Sunday 28 November 2010

Be My Guest


I'm much too hungover to put any photos of myself up today so I thought you might like a little peek around our house. The hippies enamel sign on the wall outside the front door was from a boot sale but there's loads of them on eBay.


I never thought any house of mine would have boring old white walls but this "Aged White" makes a perfect backdrop for the gypsy chandelier and the retro prints.


I made the cushion covers from vintage silk scarves.


The coffee table is made from a Rajasthani antique door
 

The hallway. I can't resist a Union Jack if I spot one at a car boot sale.


An Ikea-free zone.


I love Portmerion's 1960's Greek Key printed ceramics, some of these were my parent's. The oak shelf was a boot sale find.


We're restoring an ancient Rayburn to fit in this gap.


When we've found the perfect table this will be the dining room one day.


My haven



Have I mentioned both the bathroom and the soon-to-be dining room are haunted? We've both seen a black cat that vanishes into thin air and several items have flown across the room and hit me. A young man took his own life in the house back in the 1920's.


My beloved Cole and Son flamingo wallpaper (eBay, naturally).


Isn't our 1960's ceramic towel holder a cutie?

My jewellery archive dressing table.



I've spent most of today in here. When will I ever learn?


One of my sewing shelves, with added kitsch.


The wall of misery.


What a beauty! Some of our friends think she's awful, how dare they?

Our wallpapered staircase. Have I mentioned my obsession with wallpaper? 


Normal service will be resumed tomorrow, strictly no alcohol for me tonight.

66 comments:

  1. I love everything about your house, particularly the bath and glass bricks in the bathroom. Hope your hangover lifts soon. I was suffering yesterday! xx
    http://www.weshopthereforeweare.co.uk/

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  2. where to start.......all inspired, the wallpapered stairs deserve special mention.......I love it, am definately suffering from house envy....your house!!

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  3. Adore this post Vix. I know I always go on and on about how much I love your house and interior, but I honestly I am forever inspired by you.
    It seems there is plenty of history and nostalgia in the building itself, combined with your immaculate collection of second hand treasures this makes for a completely unique home.
    The highlights for me- the kitchen shelves and cabinets, so naturally shabby, not any of this high street business.
    1960s ceramic towel holder -oh my how I adore this.
    Quirky wallpaper- simply divine
    Bedroom- so grand, reminds me of a old hollywood starlets home

    Thank-you for such wonderful glimpses of your home xx

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  4. Your home is so beautiful and unique. I love the ghost story and your bathroom looks like the perfect place to relax and so does your bed. xoxo

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  5. Its wonderful :) - there's a lady in our town who runs the florists - I just know the 2 of you would get on so well :)

    *the above was whispered so now to disturb your sore head too much ;)*

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  6. Vix, there is so much to love here that I can't contain myself with the excitement!! If I had to choose, my favourite things are the wallpapered stairs (fab idea) the wall of misery, your silk scarf cushions and your seemingly vast collection of jars and other ceramics in your kitchen (I too love the Portmerion's Greek key).

    Hope the hangover clears v soon.

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  7. oh my gosh, that 1960s towel holder is AMAZING! x

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  8. Lovely post Vix. I love your house! Can I come and house sit please? xxx

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  9. wow! your house is really wonderful!! and the cushions are so adorable *^_^*
    kiss

    http://ilfilodiperlevintage.blogspot.com/

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  10. Hehe, bad Vix! (I was the same last weekend!!)

    I love your house, and it's great to have history within the four walls.
    Love the bathroom the most!

    xx

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  11. Freakin' hell I adore each and every detail about your house,especially the wallpaper!!! And I love you being draped all over the place!
    poor baby,I know,we never seem to learn,but I bet you had a great time!! I drank a lot of bubbly on Sat night,and totally expected to be suffering along with you,but amazingly did not?! Bizzarre!!! Hair of the dog,love.That's all there is for it!
    LOVE you!! Helga xxxXXXxxx

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  12. hehehehehe you have me laughing again. Not a single boring corner in your house...wow.
    You should do guided tours hehehehehe
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

