Week Four
30 January 2017 • update
I'm already recapping the last week of January. Time flies! It's Sunday as I'm writing this and I've been really enjoying the downtime after a rather eventful week. On Monday, I dreaded a job related appointment but it turned out pretty well in the end. The next day was spent at my sister's. I had a few old handwritten letters I wanted to copy and we met my dad and other sister for lunch at Ikea. We even saw my mum after lunch, it felt good to have the whole family reunited. In the afternoon, we visited our new little cousin and saw our grandparents. It was a big family oriented day!
I met a few friends over the week: I ate sushi for dinner with my lovely friends and met Mél & Jacques for lunch at a new café in Brussels on Wednesday. I also made a banoffee pie! I got the recipe from Brooklyn Limestone blog and it was delicious!
On Thursday, the bf and I spent a rather beautiful and sunny day in Paris. On Friday, I spent the whole afternoon cooking as I was hosting a Lapin Perdu dinner for our parents later. We had a nice time and enjoyed the food.
Over the weekend I helped a friend move out of her flat, visited the BRAFA Art Fair and went to the movies to see Rogue One with my sisters, bf and uncle. The film was okay and I had a nice time with my family again!
On a productive note, I have been reading an article in my January copy of Red Magazine about the book Get your sh*t together by Sarah Knight and it really inspired me. I had already heard about her first book about how not to give a f*ck so I got both ebooks straight away. I know I still have a lot of work to do on my relationships and not giving a f*ck looks like the answer to all my problems. I know it won't be an overnight result thing but at least I'm considering changing my perspective.
Talking about perspective, I've made up my mind several times this past week about what jobs to look for and I've come to the realisation that I should stop being afraid and go for it.
This week, I've been watching the BBC adaption of the book Apple Tree Yard. I didn't read the novel but I love a good thriller. Some scenes really upset me but I think I need to see more. Have you read it yourself? Also, the bf and I finally saw the last installment of Sherlock and boy! it was good! Really good!
How was your week?
#MySundayPhoto - Gaston
29 January 2017 • mysundayphoto
In a few days, I'll be participating in a proper, full-time, month-long photography course. Inspired by the new year and wanting to get more creative, I set myself a goal of improving my photography - or should I say, properly learn about it. I'm a huge fan of Instagram and I follow many amazing accounts that make me drool over my phone. And of course, as a blogger, it's a skill that needs to be mastered for the reader's pleasure!
I thought I would join in with #MySundayPhoto over at Darren's Photalife blog in order to experiment and inject a bit more of creativity into my life. As I'm not well equipped, I asked my sister to lend me her fancy camera and since then, I have been taking a few shots of my home life and of my adventures in Paris and Brussels.
Here's my little kitty, Gaston. I became a little cat obsessed since having him and I noticed that since my sisters and parents welcomed a cat themselves, all of our conversations are drawn to our furry babies. To me, he's perfect because he brings me a lot of joy and so many cuddles!
Au jardin des Tuileries
Walking around Paris is a delight. As a teen, I used to dislike that city because I thought it was too dirty. I had been to Paris several times when I was in high school to study the work of the great masters that are exhibited at the Louvre or at the Musée d'Orsay. Now that I am older, it doesn't bother me anymore, it seems that I only remember the good bits!
Earlier this month, I vowed to get out of my house to get some fresh air and new perspectives. Paris is very close to home but I've been reluctant to go because of this dream that I have. I dream of celebrating mine and the bf's 30th birthday, as well as our 10th anniversary in the City of Lights.
I would love for us to spend a week or more in a very glam hotel or in an haussmanien apartment, we'd do all the touristic things like spending hours and hours in the museum galleries, having a romantic dinner cruise on a bateau-mouche on the Seine, climbing on top of the Eiffel Tower, kissing in the streets of Montmartre, visiting the Père Lachaise cemetery... I've already done a few of those things but isn't it better when you're in good company and when you have the time?
As I walked through the city center, l'île de la Cité, past Notre-Dame and across a bridge overlooking the Seine and the Eiffel Tower, I imagined myself being in the set of Ratatouille, pretented I was Julia Child and imagined myself having a coffee in a glamorous tearoom à la Carrie. It's funny of all those memories are from American films! It seems the American obsession with Paris la Romantique is getting into my head. I'm not complaining. I shall dream of my magical stroll in the Jardin des Tuileries where I face the sun shining through the Eiffel Tower. This is a wonderful memory I want to remember because I felt so happy to be in a place charged with so much beauty and history.
Have you been to Paris? What's your favourite thing about it?
