The Dining Room Dilemma

I have always dreamt about the day I would have my own dining room.
For somebody who hates cooking; I love to entertain.
I like making the table pretty and adding a cute little favour by the person's plate. I love adding atmosphere with carefully placed candles and soft music.

Decor for my dining room was all picked out (in my head) - Dramatic & Modern: -
Simple, black table with clean lines - Richly upholstered chairs in an opulent material such as velvet or a heavily patterned material.
Dark purple curtains and wrought iron candle sticks.

Until I walked past a store and fell in love with a wooden table made of exquisite Emboia wood. I bought it on the spot. (So much for my black, clean-lined table)

My entire design scheme is out the window and now I have to decide on what I want. I am a Gemini and for this very reason, I find that I always like 2 totally different designs.
My dilemma comes in finding the right dining room chairs on a budget. (Who knew it was so darn difficult to find the right chair)
I wish I were able to buy a chair a month, but the problem is, 6 months done the line, they might not have stock and then I will be stuck!
And I would really love to have a house warming party in my new place and have somewhere for the guests to sit!

I love the patterned high-back chair for a more romantic, formal look, and I like the lower chair for a slightly more contemporary style. (My lounge is contemporary & I might like to have a contrast and not the same design style throughout my house)
The upholstered look of chairs and I have Scotchguard at the ready to treat the chairs as soon as I get them.
I realise that wooden chairs are so much easier to clean, but I really do not find them comfortable and a cushion on top slips and slides.

Options:

4 of these...

... and 2 of these?

6 of these?

6 of these?

Floored in Five

Coming back from 2 days off from work, it felt like I had been off for 10... 98 emails - each requiring a further 3-4 emails to get them resolved - added to my tree-destroying To Do List and I'm desperately hanging onto my sanity.

I have an appointment to sign my papers for the house on Friday and I got to choose my wooden flooring today. Except I had 5 minutes to choose because my boss called an unexpected meeting ( he had a very serious face so I couldn't dispute it)

I've been oscillating between darkish flooring and light flooring- and being Gemini -both appeal to me!

Having 5 minutes to decide forced me to go with my gut. The choice of carpet and tiles really aren't nice and if I don't change the flooring now, it will become a project I'll keep wanting to do, but never get around to doing because I would never have the time/money/all the above.

Due to financial constraints and thanks to an inside connection, I will be replacing the flooring in my bedroom downstairs and in my loft/tv room upstairs at a very reasonable price.

Perhaps it will sink in soon. It still doesn't feel real!

Dreams & Reality

This is something I have always wanted. 

A modern loft apartment.

Shopping up a storm

After being told by my boss that I have to come in to work (essentially cancelling my leave) I was really peeved.

So how does one deal with anger over the festive season?
Shopping!

I have seen the nicest things in the shops & I have shut my cautious side up with a menacing inward snarl & bought things I have wanted for a while now, but not exactly needed, ie: a new kettle.
I bought a cheapie a good 10 years ago because I had to move out of my fiance's house and needed something in a hurry - the darn thing has lasted all this time!
So I bought a cute little kettle that reminds me of the old kettle my mom had when I was a little girl:

Then while buying wrapping paper I came across a really cute cutting board that was pink with words and cupcakes printed on it. I had to have it!

My kitchen colours are actually red, so I bought all the matching accessories and suddenly my kitchen is pink.

It ties in very nicely as my lounge is pink & purple and because everything is open plan, it works well.

This is the new decor I bought for my walls a little while ago - they stick on with wallpaper glue and when you wet them they slide off again.

The photo doesn't do it justice, in real life it looks as if they are painted on:

Don't you think I NEED a flatscreen tv?

I have completed most of my Christmas shopping, and I am off to find a present for my mom (a bead charm for her Pandora bracelet) & a wedding photo frame for my brother & new sister (for their first wedding photo)

What presents will you be putting under your tree?

My Place... one day

Lately all I have been obsessing about it my place. And making it nicer.

After I bought my gorgeous couch, I was content - but now I want more!

I would like to get rid of the wall unit I have because,

• I have had it like, forever
• I hate it
• It's old
• It takes up too much space
• It's a bugger to move

The 1 advantage is that it stores so much!

I would like to get rid of the clutter and go for a more minimalistic look in my lounge.

I used to watch 1 program a week on TV (Survivor or Amazing Race as they used to alternate) and now that Survivor/Amazing Race has been replaced with a rubbish local production, I don't watch TV at all, but I want a Flatscreen TV.
Why? Because everyone else has one & I want 1 too!

Usually I am not like this, but with the TV issue, I am not sure why it is bothering me so much!

I keep thinking about how that money could go towards somthing so much more worthy!

Anyway - Here is my wishlist for my house in a world where money means nothing:

What's new?

I am settling into my new place nicely - I was never happy in the place I stayed & it is such a relief to love where I live.

I have bit the bullet & raped my credit card (you could literally hear her begging for mercy) & bought my lovely couch AND a little patio set to entertain my friends.

Chairs, cushions & lamp - Mr Price Home
Table - Builders Warehouse, assembled by me

Couch coricraft
Cushions - Mr Price Home

I know the couch should have been neater - but I am surrounded by my gadgets - laptop, iPrincess and BB - note how well they fit in with their surroundings?

The table has seen lots of action, I have already had BeBe & AC over for dinner, then I hosted bookclub (Easter theme) and on Friday I had M over for a braai as well - busy times!

I also bought a lovely lampshade for my bedroom and hopefully I will find that perfect bedding to go in my room - I have a gift voucher from Christmas, just dying to be spent.

I want to make my bedroom colours silver and purple.

I would just like to thank Mr Price Home for making it all so affordable! The purple cushions are covers I bought and used with some existing cushions - which saves alot of money.

They have amazing things in-store at the moment - I was tempted to make my lounge turquoise & brown because they had the most gorgeous cushions in those colours - go check it out!