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  13. Your bedroom and hallway are just lovely x

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  14. Hmm as i may have mentioned before...I love flamingos! Feeling the need to track down that wallpaper :)

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  15. Wow, your house is beautiful!!! Particularly love your bathtub, bed and dressing table x

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  16. I LOVE everything ,what a paradise .I especially like the wallpaper on the stairs what a fantastic idea thank you for sharing your home with us.
    xx fee

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  17. I dont drink any more I lose the next day ,it got worse as I got older so I stopped and dont really miss it ,your home is so uniquelly wonderful ...love Jan xx

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  18. I agree with Sacramento - you should do guided tours! Go rescue people from the mindless tedium of Ikea and show them what they can achieve with a whole lot of style and inspiration!

    I love it all but my special faves are: The ceramic towel holder, the flamingo wallpaper and the papered stairs (god that is fabulous), the lady lamp (some people don't like it??? there's no accounting for taste eh?), the clock on the brick wall and YOU, camouflaged in the garden! Just gorgeous.

    Sarah xxx

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  19. you have a beautiful house Vix! I love your bathtub, looks very spacious. Eeek, haunted house! I got shivers down my spine.

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  20. Thank you so much for the tour of your amazing house and everything in it. So many amazing things and inspiration to be had in every corner. The wall of misery cracks me up every time and I love the wallpapering you've done.
    But I have to say I while I thought you were hard for swimming in winter, hard does not begin to describe how brave I think you are to live with a ghost, on top of that a ghost that throws things at you. I'm a big believer in ghosts and I would be out of there before the black cat had time to vanish!! You truly are amazing!

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  21. I love.your.bathroom. Don't get me started on haunted houses... Every house we have lived in except one has had a 'prescence' the scariest one being when my 3 year old girl started talking to another little girl and 'playing' with her. Research on the house revealed a 8 year old girl died in 1969 of leukeima.. We sold the house 2 months later, it really freaked me out. Our dear puddy cat who died last december and slept under our bed constantly i think is present in our house now, i often wake up in the night and hear her purring...I love the fact that animals make their prescence know xx

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  22. love the eclectic mix of your house. The flamingo wallpaper's fab. My friend has the same in her master bedroom behind an enourmous antique sleigh bed. I feel like a small child sat on their parents bed when I jump onto the end of it in the morning x

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  23. It's not stuff I would be allowed to have in the house (somewhat unadventurous hubby), but I love that you guys have totally gone for it - it's so 'you'. If it was just me, I would definitely decorate with your enthusiasm! Not sure I fancy spooks though - have been there, done that!

    If I had any alcohol in the house, I would have a big glass of wine for you after the day I've had x

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  24. Love everything (except the wall of misery, ha!). Particularly love the flamingo wallpaper, wallpapered stairs, 50s lady portraits, and your whole incredible kitchen. AND the lady's head lamp - I have been looking for one of those myself! Might go for a bunny lamp instead for now though, having found one for £25 less in another store ;)

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  25. Absolutely stunning and far too much fabulousness to pick anything out for individual mention!

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  26. I like the idea of a vanishing cat ghost but not the violent one, don't put any glass vases in there.
    But everything else rocks just like you.

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  27. I dont know what I love most, the crazy lady lamp, the stairs, but nope the wall of misery wins lol x

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  28. love the wallpaper on the stairs!! I too have had a hangover today, but I had work! Will I ever learn??? x

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  29. Don't remind me - I've done a cop out post tomorrow as I was hung over today after being out until 2:30am and then had a ten to 8 phone call asking me to work!!!

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  30. your such a dark magical Goddess in all your fotos..I love your cason(big house)..especially love the Tretchikoff frames..they are beautifully expensive..oh and I am in love with your beauty lamp..I am into wallpaper..everything is so mysteriously placed in the right corner..the misery is fave too. too..gracias for sharing your mansion with us..love ya.

