Time to move...

So sadly with a growing family, we decided to leave the Waenhuis and move onto something a little bigger. After a long journey of looking for the perfect house we settled on a ranch style home with a large patio, huge kitchen, an extra bedroom and a rolling green garden. Our shabby chic furniture fitted perfectly. We love the space, from the multi-coloured hybrid rose bushes to the resident Jack sparrow that resides in a nest in the rafters of the roof. It is place that we have come to call home in a short space of time, it has fueled my passion for home interiors even more.

How Does Your Garden Grow

Fornasetti on Steel Grey

The most famous, the image that inspired Fornasetti to coin the title ‘Tema e Variazioni’, is the enigmatic face of a woman; the opera singer Lina Cavalieri.

He found that now iconic face as he leafed through a 19th century French magazine and became fascinated. Taking her as much as a muse and as a motif, he would return to Lina Cavalieri’s face again and again throughout his career. The archetypal classic female features, and enigmatic expression of Lina Cavalieri became Fornasetti’s most frequently used template and upon which he based more than 350 variations.

Lina Cavalieri’s face, explained Piero Fornasetti, was another archetype – a quintessentially beautiful and classic image. It was this formal, graphic appeal (rather than Lina Cavalieri’s celebrity) that demanded such loyalty and inspired the spontaneous and ceaseless creativity of Fornasetti. For him, this face became the ultimate enduring motif.

Baking

Cole's Bedroom

My little boy is 19 months old. I wanted his nursery to be in-line with the rest of the house - so I went about finding unique pieces for his nursery that are really special and one day can be passed down to him. We found an antique cot in Cullinan which we re-conditioned with lead-free spray paint. He is about to go into a 'big' bed and I'm going to use the cot as a reading corner for him - by removing one of the rails. His 'big' bed is a low French antique bed - we are collecting it this weekend - so I will update this post with new images. I also purchased a reconditioned chest of drawers - which we use as a changing table! His room is small, functional and very cosy.

Waenhuis - Reuse, Recycle and Reinvent

Kitchen Renovation

My husband and I have lived in the 'Waenhuis' for 3 years and after the arrival of our baby we toyed with idea of moving or staying in the house. After much debate and some serious unsuccessful house hunting - we decided to RENOVATE and restore our much loved 90 year old farmhouse. Our first project which I'm relieved is now complete was the KITCHEN! We decided to recycle and re-use our existing cabinetry - I found a carpenter who had a great understanding of how to paint technique cabinets. We also found a builder who was able to push back existing walls and raise the height of the ceiling boards. My husband and I have a passion for aesthetically pleasing design that is practical, so we went for an eclectic mix of finishes, exposed brick, cement, granite and porcelain tiles. We took the old and combined the new. I think the results speak for themselves. Our kitchen is bigger,has space for an additional appliance (a much needed dishwasher) and we have added value to the property.Below are some before and after images...Enjoy