Wednesday

The Art of Excess.

Things.

I love them.

All sorts of things. I love nothing more than browsing an over-stuffed shop and rescuing gems from their dusty prisons on shelves; being glossed over by unseeing eyes all day long. I love to take them home and let them shine in their own right - bringing life to them. So while the house renovation has been an incredible project we are really getting to the good bit now. The bit where I can come into my own and feel less useless. I can't lay floors, I can't create an underfloor heating system and I can't install wood-burners but what I can do is make a house a home. For months I have been mourning all my beautiful trinkets and treasures, packed away in newspaper and bubble-wrap and, sadly, actually forgetting some of it.

But this past weekend OH decided by depression was getting too deep and my beautiful prizes from shopping trips gone by needed to be resurrected from their gloomy temporary graves. Since we moved in the coffee table that once resided in our rental home front room has been next to my side of the bed. This has meant side-shuffling in and out of my slumber-place day in day out for 7 months. 7 months of shuffling! Madness! So the first thing we did was clean it down and move it. As soon as it was out of the room we could see the bedroom we'd envisaged all those months ago. It was immediately airier and brighter and it surprised us both just how good that felt. It spurred us on and while OH got on with his jobs (mostly outdoor related) I set to work dressing the front room and the newly re-homed coffee table. This is not the big-reveal as there are still quite a few things to do - trim the fireplace, hang artwork, make the doors....the list is worryingly endless....but here's how we're looking now:



This is the naughty coffee table that had me shuffling about. We were both decided that it would have to go as it just wouldn't suit the new room but now it's in it we aren't overly offended by it. Sure, we'll get a new one at some point but for now it is doing everything we need it to; looking pretty and even offering an extra seat in the room when needed - it's surprisingly strong.



These bookends were a split-second buy in a thrift store last year. I was at the till buying something sensible like cooking pans and they caught my eye - I actually asked a stranger to pass them over to me in the queue. OH wasn't sure at first - I think he saw something of The Godfather in them, but he loves them now. I chose to group a few style books in between them. I'm not one to deny that I am a magpie when it comes to creating something - be it interior or sartorial. I like to pick and mix from all sorts of sources.




I absolutely adore both these frames. The one of us was taken at a friends' wedding way back in 2013 - we'd only been together about 6 months but we were already best-friends and inseparable. We have so much fun together - I'm lucky to be getting hitched to such a great fella. The picture of Italy was a beautiful gift from my sister for my birthday in March. OH and I got engaged in Rome in November, as you know, so Ellie decided to immortalise the date for us in this special way - and in bold colours, it's as if she knows me or something?!





This table was a great find in a market last year when I was working in London. I sent OH a picture, more as a joke, but I couldn't believe it when he rang me back and asked how much it was. The next thing I knew I was arranging a courier to get it up to Manchester for us. We had to store it at my mums while we renovated but now the messy bit is over we're able to really enjoy it. I love it with my cage light and Georg Jensen candle holder on it. I love light sources!



Reginald - another great discovery. He was in amongst a mish-mash of other interior pieces. I knew I loved him the second I saw him. I can't remember how much I paid for him now but I can't with most of these pieces. And I don't expect to. If I did I'd know I didn't really adore them because usually, when I love something that much, the price doesn't really come into it too much - that is quickly cancelled out by the hours of happiness they will give me just gazing at them.



My style is best described as excessive. I like to group my lovely things so it gives me maximum visual pleasure whichever way I choose to look. I always find the best way to do this is to group various sizes of objects to keep the eye travelling - a cluster of small, round, similar looking things is nowhere near as exciting as one of varying heights and textures.

So we're off...next weekend may be the bathroom makeover I've been working up to. Everything is in place; paints, pictures, accessories, so stay tuned!

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