So What's My Style ... and House News

I've been asked a few times about my style and what sort of things I prefer around me.  I seem to veer from wanting my 'things' around me and wanting clean lines and empty, but not sparse space ... does that even make any sense!!  

I like rustic, I like green, I like simplicity and nature, and I think left entirely to my own devices I am a good mix of the clean lines and 'things'.

  

My style shows most, and is pictorially illustrated in the things I own that will be coming with me to my next home.  In the top photo it's the row of simple hooks, just a scrap of wood from Alan's mancave and three hooks we bought on a weekend away on Anglesey, it's my Nana's old mirror and it's the little blanket box that I have just renovated.

The bed will be coming, I prefer double to king-sized any day ... but it will probably be painted.  I have owned this since I bought my first house after divorcing from my first husband and it's moved with me five times up to now.  

The green chair, and it's almost matching counterparts downstairs, which were my Nana's wedding present off her Mum will of course come, as will the bench on the left of the photo that was used a shop display area in my little Lavender shop in Ulverston.

Talking of ex-shop displays, the bookcase will of course be coming and all the books on it ... my most favourite books of all.

Also downstairs there is the Welsh Bread and Cheese Cupboard ... which will  most likely come with me.  I am not so attached to it that if the future buyers of our house wanted it I couldn't bear to part with it.  It does look good in the garden room with the almost matching table, shelves and mirror sconce, so if they like the look they can have it.

I guess my car boot sale finds of Sunday morning shout out my style.  I love paisley and ethnic colours and prints, and I'm not averse to mixing them with an almost Orla Kiely style cushion.  The white and wood of the picture frame as well as being a great match for the Van is simple and soothing to the eyes.

The little oak table sums my style up to a T.

Simple lines, old and well loved with a story to tell, well made and useful in a myriad of places.

I have never really deviated from my style, and the things that I've picked up over the years that work well get kept and I look after what I own so things tend to last and last and last.  I don't rebuy to suit a space, I will repaint something to help it fit in or use something slightly differently but my stuff is what makes my home.  This photo sums up that so perfectly, it's taken from a very old blog post on Our New Life in the Country.  We had moved from a 18th century renovated farmhouse to this 1930's bungalow on its last legs, and our things came with us ... some were adapted and some simply left as they were.

Looking at this photo we still own everything except the sofa and the chubby jug on the top of the bookshelves  The mirror was repainted, possibly it's fourth coat of paint and is on the landing back in Wales, the little chair is currently in the shed but will come with me, the wire heart basket is here at the Van on  the trellis in my little garden and is filled with little terracotta plant pots.  Even the waste bin is still in use and is back in the office at Isfryn, usually full of sensitive documents waiting to be burnt.

The heavy lined curtains had been bought for the farmhouse to keep out draughts from the old front door, they were tacked up to a new length for this window after we moved.  They are currently packed away ready to come with me to my next place, having been taken down so that in Wales once again all the curtains upstairs are matching and can be sold along with the house, but for the past few years they have been in the spare bedroom there.

So what's my style, it's fluid within boundaries, it's simplicity and history ... and it's slow.  No fast fashion in clothes or furniture or stuff.  To quote a famous Mr Morris:- 

 'Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful'.

That is my style.

Sue xx

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House News

The house is still on the market and now we have a For Sale board stood proudly by the front drive announcing this to the world.  The viewers from last week, a lovely couple from Hertford (but originally from Llandudno), although loving everything about the house, what we have done to it and it's potential, just wanted more land.

It seems sadly that we are too big for some and too small for others.

There is someone out there, and we just have to bide our time.  Although Alan was totally gutted at first as he was convinced they wanted it, he is getting over the disappointment and we are going to continue to look after things until the right people come along.

We are also now advertised on Greenshifters, which is the online smallholding sales site that we bought the house off seven years ago.

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