Old fashioned sparkle

I love mixing old and new. Charity shop and car boot sale bargains with more modern fresh pieces of furniture or decorations. Our kitchen for example is high gloss black (what were we thinking with years of sticky fingers) with walnut wood but with big distressed window frame style photo frames and a scuffed, worn wood table.

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I'd love the house to look more like a show house and less like a play room but I know it has a homely feel. It has good soul when you come in and whilst there is a theme, be it colour or textures in each room, but it is not overly matchy.

The dining room is a narrow little room that used to be my husband's office until he converted the back of the garage. We have been pouring some love into it recently, a painted round table I found on eBay, a beautiful carved painted dresser from my friend's furniture shop and we just have to flog our leather dining chairs so we can replace them with the eames eiffel chairs my husband has lusted after for years.

I have had my eye on these secondhand wall shelves for ages but would need to re paint them in this grey from Annie Sloan. We have some beautiful glasses which have been hidden away and I want a way to display them high out of reach of those sticky little clumsy fingers.

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I also have 2 of my Grandparents decanters. I adore them even though they are only brought out for Christmas cocktails! When I popped into my favourite charity shop last week I saw a whole selection! There were 9 to choose from, I was in heaven! All priced between £3 and £4 I picked up 4! I love the different styles and the reflection of the sunlight on them lighting up the spirits inside.

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They look beautiful displayed together and would look even better on those painted shelves!

I couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted a set of 4 champagne saucers identical to the set of 8 I had bought in there a year ago! £1.50 the lot! I now have enough to make vintage cocktails for Christmas and I love the delicate gold pattern. I also feel less anxious using them than my Granny's precious paper thin saucers.

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Cheers!