Tag Archives: INTERIORS

Simple Changing Table

Floor in Resene Rascal, walls in Resene Black White, and change table in Resene Clay Creek | Linen drapes from Ezibuy, Monochromatic prints made by me, Sheepskin, basket on floor and change pad cover from Blackbird Goods, Change basket from Citta, Drawers from Trade Me.

Okay, so I know the previous post I said I was taking a break, buuuuuut here I am. Although I have been on maternity leave since Christmas, It has only really been in the last week I have had the chance to potter and enjoy the last days before babe, yes single digits now, well, until the due date anyway, so really, who knows! We have been getting the babes room ready, and feel grateful to have the time and space to actually get it done, amongst the more pressing renovations, ! And while I wont be sharing the whole space just yet, I wanted to share my latest project, mostly because of the response I got when I posted about it on my Instagram story.

So, change tables, I debated for a while of even having one, but realised I would at least need somewhere to store little clothes etc. So started my search for a versatile, non baby looking change table, that would grow and change with the babe and her needs. And with no luck, I decided it was time to do a little DIY. I scoured Trade Me, and found that blue and lime green ( sheesh ) little number locally. It was the perfect size, simple style, and of course the right price, coming in at a grand total of $80.00. I then went about choosing my paint colour and landed on Resene Clay Creek, a muted and muddied green which I paired with my Resene Rascal floors ( *Quick Tip, when painting floors use Resene Sureseal as a pre paint sealer, stops wood stains and pigments coming through – although get someone else to apply it if you are pregnant, as that stuff is oil based and potent!)

Next up I had to work out how I wanted to use it as a change table. Seeing as I wanted it to change with our soon to arrive child, I wanted something that was easily adaptable and not just have a single use. I decided on a low basket from Citta, my thoughts being this will make a great little toy or blanket storage in the future, then used a natural latex pillow with a pillow protector and Dehei jersey cotton pillow case that I nabbed from our shop. Last but not least I popped an IKEA organiser in, for those bits and pieces.

And done! A movable changing basket and adaptable piece of furniture, tick, tick tick. Now we just need the babe!

x

The final and full reveal.

img_0039 img_4577 img_4672

Its almost bitter sweet writing this post, but it’s pretty fun to see all the before photos to see how far we came!

As a few of you may know, the old ( ish ) girl was bought down from the mighty Waikato in the summer of 2014, in various types of disrepair, and in two pieces. We then began to fix her from the bottom up! Above are a few snaps of what she looked like before, not so pretty.

But here is what she looks like today!

_mg_6777

The exterior was painted in Resene Foundry, and landings in Resene Woodsman Cedar Stain 

unspecified-1unspecified-2 unspecified-3 unspecified-5

The Master bedroom was painted in Resene Black White

unspecified-7 unspecified-9 unspecified-10

The bathroom was painted in Resene Black White, with Resene Smoky Green on the floors

unspecified-11

The Laundry was painted in Resene Atomic, with Resene Smoky Green on the floors

unspecified-12unspecified unspecified-13

The Hallway was painted in Resene Double Alabaster, while the Spare Room and Office  was painted in Resene Black White, with Office floor in Resene White Gloss .

unspecified-14unspecified-24 unspecified-25unspecified-17unspecified-18unspecified-23

The lounge and Dining where painted in Resene Black White, with Office floor in Resene White Gloss .

unspecified-16 unspecified-20 unspecified-21

The kitchen  was painted in Resene Double Alabaster.

unspecified-26

The fire pit fence was painted in Resene Blue Bark with Resene Woodsman Cedar Stain  on the built in seating.

And as many of you know we have now sold, and moved into a new project ( at the same time as another pretty big project ) But before leaving we were lucky enough to have our main gal Heather Liddell fully document our first home and renovation for the latest issue of Homestyle magazine. I then got all nostalgic ( read pregnancy hormonal ) and wanted to share a few of our favourite snaps.

Although you may have seen snippets of the progress in Homestyle over the last year, if you are after more information on what we did, how we did it, and more detail on the Resene paint colours we chose ( beware, there is A LOT of black white ) you can check out my  previous posts. And if you want to read the full story pick up a copy of Homestyle, or head over here!

Here’s to ( all ) the new adventures!

BEFORE & AFTER | Laundry & Bathroom

BATHROOMbefore BlackbirdBATHROOM1 BlackbirdBathroom2GET THE LOOK | Cape Cod bath towel by Ottoloom, $73.00, ottoloom.co.nz, Fog Linen basket $39.00, paperplanestore.com, Fog Linen Wash Cloth, $24.00, fatherrabbit.com, Indigo House Shoes, $135.00, mavisandosborn.com, Amber Shower Shower Bottles, $18.00, theblackbird.co.nz, Mediterranean Sea Sponge, $39.00, paperplanestore.com, Fog Linen Knitted Floor Mat, $89.00, fatherrabbit.com, Walls, Resene Alabaster, Vanity, Resene Double Alabaster, Floor, Resene Smoky Green.

Good golly, she was a little rough when we saw her. And not much better after the move. The bath tub was stained and had sunken in the move south, in fact it was held together with duct tape for the first 4 months of living there. The walls pale blue were stained with years of mould, not quite the sanctuary that a bathroom should and with a square meterage of only 3m, we were now not only wrestling with budget but also with space. However, we aren’t one to shy away from a challenge.

