we removed the laurel arch to create a bigger garden for the boys.

The office. Ignore the furniture - these photos were taken when we viewed the house!

DURING

The process took roughly five months to complete. (Builder delays that were out of our control meant it took longer than the predicted two!)

Patio progress.

Dig, dig, dig.

Patio shaping up.

Prepping for the steels to go in.

The big moment!

Structure begins.

Starting to shape up: The left hand side is the kitchen window area, right hand side is where the bi-fold doors are.

Old house meets new house.

Plaster goes on.

Floor goes down: Oak veneer herringbone parquet.

Mog inspecting the kitchen installation.

Cedar cladding goes on - can’t wait for it to turn grey-ish over time (and to start work on the rest of the exterior!).

Patio goes down - grey Indian sandstone (spot my bump!).

AFTER

It was amazing to finally start styling the place!

We’re still figuring the layout of the dining area - we’ll likely include some cosy seating near the bi-folds in the summer and move them to the fireplace in winter.

Utility room / Mog’s digs.

We went for anthracite colour radiators to match the window surrounds and outside drainage.

Feel so lucky to have a view. We’ve popped a bird feeder by the patio so the birds fly right up to where the boys (and Mog!) can see them.

We’ve borrowed a dining table from Mama & Papa B for the interim.

Enjoying the extension at Christmas time.

Bespoke railings created by a local ironmonger, as our patio is curved and it added that vital safety element. (Going to plan a toddler-safe gate to block the steps off for the interim!) We added some steps down to the garden and at the side for easy access.

We went quite simple with the railings due to budget but we managed to have some monkey tails included to add some detail.

Ignore the patio clutter - that’s our next project!

LESSONS LEARNED

• If you have good organisation and budgeting skills and know a thing or two about construction, consider project managing an extension yourself and avoid hiring one builder to do the lot. We did this towards the end of the project and were so glad we did.

• If you have a tight budget, consider going direct to an online kitchen retailer and hire a freelance kitchen designer to make your vision happen.

• If you have an intricate floor, make sure you allow a fair amount of time for it to go down before your kitchen is installed.

• Paint your kitchen walls before your kitchen is installed, otherwise it will take longer trying to paint around the cabinets and above the worktop (not necessarily the whole room just where the kitchen meets the wall).

• Remember to consider outdoor lighting as well as indoor if you’re doing work to the back of the house.

• Also consider adding an outdoor tap to a rear extension to help with gardening etc.

• Walk through every single detail. From where you’re likely to use appliances in the kitchen for socket locations to how far your doors will come out to when open / what not to put there!

• Don’t be shy. If you’re not sure your builder’s done something right or you’re questioning a decision you’ve made - discuss it. You have to live with it so speak up as there could be an easy solution at the time.

• Consider lighting in all forms - spotlights, cabinet lighting, table lamps, floor lamps, etc. We added a neon sign to jazz things up a bit (and I’m always up for adding in some pink where I can!).

• Create a shared note on your phone for a house to-do / to-check list. We found this really useful when reviewing the build in the evenings and trying to remember what to discuss with our builder the next day. It also gave us peace of mind when remembering something in the middle of the night!
  

  Those are just a few things we learnt along the way (and things we learnt when renovating our previous house). Hope some of the info proves useful if you’re starting an extension project.
  

  LINKS

• Kitchen cabinets are Langton in-frame from www.kitchencollection.co.uk (grey cabinets are cashmere colour, island is charcoal).

• We soured the brass handles from an Etsy seller called YesterHomeUK (make sure to buy some brass polish to keep them looking shiny! We made a stencil out of acetate to put around each handle when cleaning to avoid damaging the cabinets.

• Floor: Oak veneer herringbone parquet in biscuit oak colour from www.hardwoodfloorstore.co.uk
  
  

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Toddler's Room

This is the first before and after post to emerge from our new home renovation project. Starting in September 2017, we've been busy planning and transforming our new family home in the countryside.

The most important room to me is J's room. It's his space to sleep, play, learn and relax in and a happy toddler = happy parents! We transferred some of J's elements from his nursery in our previous home so it wouldn't feel like too much of a big change. But there were some features we altered and added to meet his toddler needs, especially now he's walking!

