Saturday, August 23, 2008

Time for a Change......

I'm finding it difficult to believe that it was a year ago that I wrote about harvesting the plums from the little tree in my garden and making jam with the ripe fruits......but here I am again today with a basket filled with pounds of delicious plums awaiting their crumble topping!

And it was almost 18 months ago that I redecorated my kitchen with its red and cream scheme.

I had been feeling rather restless recently and in need of change, so decided to have a few hours to myself and 'play house'. I moved all of my red kitchen accessories into the utility room in order to create a blank canvas. The neutral cream walls and pale painted cupboards in both my kitchen and utility room mean that I can easily swap accent colours around for a fresh new look.

I pulled my mis-matched collection of vintage china out of the cupboards and arranged it on the dresser- all can be used by the family - nothing is too precious.
A gathering of salt and pepper pots here.....
And an apple green trio sits upon a pile of assorted tea plates at the other end of the shelf.
I've also been recycling some of my vintage fabrics within the room. A classic C1950's fabric printed with pink roses on a polka dot background curtains off part of the shelved alcove next to the dresser. It's good to have a hiding place for more kitchen paraphernalia that doesn't need to be on show.


The French tin canisters have always been in the kitchen, I just thinned out the set a little, for a less cluttered feel.
(Yes, the old telephone does work - it's been rewired to modern standards - I love the sound of the old brass bell ringers. Makes touch dialling to the bank a problem though! ;-))
One of my most favourite vintage Sanderson fabrics has been used to curtain off another area in the kitchen.

Threaded onto tension wires, it creates another storage space in the room. I'm sure that these floral fabrics would have originally been produced as bedroom curtain designs, but I love them and want to look at them everyday, so why not add them to the room that I use the most? - Vintage china often features colourful roses and summer flowers, which coordinate well with the nostalgic prints of the fabrics.

Fresh roses are welcome too!

I also needed to make a curtain for the glazed front door. The ceilings are over 10ft high in this side of the house (the kitchen used to be my little vintage shop at one time) which means that I need a long length of fabric when it comes to making full length drapes. I didn't have a long enough piece that looked right for here, so decided to use three! The centre panel is a flamboyant C1950's vibrant pink rose design, which is so cheerful and pretty.
I topped it with this dainty Sanderson fabric......
....and a hemming panel was made from spriggy vintage cotton.

So my cost-free makeover is complete and has produced a calmer atmosphere to our family kitchen. It seems to have created more breathing space with just the things I love or that are used regularly out on display.
*****
I have also been framing some of the 1950's advertisements that I discovered in the old magazines last week (see post below). I loved the 'Blue Hyacinth' artwork from 'Cussons', so this now hangs in our bathroom. I hope to add a few others to my website when I find some suitable vintage picture frames to complete an authentic look.
If anyone would like to email me a photograph of an item that they have purchased from my website, showing it in its new home, I would be happy to include it on a new page that I shall be adding to my website. It could be fun to share ideas and influence like-minded people on this inspiration page and for you to see your treasures on the www.
You can send them to me via the contact page on my website - thanks!
Have a great Bank Holiday weekend,
Niki x

36 comments:

  1. Hello,
    Love your charming kitchen -- thanks for sharing!
    Georganne

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your kitchen looks so wonderful and inviting, I wish I could fly over there and cook up a storm, and then sit down at the table and have a nice visit! I absolutely love the way your French tin canisters look sitting next to the miniature hutch. Perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous8:36 pm

    Its so pretty very retro I just love it!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are very lucky to have this beautiful home. It must have taken you a long time and I am very envious. I am going to crawl back into my hole and stay there a very long time now. iumwp

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous8:45 pm

    You are very lucky to have this beautiful home. It must have taken you a long time and I am very envious. I am going to crawl back into my hole and stay there a very long time now.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Looking good, Niki - and the yellow basket looks a treat. So glad you bought it!!

    Sue x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Niki:

    Your kitchen looks simply lovely. Somehow the mix of patterns works without being too busy, really gorgeous.

    The cream paint is perfect. What brand and colour is it? It is the perfect cream/white.

    Thanks for the peek.

