On becoming obsessed with interiors

We’ve been in our new home now for just over two months. The boxes are all unpacked and, as the weather improves, we’re starting to plan a few DIY projects. I have eight years of pent up DIY frustration at living in rented houses, so it’s all I can do to stop myself running amok with a drill and a hammer.

First on the list is a new sofa for the living room. I love the mixture of old and new in a room, with vintage or pre-loved pieces alongside newer furniture. This suits my limited budget too, which is handy. I’ve got my eye on a grey or charcoal sofa to go with a new black and white striped rug, which would look lovely against my grandma’s old Danish teak sideboard. A recent trip to the home department at John Lewis has had me salivating over much of their furniture. The Barbican Sofa in Charcoal is my absolute favourite…

Next up, I’m upcycling a cute wardrobe I discovered by the side of the road. Frog has never had a wardrobe before because the cottage we used to rent had an alcove for clothes in her bedroom. I spent ages searching online and in second hand shops for one. I wanted a hint of retro but the potential to give it a unique look that would suit her vintage-inspired room. I couldn’t find one anywhere, but then discovered this beauty abandoned on the pavement. A knock on a random door later and it was mine.

I recently went on an Annie Sloan workshop (amazing – thoroughly recommend it, even though I was the youngest by a good ten years) and learned some new techniques for how to use chalk paint. While there I bought a pot of Emperor’s Silk to paint the wardrobe. There are also some pretty retro style handles on order to complete the look.

We’re lucky in that our bathroom is pretty big, but it lacks a shower, so that’s a project for the Easter holidays. We’ve also planned to rip up the slightly tatty carpet in the hallway and on the stairs and sand down the floorboards, before putting a runner on the stairs.

Of course all this planning has led me to become a tad interiors obsessed. I’ve been working on the interiors pages for a magazine recently, so I’ve partly managed to blame my obsession on work, but to be honest, I’d be browsing blogs and magazines and websites even if it weren’t for the day job.

One of my favourite interiors blogs is the brilliantly fun Bright Bazaar. Packed full of colour, pattern and bright sparkly things, there’s a definite hint of the Bright Bazaar in our bedroom with the pop of colour from the cushions and throw. The Annie Sloan’s going to make an appearance again as I paint some mini drawers and the frame of a mirror (I think I’m addicted to chalk paint) to add a bit more colour.

Finally, I’m searching for a desk to put in our office space at the back of the house. The (self-proclaimed) Northern Love Machine has attempted to commandeer the room but I’m biding my time while I find a little desk perfect for a laptop, a framed photo and a vase of daffodils. In the meantime, I’ll let him think it’s going to be his very own computer game den for a bit longer.

Have you got any DIY projects on the go at the moment? Any great sources of inspiration to recommend?

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