Thursday 22 November 2012

TURNDOWN SERVICE

This is my super quick study break of the evening.  I needed a little refresher because I am very consistently failing all the practice tests I've been taking!

We had friends over for board games and nachos last weekend (after the Santa Claus parade) and I started thinking about how I make the bed in a "fancy" way when guests are over.  Friends can very clearly see our bedroom if they're visiting because it is right beside the main floor bathroom.  When people are over I try to tidy up the bedroom because of this and that means making the bed!  I can't lie...many days the sheets are untouched after I wake up at the crack of dawn.

To me the perfect bed has different textures, colours, and patterns of linen.  Personally, I don't have the expendable cash to have as many pillows/sheets as I would like, but I make due with what I have!  (It took 4 years of marriage for me to finally buy a duvet cover.)

I like the contrast between our cream coloured sheets and the white/navy duvet.  Both are neutrals but the different palette adds some interest.  The white coverlet is knit which adds some texture and the duvet cover has a strip of rippled fabric.  If  I had patterned pillowcases, I would add them to our pillows for an added pattern but because I don't, I put on the pillow shams that match the duvet.  You can't see it, but we also have a grey bedskirt I "splurged" on when I bought the duvet cover.  When I'm making the "fancy" bed, I fold the duvet in half at the bottom of the bed to draw attention to the sheets and coverlet.  I know it's probably a little bit crazy and overboard (which is why I don't do this every day) but it makes me feel like my house is more put together when company arrives!

Sunday 4 November 2012

MAKING A HOUSE A HOME

Do you ever have days when you're just tired of the way your house looks?  For example, we haven't changed our kitchen at all since we moved in and the cupboards have old, chipping, painted doors.  That is so far from the to do list it's not even funny, but still there are days when I feel annoyed by the rooms we haven't worked on.  The bedrooms have old dirty carpet that isn't pretty to look at or fun to vacuum.

A friend of mine recently moved into a new apartment and is in the process of making it homey and cozy (and it looks so great)!  She inspired me to put up some more artwork and make the few little changes I can that are inexpensive, easy, and not time consuming.  After visiting her new place, I printed off a photo I took last summer on vacation in Prague and hung it in our bathroom.  There was already a hook there from the previous owners and I just hadn't taken advantage of it.  Even something as small as a new photo on the wall can give you a new outlook on your home.  (I keep running into the bathroom just to look at it.)

This is the photo I took at the John Lennon wall in Prague.
There it is on the bathroom wall!  Making things look cozy and lived in.