Paul Massey's latest project

This renovation is in the current issue of LivingEtc, or as it has now been renamed by me the bible. I love these images, light and airy and lovely white floors, what's not to like? Head to LivingEtc to see the full 30 images, including some with his lovely dog.

Also, while I am on the topic of LivingEtc, they are currently running a competition where the lucky winner can paint their entire house in LivingEtc paint for free. Needless to say I have entered!

weekend off

What a lovely weekend it was here, we made the most of the bank holiday weekend and downed paintbrushes for a well earned rest. On Saturday we went to Beamish Museum, a brilliant outdoor museum which depicts typical life in the north east in 1825 and 1913. It was great because we got to see what our typical miners cottage would have looked like at the time and I got to indulge my obsession with fireplaces, I am desperate to reinstate the cast iron range which would have been at the heart of our home, I got to see plenty of them in action at Beamish. This is the Edwardian town at Beamish, the sun had gone and the clouds had gathered by the time I took this photo but it was still a lovely day.

On Sunday, Mark went to the final football match of the season and thankfully, as a Sunderland supporter, the results went the right way for the team and they remain in the Premier League. I on the other hand spent the day with my Mum and we took the opportunity to enjoy the sun and relaxed in her beautiful garden. I wish ours was half as nice, tho only thing that we can successfully grow is weeds, its official.

Finally, on Monday I had some bridesmaid duties to attend to and met one of the girls in Durham to do some preparations for the forthcoming hen weekend in London. After this my lovely husband took me for lunch. Durham is a really beautiful city.

Back to reality now and we have started getting organised in advance of tackling the bedroom makeover, why do I have so many clothes?

yummy

The colour of the year, or so I hear!

global durhamites

Image via Design*Sponge

I came across this city guide for Durham, North Carolina in Design Sponge. I think this is a place that I will have to add to my must visit destinations!

lovely light

Oh ikea ps maskros, how I need you in my life.

outdoors

The weather today has not been great, but had it been I would now like to be relaxing in one of ikea's roxo easy chairs in green.

With solig lanterns twinkling around me.

We took a day off today and have spent it under house arrest because of the torrential rain.

four legs

It is so difficult to find modern cat beds and nice looking toys in the UK. Here are some of my finds from the US.

Lovely bright coloured cat toys, in the shape of fortune cookies from Jake and Micha.

THE hepper pod bed (in spring green and grey sigh). My cats will have to make do with homemade ... I'm thinking an envelope back cushion big enough for two in this cecilia fabric from ikea would do nicely.

I'll just have to get working on some fortune cookie catnip toys too!

LivingEtc paint

I squealed with delight when I found that LivingEtc are releasing a range of paints from May 11th, literally, sorry Mark - hope the hearing in your left ear comes back soon.

monochrome bedrooms

From LivingEtc.

Habitat are having a mid season sale, up to 50% off, I have my eye on this auckland lamp which would be lovely in the bedroom.

bedroom update 2

A recent trip to our local B&Q for painting supplies (painting all woodwork in the house at the minute but that is a different story) proved very fruitful when we spied their new colours wallpaper collection. Greedily we bought some of the lovely forest wallpaper in black and decided that this would be perfect for our room, which then meant that my earlier thoughts of how to update the room would have to change. We decided that the wallpaper would look best on the wall behind our bed, I hate the term feature wall so I wont be using it. We are still going to paint the floors white (negotiation complete) along with all the other woodwork, mouldings and walls. Also, given the strong pattern on the wallpaper we are opting for plain dye white bedding. To add some colour to the room we already have bright blue silk curtains and will compliment these with this lovely bedspread from ikea.

The wall lights have also had to change, I spied these Beryll lights, still from ikea but they will blend in better with the wallpaper.