Readers with partners,

Do you pick your own birthday presents? Do you, not so gently, steer your partner in the right direction. Do you blatantly tell them what it is you want?

I am that terrible, terrible person!

Since winter last year, no scratch that, since we first inspected our home I said to my husband, I want to put in a gorgeous fireplace, that room NEEDS it.

Then we suffered through our first winter last year at this place and I said, ok, my birthday next year, I want that fireplace.

Here are the before shots of our living room

It did have some sort of faux fireplace thing. No gas connection, but a chimney that went out the wall and up the side of the house. But it was then covered with that amber glass.

Because we didn’t understand (nor visually like) the fireplace, we ripped it out.

I said to my husband, I would love to have one of my mothers quilts on the ground in front of the fireplace and a baby enjoying tummy time in the winter.

So with that in mind, we made a baby. With my birthday, baby and winter fast approaching, we have now put the wheels in motion to get a fireplace installed.

We have employed Stephen and his team from Chippendale restorations to make this happen.

It will go in the same place the old fireplace was. The room is long and skinny and it needs something in that part of the wall. It will also greet you as you enter this room as it will be right there bang, smack, in the middle of your face.

We had a site inspection yesterday, I then went down to Rozelle to pay the deposit and pick the mantle.

This is what we are going for. (Please excuse the terrible photoshopping. Can you believe I am a graphic designer?? Me neither!!)

To achieve this, a chimney breast is going to be built. This will affect our cornices. Our cornices can’t be matched, so they are taking a mold of our cornices and pouring what they require to go around the new chimney breast.

The timber mantle will be painted glossy white, to match all the skirting and architraves in the house.

These are some inspiration picture for what we are trying to achieve.

All these images have white paneling/mill-work on the wall/chimney breast. I don’t think we are going to do that. Just paint the new chimney breast in the same paint as the walls.

I then went to my favourite shop in Sydney! Laura Kincade and purchased 2 Reed sconces by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort in polished nickel.

These will flank the artwork or mirror we will eventually hang.

Work will commence on Wednesday and should take about 3 weeks to complete. Then husband will have the task of painting everything. Then my sconces should arrive and we install those.

Then it will be nearing my due date and we will be ready for late night feeds on the couch, by the soft light from the sconces and the roaring fireplace!

HEAVEN!

My wallpaper has finally arrived! Only took 2+ months.

Despite this, the service I received from The Elephant Room was world class. I was refunded my money for this order due to the delay. And I can say I would definitely shop there again. This was hopefully a one off.

Here it is taking centre stage.

In the image is curtain fabric from our bedroom, lavender wallpaper, nickel tack, shell handle from Pearl and sons trading, limed white wall paint colour, roman blind fabric sample and the green silk Lorca fabric.

I can now crack on with my Ikea Hack.

First thing tomorrow morning I am working on this little project!

Then later this week I want to go to the fabric shop to buy curtain material. I am still so unsure as what colour and what to buy!!! Why doesn’t this come naturally to me. . . . so indecisive.

I have hit pause on the nursery, reluctantly and completely out of my hands.

I am stilllllll waiting for the Schumacher lavender sisal wallpaper to arrive. There is constant communication going on and it looks like it should be here by the end of Jan or first week of Feb!

So I cannot really go on with much else until I have that paper in my hand and can take it to fabric/decorating shops to match colours.

I.E pick curtain fabric!! That is the major one.

But here is a little snap shot of how it is coming along.

The first row is my ikea hack plans.

The second row is my lamp, my cot and my armchair

The third row is my framed shell artwork and 2 samples of fabric I would like for the curtains. I want a paisley fabric. The last picture is of my window with my white roman shade.

The fourth row is fabric that will feature in the room, my wardrobe and the floor plan.

(right click on the pic and go “view image” if you wish to see it bigger)

Things I own:

Antique side tables x 2

Marimekko “Magnolia” print fabric stretched on frame. (Just needs to be hung)

White Roman Blinds are ordered and should be installed in the Bay window soon.

French Settee (I would love to re-upholster in a different colour, but not anytime soon)

Floorboards are stained and polished

Couch

IKEA BEST TV unit

Things to buy:

Ceiling light fitting

Fireplace & Mantle

Oval Coffee table

Pastel Persian rug. (Like the one I snapped a pic of from Melbourne)

Table lamp from Laura Kincade.

Marble slab for top of tv unit

2 arm chairs (not featured in the mood board)

Things to make/do:

Restore Antique side table and grout in the marble tile.

Go to Real Flame and organise fire place.

Things I own:

Bedside tables x 2 (stained a similar colour to floors, might need to change them)

Bed (but need to make a new bedhead)

Things to buy:

Ceiling light fitting

Bedside table Lamps

Antique dresser

White/creamy WOOL rug (I wish silk, but I am not a $$$$aire)

Things to make/do:

Jacquard velvet bed head

(in floral pattern in light pastel/creamy colours)

White linen Roman Blinds

Curtains

(in a punchy colour, thinking a blue colour)

Add mouldings to wardrobe door fronts and paint them a putty/beigey/grey colour

Add handles to wardrobe doors

Strip Bedroom door and stain Feast & Watson Black Japan and add gold hardware (handle and hinges)

.  .  .  .  .

I wonder if I have missed anything….

But that is the plan for the moment. Pr