Maybe it was the sun streaming in through the windows that inspired me, or the fact that I still keep walking into it and hurting my leg, but today I decided to move the chair on the upstairs landing.
This chair has been around for a long time now. When we bought new sofas back in 2002, it was booted out of the living room and lived upstairs in a bedroom. When Gorgeous Girl was born, it was put in her bedroom so I could use it for breastfeeding. Once that ended (and when I realised that my little lady was using it to climb on and peer out of her window), I moved it to the landing, sitting in the space between the main bathroom, and Gorgeous Girls room. I recovered it first with a [slipcover], and named it 'the reading chair'. It was the perfect place to sit if Little Girly was having her nap time when she was poorly and I wanted to stay close by, or just to sit and read books with her. Nap time during the day ended some time ago, but I left the chair there. I don't know why. I think you just get used to the way things are and don't think to change them.
This morning I had a sudden idea, to move the chair into the pink room, and replace with the pretty chest of drawers we had.
Whenever I post about making such a small change in the house, I ask myself 'why? Is this really blog worthy?' but the answer is yes, and I'll tell you why. It costs nothing to make tiny alterations, it's just moving furniture about after all, but the effect it has makes a huge difference. I think that's always worth remembering: Makeovers can be simple and cost free.
Anyway. After much fiddling around, the landing now looks like this.
It feels so much lighter and spacious now, and it gives me another place to have flowers around the house! It also feels homely and cosy.I thinned out the lights around the mirror. It was starting to look cluttered, as I had flower shaded lights, shadless light and paper roses around it. I took away the flower shaded lights. I like the ballet shoes, so left them in place.
It's nice to see more of this piece of furniture, it really is very pretty.
The hall, stairs and landing are due to be redecorated this year. It'll be painted sooner rather than later. We had two stair gates on the top and bottom of the stairs, but have now removed the one at the bottom. I never really used it, so it made sense to take it down. The top stair gate can stay where it is. The husband had to make good the wall where the gate had been removed, and started talking about freshening up the hall paint.
I've told him that we're going 'Gustavian' and I've seen a rather lovely pale grey from Farrow & Ball that I'd like. He's not sure, but I am. Well, I think I am, I won't know until we've tried a tester pot.
In the autumn we are going to replace the flooring. The carpet has been down for almost ten years now, and general wear and tear, and a little girl spilling juice and 'other stuff' has taken its toll (A great example today when she walked around with a wet wipe soaked in wee - don't ask - and had wee spots dripping everywhere!!). It's time to pull it up and get it redone. We had planned to do it last year, but after having the shower room done, I couldn't face the thought of anything else disruptive. Autumn will perfect. Gorgeous Girl will be settled in school then, which will make having work done a lot easier.
I'm thinking dark wooden floors in the hall, carpet and stair rods on the stairs, carpet upstairs. Not sure on the colour. If the grey works on the wall, then the carpet may have to be a deep grey. I don't want it looking cold, just welcoming, clean, and chic. I have my eye on tiny chandeliers, and plan on replacing the pictures hanging on the wall by the stairs with mismatched vintage mirrors. If I can find them.
In the meantime, I'm having great fun putting together ideas in my little 'design book' that I always carry around with me. I love gathering ideas.
The husband was surprised and pleased with the change I have made today (I never tell him of my plans, just let him find out when he returns home), but not as much as Dudley. He loves the chair being in the pink room, as in late afternoon when the sun is out, it's soaked in sunshine!
Have a glorious weekend :o)