Saturday 5 February 2011

Have a Nosey

Hi, hope everyone’s having a good weekend! A few posts back I included some pics of my house in showing bits and bobs I’d recently picked up charity shopping. A few of you commented how you like to have a nose around peoples houses and I most definitely do too, so I thought I’d show a few pics of different rooms in my house over the next few weeks. This week the living room.

I love old houses with lots of original features but as a first time buyer I couldn't afford one of those and so chose to get on the property ladder through a shared ownership scheme, where I own half of my house and I rent the other half from the Housing Association. I can then buy further percentages of the property from them as and when. My house is a 2 bed roomed end of terrace and is on a new estate that has 3 ornamental lakes, a park, doctors and little row of shops. Despite liking old houses new estates are definitely more convenient. 


Here's Lily watching the birds outside. Excuse my ancient TV. I really hate spending money on electronics so as long as this one works it will be staying! The curtains are Laura Ashley and in the corner of the pic you can see my coffee table; an old trunk with the name 'C.Ling' on the top, £5 from the local carboot.


 My fireplace was a moving in present from my Nan & Grandad and is from eBay. When I fall in love with something I don't even think about measuring it and neither does my mum. When my cousin went to pick the fireplace up it wouldn't fit in the car and after dismantling it and dropping it off to me I realised that the fire was meant to fit into an old fireplace and not to sit flush against a new wall. Well that wasn't going stop me. My poor step dad had to attach it to the wall and then build an MSF 'box' around it to hide the fact it didn't really fit. The wooden mantle piece was originally painted in a horrible dark varnish so my Dad painted it a nice fresh white for me.

The 'Keep Calm and Carry on' picture was £10 from Wilkinsons and the mirror around £25 from Matalan. You can't really see in the picture but the mirror's frame is beautiful and has antique style detailing around it. The vintage brass ducks were £25 from a Recycling Shop in Stratford.


These knitted cakes sit on my mantle piece and were made by my mum. The vintage cake stand was from a vintage shop in Brick Lane and was only £8, which I thought was cheap for London prices.


My TV unit was from Ikea years ago and I rescued it from our garage when I moved into my new house.On the shelves I have all sorts of bits and bobs; A plastic vintage terrier dog bought from The Northampton Vintage and Homemade Fair for £3, a quartz Buddha given to me by my Dad, some vintage cake stands I picked up from carboot sales, some decorative hearts, a metal Scottie dog with angel wings brought back from America for me by my Nan and a vintage saucer that my Mum decorated with the words 'Dolly Bird'.

When I bought my sofa I wanted something new but something that had a retro feel to it so I went for this purple leather one. The Scottie cushions were from Matalan and the little 50s table you can see at the side of the sofa was a present from my mum from a local Recycling Shop. The bookcases were purpose built by my step dad and then painted to match the walls. They're so useful for storage and display.

The bookcases house Cd's, DVDs, books, vintage annuals, china and all sorts. The large Russian Doll was given to me by my Mum, the tiny salt and pepper pot owls were 50p from my local Recycling centre and the china vintage dog was £2 from a charity shop. The tins were all from carboot sales and were 50p to £1 and the vintage pin up lady was from a street market in Newcastle under Lyme when I was a student at Keele. She was £8 and is one of my favourite pieces.

 A few of my vintage annuals held up by art deco Scottie book marks bought from a carboot sale for £4.

The art deco jugs and sugar bowls were all from the local recycling centre and the honey pot was given to me by my Nan as I've always loved it. The jug with pens in was bought from an ancient petrol station that used to have bits and bobs for sale before it closed a few years back. The blue floral tin was £1 from a carboot and the rose tin was £6 from an antique market while at uni. The dog is an old money box that I found at my Great Granddad's house recently. He used to put 50p per week in each grandchild's moneybox and I was devastated when he swapped them for tacky new ones a few years back. I thought he must have thrown the old ones out but I found them under dressing table when sorting through stuff at his house late last year.
 The chair and cover was from Ikea and the knitted blanket was £1 from the local carboot.

