Future plans for our dining room // a dining room mood board

A slightly different approach to my hallway mood board as unlike the hallway, the dining room transformation is already under way! You can follow progress on my extension here on Instagram stories. 

THE PREVIOUS DINING ROOM

The previous kitchen diner was a lovely bright space with a large picture window framing the view of the garden, a galley kitchen one side of the room, a peninsula divider, and IKEA cabinetry fitted into the fireplace alcove on the other side of the room with translucent doors which bounced the light around further, as did glossy marble effect floor tiles. This room was magnolia like all other rooms of the house (the previous owner's work).

PROBLEM POINTS

The marble floor tiles although beautiful, were largely white with grey veining so showed every speck of dirt and had zero practicality. The dining part of the kitchen diner was really compact. The previous owner's wooden dining table (which he took with him) ate up all the space so we opted for a glass dining table to give the illusion of space. But even with a glass table, the space was still tight. We hosted eight for a dinner party once and it was pretty snug. Thinking ahead to the future, we knew there was no space for the pitter patter of little feet to run around in.

IDEAS

We wanted to create a contemporary look room but at the same time, we are heavily influenced by French style. We love visiting Versailles and all manner of historical stately homes, so were after a similar statement floor to give our characterless house some, well, character. We pick up a lot of inspiration from French bistros and restaurants and seeing as we haven't been doing a whole lot of that since the global pandemic(!) we wanted to bring that essence home to enjoy every day. 

FUTURE PLANS FOR THE DINING ROOM

Dining room mood board / Future plans for our dining room

Flooring - Wooden herringbone flooring was high on my wish list...until I found out how much it costs. Laying that aesthetically pleasing pattern takes time and labour can cost as much as the actual flooring (essentially doubling your cost), if not more. Also being in lockdown we couldn't go out and look at flooring, and there was no way I was blindly buying flooring online without seeing it or touching it first. Also after ordering samples, I learnt that the colours online never quite look the same IRL. In the end we opted for a wood effect tile (easier to maintain plus suitable for use with underfloor heating). We chose the above criss cross pattern which interlocks and creates one large pattern. It won't be everyone's cup of tea I'm sure, but for us it reminded us of French bistrots, French chateaux and French parquet flooring. I was pretty nervous as I hadn't seen anyone else with this flooring, but have zero regrets. It makes the room. 

Lighting - The navy blue chandelier that came with the house was a little old school, but I did ask the builder to save it as I had other plans for it. When it came to replacing the light, I wanted to warm up the decor a little with a gold or brass light fitting. A Next light fitting I loved went out of stock and any Tom Dixon lighting was out of the question due to cost (sob). I love sputnik lighting but Mr Curiouser and Curiouser wasn't so sure. Turns out we are polar opposites when it comes to opinions on lighting. The one and only light we agreed on was the above beauty from MADE. It's contemporary, it's brass, it doesn't have millions of annoying bulbs to change and having LEDs makes it a lot more efficient to run. Plus the shape mimicks the flooring and our dining table. 

Table - We already own the above table which was purchased to give the illusion of space in our old kitchen diner. The glass is good and thick so deals with heat well, and any spills can be wiped up easily. This will likely be replaced in the future for an extendable table now we have more space. Maybe a nice wooden number. 

Seating - Our Next dining chairs have seen better days. I feel like the cats sense my frustration with them and are 'helping' by ripping them to shreds. In the short term I'm thinking of investing in some velvet chair covers like these (colour still TBC) or having a go at upholstering them myself. But long term I would like to invest in some restaurant style bench seating to create that cafe / bistrot feel. I have already bookmarked pink and blue velvet chairs from Danetti (as above) to create a more relaxed dining experience with friends and family. Our new extension isn't one of these massive open plan kitchen / dining / living room affairs, so having a dining bench or sofa would make this a versatile space.

