Lavatory Project: Spots and stripes

This one isn’t for the faint hearted. It is rather bold, and if you’re of a delicate nature then I advise sunglasses. Just like my dad when he took me to Abba: The Movie, which I’ve just had to google the year for. It was 19 cough cough 78 cough. I was very young. And he didn’t wear the sunglasses, and not just because he wasn’t allowed.

That said, I quite like this one.

I think it’s ok in a small space, in a larger room I think my eyes might go a bit, well a bit everything. Or maybe the extra space would make it slightly calmer, who knows. This size space is all we have though, and while we often think bold dark patterns don’t work in small spaces, we’ve been proven wrong.

You’re probably wondering if those mirrors were the spots, aren’t you? Well they could be, but it’s the floor that’s really spotty, and it’s not a shrinking violet either.

Actually the floor has just jogged memories of a wall in my bedroom growing up. I insisted that I wanted pink spots on the wall, and my poor long suffering parents agreed, but I had to do it myself, which must have been torture for them. I was quite pleased with the result, although looking back it shouts Mr Blobby to me. I’m sure they were relieved when the next colourway came along, I can’t remember what that was, so it was nowhere near as memorable.

I think they’d have drawn the line at such a bold colour scheme though. I think, actually I hope!

This next shot is my favourite, it’s got a bit of the whole room in it, and I wasn’t surprised to see a record on the wall - it fits well with the theme.

And did you notice the tap? Isn’t it stunning - and the tiles, I think they’re the only thing in the space that’s not black, white or chrome.

I told you it was bold, didn’t I?

Love This #83: Keeping warm and looking good

This month’s Love This post is completely different to the last one, and while I loved the froggy birdbath for the way it made me smile, these radiators take my breath away. They always have, and I suspect they always will. For something that is designed simply to give out heat, they are utter beauties.

I’ve not yet bought a house yet though that suits them. Yet. Although if I was to buy a house with everything I’d like in mind, I’d be like Phil and Kirstie’s worst nightmare, with a wishlist longer than my arms, and theirs too I’m sure.

At Grand Designs last year I spent a fair time just sighing and stroking these on display from The Old Radiator Company, and since have spent more time than I should on their site too, plotting and planning. I know it’s to no avail, we have new radiators in our house and don’t have the space to incorporate any of these style, or believe me I would have.

I did moot the idea when we changed the radiator in our main living space for a six foot vertical one, but again space was limited and we needed something that would heat a relatively large space in the most efficient way, so I was overruled.

But I’ve not totally given up on owning at least one of these at some point. But equally it’d have to be the right one in the right space, and for me, the more ornate the better. But as I wandered around the display something new, well not new exactly, new-to-me caught my eye - these slimmer, but equally loveable designs.

Since then, a new plan has been forming. Sadly still not for this house, but these look eminently more fit-in-able to a modern day house, and would make a stunning addition to an entrance hall.

One day, maybe. Sigh.

Illuminated trees at Crossrail Place Roof Garden

I knew it had been a while since I’d been to the Crossrail Place Roof Garden but I was surprised to learn it was 2016. I thought we’d visited the last time we went to the Winter Lights which was in 2017, but maybe we didn’t. Either way the last time I shared photos of it here, it wasn’t illuminated and it looked quite different - pop over and take a look.

I think I quite like it illuminated though. The lights give it a magical feel, and accentuates the shape and form of the trees and bushes, don’t you think?

The whole roof garden was full of greens, reds and pinks and it’s own atmospheric “smoke” - well I hope it was atmospheric, although it was rather cold.

As we approached the end of the garden and the Big Easy (which we avoided visiting on this visit) we saw the Vena Lumen - or pulsing light - bench. There was quite a queue to try this one out, and so I’m rather pleased with my grabbed shot during the changeover when people who had rather Britishly queued to wait their turn. The dark plate that you can see on the arm is for your hand, and that contact made the lights dance, to much amusement and oohs and ahhs.

I had to smile though as behind the bench were the slightly less patient, with people crouched behind it taking their photos and no doubt a few of these have appeared on social media too. I didn’t even have the patience for that, and was more than happy to return to taking pictures of illuminated trees, while MOH patiently waited.

Perhaps that’s when he hatched his plan for a glass of wine in Waitrose, who knows. But as plans go it was a pretty good one and one that hurried me along. Well, it would wouldn’t it?