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  31. your house is just as creative and glamorous as your wardrobe! i love the jewelry-topped dresser and bedecked chandalier! =)

    http://pinkchampagnefashion.blogspot.com/

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  32. I love your wallpapered stairs and the collection of mirrors over the fireplace.
    The wall of misery deserves a mention for the name alone!

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  33. Your house is so warm and charming, you live with pieces of art all around you, it must be very inspiring !

    http://selenite.weebly.com/

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  34. Very cozy and warm house you have! I'm really loving your bathroom, it looks very relaxing! :)

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  35. a beautiful lady needs a beautiful home. your home is not just beautiful, it's adorable, amazing, cute, ... it makes me green with envy!

    hope you're feeling better ... we will never learn. ; )

    wardrobexperience.blogspot.com

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  36. Ooooh I love when you post pictures of your house! My favourite part is the wall of misery, hands down. The wallpapered starcase is super amazing aswell!
    I wish I had a bath so bad! Stupid teeny damp flat haha. See how mature I can be sometimes?!

    x x x

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  37. Poor you! I just can't drink anymore, my hangovers are terrrrrible. I know what it's like to spend the day in bed...but it doesn't matter so much if it was worth it ;)
    I'd very much like to set up camp in your house, think I'd immediately feel at home. You're not looking for a house-sitter are you? Don't worry I'd leave the hubs and bubs at home! Ah, peace & quiet!!!

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  38. Ohh Vix, I am so in love with your house! Every nook and cranny is inspiring! LOVE the 1960's towel holder, too cute. Everything is amazing! More ghost stories, please! Ghosts excite and scare me, and I am grateful that I have never had in encounter with anything of the sort as i'd probably wee myself!

    xx

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  39. Do not what to focus on ... so much stuff in this post. Love all the pictures of YOU and that coffee table is very authentic Indian. Love your home V :)

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  40. Dear Vix, I absolutely love your house. The kitchen is gorgeous and the Rayburn will look fantastic in there. The flamingo wallpaper is inspired. Love all the wallpaper, love everything, there's nothing boring in the whole place. I too can't bear Ikea and own nothing from there.

    I'm dying for you guys to come and stay, we'll speak tomorrow and we must organise something when you're back from holiday.

    You never learn? I don't either. But at least we have fun!! xx

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  41. I wish my house was like this! There is so much wonderful aura here!

    Beautiful furniture, wonderful picture on the pillow, just PERFECT!! It's like a museum : )

    Thank you for stopping by, wish you a very wonderful day.

    Bicycle shaped ice-cream,
    Berlin

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  42. Here am I at my IKEA desk with my IKEA filing drawers and cupboards marvelling at your gorgeous treasures.....Fab.

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  43. So glad someone else in the blogging world behaves as badly as me! We really should know better at our age! Hope you're feeling better this morning Vix xxxx

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  44. Oh wow, I love the towel holder ,and the sillk scarf cushion covers you made are amazing! :)
    Your house is so YOU! xxx

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  45. I love the idea of the glass bricks over the bath, oh how I miss a bath :o(

    I love your taste, so eclectic just like ours!

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  46. Wow, such a beautiful house, I always love to see interior shots! I think those penguin bookends are the bomb!
    xxx Comtesse xxx

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  47. You have a gorgeous home...so nice to see all the little touches of "you" everywhere:)

    Stop by and say Hello:)
    Statements in Fashion Blog♥

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  48. De très jolies photos, et des looks parfait.
    Vous êtes très jolies à regarder.

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  49. SO

    when are you going to adopt me?

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  50. beautiful pictures! it is such a great house, and you look amazing! love this blog!


    stainsintheuniform.blogspot.com

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  51. Thank you for more peeks about your home, Vix! Every time you show us some decor glimpses, I see so many new(old) things and fun ideas and rich colors, and they all come together and are so *you*.

    I loe the silk scarf pillow cover idea. And golly, the Rajasthani door table is MAGNIFICENT, especially when laid out with a twinkling array of bites and drinks. We have a couple of quite fabulous c. 1928 dark wooden doors in our basement, removed by the previous owners so the floor plan was a bit more open. I've long thought of turning one of them into a table. I need to bookmark your entry here to show my husband as I try to sell him on the idea!

