All posts tagged: 1950’s

Mid Century Score – Pt 3

Published by Karen Knox

It’s a Saturday quickie peeps. I’m full of cold and feeling properly sorry for myself. Mainly because it means I can’t gorge myself on Halloween fun and drink tonight. Unless it’s something tasting of paracetamol and lemons. Eugh. Just wanted to show you my eBay find in situ which I mentioned in a previous post last week. My Mid Century walnut drawers looking rather resplendent against the dark teal walls. A colour that I still can’t capture very well. This photo shows the wall colour better. I so wish I could invite you all around so you can see it in real life. Anyone?? Also some pieces i’ve been collecting over the last few weeks to dress the room. Two metal vases/pots in a distressed finish. £3 for the large and £2 for the smaller one. £5 for two. From Netto. I know. Good eh? And that little coppery brass tray was two squid. I bought two for drinks/candles as I think coasters always look a bit cack. Trays are a little more thought out …

Midtown Magic Bedroom

Published by Karen Knox

My bedroom. As it was a few months ago anyway. It was lovely. Light, bright, clean and simple. Good enough for a magazine shoot might I add… but it never really floated my boat. I’ve been itching to get this room more up my street for over a year now, but every time I even mentioned it to the OH, he would wince. a) It’s a big job to sell all that furniture b) and BLOODY expensive to replace it all. Wardrobes were always the sticking point. The ones I liked were always upwards of £600. And we needed two. So there’s £1200 straight away before i’ve even got all creative with my shizzle. During a quick evening session on Gumtree (am always on there hunting down furniture and decor finds for local pick up, don’t forget those 1930’s chest of drawers I picked up for £10), I came across a brand new in box, never built or even opened, LEDGER wardrobe from Made.com. RRP £600. It was on Gumtree for £300. And it was four …

Ode to Tretchikoff

Published by Karen Knox

Did I tell you i’m re-doing my bedroom? Well I am. None of it needed doing, I just fancied a change. A big one. Part of the complete re-design included some new art. Blue Lady, Attasit Pokpong I wrote a piece a month or so ago about some new artist discoveries i’d made. One in particular by Thai artist, Attasit Pokpong had the kind of inky teal tones I wanted my new room to be covered in. Well, after extensive research that particular piece wasn’t available as a print and the original was also enormous. And sold. **sigh**. So the search continued. I started looking for something like the classic 1952 painting, The Chinese Girl by Vladimir Tretchikoff. Also affectionately known as The Green Lady. You’ll all have seen this one doing the rounds in charity shops for the last 20 years or so. Well now it’s considered a bit of a cult classic and this one above was for sale at The Vintage Home Show a couple of weeks ago in Leeds. I was very tempted …

Vintage Home Show #designupnorth

Published by Karen Knox

I’ve just got back from the Vintage Home Show at Pudsey Civic Hall, in Leeds. And i’m still buzzing. A design lover’s dream event. This was my smile BEFORE I got there… imagine how big it was after i’d got back!! The Vintage Home Show is a Discover Vintage event, which was founded by fellow Leeds-ite Keeley Harris in 2009. Since then she’s been organising vintage events across the UK. The Vintage Home Show was launched in 2012 in Manchester and the Leeds show is the first time the event has been held in Yorkshire. Keeley herself has been dealing in the world of vintage since the age of 15 and is now well-known in the field, having shared her expertise on TV and in the National Press. Her current book “Style Me Vintage Home” was launched in March this year. “This event is all about the 1950’s-1970’s with bright colours and bold patterns as well as teak furniture and funky chairs and if you love bright orange, you’ll be right at home” And I totally was at home. Hyperventilating in …

The Whole Kit & Kaboodle

Published by Karen Knox

Yesterday I had a proper day of hunting. Yes, another one. I know. I am currently re-designing my entire bedroom (which doesn’t need doing at all) but it involves mixing new with old, but specially selected old. Not just any old charity shop find. No siree. After a trip to Otley Car Boot sale, which was enormous, but disappointing on the furniture and vintage front, I drove over to The Whole Kit and Kaboodle, in West Leeds for a mooch “A Kaboodle – : Is an old fashioned term meaning group or collection. A Kit – : Is a set of objects, as in a toolkit, or what a soldier would put in his kit-bag.” (Pic from Facebook) Here’s Simon, who runs it all. He was most definitely a magpie in a former life and thrives on finding the most amazing/vintage/random story filled items he possibly can. See him on this vehicle? I think that sums him up perfectly. I took some photos of my visit, because this place is a real treasure trove. So many things to make you smile. Antiques, …