Week three
23 January 2017 • update
I feel this week has been the longest. It started off with two stressful events on Monday and Tuesday. The bf and I celebrated my small successes with our favourite meal at a Chinese restaurant on Tuesday night which was lovely.
I spent a morning in the capital and enjoyed a stroll in the Cinquantenaire Park before heading home. Another day was spent stressing over the future and over an electricity incident that occurred in the house. I took the cat and drove straight to my parents to relax a little which had a positive effect on my mood. I went for the second time to a coffee shop in town and I was seriously disappointed.
Here's peek of my new rug. Don't you love it? I got it in the Made.com January sale! My kitty is really the best thing sometimes. When feeling low, I give him lots of cuddles and feel instantly better.
I met a friend I hadn't seen for a long time on Friday night and spent the night at the new place of another friend which was lovely. I love interiors so I appreciated how their new apartment feels big and airy because of the large windows! Also, the view is to die for, I need to crash at their place more often! Anyway, on my way back home, I stopped at my favourite bookshop and got my favourite magazines and a coffee while waiting for my train. I enjoyed the surprise message I read on my cup! Saturday afternoon was spent baking chocolate muffins and hosting a couple of friends. It was fun!
I played with my sister's fancy camera all week and enjoyed it a lot. I enrolled in a photography course to learn the basics and I start in February. I'm pretty excited about it. Looking for a job is really taking its toll on me and I feel like I have had to change my point of view. I need to do what's right for now. Despite the week having been hectic, I'm thankful for my lovely bf, a very helping family, my kitty's cuddles and my colourful friends.
On the blog
I'm all over the interiors posts! I shared an update on my most-read post, Tanya Burr's house and recapped my kitchen renovation process.
Little Women 1978 on Youtube - I put it on the background while finishing a jigsaw the other day, so many memories of me watching it on the telly while my grandma was snoring on the opposite sofa!!
Christmas movies centered around women - an old article but I'm inspired to watch a few films off that list.
Life as our little family Instagram - love love love K-A's feed and positivity!
On the web
How to reduce stress and anxietyLittle Women 1978 on Youtube - I put it on the background while finishing a jigsaw the other day, so many memories of me watching it on the telly while my grandma was snoring on the opposite sofa!!
Christmas movies centered around women - an old article but I'm inspired to watch a few films off that list.
Life as our little family Instagram - love love love K-A's feed and positivity!
How was your week?
Recap of the work done on the kitchen
16 January 2017 • home, reno
Last year, I debated whether or not I should write about our house makeover. I thought that all my photos were really bad and as I couldn't really explain to you the how-to's, I wasn't really sure it would transpire well into a post. Anyway, now I changed my mind. Interior posts are always my favourite posts on blogs, why not on mine?!
When I left things off, the kitchen essentials had just been fitted. The bf had installed the sink and faucet, as well as the countertop. See the post>> But today, I just want to go back to the beginning, for the sake of documenting the awesome job we already forgot we did there!
The walls were an ugly hello and orange color, the kitchen units weren't very practical for us and the layout was really bad in my opinion. Also, I absolutely hated those tiles on the wall. And those on the floor as well. Ew! The spotty white ones were okayish but the dark brown ones were an absolute no-no.
Before
The walls were an ugly hello and orange color, the kitchen units weren't very practical for us and the layout was really bad in my opinion. Also, I absolutely hated those tiles on the wall. And those on the floor as well. Ew! The spotty white ones were okayish but the dark brown ones were an absolute no-no.
Progress
Obviously, we got rid of the units and deeply scrubbed everything. We also dismantled all the doors because it wasn't practical at all and it made the room smaller. Also, I didn't want to paint them #savingtimeandmoney - bonus!
We did a bit of (bad) plastering, installed new electrical outlets and made an opening for the hood (up on the right).
Then I did some really awful wallpaper touch ups! We didn't want to remove the wallpaper because it would have meant redoing (aka plastering) all the walls and also, we are not plasterers and didn't want to spend money. Instead, I found some old rolls of the existing wallpaper in the cellar and did some crafting! Some of the rolls were dirty from all the dust and there's a bit of overlapping going on...
Next I sprayed an old dishwasher that was previously in the bf's parents' kitchen. It was yellowish but had been white in the very beginning of its life. I'm very thankful as our family gifted us with a new oven, secondhand dishwasher (from the bf's mother who had her kitchen redone), secondhand dryer (from the bf's brother who moved away and he had gotten it previously from his old neighbour who had passed away), new washing machine, secondhand hood (left over from my grandparents' old kitchen that they had redone) and new faucet (it was my uncle's but it didn't fit in his kitchen).
