Tuesday 19 September 2017

Amazing Modern Country Kitchen!

There were quite a few lovely kitchen in my last post about Farrow and Ball's #myfabhome competition, weren't there? And looking at those reminded me that I've been meaning to show you this fantastic Modern Country kitchen.....

 Amazing Modern Country Kitchen

Amazing Modern Country Kitchen

Amazing Modern Country Kitchen

We've got rustic beams aplenty.
We've got a heart-warming Aga taking centre stage.
We've got a perfectly positioned island for friends and family.
Wherever you look, it's Modern Country kitchen perfection!

Amazing Modern Country Kitchen

Amazing Modern Country Kitchen

Amazing Modern Country Kitchen

Amazing Modern Country Kitchen

Yep, I think we should take it!!

Take Care Unil Next Time,
Sarahxx

via cheshire furniture 

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Friday 15 September 2017

The Most GORGEOUS Rooms From Farrow and Ball #myfabhome

Farrow and Ball ran a competition a while ago called My Fab Home where you could enter a photo from your home on Instagram. There were loads of gorgeous homes but here are my top thirteen entries.... 

I've linked to the owners' Instagram pages so you can check them out for yourself...and included which gorgeous Farrow and Ball paints have been used...

This is the first of three living spaces which use Farrow and Ball Pigeon to zone really effectively.

Farrow and Ball Pigeon

Farrow and Ball's Purbeck Stone and Wimborne White have been used to create this sophisticated entrance into a charming cottage....

Farrow and Ball Purbeck Stone and Farrow and Ball Wimborne White

Aaaah, Farrow and Ball Cromarty is another potential favourite of mine, bringing a breath of the seaside to this kitchen:

Farrow and Ball Cromarty

This kitchen definitely wings to the Country side of Modern Country kitchens, with its pretty tongue and groove splash-back painted in Farrow and Ball Green Blue.

Farrow and Ball Green Blue

Here's another living room using Farrow and Ball Pigeon as an accent colour.

Farrow and Ball Pigeon
Alex Towse

This Georgian kitchen is just fantastic. Farrow and Ball's Manor House Gray brings it bang up to date.

Farrow and Ball Manor House Gray

Farrow and Ball Pigeon can look quite heavy when painted on every wall but here, confined to a chimney breast, it draws the eyes perfectly.

Farrow and Ball Pigeon

This is Farrow and Ball French Gray looking COMPLETELY unlike French Gray! I don't know what has gone in with the lighting in the photo. It looks so pink here that I thought perhaps it was Elephant's Breath ...

Farrow and Ball French Gray
Lizziechirstiemiller

This one is from a private Instagram account. Try Farrow and Ball Railings for a similar look....

Farrow and Ball Railings
lextdenhome

Stunning floor to ceiling kitchen units in Farrow and Ball Mole's Breath...

Farrow and Ball Mole's Breath kitchen

Look at that amazing cornice! Painted in Farrow and Ball Strong White and Down Pipe

Farrow and Ball Down Pipe and Strong White

I absolutely LOVE this gorgeous study nook decorated using Farrow and Ball's Inchyra Blue...

Farrow and Ball Inchyra Blue

Here's an example of where dark paint packs a powerful contemporary punch. I'd try Farrow and Ball Off Black for a similar look.

Farrow and Ball Off Back

I've also linked to any relevant Farrow and Ball Colour Case studies on Modern Country Style so that you can research your favourite paint colours in more detail...

Take Care Until Next Time,
Sarahxx

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Thursday 14 September 2017

DIY VS Getting The Professionals In

Because so many of you have been asking me behind the scenes questions about doing up our home, and the pros and cons of diy versus getting the professionals in, I thought I'd dedicate a whole post to explaining what works for me.

Modern Country Living Room

This is post is not meant to be the Ten Commandments, not any kind of final authority, it's just my thoughts on how I manage this process, renovating three properties (I've included some of those rooms in this post from here and here), as well as helping many, many clients with their own homes.

First and foremost, my top recommendation is that you have a weighing session. Feeling confused? Let me explain. 

 Modern Country Bedroom

Start the process by thinking carefully about your budget. This doesn't have to be spreadsheet-accurate: no breakdown of figures necessary, but a rough estimate on how much you'd like to spend on a specific project, and then the same for your whole house.

