The Inspiration - The Vintage Bathroom

While looking through the houses for sale on Trade Me again, I find myself thinking: if I had a house, how would I decorate it and make it totally awesome, kitschy and vintage? Of course, in my imaginings there is no budget, so the other night I found myself looking for vintage bathroom inspiration.

Everyone knows that the kitchen and the bathroom make up 20% of the value of the house. Well, if I found a house with one of these bathrooms, even if the rest of the place was unliveable I think I would still buy the house for the bathroom alone! After all, we girls do spend a lot of time there.



 Let's start off simple. One thing I noticed is that it is all about the bath! You actually can't have a vintage bathroom without one! And they come in so many wonderful shapes.

And speaking of bathtubs - why do they have to be white? Why not teal for a change?

Loving the separate "his" and "her" mirrors! Genius, I say! Why did they ever go out of fashion? Luke and I are always trying to cram our heads into one bathroom mirror while flossing, and this would totally solve that problem!

Okay, I normally hate the idea of washing machines being anywhere except in a laundry. However, when your bathroom is this sophisticated and your washing machine this attractive, I can kind of live with it... just.

How cool is the unpainted wall with the word "Washroom" above it? Very rustic, as are the wooden panels on the bath.

So you thought bathrooms had to be white to be sophisticated? Not necessarily so - this black bathroom is probably about as sophisticated as they come.

Too much black? Okay, why not just a black tub instead?

So you want a vintage bathroom, but still want the convenience of a modern shower? In this bathroom you can have both. Say hello to the vintage shower! Love!

Why do I get the the feeling that these bathroom cabinets are out of Beauty and the Beast and are about to come to life at any second? So cute!

I love how this bathroom doesn't feel like a bathroom at all... except for the fact that there's a bath.

Tight for space? Not a problem. You can still have an awesome bathroom.

Note: when doing blue and yellow, light blue and pale yellow work the best.

Why did those racks that were put across baths for soap and things ever go out of fashion? They are genius!

Orange bath = awesomeness.

Liking the rustic feel. Look at that tap in the wall!

Once again, if Barbie had a vintage bathroom it'd probably look like this. Wow, this one even has a fireplace!

Look at those walls, and the feet on the bath!

Oh, I think I've worked out what else makes a vintage bathroom vintage.

1. Bathtub

2. Chandelier

3. Flowers

4. Chair

(I'm not sure what the chair is for... any thoughts? Waiting for your bath to fill? Having a convo with someone while they're in the bath?)

And this one has a rubber duck! So cute!

Now I'm confused - I thought blue was the best colour for bathrooms, but I'm really loving these shades of green.

And that brings to a close my vintage bathroom post. Feeling inspired? Which one is your favourite?

Until next time :)

The Verse - Henry Van Dyke

So today is a bit of different type of verse, since it's not a Bible verse, but rather a poem about the Bible. Having read it the other day, I thought it was pretty neat and wanted to share it with you. The poem was written by Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933), who was an  American author, educator, and clergyman.

Born in the East and clothed in Oriental form and imagery,

the Bible walks the ways of all the world with familiar feet,

and enters land after land to find its own everywhere.

It has learned to speak in hundreds of languages to the heart of man.

It comes into the palace to tell the monarch that he is a servant of the Most High,

and into the cottage to assure the peasant that he is a son of God.

Children listen to its stories with wonder and delight,

and wise men ponder them as parables of life.

It has a word of peace for the time of peril, a word of comfort for the time of calamity,

a word of light for the hour of darkness. Its oracles are repeated in the assembly of the people,

and its counsels whispered in the ear of the lonely.

The wicked and the proud tremble at its warnings,

but to the wounded and the penitent it has a mother's voice.

The wilderness and the solitary place have been made glad by it,

and the fire on the hearth has lit the reading of its well-worn pages.

It has woven itself into our dearest dreams;

so that love, friendship, sympathy, devotion, memory and hope,

put on the beautiful garments of its treasured speech.

No man is poor or desolate who has this treasure for his own.

When the landscape darkens and the trembling pilgrim comes to the valley named the Shadow, he is not afraid to enter;

he takes the rod and staff of Scripture in his hand;

he says to friend and comrade, 'Good-by, we shall meet again,'

and comforted by that support, he goes toward the lonely pass as one who climbs through darkness into light.

The Dress - The Princess Coat

I've been meaning to do this post for the longest time. Yes, it's official, I finally have my very own princess coat to love, to wear, to look stylish in, and to keep me very warm during these chilly winter months. 

Our apartment's light quality has made it kind of tricky to take good pictures. You need some daylight to get any decent photos, and since Luke and I both leave for work and arrive home when it's still dark, this has posed a slight challenge for taking outfit posts. Regardless of this, however, you can now admire the wonders of this coat.

Coat: Alf Weston

Okay, so here is the story, my friends. As many of you know, I had been looking online for a princess coat and had all but given up hope when my friend Carolyn told me that she worked with a gentleman who is a trained pattern marker, and that he might be interested in making me a coat. I went to her colleague Alf with a few pictures and pattern designs. From these pictures, we decided what we liked and what we didn't. He then took my measurements and made a calico mock-up. I bought the material, which is very soft 100% wool, and he made up the coat. Alf is a real master of the craft, which can be seen in the excellent design and solid construction of this coat. Have I mentioned that I love it? And it's so warm!

I have no idea how I survived last winter in a trenchcoat. I love how warm this coat is, and how it flows. I can see why they call them princess coats now; you really feel like a princess when you're wearing it.  

Alf has designed it so well to fit my curves, and it falls beautifully.

A bonus is that I can fasten the top button so that none of that nasty Wellington wind gets in.

