Mirror Makeover

What once was a boring accessory I have had for ages is now something that looks more valuable with no more than a lick of paint and 30 minutes. Here's how I took a boring and cheap mirror frame and transformed it into a stylish home accessory.

What you need:

1. Take out the backing cover and the mirror from the frame. 

Paint a thin coat of acrylic paint onto the frame. Dont worry if it is messy.

2.  Concentrate on covering the corners of the frame with the paint as that is where the details are.

3. When the first coat of paint is dry, paint another coat onto it. Repeat this process until you get the desired coverage.
4. Place the mirror and the backing cover back onto the frame and finish off by accessorising the frame with jewellery or whatever you like.

Result:

Christina.

World Class - Africa!

Kicking off the 'World Class' series is Africa; my favourite continent and a source of inspirational interiors or myself and many others. From the calming shores of Lamu in East Africa to the rich souks (markets) of Morocco in North Africa comes all sorts of colour, vibrance, texture and variety. We embark on our exciting journey around this rich continent beginning with Morocco, then onto Lamu and last but certainly not least to the Cape in South Africa. Looking for a sense of adventure in your home? Go on and bring the inspiration of the African interior into your space. Happy travels!

MOROCCO

Morrocan Living room

Two toned wall with Ornamental mirror and cabinets

Decorative lantern

Quick tips for a moroccan style: 

1. Light but warm coloured walls... like soft pinks with brown... corals etc.

2. Accent colour with shades of (green and red) or (pink and gold) or hues of blue.

3. Metallic ornaments such as trays and tea sets, mirror frames, lanterns.

4. Intricate textures and patterns.

For more on the Moroccan style see my previous post 'Take me to Morocco' here.

EAST AFRICA: LAMU

Wall niche and stair details of a Swahili home

Stone detail and ornaments

Bedroom in a Lamu house.

Quick tips for a coastal Lamu style:

1. Off-white plastered and textured walls to keep the house cool.

2. Warm browns and rusty red accents.

3. Flowing and/or sheer white fabrics draped casually over bedposts or as room dividers. 

4. Intricately carved wood and stone features, and patterned ornaments.

SOUTH AFRICA

Sectioned-off reading area

Living room with a fireplace

Indoor-outdoor fireplace

Quick tips for a South African safari style:

1. Neutral or ochre coloured walls with a bit of texture.

2. Rich and warm colour accents.

3. Dark wooden furniture and decorative elements.

4. Soft lighting through table lamps and fireplaces

Must haves: A must have for an African inspired interior is pattern. From intricate and delicate to bold and graphic, patterns are the consistent element in African decor. Select an inspiring pattern, see which of the above styles it compliments and transform your space instantly. Explore your sense of adventure!   

Christina

Coming Soon: World Class series!

A series that will take us across the globe in search of inspiration from every continent! 

First stop: Africa! Happy travels!

Christina.

QUOTE OF THE DAY 15.09.11

"A design isn't finished until somebody's using it."

                                            

                                                                                    Brenda Laurel

QUOTE OF THE DAY 10.09.11

"The only important thing about 

design is how it relates to people."

                                                                                 Victor Papanek

QUOTE OF THE DAY 05.09.11

"Everything is designed.

Few things are designed well"

                                                  

                                                Brian Reed

QUOTE OF THE DAY 03.09.11

"It’s art if can’t be explained.

It’s fashion if no one asks for an explanation.

It’s design if it doesn't need explanation."

                                                                     Wouter Stokkel

QUOTE OF THE DAY 31.08.11

"Have nothing in your house

that you do not know to be useful,

or believe to be beautiful..."

                                                      

                                                                                William Morris

RE-USE . RE-STYLE . RE-DISCOVER part two

Image created by me

There's so much you can re-use and re-style at home. Part two of the 'save the planet' series will give you the ideas and inspiration to make a change in your home for the good of our environment. I would like to explore the concept of re-use and re-styling household objects into functional and aesthetic pieces of Eco-friendly design. Anyone who likes cratfs will certainly enjoy the challenge of re-styling and anyone new to DIY could beging by re-using. I have compiled some images of inspiration for everyday items and how they could be re-purposed.

Blown out Bulbs
Cut them, empty them, wash them, paint them, glitter them, hang them... the list is endless when it comes to what you can do to style your blown out bulbs. With little bits and bobs you can transform your old bulbs into mini vases, tree ornaments, saltshakers, oil lamps and into so many more things. I stumbled upon a post about beautiful hanging vases made from recycled bulbs by Esprit Cabane and also a recycled incandescent bulb at Ready Made. Check them out.

Image from Esprit Cabane

Image from Ready Made

 Image by Wicked Stepmom

Empty Bottles
Got empty bottles waiting around to be trashed? Why not re-purpose them into unique vases and lighting fixtures. I saw this uber amazing chandelier "The Narrative Augmented Reality Chandelier" made from PET bottles by Julius Kranefuss.

