Bedroom Re-design Inspiration...

Charlie has been off school the last couple of days which has given me lots of time to start thinking about our next house project!

We moved into our Cottage last Christmas and have since then managed to re-do the bathroom, kitchen, kids bedrooms and reception rooms all on a relatively small budget.

Now it's the turn of our bedroom that has been neglected since we took occupancy.

I am keen to keep the theme of the bedroom pretty simple sticking with three core colours, grey, blush pink and a hint of copper.

Tom I think will be pleased with a splash of colour as our house is pretty much grey throughout - I can't help it - I like grey!

The colour that is on every wall in our house (and our old flat too!) is a colour by Dulux called Polished Pebble. I was introduced to this by my friends Sarah and Ross who had just refurbished their house and decorated it with this colour and as soon as I saw it in the flesh I knew that was the colour I had been looking for. It's a warm colour in certain lights but then a cooler colour in other lights and works really well in the Cottage.

Our bed is an upholstered grey head boarded bed and given that I have sheets and bedding sets to match a fairly neutral room this will cut down on me having to go out and having to buy extra bedding for the newly decorated room.

That said I have just stumbled across this from Ted Baker at John Lewis - would be perfect for spring days when the throw is not so necessary...

I don't plan to go wild on the copper but think a few nice accessories would add a sense of warmth to the room. I do need (sorry want!) to get some new bedside lamps and love the idea of something quite industrial possibly like these from Dunelm and reasonably priced at £19.99 too and the lampshade too at £19.99 could also work well.

Below are some pictures of the room as it stands now. 

Love this mirror from Dunelm - it's floor length free standing and was a bargain at £49.99

Contemplating painting the Ikea unit a grey colour and replacing the handles, the dressing table chair
will also be upholstered.

These wardrobes can be given a new lease of life with a lick of paint and new handles. 

I would ideally like to get the room finished before Christmas but with the weeks rapidly running away from us and being away over half term it may have to be a New Year project!

Nathalie x

Sssshhh..... but it's less than 100 days till Christmas (ducks for cover)...

Can you believe that it's really only less than 100 days till Christmas??

Being a local Cobham girl I always get excited when I see the first bit of social media buzz regarding the start of the Christmas season. For me, it has to kick off with Cobham at Christmas now renamed Cobham Extravaganza. It's an amazing local night where the shops open late, there are festive stalls and the smell of mulled wine in the air as we wait in anticipation for the lights to be flicked and for the tree to burst into an array of colours heralding for me the start of Christmas.

Find out more here

It's madness to think that even though it's the start of September that the Christmas word is even being banded about. I love Christmas, my boss however shudders at the thought, I am the Buddy the Elf to his Grinch - it just kinda works, even the supermarkets are selling Christmas cards so it can't be that far away!

What's special about that time of year is that there is so much to look forward to. Being of Scandinavian and English descent I am very lucky to celebrate both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and this year in a break with tradition we are heading out to eat at our local pub on Christmas Eve and can you believe that already they are fully booked - shows the sign of a great pub I guess.

Being in property our industry tends to quieten down around December so I tend to take a large portion of my annual leave then often with a few days before Tom and Charlie break for the holidays so I am able to get a few bits done in peace!

This year I am so very excited as we have just booked a family weekend break to my uncles house in Bremen to enjoy the Christmas German Markets. It's a place that I fondly used to visit as a child but I am really chuffed to be going back there with Tom and Charlie. We are leaving Hector behind as he's at that age where it really would be more pleasurable travelling without him, besides he won't remember it and I'm actually looking forward to showing Charlie on his own. We are also travelling with my aunt and uncle, their three kids (all under 10) and my grandparents - think National Lampoons but no doubt more drama - it'll be great and I cannot wait!! If you are on the Ryanair flight I can only apologise in advance as it's bound to be carnage.

