DIY project: How to style your toilets

I've just finished my contributor post on Poppytalk to explain how I re-styled our toilets in France...I know there is more glamorous subject than this but bear with me on this...It looks better than it sounds :-)

You can read the full article here. Have a great evening. This is stock take evening for us at B&F and as I don't intend to spend the evening at the warehouse, I shall leave you. Bises

(C) 1. Kong bar re-designed by P. Starck, 2. Shot styled by Sweet Paul

Je viens juste de terminer un article sur Poppytalk expliquant comment j'ai re-style nos toilettes en France...Je sais, il y a plus glamour comme sujet mais faites-moi confiance...C'est plus joli que ca en a l'air :-)

Vous pouvez lire l'article en entier ici. Passez une bonne soiree. C'est la journee ou nous comptons nos stock a B&F et vu que je n'ai pas l'intention de passer la soiree au bureau, je vous laisse. Bises

White stairs....

Half-term is coming to an end...Two more days left in France until our next get-together in April and some great memories of our few days skiing in Andorra with Mila (5 1/2 years old) and Lily (7 years old) before heading back to London (I strongly recommend Andorra to any families who want to go skiing with young children...).
And to top it up, Steve has finally agreed to try white stairs at home so now I can't wait to get back and get rid of our old carpet to get something like this!
I'm also thinking that I may even revamp one of the top bedrooms using Piet Hein Eek's scrapwood wallpaper on one wall...I'm still hesitating between PHE-1, PHE-2 and PHE-3 but I think it would look great against white floorboards. What do you think?

Stairs from Paul Massey's house

Les vacances de Fevrier arrivent a leur fin...Encore deux jours en France avant de tous nous retrouver en Avril et de super souvenirs de nos quelques jours au ski en Andorre avec Mila et Lily (je recommende l'Andorre a tous ceux qui ont de jeunes enfants et veulent aller skier...)
Et la cerise sur le gateau, c'est que Steve a enfin accepte qu'on passe notre escalier a Londres en blanc, du coup il me tarde de rentrer et de nous debarrasser de la vieille moquette pour arriver a un truc canon comme ca!
Je me disais, je pourrais meme refaire une des chambres du 2eme etage en mettant le

papier peint Bois de recup' de Piet Hein Eek sur un mur...J'hesite encore entre PHE-1, PHE-2 et PHE-3 mais je pense que ca aurait l'air super beau contre le plancher peint en blanc. Qu'est ce que vous en pensez?

DIY project: wooden headboard

For a while, I have been wanted to share with you how I double the height of a basic Malm bedframe by IKEA and and covered it up with grey linens to create a stylish, French-looking headboard for less than £60. Unfortunately the photos I took at the time are pathetic and needs work so in the meantime, I thought I would share this headboard done by House Tweaking. I love wood at home especially recycled wood so I think this one is a great way to make a statement in your bedroom and to create a modern, rustic look.

Alternatively, you can source an old French iron bed and use the top and bottom of the bed to create a headboard for two single beds which is what I did in Mila's bedroom, in our house in France (see below).

Cela fait un moment que je souhaiterais vous expliquer comment j'ai double la hauteur d'une tete de lit Malm d'IKEA pour ensuite la recouvrir de lin gris et creer une tete-de-lit contemporaine pour moins de £60. Malheureusement les photos que j'ai prise sont nulles et ont besoin d'etre retravaillee. En attendant, je vous montre cette tete de lit cree par House Tweaking. A la maison, j'aime avoir du bois surtout du bois recycle et je trouve que celle-ci est une bonne facon de creer un impact visuel dans votre chambre tout en apportant une touche moderne et rustique.
L'autre solution est de trouver un vieux lit en fer dans une brocante, le repeindre et d'utiliser la tete de lit et celle du bas sur deux lits une personne comme je l'ai fait dans la chambre de Mila, dans notre maison en France (voir ci-dessus).

DIY Grace Kelly Hermes Bag

 

Kelly Bag

What woman hasn’t lusted after a Kelly handbag from Hermes. I know I have, but with a price tag over $10,000.00 I think twice. Even though the price tag is so high there is a waiting list to own one of these bags. Last time I was in New York I dropped into the Hermes store and enquired about purchasing  and was told that there was a several month wait and it was on a first come first serve basis. They were very vague about timing, color choices etc. and I was informed that they would not accept enquiries over the phone. Apparently you have to check in person in the store for the privilege of being able to buy one. Fine if you live in New York, have the time to hang around the store, and have the money to spend. The distinctive closure on the Kelly bag is what makes it so recognizable. I thought this DIY project was quite clever and could be fun to make if you are lusting after your own Kelly bag or know someone who is.

DIY Kelly Bag

Download the pattern and instructions from Paper Monkey. Please let me know if you decide to make one, or better yet send me a photo and I will post it.   Thanks to Content in a Cottage who suggests that this origami Kelly bag would be make fabulous place cards for your holiday table or fancy dinner party with a small gift inside for each guest.

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver who blogs about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

DIY Tables by Goncalo Campos

 
  

I love the genius of product design. The series of tables designed by Goncalo Campos, are made only using two basic materials, fabric and wood, the most commonly used materials in most households They are designed to be assembled with no glues or external fixtures, other than fabric, using a simple construction technique - they look primitive but at the same time very elegant. I can see the possibilities using beautiful woods, such as ebony, walnut, or perhaps fumed wood, and coordinating the fabric to match the colors and mood of your room. They would make wonderful conversation pieces for a wedding, or summer lawn party.

Images Courtesy of Gonçalo Campos. Goncalo Campos is a Portuguese designer, born in 1986. Graduated in product design in 2008, after which joined Fabrica team, for a year and created a series of  of tables which were featured in the exhibition Mais que Partes (More Than Parts), shown in the Fabrica features shop in Lisbon.

Fumed wood veneers – White Ebony

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm  in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT  in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

DIY Canopy Beds

DIY Canopy Beds

Blakes Hotel London Canopy Bed

Left: Dominio Canopy Bed Right: Anthony Todd Canopy Bed

To achieve the above DIY Canopy Bed treatment - mount curtain rods on the ceiling and hang your choice of draperies

The above drawing is from Blogger Erin at Elements of Style and this is her directions for creating your own Canopy Bed..... "You'll need two drapery rods and a very long length of fabric. If you feel up to it, I like the idea of sewing together a solid on one side and a pattern on the other (for the under side). install one bar right above the head of the bed and one at the foot and run the fabric behind the bed (you can tack it to the wall near the floor so it doesn't move). I think it's a beautiful and cheap way to create a very romantic and dramatic look for your canopy bed." Thanks Erin.

Dominio Canopy Bed Photo by Simon Upton Dominio Canopy Bed Photo by Paul Costello
To achieve this DIY Canopy Bed: Screw 4 small hooks in the four corners of the ceiling above the bed and hang a length fabric.

Fancy up plain mosquito netting for a fun & whimsical canopy bed.
India Hicks photo by Arthur Elgort as seen in Vogue, 1998 via Style Court

Anouska Hempel Design Canopy Bed

 

Anouska Hempel Design Canopy Bed

 

 

Other posts you might be interested in:
White Bedrooms
Chic White Bedrooms
Another White Bedroom

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design,
architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© 2009 Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog