I know I mentioned that we were starting from the bottom up when it came to our kitchen remodel, as in starting with the underfloor heating and slate tiles.  However, there may just be a slight change of plans there.

I can’t actually express to you how exciting this little find for us was.

Now I was going to type something about getting excited about 9 inches.  Yeah.  Then I realised how umm… sorted that sounded.  I mean, you don’t come here for filth do you?  You come here for a bit of inspiration (I hope) and to find out what we are working on and to hear me waffle about the weird things that go through my head sometimes.  But yeah, get your mind out of the gutter… we’re not talking about THOSE kinds of inches. This is not that kind of blog.

We are talking about these ones…

Room height inches.  

Kitchen ceiling inches to be precise.

When it comes to inches, the more, in my book, the merrier and size really DOES matter. (I know, more penis jokes.  I can only apologise.  I’m actually only 13 years old in my head.)

I have always had a real thing for high ceilings.  It was one of the reasons that a Victorian or Edwardian house was high on the list of priorities when we were looking at houses because they tend to come with glorious room heights (our house, built in 1906, would be considered Edwardian).  To put it in perspective, when I moved to Manchester and into W’s “new build” home, the ceilings there were, shall we say, diminutive at just 7ft tall.  Having lived in a Victorian flat with 11ft ceilings previous to this move, it was a slight shock.  I felt like I had moved into a cave (albeit with a very sexy caveman but that’s not my point).  Modern build houses in Britain have a lot to answer for.

Happily, we’ve got lovely 9ft 2″ ceilings in almost every room in our home except for two: the bathroom (which needs a complete overhaul eventually) and the kitchen.

I was sat in the dining room the other day, clicking away on my laptop as I am want to do and I looked at the difference between the ceiling heights in the kitchen and the dining room.

It was very hard not to notice the huge difference between them.  I brought it up to W.  “Why do you think it would be like that?”  He pulled out our trusty tape measure.  Indeed, there was a difference of 12″.

We started doing a little poking around.  He pulled out one of the spotlights and using a flashlight, peered inside the space above it.  I could see from the light of the torch, another ceiling above it through the little hole.

It wasn’t a massive difference, mind you.  It wasn’t quite the height of the dining room.  But there was definitely space.  We stuck the measuring tape inside – a whole 9″ sat above a false ceiling conspicuously, doing seemingly nothing.

Bingo.

I looked at him tentatively and in my mind, a thousand thoughts swirled around my head.  We could have higher ceilings in here.  And rip out all that ugly spot lighting.  And I could have pendants.  And maybe even more open shelving.  And, and, and…

“It’s a lot of work, isn’t it?” I tried to sound nonchalant.  I tried to hide my excitement.

W knew my mind was in overdrive.  “Yes, it’s a lot of work.  And it’d be a mess as well.”  He continued poking the torch around at different angles, trying to get a better view of what was actually up there.

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” I nodded, trying to hide my disappointment.

I needed to accept the ceilings as they were.  That our little treasure would remain hidden and unseen.  That it was too much work to take an entire ceiling down.  Too much mess.  I mean, we didn’t even know what we were going to find if we started ripping it down.

W looked down at me, still precariously balancing on the top of our little stepladder.  “We have to do it.”

“Really?” I smiled.

“We can’t not.”

I think I might possibly have squealed and jumped up and down and maybe even clapped my hands like an excited child.

Sooooo….  here’s the problem.  Well, you didn’t expect this to be EASY now, did you?

The ceiling lying above our drop ceiling is covered in artex.  Like properly swirly lets-get-jiggy-70’s-stylee artex with thick jagged bits that come at you like so much gnashing teeth.  We’re going to have to figure out how to rectify that.

I also thought I had more time to choose my lighting but I’ve practically had to wrestle the mallet out of W’s hand, he’s so eager to start tearing the kitchen to bits (what is it with men and the need to destroy stuff?).  When we take down the ceiling, we lose the spot lights so something needs to go in its place fairly quickly. I’ve got a few ideas for lighting swirling through my mind so I’ll come to that in another post.

In the meantime, the kitchen will get a big hole cut into it this weekend so that we can get a better look at what awaits us. Fingers crossed it doesn’t look like this… (Go on and click that link but don’t say I didn’t warn you.)

My apologies for the night time pictures.  This is unfortunately the result of  blogging at night.

Image credits 1, 2, 3. All other images my own.


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Swoon Worthy
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Meet Kimberly
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Amara IBA19 Winner Home Styling
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Ad (Press Sample) There are few kitchen products that are considered absolute classics but there is one that I have lusted after for YEARS and that is the utterly iconic @lecreusetuk large casserole pot. 🤩

For nearly a century, Le Creuset has been trusted for its superior performance, lasting quality and iconic design and the enamelled cast iron allows incredible versatility - not only can you use it with just about any heat source (from induction, glass, electric etc), you can also do everything from stir-fry to slow cooking to baking a cake in it and more. 

