blog, Collaborations, INTERIORS

The Power of the Humble Rug (*In Collaboration with Kukoon Rugs)

Hi there!

Second blog post of 2021 and it’s still only January! (Touching my forehead to make sure I’m feeling ok!!!) One of my goals is to be more present over here this year…we are off to a great start!

So, lets talk rugs…

I have seen in Rose Cottage just how effective popping a rug down can be at transforming the look and feel of a space – it is safe to say I am a total rug convert! For many, rugs can seem like a bit of an afterthought; but for me, I feel it can be the making or breaking of a room. It anchors and grounds furniture and room layouts, provides colour, texture and warmth as well as adding layers to soften and draw the eye.

Here are some tips on how to choose the perfect one for your home –

1. Go big or go home!

My number one tip is to go as big as possible when choosing a rug. This will give your space a luxury feel and instantly make the room appear bigger. Putting too small a rug down will cause it to get lost in the space and create a ‘floating’ rug look, where it is in the middle of the room with no furniture near it.

2. Pick the perfect spot

Rug placement is absolutely vital to the overall look of your rug in a room. As a rule of thumb, your rug should ground your furniture – place the front legs or feet onto the rug and the back legs off.

See an example of this below and how much better the layout looks with the larger rug and furniture’s front feet placed on top of it – rather than ‘floating’ in the middle.

3. Create a focal point

Use the rug as a focal point – whether that’s choosing something bold or slightly more neutral. A rug will help draw the eye, even if its not to the rug itself but to the overall area. A rug is also a great way to introduce a different or a pop of colour to your room – so don’t be afraid to experiment!

4. Design from the rug up

When you find a rug that you really love – design your room around it. If you pick a statement rug, you can chose to go with more neutral furniture and décor – letting the rug speak for itself; or you can use some of the tones and patterns from it throughout the room.

5. Match your lifestyle

Don’t invest in an expensive rug if your lifestyle doesn’t depict it… kids and animals mean that light coloured, hard to clean rugs are a big no no.

My recent (very early) Spring Living Room update came together after falling in love with this huge 240x330cm rug from Kukoon Rugs, which I have linked here – https://www.kukoonrugs.com/pink-grey-bordered-framed-living-room-rug-milan

They have also generously given Home at Rose Cottage followers 10% off using the discount code rosecottage10

If your room is lacking something, why not try adding a rug?

Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!

blog, INTERIORS

Upcycling a much loved piece of furniture

Hello there!

And a very Happy New Year! 2020 was definitely not the year of the blog over here (!!!!) but I am really hoping this will change in 2021.

I am kicking off the new year with an upcycling project which has been on my to do list for months! This little chair was given to us a while back by my Mother-in- Law; it originally belonged to Ash’s Granny. I absolutely love having furniture in our home which previously belonged to someone else; it normally comes with a story which makes it so much more special. This chair just needed a lick of paint and some new cushions to make it feel right at home in Rose Cottage.

This is the chair before I got my hands on it…

As you can see it needed some love and wasn’t in keeping with our home décor style.

I started by giving it a good wipe down with some Thieves Household Cleaner and an old cloth.

Once it was clean, I painted it with Ronseal 2 in 1 Primer and Paint in Pure Brilliant White. What I love most about this paint is that you don’t need to do any preparation… Hence why the majority of the furniture in my house is painted using this! It goes on so well and takes no time at all. I gave the chair frame 2 thin coats of paint.

I chose to cover the cushions with Emma Bridgewater fabric (surprise surprise!!!), which makes them tie in to the rest of the décor perfectly!

Now there’s a beautiful spot to read a book if ever I seen one…

Are there any upcycling projects you are hoping to get ticked off the (never ending!!) list this year?

Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing!

blog, Collaborations, INTERIORS

Autumn Update in Collaboration with Bronte by Moon

Hi there!