Mid Century Score

Published by Karen Knox

Today has been a bit of a mixed bag. I found out I didn’t make it to the shortlisted stages in the Amara Interior Blog Awards this morn. 🙁 I wasn’t really surprised as i’ve only been blogging for six months or so, so to be nominated at all was an achievement indeed. But admittedly I was a bit bummed out. So to cheer myself up, I ate some chocolate and decided to have a drive out and hunt down some bedroom furniture for a project i’m working on. Retail therapy in other words. Only three miles from home, I quickly indicated right and parked after spotting a few chest of drawers outside a house clearance business in North Leeds. Let’s have a look-see then. Hmmm… Yeah I like those. Battered step ladder come stool. Perfect for industrial style interiors. Yep. Mid century chest of drawers that would look pretty cute after a good sanding to get rid of all that orange. But they were a little boxy for me and i’m looking for something with legs …

The Blue Room – Final Reveal

Published by Karen Knox

This time last month, I had a consult for a loft bedroom. It lacked storage, colour and personality. There was some serious problem solving and creativity needed. You’ve probably caught a couple of my posts since then about how it’s been going and what I’ve been purchasing so I won’t chat too much. I shall fill your eyes with lovely visuals instead. I finally get to share with you all the finished room. And i’m so excited I could burst! **POP!** A reminder of where we started four weeks ago. Four weeks later, here is The Blue Room. The room has seen a total transformation in four weeks. Everything was taken out, the room re-designed and updated. The only things that remain are the carpets and window blinds. You can see some of the pieces from the Ikea shopping list here. Other pieces were sourced from charity shops, second hand furniture shops and Gumtree for next to nothing. The dressing table being the most expensive at £70. Plus, a couple of treat pieces to add …

Thrifting, sourcing, hunting and finding.

Published by Karen Knox

My love of charity and second hand shops is a fairly new one. With vintage, up-cycling, mid-century and Scandinavian design being so on trend, there are SO many amazing finds. And whilst the Great Ikea Haul gave me some great pieces for The Blue Room, I needed a bit of “old and borrowed” to go with the “blue and new”. Remember the chest of drawers I picked up from Gumtree for £10? Before. After. Don’t they look amazing? I spent no more than two hours bringing them back to life: Fixing the drawer runners, cleaning, sanding and waxing the wood grain and updating the handles. They certainly look better than a set of £10 drawers. And so, I went on a charity shop hunt yesterday to try and find some accessories to dress the room, vintage style-ee! I made it to 10 charity shops across Leeds. Here are some of my best finds. A mid century storage stool. Really cute little piece for £25, but it needed a bit of work to stabilise the legs. So this stayed in the shop. Rule number …

The Equation

Published by Karen Knox

This. + this + this + this – this = This. = 🙂 (Still loads to do here, a shelf, pics and mirrors, but how could I not show you that stool at home?!?) Alcove before Alcove after. I know that was a quickie. I’m honestly not neglecting you. I’m preparing ya for the enormous epic War and Peace blog post that is bubbling away right now. Which may include these bad boys if i’m lucky. Habitat Metal Storage Trunks in Blue and Grey YUM.

Take a seat

Published by Karen Knox

House Doctor The numbers of times i’ve wanted to stay in a particular hotel or holiday apartment, or eat in a certain restaurant, JUST because of the chair i’ve seen there, i’ve lost count. Pictures of chairs, taken at the right angle… Float. My. Boat. I’m not going to do much chatting today. It’s just beautiful images of chairs that make me want to slide my hand down the arm, have a little perch and take a few selfies. I hope you enjoy…. Muuto Nerd Chair – Nest Kai Christiansen wool chair Mid Century Modern German Lounge Chair – eBay Portuguese Roots Chair by Alexandre Caldas Monk Lounge Chair by Grupa Shell Chair by Hans Wegner Chairs by Miyazaki-isu DC09 Chair by Inoda + Sveje Design Studio Ikea Ekenesat Chair from my own bedroom. I shall be back again soon with more interiors goodness, with my voice back i’m sure. Have a great week everyone.