Decoration - The fireplace is the main focus of the room and sits alongside the dining table. The previous chimney breast was a crooked affair and has now been made good. It's currently white to contrast against our dark cupboards but in the future I'd like to cover this with a statement wallpaper like this floral design and add a wooden mantel and an industrial style mirror like or a circular mirror. The void in the fireplace used to hold our booze collection but I'm planning to switch this out for a hurricane vase to display lit candles or pampas grass. I also want to incorporate some greenery in big pots and maybe some trailing plants like ivy on the alcove cupboards to provide a link to the garden. The dining room wall is also plain white for now but a future project is injecting some character with panelling and getting some artwork up. 

Storage - My vision was to replace the IKEA cupboards with something special and feeling inspired by Versailles' Hall of Mirrors, I was after mirrored cupboard doors. I had a specific company in mind and contacted them with the alcove measurements and asked for a quote. The sales rep I spoke to never got back to me. Their social media team promised they would chase this up for me. Still nothing. When said company lost access to their Instagram account and wanted support re-building their social media following, I asked if their level of customer service would be any better on this new account. They were horrified that I'd been ignored all this time and were ready to help me THEN but by that stage, the new cupboards were already in so they'd lost my business. Whilst I'd still love to have mirrored doors in the future, I at least now know which company to avoid! The cupboards that have been fitted are disappointing if I'm honest. In terms of look, they feel very flat. My future project is to try and mock up the mirrored look in some capacity or try applying my own panelling to get the look of the above Maisons du Monde wardrobe (dark interiors for the win!)

Which items are your favourites?

Future plans for our living room // a living room mood board

A slightly different approach to my hallway mood board as unlike the hallway, the living room transformation is already under way! Gone is the scabby blue carpet that had seen better days. And don't get me started on the magnolia walls...

WHAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR

Our idea of a deep blue statement wall escalated as we loved the colour so much. We used Dulux's Teal Tension (as seen here) which is a dead ringer for the Farrow & Ball navy ones in low light, and when used on all walls, creates a cosy, cocooning feel. Contrary to popular belief, going dark didn't make the room feel smaller - it actually made the room look longer and the ceilings look higher as it blurs the corners of the room and casts the eye up.

We ripped up the carpet - no nice floorboards underneath sadly - and laid our own flooring. It's a lovely warm colour which pairs beautifully with the dark blue walls. I love the character of the knots in the wood and how every floor board is different.

We swapped out the musty smelling curtains for these ones from Dunelm and also bought the matching cushions. The metallic thread gives it a luxe feel - in fact one of my best friends call us the Mandarin Oriental whenever she comes round!

FUTURE PLANS FOR THE LIVING ROOM

Future plans for our living room // a living room mood board

Window  - although I am relieved to have replaced the shabby curtains with lovely Gatsby inspired fabric, the ultimate dream is to have white shutters or blinds like these in the future for a sleek and fuss-free look.

Home library - as much as I love our dark walls, the walls in this house are dodgy as. Most of them aren't straight and the walls in the lounge are bumpy making any future prospects of wallpaper a hard no. The dark walls help disguise the imperfections, but in the future I'd love to have fitted bookcases / shelving to provide much needed storage and to camouflage the TV, wires, and perfectly imperfect walls. Something a little like these ones here that I have been pinning. My goal being to create a home library to house our many books with the shelving all painted dark blue to make each title stand out (as they quite rightly deserve to) and a print like this one here. Bespoke bookcases can be expensive (especially if you enlist a carpenter) so I'm considering an IKEA hack using IKEA products like this (or a ready painted blue unit like this) to get the look for less.

Fireplace - we don't have a chimney breast in our lounge so can't have an actual functional fireplace, but I'd love to give the room a focus point. I very nearly scored a fireplace here but sadly it wasn't meant to be. This is the sort of style I'm on the hunt for (a white fireplace surround with brushed silver detailing on the cast iron).

Lighting - something that drives me mad about this room is the fact that there is not one, but two light fittings. One in the centre of the room (fine), the other in the far right hand corner (BUT WHY). This weirdly positioned light fitting sat above the previous owner's TV and it annoys the hell out of me. So I really can't wait to get it taken out and plastered over. As for the other (central) light, it's dated and I'd love something a little more modern. Either a chandelier or something in gold or copper like this sputnik light here.