Then it was time for the real deal: PAINT. Oh my! What paint can do for the soul is a miracle. Notice I didn't paint the trims yet. I originally wanted to paint them the same colour as the walls but ended up doing something else.
Next, we installed the vinyl flooring and it was a much easier job than I thought!
Everything was pretty much ready for the kitchen units that we built one at a time. The under the sink ones come from Brico Depot, a French home improvement store which is known for their cheap prices and the drawers unit comes from Ikea. It was more expensive that we would have liked but I wanted something practical and I had already made a lot (A LOT) of compromises to save money. So I had to have drawers for my spices and pots and pans, otherwise it would have been a nightmare. Here is what I originally wanted>>
Yay for a working sink! All thanks to the bf who really had a hard time fitting it in. And also because I had a major panic attack when I saw all the mess he had made while cutting a hole for the sink... Poor bf... Anyway, that's where I left things off in my last post back in May!
You see those disgusting yellow walls outside? Well, they're no more. But that's for later.
We did a bit of (bad) plastering, installed new electrical outlets and made an opening for the hood (up on the right).
Then I did some really awful wallpaper touch ups! We didn't want to remove the wallpaper because it would have meant redoing (aka plastering) all the walls and also, we are not plasterers and didn't want to spend money. Instead, I found some old rolls of the existing wallpaper in the cellar and did some crafting! Some of the rolls were dirty from all the dust and there's a bit of overlapping going on...
Next I sprayed an old dishwasher that was previously in the bf's parents' kitchen. It was yellowish but had been white in the very beginning of its life. I'm very thankful as our family gifted us with a new oven, secondhand dishwasher (from the bf's mother who had her kitchen redone), secondhand dryer (from the bf's brother who moved away and he had gotten it previously from his old neighbour who had passed away), new washing machine, secondhand hood (left over from my grandparents' old kitchen that they had redone) and new faucet (it was my uncle's but it didn't fit in his kitchen).
Then it was time for the real deal: PAINT. Oh my! What paint can do for the soul is a miracle. Notice I didn't paint the trims yet. I originally wanted to paint them the same colour as the walls but ended up doing something else.
Next, we installed the vinyl flooring and it was a much easier job than I thought!
Everything was pretty much ready for the kitchen units that we built one at a time. The under the sink ones come from Brico Depot, a French home improvement store which is known for their cheap prices and the drawers unit comes from Ikea. It was more expensive that we would have liked but I wanted something practical and I had already made a lot (A LOT) of compromises to save money. So I had to have drawers for my spices and pots and pans, otherwise it would have been a nightmare. Here is what I originally wanted>>
Yay for a working sink! All thanks to the bf who really had a hard time fitting it in. And also because I had a major panic attack when I saw all the mess he had made while cutting a hole for the sink... Poor bf... Anyway, that's where I left things off in my last post back in May!
You see those disgusting yellow walls outside? Well, they're no more. But that's for later.
On the left is the Ikea unit we installed for easier use. I really prefer the flooring that we installed but I must admit it's a pain to keep clean as the surface is rough. As you can see, we still had the door handles to fit. There was also that left open side that we needed to hide. The cables and pipes were in the way so we couldn't fit any kitchen unit there. Also, the walls weren't straight which meant that we had to be imaginative. There was also the problem of the cutting board: we needed to add a piece of countertop there as well. And fit a hood over the cooking range.
We didn't do anything to the kitchen in June. At the beginning of the summer, I painted that beautiful dresser Farrow and Ball Brinjal and Charleston Gray on the inside.
I absolutely love how it worked out in the end. I was being sick of seeing everything in white and grey and I always thought dark burgundy looked stylish and modern so I made the move. Also, I must admit I had really wanted to try a F&B paint because I'm a blog addict and was totally under influence and wanted to try the paint for myself. I also wanted to do a nice job redoing the dresser and wanted to make it glam. Hence the beautiful knobs I hunted down on anthropologie.com and got on sale (down to 6€ each) because at 10€ for one and at almost 100€ for the paint it was a already a really pretty expensive makeover.
The dresser was actually a wedding gift my parents received as newlyweds and it was in poor condition after several moves. Read the whole story here>>
As you can see, I had placed a small table in the middle of the room. The plan was to build a small kitchen island that would serve as a storage unit, a work surface as well as a breakfast table. I ordered two high chairs in the summer sale from the John Lewis Croft collection in the colour Fern and had them delivered to Belgium. That was a bit over the top but I'm glad I did because they're really beautiful and sturdy and I love the details. Now that the trend is scandinavian everything in Belgium I couldn't find anything remotely similar.
