[int]: bedroom, melbourne australia

So, this has taken a while to write up! Travelling may have slightly got in the way. But I've moved into a new place in Melbourne and I thought I should show you what I've done with it.

Due to some unforseen circumstances this isn't the apartment I planned for. Instead, I'm in a room in a shared house, so I don't have as much leeway to play with furnishings. But I'd like to take you through the things I have been able to do to make the room my own.

Earlier, in this post, I talked you through my plans for the apartment. Well, they haven't changed, just narrowed slightly. I still wanted to use dusky, restful tones to create a relaxing space, and focus on natural wood to create texture. When I got into the room, though, it was pretty run down. It really needs a repaint, and some of the furniture was so bashed up it needed to go. I had to make some pretty quick changes to be happy there.

\New bedsheets (K-Mart) and new art!

The first step was colour. That's pretty easy to bring into a bedroom as you have a lot of soft furnishings to play with. Of course, I was limited for choice because of budget, but I found some pretty geometric patterns with a navy base that brighten up the place nicely.

After that I thought of art. I went to a craft fair in the city and picked up a few unique pieces that I love to give focal points in the room (and draw attention away from the faded paintwork). I made sure to choose personal pieces, rather than something more generic that fits the colour scheme, so that I won't tire of them. With the addition of a plant and a bit of organisation, it almost felt like home.

New fox print and new mirror (The Reject Store)

There were a few more kinks to iron out, but that involved furniture, and that's more than enough for another post - stay tuned! I should have the next one up soon!

[int]: workshop - how to use mural wallpaper

I've always been wary of mural wallpaper, because it can so easily go wrong. But I've seen some gorgeous examples recently, and they're starting to change my mind.

Photo credit: DreamyWall on Etsy.com

Because it's so easy to get wrong, I thought I would share with you the tips I've learnt from the best mural designs I've seen.

Choose an atmosphere

Photo credit: apartmenttherapy.com

There are some beautiful landscape wallpapers that can transport your room into a different world, or colourful murals for a lively summer atmosphere. Decide what you're trying to achieve before you start looking. The example above is very misty and enigmatic, while the one below is much brighter. By using an ombre pattern rather than a photograph the room is given a fresh, modern feel. You can  also paint ombre designs if you hate the idea of hanging wallpaper.

Photo credit: pixersize.com

Stay simple

Photo credit: muralswallpaper.co.uk

Don't try to do too much with the rest of the room. By using an image on a feature wall you automatically draw all attention to that wall, and if you try to add accent furniture then too many items will jostle for attention. Instead, try a stripped down, neutral scheme with simple pieces of furniture. When choosing soft furnishings, complement the tones of the wallpaper if you're looking for a relaxed atmosphere, or contrast for a brighter feel. The image above uses furniture which echoes the muted colours of the wall or remains neutral in tone, which is why it is so successful. It also places the key items of furniture against the wall, grouping the visual interest into one area of the space and using the focus of the wall to draw you towards the sofa and the lamp.

Avoid your holiday snaps

Photo credit: apartmenttherapy.com

In my friendship and family circle there are some great photographers. But I would never recommend their photographs for use as wallpaper, for one simple reason. They weren't designed for that purpose. An amateur photographer is unlikely to have the equipment needed to take a photograph of high enough resolution to blow up and put on an entire wall. You'd also have to send the photograph out to specialist printers, and in doing that you can't check the way the colours print. You could end up with something washed out, or just completely the wrong tone. To avoid disappointment, go for a wallpaper that you can check over first. The example above is very blurry, which I am not a fan of.

Don't pretend

Photo credit: lushome.com

Is there really a path that leads out of the back wall of your living room? I thought not. While photographs that draw the eye in usually add interest, they are not going to make your room look bigger, and they will mess with the perspective of the room if you're not looking at them from exactly the right angle. Instead, choose an image that was taken straight on.

Restrict the amount you use

Photo credit: apartmenttherapy.com

Don't try to paper the entire room in forest - it won't make you feel like you're in the forest, it will just feel overboard. Try sticking to one wall to draw the attention. In the image above, the photograph is confined to the space between two columns, which demarcates a very natural area to fill.

If you give this a go, why not post a photo in the comments!

[int]: workshop - painting

This weekend I spent the best part of my Saturday morning repainting a room. My parents are having a bit of a swap around of rooms, so I'm helping out redecorating the guest room that will mostly be home to me on visits, and designing the look of the room. It's far from finished, but for now here's an update on what's been done so far.

Photo credit: eyeseyeseyeseyes.com

When I told my Dad I'd be blogging about our DIY exploits he told me that this was far from the correct way of repainting. But really, does anyone other than a paid decorator go through all the correct steps? I'm pretty happy with the result, despite the awful phone photographs, so I thought I'd take you through what we did.

1. Preparation

This means moving furniture out of the room and into the centre, and setting out sheets to avoid ugly paint splatters. But it also means cleaning. Dust can ruin a paint job, so I took the hoover out straight away to get rid of any dust we might kick up with movement and activity. I dusted down the skirting boards, radiator, and fittings where dust could gather. We took down the curtains and the roller blind and stowed them away in another room.

2. Making good

The room used to be my little brother's bedroom, which meant it's had a lot of wear and tear. there were shelves put up on the walls, leaving holes in the plaster. We filled the holes with general purpose filler, which Dad mixed up to the manufacturer's instructions and then put into the holes, using a filling knife to scrape the excess from the top. This also worked for small dents in the wall.

Filling a hole left from a shelf

3. Sanding

My parents' house is relatively old, and it has never been replastered. When we moved in there was a strange sort of distemper on the walls, and it has made it difficult for paint to stick to the walls. The previous coat of paint had a strange, crazed texture in places. There were chips around the window and marks under blu-tack. That meant we needed to sand. I went around and paid particular attention to troublesome spots. My Dad followed me lightly sanding the entire walls.

Sanding the walls

4. Cleaning

The sanding created a lot of dust, so I hoovered again, and washed the walls. I used slightly soapy water to pick up all the dust, making sure to pay attention to the skirting boards where the dust gathered.

5. Cover the surfaces

The paint is about to come out, now, so make sure there are sheets on the floor and any remaining furniture.

6. Rolling

This was my Dad's job, and he's become very good at it over the years. From watching him, I think the trick is not to overload the roller, to keep the coat even. Work down the wall to catch any drips as you go downwards.

Paint roller

7. Cutting in

I followed Dad around with a paintbrush, painting between the trims and the painted areas. You're supposed to use painter's tape to mask the edge of the trims but if you have a steady hand you can still get a clean line, and any mistakes in emulsion paint can easily be wiped off gloss paint skirting or plastic sockets with a piece of tissue.

Cutting in around a doorframe

So far, it was all going well. And then we went back to where we started to see how well the paint was taking. Which is when we found this. The paint looked as if it was bubbling from the wall.

Paint bubbling off the walls

Dad went to apply a second coat but he didn't leave the paint to dry before he started. Where the paint was failing to stick, layers started to peel off the wall when he touched them. So we learnt our lesson and left the paint to dry.

Paint peeling off the walls

I sat and waited nervously over lunch while we waited to see what the room would end up looking like. When we had finished eating, Dad went upstairs and called for me. I expected to see paint flakes all over the floor but somehow, miraculously, the patch pictured above was the only one flaking. Once the rest of the room had dried, I sanded the flakes down and painted over the top/

While the paint was wet the previous colour showed through a little, but when it had dried we realised it didn't need a second coat. The room, overall, looked pretty good once it was done. I'll show you more when the new furniture is bought and in place.