I wrote this blogpost several months ago and have only just plucked up the courage to post it.  It would seem that I am more afraid of revealing my interior design taste that I would be of  posting  a picture of myself  and  revealing my innermost thoughts and fears.  But here goes…..

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This blog started as an online diary and was supposed to chronicle my life.  I know I have was AWOL for several months, having had no internet,  during which time important things have happened.

I visited my brother and his family in California in April.  An emotional reunion after six  years of absence and hopefully a healing of all the petty resentments that build up in families over the years. They made me very very welcome and one day I will write a blog about my impressions of America.

But of course I missed, and worried about Michael terribly. He is well at present, but tires easily and we take life very much one day at a time.  I am aware that our life together may be limited and so our time is very precious.

Three days before I went to America, we moved into our new build home. A split level,  two bedroom, two bath apartment  on the sixth floor of a grade two listed, converted cotton mill……  nine   months later we are still “work in progress”  but mainly we need light fittings, window dressings….and a few pictures and shelves hanging.  and next year we will build planting boxes in the terrace and maybe paint some more walls.

I guess decorating and furnishing is a bit like painting the Forth bridge, in that it is never finished but just keeps evolving.

We love, love, love living here.  no gardening or outside maintenance, yet a lovely big sheltered terrace to sit outside.   Eco friendly, low energy costs, well insulated against noise, good neighbours. convenient for shops, buses etc.  West facing, lovely evening light and sunsets.

 

There are four entrances….this is ours.

In some ways I still feel as if I am on holiday in a posh Paris apartment.

Rarely do you have the opportunity to furnish and decorate a place from scratch, and it is quite a responsibility,  Michael did contribute to ideas, but mainly he left it to me.

I was inspired by some of the apartments we have stayed in in Paris, TV house programmes  and helped by the images I found on a website called HOUZZ..

. Our first home together after 25 years….. I sold, gave away or threw away all of my furniture and trappings of the past, saving only a few precious things to remind me.  For after all memories are in my heart.

So, here is the reveal (as they say on the house programmes) of our new home.   A home which is meant to be new start for us both after a traumatic last year,   which has given us a new appreciation of each other and our life together.

The entrance leads onto the upper level, with the guest double bedroom, a bathroom and storage

My basic colour scheme was coffee and grey. My idea was to add splashes of colour with accessories which can quickly be changed.  In the guest bathroom the colour of the art  work is echoed in the bathmat.

Also on the upper level is the guest bedroom, with funky lamps and a star chandelier for fun.  I wanted it to be entertaining for my grandchildren but sophisticated enough for adults to sleep in.  The twin beds together make a very comfortable super king sized bed.

Five stairs lead down to the open plan lounge/dining/kitchen area, with it’s view out onto our lovely outdoor terrace.

 

and of course our lovely covered outdoor terrace, which Michael has filled with plants.

 

 The main bedroom on the lower level has floor to ceiling wardrobes for all Michaels stuff and another superkingsizedbed and of course the en suite shower room.

Love Denise.