So, imagine my delight when Le Creuset got in touch to ask if I'd like to shoot their brand new colourway 🍑 Pêche 🍑 in my kitchen. I mean, there couldn't be a more perfect colour match with that juicy coral shade which if you've followed my account for any length of time, you'll know is one of my all-time favourites (not to mention that beautiful soft gold knob! 😍). The matching petite casserole dish and mugs are the perfect companions but you could easily mix and match this colourway with Le Creuset's other designs (Might I suggest the Sea Salt, a soft blue-green which would be gorgeous with Pêche). This new juicy summer shade is currently available exclusively at Le Creuset Official. I'd love to know which colourway is your favourite in the range?

#lecreuset #kitchendesign #kitchenstyling #kitchinspo #victorianhome #englishhome
My little neglected makeup/dressing room has had a glow up 🥰

#swoonworthy #beforeandafter #dressingroom #makeupvanity #closetgoals
My new rug can't compete with that belly.

Rug is from @laredoute_uk (not an ad) not that anyone cares 😅

#kitchendesign
I've really loved making these pretty reusable Christmas crackers! I'm still in the process of finding cute bits for filling them but they'll definitely be a centrepiece for my table this year!🎄💕

Suggestions for what to fill them with coming soon!

(By the way, I'm not a skilled seamstress so I'm sure my techniques can be improved but just sharing what worked for me 🤗😅)

Let me know if this is something you'd try? ❤️

#swoonworthy #christmasdecor #christmascraft #diychristmas #diycrafts #easysewingproject
On 22 October 2022, I married my best friend! I can't believe it's been a whole year (and one day) I've been calling @2nilup my husband 🥰 We've been together for 15 years now and I simply can't and wouldn't want to imagine my life without him ❤️ 

#youandmeagainsttheworld #2222 

Photography: @violajayphotography 
Flowers: @primroseavenuefloral 
Dress: @camillawithlove
DIY REFILLABLE CHRISTMAS CRACKERS 🎄🎉

I've been thinking about making refillable crackers for so many years now - I just hate the waste the disposal ones create! So I'm so excited I've finally gotten around to starting this project!

I will be sharing more details on how to make them as well as ideas for what to fill them with too so stay tuned for more but in the meantime, what do you think? 

#swoonworthy #diychristmas #christmasdecor #christmascraft #easysewingproject #sustainableliving #ecofriendlyliving
Just wanted to introduce my latest plant baby in my dining room 🪴

It's from @botanique_shrewsbury and it's a Peparomia (I am probably pronouncing it wrong, I keep wanting to say
GUEST BEDROOM REVEAL 🌟

I decided on a whim, 2 weeks before we were expecting visiting family, that our guest bedroom was in desperate need of a refresh.

Well there's nothing like an impending deadline to light a 🔥 under my 🍑 and I managed to clear out the clutter, repaint the woodwork, ceilings and walls and hang wallpaper as well as restyle the room in one week 😅 (Meisha was zero help 😼)

I'm calling it Boho Vintage Victorian Grandma 😆

This wasn't sponsored in any way but the wallpaper and bedding is from @lauraashleyuk and the paint is @earthbornpaints Peach Baby - everything else I already had!

What do you think of the new look? ❤️

#bedroombeforeandafter #guestroom
#bedroommakeover
#beforeandafter
#bedroomdecor #cottagecore #vintagestyle #victorianhouse #ihavethisthingwithpink #bengalsofinstagram
🔥JOIN US ROUND THE FIRE PIT! 🔥

ad | One of my favorite things to do in summer is sit around the fire pit in the evenings with a cold beer 🍻 There's just something incredibly relaxing watching those flames and embers crackle, warming yourself up and taking the edge off falling temperatures as the sun sets!

Thanks to @homefireuk they've made the whole process incredibly easy and enjoyable with their Handy Firepit Bundle which include 2 bags of kindling, 2 bags of natural firestarters and 3 large bags of kiln-dried logs 🪵 for a really great price! 

No more standing around waiting for things to light properly or billowing smoke from wet wood, everything burns beautifully! ☺️ We literally sat around this for hours as the logs last so long, long after the sun set, just chatting and enjoying ourselves! 🥰🍻🔥

Do you love a good firepit in the summer?

#homefire #readytoburn #smokelessbyhomefire #heartofyourhome #logsbyhomefire #summerideas #firepit #gardenideas
San Sebastian photo dump - just a tiny selection 😄

We have had such a fabulous holiday to Basque Country - our first 4 days spent in the beautiful city of San Sebastian, land of pintxos, stunning architecture and some damn good wine.

