My previous home was a new built; intolerably hot during the summer months and it had plasterboard walls which meant you could hear everything. Although the views of the Docklands' high riser was great; its location wasn't ideal for raising a family. So when I moved into this 60 years old ground floor property with greenery at the front and rear of the house - I was over the moon and surprised by the contrast. No plasterboard walls, endless sunshine and breeze and privacy from the neighbours. Lovely bricked walls, some original features such as exposed beams, dado rails (which have made a come back) and a beautiful ceiling rose. Also it had a humble-sized garden.
I was intrigued to find out about the history of my new abode. In the 1660's the Pennyfields area had 27 cottages. In 1851, several Irish inhabitants were recorded, many being labourers and dock workers and with them lascars (seamen) too. During 1918 there were a significant number of the Chinese community living in the Pennyfields area which was namely part of the original Chinatown. Pennyfields was demolished in 1960s due to decay and from some bomb damage during the Second World War. The street was compulsorily purchased by the London County Council (LCC) and rebuilt for social housing.
Here's some photos of my house.
My serene living room with a twist of shabby chic and vintage theme.
The dark table and chairs compliments the muted olive and ivory wallpaper. The mahogany tone adds a retro feel. It would also work nicely with lighter furniture but I believe you can make a scheme work with existing furniture by adding small touches such as this lace table runner which I purchased from h&m.
Roses are timeless accessories so if you're lucky to get real roses even better but if not; faux roses will also look the part.
My favourite buy is the cream and navy trim retro radio. It looks great and sounds great too especially when listening to the radio whilst doing the hoovering!
I bought this mirror from Camden lock market in a antiques mirror shop. I love the bevelled effect mirror and pewter finish on the frame which fits in with the vintage neo-classical look.
Be brave and add your personal touch by hanging love hearts and charms on to the mirror (but remember nothing to heavy). You can even add rose garlands but stick to the colour scheme and don't over do it. Sometimes the mirror speaks for itself.
I bought this beautiful mauve lamp shade from TK Max. It was the last one on display so I grabbed it as soon as I saw it. I love the pleated silk shade and the ribbed glass effect base. (I make sure to keep my children's dirty hands away from this as once greasy or oily stains silk; it's hard to remove!).
I've searched, EBay, John Lewis, Achica and many other websites but time and time again Bhs (British Home Store) never fails to disappoint. They have the best and most varied lighting options at reasonable prices.
I was going to buy a chandelier for my living room but dreaded changing the multiple bulbs! Hence went for a ceiling light that was both hassle free and aesthetic. I opted for this brass finish flush ceiling light with glass pieces to reflect the light around the room.
With the modern digital age photographs are hardly developed and printed now. I dug up some old family photos that where taken at a photo studios in the 1980s and put I them in the original navy leather frame that it came in. Why should these pictures be hidden and forgotten? In the photo I am seen wearing football socks with a pair of burgundy shoes whilst wearing a blue dress; I wonder what my dear mother was thinking?! Regardless it makes me laugh. Family photos are to be remembered and cherished not hidden in some old luggage.
My beloved sewing corner which I must admit struggle to keep tidy at times! I keep my emergency sewing kit there. As well as fabric, threads, twine, ribbons, pin cushions and a sewing machine (shown covered). The space doubles up as a place to put pens, pencils, colours, papers and important letters discreetly hidden in a magazine file. All the items tie in with the colour schemes of the living room so it does not look overpowering. Anything else which is bright and bold in colour are stored in the storage unit below.
This clock is actually an outdoor metal garden clock which I bought from a stall at the Ideal Home Show in Earls Court few years ago. I thought it would be nice to incorporate the outdoor elements inside the living room such as the pattern of the wallpaper, the roses and the clock.
My classic vintage boudoir (aka. mum's bedroom as my girl calls it).
The colour scheme in my bedroom is ivory, creams, mink and black. The furnishings are light colours and silk fabrics which bounces light in the room and give it that spacious and opulent feel.
These are some of the cushions I have used as accessories. I bought the cream rose cushion from Next and the off-white cushion from the Kylie Minogue range. I designed and sewed the black square cushion with lace given to me by my sister.
My bed side mini-library. Not everything in the house should be out of sight; out of mind!
Thank goodness for faux roses as I am not at all green-fingered. These roses are bought from Dunhelm Mill which I put in a rounded ribbed vase with pearls necklaces inside. Also by the roses is a handful of rings regularly worn stored in a dessert glass that a cousin was giving away.