I am back!!…From my longest (and most unintentional) blogging break ever! I feel like I’ve really neglected things over here and am now on a mission to correct it; starting with telling you all about my latest collaboration! I received the most beautiful pure new wool throw and two cushions from Bronte by Moon, which feel right at home here in Rose Cottage. I have been adding autumnal décor around the house since the end of September and these pieces have complimented the living area perfectly.

Bronte throws and cushions are lovingly made using the finest materials available, ensuring a luxurious soft handle. Their mill has been producing quality wool fabrics since 1837 and I feel honoured to have pieces from their Bronte By Moon collection in Rose Cottage. The Moon Mill is based in Guiseley, Yorkshire and they are now one of Great Britain’s last remaining vertical woollen mills. The soft colours in this throw and cushion set would fit perfectly into your home at any time of the year and carry you throughout the seasons.

How stunning is the fringing and button details on the cushions?

You can check out the full collection via their website https://www.brontebymoon.co.uk/ using the discount code AUTUMNJM for an amazing 20% off!

Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!

INTERIORS

Creating a Gallery Wall

Hello there!

How are you all keeping? I hope lockdown is treating you well, or as well as can be!  I’m still working away, trying to get the jobs ticked off the never ending list and have now moved onto the hall.

Almost a year ago we had a family photo shoot in a local forest park to where we live. You can see the photos here Autumn photo Shoot (in Collaboration with Cathy Dwyer Our Wildest Days Photography)  I have been meaning to get some of the photos printed out and displayed in Rose Cottage, but I don’t know about you…I never get round to printing out photos!! If you have looked at all the beautiful photos which Cathy took, you will understand how difficult it was to only pick a couple.  I decided the best way to get as many up as possible was to create a gallery wall.

So here’s how I pulled it together…

Firstly, your gonna need:

Photos – I ordered mine from Free Prints (this is an app for your phone)  The size I chose were 12×8.

Photo frames (preferably with mounts) I ordered mine from https://www.framesbypost.com/  I went for size 16×12, black frame with white mount.

Wall nails and hooks

Large piece of paper

Measuring tape

Pen

I started by getting a large piece of paper the size of the wall space I was wanting to fill.  I then measured and marked the middle of the paper.  I used this mark to measure out the placement of all the frames.

I started with the middle 2 frames and placed those first.  Once I measured and had them in position I drew round the frames.  I then did the same for the outer frames.

Once I drew round all the frames on the paper, I stuck the page onto the wall using bluetac.

I then measured how far the hook was from the top of the frame and marked this onto the paper and put a nail and hook there.

The large piece of paper was then removed from the wall and I hung the frames.

When creating a gallery wall, if you would like to create a simple and uniform look like mine, choose the same size, shape and colour of frames.  Also use photos which have a similar theme or colour.

It’s as simple as that! As always any questions please get in touch!

Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!

Jill

INTERIORS, LIFESTYLE

Kitchen Lock Down List

Hello there!

Hope you are getting on well with lock down life?! It’s been a bit of rollercoaster over here but I’ve been trying my best to plough on with the never ending list of jobs!  What has really been helping me keep motivated is making lists.  If you follow me over on Instagram you will have seen that I have been going round Rose Cottage making a list of jobs for each room.  This has helped make the whole thing seem more achievable for me and giving me a real focus.  I started with the kitchen; my favourite room in the house and the one I spend the most time in (especially since lock down and having to make approximately 1,652 meals a day!!!).  The list for the kitchen alone was 2 pages long and included things like repainting furniture, defrosting the freezer and deep cleaning the cupboards. The (universal) kitchen lock down list went down a storm when I shared it over on Instagram, so thought I would share it over here too along with a few hints and tips.  So here goes…

  1.  Make a list (or use mine below) of the jobs you want to complete

 

2. Think about your storage solutions

Having the right storage in place in your kitchen can really help you to organise and make the most of the space you have.  Baskets are your best friend, I most use the Curver range (available in Tesco) and use them for food, cleaning products and lunchboxes.

 

I also love the Ikea plastic storage solutions, especially for dog food, treats and cereal.