At some stage, we had installed another Ikea wall unit to have more storage for glasses. And you can see we already had put up the hood. As I am writing this, it's still not connected to the vent...
Oh, and I also bought a Brabantia "inside bin" kit to place under the sink. It was around 50€ and it's functional, I really like them. I plan on taking them with me when we move out.
We did nothing on the house during the summer because we needed a break but we went back into full renovation swing in September. We built the island that I painted grey (see the picture at the top of the post!) and added an Ikea countertop over it.
We didn't do anything to the kitchen in June. At the beginning of the summer, I painted that beautiful dresser Farrow and Ball Brinjal and Charleston Gray on the inside.
I absolutely love how it worked out in the end. I was being sick of seeing everything in white and grey and I always thought dark burgundy looked stylish and modern so I made the move. Also, I must admit I had really wanted to try a F&B paint because I'm a blog addict and was totally under influence and wanted to try the paint for myself. I also wanted to do a nice job redoing the dresser and wanted to make it glam. Hence the beautiful knobs I hunted down on anthropologie.com and got on sale (down to 6€ each) because at 10€ for one and at almost 100€ for the paint it was a already a really pretty expensive makeover.
The dresser was actually a wedding gift my parents received as newlyweds and it was in poor condition after several moves. Read the whole story here>>
As you can see, I had placed a small table in the middle of the room. The plan was to build a small kitchen island that would serve as a storage unit, a work surface as well as a breakfast table. I ordered two high chairs in the summer sale from the John Lewis Croft collection in the colour Fern and had them delivered to Belgium. That was a bit over the top but I'm glad I did because they're really beautiful and sturdy and I love the details. Now that the trend is scandinavian everything in Belgium I couldn't find anything remotely similar.
At some stage, we had installed another Ikea wall unit to have more storage for glasses. And you can see we already had put up the hood. As I am writing this, it's still not connected to the vent...
Oh, and I also bought a Brabantia "inside bin" kit to place under the sink. It was around 50€ and it's functional, I really like them. I plan on taking them with me when we move out.
We did nothing on the house during the summer because we needed a break but we went back into full renovation swing in September. We built the island that I painted grey (see the picture at the top of the post!) and added an Ikea countertop over it.
How we roll breakfasts...
That's a wrap guys. I need to take after photos, I don't know when I'll do, but I will. I need to show you the shelves we built, you need to see the island in all its glory with the new pendant lights and you need to hear about that charity shop mirror I DIYed.
Well, I hope you enjoyed that little renovation story. Do stay tuned for a full reveal later on!
That's a wrap guys. I need to take after photos, I don't know when I'll do, but I will. I need to show you the shelves we built, you need to see the island in all its glory with the new pendant lights and you need to hear about that charity shop mirror I DIYed.
Well, I hope you enjoyed that little renovation story. Do stay tuned for a full reveal later on!
Week two
15 January 2017 • update
The second week of 2017 has been largely uneventful and pretty boring. I was studying for the most part of it but I struggled a lot to get around to start doing some actual work. I didn't do any exercise which is a shame but I'm currently stuck in a funk.
You probably saw over on Instagram that I was doing a little challenge. As part of that, I bought myself some flowers. They weren't the best looking ones but that's what was available to me at that time. Not having a job is really putting its toll on me as I can't make plans and all days look the same. I don't have money to spare on a nice bunch of tulips and I desperately want to go to Paris for a day this month. I spotted some really cheap train fares but I don't know what I'll do yet.
On a more positive note, I was pretty productive on Monday: I planned all the meals for the week and donated my platelets/plasma in the evening. I've met Julie for lunch on Wednesday. It was really nice to catch up and the meal was pretty delicious. That's important! After that, I had a walk around Brussels before an appointment which was lovely. I also got around to finish some posts that were long overdue such as the Tanya Burr's house tour which I had started writing back in November...
I watched Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution that aired on BBC1 last Christmas. I hadn't got around to watch it yet and boy, it was really good. I'm really enjoying the 1920's fashion and home decor. Last week, I went to see Fantastic Beasts and it has a similar background so I'm really in the mood for art deco! I'm planning on writing a post about my love for the 1920's, I'm so into it! Also, I visited a beautiful house a few years back that I documented on the blog, check it out if you're into art deco architecture and decoration>>
I have two important deadlines next week and then I'll be done. I really hope I will. Then I'll be able to move on, get out of my funk and finally start on all those plans I made for 2017.
How was your week? How are your new year plans coming along?