Home bar - we have an unused corner of the room which I'd love to transform into a reading nook and bar area with a statement chair. If we can get built in storage (see "home library" above), I like the idea of having dedicated space on the shelving for a drinks tray, drinks and glassware and also a gold circular bar cart to match our Gatsby themed living room.

Cushions - I'd love to add a few more cushions onto our DFS sofas (aren't these beautiful?) and get some cushion covers so I can mix up the display for different times of the year.

Storage baskets - we have a surplus of blankets (all dedicated to movie nights and box set marathons) and it would be great to tidy them away into baskets like these when we have guests over.

Plants - I'd love to add some tropical plants to our lounge like tall palms and ferns as seen here. We do have cats who chew on absolutely everything so sometimes I wonder if artificial is the play here!

Statement wall - I really can't decide what to do with the wall behind the sofa. It's a blank canvas and I flit between wanting a gallery wall of framed art and quotes from somewhere like Desenio, Juniqe or Fy, or keeping it simple with one large piece of art or a mirror like this. Another part of me is considering a picture ledge like these so I can chop and change the artwork I have on display, whilst incorporating plenty of plants.

Rug - as lovely as the flooring is, it can get a little cold under-foot compared to the carpet that was there before. I purchased a teal trellis print rug which was great when it was new, but now it's showing signs of age. I'd love to get a blue patterned rug with a deeper pile so it's more luxurious under foot and lasts a bit longer. I love Moroccan tiles and prints so this rug here has my name on it!

Which items are your favourites?

INTERIORS // A sneak peek inside The Circle apartments

The Circle is back! Ever the interiors enthusiast, I wrote about last year's interior decor (and how the TV game show works) here but this year the interiors are quirkier than ever. Each apartment has its own theme and they are all so different (admittedly with varying levels of success). Are you ready?

I LOVE GOLD

The epitome of luxury with the gold shelving, gold kitchen units and marble worktops. 

Looks like somewhere Goldmember would hole up.

PRETTY IN PINK

Never before have I wanted a pink kitchen (nor did I ever expect to) BUT I DO NOW

BOHEMIAN

I'm not one for white walls (I find them really cold and uninviting) but this interiors scheme has plenty of warmth to it with its use of materials and patterns.

ECCENTRIC / QUIRKY

The most fun out of all the apartments, and it suits its 18 year old tenant to a tee. 

At the start I felt like I needed sunglasses constantly(!), but it's really grown on me

DARK INTERIORS

If I was ever on The Circle, this is the sort of apartment I'd live to be in (or LUXURY below). 

The dark walls are so cocooning and I love the pops of colour with all the pink.

BESIDE THE SEA

There is something quite coastal about this apartment with its white-washed wood, natural materials and touches of blue. I'm not as sold on the ornamental pigeons(!), but other than that, it's a lovely serene feeling apartment.

GLAM

I didn't know how else to describe this apartment. Sort of glam (like its first tenant) and sort of loud and in your face (like its last tenant!). I find that white kitchen units can be quite bland and boring, but backing them against a statement colour like this really makes them pop and gives added interest.

JUNGLE THEME

THAT WALLPAPER THOUGH. Designer wallpaper can be expensive. Sometimes all you need is one statement wall (both cheaper and makes a room look less 'busy'). I love the complimentary other walls painted in a similar shade and the touches of gold for added luxury. And speaking of luxury...

LUXURY

What makes this room 'luxury', you ask? It's the cocooning effect of a darker interiors scheme paired with gold accents and the clever use of designer wallpaper. Statement wallpaper can look a little 'busy' when used in excess i.e. covering an entire wall, or on all walls. By starting the wallpaper only midway up the wall, the dark wall paneling helps balance it, as well as making the yellow accents of the wallpaper really pop.

INDUSTRIAL

Or maybe that should be "industrial?" The kitchen, shelving and bar stools stick to the brief, but the rest of the apartment is veering on bohemian / worldly. The whole thing is a little muddled and the plain white walls just look a little soul less (exposed brick walls would work so much better here). My least favourite of the apartments

Which apartment is your favourite?

And if you are as in love with the statement wallpapers as I am, you can find similar sorts of designs here (they supplied the wallpapers for last year's show!)

