Vivez Bien * Live Well
Showing posts with label bedroom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bedroom. Show all posts

Monday, January 25, 2016

Less is More, more or less

Stack of moving boxes.

I have been thinking a lot lately about how we spend the first half of our lives accumulating things and then spend the latter half trying to off load things - at least in my family that seems to be the case. My mother, now in her mid 80's  has spent the last 30 years giving away many of her possessions to her children. I used to be thrilled to receive these bits and bobs, but I seem to have now entered a new phase in my life - I want to declutter, pare down, off-load, but my children aren't really at a stage that they want any of it.

This approach is even extending to my clothes and accessories. There used to be a time when a wardrobe like this would have sent my heart racing....
 

 ...but now I am more drawn to something simple like these below...


  I have been reading about the concept of a capsule wardrobe and how when women have downsized their wardrobes to just a few basic items, they have found that it saves them both time and money and is so much easier to get dressed for the day - this is something that men have probably known for ages - but have been keeping to themselves! While I would like to drastically simplify my wardrobe, it is a process and a  commitment and will require a bit of mental adjustment  so will probably be the subject of another blogpost down the track.

 

In today's post I thought I would talk about bedrooms and how important I think it is to have this space be as calm, peaceful and uncluttered as possible. I believe that a cluttered environment leads to a cluttered mind and how can one have a good night's sleep with a cluttered mind! I also believe that so many of the illnesses suffered by our generation are stress related and surely, going to sleep or waking up in an environment that is overfilled with stuff adds to our stress. I'm not talking about going minimalist here - I am not and will never be a minimalist - but just the idea that your bedroom furniture could be limited to a bed, bedside table and perhaps a chair or chest of drawers and on your bedside table, you might only need 3 items instead of a surface cluttered with things  So here are some bedrooms that have inspired me and will hopefully inspire you to create a peaceful haven for your nightly rest.....


 













I feel more relaxed just looking at these. And did you notice that they are all decorated in subtle, muted shades, no bright colours here to jar the senses. I think I will sign off now because I feel I a little nap coming on. I will leave you with a quote....


Till next time

x Sharon


Monday, July 18, 2011

Guestroom Blues (and Reds)

I am back from my little break, my boys back in school and the pup very settled in his new home. Thank-you so much for all your lovely comments. I can see that you have all been busy with some wonderful posts so I have a lot of catching up to look forward to!

Onto today's post...

 

We did extensive renovations to our home less than 2 years ago and the only rooms that didn't get any updating were the guest bedroom and bathroom, previously the main bedroom and en suite. We had no furniture for the room and no budget left to furnish it. For a while we used it as a dumping room for bits and bobs. Then when a friend was coming to stay, we were forced to buy a bed and make it somewhat livable. I have slowly tried to improve it,  still with almost no budget. Besides the bed, the only new purchases I made for the room were the bedside lamps and a few accessories and bed linen.

My starting points were a collection of blue and white china that had been in the kitchen of my previous house, and a lovely piece of red toile that I got on a fabric sale. I had a picture in my mind of the look I wanted. These are some of my inspiration pics.



I repurposed my changing table from when my twins were babies.  I would love to replace this with a lovely French chest one day. The wicker chair was previously on my patio. A French Bergere chair is on  my wishlist.




I would really like a French bed like one of these flanked by a lovely chest on one side and a round table on the other.



But I settled for a headbaord made by covering a piece of wood with batting and calico and making a slip cover out of the red toile I had.


 

The prints above the headboard used to belong to my late grandmother. They are of brides from the 19th century.

 

This side table was a butlers tray with the tray part turned upside down and topped with a bigger piece of wood to house my newly purchased,  fairly large lamp. One day I will replace it with a lovely round wooden or iron table.


 

This side table is also an "el cheapo" pine butlers tray that I had from previous years that was given some paint and embellishment. Hopefully one day to be replaced by a pretty painted French chest.

 
 


Also on my wishlist is a dressing table and chair along these lines...

 

...but for now have settled on using the cane dressing table from my student days, painted and adorned with new handles.  The little table at the end of the bed was my boys homework table when they were younger. I would really like an ottoman here. Perhaps I could turn this table into an ottoman. I'm sure one of you fabulously creative people out there have done something like this. Any ideas?








This old pine corner shelf from my cottage style phase was painted and used to house some more blue and white china.




The dressing table chair is one of my old dining chairs which I recovered in the same red toile.


Now onto the bathroom....


These are some of my inspiration pics.

 

I decided to just stick to blue and white for a fresh look. The bathroom is very plain with white tiles. I repainted the area above the tiles for a warmer look and just added some blue accessories.

 

Another old dining chair was painted and recovered.


 







So, would you be happy to stay in my budget beating guest room or perhaps you would rather wait for my ship to come in!

 
Till next time

Sharon x

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Photography - the dark side

One thing that has become very apparent to me since I started blogging is how much skill is required to take a really good photograph. After posting photos from the web often taken by professionals, my own photos seem so inadequate in comparison! That's why I tend to use them less and less. Yes, we have tools such as Photoshop and Picnik, that can improve our photo's but I'm talking about that perfect composition and the quality of the light that some photographers capture so well. Taking photo's of light and sunny interiors is easier, but trying to take photo's of interiors with a darker, more moody atmosphere is very difficult. I have learned that a flash is a no-no! But if I don't use a flash, they often appear so dark, you can't really see anything. When I use various computer tools to change the exposure, I tend to lose the moody sort of atmosphere that I was trying to capture. I know that professionals use various artificial lighting sources to create the mood, but I have seen some of the excellent photography by you bloggers who aren't professional photographers. I need to know your secrets. Not your deep dark secrets, just your secrets about taking deep, dark photographs!

The photo's below illustrate the type of mood and atmosphere that I am trying to capture. Notice the quality of the light in these pictures, and how the light and shadow in these images creates a soulful sort of atmosphere.


Via tumblr

via Arcobelano

Source unknown


Via Here and Abroad


Via Flanelle et Prune

Via The New Victorian Ruralist


Via Happy Scout


Via My French Country Home


Via Simple Everyday Glamour


Via Violet Bella's World

So, my wonderful and talented readers and blog friends, some photography tips are badly needed by me. Can you help?


Till next time

 
Sharon x

Monday, June 6, 2011

Delectable Interiors

I was browsing the web looking for pictures of interiors featuring various shades of brown and beige. I found some lovely images and when I was thinking  about describing the colours used, words as mocha, vanilla, caramel, coffee, and chocolate came to mind. It then struck me that these were all edible in some way and I thought it would be fun to try and find some pictures of food and drink to match the interior pictures. Here is my attempt. Enjoy!



Mochaccino



Le lait frais




Cinnamon ice cream




Crème glacée au café





Espresso



Iced Coffee






Chocolate Stack





Chocolat blanc


 


Chocolat noir



Cupcake delight



Caramel fudge



Chocolat Tarte à la crème



Crème caramel


Chocolat et la cannelle


 

Iced latte




I hope your mouth watered just a little bit. Wishing you a wonderful week!


Till next time


Sharon x

Interior Images : 1. here  2. here. 3. here 4. here 5. here and here 6. here 7. here 8. here  9. here
10. here 11. here  12. here  13. here  14. here 15. here

All food images via google