Irish Liquidators and a Question!

Some months ago I paid a visit to Irish Liquidators. It claims to be Ireland's most interesting store and I suspect they could be right. Their slogan is "Rugs to Rhinos"! It has everything including the kitchen sink!

They buy from pretty much anyone. From stores closing down to the guy walking in off the street who wants to get rid of something. It's a 'luck of the draw' kind of place but I usually find something to take home with me. Last time I was there I took away this vintage badminton racket in a frame which you should just be able to make out in this picture. 

Mr. Auburn was a badminton player in his youth! Thought it was okay for €5 and could be nice hung on the wall at some point!? It actually has nice subtle colours to it, creams and mint green.


This little footstool however I hemmed and hawed over as long as I was there. It was €25 which I thought was a little steep as it had a wonky leg. But I have been looking for one to go with the leather chair in our sitting room for ages. In the end I took it home for €20. Its legs are a really good match with the chair and it is the perfect height.

On the way home in the car I had great plans to get some nice fabric and reupholster it and use some nice trim. Since its been home though, I'm not so sure. Or maybe I got lazy. The fabric kinda matches doesn't it? (Please ignore the weird blue colour the wallpaper goes in photos, it really is eau de nil, same as the lamp and the cushion!?).

Is it just too tatty to just clean it, tidy up the trim and leave as is or does it need a redo?? Be honest. What would you do?

 

Laura Ashley Knock Off

Today I would like to share with you a Laura Ashley 'Knock Off'. It's my copy of the Palladian Wooden Panel that they are selling at the moment online for £45 down from £65. I cannot remember what it was in Euros but £45 equates to about €60. My knock off was free!!

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Taken in Laura Ashley shop

I started with this wooden panel from an old kitchen door. I found it exactly like this lying unwanted in someone's garage, it was free to a good home!

I had to start by removing the dry glue which I presume once attached it to the door frame.

I gave it one coat of ASCP in Duck Egg blue and distressed it a little.

I then stencilled it using a sponge and some ASCP in Original.

I removed and re-stuck the stencil using some Frog tape several times until I got a result I was happy with and gave it a coat of clear wax.

 The Laura Ashley version....

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The Sweet Auburn version...

It's a gift for a friend who is looking for some artwork for her new duck egg blue sitting room!

 

The Storeyard

Last week I brought a friend to one of my favourite haunts; The Storeyard. 

It's an antique shop/salvage yard with an amazing tea room right in the middle that serve the best desserts and cakes! We spent about three hours mooching around. It's not exactly cheap but I have never left without picking up something. It's a bit like being in a museum. Admittedly, I had to look at the tags on several occasions to determine what exactly I was looking at! It's essentially a big warehouse but is designed really well with lots of little roomsets and areas of interest. Here are a few sneaky pics from inside...

Have my eye on 'The Abbey' metal sign for a while now. The Abbey Theatre is the national theatre of Ireland. Can't understand why no-one has snapped this up already. 

On this table is a Victorian gentleman's travelling suitcase with lots of the original glass bottles inside with cologne, etc. On the outside are stickers from Dublin hotels which have long since closed. I can't help but wonder about the gentleman who owned this. This is what I love about vintage pieces.

These were being sold separately strangely enough. So cute! They were quite large pieces and had lots of lovely details, made mostly of wood.

Loved this little garden vignette. I'm thinking it's a vintage saddle rack!? Bought some of these mini terracotta pots on my last visit.

Love this royal blue upholstery. And the trumpet. I've always kinda wanted one, I don't play or anything!

My friend purchased one of these vintage watering cans. I bought one of these on my very first visit. Behind them is an amazing piece with eight drawers all hand labelled; Ironmongery, Screws, Brushes, Show-Maker...

And my all time favourites, vintage suitcases!!

This was one corner of an amazing Chinese inspired bedroom. The detail in the fabrics and the furniture pieces was astounding. Sorry it was a bit dark in this room.

Love that gorgeous wooden panelling and that feather/down filled sofa was so comfy.

And this sofa with it's lovely cushions.

So what did I buy???

This cute little book on Birds Eggs....

And this vintage wooden golf club. 

This was for Mr. Auburn as he's a golfer but I have a plan for this one... 

 

Who's style is it anyway?

Well the plan for today was loft flooring however the gale force winds and lashings of rain have prevented any wood cutting outside with a circular saw! We don't have the luxury of a garage for these projects you see. Unfortunately the knock on effect of no flooring in the attic is that the Christmas decorations cannot go back up there and the house cannot return to normal. So while Christmas is out of my head, it is not out of the house just yet.