All images from the @c4thecircle Instagram account

INTERIORS // the affordable alternative to THAT House of Hackney lamp (thanks Asda!)

Introducing the House of Hackney cheetah lamp of dreams. Something I have been fantasising about having in my home for a little longer than is normal. The caveat? The cost (isn't it always?)

The lamp base alone is an eye watering £645, whereas if you want one of their jazzy tasselled lampshades too, you'd be looking at £1,020.  I initially wanted two of them - one for each bedside table - but multiply the above by two and feel free to audibly wince like I did. I mean, WHAT

That idea quickly went out the window, but being the obsessive that I am, it never fully left my mind.
Imagine my joy when I discovered this George at Asda lookalike (granted, a bronze version).

At just £35, this is more of a price I can justify.

Sometimes gold / bronze can look a bit a naff if the quality's not right, so I'm waiting to see this in person in my local store (although saying that, reviews on the product page of the Asda website have all been promising so far!).

I'm also a huge fan of the Abigail Ahern flocked animal lamps (as seen here) which come in at £95 a pop. I haven't yet seen a cat lamp, but I'm holding out hope. Until then, how cute is this dog lamp? <3

Do you like a statement lamp as much as I do?

Currently loving // River Island homeware

"River Island do homeware?!"

These were the exact words I uttered when looking for homeware online and seeing River Island pop up in the list of results. Liking what I saw, I clicked through to the River Island site and fell in love with item after item. The current collection has a real 'worldly' feel with its geometric prints, Moroccan style lanterns, rugs*, and splashes of colour.

* close-ups of each beautiful design beneath each rug

River Island homeware collection

There is also a luxe collection with lashings of gold (isn't the above candle a beaut?). In my local store I found some Agate coasters which give the Anthropologie ones a run for their money (but at a fraction of the price!) *adds to basket*

And can we talk about River Island's bedding range? A mish-mash of geometric prints, stripes and velvet... I love it all (low key need the textured white duvet set in my life!)

River Island bedding collection

What do you love most from the collection?

River Island 40% off home sale now on! (I have already placed an order for the agate coasters!)

Future plans for our hallway // a hallway mood board

The hallway is often overlooked when it comes to home improvements, however it is every bit as important as any other room in the house. The hallway - whether yours or someone elses - marks your first impression of a property. You want it to be a nice welcoming space for visitors and a place where you can return home and instantly unwind from the stresses of the day. I'm impatient AF to give our hallway a makeover, but the sensible person in me recognises the amount of dust that will engulf the house if extension / new kitchen / new bathroom projects roll out as planned. So hallway plans are temporarily on hold, but until that day I can dream, right?

THE CURRENT HALLWAY

The hallway is pretty generous, meaning that when we have guests over, people don't need to walk in single file to enter or exit the property (always a bonus). The space itself is light and airy - mostly due to the front door with its huge panes of glass which allow plenty of light in, as well as the white walls which bounce the light around. The carpet however has seen better days (the less on that the better).

PROBLEM POINTS

Those wonderful white walls I spoke of are covered in textured wallpaper and removing said wallpaper fills me with dread. Why? Because 89% of the time textured wallpaper are a strategic play to hide problem walls lurking underneath. So I'm fully expecting the worst. And the front door, although great for letting light, is old school and could really do with replacing.

FUTURE PLANS

I'm looking to create a calming space with muted colours (so a total contrast to our dark lounge!) and this is the sort of mood board I'm looking to work to

Walls - I'm after something neutral and calming on the walls, almost a biscuit sort of shade. My chosen wall paint is Farrow & Ball's Peignoir, a light pink shade with grey tones. This pairs beautifully with a soft grey which leads me on nicely to flooring...

Flooring - I'm after soft grey flooring with added interest - which is when the idea evolved to patterned flooring. I'm thinking either this soft grey Hexagon carpet for the entirety of the hallway and stairs, or these beautiful grey patterned floor tiles by the front door (probably more practical for muddy boots!) accompanied by a plain soft grey carpet running up the stairs.

Stairs - our wooden stair railings and banisters are rickety and well overdue replacing. However to keep costs down, it's more likely that these will be sanded down and re-painted white to give them a new lease of life.