I know it's early but am starting to compile my bucket list of things to do and make in December. My mum whines at me every year that we squeeze too much in and yes she may be right but the boys are growing up so fast I don't want to miss out on anything.

So far on the list we have.....

1. Our yearly tradition of visiting Father Christmas at Painshill Park bookable from 7th October.

2. The spectacular Christmas lights at Kew Gardens.

3. Christmas Market in Germany.

4. A pantomime. Charlie I think will really enjoy this so it's definitely a must this year!

5. Christmas Eve box. I am going to make the kids Christmas Eve boxes (one each) filled with a Christmas film to enjoy during the day, some hot chocolate, sweet treats and new pyjamas!

6. The return of Jack Tingle our resident Elf on a shelf! Read all about last years adventures here.

There is still many more things to add to THE list, would love to know what you'd like to do and also what family traditions you have or would like to start with your little ones?

Nathalie x

A letter to my baby on his first day of school.....

Dear Charlie,

Gosh, you looked so smart this morning standing there in your new shirt and tie with its pingy elastic which will no doubt get you into trouble at some point. Your legs looked so skinny in your grown up grey shorts and old man shoes. 

I still can't believe that tonight as I tucked you into bed all overtired and upset as you didn't want to go to bed that you've just done your first full day at big school, the same school I started at at your age and with no dramas, then again I didn't expect there to be. 

Charlie, there are so so many things that I want for you as my baby. I want you to grow up, be happy, enjoy doing the things that you love and as you start school there are so many things that I wish for you too....

I wish for you to love your school days the way that I loved my school days.

Enjoy the freedom and fun that your school days will give you. What I wouldn't give to go back to school again when my only worries were what was for lunch and if I was gonna get my homework done in time. I don't want you to stress the little things. 

Don't get upset when you don't fully understand your CVC words, or those pesky fractions BUT you will learn them soon enough and I can't say I will know the answers and if I draw a blank which I know I will then you've got a crack team of teachers in the family who will always help you. And on that note, ask for help when you are struggling or you don't fully understand something, don't be shy or afraid. Daddy will stand by this being a teacher that you should always ask for help if you don't get something. 

Be kind. Be so kind to your friends and your enemies for that matter too, because you never know when you might bump into them later on in life!

Go over to the boy or girl who is in the corner of the playground on their own. It's horrible being lonely and I would want someone to do the same to you should you ever find yourself in that situation. 

Don't be cruel. Words hurt. They say that "sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never hurt me" but words can really hurt, and people remember,  always remember that. 

Stand up for what you believe is right and say if you think something is wrong. Always tell a teacher or a grown up if you think that somethings not right, your gut feeling is a strong one and you'll learn as you grow that your gut feeling is always right.

Try everything on your plate at lunch, you never know you might like it! 

Don't take for granted the opportunities that you've got before you. Embrace every sport you get to try. Soak in the atmosphere of every museum and art gallery you visit. Embrace every culture that you are lucky enough to experience. I know that Daddy and I have chosen to send you to an independent school and if I'm honest I'm not sure for how long we will be able to do it but we live in for the now and I know in time when your school work will be getting you down that you'll want to jack it all in when I tell you "you aren't going to that party on Friday your exams are in two weeks time" (I know because I've been there) I want you always to remember that we only wanted to give you what we felt was the best start. We will lay the foundations for you and you do the hard graft, and to coin a phrase of my old school founder Andrew Reed - "an education is a fortune a child can never spend". Now, when you've made it as a teacher as you want to be when you are older just like Daddy that I hope you'll thank us when we are old and without a penny to our names that you'll repay us not in money but with your stories and also with roast dinners and pushing us around in our nursing home when we get older. 

Have fun. Too much fun even. Make memories, memories that will stay with you forever. Make friends that will be at your wedding and who will be with you through the thick and thin. Be thankful and polite, and always stand up when a teacher comes in the room. 

And above all else. Have fun. Have so much fun. 

Go get 'em baby boy. 

I love you so very much. 

Mummy X