I bought two of these art deco lamps from Dunhelm Mill and thought I'd display rather than hide some of jewellery boxes that I have bought over the years.
I bought this jewellery / scarf mannequin from a market near my house. It was £12 and but I haggled and got it for £9. Bargain!
My tranquil bathroom.
Pale grey walls, white tiles and busts of fuchsia accents.
My cosy kitchen.
Walnut kitchen unit, white walls and tiles and pastel vintage inspired accessories.
My space-saving 'grown-up' girls' bedroom.
I love Ikea, especially their ingenious space-saving ideas which are perfect for London homes which tend to have small bedrooms. I bought this Hemmes daybed which pulls out another bed space and has 3 deep drawer storage. I just about managed to get the bed to fit in that space by chiseling away some of the skirting board! The room is painted brilliant white and only the window wall is wallpapered as it is a small room. The colour scheme is purple, pink, mink and white as requested by my daughter!
As the room was small I decided to free up the floor space by putting up shelves on the entire one side of the wall. This is also perfect for a growing child's room as once she goes to secondary school - she'll have enough space to store her school books and folders.
I revamped my daughter's old office chair and gave it a more 'grown up' look. Fabric is bought from Ikea.
It was so difficult to find a 3 door wardrobe + 2 drawer with mirror but finally found one in Homebase. It took a while to assemble as there were many parts but it was worth it in the end. The 3 straw storage baskets above the wardrobe are from Wilkinson and I've used them to store my daughter's arts and crafts.
My youngest daughter has special needs and has visual impairment so it is important for her to be in a well lit room with bright and bold colours. I chose to paint one wall a bright bubblegum pink colour and the rest of the walls brilliant white with aqua, pink and blue bedding and accessories to contrast the white walls.
Ceilings are usually plain white so I thought I'll jazz it up by sticking on some gift bows that I had in the crafts baskets. In the morning the bows look eye-catching and at night when the night lamp is on - the shiny bows glimmer as if they are stars in the sky at night! Also I've hung fairy light flower garland on her cot bed for sensory stimulation and to create a relaxing ambiance.
This storage unit is from Ikea. It's called the Billy Bookcase but I've chosen to use it to store nappies, baby wipes, medicine, syringes, medicated milk and small clothes such as vests, socks, tights and woolly scarves. It's a life saver and time saver and has everything I need conveniently at hands-reach. I bought the three straw baskets separately and labelled them with little tags to remind me what's in them! The shelves are adjustable and of course can be used as a bookcase as well.
Phew! This must be my longest blog with the most photos. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it and I hope you found the decorating and craft ideas inspiring.
Please write any comments below - I hugely appreciate your feedback.
Asma Begum. x
My serene living room with a twist of shabby chic and vintage theme.
The dark table and chairs compliments the muted olive and ivory wallpaper. The mahogany tone adds a retro feel. It would also work nicely with lighter furniture but I believe you can make a scheme work with existing furniture by adding small touches such as this lace table runner which I purchased from h&m.
Roses are timeless accessories so if you're lucky to get real roses even better but if not; faux roses will also look the part.My favourite buy is the cream and navy trim retro radio. It looks great and sounds great too especially when listening to the radio whilst doing the hoovering!
I bought this mirror from Camden lock market in a antiques mirror shop. I love the bevelled effect mirror and pewter finish on the frame which fits in with the vintage neo-classical look.
Be brave and add your personal touch by hanging love hearts and charms on to the mirror (but remember nothing to heavy). You can even add rose garlands but stick to the colour scheme and don't over do it. Sometimes the mirror speaks for itself.
I bought this beautiful mauve lamp shade from TK Max. It was the last one on display so I grabbed it as soon as I saw it. I love the pleated silk shade and the ribbed glass effect base. (I make sure to keep my children's dirty hands away from this as once greasy or oily stains silk; it's hard to remove!).
I've searched, EBay, John Lewis, Achica and many other websites but time and time again Bhs (British Home Store) never fails to disappoint. They have the best and most varied lighting options at reasonable prices.I was going to buy a chandelier for my living room but dreaded changing the multiple bulbs! Hence went for a ceiling light that was both hassle free and aesthetic. I opted for this brass finish flush ceiling light with glass pieces to reflect the light around the room.
With the modern digital age photographs are hardly developed and printed now. I dug up some old family photos that where taken at a photo studios in the 1980s and put I them in the original navy leather frame that it came in. Why should these pictures be hidden and forgotten? In the photo I am seen wearing football socks with a pair of burgundy shoes whilst wearing a blue dress; I wonder what my dear mother was thinking?! Regardless it makes me laugh. Family photos are to be remembered and cherished not hidden in some old luggage.
