Mid-Century Recliners

It's been more than a week since I mentioned the impending arrival of my two S.H.E Lifestyle chairs and side table (not requested - but couldn't resist!).

Covered in fabric by Cloth, they are true retro - mid-century recliners that have been spruced to perfection and look and feel brand new. And it's all thanks to the girls at S.H.E, Camilla, Nicole and Sarah.

As you can see the colours pick up those on the ducks at Hardys Bay that inspired me a few months ago.

I'm afraid my photos don't do the chairs justice at all - which is more to do with the poor lighting at our new house that is very dark even during the middle of the day. I really needed a big white studio backdrop, studio lights and a photographer's assistant. I tried to fiddle with the exposure and colour on Picnik which helped a little but they still look weird. Never mind, you get the picture, so to speak!

Had them next to my self-dusting ostrich feather light by Haldane Martin but have since realised that something wasn't quite right and they didn't go together - maybe it was the long silver stem ..? Anyway, a new light is now in its place.

I did enjoy colour-coordinating my books and popping some crysanthemums in my new vase - a Coke bottle! Who would have guessed? Or maybe you did but it looks pretty good, I reckon, and think I might start collecting them. Except I don't usually drink Coke ...

I've also sent off my inherited wooden rocking chair that must be at least 40 years old, if not more - Mum, perhaps you can verify? - to the S.H.E girls for a bit of reno. It had been in storage and I'd forgotten that my old dog had nibbled the ends when she was a puppy and I'd never done anything about it. I virtually grew up on this chair - progressing from my mother's lap to sitting in it myself through my teenage years, until Mum gave it to me when they moved house. It's a sentimental old thing and should look great once it's buffed and newly cushioned.

And it's goodbye kitchen and robe!

As you can probably tell from my lack of posting this week it's been a busy one and I'm feeling quite exhausted. Moving house is not only tiring but quite unsettling, and it doesn't seem to get better the more times you do it. I managed to waste several hours on Sunday morning arranging and rearranging photo frames and the like before I could summon the energy and desire to tackle the more important things like the boxes containing the entire kitchen contents! But for me, having photos and knick knacks and vases of flowers around helps to make me feel at home. So for a few hours, the boxes had to wait.

Amongst all of this we also had to deal with building tenders and vetting builders - a process which didn't quite go to plan, primarily because although we went to five builders to get a fixed quote, two pulled out halfway through, one would only do cost-plus, and one provided a very broad quote that wasn't broken down and way over budget. Thankfully, the last company, despite providing costings higher than we wanted, actually did their work and appear to be up to the job. We're now negotiating prices, visiting houses they've built, talking with referees and have also found another building firm to quote as well. What a process! But it's one we must get right and we're prepared to wait.

As you know I am a big fan of recycling and re-using and was very keen to find homes for bits of the house. The stained glass windows and doors have gone but there was lots more that could be re-homed and on my list of things to do for ages has been to get on to ebay and start selling. Having only done this once before - to sell a dining table - I felt a little daunted and aware of how much time I would need to take photos and upload them, measure everything, write descriptions and put it all on ebay.

So I set aside most of Friday to do this and couldn't believe it when by Friday night I had sold the kitchen and the master wardrobe! A lovely couple in Brisbane are renovating and are going to come down to dismantle it all and take it away. Yay!

I'm now in negotiations with another couple for just about everything else - wow! I am so pleased and really amazed at the power of ebay.

The only thing is, whilst on ebay, I did a bit of browsing. I'd love a vintage phone or a Danish sideboard ... Will I end up spending my hard-earned money?

French Antique Key Necklace

I'm very excited as I've just had a peek at two mid-century chairs that my friends at S.H.E Lifestyle have been upcycling - sprucing and upholstering and waving their magic wand over - for me. And they super-kindly gave me one of their French antique key necklaces which looks pretty cool and is fun to wear.

I love the blue velvet ribbon which picks up the teal that is in the fabric by Cloth they have used for my chairs. They discovered a bunch of these keys on their travels which apparently came from a French farmhouse cellar and each end is shaped a different number!

You'd have thought having this around my neck this afternoon would have helped me remember to pick up the 'new' house keys I left on the hall table as I was leaving after dropping off some stuff. But no. I locked them inside!!

Thankfully, hubby reminded me that he took one of the spare front door keys in the event of such forgetfulness (I have been known to do this before). Phew - more than once!

But getting back to the chairs - they're being delivered on Monday so I'll be able to show you their beautifulness and S.H.E's craftmanship then. In the meantime, have a happy weekend ...

Coastal Retreat wins Australian Interior Design Award

Despite packing, I still have work to do and along the way - while doing research for Innovative Household magazine - I discovered this gorgeous house that has just won a Residential Decoration award for Hare + Klein Interior Design in the 2010 Australian Interior Design Awards.

It's a Coastal Retreat in New South Wales whose interiors have been beautifully done over, as always, by Hare + Klein who seem to specialise in understated elegance.

Said the jury: An elegant, sophisticated and understated interior composition responds here with delight to its beach-side location and coastal views. The neutral and bleached palette is expertly enhanced with accents of light colour that elevate it from the generic to the sublime. Skilled articulation of space results in a perfect balance of intimate enclosure and connection with the exterior that encourages relaxed habitation.

I couldn't agree more and could quite happily move in here over the weekend!

It's the muted tones with the odd dash of colour that makes it appear so serene and there's the charcoal grey again, which I love.

Nice bathroom, too!

The Art of Packing

There is, of course, an art to packing boxes. And I found it on the outside of the moving cartons.

The art of moving house is all about ensuring you take rests.

A glass of wine and a good book are wonderful rejuvenators.

You must ensure you are handled with care at all times.

Otherwise, you may get all ruffled

and crumpled 

and end up in a heap on the floor.

Kicking Back

Wishing I could kick back here over the long weekend.

But will be unpacking storage boxes and packing up current house.

Check out Linda's Lime in the Coconut blog where this photo came from and dream of living in the tropics.

In Love with Charcoal Grey

After the joys of DIYing up the coast and an indulgent weekend in Melbourne, life has suddenly jolted back to reality and all hands are now on deck in order for our build to finally begin. For, this next week, we are to peruse building tenders and choose a builder, pack boxes, get furniture out of storage and then move out on May 1st! Having worked out this will be our eighth move in the thirteen years that hubby and I have been together, I've decided we are either mad nomads or just plain stupid. Either way, we have brought this one fair and square on ourselves and so, despite the feelings of dread at doing it all again, we shouldn't complain.

But instead of showing you pictures of building documents, packing boxes or hair being pulled out, I thought I would indulge myself in some images of beautiful rooms - in particular, those that feature charcoal grey. 

 From Emmas Blogg

It seems to be that grey is the new white in interior wall colours and furnishings and I love it! So much so that I am now considering painting the main wall in our soon-to-be new living/dining area charcoal grey instead of dark chocolate brown.

From A Life's Design

To me charcoal grey can be tranquil, elegant and dramatic all at the same time.

From Megan Morton's Homelove book as seen in The Design Files

It can 'style up' a coastal or Scandinavian all-white look or add punch and drama if used with black or a bright colour like yellow or red.
 

 From Swedish real estate Alvhem makleri

 What do you think?