Image by glassvase1.com 

 

The Narrative Augmented Reality Chandelier

Tin Cans

These are many ways to re-style tin cans. The first reflex would be to style them as pen/paintbrush holders or jewellery tins. Try using bits of tiles or foam and paint and create some colorful containers. Alternatively, try new things by cutting, bending and hanging them to create cute little lanterns or candle holders. Here are some examples by creativeman and junkwave.

Image by creativeman

Image by  the Junkwave

Being resourceful and creative shouldn't be a chore. Experiment with crafts and ideas and you will be surprised with what you can come up with. Bring new life to old things and save the planet one decorative tin can at a time.

xx christina xx

RE-USE . RE-STYLE . RE-DISCOVER part one

Image created by me

Want to save the planet and have a fabulous looking home at the same time? Three words for you... re-use, re-style and re-discover. It is becoming increasingly important in this day and age to consider the environmental impact we have and use in our daily lives. Looking after our plan it much easier than you would think. If everyone made a small difference in their homes there would be a great impact on our environment. At the risk of being labeled a 'treehugger' i'll begin with the energy tips that could help your home, the world and your wallet (part one). Then i'll get to the quirky Eco-friendly design ideas that could make reading and implementing these tips less of a chore... (part two).

Images by me (of energy in my house)

Electricity:

• Switch of the lights in a room if it's not in use and save £££ when the electric bill comes along
• Switch to low energy bulbs because they use only a quarter of the electricity and last up to 10 times longer
• Switch off all electrical appliances at the plug instead of leaving them on standby (6% of the electricity bill comes courtesy of your standby appliances)
• Let hot food cool before you put in the fridge and position the fridge/freezer as far from the cooker/heater as possible to improve efficiency

Heat:

• Reduce heating by 1 degree and by 1 hour less everyday.
• Install double glazed windows
• Make use of rugs around the house and draw the curtains closed at night to save heat
• Use the right sized pans for the food and hobs, also make use of lids to keep the heat in

Water:

• Fix leaky taps and try not to leave taps running as you wash dishes (I'm usually guilty of this) 
• Wash a full load of laundry only or use the economy settings if available. Also try washing dishes manually rather than using a dishwasher
• Use a low-flow shower head and save gallons of water and £££

Miscellaneous:

• Declutter your home by donating to charity or gifting unwanted/unnecessary objects (someone's trash, another man's treasure etc.)
• Re-use tapaware, bottles and jars for leftovers, marinades, sauces etc
• Buy potted plants instead of cut flowers. They last longer and improve the quality of air indoors

.....end of part one.....

xx christina xx

DRESSING YOUR INTERIOR... from drab to fab

Image by Kathryn Russell

Dressing your home should be much like dressing yourself. Wearing the perfect accessories makes all the difference. The most perfect of outfits could be ruined by the wrong selection of  jewellery and shoes. The same applies to the home... There are many times when I have walked into a lovely house with incredible lighting, beautiful flooring, comfortable furniture and a sense that it is incomplete or that something is off. One word; Accessories. 

Image by All Home Décor

Accessories are the tell-tale of character. Accessories could make an interior quirky, classy, homely, vibrant, serene or cultural. They dictate the mood or the vibe in the room. It is important to pick accessories that portray or express your sense of style. Below are several accessories that could transform your home from drab to fab.

• Flowers, vases, fruit bowls, china ware 
• Pictures, paintings, frames, wall art, sculptures
• Baskets, mirrors, bottles, beads, books, trophies
• Candles, lamps, chandeliers
• Cushions, stuffed animals, throws, rugs etc.

As you can see the list is endless. Have fun with trying new combinations, don't be afraid to mix and match. Begin by identifying the style you would like for the room and pick objects that identify with that style. If you don't know what style you want, try picking an object you really like or find appealing and build around that. For instance if you like a certain vase, lamp or painting identify its colours, details, prints and textures. Use that information to search for more accessories with the same feel/vibe. Introduce punches of colour or subtle hues through accessories if you are not confident in using colour. This way you can change the colour scheme of a room without having to spend a fortune in paint.

Image by Home Décor Studio

Styling your home should be expressive, fun and adventurous. (side note: isn't that teddy chair cute? I cant imagine sitting on the little teddies...) Try new things, flip through magazines for inspiration. In fact, flip through your wardrobe as well, find the outfits that you love most and use them to inspire your home décor. Let everything that you pick for your home be something that you absolutely love. Let everybody walk into your home and whisper "wow" at every item. 

Image by Interiorbiz

Image by Matteo Cibic

So on that note I leave you with the following advice. Be expressive and adventurous. The only way you can be wrong is by not trying at all. Your home is a blank canvas waiting to be filled with your character. So... what are you waiting for?

xx Christina xx