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  52. Thank you, I really enjoyed having a look around your home - I love your style - FAB!!!!!

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  53. love ur coffee table. next time I am in india, I am going to try find something similar:-)

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  54. Hope the head is feeling better now Vix!

    I absobloodylutely adore your house. If you ever want to sell it, do let me know. I can always rob a bank or something!

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  55. Dear Vixy,
    your home is a perfect reflection of your personality i.e. beautiful, fascinating & original.
    I think that if Mark & I weren't renting then we'd probably live in an IKEA free zone too.
    It would be a dream come true to be able to decorate & kit a house out like you've done yours & just really make it an individual home rather than just a house where you happen to live.
    I'd love to have big chunks of old furniture, Victorian velvet flocked wallpaper,grandly draped curtains, wooden floors with stunning oriental rugs scattered about and loads of tall houseplants…och well, one can dream!
    …xXx

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  56. Can I please have your house?

    I absolutely love all the beautiful pictures you have hanging here, there and everywhere. That lady head lamp is extraordinary. I've searched for lady head lamps on eBay many times but I've been unsuccessful so far.
    Your home is so special. You should open it up as a museum of Vixen!

    When we moved into our home we found some old papers including the land deed and documents of ownership from 1868 to present and 3 death certificates. Two of the deaths were in our house but from natural causes. We have never felt any presence here which I'm very happy about! (I'd be happy if we had a cat spirit roaming about) I did however come across a diary of a miner who lived in the area which dates from 1873. He kept a record of every major event or death etc in the local area and as I was skimming through the events I came across this.. Feb 15th, 1923 - Terrible drama at Guisborough, Wife and baby in pool of blood, Mrs Mitchell of 29, Bennison Street and 3 years old baby girl, woman cut baby's throat, then her own.. that is the house next door to us, I'm glad we dont live there!

    I love this post very much! We have been living here for less than a year and will be doing the house up from top to bottom. We have completed the bedroom so far but the rest of the house is definitely not to my taste. I can't wait to see it all coming together but it'll take a good few years! xx

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  57. I love your house!!

    ....don't suppose you need someone to house-sit for you while you're in India do you??? ;)

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  58. the tub is lovely! I'd have bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, stretch out and never leave!

    and I like the effect of the wallpapered staircase.

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  59. How did you manage to take all those great photos with a hangover?!!

    I love your style - you've made me fall in love with the 60's and 70's again - and I never thought I'd want to go back there. :-)

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  60. Love the stairs!
    Wonderful vintage furniture too (the table, kitsch mirrors/clocks, shelves, flag, chairs, cushion covers etc' etc' etc'!)- and all so tidy and beautifully arranged...

    ...I could never blog my flat unless it had a health warning about the mess!

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  61. Wow! How amazing!!!! I knew you had a fantastic taste but to see how everything works wonderfully together is fantastic!
    Very inspirational, I love your bathroom, the wall with the mirrors and the red chair, your bed, your new "table", all the cases and so many other bits and bobs... When I move I'll call you to be my decorator. xoxo

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  62. I really enjoyed seeing bits of your home. So beautiful in very way. I love your papered stairs and I laughed out loud that your wall of 60's/70's pics is called the wall of misery! I remember those pics as a kid in the 70's and asking my mum why we didn't have one and her saying "Because they're all so miserable!" You are a really inspiring person Vicky and I'm glad to have found you and your blog. Em x

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  63. Wow your house is amazing. It is heaven on Earth - so wonderfully different and creative. And your kitty cat!!!
    Thank You for your lovely comment on my blog - it brightened up my mood. And I`m really glad that you like my about me page - this is the first time I got any feedback on it.
    I`v been following your blog on bloglovin` for some time now, but never commented (as I thought you wouldn`t notice), so it was so nice to find a comment from you on my blog) Again, Thank You! I love your style and personality)

    >'.'<

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Thanks for reading and for leaving a message. Please don't be anonymous, I'd love it if you left a name (or a nom de plume).

Lots of love, Vix