One big tick

I'm a list writer from way back. Shopping lists, lists of books to read, places to go, spring cleaning jobs...the list goes on! It keeps my head in order, and provides me with a sense of achievement when I tick something off.

Above is my list of 2009 house projects. And now, two months in to the year, I can finally cross off the first thing! Today I picked up removable covers which I had custom-made for the seating on my two couches. I'm not a sewer, so I left this to the professionals. And they turned so out well!

You see, I was the dumb bunny who bought creamy white couches with 'removable covers' only to find that the frame of the couch had a removable cover, but not the seating - each cushion has a label just inside by the zipper saying 'do not remove' and 'do not wash'. Great! Have you ever heard of a couch with a removable cover where you can't actually wash the seating covers? And to add insult to injury the removable cover on the frame had a 'do not wash, dry clean only' label - even though I had chosen a washable fabric specifically made for slip covers. So for the last 18 months, with the rough and tumble of normal life, my couches have been getting grottier and grottier.

I broke a couple of nails fitting the covers on, but hey, I can live with that! I'm curled up on one of my couches now, happy in the knowledge that when (not if - I'm a realist) the next splodge occurs, I can chuck the seat cover in the wash. I took the picture (above) tonight after I rushed home from work and fitted them on. Now my couches look as good as new.

Best wishes,

Please be mine

I have a rather bad habit of going shopping with something specific in mind, only to come home with something completely different. Take the day I went looking for a floor lamp - I came home with an order for two couches.

On the weekend I went looking for a little cupboard. It's on my list of decorating projects for the year 2009, which I've posted about previously. I frequent a particular auction house that sells old stuff, usually dirt cheap. I had no luck with a cupboard, but I spied this little beauty (below). I love anything industrial/vintage, so this old Underwood typewriter had my heart beating a little faster. The auction house believes it will sell for between $30 and $60, so I put in an absentee bid for $30. I don't think I'll get it with such a ridiculously low bid, but that was all I would allow myself to bid considering (a) it was a complete impulse buy and (b) I have no idea where on earth I'm going to put it if I'm the successful bidder. But you never know your luck sometimes.

Perhaps I could set it up in a corner of my desk, like this:

( I'm not sure where this picture came from - if it's yours, please let me know)

Meanwhile the search for a little white cupboard continues....

While on the subject of my decorating projects, there is one thing I can cross off this list now. I was looking for an underbed storage box to turn into a wrapping station, like this:

Image Better Homes and Gardens


This is my version. All my wrapping bits and bobs in the one spot, and no more rolls of wrapping paper tumbling out my wardrobe when I open up the doors!

I hope you had a great weekend.

Wish me luck with the typewriter.....

My 2009 projects

I have started the year fresh and full of enthusiasm to tackle some new decorating projects around the house. I'm itching to turn things up a notch. So, money and time permitting I would like to do the following in the next twelve months...

1. Repaint the outside of my house
Let's be brutally honest here. I live in a small, cookie cutter house that has very little in the way of architectural features. On the plus side, it has lots of natural light, is modern and neutral, features 9 foot high ceilings, and it is pretty close to the CBD. So whilst it's not a place that's worth sinking a lot of money into, it does deserve a little bit of love and attention.

I'm not fond of the colour the house is painted, in fact the longer I live here, the more I dislike its bland peachiness. I plan to paint it a cafe latte colour.


Moving inside now....

2. Replace my sliding door with french doors
I loathe my sliding door, almost as much as I can't stand my house's cheap, nasty aluminium windows. I'm not about to replace the windows, but the sliding door just has to go.




I'd like something romantic, like this lovely set....

Pia Jane Bijkerk via Design Sponge

...but they wouldn't be in keeping with the style of my home, so I'll be opting for something very simple, like this.

Australian Home Beautiful

I installed these style french doors in my last home, and it made a big difference.

Australian Home Beautiful

3. Re-stain/paint my console
I had always wanted a console table, and I kept this rather tatty picture for inspiration. Some of you might recognise it, as it comes from Maggie Tabberer's barn.

Australian Vogue Living

After much looking I bought this (below) from an auction house for $25. It was painted a hideous green colour, was missing handles, had cheap plywood nailed to the back and a missing bottom shelf. I pulled off the plywood backing and had it restored and was very pleased with the end of result.

Only thing is, the colour has sort of turned orange over the years. It was meant to be this lovely mellow colour:

Australian Country Style

Or this John Paul Urizar

I would like to have it restained, but I'm unsure how that would go, seeing it already is stained. It might have to be sanded back so much that it takes all the lovely dings and dents out that give it character. Any thoughts? Ideas most gratefully welcome.

Otherwise, I might paint it instead - white. Hopefully it would end up looking something like this:

I could rub it back a little for a weathered look perhaps...
4. Find a little cupboard
I have a little corner where I currently keep a trunk, filled with large toys and sporting gear. The trunk was my first ever antique, purchased when I was 23. I would like to put the trunk elsewhere and fill this corner with a humble little cupboard.



I'm hoping to pick up an old cheap cupboard at an auction that I can paint white and then top with a gorgeous mirror. Something like any of these little lovelies would be just perfect:

I'm also quite taken by these two cupboards below, with their decorative metal insertsAustralian Country Style

Australian Country Style

Wish me luck with my search. I think half the fun is in the looking.

5. Fill up the rest of my shelf in my study.

Now that I have my Mondo Cherry artwork, I'd like to frame some photos, with the end result looking something like this:

6. Have washable covers made for my couch cushions.

I thought I was being very clever buying a couch with washable covers. Particularly as it is so hard to find couches with washable covers in Adelaide, as suede modulars are all the rage here. You can imagine my dismay when I went to wash the cushions only to find a 'do not remove these covers' tag on the cushions. Apparently only the cover over the frame is washable. Great. So now I need to get loose covers made for the cushions, if I can find a company that does it.

7. Replant in my garden.

My poor little garden, like all of those in Adelaide, has suffered terribly from the drought. I even had to have a new drough tolerant lawn installed late last year, as the last one curled up its toes and never came back. Now I need to replace some of the dead plants. I'm thinking of simply planting box hedge all the way around.

So that's it.

Budget permitting, I hope to get all these done this year. I'll keep you posted.

Oh and this is what I'd do if I had a much bigger budget:

1. Get rid of those nasty aluminium windows


2. Install white plantation shutters in bedroom 2 and the study


3. Replace my laminate benchtops with stone


4. Have my kitchen cupboards professionally painted white


5. Put french doors all the way across the back of my house


6. Render the back of my home


7. Put up a pergola

But these are just going to have to wait!

Now, tell me, what are your decorating plans for 2009?