I’ve been living in my new home for three months already! It’s probably for the best that I wasn’t able to share photos before, as I’ve been settling in and rearranging furniture and so on and now it’s really starting to look lived in and loved.

{heart stone collection}

Since there’s so much here that I’d like to share with you, I decided to split what would be  a very long post into a few shorter ones, to give you some glimpses into my home and studio without boring you to tears {hopefully}.

{side table: card by Daring and Mighty, painting by Tara Leaver, flower by Nature :)}

So let’s start with the main living area and roof terrace today.

{So excited!}

I have included various shots and angles, some taken at different times and with different throws or paintings, but since it’s a constant work in progress ~ not unlike its owner ~ I don’t think it really matters. You know me; you get the idea.

{another glimpse: books arranged by colour as seen elsewhere on the interwebs. not as fun to do as I’d envisaged, strangely.}

This is my living room. The previous owners had painted all the walls of the flat off white, which I’m keeping for the time being. My previous home was such a full on riot of colour I kind of want my environment to be a bit quieter at the moment. Says she of the brightly coloured Indian chest and almost painfully vivid Mexican throw. {I have a weird relationship with that throw; I both love it and find it offensive.}

I’ve had all this furniture for years and years. The sofa is Ikea, as are the chairs. The dining and coffee tables I bought in London, and the armchair is from Habitat and was in our playroom when my bro, sis and I were kids. I recovered it as the whole 80s pastel floral thing wasn’t really doing it for me.

Behind this ginormous bunch of flowers you can see three of my paintings in the corner {my favourite corner}, and the curtain pole and curtains I hung myself {yes, there was blood, sweat AND tears putting that pole up; my DIY skills are limited}, to replace the frankly monstrous vertical blinds that were there before.

This is an earlier incarnation of the living room, before I got fed up with the fake fur rug for the time being {too wintry for my Springy inclinations}, but it shows the painting Jeanne gave me on the far wall, and my lovely built in shelves for all my crap pretty things. A better view of the colour coordinated books. It looks cool {or incredibly geeky, depending on who’s looking} but it took freaking ages and half my books are stashed in the cupboards underneath because their spines are rebelling against the system. Also this was before I was happy with the table placement.

Ta da! I get a kick every time I look at these curtains. If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen the view from those glass doors. Once or twice. The roof terrace is south facing and looks down the road to the sea. Yes it’s true, I moved to heaven. You can also spot a glimpse of the kitchen on the right. It’s not that pretty but it has everything I need {read, dishwasher}.

Below, we are standing on the roof terrace looking in at the living room. I have visions of lushness out here once it gets warmer; multiple plants in blue and aqua pots, and if I can find one to fit, a swing chair. Then on summer evenings, fairy lights. Maybe even some bunting. A couple of nice wooden chairs, a table. Cocktails. Eating outdoors. Well, I’m doing that already. I just have to wrap up and eat quick! And that decking needs some attention; some of it’s starting to look worryingly rotten. Any advice?

In a very cheating sort of way, this photo is from the estate agent’s particulars and is therefore not what it looks like now. You can see the sea in the distance, although it’s closer than this photo suggests, but it gives an idea of how lovely it’ll be when I’ve got in there with my somewhat light green fingers. And that’s the kitchen window on the right; I really want a window box to grow herbs in!

Here’s the kitch. In my dreams the cupboards are off white and the sideboards wood, but this is ok and everything works so we’re good. I’ve never had an electric hob before {man! It does not want to be clean!} but am still managing to feed myself. I really love the shelves above the sink too. That painting on the left is the first big piece of art I ever bought and is by Daniel Ablitt.

The front door is on the right and that archway leads through to the two bedrooms, the main bathroom and the stairs that go up to the studio. When I can pull all the necessary parts together {and possibly someone to make it for me}, I’m going to hang a big blackboard in a frame to the right of the archway. I simply MUST have somewhere to write shit down! At the moment, that strange jutting out island thingy is groaning under the weight of a thousand post its. Both post its and strange jutting out island thingy will have to go.

You know, I wrote a list when I was flat hunting, on an A4 sheet of paper. I covered the entire sheet with my dream flat’s attributes. This flat is missing TWO. One was a working fireplace {which I don’t want any more because I want to be looking OUT of the window}, and one was an eat in kitchen {why? I hate dinner parties and my little kitchen is easy to clean and is like a freaking tardis. I haven’t even filled all the cupboards.}

So big up the property manifesting skills. Now I just need to apply them in certain other areas…

Next week/time/instalment {depends when I feel like doing it; this post took bloody ages to put together!}: The bedrooms and bathrooms.

I hope this was at least 10% as fun for you as it is for me to share it; if the art is why you’re here I promise there’s plenty coming!