 Modern Country Dining Room

Then you need to come to terms with the fact that you, unless you're Bill Gates or Madonna (Is that really you? Reading my blog? Why, thank you!), have a limited budget. Not necessarily a small budget, but a budget that has a cap on it at some point, whether that's tens or hundreds or thousands or gazillions!

 Modern Country kitchen

 Now that you know you're budget restrictions (and, as I've said almost everyone has them so don't feel bad!), you need to be honest with yourself about your ideal timescale for the renovations. This will vary a lot depending on the current state of your home.

 Modern Country Bedroom

There's a big difference between cobbling together a home life in a property that's barely habitable, versus living in a home that just isn't exactly  to your tastes. The first needs quick attention before your emotional capabilities dry up, but the second depends entirely on you, your family and your patience levels.

 Modern Country shower room

Can you live with a house that has peeling wallpaper? an you live in a house that has odd stains in unexpected places? Can you live in a house that doesn't reflect who you are?

I still adore these Cabbages & Roses Hatley curtains - not made by me!

And for how long?

And this is when your weighing process needs to come in.

Our  Modern Country family room

When your budget doesn't match up to the speed with which you want your home to be complete then it's time to flex those muscles and get your tools out.

Make this process as lovely as possible, if there's going to be a lot of it, by buying tools that are going to be a pleasure to work with. Has anyone seen a sexier hammer than this one from Engelbert Strauss? Leather handle? Hello, sailor! Engelbert Strauss sell all manner of beautiful tools that I'm currently coveting; wooden-handled brushes that look so good they fall into the category of art!

Peddinghaus Master Hammer 5130 Leather

I think it's worth saying though that work that I'd ALWAYS pay for someone to come in, even if it means slowing down the project until we save our pennies, includes:

electrics
gas
plumbing
carpentry
plastering

My skills just don't match theirs - plus there's often legal restrictions on what you can and can't do with some of these areas.

Our Modern Country Living Room

Work we've done ourselves (and been pleased with!!)

decorating (this takes practice but when you can get do it well it's a huge money saver)
preparation work (sanding and filling - what a bore!)
garden work
sanding floors
varnishing floor
demolishing non-load bearing walls
removing paint
fiddly little jobs

Modern Country Living Room

Remember this gorgeousness from English Fireplaces? Still up there in my Holy Grail of fireplaces: amazing quality and such good value! In fact, I'm wondering about their Bolection with Cushion mantelpiece for when we get to tackle our epic bathroom transformation. See, I always have another project on the go in my head!

There! That's my process...and I hope it helps you on your way to phoning the right trades person, OR that it keeps you motivated to give that little bit extra and aim to get your home finished that little bit faster.

Take Care Until Next Time
Sarahxx


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Monday 11 September 2017

Modern Country Fashion For Fall / Autumn 2017

Did you know that I absolutely LOVE this time of year? The beginnings of fire smoke on the chilly night air but with still getting to relish these golden evenings. And one of the big reasons for that is that I get to crack open my autumn wardrobe. Not that I'm ready, by any means, to say goodbye to summery pieces. No, no, no. I prefer to mix in favourites items with warmer touches. Jeans with your best summer sandals, for example.

 Modern Country Fashion For Fall

Say hello to my Modern Country Fashion for Fall / Autumn 2017!

 layering for autumn fashion

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm in love with layers at this time of year. And there are so many ways to layer up the loveliness. Here are just a few ideas!

Autumn fashion is crying out for scarves...

 Burberry scarf and leather jacket

 Add a scarf for autumn cosiness

Snuggly jumpers over vests...

 Snuggly jumper

Tucking into jeans...

 Classic white shirt and blue jeans

 Leather jackets are an autumn must have

 Jumper tucked into jeans

White shirt tucked into jeans

Unexpected summer / autumn combinations...

 Completely fab! Modern Country cowgirl!

 Layering up for autumn!

 Layering shorts and a jumper

Gorgeous accessories....

 All about the jewellery

 Woolly hat and sunglasses

 Arm party!

 A panama hat and a denim jacket. Perfection!

 Black dress with brown belt

Or just gorgeous autumn quirkiness...

 Horsey chic!

Black jumper and ballerina skirt

 Yellow jumper and leggings

 Autumnal colours

Take Care Until Next Time,
Sarahxx



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