Tiny house

When I was a little girl I used to dream of one day owning an enormous house with different wings, stables, a pool and all that jazz.

Now, I think about that dream and instead of swooning I think about how complicated owning a large property can be. Today I strive for simplicity and pared down living; I hate being lumbered with clutter and too much stuff. I want the ease of owning a small home and being able to enjoy that home as much as possible, rather than constantly striving for something bigger and better. I also really like the idea of having a small space that I could make as beautiful as possible, which is far more achievable than having a big house that always has bits you never get round to sorting out.

When I saw the pictures of today’s ‘tiny house’, which is located in rural Oregon I immediately fell in love with the simple, minimal way of living that the family of four who live here must enjoy. Jules and I often talk about selling up and moving to a teeny house in the country with space to grow food and a workshop for Jules to pursue his love of carpentry. If someone offered me this house I would jump at the chance!

Who needs a million and one rooms when you’ve got a gorgeous, rustic interior and clever storage solutions and the big outdoors on your doorstep? Not me.

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com

Tiny house photographed by Lincoln Barbour www.apartmentapothecary.com
What do you think? Small but perfectly formed or large and difficult to maintain?

Katy x

 

Photographs by Lincoln Barbour and all images from Mechant Design blog.

 

How to add plants to your home

As I write this there is the most wonderful sun in the sky and warmth in the air. It is truly delightful: Spring is springing, bulbs are out, birds are singing. Seeing colour in the park makes me smile and I’ve loved growing my own bulbs at home this year. I’m inspired to have more house plants and display these in different ways. I’m currently collecting ideas that I would like to share with you today. Plants can totally transform the feel and style of a room so it’s something to consider with more thought than I have done in the past.

1. Planting indoor bulbs.

2. Hanging jars and bottles:

How to add plants to your home www.apartmentapothecary.com

Image from Terrain.

3. Trailing plants placed on a high shelf:

How to add plants to your home www.apartmentapothecary.com

Image from Fat Cat Brussels flickr.

3. A fruit tree:

How to add plants to your home www.apartmentapothecary.com

Image from Freunde von Freunden. Photograph by: Natalia Guarín.

4. Succulents and cacti in vintage tins and pots:

Homebarn lookbook style and photographed by Caroline Davis www.apartmentapothecary.com

Image from Homebarn Lookbook, styled and photographed by Caroline Davis.

5. Plants EVERYWHERE:

How to add plants to your home www.apartmentapothecary.com

Image from Old Chum flickr.

6. A ladder shelf:

How to add plants to your home www.apartmentapothecary.com

Image from Weekday Carnival blog. Photograph by Riikka Kantinkoski.

7. A dedicated trolley or table for plant pots:

How to add plants to your home www.apartmentapothecary.com

Image from Design Is Mine blog.

8. Placing plants in crates hanging on the wall:

How to add plants to your home www.apartmentapothecary.com

Image from Smile and Wave blog.

9. Add just one statement plant:

How to add plants to your home www.apartmentapothecary.com

Image from Bungalow 5 blog.

10. A fiddle fig tree in a basket:

How to add plants to your home www.apartmentapothecary.com

Image from Smitten Studio blog.

Just LOVE all of these images and I hope you’ve got some ideas about how you can display house plants a bit more creatively.

Katy x

 

Cleaning up scuff marks

Those who know me, know only too well that I am a complete neat and clean freak. Getting a dog has been pretty tough on my cleaning neurosis and my pristine white walls are no longer pristine, or even white (more muddy than anything). If, like me, you are also a clean freak you might like my tip to keeping your walls looking fresh.

Whenever a room has been painted I always keep some of the paint in a plastic jar (I use peanut butter jars – don’t use metal jars as these will rust). I label the jar and keep it under the sink with a small paint brush so I can whip it out when a scuff appears. It’s also useful because I like to change the pictures on my walls quite often so I use it to go over any holes I have filled with polyfilla. Having it in a jar just makes it so much easier than rooting out a massive can of paint that you have stored away underneath everything else you own.

A tip to help you clean up scuff marks on your walls quickly and easily www.apartmentapothecary.com

Do you do this or am I just completely obsessed with keeping everything perfect?

