Interiors – Page 65 – Apartment Apothecary

If you are the type of person who gets bored of their surroundings relatively quickly, shallow shelves could be for you; they allow you to display the pictures or objects that you love the most with the flexibility to change them with no effort at all. Also, if hanging pictures always seem far too much to cope with, shallow shelves are very easy to put up and don’t involve all the intricacies of hanging a piece of art. This type of shelf is also a great storage solution without eating up precious living space. Take a look at some examples to get inspiration:

Photographs on a stairwell. So much easier than hanging every single photograph on a difficult to reach area.

A simple, yet effective row of three prints. The shelf has been painted black to make this a feature and tie in with the rest of this gorgeous mid-century feel hallway.

Styled shelves look good in this monochrome work space.

Above a desk and used for a number of different objects: Pictures, signs, mirrors, prints etc. The over-lapping creates a modern, eclectic look.

Wow. This scares me a bit! Far too neat and tidy but I like the idea of storing small objects that you need on a regular basis on this type of shelf.

I like the idea of using this type of shelf to display work you have done with the ability to change it as you move on to different pieces of work. Could help with the creative process.

A very easy way of displaying plates and if you ever need to use one there is no hassle in taking it down and replacing it later.

If you ever wondered where to put all the random prints, pictures, framed photos (we have quite a few stuck under a bed) these shelves allow you to put everything together to create a point of interest.

Use shallow shelves with a lip to display books in a child’s room.

A real feature in this bathroom. Not sure I’d volunteer to dust this room…

Use for magazines and books, not just pictures.

Love the way these pieces of art are grouped together, but with the flexibility to move them around when you get bored.

A space to display toys in a child’s room.

This is the usually wasted space behind a door. Very clever.

This shallow shelf has been used to store cotton reels.

Are you inspired? If anyone has tried this please post a link in the comments section. Have a good week x

Make a delightful French-style, no-sew curtain, that’s what. I’m excited about this because I have been trying to figure out a solution to the window dressing in our home office/craft room (Jules, would say it is his home office, whilst I would say it is my craft room) for a while. I don’t want to spend money on curtains and they would be too heavy for this room and I also want as much light to come in as possible, whilst blocking out just enough not to get glare on our computer. So, I have bought one grain sack on eBay for £20 and a curtain wire and clips from Ikea for £2.50. The challenge: To make a delightful cafe-style half-curtain. Here’s how I did it…

You will need:

1. Grain sack (just type grain sack into eBay search engine and choose the colour and design you like best but don’t pay more than about £20).

2. Curtain wire and clips (I bought mine from Ikea for £2.50 click here to view them)

3. Scissors

4. Drill

TUTORIAL:

1. Cut the sack open and cut off the excess fabric according to the measurements of your window. You don’t need to sew the resulting hems as the fabric is heavy duty but you can if you want a neater finish.

2. Put up your curtan wire following the enclosed instructions (this is the part you need the drill for). I put it about half way up the window.

3. Hang your fabric evenly with the clips.

4. And that is all there is to it!

How to make a no-sew grain sack cafe curtain | Quick and easy DIY project | No sew curtain | What to do with a grain sack | Apartment Apothecary

What could be easier?

Katy x

The beautiful, creative and amazingly talented Katharine Peachey of www.peacheyphotography.co.uk came to take some photos of my apartment (very exciting). My apartment is in Bermondsey, which has recently become quite a trendy spot right next to the river Thames, east of Tower Bridge. Bermondsey itself used to be an industrial area and a rail track runs through it with amazing arches, which is the home to Maltby Street Market. There are also lots of perfectly restored factories and warehouses, which is my dream home. However, my apartment is one of the many brand new developments in this area. Whilst new homes have their advantages, one of the major problems is that they can end up feeling soulless and clinical due to the hard edges, white walls and box-like rooms. I have loved the challenge of trying to fill my home with furniture and possessions that reflect both the newness of the building whilst also combining the old and the longed for period home I desire. I have also had to work with limited funds as moving house is so expensive; I’ve used furnishings from my old studio apartment, updated them or picked up bargains where I could. Hopefully, you will like the results.

My apartment has lots of windows, which is a rarity in new builds. I have tried not to include any furniture that absorb too much of the light otherwise an already smallish property becomes very small, very quickly. I decided to use the large teal loveseat as a basis for the colour scheme.

I’ve tried to fill the sitting room with a combination of old and new. This antique chair was an ebay bargain at £20 and helped to emphasise the teal colour of the loveseat but this looks more incidental than planned as these pieces of furniture are from toally different periods.

I upcycled my mum’s school trunk to make a coffee table.

This Habitat spindle lamp is one of my favourite purchases of all time. It can be used in any room because of the colour and style. The silk shade emits a beautiful soft light, which is so important in a stark, white apartment.

I have filled my balcony with potted plants and they sit in vintage crates to add to the old and new theme I have in my apartment. I always think of my balcony as an extension to my sitting room so it is important I style it as I do the interior.