 Back view. :)

Just in case you were wondering about the lining. It's polka dots! My mum chose this material, and I love it. Why have black when you can have polka dots!

Pockets! Gotta have 'em, gotta love 'em.

I'll write about the hat, gloves and bag next time. I just really wanted to focus on the coat in this boast - I mean post!

 Until next time :)

The Song - Angila

I like to support local musicians when I can - though of course I have to like their music first. I heard of a Wellington band called Jesse James and the Outlaws, and after hearing their song Angila, I concluded that I like both their music and the fact that they come from Wellington.

Their music tends to be a mixture of folk, country and reggae. On listening closely, I discovered that their lyrics are quite political, though I find most of them so abstract that I had never thought about the band being overly political until I looked up an interview with the artists just now.

Anyway, I also think this music video is rather cute. Have a listen and see what you think.

Until next time :)

The Review - It Happened One Night

On the weekend just past, Luke's parents introduced to me to another wonderful classic movie called It Happened One Night, a 1934 film directed by Frank Capra (who also directed It's a Wonderful Life, Meet John Doe, Mr Deeds Goes to Town, etc).

Although I don't quite think the title fits the film, it is really worth watching. It  was the first film ever to take out all top 5 Academy Awards: Best Film, Director, Screenplay (for Robert Riskin), Actor and Actress.

The film stars Claudette Colbert as a spoiled heiress who is on the run from her father after eloping with a fortune hunter of whom her father disapproves. While trying to get to New York City to be reunited with her lover, she runs into down-on-his luck reporter Peter Warne, played by Clark Gable.

This movie was one of the first successful "screwball comedies." It is so delightful to watch, with witty dialogue and great characters, and the chemistry between Colbert and Gable is marvellous! Here is one of those films that was supposed to be a rather "B-grade" production, but somehow it got two big stars and a good script, and everything just fell into place.

I love the fact that because Gable takes off his shirt in one scene and is not wearing a singlet underneath, sales of singlets plummeted as the film grew in popularity. Likewise, bus ticket sales to single women dramatically increased.

 

 Ellie Andrews: You've got a name, haven't you?
Peter Warne: Yeah, I got a name. Peter Warne.
Ellie Andrews: Peter Warne. I don't like it.
Peter Warne: Don't let it bother you. You're giving it back to me in the morning.
  Ellie Andrews: Pleased to meet you, Mr. Warne.
Peter Warne: The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Warne. 

Alexander Andrews: Oh, er, do you mind if I ask you a question, frankly? Do you love my daughter?
Peter Warne: Any guy that'd fall in love with your daughter ought to have his head examined.
Alexander Andrews: Now that's an evasion!
Peter Warne: She picked herself a perfect running mate - King Westley - the pill of the century! What she needs is a guy that'd take a sock at her once a day, whether it's coming to her or not. If you had half the brains you're supposed to have, you'd done it yourself, long ago.
Alexander Andrews: Do you love her?
Peter Warne: A normal human being couldn't live under the same roof with her without going nutty! She's my idea of nothing!
Alexander Andrews: I asked you a simple question! Do you love her?
Peter Warne: YES! But don't hold that against me, I'm a little screwy myself! 

 

 

 

Anyway, take a look - it's definitely worth it.

Until next time :)

The Review - It Happened One Night

On the weekend just past, Luke's parents introduced to me to another wonderful classic movie called It Happened One Night, a 1934 film directed by Frank Capra (who also directed It's a Wonderful Life, Meet John Doe, Mr Deeds Goes to Town, etc).

Although I don't quite think the title fits the film, it is really worth watching. It  was the first film ever to take out all top 5 Academy Awards: Best Film, Director, Screenplay (for Robert Riskin), Actor and Actress.

The film stars Claudette Colbert as a spoiled heiress who is on the run from her father after eloping with a fortune hunter of whom her father disapproves. While trying to get to New York City to be reunited with her lover, she runs into down-on-his luck reporter Peter Warne, played by Clark Gable.

This movie was one of the first successful "screwball comedies." It is so delightful to watch, with witty dialogue and great characters, and the chemistry between Colbert and Gable is marvellous! Here is one of those films that was supposed to be a rather "B-grade" production, but somehow it got two big stars and a good script, and everything just fell into place.

I love the fact that because Gable takes off his shirt in one scene and is not wearing a singlet underneath, sales of singlets plummeted as the film grew in popularity. Likewise, bus ticket sales to single women dramatically increased.

 

 Ellie Andrews: You've got a name, haven't you?
Peter Warne: Yeah, I got a name. Peter Warne.
Ellie Andrews: Peter Warne. I don't like it.
Peter Warne: Don't let it bother you. You're giving it back to me in the morning.
  Ellie Andrews: Pleased to meet you, Mr. Warne.
Peter Warne: The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Warne. 

Alexander Andrews: Oh, er, do you mind if I ask you a question, frankly? Do you love my daughter?
Peter Warne: Any guy that'd fall in love with your daughter ought to have his head examined.
Alexander Andrews: Now that's an evasion!
Peter Warne: She picked herself a perfect running mate - King Westley - the pill of the century! What she needs is a guy that'd take a sock at her once a day, whether it's coming to her or not. If you had half the brains you're supposed to have, you'd done it yourself, long ago.
Alexander Andrews: Do you love her?
Peter Warne: A normal human being couldn't live under the same roof with her without going nutty! She's my idea of nothing!
Alexander Andrews: I asked you a simple question! Do you love her?
Peter Warne: YES! But don't hold that against me, I'm a little screwy myself! 

 

 

 

Anyway, take a look - it's definitely worth it.

Until next time :)