BEFORE

We removed a ducted, warm air heating system from the house. The vent ran straight through J's room - this is what it looked like when it was removed-! It gave us back so much room!

You could see the kitchen below-!

Area where a bedroom sink used to be. (Now where J's cot bed is!)

Pano shot!

Windows are on two walls so the light is fab.

AFTER

Scaffold board shelf above the door so it doesn't dominate the room too much. Great place for items that J isn't old enough to use yet.

Crate shelves, made by L. Teepee from Not On The High Street, sheep rocker from John Lewis, rug from Sukhi Rugs, storage baskets from HomeSense and Dunelm.

Our book spot.

TOP TIPS

• Blackout curtains are essential for those light summer evenings
• I love the wall colour we went for as it makes everything feel calm in the evenings - just what you need before bedtime! (Paint is Farrow & Ball 'Pavilion Gray')
• Storage baskets are great for keeping toys and books tidy, but still accessible for a little one
• A book ledge at toddler height is a great way to display their favourite stories, plus they can grab them whenever they like. J's are from Great Little Trading Co.
• Keeps things fun with colourful mobiles dotted around the room like the above rain cloud, from Sausage and the Dog
• Stained glass sun-catchers also make a super sensory room.

I've shared more decor ideas for a toddler's room over on the Sharps website if you fancy a look! 

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Nursery Tour

Preparing Baby L's nursery has been a really fun project for L and I during my pregnancy. Once we knew everything was looking ok, we relaxed more and started to work out how we'd transform our spare room. Being first-time parents, we took on a lot of advice from parent-friends & family in terms of essentials - but also went with our taste when it came to look and feel. We wanted to create a space that looked light and fresh in the daytime but comfy and cosy at night. And most importantly: FUN!

I found planning the nursery similar to getting ready for Christmas-! A fair bit of prep work mixed with lots of excitement! L and I are quite organised people - I knew I'd want everything sorted before 35 weeks as you never know how you're going to feel by this stage (and how much energy you'll have!). Plus, if Baby L arrived early, I'd feel better knowing the important bits were in place.

Now in week 36, we're confident we have the essentials (Moses basket, car seat, changing table, nappies, muslins, baby monitor, baby grows, etc) and can now start focusing on the upcoming birth - as well as making the most of our last few weeks of sleep and relaxation (!).

Hope you enjoy the tour...

BEFORE

Neutral spare room, which was quickly becoming a dumping ground for random objects e.g. golf clubs, sleeping bags!

AFTER

WALLS & CURTAINS

Blackout curtains: full details here.

Walls: Pavilion Gray, Farrow & Ball. We chose this colour before we knew we were having a boy, deciding that this shade looks light in the daytime and cosy in the evening. We planned to add brighter colours via artwork and accessories.

NURSING ZONE

Chair: This was my Auntie's nursing chair & footstool, which glides back and forth (it's the most relaxing thing ever). I had the cushions re-covered with a print both my Sister S and I liked (S loves giraffes and I love flamingos) - just in case she also wants to use it in the future. The pattern also ensures the slightest mark doesn't show up much, plus the new covers are removable so washing is easy.

Cushion: An extra cushion should I need it. This Roald Dahl Willy Wonka cushion was a bargain find at Homesense. I'll also likely be using my maternity cushion to help with feeds (this one has been a godsend so far).

Side table: My Grandad was a woodwork magician. I feel very lucky to have this special piece of furniture he made a long time ago - an elephant side table (full picture here).  It's the perfect place for a lamp to help with night-time feeds, as well as somewhere to put a drink. It's a fun addition that doesn't take up too much room and means so much to me. 

Sea grass belly basket: Storage for muslins and blankets should I need to grab them. Its shape and softness also makes it easy to squeeze into a corner and avoids toe stubbing-! From Etsy.

SLEEP TIME

Cot bed: Although Baby L will be in his Moses basket at first, we wanted to get his cot bed in place so we could work out the nursery layout. (Plus it came as a deal with the matching changing table.) We went for Silvercross Nostalgia as it has three base positions that will grow with Baby L, becomes a bed when he's a toddler, baby-safe teething rails and a storage drawer underneath. Plus we just liked the design - classic but not too fussy.

