Living Room

LIVING ROOM SPONSORED POST OUR LIVING ROOM has changed significantly since I last shared it with you. It has been re-decorated based on mine and David's style and even the location is different having swapped places with the dining area. The new space feels more 'us' with a deep soft velvet sofa that we can all share, a couple of items purchased on our trip to Palm Springs, and lots of indoor plants. We have worked out that we don't have a black thumb after all. I was able to get a sneak peak into the new Freedom Autumn / Winter collection which is hitting the stores this week. Using some of their beautiful pieces I have styled our living room for autumn. Autumn in Australia can still be very warm with the nights becoming quite cool. Rather that restyle the whole space with borrowed pieces from the new collection (which was tempting!), I wanted to share how I would realistically change my space for the cooler months by adding a few more cushions to snuggle into and thick knitted throws to wrap ourselves with. I traditionally think of moodier colours for the cooler months but this time I wanted to still keep things light and fresh and add various texture to the space with chunky knit throws, leather and fabric upholstered ottomans, as well as cushions that look as though they have been hand knitted. Together with freshly painted white walls and the natural grain of our old floorboards the living space feels warm.	Even our fiddle leaf plant hasn't escaped being rugged up with a new weaved plant holder. The armchairs have also been painted and I am very happy with the way the Christopher Farr fabric looks in the space. So this is our new living area all dressed up for the new season. The details for each of the items which you can purchase from Freedom can be found below.
ALL THE DETAILS Cushions (second from left to second from right): PIVOT CUSHION IN LAGOON ($34.95) STANFORD CUSION IN GREY ($39.95), PEAKE CUSHION IN ICED LEMON ($34.95) Fabric ottoman: HANDLE OTTOMAN IN DOVE / TAN ($149) Throws above fabric ottoman: TALI THROW IN SPEARMINT ($79.95), STANFORD THROW IN GREY ($89) Leather ottoman: TUCKER SQUARE OTTOMAN IN UNION TAN ($449) Throw on armchair: FRINGE THROW IN DIJON ($79.95) Striped vase: FRENCH STRIPE VESSEL IN NAVY ($39.95) Marble cross: CROSS DECO STATUE IN MARBLE ($39.95) Lamp: METRO TABLE LAMP ($149) Coffee table: LOVETT COFFEE TABLE IN WHITE (Previous season and now on sale $129) Please let me know if you are interested in any names of plants in the comments below. Also please note: Some plants are toxic especially to children. I suggest researching plants for their toxicity before introducing into your home. Christopher isn't mobile yet but once he is some of these plants will need to be moved out of reach.

IKEA BENCH SEAT

IKEA BENCH SEAT PROJECTS GOOD OL' IKEA came to the rescue for us when we created a seating area for Robert's bedroom. The idea started of with needing more storage to keep his toys and also all the homework and activities he completes at school. Rather than add a whole lot of storage cabinets to his bedroom I thought it might be nice to double it as a seating area and a place where he can play his instruments, read a book, throw his clothes (!!). Custom joinery looks beautiful but we didn't have the budget for it this time and so I headed off to IKEA with a sketch to find the pieces we needed. The cabinets consist of two Alex drawer units flanking a double and single BESTA shelf unit with Vassbo door panels. After building all the pieces, David fixed the bottom cabinets together with screws so that they stay in place. The cabinets are not as deep  as the drawer units and I wanted all units to be flush, so he had a piece of thick MDF cut to similar depth to the drawer units and fixed it to the top of the base cabinets with screws. We chose not to fit skirting boards because it would have made the entire configuration higher and the current height is perfect for a child. It also lines up nicely with the chair rail we have installed on the walls of his room. I sourced some lovely fabric and gave it to my upholsterer, along with my dimensions, for him to work his magic. So, that's it really! Pretty simple.	Eventually, I would like to swap out the doors and drawer fronts for something that gives it a more pulled together look but it works just fine for us now. If you would like to try something similar I have noted all the dimensions and details at the bottom of this post. A few people asked me to post the details and I hope you find this useful.
ALL THE DETAILS Left and right side drawer units: Alex drawer units from IKEA Dimensions: H69cm x W39cm x D58cm Double base cabinet: BESTA shelf unit with Vassbo door from IKEA Dimensions: H38cm x W120cm x D41.5cm Single base cabinet: BESTA shelf unit with Vassbo door from IKEA Dimensions: H38cm x W60cm x D41.5cm MDF cut to size Dimensions: Ours is L180cm x W60.5cm because we have a chair rail but if the seating area was to sit against a flat wall it would be L180cm x W58cm. Fabric: Barmer French Grey and Barmer Bleached from No Chintz Bottom cushion: 180cm x 60.5cm x 8cm Back cushion: 180cm x 24cm x 8cm Side cushions (x 2): 24cm x 53cm x 8cm

Dinner with friends

Fancy dinner plates. A makeshift tablecloth. New flatware I brought home from the US. Pizza. Red wine. Friends.

