All things bright and shiny and beautiful

It's not a day for interior design, but as it's month end I've done all the financials for F-Stop I need to do and so I'm on to tell you about the items I've purchased this week for my living room.

If you know me well enough, you'll know I have a penchant for shiny things - metals, glass, precious stones (mmmm....), if it's reflective than I can pretty much guarantee that I will like it.  If you are up for a challenge then feel free to prove me wrong.

Ebay shopping is one of my regular addictions, I'm forever on the lookout for furniture pieces - tables, chairs, lights, china, glassware and any unique find that catches my eye.  In the past I've bought items such as canvas paintings, plate chargers, glasses, crockery, fabric, chairs, a desk, but my latest find is a copper topped side table, costing just a tad more than my favourite soya latte from Starbucks.

For my second shiny find, something I've had my eye on for a couple of weeks and it's from one of my favourite online stores - Rockett St George.  This wall sconce will feature nicely in my dark inky living room alcove and it's a great price too.  I have a lot of candles, this will be the sixth one in the living room, they create such a warm cosy ambience, much nicer than low energy light bulbs.

So I must get the painting finished this weekend and then it's on to the exciting stuff; placing furniture and choosing new soft furnishings.

The inky journey has begun

It was very quiet in our household this weekend.  I dropped hubby up to Heathrow for his flight to Chicago and with the boys at their fathers, it was the perfect opportunity to get the paint brush out and continue on my quest for a more dark, mysterious and interesting home.

I'd purchased the 5 litre tin of Farrow & Ball Studio Green nearly two weeks ago but it only just arrived at my local Kent Blaxill on Thursday.  I live in a semi-rural town in Essex, so more or less everything you purchase interiors wise that's not so 'run of the mill' has to be ordered in and there's always some delay.  But I've got another possible theory, the guy at Blaxill's just stared at me blankly when I requested the paint colour, I'm not sure there's much demand for Studio Green estate emulsion and therefore it became a special request, not to Blaxill's head office but straight to the top, to Farrow & Ball's.

So, for those that read my blog, I've been banging on about completing this Abigail Ahern inspired endeavour for absolutely ages now.  I have to admit that after the first few slaps of paint were applied, I wondered why I'd started, given that it was going to take at least two coats and at least quadruple that amount if I hated it and wanted to paint it back.

It will take at least another weekend to finish the entire room, but I'm pleased to report that even at this crude stage, it's looking pretty fabulous.  And with my love of all things shiny, my reflective accessories and also the furniture, really 'ping' against the dark background. Everything just stands out and looks cleaner and brighter.  I reckon that's a bonus, me and the furniture polish may not be reacquainted for some time.

Then my mum came over on Sunday and after a couple of minutes of viewing and contemplation, all she said was "you're brave".

Well, it's only paint.