Artwork: We wanted some colourful artwork on the wall for when he's older. I wanted to add some playful nods to Disney so opted for this Hakuna Matata print. I think it's a pretty good trouble-free philosophy to start life on...! We found the print on Etsy and framed it with an IKEA frame.

(Baby bag packed and ready to go for our hospital visit! - From Cath Kidston's new Winnie the Pooh range.)

Ewan the Sheep: The must-have sleep aid for babies (apparently). Everyone is raving about it so we're going to give it a go! Features include heartbeat and womb sounds, plus a soothing pink glow. Full details here.

changing station

Changing table: Silvercross Nostalgia to match the cot bed. We went for this one as the changing top can come off so we have a dresser for when Baby L is older. We bought from Mothercare and claimed a discount via price match when John Lewis had a sale on. Silvercross delivers and sets up for you, which is handy.

Changing mat: Mamas and Papas. - They no longer make the star one I have but there's lots of other pretty options.

Nappy bin: Angelcare. Don't forget spare liners!

Blue bin: A separate bin for smelly baby clothes should there be an accident...! (To wash - not to chuck!)

Shelf: We added an IKEA picture rail to the wall to act as a shallow shelf for grab-and-go essentials such as tissues and creams, as well as a Gro-egg (so useful).

Wardrobe

Rather than purchase a baby wardrobe, we opted for a built-in, regular wardrobe and added two rails that can be swapped out as Baby L's clothes get bigger! Grey storage boxes are from IKEA and are perfect for separating muslins, socks, bibs, bedding, etc. We're also storing some extra items in here for now - playmat, bath, highchair.

finishing touches

Art: I wanted to create a gallery wall inspired by book characters. I framed Beatrix Potter cards and stamps, some Noddy postcards from my childhood, Mog the Cat (Mog had to feature somewhere!) and the main feature: a jungle illustration drawn by Mama B. My mum is very artistic and created a nursery print for both my sister and I when we were babies, so I wanted to continue this tradition (luckily she said yes!).

We also added a Tin Tin print as L looks a lot like him...!

Handy: Whale doorstop we found during a trip to Edinburgh:

Shelving: L up-cycled a scaffold board to create a long shelf to store toys and treasures. So far we've added some childhood music boxes, a stimulating rainbow puzzle, some Beanie Babies & the Bon Bons sign from our wedding sweet station. The shelf is also perfect for hanging some fun items from, including a mini hot air balloon. We'll also be hanging a mobile from it above the changing table to keep Baby L distracted.

Memories: The cutest Baby Book in the world! Not only do you log important facts and milestones but there's little envelopes inside to store scan photos, plus a height chart and family tree. You name it, it's in there. The illustrations are so pretty, too. I found this in Anthropologie during our trip to Guildford, but you can buy it online here.

Storage: We added behind-the-door shelves to store books and spare nappies, etc. 

Books: I know it's a while until reading time but I wanted to get a few childhood classics in the nursery. I used to love 'Ladybird well-loved tales' books when I was little so during my pregnancy I started to source some. My all-time favourites have to be The Magic Porridge Pot, The Elves & The Shoemaker, The Enormous Turnip and The Princess & The Pea.

I also added a couple of toys from my childhood for fun - The Lion King and a tiny Troll.

Lighting: As soon as we added our hot air ballon lightshade, it immediately felt like a nursery. Full details here.

Soft toys: Peter Rabbit plus some baby rattles / squeakers from the M&S sale.

Peter Pan wall sticker: Another subtle(ish!) nod to Disney. This is placed just above the door, from Etsy.

Rug: Useful to protect your carpet from spills, etc! We also found this on Etsy. (Bouncer from Mothercare).

TOP TIPS

• Clean your carpets after painting so everything's clean and fresh before putting furniture in
• Blackout curtains highly recommended
• Use this opportunity to have a good chuck-out - we got rid of 3 cars-worth of things we never really used (not just the room you're redecorating but the whole house - as you'll have lots of baby things you'll need room for!)
• Amazon 'Subscribe & Save' is a great option for regular essentials e.g. nappies, water wipes
• Keep an eye on sales and price matches if you're not in any rush to purchase items yet
• Speak to your midwife about safety considerations before planning anything e.g. not putting sleeping furniture near a radiator - I found NCT really helpful for this information.