Saturday night went something like that.

All these years of renovations and decorating and wanting to create the perfect home for us with "that gorgeous sofa" and filled with more stuff to look at.... in the end what I wish for more than anything is for the memories to continue to be created here in this old house.

Wallpaper samples

Recently I ordered some wallpaper samples from Cole & Son and I think I know which wallpaper I'm going to choose for the entrance to my home. I have written about it previously. There were slight colour variations which made choosing the right paper difficult using a computer screen but seeing them in person makes me feel more confident in my decision.

Billy buttons

What is your favourite flower?

Mine are billy buttons and I seem to be slowly filling my home with them. They tend to lose their vivid yellow colour over time and that's where a DIY version would make a perfect substitute. But regardless they last an incredibly long time.

Michelle Armas Painting

My Michelle Armas painting (top) arrived from the framing shop. There was a mix up with my order and the wrong frame was used and it had to be re-done.

Unfortunately it was also framed upside down.

I just can't bring myself to go back to my framer again though...

PS. I missed last week's Fashion Friday post. Truthfully, I'm behind in my washing and last week I had to resort to wearing clothes from the back of my wardrobe including gym shorts and tops from the mid-90's. I looked fabulous, darling but you will have to use your imagination.

Painting the entrance wall

I should have been working on assignments but instead I was motivated to paint the entrance wall in a deep grey blue colour - Dulux Western Myall. Being such a dark colour two coats was required however I can still see a couple of tiny spots where paint was missed. I might have to touch these up.

Dining chairs

They are here and I'm so very happy with them. They contrast nicely with the dark wood dining table. I'm thinking of keeping the dining table, at least for a little while.

See here and here for ideas I've been mulling over for this space.

And PS. Spot the balloon. It's always a party at my place...

A radio review (+ some thoughts)

I still have a little more to share from my Melbourne trip but wanted to take a break to tell you that ish and chi was recently reviewed on the radio here in Sydney! (click to download and listen)


In addition to being OVER THE MOON that this little corner of the Internet was talked about, it also brought to my attention something I hadn't realised I was doing. In the segment, blog reviewer Jennifer Reid refers to my blog as a 'keepsake' for Robert and my writing is 'keeping a record of all the memories for her little boy'. So lovely to think of my blog in that way.


Since September 2008, this home has changed along with the changes in our lives. Robert and I have created memories in this old house and it is great to have this visual / written diary to capture it all in and to share with you.


I sometimes wonder what Robert may think one day looking back at the photos of his childhood home captured in these photographs , of seeing him grow along with it and of the memories created here. Makes me think a home is just a shell for a whole bunch of fabulousness within.

One reason why I love old homes is for the memories and history they have. Have you ever renovated a home and pealed back the layers of the walls to reveal various colours and history beneath?

That's what I did in this home and in the kitchen we revealed an old retro wallpaper design (see it here). Unfortunately I don't know a lot about the history of this house but my imagination took over when the top layers were pealed back to reveal the pattern. I imagined a 1950's housewife cooking dinner for her family, hair coiffed, nails immaculate in her then 'new' kitchen. The reality may be far different but nonetheless there are memories in this house for someone out there and now Robert and I are creating our own!

Do you know the history of your home? Do you have any special memories from your childhood home?

Hanging wallpaper

I can cross one project off the list - hang wallpaper in the study. I worked on it over the weekend. I started at 8pm after Robert had gone to sleep and finished it at 1am. 5 hours.

Although I think I could have finished it earlier if I hadn't been distracted by the contents of the refrigerator.


This room also stores a lot of Robert's toys and there is this bookcase on the other side of the room. I have a few ideas for this space which I will keep you updated on as it is by no means finished.


What do you think of the pattern? I was a little nervous at first but I'm really happy it and in the mornings, the sun catches the gold outlines of the flowers and really brings it to life. I wish I could capture it in photos to show you.

Would you be interested in a little step-by-step of the hanging process?

P.S. If you would like to see a before photo of the room please see here.

Ideas for Robert's toddler room

There are still many months to go before Robert moves into a 'big boy' bed. I can't even imagine the day. He still looks so teeny tiny in his cot.

I have been thinking about the little changes we will make to his room. A new bed of course, new prints on the wall and his newly painted lamps. The dresser, rug, toy box and wallpaper will remain. I'm unsure if the settee will be able to stay in his room because I would like to find space to set up his tepee. Can you imagine it? A tepee with floor cushions and his own little spot to run and hide into. I'll never be able to tell him to go to his room if he is in trouble. He'll love it there!

For his bed I am leaning towards an ensemble and fabric bedhead. I know they can be a drama to keep clean with little kids but it might hold up if I scotch guard it. Maybe.

Colour wise I will be adding a bit more soft blue to his already white and red room. I am rather liking this image from Domino (rest its soul) but I probably won't add any black accents, at least not until he is a bit older if he likes it. The colours will be reversed so, red circus wallpaper on the wall and soft blue bedhead.