This little family sit on my living room windowsill. My Mum bought them for me from a carboot and after a really good clean with a toothbrush they came up lovely.

My 1950s cocktail cabinet is one of my absolute favourite things and was my graduation present from my Mum and Step dad. It was around £150 from eBay and we drove all the way to Port Sunlight to collect it. It's full of vintage glasses, jugs and kitsch straws and umbrellas. It lights up when it's opened up and has a mirrored inside with its original lemon squeezer and olive sticks. The ice bucket and 50s shot glasses were a couple of pounds each from a carboot. The 'Summit' salt, pepper and mustard pots were £2 for all of them from a carboot.
The 50s display cabinet was £10 from the local Recycling Shop and is full of vintage chin and teapots, all charity shop or carboot finds. The pretty sewing basket was from the Boots sale and is sat on a 50s sewing box that has legs and was handmade by a man for his wife. It was under £10 from a Myton Hospice charity shop. The teapots on top of the cabinet are (left to right); Arthur Woods £6 from Stratford Recycling Shop, £3 from a charity shop, Sadler teapot from my Great Granddad's house, red tin teapot £1 from a carboot. One of the tin teapots in the display cabinet has the fab makers name of 'Victory Ware'. The union jack oil canvas was done by my mum and has a nice textured effect to it.

This week the house is full off flowers. The carnations were a belated birthday present from a friend and they're sat in my favourite 50s glass measuring jug. I bought a Tete et Tete for my mum and myself this week and planted mine in a blue and white vintage bowl I picked up from a charity shop for £1. It has a lovely windmill and birds scene.

Hope you enjoyed yourittle tour xxx

34 comments:

  1. A lovely tour and what a lovely home. You've really put your mark on it, I especially like the bookcase, I'd love to have one in our home :) x

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  2. Your house is equisite, a perfect treasure trove with some beautifully chosen pieces and the gorgeous Lily taking centre stage.
    My first house was shared ownership, too. I bought it as a single girl back in 1991. xxx

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  3. Ooh lovely nosey, how gorgeous is your home! Thanks for sharing :) x

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  4. Oh my gosh, so so beautiful, I am jealous! I want a pretty house sooooo bad!! I am working on it!

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  5. My absolute favourite thing is your cocktail cabinet, can we have some more picture of the inside? I would love one of those, particularly the pineapple ice bucket. I have wanted one of those for years.

    I still don't own, it is tough to make a start isn't it. Particularly in London. I think you've done the sensible thing, and your home looks lovely and cosy x

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  6. What a fantastic living room! I am with you on the tv, why replace it if it works. Some fab buys there, I am rather jealous :-)

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  7. Oh Amy, you have the most gorgous living room. There is soooooooooooo much to love here. I'm with Penny Dreadful, I'd love to see the inside of your cocktail cabinet.

    I know I've said this before but I love Lily. She's adorable as are those scotty cushions.

    Looking forward to having more of a nosy round your house!

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  8. Lovely! I love your cocktail cabinet, display cabinet, dog money box, scottie bookends, russian doll and curtains. Ooh and Lily of course!

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  9. Thanks for the tour, I love looking at peoples houses !
    My first house was shared ownership too, a great idea
    Sue x

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  10. Your living room is so beautiful, I am finding it hard to pick out a specific item, because I love it all.
    I would love to have as many treasures as you, all of your furniture (new and old) is perfectly selected, and the bookshelf is pretty amazing too.
    I am looking forward to seeing more of your wonderful home xx

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  11. Lovely living room. I have been meaning to do this since I moved in! I make take your lead and do one room at a time. It's too hard keeping the whole house tidy!

    Looking forward to all the other rooms.