    Lisa
    Knitty, Vintage and Rosy

    ReplyDelete
  8. just lovely - you obviously had a lovely time! OH those green polka dots and roses! yum! Very envious of your plums. There aren't many about up here this year as the frost got them all in the spring! t.xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your kitchen is just beautiful - all your lovely china looks great. How fantastic to grow your own plums!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous11:07 pm

    How gorgeous!! I love those days when you just work with what you've got and you love the outcome!! Your supply of beautiful things is wonderful and I just want to pop over and pull upa chair for aspot of tea and maybe a plum or two....I might just add that I think the idea of having a TREE in your garden that grows PLUMS is so delicious!! Enjoy your day, Kiss noises Linda Lilly Cottage.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am your fan, your blog is beauty, I like...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous1:36 am

    Hi Niki,
    It seems many of us are feeling the need to declutter for a "calming" look as you say. I just this week went through my office/guest room and did a thorough declutter and I like it so much better!
    Your kitchen looks great, love your fridge.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Simply stunning! I really like the polka dot and rose fabric. The framed advertisement is another favorite of mine!
    Blessings,
    Lorilee

    ReplyDelete
  14. Gorgeous pictures!It looks so fresh, and lovely!
    Sue

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous5:01 am

    You have such a wonderful kitchen, I am speachless!!! And mostly I like that telephone, if I knew where to get it, I would buy one immediatelly!
    Many greetings
    Gisela

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous6:06 am

    Great makeover! You have such an 'eye', Niki!
    I wish I could have a kitchen like yours...love, love it!!!!
    Have a great Sunday with your family,

    Monica x.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous12:33 pm

    Heavenly pictures as always Niki, your kitchen is divine I love it all and I adore the door curtain, it loks so pretty, Have a great weekend, Jackie Mx

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Niki, that is a beautiful makeover, and all for free! xo, suzy

    ReplyDelete
  19. ooh what I would do for a big kitchen like that! Isn't that the best thing about a blank canvas- you can chop and change acessories and give a room a whole new look...your kitchen looks utterly fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  20. A beautifully, artful rearrangement to your lovely kitchen, Niki! I love this new color scheme!

    The dolls I purchased from you are sitting snuggly next to one another on top of some dishes and china I inherited from my grandmother -- I'll take a photo when the house settles and kids are back to school, and I'll send it over to you. =) OH! Just remembered... I have a sweet French linen heart sachet with a prism you made, hanging from the lock on an old clock I have - I'll photograph that one, too!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love your made over kitchen !! I wish I had one identical in my house ..... it would fit right in with my decore ....you make me want to do mine ove now. You have wonderful taste and talent for making things cozy and pleasing to the eye. :o) Sue

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hello Nikki,
    I love what you did in your kitchen...It looks amazing. You make me want to get in and redo mine Pinkie

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous8:03 pm

    what a really lovely kitchen niki. I like to "play house" too and I regularly change things around. Unfortunately I only have a super tiny kitchen so the changes can only be small, still it is fun! love your curtain.

    ReplyDelete
  24. what a lovely kitchen! it feels really cosy with the wall lights on and curtains and shutters closed
    Josie

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Niki
    I just love your change over makes me want to change a room here. I think the curtain with the borders is a great success. Your nots have been very very useful
    Thanks again
    Jan

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous6:39 pm

    Good evening Niki ... your blog is fantastic ...a dream! I love all your creation ... A huge hello, see you soon, *Maristella*.
    (use of translator)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous7:14 pm

    Ooooh I seriously could just melt!!! Soooooo wonderful!! LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! Every ittty bitty bit!!

    Fabbbulous!!! Just wonderful!!!!

    Love from the Jersey Shore!
    xoxo Jenny Holiday

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous2:06 pm

    Hi Niki,
    Your original red & cream kitchen was so wonderful I failed to undestand why you would want to change it - then the photos of the new re-vamped kitchen come on the scene & I realised why you changed it - because you could!
    It looks fabulou & I can just smell the cooking plums aroma. Very envious of your plum crop, my ancient tree only produced about 12 plums this year.. the dog had some, the chickens pecked at a few & my aged father-in-law scoffed the remainder.
    Bye for now Frances

    ReplyDelete
  29. You have such a pretty home. I love your dishes and fabrics.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous8:10 am

    What lovely style and flair you have Niki. I need to give my kitchen a paint revamp but we are waiting for the long dark days of winter to do it (mind you, autumn seems to have arrived already!) You have reminded me to get some of my "spare" china out and give it an airing. I may even launder and store my 15 year old Laura Ashley yellow and blue Sweetpea design curtains and make up some fresh ones . . .

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous6:40 pm

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Stunning! I love your painted wood floors. My house is old and when I purchased it the original whole house wood floors needed sanded. My intention was to paint them as yours but one of the contractors talked me into staining and sealing them. I am so sorry I listened. Now I have to have the stripped and painted. What a mess!
    smiles
    DarLy*~

    ReplyDelete
  33. Your kitchen looks wonderfully pretty! The vintage fabrics & china are just perfect together.
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Your kitchen looks darling!!! I love the fabrics!
    Isabel

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous9:04 am

    Niki your kitchen is to die for. I have spent about 10 minutes examining every photo!! So pretty. Thank you for brightening this horribly rainy day! x

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for finding the time to visit me...
Niki xx