Marble Love

I have seeing a lot of kitchen with marble counter and backsplash lately. I really love it combined with pastel green or black.

Photos from top to bottom: unknown (let me know if you do!) // Petra Bindel // Derek Swalwell // Bulthaup

Beautiful Home with Grey Kitchen

Photos from Entrance

Hallway makeover

One of my friend asked me for ideas about doing up his hallway. It's quite a big hallway with a main rectangle shape entrance and a long narrow corridor going to the kitchen. At the moment it feels dark (no natural light),  a little depressing and quite disjointing.
He had already decided he wanted to go for a darker colour, which I completely agreed with. Painting it white would be fine but it wouldn't have the same impact as painting a rich dark blue for example. I used it as option 3 in the brief in case he chickened out:)

1. Hang it All by Eames // 2. Molecular pendant by House Doctor // 3. Dots Wall Hooks by Muuto // 4. Brass Swing Lamp by One Forty Three // 5. Mosslanda picture ledge by Ikea // 6. Ivar Cabinet by Ikea //  7. Skogsvåg mirror by Ikea  // 8. Block Rug by House Doctor  // 9. George Nelson Bench //  10. Pockets by Normann Copenhagen

Susanna Vento for YIT-Koti

Beautifully styled apartment by Susanna Vento - so inspiring.

Dreaming of a cottage by the sea

This summer was the first summer the kids and I didn't go to France. I was down about it at first but then it was also the first year since I met A 12 years ago that he was at home for the summer. We decided to have lots of days out. I became obsessed with the weather app and had some amazing days at the beach, where we forgot we were in Scotland as the sun was shining, the sand was white and the water clear. We were also very lucky that one of our friends let us stay at his holiday chalet by the sea. It was so relaxing and made me realise how much I missed being by the sea. My gran has a house in France that looks over the sandy beach and I have spent every summer there since I was 6 so for me summer has to involve a beach and the sea!
Since coming back I have been browsing the internet for beach cottages for sale! Coincidently Minna from Time of Aquarius has just released more photos of her perfect holiday cottage. This just cemented in my head the idea of us trying to get a something similar. Minna's cottage is the perfect place to escape to get close to nature.

 

I love the use of plywood for the walls and the lye pine floors are so beautiful. You can see progress and finished shots on Minna's blog Time of Aquarius and on her beautiful Instagram account.

Beautiful Beige

Alvhem

I have to say although I don't tend to like beige or greige. This flat has convinced me to maybe change my mind. It looks light and fresh and perfectly minimalist.

Alvhem

Book Guides - Elliott's favourite books

It's so nice to see Elliott trying to read his books on his own, working sounds and letters. He loves reading and picking up books from his shelves. It's one thing I don't mind spending money on!

Here are our latest favourite books

Have a lovely Sunday. xx

Happy New Year & Mini House Tour

Happy New Year! I hope 2016 is full of joy and happiness. 2015 past in a flash for us - A was away on tour for most of it, so much so that we haven't even managed to have a holiday together. Hopefully 2016 will be better on this front. I haven't made New Year resolutions yet but I think I would like to continue with the clear out I started after the summer. We have been making progress and are getting better at minimalising our lives but we still have some way to go. Although we have been in our flat more than a year I feel we have stalled lately in terms of completing projects and finishing off rooms. So here is a mini tour to show you where we are at.