 

I like to reuse plastic food containers where I can.  The little trays which fruit comes in are great as separators for organising your drawers.  Keeps everything nice and tidy and also reduces waste – what’s not to love?!

 

3. Deep Clean

Here’s what I use and how I clean the following:

Washing Machine

Take out the powder drawer and soak in the sink for 10 minutes in hot water and fairy liquid.  Give the compartment a good clean with white vinegar and bicarb of soda.  I use this little tool – a Sonic Scrubber to get right in there.  Put the drawer back in and place a cupful of white vinegar into it.  Give the drum, door and seal a good wipe down with a damp cloth.  Put a cupful of bicarb into the drum and run on the hottest wash your machine does.

Dish Washer

Top up your dishwasher salt and rinseaid first, then put a small bowl of white vinegar in the top shelf.  Run on the hottest wash.

Sink

Sprinkle bicarb of soda around your plug, add a capful of white vinegar.  Leave for 10 minutes, then wash away with hot water.  Then add a few drops of essential oil for a beautiful smell!

Oven

I am trying to reduce the amount of heavy duty harmful cleaning products I use in my home, but still to find anything as good as Mr Muscle for cleaning the oven.  I always take the racks and spray them outside, leaving them to soak for 30 minutes.

Cooker Hood

Take out the filters and soak in a sink full of boiling water, white vinegar and fairy liquid for 10 minutes. Leave to dry fully before refitting.

Microwave

Place a bowl of warm water and a few drops of lemon essential oil into the microwave for 2 minutes. Wipe down all surfaces.

Descale Kettle

Put into kettle 100ml white vinegar, 400ml water, 3 drops of lemon essential oil and boil.  Leave to sit for an hour, rinse, wipe and reboil.

Tiles and Grout

Using the Sonic Scrubber and some Cif I clean all the grout and then wipe down all the tiles with warm water.

4. Spend time planning your kitchen work tops

I wrote a blog on kitchen styling which has some fab practical tips on making your kitchen work for you!

Read it here: Styling your kitchen worktops

5. Don’t rush it!

You will never do all of this list in a day, make a plan to do it over the period of a week;  This makes it more realistic to achieve.  Plan to tick off a few jobs per day.

Let me know how you get on with your lockdown lists and any tips you have on keeping motivated!

Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!

INTERIORS

DIY Panelling

Hello there!

Now that we have lots of time in the house, what better way to fill your time than getting on with some DIY?! (Hubby’s round the country now regretting all those jobs they said they would do when they have some spare time!!!)  We are finally getting round to the bedroom makeover which is slowly coming together; I’ve had to scale down the plans a little due to not being out and about – which Ash is delighted with!

As with any room makeover in Rose Cottage I spend hours on Pinterest, pinning all the inspo and images I love.  Then I look for themes and ideas which reoccur and stick with those.  Panelling was something which kept coming up again and again.  I have already tackled some DIY panelling previously in the bathroom (you can see that here ) so was confident in giving it a go again myself.

Here’s a simple step by step guide on how I created one wall of panelling in our bedroom:

First, I measured the whole wall horizontally.  It was 338cm.

img_0786I then marked the wall at the height I wanted the panelling to be (I went for the panelling look which goes roughly 3/4 up the wall).  This was 140cm.

img_0793

I decided I would like 6 panels across my wall so to work out the distance between each panel I divided the length of the wall by 6.  So 338 divided by 6 which equalled 56.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The wood I chose was 6mm thick MDF which I bought from B&Q.  They have a fab service instore where they cut a large MDF board into any length you would like!

To make my panelling I needed:

1 piece 338cm x 5cm (this was made up from 2 pieces)

5 pieces 140cm x 5cm

The total of this was £10.20! Total bargain don’t you think?!

