A chair to finish the nursery

The wing chair for Leo's nursery required a month to be made, so I was almost happy when he didn't arrive on the due date because I'd only ordered it three and a half weeks beforehand. I couldn't hold him in forever though, even for a chair! He was eight days late but the chair was even later, eventually arriving two weeks late.

I'd been nervous about having a chair made in my choice of fabric and having to commit to it before seeing it finished. I sweated over the fabric choice. There were hundreds of options and I can be a procrastinator when deciding on big items like this. A neutral fabric would have been an easier choice but I really wanted something a bit more fun and distinct.

Eventually I settled on a Warwick fabric called Mystere Honey.

I found the manufacturer on eBay (seller rosemedley). They are a small, Melbourne company and hadn't made a wing chair in this colour before, so I had to visualise the fabric on this chair. 

Not long after ordering the rug, I stopped in my tracks while reading Domayne's Winter Launch 2013 catalogue because there were a few items covered in the Warwick Mystere fabric. I loved how the colour appeared in the catalogue, making me feel less nervous about my choice. Though being a velvet, I knew it would look different depending on the lighting in the room. Here's a shot of an armchair from the catalogue. My chair only looks this colour when it's really bright which isn't often given it's the middle of winter in Melbourne. 

Last time I shared a picture of the room, the wool dhurrie rug from Temple & Webster had arrived but there was a sad space in the corner.

The room feels a lot more complete with the chair, even though there are a few other things I'd like to do in here, namely another artwork for over the cot (haven't decided if I will create something myself as I did with the others here). For now, I love putting my feet up and watching the world go by while feeding in this sunny corner.

Best of all, Leo seems to enjoy cuddling up on the chair. Well, I don't really know that for sure. He definitely enjoys the milk I feed him while we're on the chair, so that's a start. I think his favourite spot in the room is the change table! Perhaps it's the undivided attention he gets on there, or maybe the nice feeling of having a dirty nappy removed? Whatever it is, I just enjoy the smiles and cute noises he makes on there. Can you see him in the picture below, holding his stuffed puppy and waiting patiently for his mummy to take photos?! What a little beauty he is.

Speaking of the change table, I've added more baskets since the baby arrived. I particularly wanted somewhere handy for the dirty laundry, so one basket at the bottom is devoted to that, but there's now lots of storage generally which is always a good thing. I'm not a big fan of stuff not having proper "homes"!

I'm currently working on a nifty little home for picture books so stay tuned for that. 

A study in whitewashing

A serene, fresh and uncluttered desk only seems possible if done in white, and so began my long hunt for a nicer surface to plonk a laptop and blog away. The criteria included: drawers along the top rather than down the side, less than $500, sleek but not space age to blend into an older home and, most importantly, white. Not one new desk was found that met all this criteria so the ebay search began. As is usually the case with auctions, items came, love blossomed and items were lost. Hope remained. If you're willing to pick up a paintbrush, there are greater options to be had, so the final criteria on colour was momentarily dropped in favour of a desk able to be painted (ie. wooden rather melamine). Eventually, the desk below was 'won'...

Then sanded... (thanks to the Mister and willing B-I-L, Quentin)

and a first coat applied...

and a second...

and finally, the third coat. Et voila!

Ever so slightly smaller than hoped, but so right in other ways. On the same weekend, the yellow chair got a third coat and the little chair got the full sand and paint treatment (see previous post for their before shots). It's starting to come together, no?

The final cost for the desk came in at around $90, including paint for just under $30 and the other necessary bits and pieces like sandpaper, brush and drop sheet. It's history and journey to whiteness cannot be priced :) Nor can the sound of my heart singing as I spy it from the doorway. So tell me, could I have got a better desk for my buck?

Colour pops in to brighten the study

The obsession with yellow continues and the time has come to expand from yellow handbags and fashion to interiors. Nothing like a pop of this sunny shade to make you smile and if returning home was not sweet in itself, some yellow in your living quarters is sure to brighten your mood as well as your home.

With the longevity of a hue facisination unknown, a yellow investment piece may not be wise. Find cheap and cheery ways to bring a splash of colour to your space. For those of us with zero sewing talent, wielding a brush and a tin of paint is effective and achievable. Stick to updating inexpensive furniture, wall hangings, linen, textiles and accessories before changing carpet, tiles and wall colour as they can be harder to change once your passion dies, not to mention expensive.

This solid wooden dining chair was picked up at Savers Footscray. The sticker read $6.99 but it scanned up at $3.50. Turned out to be 50% off furniture day! Bargain. After a quick dust and wipe down with a damp cloth, it was time for the first coat of paint. That's right, no sanding. The friendly staff at the Paint Spot Footscray had recommended oil paint if little or no sanding was taking place. A small tin cost $9.20 but this could do two chairs.

Visible streaks could be seen after the first coat. I'm sure sanding would have reduced the streaks, but no matter since the second coat did wonders. A third coat may eventuate in future.

This chair will live in the study amongst a lot of red accessories, a touch of navy and some mismatched furniture. I can proudly announce that I fashioned the curtain on the old IKEA robe in the background all by myself. I do not say 'sew' as this is not a talent I possess. Hemming web was used in the production of this product! Now this piece that had no where else to go ties into the room a little better and the heavier fabric is better suited to hide the plastic tubs of craft, stationery and computer bits that hide in there.

 The above photo is a 'before' picture of the robe. The red and white stripes have really livened it up.

An artistic homage to Roy Lichtenstein hangs in this room and has a touch of yellow, so the chair will have a kindred spirit to help it feel at home.

 
This painting was inspired by the 1950's True Romance comic and is by Desperate Damsels. It was a surprise wedding gift.

Now the walls in the study need to be painted white and the yukky, old carpet needs to be replaced. I'm looking for carpet inspiration. It's tempting to reveal the floorboards underneath, maybe even whitewash them, but some covering is needed since this and the adjacent living room are the only carpeted rooms in the house. Ideas welcome!

This child's chair from an uncle is also waiting for a coat of fire engine red to add another cute touch to the study.