Monday 19 May 2008

Back Again

It is 4 weeks ago today that we moved house and, although trying to keep up with reading your blogs, I haven't had time to leave comments or write a new post ...till now. The move went so smoothly with no breakages (I did all the packing); the removal men worked like beavers and had to call in reinforcements as they had underestimated how much we had! Apart from the length of time it took to sell our old house there really weren't any hiccups at all (which I think may be unusual) but it did help that there were only three of us in the chain.
I absolutely LOVE it here and am so happy. Everything is perfect (apart from the fact that every room needs decorating). Our old house was relatively new but I have always preferred older houses. This was built in 1901 so I don't know if it would be classed as Victorian or Edwardian. There are still a few old features but modernisation has crept in too much and we need to put the house back to how it should be. Two days after we moved in we had someone plastering over the artexed ceilings. I have more or less finished decorating our bedroom (apart from the floor) and when I pulled up the carpet I found these tiles where the fireplace had been (I have since discovered similar ones in two other bedrooms).

I want white painted floorboards in this room so am unsure whether I actually need to strip them back to bare wood first or whether I can just paint over them (any advice would be very welcome).

I have painted the bedroom walls white and the accessories are mainly dark red. Laura Ashley sell a lovely chandelier in this colour which is £150. When I went on their website it is out of stock so I bought a can of spray paint (suede effect) and sprayed a metal chandelier I had bought on ebay for £2.20. Here it is - not bad for under a tenner and it matches the Laura Ashley rugs perfectly!

This is the view from where I am at this moment sitting in the office .

The garden is totally different from the one at our old house which was more architectual with grasses and trees rather than flowers. This garden is full of roses and very cottagey. The soil here suits these lilies and there are serveral large clumps of them which everyone admires.


Well, I hope I haven't bored you! Back to the paintbrush and I'll post some before and after photos as the rooms are completed.

17 comments:

  1. A new house is always great fun.I love your new garden !
    Sal;-)

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  2. Hi Ruth

    Lovely to see the pictures. Have been checking regularly to find out your news on the new house. Good luck in the new house and continued success with OhSoVintage!

    Lianne x

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  3. Happy New Home Ruth..
    What a gorgeous looking house and I LOVE that garden of yours.. so pretty.
    I hope you have lots of fun nest building.

    Michelex

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  4. Hi Ruth

    Good to see you back and thanks for your comment. You house looks super, and those tiles are amazing. We found some in a house we had which dated around the same time. Nothing like that in this one, sadly.

    You'll have fun in the garden, too, by the looks of it. The first year is always the best, waiting to see what appears in the different seasons.

    Shall look forward to some more photos when time permits - impressive chandelier!

    Sue x

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  5. Wow, what a gorgeous house, looks Edwardian to me.
    I would use F&B floorboard paint and just paint over..maybe a little sanding down first.
    You are going to be very busy, good luck with the decorating.
    The garden looks wonderful too.
    Carol xx

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  6. A very impressive house, I much prefer older styles too, although unfortunately I live in a 1960s bungalow, which hasn't got quite the same appeal! We had a really easy move too, it does save a lot of heartache. I am not surprised you have unearthed those tiles, you may come across other hidden gems? Don't rush with the garden, just wait a while and see what is there already. x

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  7. Congrats on the new house! What a lovely view! I too have just moved and I'm looking forward to getting rid of the artex. Luckily, our house escaped the 60s, 70 and 80s (apart from the artex and the peach carpeted and wallpapered bathroom, yuk!) and looks very traditional. It is a shame when you have to put things back but it's great fun looking round salvage yards!

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  8. Hello! So lovely to have photos of your new home, It looks like such a wonderful house. We have that LA rug in our bedroom! I bet you're having fun redecorating! We have white floorboards in two rooms at the moment and I just painted straight on to them with floorboard paint but they were unvarnished. Have a wonderful weekend
    Kimx

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  9. Hi Ruth

    Your house is just lovely. I understand the need to get back to history. I'm in a new house right now but miss my 17th c. one of some years ago very much. Much love and happiness there to you.

    I've been absent - in hosp - for a while but have blogged the sorry saga with some humour over the last 3 days if you fancy a giggle. Give my love to Rose - hope she is well and happy.

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  10. http://randomjottings.typepad.com/random_jottings_of_an_ope/2008/03/death-and-the-m.html

    ruth - here is the link to death and the maidens which I have also left in the comments on my blog. I did have your email address but appear to have mislaid it so hope you pick this up

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  11. What a lovely house! I like the style of it so much!
    You're someone after my own heart in the way you have customised the light to look like something much more expensive...very creative.

    Love the cottage garden too. Hope you'll be very happy in your new home.
    Margaret and Noreen

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  12. I love your new house! The tiles are wonderful and your garden breathtaking.

    Enjoy!

    Becky

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  13. What a lovely house! I hope you'll be very happy there!

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  14. Wow, your new home is absolutely gorgeous!

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  15. how wonderful to have such a beautiful home to play with. I can tell that you are going to love every minute of doing this gorgeous place up. Where in Hampshire are you, I used to live in Romsey, Shirley, Regents Park and Totton and the house style looks familiar to me...how I would love a house to restore. I have just finished watching 'The 1900 House' over on 4oD, it was great to see that programme again.

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  16. Thats the lovely thing about a new house so many discoveries to make. Glad to hear you have settled well, like you we have a new house and the fun is in making it your own.
    Debbie

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