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  12. Thank you for your comment - good job I popped over to my blog or I would have missed you. Love your home, does your mum rent out your stepdad at all? I have a number of jobs he could do form me :)
    I also have a Calm down on my wall but mine says calm down and put the kettle on (from Next). Keep safe, be happy.
    Beverley x

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  13. Amy thank you so much for your guided tour, what a lovely front room yo have and filled with lots of lovely bits and bobs, love the fact that some of them are family made or family pieces.
    Like you I get carried away when buying things and then realise that I cannot get it home in the car. Last time it happened I bought some shelves for the shop from a lady on Ebay and then got a sound ticking off from hubby for not checking that I could actually get them in the car!!! Luckily the seller was very understanding and cancelled the sale for me.
    Look forward to seeing you and your mum at the fair.
    Debbie

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  14. what a lovely tour of your living room, i wish my place looked so organised like your and i must say i do love your bookcase, its amazing though what you can pick up second hand just proves you dont have to spend alot of money for a room to look great x ps thankyou for your comment on my last post x

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  15. Seriously, your house is to die for!!!
    Absolutely beautiful!
    Thanks for the tour!

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  16. What a beautiful room, you have such good taste and all done on a budget too. xxx

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  17. Absolutely gorgeous and ever so welcoming. I do love a nosey about peoples homes especially vintage addicts houses! xxx

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  18. It was fantastic to look round your home! I'm so envious of your cocktail cabinet.

    Victoria x

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  19. Thanks for the tour, what a brilliant collection.The cocktail cabinet is stunning, my Mum had one of those pineapple ice buckets, wish she had kept it ...Linda xx

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  20. Thank you for sharing. You have a really lovely light and airy living room. x

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  21. I love that modern is mixed with vintage, it really works and is so you.

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  22. Thank you for the tour. You have some lovely things. I like how you installed the fireplace. I'm planning to put one in soon. The chimney breast has been sealed, so the idea to build a box around the fireplace is very helpful. xx

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  23. Thanks so much for the little tour - your house is lovely! What a sweet step dad you have to build you that fab book case...and I love those scottie dog book ends - what a find! Best of all is that cocktail cabinet - what a great graduation gift!

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  24. Love your little home, you have really stamped your mark on it! You can definitely see it's Amy's home : )
    Hope to see you soon !

    Sharon xx

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  25. Your house looks so pretty! I love all the little bits and pieces. Such amazing finds!
    Sophie
    x

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  26. What a fab living room! I'm loving your 1950s cocktail cabinet, absolutely gorgeous.

    Shirl xxx

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  27. What a great room, I love the cocktail cabinet and the sofa. Can't wait to see more rooms....I am a nosey moo x

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  28. A lovely home,Amy.....and so many gorgeous things....thanks for showing us.

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  29. What a darling living room! I have to agree re the period v practicality thing; we live in a 50s flat. Without central heating, without good parking facilieis etc' - sure we have the 'look' but when we move (fingers crossed- soon) we will be looking for mod cons for sure!

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  30. Your house is lovely! I wish mine were that tidy.....

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  31. I really love that you are not afraid to use vintage things in a newbuild. My own house is only 4 yrs old and I am constantly sneaking in older things. My hubby thinks you have to live in a cottage to have older stuff. I disaggree and have an eclectic mix emerging. I keep telling him `all houses were new once`. Very jealous of your china cabinet. I would really like to find one that is not dark wood. Not that I dont like dark wood but my other stuff just isnt.

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  32. wow lovely finds and fabulous pictures! Im a fellow charity shop/ car boot treasure hunter :o) Love your blog too, hope you dont mind that I become a follower.

    Scarlett x (scarlettloveselvis.blogspot)

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  33. Hi - I just came across your blog and love your sense of style. Your house is fabulous, it makes such a difference having 'real' stuff, rather than just the mass produced high street norm. And I love the idea of a nosey round other people's houese! I took a few pics of my own house for my new website, so do feel free to have a recipricol nosey there! We are also doggy obsessed and I had to put a couple of pics of my 2 on there!

    I'll keep coming back to see what you are up to!

    Thanks

    austerity Jane (www.homefrontvintage.co.uk)

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I really appreciate all of your comments even if I don't always get chance to reply to them all x