Resolute is the key

This year is the first time (as an adult) that I have made a list of New Year Resolutions. I'm determined to make twenty fourteen my year. So here are my top five.

1. To grow my business. Yes it's only a very new business, but I'm determined to prove to myself (and others) Audrey Barton Interiors is worth the investment. I thoroughly enjoy decorating and turning houses into homes.

2. To blog more. I'm new to blogging and I love it. I want to post more, share more, I want to delve deeply into the world of blogging.

3. Get crafty. I have done the odd craft project, some more successful than others. I'm starting to realise DIY could be the key to getting the look for less.

4. Domesticate myself. Don't get me wrong, I'm domesticated! But I want to become a more efficient housewife/stay-at-home mum. I want to be a domestic goddess! I want to bake more, I want to be more organised rather than be diving through to freezer searching for inspiration five minutes before dinner. I want to have a beautiful neat and tidy home (not just sometimes) all the time.

5. More Holidays! It seems to me that I can never get enough of getting away. Even though it can be such a headache with the organising/packing/travelling with kids etc. etc. we do usually manage to have a good time. 

So there are my top five. Honestly, I thought it would be a lot harder to put down in words, but now that it's done I feel like I have my goals straightened out and a direction to travel. Phew!

{ Weekly Wants } Week 1: Neon!

One of my New Years resolutions is to blog more, and what better way than to start a regular segment. And what better to start with than sharing my weekly wants with you. This week I have found my wants all on Etsy

One: neon pink or yellow makeup bag Grey Fox Textiles

Two: neon pink set of two wooden mini bowls Wind & Willow Home

Three: iPhone case Zero Case

Four: ampersand screen print Shop Ampersand

Christmas decor: wishing I had a mantle to decorate

Christmas decor: advent calendar

Styling fun

In my haste to show the finished product of my guest room, I neglected to do some proper styling. Here are a few shots which I have been practicing on.

Guest room makeover: The big reveal!

IT'S FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's right I've finished the guest room makeover! This makeover is the first installation in my portfolio, and I can't wait to share it with you, so here it is...

 

 

iPhone photo app.

FOUND!!! The best iPhone photo editing app. (After Instagram that is). The creators of the blog "A Beautiful Mess" have created an photo app with blogging in mind. 

Yep it's full of great tips and tricks. Etc etc. get on to it!!!

A Mini Bathroom Makeover?

I'm planning a mini bathroom makeover for my ensuite. I'm thinking of a fresh coat of paint, maybe a lick of white paint on the tiles, a few shelves on the wall above the toilet???

Here are a few inspiring pics from Pinterest. 

Alas, it will have to wait till I've finished my guest room makeover. 

Guest room makeover: art

The other day I had the opportunity to shop without children in tow. This was very exciting, as I finally had the chance to duck into the little boutique home wares shops, which I normally wouldn't dare enter with my monster stroller and kids.

I'm pleased to announce I have found some lovely art for my guest room!

I found them at The Magic PuddingThe Magic Pudding in Peel St. They are made by a local artisan, Mark Hampstead of Mark Art. "Feathers" as they are named, are printed by traditional Lino Printing methods. 

The pink one is my fave, followed closely by the black print with blue detail. I have to make the headboard before I can mount them. I will add more photos as the room progresses. 

Guest room makeover: Night stand brainstorm

The other day I visited Pillow Talk, and spotted these side tables. 

I absolutely love them, but sadly they would be too small as a night stand for the guest room. Aren't the colours just fab!?

So I was thinking I could DIY something. How hard can it be...

Bedroom Inspiration

Hi there, here is some more inspiration for bedrooms and nightstand styling. 

All images are via Pinterest. 

Guest Room Makeover: painting complete

Some serious progress was made today. The old bed was sold and a new was purchased. Harvey Norman were having a huge sale, where I managed to pick up a brand new queen ensemble marked down from $1300 to just $900!!!  Plus there was one in stock (even better)! 

I even managed to get the room painted. The colour I used is called Arctic Crossing by British Paints. I have painted our master bedroom in that colour, and had a few litres left. Although it wasn't enough to finish the second coat on the walls, so another 2 litres were purchased. 

