Vivez Bien * Live Well

Friday, May 22, 2015

Project Design : Refresh your Living Room with these Inexpensive Tips

I am participating in Cindy and Mary Ann's latest Project Design Series along with other bloggers. The topic is how to "Refresh Your Living Room With These Inexpensive Tips".

Here are my ideas...

 A great starting point would be to REARRANGE YOUR FURNITURE and the best way to do this is to remove all the accessories and smaller pieces of furniture from the room. Take your room back to its bare bones and then have a really good look at the layout.

 

 Sometimes just changing the layout can make it feel like a whole new space. For instance, if your sofas normally face each other, consider placing them at right angles. Also consider the seasons when you decide how to place your furniture. In winter you want your best seating close to or facing the fireplace, whereas in summer, you might want your seating facing the view onto your garden. If you have French doors leading out into the garden, you want to make that access point more accessible in summer, whereas in winter you could easily position a sofa across that point. The picture below would be a good option for winter.....


.... but in summer you might want to move the sofa to the opposite side and position two armchairs on the window side. Like this...


 ...or this.


 Once you have your layout organised, CONSIDER ADDING SOME COLOUR.  Colour can be introduced with just a few small changes, like adding some new scatter cushions and a vase or bowl on your coffee table.

Consider this room below....the very neutral colour scheme which was cosy in winter, might feel a bit drab in summer.....


 By introducing a few well chosen items in the form of cushions, coloured glassware, a throw, or some pottery, you can liven up the look with a very small budget.Try moving some artwork from elsewhere in the house that fits in with your new colour scheme.


 In the example below, the blue cushions are the only accessories with any colour, yet imagine how different the room would be without them. I am a strong believer in keeping your big ticket items like sofas and curtains neutral in colour.


 These gorgeous feather filled cushions below are from here at only R300 each.($25)



 Another easy way to refresh your living room is to RESTYLE YOUR SHELVES. If you have some sort of bookcase or display shelving in your living area, or even a console table, consider a complete change of the items you have on display. Instead of the current trend of displaying a variety of items in a stylish way as in the picture below....


....perhaps you should try a change of direction and display a collection of items with the same colour, shape or purpose. Repetition can have great impact when it's done right. Think out the box on this one. Raid your kitchen or pantry cupboards for a collection of white jugs or bowls or go shopping at a department store for some inexpensive glass or ceramic vases ... en masse is the point here...

 

 


"En Masse"  Post on different elements that can be displayed en masse in your home.    http://goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com/2011/10/en-masse.html

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 Perhaps the most inexpensive way of all to refresh your living room is to USE THE BOUNTY OF NATURE to add new decorative elements to your room.

So whether it is a few fallen twigs in a wooden trug...


 ...pine cones in a pottery bowl...


...beautiful green apples...

 
 ....sea shells...



.... or succulents...


....nature's free gifts will always give your room a lift!

P8

Finally you want to introduce something into your room to give it that wow factor and because you have saved so much money by using the ideas above, you can now afford a little splurge. The way to go here is to  INTRODUCE AN OVERSIZED PIECE for big impact....

...it could be an enormous table lamp...


 ....a giant vase....

 

 .... huge glass vessels...

 Oversized Wine Bottles

 ...an oversized clock...

 The oversize clock makes such a great statement in this room.

... or a massive mirror...

Antiqued mirror with console in front, layering

...or two.

Overscale mahogany mirrors in an all white room with beams + slipcovers + antique weathered wood table makes this coastal chic


I hope you found some of these ideas useful and remember that the most important thing is to have fun when making your changes! Please go and visit these fabulous bloggers to see their ideas on the subject.

Till next time

Sharon x

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Istanbul and Other Things



 This is going to be a long one so I'd suggest that you go and pour yourself a morning cup of coffee  or an evening glass of wine. If it's a morning glass of wine, that's fine too, I won't judge!
Istanbul (sigh) ....what can I say. I'd go back tomorrow if I could. It was so beautiful and so full of history and the people were so friendly and helpful, we really had an amazing time. But before I go on about Istanbul, I know the question on everybody's lips is....
did I buy any Hammam towels? 


I sure did!  First I bought these two beauties....


 ...then I found these....