My beloved sewing corner which I must admit struggle to keep tidy at times! I keep my emergency sewing kit there. As well as fabric, threads, twine, ribbons, pin cushions and a sewing machine (shown covered). The space doubles up as a place to put pens, pencils, colours, papers and important letters discreetly hidden in a magazine file. All the items tie in with the colour schemes of the living room so it does not look overpowering. Anything else which is bright and bold in colour are stored in the storage unit below.
This clock is actually an outdoor metal garden clock which I bought from a stall at the Ideal Home Show in Earls Court few years ago. I thought it would be nice to incorporate the outdoor elements inside the living room such as the pattern of the wallpaper, the roses and the clock.
My classic vintage boudoir (aka. mum's bedroom as my girl calls it).
The colour scheme in my bedroom is ivory, creams, mink and black. The furnishings are light colours and silk fabrics which bounces light in the room and give it that spacious and opulent feel.
These are some of the cushions I have used as accessories. I bought the cream rose cushion from Next and the off-white cushion from the Kylie Minogue range. I designed and sewed the black square cushion with lace given to me by my sister.
My bed side mini-library. Not everything in the house should be out of sight; out of mind!
Thank goodness for faux roses as I am not at all green-fingered. These roses are bought from Dunhelm Mill which I put in a rounded ribbed vase with pearls necklaces inside. Also by the roses is a handful of rings regularly worn stored in a dessert glass that a cousin was giving away.
I bought two of these art deco lamps from Dunhelm Mill and thought I'd display rather than hide some of jewellery boxes that I have bought over the years. 
I bought this jewellery / scarf mannequin from a market near my house. It was £12 and but I haggled and got it for £9. Bargain!
My tranquil bathroom.
Pale grey walls, white tiles and busts of fuchsia accents.
My cosy kitchen.
Walnut kitchen unit, white walls and tiles and pastel vintage inspired accessories.
I love Ikea, especially their ingenious space-saving ideas which are perfect for London homes which tend to have small bedrooms. I bought this Hemmes daybed which pulls out another bed space and has 3 deep drawer storage. I just about managed to get the bed to fit in that space by chiseling away some of the skirting board! The room is painted brilliant white and only the window wall is wallpapered as it is a small room. The colour scheme is purple, pink, mink and white as requested by my daughter!
As the room was small I decided to free up the floor space by putting up shelves on the entire one side of the wall. This is also perfect for a growing child's room as once she goes to secondary school - she'll have enough space to store her school books and folders.I revamped my daughter's old office chair and gave it a more 'grown up' look. Fabric is bought from Ikea.
It was so difficult to find a 3 door wardrobe + 2 drawer with mirror but finally found one in Homebase. It took a while to assemble as there were many parts but it was worth it in the end. The 3 straw storage baskets above the wardrobe are from Wilkinson and I've used them to store my daughter's arts and crafts.
My special daughter's colourful bedroom.
My youngest daughter has special needs and has visual impairment so it is important for her to be in a well lit room with bright and bold colours. I chose to paint one wall a bright bubblegum pink colour and the rest of the walls brilliant white with aqua, pink and blue bedding and accessories to contrast the white walls.
Ceilings are usually plain white so I thought I'll jazz it up by sticking on some gift bows that I had in the crafts baskets. In the morning the bows look eye-catching and at night when the night lamp is on - the shiny bows glimmer as if they are stars in the sky at night! Also I've hung fairy light flower garland on her cot bed for sensory stimulation and to create a relaxing ambiance.
This storage unit is from Ikea. It's called the Billy Bookcase but I've chosen to use it to store nappies, baby wipes, medicine, syringes, medicated milk and small clothes such as vests, socks, tights and woolly scarves. It's a life saver and time saver and has everything I need conveniently at hands-reach. I bought the three straw baskets separately and labelled them with little tags to remind me what's in them! The shelves are adjustable and of course can be used as a bookcase as well.
The Garden Bench
I found this cast iron bench near the rubbish bins. It usually costs thousands to buy but I got mine for free! Once I managed to convince hubby to help me carry it into the garden; the heavy bench was washed, scrubbed, sanitised and spruced up with some comfy cushions.
Phew! This must be my longest blog with the most photos. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it and I hope you found the decorating and craft ideas inspiring.
Please write any comments below - I hugely appreciate your feedback.
Asma Begum. x
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