Tuesday 7 February 2012

Sharing some zingyness

Just thought I'd share some zingy brightness on this cold snowy night.......

 amazing crochet stool covers - makes me want to get out my crochet hook NOW


 granny square blanket - love this touch of naive country brightness in an otherwise simple room


 wow! how long to make that?


 If I had a modern flat........love that bright ottoman, and how the paintings have probably dictated the room scheme


 what a great idea to mix these modular sofa cushions


 love the contrast of the bold floral wallpaper behind the functional black cast iron stove, and that inlaid cupboard and shaped mirror adds an oriental touch


 love this room with its unique light fitting, comfy furniture in such restful but pretty colours, and the amazing wall art - moths ?


 a simple table, lamp and wallpaper...........but what a brilliant mix of colour and pattern


 a new take on the victorian tiles patchwork effect that works so well,  using 60s and 70s tiles here


 and still on the subject of patchwork, so much in the fore front of my mind at the moment, take a look at this bright rug


 love the red and white scheme in this pretty bedroom - the red cushions and quilt, and red patterned lampshade, offset against the white, and then that lovely custard yellow mirror as a surprise element


love how the turquoise and brown work here with the pink valance and brighttly coloured quilts


 my sister would adore this room - since she was little, lilac has been her favourite colour


 and this one - the jewel-like colours in the patchwork carpet are amazing, but having the rest of the room in the same shade as the beautiful velvet chaise longue balances it perfectly 




and this looks the perfect comfy cosy bed for a cold, snowy winters night such as it is tonight - with a roaring fire in the background too - such a rare but simple luxury these days, having an open fire in a bedroom - but a basic necessity in pre-central heating days.

Funny how our perceptions of luxury change over time. 

To me these days, having moved from a gas centrally heated house (where it was warm enough to wear a t-shirt on the coldest day) to a much colder, larger house reliant on expensive oil for heating, luxury now is a hot bath in a warm bathroom!   

We rely heavily on our wood burning stove and electric room heaters most days for heating, especially if its only me at home during the day time, to conserve the oil (as it takes hours to warm the house with the oil heating and would need to be on constantly at great expense heating unnecessary rooms) thus only heating the rooms we are using, and using the oil minimally for an hour at the beginning and end of the coldest days.

We have got used to just adding an extra layer of clothing, making sure we shut doors to conserve the heat, and relishing the warmth in the rooms provided by the woodburner in the living room, and Rayburn range cooker in the kitchen, in contrast to the chilly hall and landing!

What's your idea of luxury? Simple delights, or can you imagine far more exotic luxuries???!!!!

Do share!



Whilst you're pondering that,  I'm off to pop a few more logs on the stove, curl up on the sofa with the dog on my lap, with a cup of coffee and a good book! My idea of luxury!

And then maybe a hot bath in a warm bathroom- luckily the chimney goes up through the bathroom so its always cosy when the fire's alight!



All images from Vintage Home tumblr

22 comments:

  1. Oh these photos are all so beautiful- I feel like I've overdosed on beauty and colour!!!!!!!!!!
    Thanks you for that lovely start to my morning!!

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  2. lots of lovely eyecandy, specially like the large scale on the crocheted bedspread

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  3. Some great photos, I love the red bedroom.
    Gillx

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  4. Hi Gill. Lovely to 'see you again'.

    You've selected some fabulous pictures - they're lovely to look at but I honestly don't think I could live with too many of them! Gosh, those kitchen tiles ... you wouldn't be able to see where your spaghetti sauce had splashed! Apart from, perhaps, the last photo - I could quite happily dive into that frilly bed!

    Hope you're well my friend.

    Hx

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  5. My luxury would be to have a woodburner and an Aga...in a country cottage of course! :0)

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  6. I just love the crochet projects - they certainly warm the space.

    Glad you are keeping warm

    The last bedroom, is most inviting.

    Helen xx

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  7. Hi Gill! What a stunningly pretty post. I'm so pleased you posted these pictures as I was just saying to my hubby last night that I'd like to crochet a cover for our cube/footstool thingy and then I spotted one in your post. Now I'm all inspired!! I hope you're managing to stay warm hon. I've heard it's been very, very cold in your part of the world. Totally the opposite here at the moment. Take care and have a lovely week.

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  8. These are amazing interiors.....thanks for the happy post!

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  9. It's getting harder and harder to keep houses warm and cozy in winter - the heating costs are ridiculous! My husband is anal about shutting doors and barks at me whenever I forget. I am terrible ... wafting about in an absent-minded muddle and not closing the doors properly. We also usually only have the heating on for a few hours in the morning and evening - and we have gas-central heating...I'd hate to know what oil costs.

    The photos are lovely - I could happily live in any of those rooms. Our house is very cozy but understated and classic - not bright and zany. (Except for my sewing room, which is my own space.)

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  10. Oh My Goodness what a gorgeous post and far to much gorgeousness for me to comment on i love it all. That pink wallpaper with the green polka dot lighting is lovely and that patchwork of vintage tiles can i have them all please those are just fabulous ;-))dee x

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  11. We need more zingy in weather like this! Love the purple chaise - luxury would be reclining on that, sloe gin in hand, while reading a good garden history book!
    Stay warm Gill.

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  12. I bet you'll be stoking the wood burner today, it is freezing here in London. Lovely, cheery photos, I think they have made me feel a teeny bit warmer already. Thanks for popping by!
    Kate x

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  13. I love all the rooms,except the purple..I couldn't live with purple!
    It's freezing here today.Got the bus into town,as I read on someones blog that TK Maxx had a lot of Cath,but sadly our branch didn't.Soooo glad to get home and be warm and cosy.
    Hope you are too! :0)

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  14. Those photos have really brightened my day! I couldn't live with all those colours, but you've inspired me to be a bit brighter in my colour choices!

    Oh and I wish I had a fire! That is luxury! xx

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  15. You always come up with beautiful images Gill, so many pretties today! :)
    Keep warm,
    Vivienne x

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  16. Oh goodness, how lovely! Each one more welcoming than the last. Thank you so much. :)

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  17. As I gazed longingly at each image it suddenly occured to me that I had no idea where you get all your amazing photographs from. I was really glad for the link at the end of the post as these images are really inspiring. I particularly love the use of fresh flowers - a metal bucket of roses and the pot of hydarangeas in the fireplace. Just gorgeous!
    For me time is a luxury. If I can have just a little time to myself then I'm very happyn (and even as I'm typing this I have paused to read with biggest one and get little one ready for bed!).
    Becky x

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  18. Hi Gill, thankyou for the lovely inspiration. You always manage to find the most wonderfully ecclectic rooms. I adore the chinese sofa with the fish on the back and the cosy red bedroom.

    I am with Bellaboo on the luxury items.
    Many thanks for your visit and lovely comments.Stay warm and keep those fingers busy! Much love Linda x

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  19. I love the crochet stool covers. It's amazing how tatty stools can be brought back to life with a bit of zingy crochet. I love the red and white bedroom too.

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  20. Hi, Gill! Beautiful interiors! Thanks for sharing. You always inspire me.
    Take care
    Natasha

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  21. Oh my word.loving it all, so inspiring, may spend today tidying or should I go out for a coffee with the boys and leave it for another day! hope all well, Becca xxx

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Thanks for visiting and for taking the time to leave a comment - I love to read them!
Gill x