The pictures don't show a great deal of difference, so you will have to take my word for it. It feels fresh and clean now, no longer does it feel like I'm walking into a yellow mess. Next on the list is to make a fabric headboard.

Guest room makeover: the before shots

I thought I had better share a few before shots and a little info on my guest room, before I show some progress shots. 

As our home is a little limited when it comes to storage space, the guest room became the best place to store just about everything. 

Not only was it full of junk, but it consisted of items of furniture that have been thrown together out of necessity. My husband made the bed when we were at UNI, the too small lamp was an old one with a cheap shade I picked up at Big W a few years earlier and the pictures were thrown up to cover a mark on the wall, which I just could not get off. 

And least of all the condition of the walls was atrocious, there was paint chips and scratches everywhere. Not to mention the builders beige!!!!

And that's it for the before shots. Next post will be a progress update!! Yay!!

Guest Room Makeover

I'm tossing us a few ideas for my guest room. The room currently consists of a few odd items which have been thrown together in order to make the room useful. And now it's time to make it feel luxurious, so it feels like home for my guests. 

I'm roosting up a few ideas for the headboard and the nightstand. At this stage I'm leaning toward a fabric headboard rather than a timber one. And Navy Blue is so hot right now!  

What do you think?

Kitchen capers

Today I went on a cleaning frenzy. Not that my house is total pigsty, nor do I have layers of grime covering my kitchen cabinets. But my kitchen needed a bit of a deep clean. I've been reading a few blogs as of late one in particular is Atypical Type A written by Alicia Parsons. She has some great cleaning and organisation tips as well as a monthly house cleaning schedule.

Any way all this talk about cleaning and seeing as it's spring I thought there was no time like the present. So I relocated my tea and coffee facilities to a cupboard which opened up a heap of counter space then I cleaned my oven door. It took me a while but it is gleaming now. 

I have the cleaning bug now. My next project is inside the oven... Oh dear, stay tuned. 

How now brown couch...

At home I have a dark brown leather lounge suite. I am fighting my need to replace it with a nice grey fabric sofa. Like this one below.

But, alas, my budget (husband) wouldn't allow it. So I am stuck trying to make it fit with my style. This calls for some research in the form of browsing Pinterest and Houzz.com (yay, my silent addiction).

I like the feature wall in the picture above, plus a massive artwork with white framing, and some neutral cushions. 

Another dark feature wall with white framed pictures. I think I'm starting to find a road to travel down. 

A little girls room

I want to share with you my nursery. It was originally my first daughters room and when number 2 came along Sam was moved to her big girl room and Eve moved in. 

I started with the paint colour. At first  I went with a pinky colour, but as soon as the paint went on the wall I hated it. So I started looking for a warm grey. And do you think I can find that colour again, no!

When we moved Sam into her big girl room, we also moved her 'name' too. This left a big vacant space on the wall so I just had to put Eve's name there too. 

The room isn't huge and the built in is tiny so we have had to increase the storage with a few pieces from one of my favourite stores...Ikea!

We also had a lamp which was made for my husband by his grandmother when he was just a little boy. I matched it with a pleated olive green shade, which tied in the paper bunting I made from scrapbook paper. 

So there it is, our nursery. I will share Sam's big girl room with you another time. 

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my blog!

My name is Audrey, I'm a stay at home mum and a part time Interior Designer. Like many stay at home mums I have been working hard to start a business of my own which will enable me to look after my beautiful girls while earning a living.  I have completed the interior design course provided by The Interior Design Academy and have previous design experience through working with a project home builder in Tamworth NSW.

Now after starting a family with my wonderful husband, it's time to follow the career path I so desperately want to follow. It's time for the adventure of a lifetime. I am aware there are many talented interior designers  and stylists in Tamworth, and I'm not trying to compete with them, I just want to earn a living by doing something I thoroughly enjoy.

I have my own style, which is forever growing and changing. I want to use this blog as a means of expressing and sharing my likes and tastes when it comes to designs, products and styles. I also hope to share some of my future projects in this blog.

So stay tuned and stay inspired.

Sincerely Audrey Barton, Interior Designer.