The dream home....ensuite.

Mabley Handler

So far today Charlie and I have: taken Poppy to morning daycare, attended sports lessons, had morning tea, bought some much needed coat hangers, bought a birthday present for his 5 year old buddy (I'm going with the current Masterchef theme), had lunch at sushi train, collected Poppy from daycare, done some baking, then cleaning up, made more mess, not bothered to clean up, put baby to sleep, gave in to demands from persistently pestering 4 year old to watch TV, and when everyone was taken care of I plonked myself down in front of my computer to read my favourite blogs and come up with today's post.

I should probably be doing a puzzle or some colouring in or some other activity with him, but when she's asleep I'm a selfish and neglectful mother and let him watch TV for a few hours so that I can indulge my obsession with the blogosphere and planning our house renovation. Does that make me a terrible mother? Probably, but we can't be perfect all the time!

I've been thinking about this renovation for, well, it seems like years. But that can't be because we only built our last house a few years back. But I think it's because the design and decor of that house, the one in the country (oh no...she's awake - bugger!).......

I'm back. As I was saying, the interior and exterior design of our last house which I posted about here and here and here, was what I call Modern Industrial Country. It was fabulous in many ways, and everybody loved it, but what I discovered after we built it was that it wasn't my natural style and I didn't really feel at home there. It was too modern, too uncluttered, too slick, too polished. It was rather an expensive lesson to learn, both financially and emotionally (just ask my husband!), but I realised after this departure from my usual style that I'm a classic girl at heart. I like traditional, classic, pretty, elegant, soft, comfortable, nurturing, cosy interiors and ever since we finished the last build I've been thinking about the next project and how I can turn that into my dream house. In the mid 90s I did the typical English decor with Jane Churchill checks, stripes and florals in blue, yellow and white. In the early 00s I did French Provincial with everything grey, white, beige and black. Then we did modern country which was all polished concrete, steel and glass. So now I'm getting the chance to do the style I've been obsessing about for ten years but never actually done - classic American.

So finally....here we are and I am about to embark on that project. I've been tearing pages out of magazines for so long now (could have bought a new house with the money I've spent on them too), I've got about 6 arch lever folders packed to the gills with tear sheets. I've got that many photos saved on my computer from blogs and websites that I'm amazed my iMac still works. And then there's everything that's stored in my head.....I think about the renovation while I'm awake, asleep, semi-awake, half asleep. It consumes me and I can't wait to get started and relieve my brain and bank account of the burden.

Soooooo.........This is what I've been imagining for the master bathroom and what I hope will eventuate in some vague way. Budget permitting of course.

Overall theme of bluey/seagreens, greys, marble, white, chrome, silk.....

Mabley Handler 

Mabley Handler 

via House of Turquoise

Hopefully some wainscotting on the walls and some nice wallpaper like Imperial Trellis.

Ann Sacks

Academy Tiles

Marble mosaics on the floor. Love this scalloped pattern.

Academy Tiles 

Cararra Marble vanity top....

Circa Lighting

Flat ceiling light such as this depending on eventual ceiling height...or

1stDibs

Mother of Pearl pendant like this (had one of these in former bedroom, still my favourite ever!)

Restoration Hardware

A couple of sconces either side of mirror...

Restoration Hardware

Simple chrome drawer pulls..

via Houzz

A bit more inspiration....

Nicholazzi

Single lever tap such as this... or

Perrin and Rowe

Basin set like this... and finally

via House Beautiful

Maybe a faux bamboo vanity such as this, in a colour other than white to pick up on the veins in the marble.

Still a work in progress, but what do you think so far?