Weekly Inspiration (11/1/21)

It has been a week of madness if I do say so myself. Myself and others have been flat out doing the initial work for my room renovation at my grandma’s place. It’s times like these that remind me of the importance of chipping in and playing a part in a team effort. Everything in life is made easier by tenfold when we’re held, supported and nudged in the direction of our goals.

So far, I’ve found my inspiration through interior design blogs, renovation series on youtube, styled Pinterest boards, magazine articles and collages. I can see myself learning a fair deal throughout this project. It’s looking like the renovation will span over the course of many weeks but I have no doubt I’ll be well prepared for the hands on work college will see me undertake. So far I’ve learnt that the interior design field is more broad than I could’ve previously imagined. There are lots of sub jobs within it, spanning many sectors of interest. I could do window displays for boutiques, work as a florist, in homewares or at the plant nursery, become a specialist in paint mixing, design wallpaper and posters- the list is never ending!

Beginning last Tuesday, my grandma and I cleared out a multitude of antiques, glassware, clothing and more, all of which has since been decluttered, relegated to the charity bin, repurposed or put away in storage. I can really see my vision coming together with so much empty space in front of me. For now, bigger items that haven’t been allocated an alternative spot sit in the cupboards. As far as I’m concerned, out of sight means out of mind!

My new room is big but with an interesting layout that will take some getting used to. There is a double wardrobe that takes up a full wall and then adjacent to that are french doors. Moving further, there’s a large window and then, finally, free wall space. It’s going to be interesting layout wise. My current debate has to do with the location of my bed. The windows in this room are positioned quite low, making it an odd and somewhat visually cluttered spot when you add in a chunky piece of furniture. At the same time, Feng Shui very much dictates the feel of a room. If I position my bed against the empty wall, there may not be room to walk along the side.

I’ve been lucky to have family that are willing to come to my aid at a moment’s notice! My Uncle and Aunty made the trip to the Blue Mountains the other day to move furniture, dismantle beds and just ease the process along and it was so appreciated. I couldn’t imagine doing this solo. My room is now cleared out apart from an old furniture set which we’ve just sold on Facebook marketplace and are waiting for the buyer to pick up. As they say, one man’s trash is another’s treasure. Besides, a simple remodel of an old piece can give it new life. A lick of paint, some new timber, new glass. You get my drift.

Now we’ll be calling in a painter and deciding on a theme and colours for the wall space. I’m thinking dusky rose and grey would be so chic but I may be less brave and just opt for neutrals. I’m aware that you can never go wrong with white walls but it seems a pity to have such freedom of creative expression and let it go to waste. The old townhouse my family and I used to rent had yellowed walls and I was desperate for a literal clean slate. Moving to an apartment so new it had just been built did the trick nicely. The only downside was that there were limitations as to what I could do- I’m even wary of sticking pictures up with blue tack.

After that process is completed, it’s carpet time! I know I’m looking for something sandy coloured and with nice texture. The looped carpets feel incredibly luxurious underfoot. I had hoped the current carpet in my new room wouldn’t need redoing but alas, that wasn’t the case. Water damage had ensured patchiness, discolouration, an off putting odour and a general grime that would only get progressively worse. Out with the old, in with the new! As tough as the selection process will be, as picky as I can be at times, I much prefer carpet over cold hardwood flooring.

As for decor, I’m holding off until I can see the finished product of my room. I did buy two gorgeous new pieces of furniture though- a whitewashed rattan bedside table and dresser. The real winner will be my tassel chandelier from Hello Marla though- it’s in the colours rose, fawn and linen. Some pink and chocolate tones to warm up this space!

This time around I’m moving away from the minimalist scandinavian look into more of a neutral boho style. I’m also feeling very drawn to the fresh, coastal look of the Hamptons. So effortlessly classic. A couple of days ago I visited this gorgeous boutique Bella Boheme and picked up a few hand painted cushions. Upon trying them out though, they didn’t quite work in my space. I’d be lying if I said I was completely comfortable incorporating colour into my room. It will probably feel like the brave choice for a good while!