Hope you enjoyed the tour! More nursery ideas I love can be found on my Nursery Pinterest board.

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Jewellery Hooks

I realise I've already declared my love for jewellery hooks, but I wanted to share another - more subtle - alternative...

After a recent bedroom move, I realised I didn't have an appropriate wall available, so I simply added hooks underneath the ledge of my IKEA HEMNES chest of 5 drawers. Jewellery sits neatly tucked away without making a big wall feature of it. Scroll down for my top reasons why I love this idea so much...

THE BENEFITS

• Quick access when you're in a rush in the mornings
• Subtle storage that doesn't require holes in your wall
• A pretty feature to your plain furniture
• All your treasures are displayed, so you don't forget what you have
• Your jewellery can move around with your furniture, without being restricted to a wall
• NO TANGLES!

If you love jewellery storage ideas, take a look at this top tip for stacking rings.

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Writing Desk: Before & After

I love writing desks. There's something about the useful drawers, handy writing space and all the little cubbyholes where you can keep useful and decorative items. (Plus I'm a massive Austen fan and have always pictured having my own writing desk Elizabeth Bennet-style.) 

After a couple of years looking for one that didn't break the bank, our luck landed when a kind family friend gave us one! We'd been visiting their B&B (the most beautiful place to stay if you're ever near Kelso, Scotland) and it caught our eye. Straight away they said we could have it as they didn't use it. Result!

Since then, it's been moved to a couple of rooms but its dark wood wasn't working with the rest of our furniture (which is mostly white). We had come across Annie Sloan chalk paint during our wedding prep as we needed to paint some french shutters for our table plan. The benefit of chalk paint is you don't need that much prep or coats - it goes on like a dream. We had half a tin left of Louis Blue so decided to use it on the desk.  Here's how we got on:

THE PROCESS

Take your piece of furniture... (the cats decided to model the 'before' photo).

Remove drawers and lid (to paint separately).

Lightly sand off any treatment to the wood e.g. varnish, otherwise your chalk paint won't go on well.

Sand everywhere you plan to paint. Not too hard, just enough to remove the top layer.

Hoover up the dust.

Wipe away the remaining dust (I used a sugar soap wipe).

Get your chalk paint ready (don't forget this handy paint pot trick).

Get painting!

Remember to paint your furniture in a well ventilated area, and on a surface you don't mind getting paint on e.g. an old sheet. We had our carpet up for some decorating so took advantage of the underlay!

Once your first coat is dry, sand down any drips and apply the second coat.

Same painting process with the drawers (make sure to take the handles off first).

It's up to you but I didn't see the point in painting the inside of the drawers - I'm planning to buy some pretty drawer liners instead. Also I tried to avoid painting as much of the drawer that you don't see in case it affected (slightly) how the drawers moved in and out of the desk.

Give plenty of time for everything to dry, then screw the handles back on.

We decided to keep the lid off as we felt we'd be able to use it more easily.

THINGS WE KEEP IN OUR 'WRITING' DESK

It completely depends where your desk is. Ours is in our dining room / living room near to our kitchen so we keep a range of useful items in it:

• Placemats & coasters
• Tablecloths
• Pens, pencils & notepads
• Business cards
• Pinboard pins
• Spare lightbulbs
• Wrapping paper & gift bags
• Small bowl for keys & change
• Note cube for quick memos
• Trinkets from our wedding day
• Colouring books to switch off with
• Paperwork that needs sorting that week

This was our first big furniture upcycle - I was really surprised by how relatively simple it was. Chalk paint makes it so easy - all that's required is some patience to ensure the prep is done and enough time is allowed for the paint to dry. (Saying that, it's worth noting the whole project only took up part of a Sunday.)

Upcycling is a great way to make the most out of the furniture you have. Here's another makeover tip which I turn to time and time again.

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Bathroom: Before & After

Creating our bathroom involved a lot of work. When we moved in, the bathroom was on the ground floor at the back of the house leading off from the kitchen, with a separate loo next to it. All very old school and definitely not practical for us. We love to entertain and spend time in the garden - this layout meant there was only a small side door leading to the garden and the kitchen area was pretty pokey.

