Slate and antique silver.

My pincredible from these last two weeks was really inspiring to me, and as I mentioned at the end, I felt that the colour scheme would be really great for my bedroom. 

My boyfriend and I share this space, although due to a recent re-shuffle only I use the room to store clothes. Not enough storage (or badly designed) and too many clothes. We both tend to leave a lot of mess around, my mess is mostly worn clothes that aren't dirty enough to wash yet, and my boyfriends mess is similar, but with more random rubbish thrown in. I hate it but there we are.

I have a nifty solution to the clothes part of the problem. I came up with this as an idea, but was going to make my own bag, and use something like a wire coat hanger bent in to shape. This is a much quicker way, probably looks neater too.

So on to the colour scheme.

(images are either mine or sourced from pinterest)

Deep slatey green-blue-grey and antique silver. Isn't it luxurious and sexy?

So this is my deeply un-sexy and tired looking bedroom as it is today (apologies for the dodgy panoramic view and mess!)

This is how it might look with all slatey walls (and tidy.) Beautiful matte walls. (I loathe satin finishes since living in this house!)

I tried a few other combos, just one or two walls painted, but I didn't like how they looked. Here is an attempt with silvery paint affect or wallpapered walls, so reversed from above essentially. I don't think it retains any of that den-like quality that the dark walls in the mood board above put across.

Here I considered changing the lay out and furniture. I have a wooden bed frame, so thought about replacing the Ikea monstrosity we currently use, and moving the bed around. Not sure how this would work in terms of using the space, I'd have to plot it out to scale to see for sure, but I think it'll be fine since measuring it roughly. I like how it looks that way around in the sketch. I realised if I did that then I'd have two almost matching pieces of dark wooden furniture, So figured I could get some cheap side tables in a similar colour which would then start to tie the dark wood in to the rest of the room.

Add lots of fresh plants in terracotta and silvery pots, a couple of mirrors and/or paintings in antique frames, a little texture in the form of bedding, full length curtains and rug. Get the right pendant light. Some nice mismatched vintage bedside lamps. Lots of little details using the inspiration from the mood board. I'd like to incorporate the old pearls, the tarnished threads, ribbons and trims. I love the look of tarnished mirror too.

What do you think? Workable and beautiful? Or dark and dingy?

All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.

White rooms

Today I've been thinking about decorating my lovely rented home again. Trying to think about colours I can use and want to use. Then I stumbled across the first image below and was struck by the simplicity (and not for the first time I hasten to add) of an almost completely white room. This sort of statement needs to use different textures and often a very limited palette of other materials to set it off or bring it to life (And to stop it feeling as if your in a film makers idea of a mental asylum!) The image below uses the tiles to change the texture of the walls, and stainless steal to create another reflective version of the white. It also uses bare, and solid wood to create the warmth that all such white rooms need in some form or other.

Just look at that distressed wood! It creates a lovely contrast with the smooth painted wood in the room.

This room like the first uses bare wood to give the room warmth. As an aside to the colour, I love the traditional country style kitchen mixed up with the industrial lights and cooker. I think that use of the softer cupboard styles and sink also help add that elusive 'warmth'.

Don't you love the opaque wine glasses? For me it's the floral wallpaper and the variously textured cushions on the sofa that make this a cosy dining room, rather than a utilitarian eating space.

Could you get a more cosy dining room? And yet the room uses almost totally white tones, with the exception of the golden toned carpet. It's that, along with the actual style of the furniture that means you'd beg to eat your Christmas dinner in sublime warmth there. Also, who ever decided to put a sofa against a dining table was a genius.

This room is elegant, light and totally stunning! I love the shot of blue on the floor. That brings it back down to earth makes the room feel as if you would be happy to troop in there with your muddy wellies and enjoy a mug of tea after a stomp about the country.

This room is beautiful. I love the bare simplicity. The texture of the wooded walls and floor are what make this room friendly rather than sparse and cold.

Yet again, the bare wood in this room gives it the warmth. But I also think that the use of greenery and the wall of mirrors give it a variety of textures so that your eye always has something to fall on to.

 

I don't think this room needs an explanation of why it is lovely really does it? Wooden boards, twinkly lights, beaded chandelier, very very soft furnishings! It's lovely!

Can you get much more texture on to a wall?, plus the quality of light this produces is just brilliant.

Maybe I'll be going for an all white room next!

All images are © Chloe Cooter 2012 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.