Gutting the bathroom but keeping the plumbing in the same place was the key. We quickly disposed of the old enamel bath with it’s years of yellow stain and replacing it with a near new bath off TradeMe. Creating space without knocking down walls was a priority, so to maximise space we took off the existing inward opening door, replacing it with an old T&G door hung on industrial castors we found at the local wreckers. Choosing a recessed mirrored cabinet creates a sense of space and light and allows for added storage with out loosing precious elbowroom. Adding baskets under the vanity keep bits in bobs in place while looking sharp.

Deciding to make our own vanity to replace the previous eye sore was a relatively easy and cheaper option. After constructing the console out of plywood, we painted the face with Resene Double Alabaster and sealed it with Resene Graffiti Shield. Bringing back the DIY leather pulls, adding an off set ceramic basin and new tape ware we were done for under $300.00 . Once again following my hard and fast rule of fresh and clean we gibed and painted the walls in Resene Black White dressing up the floor in a dusty green, Resene Smokey Green. We also chose to tile, and went with a cost effective square tile adding texture with a charcoal grout, leaving us with a crisp new space at steal. Although it is not a task to be taken lightly, tiling yourself is achieve-able . Make sure you measure and then measure again, it’s all about that straight line. Playing around with grout can transform mundane into mod. TIP : The smaller your tile you use, the trickier the process. Using larger tiles leaves less room for errors.

BEFORElaundry BlackbirdLaunrdy BlackbirdLaundry2 BlackbirdLaundry3

GET THE LOOK : Cane Laundry Basket, $70.00, theblackbird.co.nz , Linen Keep-All Bag, $88.00, theblackbird.co.nz, Carpet Beater, $39.00, paperplanestore.com, Fog Linen Basket, $36.00, fatherrabbit.com, Cleaning Cloths, $18.00 each, fatherrabbit.com, Scrubbing Brush, $$8.95, www.ecostoredirect.co.nz, Indigo Ceramic Bowl, $28.00, theblackbird.co.nz, Bees Wax Candles, $8.50 each, fatherrabbit.com, Walls in Resene Atomic, Floors in Resene Smoky Green, Everything else Stylist Own.

The laundry on the other hand wasn’t in extreme disrepair, just a little tired and in serious need of extra storage.

For most people the laundry is a dull and uneventful place not worth much musing, but I like a good laundry l. It needs to be practical, but also easy on the eyes. Opting to contrast the white on white house, and fulfil my yearning for a dark room,  we went for Resene Atomic on the walls, adding drama and complimenting the continued Resene Smoky Green floors. Pulling out the old tub we replaced it with a concrete tub from the wreckers on a built in plywood cabinet for hidden storage, and added a bench top for those extra bits and bobs. We decided to leave the plywood unpainted enhancing it’s natural tones and sealing it against any moisture with a satin polyurethane. Now back to practicality, the handy husband made brackets, shelves and a rail to hang everything from the laundry basket and ironing board to the carpet beater.

All in all, a bit of elbow grease and out of the box thinking left us with fresh new spaces at steal.

 

Until next time

BlackbirdBLOG-signature

Indoor Plant Guide

Title

I think one of my first ever plants was a tiny cactus my mum bought me, probably a lesson in looking after something, and I probably killed it.  But a few years back I rediscovered my love for indoor plants, and learnt swiftly that they aren’t as easy to look after as that little cactus ( and even that I managed to wipe out )

So here is a crash course using my green thumb knowledge aka having to learn as the husband refused to buy more plants that I would eventually end up having to dispose of.

_MG_1227

The Cactus | This particular little guy is part of the Opuntia family, or paddle cactus. He likes the light, but not harsh sun, Cacti can burn. And water, once a month is fine. Make sure you use Cacti soil, which is well draining, usually a pumice mix.

_MG_1256

The Rubber Tree |  The Rubber tree is part of the Ficus family. With is broad glossy leaves is a real beaut. Keep near a window for bright, filtered light. Away from a draughty door, and make sure you let it dry out a little between waters.  I also tend to use a damp cloth to wipe any dust off the leaves every few months.

_MG_1262

The Split Leaf Philodendron | I love the Philodendron family, they are one of my favs. This Monsteria Deliciosa is super easy care and looks stunning! They need medium to bright light, but not direct sun. Keep the soil a little damp, but not soggy.

_MG_1268

The Heart Leaf Philodendron | Another Philodendron, and this was the first plant I bought back in 2010! She has made the eight house moves with us over the last 5 years, and still going strong. They are hardy and can tolerate low light, but prefer moderate to bright, but never direct sun.  Keep the soil damp, but in winter allow to dry out between watering. Every six months I like to chuck mine in the shower and hose her off.

_MG_1273

The Hoya | Otherwise known as a wax plant. I remember my grandmother having these growing up, they have the most beautiful cluster of pink flowers. They like it by a north facing window with filtered light, and they love a little mist! Keep the soil damp, and allow to dry out a little between waters in winter. I have mine in the bathroom and it is loving it there!

_MG_1275

The Peace Lily | The most common issue for these guys is over watering. They vary in how much water they need so the best way to tell is touch the soil once a week and only water if it’s dry. They tolerate under-watering more than over-watering.  They prefer low to medium light. As they have beautiful broad leaves, they can do with a wipe every now and then to get rid of the dust.

_MG_1278

The Succulent | This Burros tail or Sedum morganianum. They like bright light and occasional watering. Pretty low care and easy to propagate. But be careful when you move them as they are fragile!

 

There you go, a little lesson 101 on Indoor plant care! All my plants are from local gardening stores, so go have a look! If they don’t have them, a lot of the time they can order in for you!

For a chance to win the beautiful ‘ Blue Water’ Print by Penney + Bennett, head over to Facebook to see how!

Until next time, Happy gardening!

BlackbirdBLOG-signature