...then I got into the groove and bought 6 more and husband said "enough now" .....


 ...so I bought 2 more!


Look at that beautiful texture.  

Now some pics of Istanbul....I don't want to bore you so I'll just show you some of my favourite spots.


 The Hippodrome was the site of chariot races and other sporting events of the time. Today it is a picturesque promenade that features some fragments of the original structure such as this carved Obelisk of Theodosius which was erected here in 390AD. This makes it 1625 years old - quite mind boggling! We sat and had a cup of coffee overlooking this square while trying to fend off an over-enthusiastic carpet vendor!


The beautiful fountain on Sultanahmet Square with the Blue Mosque in the background. There is so much to look at in this part of Istanbul, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar. You can easily spend a whole day here.


I was so amazed at how beautiful the gardens were....


 ...in some ways, reminiscent of Paris, which is high praise in my book!





Another of my favourite areas was around the Galata Tower, which is a medieval stone tower in the Karakoy quarter. It was built in 1348 (quite a new building by Istanbul's standards - only 667 years old!) The tower is surrounded by an open square filled with restaurants and bars and is the meeting area for the young "hip and happening" locals. We must have thought that we fitted right in because we hung out here a lot. LOL


 Here is a view of the tower all lit up at night. Our favourite restaurant is on the right.

 

 This little street looks like it could be in Provence.


Yet another favourite spot is Ortaköy which is a neighbourhood, formerly a small village, located in the middle of the European bank of the Bosphurus. It seems to be  a popular spot for both locals and tourists, with its street markets, food stalls, art galleries, cafés, and lovely views over the Bosphorous.


 One of the landmarks is this area is the Ortaköy Mosque (below) which is a beautifully ornate structure, right on the jetty of Ortaköy, bordering the waters of the Bosphorus.


This is the night-time view from the roof terrace of our hotel. Sipping a glass of delicious red wine,  in the company of my lovely husband, looking at this view, will definitely be etched in my memory for a long time.


 But enough of my travels, I have other important things to tell you.... 

My blog friend, Kristy Woodson Harvey, has written a book! What an awesome accomplishment. To give you a bit of background on Kristy, she is a journalism graduate of the University of North Carolina, and holds a Master's in English from East Carolina University. Having followed her blog  "Design Chic" for many years, it always struck me that she has a real way with words, but I had no idea of her amazing credentials. (I feel so inadequate next to bloggers like this). In addition, she is a regular contributor to The Salisbury Post, Domino Magazine and Houzz, and, on top of it all,  has a 3 year old!


And look how pretty she is!


Her recently launched debut novel, Dear Carolina, is the story of two Southern women of very different backgrounds and is written in the form of a narrative, alternating chapter by chapter between the two main characters. At the centre of the story is a little girl, Carolina. Written with humour and compassion, Kristy brings the characters to life and draws you into the struggles that they face.
Do yourselves a favour and read this heartwarming story. You won't be disappointed!

Available through Amazon or iTunes


Your might want to pour yourself a second glass because I'm not quite done yet....

Onto things local .... if you are ever in the Stilbaai area, do yourselves a favour and pay a visit to The Press Room Cafe at Olyven Houdt Farm. You will feel like you have stumbled into a little corner of France. The restaurant is set in and around a beautiful stone building and is surrounded by olive trees. The food is great and the service very friendly. There are also a variety of olive oils and other olive based products on sale.






If you are in a shopping sort of mood, why not visit "NetDécor". They stock a beautiful array of colouful glass and ceramics. The duck egg (below) particularly appeals to me. If you want to brighten up your home for winter, pay them a visit and do some online shopping. What could be easier?  See the link on the sidebar or click here.

http://www.netdecor.co.za/ImageTags/ImageTag_xphtnlrt.2lo/Azure%20Chic%20Room%20setting_lrg.jpg


And finally, my last announcement.... Cindy from Rough Luxe and Mary Ann from Classic Casual Home have kindly asked me to join in their Project Design Series along with other bloggers. The topic is how to "Refresh Your Living Room With These Inexpensive Tips".


On Friday 22 May, all the bloggers listed below, will be giving you our ideas on the subject, so be sure to come back for a visit.



Phew! I'm done now.....

Till next time
Sharon x