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July 15, 2018 by Christine

Birthday week in Beaumaris

There’s something so relaxing about being next to the sea. This year we packed up the car and headed off to celebrate my birthday week rel in Beaumaris. Previously I posted a 24 Hours in Beaumaris Guide, so you can take a read of that if you’re thinking of visiting this beautiful little seaside town.

Going on holiday for my birthday has unconsciously evolved into somewhat of a tradition for us as a family, perhaps it’s because I was born in the height of summer? Whatever the reason I’m happy that this tradition has evolved! Last year we enjoyed a birthday weekend break in the Lakes, which was a real treat. Here are a few pictures and ramblings from this year’s relaxing trip for my birthday week in Beaumaris…
We stayed in a beautiful 6 bed cottage just set back from Beaumaris seafront, which we booked through Sykes Cottages. The property had a lovely shared space and outdoor dining area as well as a hot tub. We were very fortunate to have a record-breaking heatwave hit Great Britain during the time of our holiday, heavenly.
Our days were filled with lazy breakfasts and healthy light lunches in the dappled sunlight under the maple tree. We bought most of our fresh food from Tredici’s, the local Italian Deli who sold a lovely array of fresh produce, cold meats, cheeses and delicious olives. Mr T can also recommend the pizza from Tredicis Restaurant. With the weather being so glorious you could be mistaken for thinking we were on the French Riviera!
I love paddling in the shallows on a hot summers day. I spied several little crabs and a pink jelly fish marooned on the beach. The water was a pleasant temperature which was a surprise. The small boats lapped upon the shore and the seagulls swooped down hoping to steal the chips from innocent tourists.
A trip to Beaumaris wouldn’t be complete without a boat ride out to Puffin Island. We enjoyed a boat trip to spot the tiny birds and watch seals lounging around on the sea edge. The breeze from the sea was most welcome in the hot weather. I do love being at sea (as long as it’s not too choppy!)

Beaumaris Castle is a very impressive structure and well worth an afternoon, if you’re lucky enough you might even catch one of the Medieval festivals they hold at the Castle. We walked the Castle walls and played dress up in one of the many halls.
Just outside of our holiday cottage was a secret garden centre, which was clearly someone’s life passion. The garden was nestled between the old Welsh buildings and was packed with flowers, mature trees and sold fresh potatoes and a small selection of plants. I loved wandering around, smelling the lilac trees and admiring the roses.
We walked down to the seafront at sunset to admire the evening mist and the muted pastel colours. The water and air was so still it was as if we were walking through an oil painting. At points the colour of the sky was reflected perfectly in the still water, had it not been for the boats you could’ve turned upside down and seen the exact same view.
Our week in Beaumaris highlighted a few things to me, the importance of spending time as a family making new memories, my undying love for a vast expansive horizon, my souls yearning to be surrounded by nature, my love of water, afternoon naps and summer sunshine. All those divine things that money can’t buy!

Thanks for reading.

Stay fabulous

Christine

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July 9, 2018 by Christine

5 Living room lighting ideas

5 Living room lighting ideas: As you know by now Mr T and I are very slowly making improvements to our home, one of the things we are super keen to do is improve the overall lighting throughout the house. As the living room is one of the most used areas of our home, it makes sense to start there! After all, what’s the point in having a beautiful space if you’re sat in the dark?! Here are 5 Living room lighting ideas to consider if you too are looking to make improvements to the lighting in your home…

Lighting is an essential element in any room and can dramatically impact how the paint colour or even the art on the wall translates. I’ve been doing a little research, so wanted to share my inspiration with you…

Create overall light:
In a room lacking in natural light (like our living room for most of the year!) – a single ceiling light is just not enough. The best way to create an overall glow is by opting for recessed lighting paired with the more traditional pendant light. The LED spotlights from LED Hut make for the ideal recessed lights and come in a wide variety of light types from wide beam to dimmable. We will be getting spotlights fitted around the living room as well as keeping our existing pendant light fitting.

Architectural Digest- Brooklyn Heights Townhouse

Mix it up:
Mixing lighting sources at different levels is key to creating a successful lighting scheme. Layering light fittings will help to illuminate the room. Layering a ceiling pendant, LED spotlights and wall sconces with a standing lamp will give your space flexibility and help the room to transition between a well-lit space to an ambient place to dine or cosy up with a good book.

Find a great pair:
We’ve already invested in a pair of table lamps that sit at either end of our sofa, so will keep these in the living room and layer up the additional lighting around them. Table lamps are perfect for adding a little extra light when the sun goes down. Having a pair of matching lamps also adds a sense of balance to the space.

Architectural Digest- Carole Radziwill’s Apartment

Opt for a centre piece:
Whether you go for a sculptural piece to go above the dining table, a large drum shade or an antique chandelier, adding a focal pendant can create a sense of drama to any space. Currently we are on the hunt for the perfect centre piece for above our dining room table.

Architectural Digest- Simon Upton

Illuminate the corners: A dark corner instantly becomes a cosy place to sit and read if you add a table lamp or standing floor lamp. Illuminating the corners of your living room will also help to create the illusion of more space and add a little interest and purpose to an otherwise unloved space.

Architectural Digest- Francesco Lagnese

“In nature, light creates the color. In the picture, color creates the light” -Hans Hofmann

Stay fabulous

Christine

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June 28, 2018 by Christine

Kitchen: Shaker Kitchen | deVOL Obsession

Kitchen: Shaker Kitchen | deVOL Obsession: As you most likely know by now we’ve been dreaming up kitchen renovation ideas for our little kitchen- which is in a pretty sad state of disrepair. I posted previously about our ‘Kitchen interior inspiration’ with the initial ideas we’d been bouncing around. Since then we’ve met with a kitchen company to discuss layouts and ideas, but haven’t made any firm decisions.

I’m attempting to share our journey and keep you in the loop with our progress so you can come along for the ride. As with any project, the process of planning and preparation are vital. So, I wanted to share my ongoing ideas including the Shaker Kitchen from deVOL that I’m currently obsessing over!

Open shelving: Previously I’d mentioned that we love open shelving and still stand by this. We are hoping to create a sense of openness, light and flow through our living space and kitchen and feel that open shelving above waist height will help us to achieve this. The deVOL kitchen demonstrates how simple and elegant the open shelving can look.
Wooden Shaker cabinets: We are still very set on wooden cabinets. We had discussed the vinyl wrapped wood effect cabinets with the kitchen showroom we had visited, but still feel they are not right for what we want. We both love the idea of being surrounded by natural materials, that are both hardwearing and timeless. Mr T & I both love the deVOL shaker cabinets and they’ll certainly be inspiring the look that we eventually achieve!
Wooden flooring: We have been back and forth discussing wooden flooring vs tiles. I think that continuing the wooden floor boards through the entire living space will give the illusion of more space and unite both living and kitchen areas. Mr T thinks that tiles would be more hygienic and easier to clean….the debate continues…
Marble worktops: I asked the question last time about wooden worktops, thank you for your sage advice! Since then we’ve decided that marble would be the best option. Although we really LOVE the look of wooden worktops, the thought of having to maintain them didn’t fill us with much excitement. The devOL Shaker kitchen shows just how clean and lovely a marble worktop can look. >side note< I also love the wooden butchers block/ island in this picture, but our space is pretty darn small so don’t think that’d fit!
Stay tuned for more about our kitchen project!

Stay fabulous

Christine

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