Front door - not pictured here, but I'm itching to change our front door to something a little more modern. I'm thinking black or grey with silver hardware for future proofing as both of these would complement a wealth of wall colours (should these change in the future!)

Console table - this needs to be quite slimline so as not to block the light from the front door, or more importantly, access to the stairs. I quite like the idea of having drawers so incoming mail can go in one and outgoing mail can go in the other. Whilst I think a mirrored console table could look very swanky against the pink walls, a white or grey table is probably wiser for a future proofing point of view. Current favourites include this chest of drawers (not a traditional console table but hey) or else a table with a shelf like the one pictured above. I love the idea of a shelf with baskets like these, to stow away shoes, the childrens' book bags and toys (again, future proofing!) and any other clutter.

Accessories - I wouldn't want to clutter the hallway with too much stuff, but essentials would include a slimline table lamp (or fairy lights) to create atmosphere at night, coat hooks to match my silver theme (these are a strong contender) and a statement mirror a little like this one to bounce the light around (I also love arch mirrors that look like windows). And "nice to have" accessories would include a reed diffuser (fig is my favourite!) for a nicely scented hallway, a statement vase to display freshly cut flowers from the garden, a quirky print propped against the wall, and if space, a curios or statement ornament. 

Which items are your favourites?

Homeware and interiors inspired by The Circle

What is The Circle you ask? The Circle was first broadcast in the UK this year. The concept? A social experiment of sorts. Kind of like how Big Brother started out back in the day. Except instead of living and interacting with a group of strangers, you are isolated to your own apartment in a tower block (which FYI is where all the other contestants are also living in isolation). Instead of interacting in person, everyone interacts via The Circle, a custom build social network slash chatroom. The goal? To make it through to the end in order to be in the running for the £50,000 cash prize. Some contestants were honest about themselves, whereas others created a fake persona and went down the Catfish route, hiding some or all aspects of the real them. Because the scary thing is, when talking to someone online, you just don't know who you are talking to. And this series highlighted just how easy this is to do.

Image credit: C4 // as found here

It was an interesting concept and the ads pre-launch drew me in. I gave it a try and was HOOKED. Given its success (there are rumors of an international version of the show in the works and a possible Netflix acquisition), I can only imagine it will be back.

When you see it on TV, the task at hand looks easy. Staying rent free in a nice looking apartment (rumored to be located in Hayes, West London), time off from work, with food and everything you need provided. However as amazing as it looked (I would love to appear on a future series!), I can't begin to understand how it must feel to be cut off from your friends and family, the world itself (well the news) and generally from any in-person social interaction. The first few days are probably a novelty (and peaceful!), but if you're stuck in that same apartment from the start of the series right through to the end.... I imagine it must get quite lonely. However that's something you'd only really know if you did the experience yourself.

If I'm being entirely honest, one of the reasons why I got hooked on the show in the first place was through ogling the interior design, which was the genius of film production designer Sally Lock. Each apartment had its own unique design scheme. I'm talking graphic print wallpaper, soft pinks, florals, statement neon bright furniture and exposed brick walls.

Image credit: C4 // as found here

Image credit: C4 // as found here

Image credit: C4 // as found here

Image credit: C4 // as found here

Image credit: C4 // as found here

Image credit: C4 // as found here

What was your favourite apartment? As much as I loved all the brick effect walls, I loved the apartment Jennifer stayed in with the marble walls and bright yellow accent sofa.

Image source: both images found here

And if you watched The Circle and loved the interiors as much as I did, here's a Circle inspired homeware and interiors wish list (I literally want all the wallpaper!)

GET THE LOOK

Statement chair here // Who else loves this blue vase? // Cushions: greige pattern & silver geometric 

Moon wall art here // Every Circle contestant needs a light box ! // Dreamy gold vase here

And last but by no means least, beautiful range of wallpapers can be found here 

I won't spoil the series one outcome in case there's anyone who is still working their way through it (do pursue it right through to the end as the final was insane!). Is it comparable to anything else airing at the moment, you ask? I would say that The Circle is best described as Big Brother meets Catfish, with a touch of Black Mirror. It's good easy viewing with plenty of hilarious and awkward moments. You can catch series one of The Circle here. Here's hoping there's a second series! [update: there was!]

