Finally finishing my kitchen

After 2 years of dilemma-ing I wish there was a course I could go on to learn about how to acheive different finishes on wood because it might be very satisfying to restore my old bits of furniture... On wood types and how to finish them: http://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/blog/ http://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/project-guides.htm

Shopping for vintage second-hand furniture

Out and about with the tape measure. One of the things I love doing is sauntering around second hand furniture shops - the vintage ones, with my tape measure and a mission to fulfill. I have to do this usually by myself, as friends and boyfriends tend to make me feel hurried and don't 'get' it. (or have far more important things to do). In order to stop myself buying on impulse, I take photos of the things I like with my iphone - and the act of taking the photo keeps me happy for a while... On THIS page is a list of shops. It's still in progress, feel free to suggest any by adding a comment - particularly in Stoke Newington, Hackney and the East end generally where I do not venture much. Meanwhile here are some buying tips: Tips for buying: Carry a tape measure everywhere! Measure the desired piece, then measure your room and really visualise how it works in the space and with the other stuff you've got. You might love it so much you just decide to buy it, but if you want to move it to another room for another use in the future, will it let you? How well does the style mix? I am in the middle of a style battle with chinese-modern stuff / dark furniture / white shabby chic painted furniture - and they're all mixed up in all the rooms - urrggh! Anyway, really imagine it in your space 'cos things look a lot bigger in a shop space. Do your research - find out the history of it, has it got a name, then google it - with image google - to find out who's got it elsewhere. You'll often find EXACTLY the same thing on Ebay - I found 6 other Austrian 19th C jam cupboards £200 cheaper than the one I bought from Chalk Farm Antiques - however, my purchase was nearer, and was perfect to the centimetre to fit in the space I needed. Remember you can adapt - with new knobs and handles or a new paintwork effect. Soooo much better than buying some laminated ikea crappo thing which you've paid for then falls apart two years later...Also think before you buy something really expensive. Can you get it made up yourself, finding the elements for example on www.salvoweb.co.uk and using a carpenter? Compile a dream board/book: One of the things I do is cut out pictures of styles or furniture I like, mainly from Living Etc magazine. I now have 3 art books full of pictures. It's a technique that stops me impulse buying, provides me with inspiration, and helps me weigh up and select from my options. You can see an example I did for my imaginary future loft conversion studio, HERE. Buying electrics - well some vintage light fittings are lovely but don't forget to factor in the electrician who'll have to hang them. Buying vintage guide:  http://www.livingetc.com/buyersguides/Buyers_guide_to_vintage_article_275345.html BEWARE, Living etc is great for inspiration but they also exaggerate to obtain the effect they need sometimes, which can be misleading. For example they photoshop furniture if it's not quite how they want, they show us shower room designs which are totally impractical. (links)

