Fireplace

Last week's post was a real eyeopener as far as my fireplace is concerned.

As much as I still don't like that thing (it's ugly, it's purely "decorative", it's placed in a really awkward angle etc.), I also realised that it really had come a long way since I decided to redecorate the living area way back in August 2009.

But I gonna shut up now and let the photos do the talking.

Before - in December 2009.

Now.


Again - before in December 2009.

And today. Jeez, a little paint and some sleek vintage decorating really can go a long way.

Tomado book shelf

“I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.” - Anna Quindlen

Most of my decorating choices (and ultimate furniture purchases) have always revolved around finding enough space to host my evergrowing book collection. I am and always have been a voracious reader. And for me, books are by far the hardest to let go of. Although I confess, even I undertake the occasional, very limited (!) book purge for the sake of keeping my rad 50s bookcases.

Good thing then, that the planned kitchen overhaul has freed up one of the Tomado Holland shelves...

I have just the right nook for it in the living room.

For now, it's holding a small part of my art and archeology books, my stash of Living etc magazines from 2010, some random paperbacks (the ones small enough to fit that middle shelf) and of course, the stunningly beautiful Penguin Classics hardcover collection.

As my teak bookcases are almost filled to the brim, this makes for an ideal extension.


And that empty space underneath the Tomado, you're asking ?

Worry not ! I'm certainly not going to let it go to waste. I might just have thrifted a little something that would be perfect for that corner...

Paint samples and dreaming big

Uh oh. Things are starting to get serious in the kitchen.

Yes, I'm testing grey paint samples. From top to bottom: Farrow & Ball's Pavillion Grey; Farrow & Ball's Hardwick White; The Litlle Greene's Eau de Nil.

The Pavillion Grey looks very promising. Especially since I saw Farrow & Ball's catch phrase, i.e. product description. "Cool... reminiscent of an elegant colour used in Sweden in the late 18th century under Gustav III...". Come on, a Scandi reference, what's not to love. And "elegant" would certainly be a step up from the kitschy retro theme I've got going for the moment. Hhhmmm, I'm so very tempted.

Anyhow. The Hardwick White is a definite no no. Too beigy brown for my taste. And Eau de Nil? I've been testing that colour for what seems like forever now, but I've never committed to it. So I should probably take the hint...

As for the big dreams part, I really want/need to paint those horrible beige floor tiles. I'm thinking black & white checkerboard. Maybe. I'm a bit scared of all the hassle. I'm also not sure if I have the patience to actually tackle a project like that.

And of course, I have to deal with all the "stuff" that's been accumulating in the kitchen lately. The table is a mess. The Tomado is barely better. And the fridge exterior ? God, I really need to implement a no magnets policy.

And still more pots...

My post-Christmas, pre-New Year thrifting expedition yielded more besides the white porcelain vase. For instance, this funky West German plant pot.

My current favourite colours united - red and green. I could not pass this one up. And luckily at 4 eur, it wasn't too much of a splurge.

As luck would also have it, it's a prefect match to the red and green of my Charley Harper poster.

See.

The Doors

This morning. Chaussée de Boondael. I stumbled across this awesome front door.


I am in love with that handle. And the glass pane behind it - equally stunning.

A few houses further down. Again. Wow.

You can sometimes spot these eyecatching handles on Brussels buildings from the 60s or 70s. I have no idea who manufactured them. And so far I have been unable to source any kind of information about them, but I know I am dying to find one on ebay or in a flea market for my own front door. Imagine being greeted by one of these each time you come home. Heaven.

White Collection

What a difference a little daylight makes !

I promised a better glimpse at my white vases, and Mother Nature delivered.


Not a massive collection... yet. The two round ones I think I never blogged about, even though I did post some photos on my Flickr page (here, here and here). They are Kaiser porcelain, marked and signed by M. Frey.

A little more detail of the very delicate pattern.

And on a totally unrelated note, the plant certainly needs a "haircut". It's going all hippie on me.

Now the big, tall fella is part of my most recent thrift haul. It's a Royal Porzellan Bavaria KPM vase, 34 cm high and at only 6 eur a very welcome addition to my evergrowing stash of West German ceramics.

Like the others, this one isn't glazed either (at least not on the outside). And I love the rough texture. Reminds me a little bit of cookie dough. Yum.

A bit of a wider view. Maybe I'll eventually achieve a faboulous monochrome decor à la Brick House or Kitka Design Toronto ? But somehow I doubt that. And in any case, I'm already very proud to have matched the stereo with the vases and some of the artwork. Ha !

Note to self though : I definitely need to tackle the "vignetting" on the upper shelves.

And finally a little to-do to wrap this post up. This one reminds me that I really need to hang my She & Him poster. Why is it still leaning on the shelf ? God only knows.

And dude, the coffee table ? How long have I been meaning to refurbish it ? Probably since I first got it in 2006, almost 5 years ago...

Happy New Year !

First of, let me wish you and your loved ones a beautiful 2011, full of happiness, good health, laughter and of course very rewarding home reno & deco projects :-)

I hope you all enjoyed the holidays ?! Mine were quiet and utterly uneventful. But let me just tell you this much, I am very relieved to be starting a new year. Yup, in my book 2010 sucked. Totally. I am just very grateful to have made it through it and to be done with it!

But at least the ebay gods were smiling on me one more time and 2010 did end in one last score.

A Tivoli Audio hi-fi system in white and silver, composed of their Model Two radio and their Model CD.

In Belgium these things retail around 650 eur. And even though I have been drooling over them for the longest time, I could never bring myself to spend such an insane amount of money on a hi-fi.

Along came ebay and I picked up this beauty for half the retail price ! Yes, still a LOT of money, but when you have lived with this monster of a hi-fi for the last 20 years, you're allowed to go crazy...

I'm so happy I got a bit carried away and took about a million pictures. All very grainy because of the gloomy weather. But hell, here we go.


In honour of my Tivoli acquisition, I also decided to move my collection of white West-German porcelain from the bedroom to the Cadovius shelves. I think all the white looks very neat together.


This is the best picture I could manage. Hopefully we will get more light in the next couple of days and I will be able to post more details.

And don't forget, you can still win these fabulous BFK bowls. Just check it out here.