Home Stalking #11: Tanya Burr's West London Home
12 January 2017 • stalking
One the posts you currently like the most is the one where I shared my total crush - and slight obsession - with the home of famous Youtuber Tanya Burr. Over the last year, the Chapmans have been doing some renovation work to their home and I thought I would recap the changes here. I am a bit nosey when it comes down to interiors, so here we go. Some photos are a bit blurry, it's because there are screenshots.
the kitchen
As you remember from my post, I was pretty obsessed with their kitchen. I thought it looked very homey and it had some kind of cottage feel to it that I liked. Jim and Tanya obviously had another opinion on the matter as they had planned on redoing the whole room and actually extending it to the garden.
The Chapmans built an extension at the back of the house so that they could install a bigger kitchen and add a dining table next to it. Before that, the dining room was upstairs which must have been a bit awkward I reckon. They installed bifold doors which is something I totally want in my forever home and added a skylight. I don't need to tell you how great I think this is because natural light is something I think is mandatory in any home. The also redid the floors and got wooden boards throughout the whole kitchen/dining room/lounge and also upstairs. Good choice, I would have done the same.
Tanya loves the walls to be white so that she can add colourful accents with accessories. The kitchen is therefore a nice contrast with the rest of the house. The units were painted F&B Railings and the countertop is a slab of white quartz that looks like Carrara marble - dreaaaaaaaamy. I love dark/coloured kitchens because white is boring, especially if there's natural light in the kitchen. Also, white is so overdone, I'm a bit tired of the minimalist look.
The Chapmans love their tea/coffee - who doesn't! I'm slightly jealous of their coffee set up....
Tanya has said she bought a Yucca plant because it was recommended to her as it's one of the hardest plants to kill. Tanya buys many of her accessories (lights, kitchen towels, bowls, glasses, cushions, jars...) at Anthropologie (that's where the plant pot is from). Tanya is also a huge fan of The White Company where everything is timeless, chic and elegant.
Since the extension made the ground floor larger, the Chapmans moved their dining table next to the kitchen. The bright pieces of art on the wall are from Sofia Neptune, Sean Madden and Cheryl Ann Williams. Click on the links to see them in all their glory! The fabulous bar trolley is from Oliver Bonas and is sadly sold out.
the bedroom
I'm loving the bedroom so much. I'm jealous because mine is really bad and has no light whatsoever. I absolutely love the bedside tables. I'm not a fan of having drawers because I fill them with crap but I think the mirrored finish is so chic and stylish, it gives the room the high end look I love in luxury hotels.
The mirror also comes from Sweet Pea and Willow. Tanya always does her make up in front of it sat on the floor. On that photo you can see the blinds behind her, I also love them a lot. I want blinds like that in my future house!
When Tanya styled her bedroom for a girls night in she bought new throw pillows from Anthropologie and the fairy lights are from The White Company. She's pretty predictable at this point.
Also, the girl has a walking closet....
the bathroom
The main thing I like about her bathroom is that it looks fresh and clean. The tiles seem beautiful. It reminds me I need a bath in my life, that is all.
Hmmmmmmm....
Another one of those mirrored bedside tables! I don't really like the shelves, it looks messy in my opinion but overall, pretty decent bathroom!
Also, totally need a basket like this next to my future bath.
the office
In her office tour, Tanya revealed she had a white custom desk built specifically for the space. The chair is a West Elm saddle one that came from John Lewis. In a recent vlog, Jim shared that Tanya had ordered more chairs and had asked for a bigger table because she wanted to keep the work mess upstairs and out of sight.
You can't see it very well, but you can buy the same copper magazine rack than Tanya at Urban Outfitters.
the formal living room
That room is my favourite! I couldn't find decent shots of it. Let's be honest, I'm now a professional stalker with all those screenshots of Youtube videos... A lot of the decor on the shelves and mantels come from The White Company, as well as many of her Christmas decorations. I love the bookshelves of course, as I've already stated in my first post.
Jim and Tan also mentioned in some of their videos that they will probably get a new piano that would stand in the middle of the room. They also bought a new chandelier but haven't got around to fit it in yet, I'm curious of what it will look like!
the guest bedroom
I want the same M&S waffle bed sheets. Tanya has recently got rid of the shelves so that she could install fairy lights to use as a background for her youtube videos.
And that's a wrap. I mostly was really into her renovation because I was also doing some work on my house. Of course, we didn't have the same budget but we lived the same things pretty much - no working kitchen for a while.
Tanya's home related videos
Tanya's home related posts
Jim's home related videos
Festive Home Tour
Festive Home Tour
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