Colour by numbers

Hex numbers - quite useful for web designing and graphics.
Colour Name Col Select a Colour Hex R G B Access
indian red indian red #B0171F 176 23 31 2037680
crimson crimson #DC143C 220 20 60 3937500
lightpink lightpink #FFB6C1 255 182 193 12695295
lightpink 1 lightpink 1 #FFAEB9 255 174 185 12168959
lightpink 2 lightpink 2 #EEA2AD 238 162 173 11379438
lightpink 3 lightpink 3 #CD8C95 205 140 149 9800909
lightpink 4 lightpink 4 #8B5F65 139 95 101 6643595
pink pink #FFC0CB 255 192 203 13353215
pink 1 pink 1 #FFB5C5 255 181 197 12957183
pink 2 pink 2 #EEA9B8 238 169 184 12102126
pink 3 pink 3 #CD919E 205 145 158 10392013
pink 4 pink 4 #8B636C 139 99 108 7103371
palevioletred palevioletred #DB7093 219 112 147 9662683
palevioletred 1 palevioletred 1 #FF82AB 255 130 171 11240191
palevioletred 2 palevioletred 2 #EE799F 238 121 159 10451438
palevioletred 3 palevioletred 3 #CD6889 205 104 137 9005261
palevioletred 4 palevioletred 4 #8B475D 139 71 93 6113163
lavenderblush 1 (lavenderblush) lavenderblush 1 (lavenderblush) #FFF0F5 255 240 245 16118015
lavenderblush 2 lavenderblush 2 #EEE0E5 238 224 229 15065326
lavenderblush 3 lavenderblush 3 #CDC1C5 205 193 197 12960205
lavenderblush 4 lavenderblush 4 #8B8386 139 131 134 8815499
violetred 1 violetred 1 #FF3E96 255 62 150 9846527
violetred 2 violetred 2 #EE3A8C 238 58 140 9190126
violetred 3 violetred 3 #CD3278 205 50 120 7877325
violetred 4 violetred 4 #8B2252 139 34 82 5382795
hotpink hotpink #FF69B4 255 105 180 11823615
hotpink 1 hotpink 1 #FF6EB4 255 110 180 11824895
hotpink 2 hotpink 2 #EE6AA7 238 106 167 10971886
hotpink 3 hotpink 3 #CD6090 205 96 144 9461965
hotpink 4 hotpink 4 #8B3A62 139 58 98 6437515
raspberry raspberry #872657 135 38 87 5711495
deeppink 1 (deeppink) deeppink 1 (deeppink) #FF1493 255 20 147 9639167
deeppink 2 deeppink 2 #EE1289 238 18 137 8983278
deeppink 3 deeppink 3 #CD1076 205 16 118 7737549
deeppink 4 deeppink 4 #8B0A50 139 10 80 5245579
maroon 1 maroon 1 #FF34B3 255 52 179 11744511
maroon 2 maroon 2 #EE30A7 238 48 167 10957038
maroon 3 maroon 3 #CD2990 205 41 144 9447885
maroon 4 maroon 4 #8B1C62 139 28 98 6429835
mediumvioletred mediumvioletred #C71585 199 21 133 8721863
violetred violetred #D02090 208 32 144 9445584
orchid orchid #DA70D6 218 112 214 14053594
orchid 1 orchid 1 #FF83FA 255 131 250 16417791
orchid 2 orchid 2 #EE7AE9 238 122 233 15301358
orchid 3 orchid 3 #CD69C9 205 105 201 13199821
orchid 4 orchid 4 #8B4789 139 71 137 8996747
thistle thistle #D8BFD8 216 191 216 14204888
thistle 1 thistle 1 #FFE1FF 255 225 255 16769535
thistle 2 thistle 2 #EED2EE 238 210 238 15651566
thistle 3 thistle 3 #CDB5CD 205 181 205 13481421
thistle 4 thistle 4 #8B7B8B 139 123 139 9141131
plum 1 plum 1 #FFBBFF 255 187 255 16759807
plum 2 plum 2 #EEAEEE 238 174 238 15642350
plum 3 plum 3 #CD96CD 205 150 205 13473485
plum 4 plum 4 #8B668B 139 102 139 9135755
plum plum #DDA0DD 221 160 221 14524637
violet violet #EE82EE 238 130 238 15631086
magenta (fuchsia*) magenta (fuchsia*) #FF00FF 255 0 255 16711935
magenta 2 magenta 2 #EE00EE 238 0 238 15597806
magenta 3 magenta 3 #CD00CD 205 0 205 13435085
magenta 4 (darkmagenta) magenta 4 (darkmagenta) #8B008B 139 0 139 9109643
purple* purple* #800080 128 0 128 8388736
mediumorchid mediumorchid #BA55D3 186 85 211 13850042
mediumorchid 1 mediumorchid 1 #E066FF 224 102 255 16738016
mediumorchid 2 mediumorchid 2 #D15FEE 209 95 238 15622097
mediumorchid 3 mediumorchid 3 #B452CD 180 82 205 13456052
mediumorchid 4 mediumorchid 4 #7A378B 122 55 139 9123706
darkviolet darkviolet #9400D3 148 0 211 13828244
darkorchid darkorchid #9932CC 153 50 204 13382297
