We all know the importance of having a nice place to come home to. A well thought out interior not only makes our lives more comfortable – it also makes us happier! So – with our new long-term home I am fairly excited to be starting the whole interiors project. This time I’m launching into it with a plan and a few design rules.
Rule 1: Be proud of our mismatched taste
I am the worst offender with this one. My natural instinct is to have a careful mix of clashing items – but secretly I wish I could have the whole house matching – everything white and minimalist. First off, it would cost a fortune to throw everything away and start again, all in one go. And secondly – for us that just would take the joy out of collecting things over a long period of time.
Rule 2: Be patient and save up!
We have vowed this time around we’ll take the time to create a collection of pieces for our budget. So we save a little bit of money every week into the furniture fund. And instead of going to that great big shop on the Ring Road (you know the one I mean) and buying stuff we’ll have to chuck in a year or two, we are saving up and buy two or three really good things a year.
What we’re also considering is having a joiner build a few pieces for us. With winter heading our way, sorting the living room is becoming the number one priority. As you can see it’s a bit haphazard with the grey shelves and the old mid-century coffee table doubling as a TV table. Working with a trusted local tradesman – we’ll check out Service Magic – our plan is to build a wall of shelves and a TV slot either side of the chimney breast.
Rule 3: Stick with timeless styles
As tempting as it sometimes is to buy the latest fashion colour – we know, because we only want to buy a few pieces a year – that we simply can’t afford to be buying anything that will date quickly – because we won’t be replacing things in a hurry. So – we are going to plan our colour palette and general style carefully. And, because we are old stuck in the muds, we are going to adhere to our tried and tested Farrow and Ball Charleston Grey, Calluna, Blackened and Pavillion Grey scheme. That said, we are planning on introducing a new kitchen green this time around. And black and white flooring.
Rule 4: Don’t always be old stuck in the muds
We are the first people to admit we are a bit old and stuck in our ways. So, as long as we stick to timeless styles we aren’t going to rule out something a little bit crazy. And, just like Hotlips Hoolihan the red sofa from the Heal’s sale floor, even if something is a bit reckless and not always in fashion, we are going to promise to give it a good home forever. Unless it’s from the great big shop on the Ring Road. Then we won’t be making any promises at all.
Next week… a garden theme. A book review and a little tour of our verdant garden.
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