THE PLAN

• We knew we'd want to convert the loft in the future, so we sacrificed a first floor bedroom to turn it into our main bathroom.
• The existing bathroom and separate loo downstairs were knocked down to create an open plan kitchen diner, with french doors being installed in the back wall to allow better access to the garden.

The photos below pretty much tell the full story - but there were definitely some things we learned along the way (scroll down for my top tips):

PREVIOUS BATHROOM (DOWNSTAIRS)

BATHROOM BEFORE

DurING

AFTER

TOP TIPS

• Don't be disheartened if you spend hours removing woodchip, to then be told the whole wall needs to come down. Sadly, you can't tell the true condition of a wall until you see it properly. It took us, and our incredible friend Maria, a couple of days to strip the walls... I'll always remember Maria's face when our builder said: "Nope, sorry. It's got to come down." That was a low point.
• But you do have high points: We discovered layers and layers of retro wallpaper, from 50s Disney to 70s poodles. It had obviously been a children's bedroom over the years. Renovating a house is the most tiring but brilliant experience as you get to piece together discoveries as you go - slowly learning a bit more about the people who lived there before you. 
• IKEA does the best sink/cabinet combinations. This way, you get loads of storage but don't have to add bulky wall cabinets that can make a room feel smaller, or shelves that collect dust. Instead, add a big mirror to reflect the light, as well as wall lamps either side in case you want some cosy lighting while relaxing in the bath.
• We struggled deciding on the floor - I loved the look of floorboards but wasn't convinced they would be practical, especially with water. L sourced the most amazing (and affordable) compromise - waterproof laminate flooring in wood effect ("beach house"). It sounds a bit naff, but it really isn't. We loved the final result.
• Tongue and groove is a great option for breaking up plain walls - if we hadn't used it, I think the room would have felt quite sparse and cold (as I didn't want to tile everywhere), plus it protects the walls from daily wear and tear. We opted for Homebase kitchen/bathroom paint in Duck Egg to add some colour.
• Our cast iron roll top bath cost us £38 from Gumtree. It had seen better days! So we bought a self-enamel kit online and gave it a facelift with a dusty pink Dulux paint (for metal). We then bought the fittings online to keep costs down. 
• We decided to build a shelf next to the bath, fitted onto the wall. This provided storage for the taps/pipes and meant we have somewhere to put our bubble bath, shampoo etc when having a bath.
• Don't scrimp on towel rail radiator size in a medium-large bathroom. We initially put a smaller one in but one winter and we quickly changed it for a bigger one! (The smaller one was used in the new bathroom we put in during our loft conversation the following year.)
• While we opted for a traditional Victorian toilet to fit with the rest of the house, it does collect dust - so we opted for a built-in cistern in our single loo and loft bathroom. Less to clean and it provides a shelf for toilet roll, diffusers, even books!
• We store our towels on one of these behind a spare bedroom door rather than in the bathroom as they become a bit dry with all the hot steam circulating when you have a shower.
• For better light, opt for a door with windows in the top two panels, then add sticky back plastic to them for privacy. 

Take a look at my Bathroom Pinterest Board for more decor ideas.

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Bedroom: Before & After

One of the first finished rooms at Maison Bailey was our bedroom, as its completion (alongside the bathroom) meant we could move in. As long as we had somewhere to sleep and wash - we could get by.

Prior to this, we were borrowing the flat of an extremely kind family friend up the road, who temporarily moved in with my parents for two months (as did Mog). This was a huge lifeline as it meant we could commute to our full time jobs in London, renovate during the evenings and weekends and still sleep in a warm, safe place ready for work the next day. We couldn't have managed without the incredible generosity of our friends and family.

A few weeks in, we quickly realised just how much you can achieve when you set yourself a tight deadline. What would have probably taken us six months, took us two. I won't lie, it was tough, especially after a long day at work. But we got our heads down and once we'd moved in, even though the pressure was off, we kept up the pace. It was only another six months and we were hosting Boxing Day.