Hosting the perfect party and 6 of my favourite homeware purchases

I love a party. With so much negativity in the world, it's good to embrace the good whenever or wherever it happens and celebrate the heck out of it, right? The other month, Mr Curiouser and Curiouser and I celebrated another year together. Whilst we could have easily had a fancy holiday abroad, instead we had our nearest and dearest round for food and drinks (we later went to York for a couple of days and kept it domestic).

From a waste perspective, nowadays I'm trying to avoid buying new things every time a special occasion crops up. And if I do, I do so in the hope that it will serve another purpose another time for effective "cost per use". Our shindig was composed of items we'd bought years ago and already had, along with a a couple of new homeware pieces that I just couldn't resist.

COPPER VASE

I had to throw out one of my old vases (a beautiful clear cylinder with a black frame) as it wasn't washing up well anymore and the wooden frame had split. I expected to replace it with another clear glass vase but when I saw this copper vase, my head was turned. It adds a a lovely warmth to any room and can you believe that it was only £6?! I tried to source roses and gyp, but sadly our local supermarkets were a bit dry on the flower front (typical!). As luck may have it, one of my best friends came to the rescue and gave us these lovely pink and blue flowers along with a bottle of bubbly. Aren't they beautiful?

ALICE IN WONDERLAND INSPIRED TEA SET

Food and drink wise, we had different zones - one for food, another for prosecco and champagne, and last but not least... a tea zone! We left out boxes of honey & chamomile, turmeric, green, mint and standard teas, as well as two types of coffee and white hot chocolate. The pictured tea set was a bargain from Asda and very Curiouser and Curiouser as I'm sure you'll agree! I was so impressed, I later went back and ordered another tea pot (I was stunned at how these huge things were only £8 each!) so we could dedicate one to 'builders tea' and the other to herbal teas. How cute are the matching milk jug and sugar bowl? (just £3 each!). We ran out of space in the kitchen with the sheer amount of food and drink, so had to set up (tea) shop on the cooker (literally can't wait until we get our kitchen extension done!) Although my OCD wishes I'd put the left tea pot more on the hob to match the right one in the below shot! ;)

HAPPILY EVER AFTER SIGN

Funnily enough, this was an item that I featured in last's year Christmas gift guide here. I was delighted to discover that it was back in stock (and it still is here if you're interested!). It would make a lovely wedding prop and at £6 doesn't break the bank. It takes pride of place in our kitchen, but I may later re-locate it to the hallway (as and when we actually have a console table to sit it on...)

GEOMETRIC BASKET

This was a bargain purchase from Flying Tiger (which I'm pretty sure was just called Tiger before?) a few years ago. They usually do wire baskets and the like so it's definitely worth having a look in-store as it's the sort of thing they may still have. I lined mine with paper and filled with still-warm, sun-dried tomato bread which all our guests raved about! Mine alternates between being used as a bread basket and a fruit bowl - but there are plenty of other good uses for it I'm sure!

GOLD POLKA DOT NAPKINS

I found these delights in my local Dunelm store when I was there buying curtains and cushions for our lounge (something for a future post!).

STRIPED STRAWS

Another Flying Tiger purchase from a few years back! They ALWAYS have paper straws in cute striped and floral patterns (I think my pack of straws was only a pound at the time?) so it's definitely worth a look! I couldn't believe my luck when I found these in our packing boxes - they matched perfectly with our gold polka dot napkins! The miniature buckets were a gift from a couple of years back. I love filling them with fries, bread sticks, or in this case, straws!

That day we toasted life, family and good friends, and ate salmon, homemade salads filled with grains, chickpeas and roasted vegetables, crunchy veg dipped into hummus, falafel, popcorn (this was pre popcorn machine!), macarons, cheese, crackers, and chutneys. A veritable feast and one that resulted in lots of leftovers that we were eating for a while afterwards. It was a lovely day catching up with friends and family. A huge heartfelt thanks to everyone who sent us well wishes and thought of us!