#sansebastian #travelgram #photodump
A little kitchen reshuffle today so I thought I'd share 🥰

It's been 4 years since we created this space and it's still one of my favourites ♥️

#kitchendesign #kitchendecor #kitcheninspiration #kitchenideas #openshelvingkitchen #kitchenstyling
Ad 🩷 Before and after Deck makeover! 🩷

This little decked patio was looking worse for wear after a wet winter but @frenchicpaint came to the rescue with their beautiful Dusty Blush Alfresco Paint, perfect for all your outdoor projects!

The deck has been a few colours over the past few years but this is definitely the most fun and gives the whole space such a tropical vibe - even in Shrewsbury! 🏝️ 🦩🍹😄

The paint has incredible coverage and was so nice to use - I loved the tools they provided too, especially the oval brush which got into all the nooks and crannies easily!

Let me know what you think of the new colour! 

#frenchicpaint #beforeandafter #deckmakeover #gardeninspiration #gardeninspo #outdoorproject
So on a whim I decided to paint the bedroom pink yesterday 😅🩷

This room has been neglected for so long as I've wanted to fully redecorate for about 3 years now but there are always other bigger priorities or a lack of time/energy/money so I keep putting it off 🙃🙃🙃 (tell me I'm not the only one) but happily this didn't cost a penny as I used what I already had although it did take me the best part of a day!

I went through my paint stash and found that I had extra @coatpaints Percy from when I did the living room early last year -- well I'm not one to let something this good go to waste (honestly this paint is absolutely wonderful to work with and has amazing coverage) and my goodness it's just so pretty in here 🥰 I also moved my pink curtains from my office into here and the whole room just glows!

I might actually be able to live with the mural a little longer until the room gets the attention it deserves! Let me know if you like the change ♥️

*For those who are wondering, it used to be white walls and I had grey curtains! 😅

#swoonworthy #bedroomdecor #bedroommakeover #bedroomdesign #pinkpinkpink #pinkinteriors
A little photo dump from my recent living room shoot because I still love to dig into the details of a still photo 😄💕

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #photodump
ad How to De-stress at Home in 6 Simple Steps 😊

April has been #stressawarenessmonth and so I've teamed up with the wonderful @frenchbedroom to share a few simple tips in creating a cosy sanctuary at home!

One of my favourite ways to add a feeling of comfort and relaxation is with glorious touchable textures and the stunning Mulberry Silk ruffled cushion from French Bedroom not only looks spectacular but feels incredible too! Pairing this with other feel-good fabrics will add depth to your design and will beg you to sink in and unwind 😍

French Bedroom are also now stocking my own home fragrance brand @swoonworthyscents candles, adding another element of calm with scent to your home. I chose No 02 Sunday Morning for my living room with rejuvenating Jasmine and refreshing pine and lemon notes 🥰

Check out my latest blog post for more tips on creating a relaxing sanctuary in your home via the link in my bio!

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #frenchbedroom #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #calming #aesthetic #cottagecoreaesthetic
Who needs pancakes when you can have Lemon Drizzle Cake with Lemoncello glaze?! 😉🍋

I've had such a craving for this cake for a while so figured I'd make it today! This is a recipe from @bbcgoodfood and it's rather gorgeous 🥰

#baking #lemondrizzle #lemoncake #bakewithlove #shrovetuesday
Are you lucky enough to be owned by a cat? 🐈🐾

#bengallove #bengalsofinstagram #bengalcat #bengal #catsofinstagram #catlife
Finally managed to get the gallery wall completed in our hallway!

I couldn't have been happier with @violajayphotography capturing our little intimate wedding in October and knew as soon as I saw the photos I had to print them for our home! I admit, I've never been one to hang photos but it's probably because all we ever had after 14 years together was selfies 😂🤷🏽‍♀️ I'm so pleased we finally have some lovely shots of us together 🥰

Do you have photos of you/your partner/your family up around your home?? 🤔

#gallerywall #autumnwedding #hallwaydesign #hallwayinspo
✨These little vintage copper pans needed some TLC! ✨

After searching for a while for vintage copper pans, I found these on eBay - they looked quite grim on the ad but I knew they could be shined up nicely! A little @barkeepersfriend later (not an ad!) and I'm loving how they look in my kitchen 🥰

Let me know if you like the new addition ❤️

#kitcheninspo #kitchendesign #vintagestyle #kitchenstyling
Oh hey living room, nice to have you back ☺️

I always feel very ready to remove the excess of Christmas decor pretty much as soon as the 26th arrives but I've been later than usual this Twixmas as we've both been unwell the last couple weeks 🤦🏽‍♀️ Nevertheless, I've managed to get things packed away and I styled this little faux arrangement today for my coffee table so ya know, small victories 😄🙌🏽

#livingroom #livingroominspo #fauxflowers #coffeetabledecor