Imperfect substitutes of dreams...

So now what? 

Now I AM worried if I will actually have anything to post you about. Or if I will have the time? But mainly if there is anything I can show you. It’s quite plain and unsophisticated in here. I hardly ever buy anything new. Most of the time they’re used, second hand – often ersatz of what I would like to have. Imperfect substitutes of my dreams, which still can delight. Sometimes things in our home are “for the time being”, but can end up staying for long time... Thereby it happens that something “fits” a bit forcefully. Some corners just scream to place or hang something there, but these corners just have to wait for their turn :).

Here in England there is something called carboot sale. Kind of a bric-a-brac market. Basically a miscellany of things you don’t want anymore and just want to get rid of it. They are usually very cheap. It’s like my little guilty pleasure where I occasionally indulge myself ;). Actually most of my accessories were bought there. Now I’m thinking that beside our bed and the chest of drawers we bought for our bedroom, all our furniture were bought second hand. I have repainted some of them.

Two years ago I’ve fallen in love in shabby chic style and so I’ve changed table and chairs accordingly (check in my previous post). Now I’ve gone of it… chich doesn’t mean I don’t like it anymore :). Table and chairs are not shabby anymore.

I really like white furnitures. What is my favourite style? I don’t know. I think I can find something for myself in any of them. Recently I find retro quite captivating. I think I could change design of my house like every month, that is if I was a millionaire, and see some sort of greater good in that. But I am not, and all changes occur veeery slowly. Everything with little steps...

In the house that we are renting, all the walls are covered with magnolia paint. Which seems natural, warm and loved by Englishmen. But not by me. It’s the last colour I would choose for my home.

Lounge

We have quite spacious lounge (as for common English house). Here, the architecture is quite different from the Polish. Often rooms can be really small (I’m not exaggerating, some bedrooms we saw in here where of a pantry size), stairs are very steep and narrow (I was lucky enough to experience it and survive ;))

When we moved in I’ve realised that the shade of green that the table top and two chairs where painted with, did not match with magnolia on the walls (at least if the saturation of the colour was a bit more delicate, but unfortunately it is very high). So I have changed green to grey. I’ve bought old wooden sideboard and corner cabinet and also repainted them.

Photos are not great, but I never thought of them as with purpose for my blog :). 

The biggest shocker of this place was the “fireplace” (and maybe also the lamp and sconces ;)). I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more hideous – I have nearly collapsed first time I saw it ;).

Someone really went wild with mouldy porridge patterned panel and gradient tiles. Our land lady, (after few days of consideration) agreed for metamorphosis. I could breathe with ease now. Pine (I think) wood and tiles got covered with white paint, mouldy porridge was wallpapered.

Since that time, fireplace looks pretty much the same (the only difference is that the tiles are evenly coated with white paint now). 

Not long after the metamorphosis. 

 That is how lounge looked like on the beginning (unfortunately I do not have any pictures from when we moved in nor before it’s current look):

Our land lady is not much keen for any changes – for example we really had to “put up a fight” just to hammer two nails onto the walls. I wasn’t aware that two nails can bring so much joy :).

On one we hanged a picture above the sideboard.

Currently we have come to an agreement. We can hammer and hang things, but we will have to fill in any holes and repaint before moving out.

Can you see that lamp? ;/

It’s a nightmare...

What can you do with that without replacing it? Do you have any idea how to cover that thing up (I can’t repaint it as I could cause a heart attack ;))

I have only changed the lampshades...

Here is my „new” second hand purchase – armchair won on Ebay auction for a pound :). 

I am looking at those Spring’s photos... and I already want Spring to come back.

So I am springy finishing this post :).

I am awaiting the first comment.

Any, even negative feedback will be precious to me :).