Three years since moving in - already!Of course lots has happened in that time, as you might expect - particularly in the 2.5 years since my last
update!
Our favourite space is the sunroom,
which is a lovely space to sit quietly and watch our many bird friends.
In our very early days here this enclosed verandah was quite
sparse and we used a couple of camping chairs as seating, till sourcing two bargain leather chairs from our local opshop.
The green sofa was a later FB marketplace find, which prompted a
reconfiguration of layout in the space (cos the sofa needed a bit more floor
than first anticipated).
Other than the chest my father made, Buddha and his
cupboard, the long-held “blue boy” drawers, plus a small table made by Nick’s step-father
- all furniture pieces have been FB marketplace finds, sourced at
budget-friendly prices. Hooray!
A washable rug was purchased new, bought locally as part of
the store's EOFY sale last year.
Two semi-sheer blinds were bought in November,
during Spotlight's 40% off sale. They were then installed in the dining room to provide some screening between the spaces.
We saw a rod used for outdoor hanging plants on a home
improvement show and wanted a similar product for our space.
After some pondering, we found supplies at
Bunnings and Nick was able to install a rod that runs the length of the room.
We still admire his handiwork, cos no-one was
sure the end result would look as good as it does!
The hanging plants drip when watered, so I upcycled old waterproof bedding with fabric remnants - to keep the leather
chairs dry.
The many plants are Erin's domain. Quite a few were acquired
at bargain prices. She has been able to
divide, re-pot and swap for others.
We’ve scored many pots and plant
holders from op-shops, with two retro stands just $8.00 each.
We’ve found picture frames at opshops. Erin had a $2.00 book
of beautiful botanical prints and a couple of those have been used to create beautiful
art pieces, using the preloved frames. Our
local framing shop will cut mat board to fit, so we have custom artwork for
minimal outlay.
A copper artwork was spotted at an opshop clearance sale,
for only $9.00!
More recently I’ve made suncatchers from opshop crystal napkin
rings, “family heirloom” crystal necklaces and some coloured glass pieces.
These light catchers hang from the ceiling rail, where they sparkle
and cast beautiful rainbows throughout the sunny days. It's a bit fun to see rainbows on ourselves and each other!
Although the space is mostly used during the day, I've now made some "lamps" with camping lights and vintage glass shades - for softer, more ambient lighting at night.
Given the windows are tinted, the upstairs room is quite private during the day. Once the ceiling light is on at night, we are very much on-show to any passers-by.
Of course, I'm ever hopeful the peaceful calm of the front room will spread
throughout the house but it’s a slow process …