I marked the wall the whole way along at 56cm intervals on the top of the skirting board and 140cm up the wall; This was to help me place the vertical strips as straight as possible.    I used no more nails to attach the strips of wood onto the wall – this was so simple to do, I didn’t need any help at all! So if I can do it, you can too!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Once I had attached all the vertical pieces of wood, I placed the horizontal pieces on top.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI used some filler to cover the joins.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Then painted! As simple as that!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

image

Honestly I cannot tell you how easy this is to do and it completely changes the room!  The cost and effort is so minimal! Id love to hear if you give it a go too!

Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!

Jill

INTERIORS

Creating a Plate Wall

Hello there!

If you’ve been following along with my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a massive Emma Bridgewater fan! As my collection grows, I’ve been trying to think of ideas to have as much as I can on display (much to the hubby’s delight!!).

My latest idea was to create a wall full of plates with some of my favourite pieces. I wanted to get them out of the back of my cupboard and onto display.

I started by sticking together some blank pages the size of the space I wanted to fill.

I then painted the wooden letters with some tester pots of paint. I picked the letters up from Hobbycraft and used a different style for each letter to create more of a feature.

I placed the letters and plates onto the blank page to create the pattern I wanted.

I drew round them all with a pencil.

I then stuck the page up onto the wall.

I used a screwdriver to mark the wall where each plate would go.

I took down the page, and put a wall plug, (it was plaster board) and a screw with washers into the holes marked. The washer was to give the hook on the back of my plate a little more to hold on to (and to settle my nerves!!!).

After lots of research these plate hangers from Amazon came out on top for reliability. I picked up a pack with a variety of sizes.

I then matched the size of the hanger to the plate size and following the instructions on the back to secure them.

Now the nervous part (!!!) … I started to hang the plates onto the screws with washers.

I attached the letters using ‘no more nails’.

And here’s the finished result! It really was as simple as that!

Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!

Collaborations, INTERIORS

How to create a cosy home for your family (In Collaboration with Pilkington Glass)

Hello there!

Happy New Year!

With the temperatures falling dramatically over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been peaking out of Rose Cottage each morning hoping for some snowy scenes! This time of year the oil bill seems to go through the roof with heating on pretty much 24/7, but I cannot help but love the colder weather!  For me, there is nothing better than being snuggled up inside, roasty toasty under a blanket, in front of the fire, and it being icy cold outside.

In the Winter, your home tends to become your sanctuary more than any other time.  Coming home from work to a cosy house, making dinner and then surrounding yourself with candle light and early nights.  Home is definitely where the heart is, but even more so at this time of year, so I thought I would share with you my favourite ways to beat the chill and make your home feel extra cosy:

Pick the Right Windows

Make sure the windows you have are working overtime to do everything they can to keep as much heat in as possible.  If you are thinking of replacing your windows, consider a glazing that will reduce heat loss – for example a glass from the Pilkington K Glass range or Pilkington Optitherm range is ideal glass for inner pane of a double glazing unit to keep the heat in.  Alternatively, Pilkington Energikare is a double glazing unit which not only reflects heat back into the room it also allows free heat from the sun to pass through the glass, known as passive solar gain.  As well as being more energy efficient, the correct windows can have a great impact on the aesthetics of your home.  Even upgrading just the glass in your windows to the latest low-e glass and retaining the existing frames can also help to give extra warmth to your home especially in the Winter. 

Stock up on the Home Comforts

Get the fancy candles out (the ones you keep for the visitors!!) and light them to create a soft ambient glow.  Pop on your silky PJs and the cashmere socks to lounge in front of the roaring fire.  We typically spend more time at home at this time of year so why not invest in some items to make coming home that extra bit special.

Go for the best bedding

I don’t know about you but I really struggle to get out of bed these mornings…especially when it’s so warm and cosy under the sheets!  This time of year calls for early nights and lazy mornings so make your bedroom a place you never want to leave with beautiful bedding and thick down duvets.

Bellies full of the Yummiest Food

Salads just don’t cut it when the temperature drops; instead chose healthy, hearty recipes such as cottage pies, stews or anything with a ton of carbs!! Hoke out your slow cooker, pop it on in the morning and come home from work to some yummy home cooked goodness.