I picked these Ercol dining chairs off the street (so lucky!) and the nineteenth century table is from a French flea market. Mid-century furniture, like Ercol, can blend with older furniture, as well as new. Ikea cushions on the chairs don’t even seem out of place.

I bought this antique mirror from Camden Passage and this also picks out the teal from the chairs in the room. I use postcards to add interest.

I’ve tried to soften the hard edges of a new, modern kitchen with vintage finds like the Bush radio, old tins, saltcellar and glassware.

Old jelly mould and glass bottles are perfect to sit on the kitchen window sill as they still allow the light to come through.

Whilst wanting to display vintage finds it’s also important to not overcrowd a small kitchen and valuable workspace.

A collection of different storage pots breaks up the uniformity of a modern kitchen.

I love vintage tins and and this one makes a perfect vase.

I removed the kitchen cupboard to show off the crockery that I love.

Framed family photographs are hung above an antique writing desk that I was given for my seventh birthday.

I made the pinboard above the desk for inspiration and I made sure the computer is the only sign of modern technology as I didn’t want this to feel like an office with a bed in it.

Old books, flowers and childhood pots personalise the room.

A functional Bakelite phone ensures modern technology is not overbearing in this room.

I have used duck egg blue as the accent colour in the master bedroom. It is picked up in the stripes of the bed linen, the mirror, the cushion, the framed print and the stripes of the curtains.

I can get away with using £6 Ikea steps as a bedside table because the Roberts radio and my late grandmother’s 50 year old silk lamp draw all the attention.

The bed was one of the new purchases I made. It is a clever mix of old and new from Loaf, which I love.

My late grandma’s chair that she covered in Sanderson fabric sits proudly in the window of my bedroom. The tailor made curtains were one of my splurges (I don’t think I can admit how much they cost!) but they tie in with the colours of the chair perfectly. An Ikea cushion looks as old as the chair itself.

I bought these antique Victorian pine drawers from ebay for £100. The family photographs and my parents’ old mirror add to my bedroom’s antique feel.

I always cover mirror in photos or postcards as this makes them more personal.

Fresh flowers in a house are transformative.

I removed the door from this cupboard and put up shelves. I stuff these with all my knick knacks which adds character to a new build.

TIPS to help you make a new home feel old:

1. Don’t be afraid to combine styles e.g. modern, mid-century, Victorian.

2. Add colour as a totally neutral palette adds to that ‘brand new’ feeling. However, try not to to colour coordinate in an obvious way e.g. buy one new item and an antique item in the same colour so they don’t ‘match’.

3. Personalise your home with photographs, postcards, possessions, paintings. Without these things there can be no soul in your home.

4. Use vintage finds and vintage textiles to soften the hard edges of a new home.

5. Make the most of any outside space to prevent your home feeling soulless and sterile.

6. Use soft lighting to help warm up stark white walls; always use table and standard lamps rather than ceiling lights.

Last summer we went on a road trip through France. We ended up at a vineyard called Chateau de Claribes near Bordeaux, that makes delicious wine. It was French heaven and our gite was a beautiful example of sympathetic restoration. I hope this post shows you how a very old building can be modernised without losing any of its charm or character.

The gite at the Chateau de Claribes.

Surrounding barns ready for restoration.

Our trusty mode of transport.

The sitting room has exposed stonework and beams, a wood burning stove and a cool tiled floor. The warm but neutral colour palette allows the original features to be the main focal points.

The open-plan layout downstairs enables light to flood in. The furniture and curtains have been kept minimal and simple so as not to take away from the wonderful interior.

A simple Ikea kitchen, though modern, works well in this old building as the wooden work top ties in with the exposed beams and old wooden dining table and chairs.

Beautiful exposed fireplace and stone wall with vintage jugs as ornaments.

The exposed beams add character to the kitchen.

Fireplace with wood burning stove in French chateau

Wood burning stove looks lovely but also very functional in the cold, French winters.

Simple furnishings and wall sconses let the beautiful building shine.

The warm, neutral colours create a wonderful ambience.

The bedrooms are just as characterful as the downstairs due to the vaulted and beamed ceiling.

The Ikea furniture is simple with clean lines.

The exposed brick of the chimney comes up from the kitchen into the bedroom creating a wonderful original feature.

With such wonderful period features you can get away with a simple Ikea bedframe.

This wardrobe tones in with the paintwork so it doesn’t dominate.

The house looks out over a valley of vineyards.

The vines continue at the back of the house, which is perfect for barbeques.

The delicious wine at Claribes is well worth a taste!

I wish I was there now…

I’ve never created a hat wall myself simply because I’m not a ‘hat person’. However, I’ve seen others do it to great effect and what could be easier or cheaper? Hats have an instant impact and you can bargain that by the end of a party or dinner at your house everyone will have helped themselves and have turned it into a hat party. Before hanging hats you just need to consider what type of hats you intend to hang and in what formation. Have a look at the following examples for inspiration.