Post Comment Love 8 - 10 December 2017

Hello there and welcome to another Post comment Love. Isn't Christmas drawing ever closer? And if you're anything like me you're nowhere near organised and you're just hoping that it'll take its time getting here. I know that's unlikely, but I can live in hope, right?  

If you were here last week, then thank you, it was great to see you. If you're new here this week it's lovely to see you and I hope you'll enjoy the posts linked up - I know I'm looking forward to them.

It's been a week full of nights out for me, I'm up to three nights on the trot, which alone is taking its toll. There's been carol services, drinks receptions and beer pong with the students. You know, I've never been more grateful than I was during my inaugural game, and I'm thanking my netball skills for that. It's been a while since I've called on them, but it was good to see there weren't far away.

My photo this week is the decorations in Greenwich Market on the way home one night this week. They're pretty aren't they?

Bloggers Showcase: Tione from Beauty that Walks

Tione is a full-time college student whose favourite topics include makeup and natural hair. She blogs at Beauty that Walks and enjoys relaxing on the sofa, playing games and chatting with the family or perhaps a movie night. Sounds perfect, doesn't it? Pop over to Morgan's blog to read her full answers.

An InLinkz Link-up

Looking up in Porto at facades and roofs

Ah, just look at those blue skies - I was editing my photos and could almost feel the heat from our trip in October, either that or I had the central heating up a notch or two higher than normal. We've had blue skies here, but they've been distinctly lacking in heat haven't they?

I've already shared some of my tile pictures from Porto, and they are the most obvious part of its charm but as we wandered I was looking up and started to notice some strange going ons on the roofs of Porto. Like many cities many properties are unable to expand outwards, in London there's a trend to dig down, but it seems in Porto for many years the attraction has been to extend up. 

But not just extending, we also spotted plenty of roof lanterns, there's three in the photo below - and yes, you can only just see the top of the third, it was on a relatively busy junction and I didn't get too many chances to get the best shot and live to tell the tale.

I couldn't help but wonder what they were like on the inside. It wasn't long before we walked past our first facade, and in our short time there it turned out we would walk past many.  I had to do a double take to see where the rest of the building was, but the giveaway was the very top floor and being able to see the sky through the openings. 

Even with the graffiti many of the facades are still beautiful, and by retaining the frontage it's most likely what's led to the higgledy-piggledy-ness nature, which is spectacularly charming. I'm sure the recent years and hardship haven't helped many in Porto and of course for some the buildings will also fall into disrepair. 

There was evidence though of building projects which is always a good sign, we know that from redevelopment in London too. The hardship isn't restricted to any one area, although clearly some have been more affected and less affected than others. 

There's a mix of materials used too, just look at the yellow, red and black building below. I think its unusual to have the darker colour at the top, but - and I know it's a smaller footprint - but it doesn't dominate does it? 

Even on the more touristy waterfront there's also upward extensions - my favourite part of the photo below is the pink drainpipe on the black roof extension - quirky isn't it?

Also on the waterfront, snuggled alongside the bridge over to Gaia was this small three storey property - obviously the colour caught my eye, but look at the tiles on the property next door.  In Porto, any colour, any tile pattern really does go!

I lost count of the number of these shed-like extensions, many clad with corrugated steel, some weathering beautifully.

I'm a big fan of looking up - and in Porto it really did pay it was much more rewarding than I ever expected it would, and we noticed parts of the city that I suspect passes many people by.  

A precious metals Dining Room at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas

Wow. Just wow. 

This room certainly looks sophisticated and glam doesn't it?  And usually I'd say that blue isn't my colour, but it's the dark cobalt blue that really gives this room its impact, and I love it - it was the first room set that I looked at at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas, and I think it's the one with the most impact.  I'll share my photos from the other two room sets in the run up to Christmas. 

Usually there's more room sets at each show but as I said in my previous post about the show, it wasn't as large overall so I guess it made sense to have fewer rooms.  Plus also I expect there aren't many people that decorate their bathrooms for Christmas, our outside rooms are most likely to be a chill-to-frozen zone and no one needs to see a kitchen that's preparing Christmas lunch looking pristine, do they?

But back to the dining room - it does look like a very grown up room doesn't it?

And the jewel like colours are really set off against that blue.  I wonder now though if the colour is best described as sapphire, as that would fit alongside the precious metals theme nicely.

The other thing I noticed about this room is how well it mixes copper and brass - and how well they go together.  It's the simple things in this room that really brings it together - one of my favourite elements is the string of stars hung vertically in the corner of the room.

Simple and easy to replicate in a corner that could do with some extra sparkle.

And a drinks trolley, my first thought was no, never, but I'm starting to see the attraction. I also remember my parents setting out a drinks trolley at Christmas, out came the embroidered linen and the bottles and glasses were displayed, all ready for a good old snowball or a babycham!   And there's nothing wrong with either of those I can tell you.

So what do you think?  Would you like this for your home, or just somewhere to visit?