The Best Shower In The World?

Showering in our house was an absolute nightmare before The Build. Just look at what we inherited from the previous owners!

The shower was cramped, cold, leaky and dribbly.

Y:U:C:K

Enough to put you off showers for life, right?

Wrong! Here's what we ended up with after the extension was completed....

Enter Project: Shower Heaven! 

{Cue angels singing!}

My goal for this room was to create the Perfect Shower that could lure me out of my warm, cosy bed in the morning! I've always been a Bath Girl through and through so this was a celestial aim!

After looking through a million different shower catalogues and trawling the net for reams of shower-related information, we chose the Mira Realm With Diverter (for more information or to find your nearest stockist, visit Mira Showers or call 0844 5715000), as we wanted a shower with an old-fashioned feel to add character to the new extension. 

I wanted this room to feel it had always been part of the house, and the traditional looks of Mira Realm contribute hugely to that feel, and was fantastic value too.

However, while I wanted an old-fashioned Country look, I wanted a Modern shower experience. No coldness. No slow dribbles. No water temperature up and down like a yo-yo! 

The solution was to choose a thermostatic shower, which gives temperature stability. 

Once the dial is set at your desired temperature, it stays that way, even with five children in the house having a bath downstairs!

The enormous 21cm deluge head is LUSH. I feel like I'm standing in a warm summer storm, or a distant tropical waterfall. 

However, for total flexibility, I wouldn't be without the diverter option. 

One turn of this wonder-dial ensures that I can easily wash my hair properly or, more practically, clean the shower tray.

And the water absolutely blasts out, compared to the all-over soak experience of the main head.

I can have all deluge, all diverter or both options at once...aaaaah! Bliss!

I wasn't sure that I could ever be converted to showers but, do you know what? I've done it!

I've managed to turn showertime from nightmare to an ultimate, and hugely-looked-forward to, daily luxury!

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No-Storage Guest Bedroom Magic!

 So....here we are with our squishy-squashy tan leather sofa, made even more lovely with the addition of some gorgeous Modern Country extras, which ensure that turning this room from grown-up living space to guest bedroom is an absolute breeze.

No more worrying about needing extra storage....I know! Enjoy the liberation!

Here's what you need to have for a no-need-for-storage guest space:

two warm woollen blankets,

three cushions,

one sofabed

a basket

Your first priority is to make the space look as snuggly and enticing as possible....magazines in the basket, beautiful accessories.... Choosing gorgeous quality blankets, in particular, will pay dividends in years to come. Luxurious chic knows no bobbles!!

Ours are from Solway Blankets, which has fast become one of my favourites because of its amazing range of throws, blankets and rugs in high-end wools: mohair, alpaca, merino and cashmere.

The natural colourway of both, check and houndstooth blankets, off-white and greige, is perfect for this room: Modern Country heaven!

Basically, the magic happens when you convert to guest-bedroom mode. All you need is an extra couple of sheets. One on the mattress, and the other to go underneath the blankets. 

I pop one super-warm blanket over the top sheet, and drape the other over the sofa, in any way that takes my fancy. The sofa cushions tuck behind the mattress easy-as-pie to form a makeshift headboard.

The other cushions can either adorn the pillows, or you can tuck them in the basket. 

And Bob's your uncle, ta-daaaaaa, you've done it! Living Room to Guest Bedroom with no extra storage needed! Surely a miracle!

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How To Create An Ultra-Matt Finish Using Chalk Paint

Welcome to Part 2 of my Beginner's Guide To Chalk Paint. Autentico Chalk paint can easily be used to create a super-smooth, ultra-matt finish with no need to prime. Huzzah!

I'm including lots of How-To photos so you can be confident about repeating the steps in your own home.

Here's how easy it is...

I applied the gorgeously rich Nearly Black paint using a paintbrush. No priming needed but I did make sure I sanded the bare wood extra well to give a lovely smooth surface. 

I used a large paintbrush to cover the bulk of the surface and a little 'un to cut in around the edges. It gives the best and smoothest results if you apply the paint in long sweeping strokes. The paint looked pretty patchy when drying but each coat dries very fast and magically morphs into a thick, perfect finish!...

Nearly dry...

Gorgeous!...

Once you have the paint coverage that you need (this needed two coats) then you have a choice of finishes, which I'll cover in more detail soon. For any surface that needs to be really hard wearing, such as a desk or tale top then I'd whole-heartedly recommend using sealant, rather than wax. Autentico's Sealant is water-based and gives the mattest finish that I've come across. Perfection in a tin!

However, as you apply it, don't panic if it looks a it like this...

...as long as you use thinnish coats of sealant then it will dry clear and smooth and matt, matt, matt.

And that, my sweets, was as easy as 1,2,3...

Have a go, and tell me how you get on!

Our Modern Country Style Office is starting to take shape! 

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Beginner's Guide To Chalk Paint

In our new extension, we have an alcove, which was crying out to be an office area. We designed a bespoke desk and oak shelving to fit the space perfectly......

but it definitely needed a bit of Modern Country Styling....

Enter Autentico Chalk Paints....

I've only recently discovered Autentico Paints, which come in a range of more than 130 colours. Just take a look at this palette....

Aren't those shades beautiful?

There's a grey to suit every mood...

Inspired by this view outside our window, I picked out Nearly Black, a very dark charcoal, for the desk. The Autentico Chalk Paint can be left with its lid off to thicken up, for a textured, aged feel...

 ...or can be layered for a super-smooth finish.

Coming up on Friday.....

Beginner's Guide To Chalk Paint Part 2: 

How To Get A Super-Smooth Matte Finish With Chalk Paint

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How To Source Great Products At A Great Price!

Here, as promised, is my checklist to help you source the loveliest products at the best prices.

It's NOT as easy as just picking the very cheapest. No, my friends, that would be the oldest trick in the book. Sometimes, sometimes, you'll hit jackpot, and the cheapest company will also be the best. But, it can be a complete minefield so I thought I'd put together a little checklist to help you track down the best buys for your home.

1) Do a Google Search for your product, using their Shopping tab. This will compare the prices of the same product from loads of different retailers and does a lot of the hard work for you. In this case, I was looking for our gorgeous Burlington High Level WC.

2) There are often a few shops who are selling at similarly low prices. Be warned. Some of these are cowboys. There are horror-stories a-plenty about customers who have been sent faulty goods with ne'er a comeback. Lots of retailers came up in my search but this helped to narrow down the better prices.

3) PHONE their customer services number. This is essential. Mistakes happen, and if the worst comes to the worst and you need to sort out an issue (which happens with even the best of intentions) then you need quick, easy and efficient human contact. Some of the companies didn't even have a telephone number but I was most impressed with Victorian Plumbing, who answered promptly, were helpful and offered good advice. They've got a large range of lovely traditional toilets, including the exact Burlington High-Level Traditional Toilet I was looking for.

4) Google the name of the company. Very often, forums will throw up some interesting conversations about certain companies to avoid, and conversely, companies to leap aboard! Review sites like Trustpilot are also worth checking out.

5) Buy with confidence! Our products arrived quickly 

and in perfect condition. In fact, we were so pleased that we ordered the taps and sink from Victorian Plumbing too. Hurrah! 

Can you think of any more points to add to this list? 

Add them in the comments box, or join in over on Facebook.

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