Somewhere

So I found a place for the little table

It is on the upstairs landing 

Previously a lost, lonely and unloved part of the house

As landings, entryways, corridors so often can be

 

but with the newly stripped little table 

some books, flowers, indian wooden beads and my 

Bold & Noble

print

this now feels like somewhere

Have a great weekend 

x

Etsy Home Accessories

I am doing some home improvements at the moment 

for 2 upcoming events, (more of which later)

I seem to have too much furniture and not enough accessories

Not a bad complaint I guess

and likely a symptom of having moved thousands of miles twice 

in the last 2 years, all unnecessary extras- gone

Anyway I am in the market for some new rugs and cushions 

These

Morrocan rugs

caught my eye on Etsy 

These are a little out of my price range though 

Also liked these Kilim cushions

and these Suzani Pillows

particularly like the colour and texture of this bottom one
that one might be going in my basket

while searching I came across this seller

who had some very interesting pieces

although some of it is a bit out there for me 

I do like the idea of 

covering dining chairs in floral fabric
edit - see a how to post here 

and 

appliqueing a pattern onto a plain background

in fact I have a chair in need of repair that might just get this treatment

Christ Church Cathedral Tiles

The other night I was in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin at an event
I was struck by the incredible encaustic tiles on the floor
I have been to Christ Church before
but somehow had forgotten the beauty of the tiles
The above geometric patterns were my favourite but the animal representations
 are quite famous and popular

birds

dogs

foxes

I would love to tile my kitchen floor
These tiles are quite costly
but they will last a lifetime, actually longer than a lifetime

Love this patchwork floor from HERE

and this one from HERE 

They are also used a lot in hallways

 image from Architect Design

was thinking these more geometric ones from
 Abbergavenny reclamation
for my kitchen floor?

one day !

so good they named it twice.................

 I love it! ......
New York New York....

As the song goes 

and it's true I do 

That is why I am so excited to let you know

I am moving back!!

It's a huge undertaking with husband, 3 kids, 2 dogs and a cat 

This is not like the last time I emigrated to New york 1n 1993

with $500 in my pocket and a one way ticket

One step at a time though we will get there

and I will take you along for the ride

So this post is all about NY apartments

New Yorkers are obsessed

with their apartments

Location

Size

Rent

Rent control 

(where the landlord can only raise your rent a minimal amount each year...more on this later)

School catchment area

Are all HOT topics, 

so I had a fountain of knowledge to dip into amoungst my host compatriots

on all things to do with apartment searching.

Think I have found somewhere but will keep you posted

Meanwhile here are a few I have seen 

that whetted my appetite

 

images from New York Magazine

I like this "Neo country" in Brooklyn.

A little to modern and sparse for me though.

images from New York Magazine

I like this Greenwich Village apartment of Designer Rita Konig

a little too flowery though..

  

 

images from New York Magazine

I'd take the dog and the apartment......... this one is in 

Williamsburg though...... not for me

But This one in Cobble Hill would be just right

from the NY Times

I like the location

Good schools

Period features

Quite spacious looking

LOVE the floors

Homey but not too frou frou

Modern but not minimalist

......... only 1 bedroom........there's always a snag

That and the fact that its not for rent!!!

Which one would you live in?

A little cottage grows up

Lately I have been feeling a little less like this

 

Images Dave Coote Interiors

And a little more like this

 

Top image VOGUE living,  via newlyweds

Now while I love the first two images I am just a bit jaded of all the white chipped paint in my own home.
It's time for something a little more grown up and polished. Something warmer with more pattern and colour.
I live in a hundred year old Irish Farmhouse Cottage and not a Georgian  Mansion and while I would love high ceilings and elaborate plasterwork I must work with what I have and I can do nothing with the actual structure, The changes will have to be about furnishings, paintwork and other details.
Here are some of the changes I have made
I have added these cushions to the vintage brown leather sofa.

The front one is from IKEA, the Jack Russell  tapestry is from a local Interior shop but you can get great ones at a great price from This ETSY Shop.

The large cushions I had made from fabric I bought at a Local shop that sells Remnants. I think it is by Designers Guild, maybe one of you know?.

I also bought this fabroc from the same Remnants shop. (now sadly closed down)

This will be a curtain across a doorway that leads off the living room. It is called Poppies by G P & J Baker.
 

I purchased these curtains from IKEA

I am really loving stripes at the moment. I would have liked something a little wider but you can't beat the price so for now this will suffice .

And this is the little chair that was to feature in the "before and after" I wrote about in this post

 

Covered the seat in the same fabric as the above cushions.

and here is that Bug Print I bought in London framed in an IKEA frame.

I think the frame cost €10 so including the print this was approx €26, looks good, no?.

There are quite a few more bits and pieces I would like to do but, baby steps, and with Christmas heading our way faster than I care to think about they may just have to wait.