Our bedroom was a huge turning point as it was the first time we saw a room visibly come together and the first time we felt the feeling of, 'hang on, we can do this!'. Hope you like the pics...

BEDROOM BEFORE

A green, psychedelic carpet (with vinyl and newspapers underneath on top of the floorboards), a sink in the corner, an off-centre pendant light and mountains of green WOODCHIP WALLPAPER (it took so long to remove):

DURING

Hours and hours of woodchip wallpaper removal, a new wall, ceiling, plastering, doors, radiators, windows, skirting & coving, painting...

AFTER

Dulux 'Chic Shadow' paint makes the room feel fresh in daylight and cosy at night. White furniture and frames tie in with the skirting and coving, with bright stripe bedding added to give it some colour. 

Love before & afters? Take a look at what the Maison Bailey kitchen used to look like.

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Garden: Before & After

Our garden was a renovation project in itself! It was clear it hadn't been tended to for a very long time. It had become a dumping ground - everything was overgrown and broken. But you could tell it had once been dearly loved by the elderly couple before us. So we got a notepad out and started sketching ideas to make the space work for us without compromising on lawn space...

We divided our garden into three sections: 

1. Lower decking: For entertaining straight out of the kitchen. Our garden parasol also offers some cosy privacy in this area.

2. Middle lawn: Sun loungers and rose borders make this area ideal for relaxing with friends in the sunshine (and for the cats to stretch their legs and chase bees on the lavender).

3. Upper summer house: A place to perch and look down on the garden below. Ideal for some shade in spring/summer and a quieter spot for bird feeders (and the occasional squirrel).

Current project: The greenhouse. We're in the middle of installing one next to the summer house (it will be featured as a Before & After post soon, keep an eye out!). We're very lucky to have an allotment three minutes walk away and have been relatively successful so far (runner beans, potatoes and onions in particular) - but would love to try starting our veg from seed. Some also fare better in greenhouses so it will be fun to see what works this year. (Keep an eye on my Instagram this spring/summer for behind-the-scenes progress.)

GARDEN makeover in pictures:

BEFORE:

DURING:

AFTER:

TOP TIPS

• When you move in, don't dig any plants up. Watch your garden for a year and see what appears. What might look like a weed, might suddenly bloom with white flowers in autumn. Observe, then plan.
• Tailor your garden areas to fit your lifestyle. We entertain a lot so a decking dining and BBQ area directly outside the kitchen was a priority. Saying that, ensure you keep as much lawn space as possible as it's what many new buyers look for. (Too many areas can make a garden look smaller than it is.) Utilise space at the back of your garden (particularly long ones like ours) by adding seating areas or something useful e.g. greenhouse, summer house, washing line, swing, hot tub(!).
• Get the professionals in for the important stuff (structural, removal, smart finishes).
• We opted for ribbed decking as it's less slippery in the rain than plain planks.
• If you have decking, invest in a pressure washer (we borrowed Papa B's). It's important to maintain the condition of your decking so try and have a blast once a year. Dirt and algae can look messy and cause slippages! If you're feeling heroic, take the extra time to apply some decking oil after pressure washing to keep the wood long-lasting.
• If you think you might want to take special plants to your next home, plant them in pots rather than the ground. We were given two beautiful roses on our wedding day and planted them into pots in case we ever move.
• Summer houses can be costly. We bought a basic version online and upcycled it with paint. Adding a clock on the front is also helpful for when you're gardening watch & phone-free.
• While it's smart to shop around for quotes, go for the pros you feel most confident in. We used the team who worked on our loft conversion - they were reliable, professional and gave us a competitive quote.
• Opt for plants that flower at different times or are evergreen to avoid a bare garden in autumn/winter.
• Add spotlights to your decking if you can as it looks amazing at night, especially if you entertain a lot. If you can, add them to steps for safety.

For my favourite garden looks at the moment, check out my Garden board on Pinterest.

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Home Office: Secret Shelving

Small alcoves offer great opportunity for smart storage. Simply add some shelves and you turn a redundant space into the perfect spot to display your treasures or, in my case, hide away some standard office items. Our home office door masks this storage area when open, so to keep our work space clear and clutter-free, we installed four shelves to store things we don't need regularly - photo albums, notepads, craft supplies and spare tech.