Katy x

 

I said yes!

So, you know that last post I wrote about all the presents I wanted to be given for Valentine’s day….well, I got something soooo much better!

I got home from work on Friday, a little miffed at the fact that Jules had not even given me a card yet. But instead he got down on one knee, whilst Otto (our 40kg Golden Retriever puppy) started to hump him from behind, presented me with such a pretty diamond and platinum ring and then popped the big question!  We then proceeded to get stupidly drunk on delicious wine that I had bought Jules the first month I met him in 2010 from a vineyard in France. The vineyard owner had told me to keep it for a special occasion in 2014 – couldn’t have been more perfect. I know this news has absolutely nothing to do with interiors or crafts but I’m so excited I just had to share it – I promise I’m not going to get wedding obsessed over the coming months (If I’m honest, I’m not a big wedding fan).

Whilst I am talking about myself though, is it ok if I go off on another tangent and answer some questions that the lovely Rusty from Rusty Rambles blog sent over to me? Pop over to her blog and take a look whilst you’re at it. It’s a goody.

1. What is your favourite journey?

I love walking down the River Thames with our dog at the weekend through the cobbled streets and converted warehouses of Bermondsey and Rotherhithe. It’s so peaceful and quiet and it really feels as though you have stepped away from London for a moment or two.

2. What was your best read of the last year?

I read Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada whilst on holiday in Portugal. There was a four poster ‘bed’ next to the pool and I spent hours lying there totally absorbed in my book, which is always the best thing about a holiday for me.

3. If the sun is shining, where do you go?

Home, to my parents’ garden. It’s a little sanctuary in London with lots of green, shade and birds singing.

4. Where’s next on your ‘must visit’ list?

Far too many to mention! Might have to start thinking about honeymoon destinations…

5. What are your words to live by?

YOLO – you only live once. As I explained in a recent blog post, this is my new mode of thinking. We only have one of them, so we need to make our lives count.

6. Tell me a joke.

Can’t, won’t, and never will. I absolutely hate joke telling. My boyfriend, on the other hand, loves telling jokes. It drives me insane.

Thank you, Rusty!

Will be back at the end of the week with a ‘proper’ post instead of it all being about me.

Katy x

 

Love is…

 

Forget the Valentine’s chocolates, expensive dinners and roses. The way to my heart is through any of these babies…

Vintage pendant lights by Kathleen Hills from Bodie and Fou www.apartmentapothecary.com

Just love these. Bodie and Fou

Penguin donkey from Objects of Use www.apartmentapothecary.com

No one has bought this for me yet, so I’m including it again in the hope that one day, maybe one day, it will be mine. Objects of Use

Leather framed mirror from Skandium www.apartmentapothecary.com

This mirror would be great for my hallway. Skandium

Eero Saarinen Style Chair from Out There Interiors www.apartmentapothecary.com

I really need a new desk chair. This would be nice in blue or green, wouldn’t it? Out There Interiors.

Vintage Kantha quilt or bedspread from Decorator's Notebook www.apartmentapothecary.com

A beauteous kantha quilt. Decorator’s Notebook

Vintage French educational wall chart from Wallography www.apartmentapothecary.com

I’m about to take the photo gallery down from above my sofa. I NEED this to replace it. Wallography

Bubble wall vase from Rowan and wren www.apartmentapothecary.com

How great are these? They just screw onto the wall. Want! Rowan and Wren

Scandinavian style Dhurrie rug from Mahout Lifestyle www.apartmentapothecary.com

The dog is destroying my carpet so I need a delightful scandinavian style dhurrie rug like this to cover up the mess! Mahout Lifestyle

Kitch blue ceramic vase from Rose and Grey www.apartmentapothecary.com

The colour and shape of this vase is perfect. Rose and Grey.

Danish chair covered in Peruvian textilefrom A Rum Fellow www.apartmentapothecary.com

I love how unique this Danish chair, covered with Peruvian textiles is. A Rum Fellow

Just as long as it’s not flowers from the garage 😉

Lots of love to all my lovely readers xxx