Think about Thermal Insulation Glass

Replacing the heat loss through your windows can be expensive so why not install some energy efficient windows like these ones from Pilkington.  It’s so important to try and keep your carbon footprint small where we can and one step can be to improve the energy efficiency of your home.

If you have any other tips on how to keep your home cosy I’d love to hear them!

Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!

Jill

 

 

Collaborations, INTERIORS

A Festive Project (In Collaboration with Ronseal)

Hi there!
There is nothing more I love than having a little project on the go…and thankfully my Dad is always on hand to help bring the crazy ideas to reality! Ronseal got in touch and challenged us to create something for Winter using some products from their range. I’ve had some wooden Christmas trees pinned on my Pinterest board for quite some time and now was the perfect opportunity to get them one out of my phone and into Rose Cottage! 
When planning the project I knew I would be using both wood and metal, so chose the Ronseal stays white 2 in 1 primer and paint in gloss pure brilliant white.  This paint is super easy to use as you don’t need a separate primer and only 1 coat is required. It’s also drip resistant so is quick to apply. 
Here’s what we used:
1 tin of Ronseal stays white 2 in 1 primer and paint in gloss pure brilliant white
4 lengths of wood 
Metal tree stand
Wooden log
Nails 
Baubles and fishing wire to decorate 
Firstly we cut the wood to size. The larger triangle is 5ft by 3ft and the smaller triangle is 4.5ft by 2.5ft. 
Then screwed them together into 2 separate triangle shapes.
I painted the metal base and wooden triangles with the Ronseal paint which glided onto both surfaces like a total dream! I used an old rag to rub a little bit of the paint off to give a more white washed look. 
We then assembled the trees, screwing them on the base log using a small wooden slice to separate the triangles; Then set it into the metal base.
I dressed the wooden tree using some glass baubles hung with fishing wire.
We couldn’t be happier with how it turned out and spending time with Dad to complete it was just lovely! 
What projects have you been up to over the festive period? I’d love to hear them and give Dad something else to add to the ever growing list of Rose Cottage jobs!!! 
Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!

INTERIORS

5 tips to Capture the Perfect Interior Shot

Hello there!

Over 3 years ago I started my Instagram journey when we were renovating Rose Cottage.  Interior design was never really my thing until I started to make decisions about the inside of our home…Queue me spending hours upon hours scrolling through Pinterest for ideas and to try and find my style!  I began to share photos of our redecoration and found a real love for staging interior images.  I didn’t attend any fancy photography courses instead just picked things up and improved (slightly!!!) along the way!  There has been a lot of trial and error to get where I am and even still I feel theres loads more room to grow.

I have to say, there are no rules, only loose guidelines that you can follow to take a good photo.  It really all comes down to finding your OWN style.  Personally I love light and bright shots, others may prefer dark and moody – its entirely up to you!
1. Use natural light (whenever possible!)
Get the lights turned off to avoid bad shadows.  I also don’t use a flash – I feel natural light always gives the best outcome.

2. Edit every single photo
Software to edit your images will enhance them and retrieve the best results.  I like Snapseed as its quick and easy to use.

3. Keep your lines straight
Watch your lines when your taking interior shots and keep them as straight as you can.  Using a tripod with a bubble level can really help with this.  Keeping your camera at chest height, between the ceiling and floor is a good way to capture over the table and countertops.


4. Overcast days are your best friend!

The minute you see some clouds get your house tidied and the camera out!  The clouds function as a large softbox creating lovely soft shadows.

5. Stage carefully
The best shots are always carefully staged.  Hide all those plugs and ugly cables, basically anything that is not intended for decorative purposes.  Photoshop is also great for editing out those unwanted light switches etc.

There’s definitely a lot more hints and tips I’m sure I’ve missed here so if you’ve any questions please come over to @homeatrosecottage on Instagram – I’d love to hear from you over there! 

Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!