I plan on making his bedhead myself but one evening a week or so ago I was searching eBay and came across this which I won. It is not quite what I had in mind (I was thinking a plain square headboard in blue or blue & white stripes) but it is so lovely I couldn't resist getting it anyway. The colour is beautiful and it is well made (and a bargain at $20!) but the curves... curves are feminine aren't they?

It has been sitting in storage since we picked it up so today I toyed around with it and created a physical mood board of sorts.

I added his red and white striped pillow and his newly painted lamp. His bed linen will be white and I'm thinking a neutral coloured blanket will look nice with it too.

I then added his wallpaper. I had a sample roll handy.

And lastly, I found some red ribbon left over from Christmas and tied it temporarily around the lamp shades. I probably won't secure it because I don't want to glue the shades but I thought it was a cute look. It is a shame not to use this bedhead because of the shape but the original idea might be the better way to go for a boy. Straight lines and no curves. What do you think?

So colours are red, white and more of the soft blue colour. We'll then add to this monster trucks, baseball bats, football jerseys or whatever his little heart desires.

Mismatched lamps

I am slowly replacing a few of the older pieces in my home which includes the old lamps in the bedroom. It is not that I don't like them anymore, I do, I would just like a little change since I have had them for many years. The new lamp above was picked up for a bargain. Another white piece to add to my home.

There wasn't a matching pair though (I picked up the last one) and so the bedroom looks a little mismatched with the antler lamp on the other side of the bed. The antler lamp is much taller so I propped the new lamp onto a book to get the scale right. I'm undecided on how this looks but I might live with it for a little while. If I change my mind, the new lamp will be used in the study and the antler lamp will go back into the studio.

Robert has new lamps for his room too which I'll share with you another time. I am looking for the perfect shades. Boy, I sure can talk a lot about lamps can't I? :)

Pretty white things

There are days when I crave colour and others when I just want to drift off in a cloud of white. I have been on the lookout for more pretty white things for the display cabinet in the kitchen. I would love to grow my small milk glass collection. Here I come ebay.

I picked up the throw today from Adairs on sale for $41 and a few cents. The ruffles make me happy so I had to show you a full shot of it. It makes me crave a ruffled dress, ruffled cushions, ruffled curtains, ruffles everywhere. Have I told you lately how much I love ruffles?

Interior styling

Have you seen Holly from decor8's Interior Styling Flickr group? If you haven't, please spare a moment to check it out. I promise it is worth your time. The images that members have posted are very inspiring. I have added quite a few to my favourites.

Holly set a challenge for January to create an arrangement made of 3, 5 or 7 items in a triangle shape with the tallest items at the back and the smallest items at the front. I tried rearranging (again!) the items on the mirrored table because I felt the Love print was dwarfing the other items so I submitted this:

I found some sea holly at the markets to pop into my new vase and the flower lights are a recent purchase from Bed, Bath N' Table (love this store). You have seen the other items a billion times. I have since moved the flower lights into the bedroom because Robert wanted to pull them down so the arrangement looks like this now. He can't quite reach the bowl and isn't interested in it:

You can see some of the other submissions here. I found since joining the group that I have been paying more attention to styling and it has been great to learn from others and be inspired by what they have created.

Speaking of learning (my Twitter buddies already this), I am be going back to school soon. I am starting an Interior Design and Decoration course in February which I am really excited about. This is something I have wanted to do for years. I am sure I will learn heaps from the course will probably apply what I learn around my home.

I am starting to get those back to school butterflies in my stomach though. It is the anticipation of not knowing what to expect. Did you ever get that feeling?

PS: I think the flowers might actually be Echinops (Globe Thistle). Is anyone familiar with these plants that can verify?

New nursery photos

I took new photos of the nursery today. The room looks a little different to the way it looked before Robert was born. It was waiting for Robert to add his personality to it and now he has and it feels more alive, more him.

The room is not a big one but it is big enough for Robert to play in.

Robert's toy car is parked at the very entrance to his room. Whenever Robert spots the zebra sitting on the car he knocks him off. It didn't last long after I took this photo.

I think the antler lamp might be a little harsh for a kids room because of the spikes but it is all we have for now.

Some of Robert's books and toys. I framed the badges myself and you can find a really simple tutorial here.

The cushion at the front is by Hettle and the striped cushion is from Adairs. They usually end up on the floor too.

Robert received the blackboard wall decal as a gift and we've traced our hands (rather badly) onto it.

I don't usually leave Robert's clothes hanging on the front of his wardrobe but I always see dresses displayed this way in girl's nursery rooms so I'm just adding a photo for the boys too.

By the end of the year we will start to think about purchasing a toddler bed and making other adjustments as he grows out of the room as it is now. I think I will miss the way it looks in these photos to be honest.

Have a beautiful weekend!