Decorating Belle – a thoroughly enjoyable pass-time

Decorating Belle is one of my most favourite pass times. Ok let’s rework that sentence; decorating anywhere is the best way to spend time to me, decorating Belle is magical. I have a penchant for baby pink and soft blue in particular, so it’s been fairly simple to migrate decoration from around the home to Belles, creating a cosy workplace. Yet one year on I’m seeing way too many lovely interior ideas on my Instagram feed focusing on white alone and whilst I was never a huge fan years back, I’m fast becoming one now. Since I’m keen for our new home to be predominantly white with tones of grey, it seemed sensible (and thrifty) to me to use excess home decor in decorating the Shepherds Hut. I thought today I’d show you how Belle’s looking now that I’ve ‘settled in’. So if you’ve got your coffee handy, we could go now…

Before we begin with this weeks post, if you are new here, thank you for joining us; you are very welcome. And if you are a regular visitor thank you so very much too. I am truly humbled by how many of you read and enjoy my weekly posts and I love that you all love Belle like I do. Lucky me and lucky Belle. If you don’t know the story of how this beautiful Shepherds Hut came into my world this seasonal post will fill you in and if you would like to see the early photos of decorating inside Belle, this post is the one to go to.

So, let’s make a start with an old CD case from The Pier which we’ve had for over 20 years and must therefore qualify as vintage. Originally I had this advertised for sale on my eBay page and no-one wanted it. Not surprising perhaps in its darker colonial state and I certainly had no room for it as was. It’s not usually a piece I would paint yet with my thrifty head on I decided to give it a go. I used Farrow and Ball’s Hardwick White and a little distressing here and there. I’m delighted to say, it now serves me well as a cute decorating/storage piece. And since this piece is tall and slim, it fits in many a place around Belle.

Whilst on the subject of eBay what do you think to this little lovely? It’s an iron washstand which now serves as a table for me to work from, if the sumptuous bed hasn’t called me first that is. I had an ‘wrought iron’ dream going on in my mind for Belle’s interior ideas so I was very excited to successfully bid for this little treasure.  And as an added bonus, she folds flat for easy moving…and I do like to move pieces around. And when all the technical blogging essentials are in place, there is still room for decorating with pretties.

Staying with eBay for just a while longer, this pretty iron shelving (which also folds flat too) was another great find. You first saw it here and of course, I’ve been faffing with it ever since then. I chatted away for quite some time with the lady I bought it from and she was really pleased to learn it would live in a Shepherds Hut. Such useful and beautiful storage in one.

And then there is this teeny old stool which is infact Little Miss’ and hasn’t really been used since she was a tiny tot. Many a dolly sat here and was fed and watered by my daughter. I recall a favourite game of hers was ‘school time’ and Little Miss would round-up her teddies and dollies and read them a short story before they ‘went home’ at the end of their day. And I would suppress a giggle as she would gently chastise any interruptions, rolling her eyes at naughty ‘children’. Now many years later that same stool is just the right height to keep endless mugs of tea and hot chocolate by my side as I write short stories here on my blog.

Of course I have electricity and modern charger sockets so I never run out of steam as I tap away all day. I’m currently on the hunt for a pretty chandelier to create sparkle and I’ve got candles for ambience now the nights are drawing in. I just love these tea lights from lovely Emma and Gina at thecosyshed.co.uk whose on-line gifts and accessories are beautifully tempting. So much so I had to buy this cute little oil diffuser to warm my favourite Autumn essential oils. All helps with the creative writing process you see.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed there is a beautiful iron bed missing from this post and perhaps something else you may have hoped to glimpse? That corner has a sweet story all of its own to tell which I shall save for another Thursday. As I have to remind myself all too often these days…all good things come to those who wait. Have a lovely week x

If you have a shed or outdoor space of your own do share your interior ideas below in the comments box.