FrogTape around the shelves where they meet the wall before painting to ensure a neat finish.

We painted MDF with two layers of white undercoat, finishing with white eggshell.

Peel away the FrogTape gently to avoid taking any wall paint off with it.

Remove any hard-to-reach leftover FrogTape with tweezers.

And there you go!

Secretly hidden behind the door.

The project took us a couple of days as you have to wait for the paint to fully dry before peeling off the tape.

For more smart storage ideas, why not try:

Kitchen: Before & After

Our kitchen used to be three rooms: a kitchen, bathroom and separate loo - all of which had reached 1975 and decided to stay there. We knew we'd spend most of our time at home on the ground floor - relaxing, cooking or entertaining - so we decided to turn an upstairs bedroom into a bathroom to give us space to create a kitchen/diner.

Walls came down, a new ceiling was added and a fresh set of electrics were wired in. We knocked a big hole into the back wall for french doors, allowing better access to our garden and adding much-needed light. L laid underfloor heating before setting down large grey slates (a massive shiver-saver during the colder months. The cats think it's the best thing since catnip.) A new kitchen was installed and we added an L-shape seating booth to maximise space. A new back door went in and the old draughty windows were replaced with double glazing. This was the biggest room transformation of our refurb.

Scroll down for my top tips...

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

TOP REFURB TIPS

• Make space for the rooms you'll use the most.
• Do scenario 'walk-throughs' to work out light switch, cupboard and plug placements.
• Be smart about storage. We turned our seating booth into extra kitchen storage by allowing the seats to lift upwards (great place for spare kitchen roll, tins and pet food).
• Invest in professionals for important things such as demolition, plastering, electrics, plumbing, built-in bookcases (etc) but embrace the strip-out, painting, up-cycling, etc if you can. How do you know you can't if you don't give it a go? We saved a lot of money by getting stuck in.
• Use Pinterest for layout and decor inspiration - it keeps you focused and motivated during what can be an exhausting mental and physical experience! 
• I found plugging headphones in (when safe to do so) helped time go quicker during repetitive tasks as opposed to listening to the radio. It gets you in the zone and into the groove.

Know someone planning a full refurb or kitchen transformation? Why not pass these tried and tested tips onto them via the share button below?

Dining Room: Before & After

2012 was one of the most exhausting yet satisfying years of my life. It was the year L and I took on our first refurb project, while commuting to our full time jobs. Walls came down, skips of woodchip were painstakingly steamed off every wall (big thank you to the 1970s for that wonderful contribution to interior design), stairs were rebuilt, a bedroom was turned into a bathroom, not to mention midnight painting sessions on a Monday (low point).

It was a challenge - but a brilliant one. I wouldn't take back a blister. I discovered that I don't give up easily (which is nice to discover having given up most instruments at school). I also learnt a lot about DIY, that my interior design skills are best when under pressure, as well as one of my biggest realisations: P!nk's Greatest Hits actually speeds up the painting process. (Seriously.)

Here are some before, during and after photos of our dining room:

Before: Mustard woodchip wallpaper, odd radiators and a questionable glass-panelled staircase.

During: Yep - that's a bath in the centre (a second-hand cast iron roll-top bath we upcycled), plus two refurb essentials - a professional wallpaper steamer and Mama B.

The glass came down and we transformed the open area under the stairs into a handy cupboard for coats, shoes, hoover, ironing board and brollies.

After: New plaster, paint, carpets, windows, blinds and built-in storage. (And wine. An essential sofa condiment after a busy day.)

Dining room table: Covered in wipe-clean oil cloth (no need for placemats or coasters!). We added a mirror between our built-in storage to make the room appear larger and to reflect light around the room.

I hope these photos inspire you to give a project a go. Not necessarily a full-scale refurb, it can be anything! Redecorating a room, adding some pops of colour with accessories, creating a picture wall... the main thing is to muster up the confidence to give it a go. Nothing makes a home feel more like you than knowing you were involved in its creation. It's like making your mum a Mother's Day card vs a shop-bought one when you were a child. Which one would she have loved the most? Exactly!

What project are you contemplating currently?
Discover additional decor inspiration here.