Girls' Bedroom: Painted Furniture

In our girls' bedroom, we had quite the quandary over whether or not to paint the furniture. This post is dedicated to five reasons to plunge for the paint. 

1. Paint can lift a dark room that doesn't receive much natural light. 

2. Peeling paint is a classic way to create character.

3. Using chalk paints, such as Annie Sloan, allows you to add a feeling of age to even relatively new pieces, though I'd always suggest starting with good quality furniture.

4. Paint can unite disparate collections. If you have an oddball table, paint it to tie in with something else in the room for instant unity.

5. Pristine white furniture can up the smart-factor in any room.

And for top tips and inspiration about the transformative power of paint, have you checked out my Beginner's Guide To Painting Furniture?

Images via: Unknown, House to Home, Ana Cordeiro, Desde My Ventana, 25 Beautiful Homes, Unknown, Cabbages and Roses, Elle Decor, Cabbages and Roses, Tia Zolden, Decor Pad, Nicety, Mesa De Juegos

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Modern Country Kitchen

Yes, it's time to settle back together into our cosy chairs with a big wodge of molten fudge cake, and a steaming mug of hot chocolate {yes, I will be having the whipped cream, and marshmallows too} and dreeeeeeeeeeeeeeam of pretty Modern Country kitchens with flagstone floors, and beautiful beams........

 Enjoy....

Image via House To Home

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The Blogger's Meet-Up - A Brilliant Day

Laura, who writes the blog Happy Homemaker UK, arranged a bloggers' get-together at Sketch in Oxford Circus. So, on Tuesday, off I tootled down to London, to meet everyone. 

{I took my gorgeous baby girlie with me so please excuse the lack of photos. I was having too much fun chatting to friends and cuddling Sophie!! Oh, and trying to pick my jaw off the floor at the unbelievable decor.}

I have to tell you, I was a little bit nervous but there wasn't even the slightest need. What an incredibly awesome day it turned out to be! 

These women's blogs are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to showing how warm, funny and intelligent they are. The conversation flowed easily, helped along by plenty of tea (chai, natch), and heavenly food.

We talked over every inch of blogging...and all of us felt that one of the unexpected blessings that comes through having a blog is the extraordinary connections you forge, sometimes across the country but at other times, across the world. I know I'm incredibly grateful for the friendships I've made.....

...and how wonderful to be able to yabber on to our hearts content all afternoon in such an incredible location. If you haven't been to Sketch then pleeeeeease do. The whole location will blow your little socks clean away. 

Here's who I had the enormous pleasure of spending the afternoon with, left to right:

Robynne from Robynne's Nest

Liz from The Snowdrop Project 

Louise from Love and Lilac

Selena from Oh, The Places We Will Go 

Belinda from Wild Acre 

Laura from  Happy Homemaker UK

Me and Little Miss Sophie!

Charlotte from A Cottage In Totteridge 

Gesci from Peach and Thistle 

Becky from  A Yank In Yorkshire 

plus Sarah (not pictured) from Sarah Jane Down The Lane 

Then after we finally finished eating, we popped over the road to Liberty's/

 Such a special experience.

{Thanks, girls!}

Here's to the next one!

PS The winners of the Mi-Septembre Giveaway are Susan T and Mrs Sutton.

Congratulations! Emails winging your way!

Photo: Sketch, Sketch, Happy Homemaker UK

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Book Review: Perfect English Farmhouse by Ros Byam Shaw

It's time for another book review, huzzah! 

Do you fancy joining me on my tea-drinking tour through this lovely book? 

Well, come and take a seat....let's dive in together....

Today's choice is Perfect English Farmhouseby Ros Byam Shaw, with fantastic photography by Jan Baldwin. These two women make a brilliant pairing, and collaborated on Ros' previous book in this series 'Perfect English Cottage'

Ros Byam Shaw knows her stuff; having been Features Editor at World of Interiors, and Deputy Editor of W magazine, Ros now works as a freelance writer for interiors' magazines, as well as taking time out to create some of the best interior books around. Yes, I'm officially a fan!

I don't review any old book here on Modern Country Style, only the cream of the crop make it through. And Perfect English Farmhouse
does not disappoint. It features page after page of gorgeous farmhouses showcasing a whole range of different styles. 

Each chapter is devoted to a specific Farmhouse feel: 

Organic, Traditional, Fresh, No Frills and Funky.

At the end of each section is an inspired summing-up, picking out elements that can be used in any house.

Perfect English Farmhouse falls firmly into the Country end of my interior-related book collection. The houses featured are all beautifully rustic and have the most amazing period features. Just look at these banisters for example...

Or these beams...

And, yes, Cabbages and Roses table cloth, don't think I don't have my beady eye on you...

However, of all the pictures in the entire book (and it is a bit of a tome!), the next one is The One that got my heart thumping harder.....

Isn't it beautiful? The colours, the simple style, the fabrics...

A closer look into the bathroom?

If you look past the gorgeous buildings, each home has been so carefully and so lovingly put together that it's hard not to want to up sticks to a farm this very second. However, for those of you firmly ensconced in the city, there's plenty  of ideas here for you too. No flagstones necessary!

I can't decide whether I'd like all my back issues stacked up like that, stunning though they look here. 

How long would it realistically stay a neat, tall pile? 

Published by Ryland, Peters and Small, Perfect English Farmhouse just oozes relaxed British style. I'd bet that each of these farmhouses has a boot-room full of muddy boots and riding hats.

It is true that it's the photographs that draw you into the book initially but it's Ros Byam-Shaw's lively writing that kept me there all the way through.

Perfect English Farmhouseis one of those books that is just perfect for this time of year when you want to hunker down after long walks with snuggly blankets, steaming cups of milky tea and thick woollen socks.

A very pleasurable morning's read indeed!

{Edited note: Woah! I've been bombarded with emails asking where my cup and saucer is from. As well as replying individually to emails, I thought I'd share with you here too for all those too shy to ask! The cup and saucer are from Polie Pottery....have a look here}

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Farrow and Ball's 10 Ways With Wallpaper

Have you seen Farrow and Ball's amazing new feature:

10 Ways With Wallpaper?

This is my favourite image:

Mainly because I am completely in love with the wall colour, which is Farrow and Ball's Pigeon. {Learn more about this enigmatic colour with my newly updated Pigeon Case Study.}

Well,  today I'm over at the Relics Of Witney blog, talking about their very own 10 Ways With Wallpaper, which is the focus of the window display at Relics this month

. 

The lovely people at Relics of Witney are super-creative and can answer pretty much any DIY question you throw at them. Believe me, I've tried to outfox them many a time but it just ain't happening.

Come and join me here...

Images: Farrow and Ball, Relics of Witney

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