  Thoughts of sugar plums have now been replaced by do-overs and fresh decor. Top of the to-do list is the hall-stairs-landing. The painting is a big job that may require scaffolding due to the vaulted ceiling so we will be getting a painter in. Both Mr. Auburn and I are okay with this! When we moved into this house it was painted good old Magnolia from top to bottom and it has served us well. I don't suspect we will stray far from the neutral range. The carpet on the stairs and landing is a malt colour and the tiles downstairs cream travertine. These are some wall colours I have been considering from the Colourtrend range (which all look exactly the same in this light!).

Oyster Bed - Patience - Ivory Tusk

We will also be painting the woodwork (doors, architraves, skirting and stairs). We originally painted all the woodwork in Innocence (a pale antique cream). We never got around to staining the newel posts and the handrail as was intended, we have considered painting them but now think we are back to dark staining again.

Heartstone - White Tea

When the painting is complete, we are onto the fun bit. I have plans for some revamped accessories. I would like new door curtains. Check out this lovely fabric which goes on sale next week! (Apologies for the really bad pic taken with my phone). A matching lamp and cushion on the landing also? We'll see if the budget allows.

While over at Butterfly 8)(8 Bungalow this morning I found this post in which Su rearranges her gorgeous bedroom. If you haven't been, you need to visit. Amazing things happen over at Butterfly 8)(8 Bungalow! In this post she mentions a decor style quiz which her daughter found online. I thought that could be interesting so I went over to Sproost and took said quiz myself.

The results are in....

50% Rustic Revival

"the clean lines of the modern softened by rustic vintage elements...a subtle background of light colours provides a nice canvas for all the wonderful flea market, eBay or garage sale finds as well as the classic modern pieces that you love".

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25% French Eclectic

My home speaks French apparently!..."formal and casual, classy and unassuming...inviting from the moment you open the door...French antiques here and gold details there, the rustic elements provide a balance and warmth that seems to say, come in relax and stay a while. Your love of antiques takes you to flea markets, garage sales and hours of eBay hunting".

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25% Classic

"all of the beautiful forms, colours and textures of the past...a mix of European influences and French, English and Italian antiques and replicas are often used together...classic rooms give off an air of history that seems to say: I was here long before you, and will remain long after you've gone".

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I think that's pretty fair actually, in theory I mean. The house is more up-cycled flea market find than French or Italian antique! Had you asked me though, I would have said a mix of country and traditional, home and away, old and new. While I live in a new build, I love to be surrounded with things that had a life before they came to me, that remind me of time long ago, places I have been or people I have known.

What is your decor style?

Christmas House Tour 2014

Hope you all had a very merry Christmas and that Santa was good! As I sort of threatened a Christmas House tour in my last post I thought I'd give it a go before 2014 is out. As I said, I started decorating early this year...and finished late! 

Ah the best laid plans...

O Christmas Tree!

I started out totally inspired, ready to deck those halls a little differently this year and have all done by our anniversary (a week before Christmas) so I could relax and enjoy thereafter. I ended up rushed, exhausted and surrounded by boxes, adding and tweaking until it was Christmas Eve! There has to be a better way - which I have to figure out before next year!! Suggestions welcome!

Some newly gifted additions to the tree this year

This one came all the way from Germany

This one came from Marks&Spencer

Decorating drama aside, I am pretty happy with how it turned out. So using my super duper new Christmas present from Mr. Auburn (a new camera!) and my usually crappy photography skills;

here are some pictures of our home at Christmastime....

Fireside is blazing bright...

Our Mantlepiece

Our coffee table

Even rabbit can't escape 

The baby Jesus in the manger

Christmas in the Kitchen...

This little guy got a new eau de nil hat and scarf for Christmas

Deck the Halls...

 

Sleigh Bells Ring!

 This sleigh was a market find last year and last Christmas I laid it down in the front hall and piled Christmas presents on it. This year I decided to upturn it and add another vintage find from the same market this summer. The chance of finding a sleigh and ice skates in a market in the Midlands of Ireland must be like winning the lotto! I trimmed the top of the skates with fur I bought at a craft shop (the extra trimmed the tiny stockings on the tree in the kitchen window). Added some greenery and a sleigh bell of course and I love it!

Our stair garland

Top of the stairs

I am a huge Norman Rockwell fan and have been lusting after this print, Home for Christmas, for so long. This year I found it for sale on eBay and Mr. Auburn made it mine. 
I LOVE IT!

As it is quite long and narrow, I tried to balance it with a fresh wreath of fir and bay.

And a Partridge in a Pear tree!

 I had this idea for a long time and just executed it last year for the first time. I had sourced a partridge on eBay but lets say he wasn't exactly glamorous! He looks better on the more rustic kitchen tree. I searched for so long for pears and eventually found them in TK Maxx and sourced a better looking 'partridge' from Gisela Graham.

And to think in just a couple of days it has to all come down again!