darkorchid 1 darkorchid 1 #BF3EFF 191 62 255 16727743
darkorchid 2 darkorchid 2 #B23AEE 178 58 238 15612594
darkorchid 3 darkorchid 3 #9A32CD 154 50 205 13447834
darkorchid 4 darkorchid 4 #68228B 104 34 139 9118312
indigo indigo #4B0082 75 0 130 8519755
blueviolet blueviolet #8A2BE2 138 43 226 14822282
purple 1 purple 1 #9B30FF 155 48 255 16724123
purple 2 purple 2 #912CEE 145 44 238 15608977
purple 3 purple 3 #7D26CD 125 38 205 13444733
purple 4 purple 4 #551A8B 85 26 139 9116245
mediumpurple mediumpurple #9370DB 147 112 219 14381203
mediumpurple 1 mediumpurple 1 #AB82FF 171 130 255 16745131
mediumpurple 2 mediumpurple 2 #9F79EE 159 121 238 15628703
mediumpurple 3 mediumpurple 3 #8968CD 137 104 205 13461641
mediumpurple 4 mediumpurple 4 #5D478B 93 71 139 9127773
darkslateblue darkslateblue #483D8B 72 61 139 9125192
lightslateblue lightslateblue #8470FF 132 112 255 16740484
mediumslateblue mediumslateblue #7B68EE 123 104 238 15624315
slateblue slateblue #6A5ACD 106 90 205 13458026
slateblue 1 slateblue 1 #836FFF 131 111 255 16740227
slateblue 2 slateblue 2 #7A67EE 122 103 238 15624058
slateblue 3 slateblue 3 #6959CD 105 89 205 13457769
slateblue 4 slateblue 4 #473C8B 71 60 139 9124935
ghostwhite ghostwhite #F8F8FF 248 248 255 16775416
lavender lavender #E6E6FA 230 230 250 16443110
blue* blue* #0000FF 0 0 255 16711680
blue 2 blue 2 #0000EE 0 0 238 15597568
blue 3 (mediumblue) blue 3 (mediumblue) #0000CD 0 0 205 13434880
blue 4 (darkblue) blue 4 (darkblue) #00008B 0 0 139 9109504
navy* navy* #000080 0 0 128 8388608
midnightblue midnightblue #191970 25 25 112 7346457
cobalt cobalt #3D59AB 61 89 171 11229501
royalblue royalblue #4169E1 65 105 225 14772545
royalblue 1 royalblue 1 #4876FF 72 118 255 16741960
royalblue 2 royalblue 2 #436EEE 67 110 238 15625795
royalblue 3 royalblue 3 #3A5FCD 58 95 205 13459258
royalblue 4 royalblue 4 #27408B 39 64 139 9125927
cornflowerblue cornflowerblue #6495ED 100 149 237 15570276
lightsteelblue lightsteelblue #B0C4DE 176 196 222 14599344
lightsteelblue 1 lightsteelblue 1 #CAE1FF 202 225 255 16769482
lightsteelblue 2 lightsteelblue 2 #BCD2EE 188 210 238 15651516
lightsteelblue 3 lightsteelblue 3 #A2B5CD 162 181 205 13481378
lightsteelblue 4 lightsteelblue 4 #6E7B8B 110 123 139 9141102
lightslategray lightslategray #778899 119 136 153 10061943
slategray slategray #708090 112 128 144 9470064
slategray 1 slategray 1 #C6E2FF 198 226 255 16769734
slategray 2 slategray 2 #B9D3EE 185 211 238 15651769
slategray 3 slategray 3 #9FB6CD 159 182 205 13481631
slategray 4 slategray 4 #6C7B8B 108 123 139 9141100
dodgerblue 1 (dodgerblue) dodgerblue 1 (dodgerblue) #1E90FF 30 144 255 16748574
dodgerblue 2 dodgerblue 2 #1C86EE 28 134 238 15631900
dodgerblue 3 dodgerblue 3 #1874CD 24 116 205 13464600
dodgerblue 4 dodgerblue 4 #104E8B 16 78 139 9129488
aliceblue aliceblue #F0F8FF 240 248 255 16775408
steelblue steelblue #4682B4 70 130 180 11829830
steelblue 1 steelblue 1 #63B8FF 99 184 255 16758883
steelblue 2 steelblue 2 #5CACEE 92 172 238 15641692
steelblue 3 steelblue 3 #4F94CD 79 148 205 13472847
steelblue 4 steelblue 4 #36648B 54 100 139 9135158
lightskyblue lightskyblue #87CEFA 135 206 250 16436871
lightskyblue 1 lightskyblue 1 #B0E2FF 176 226 255 16769712
lightskyblue 2 lightskyblue 2 #A4D3EE 164 211 238 15651748
lightskyblue 3 lightskyblue 3 #8DB6CD 141 182 205 13481613
lightskyblue 4 lightskyblue 4 #607B8B 96 123 139 9141088
skyblue 1 skyblue 1 #87CEFF 135 206 255 16764551
skyblue 2 skyblue 2 #7EC0EE 126 192 238 15646846
skyblue 3 skyblue 3 #6CA6CD 108 166 205 13477484
skyblue 4 skyblue 4 #4A708B 74 112 139 9138250
skyblue skyblue #87CEEB 135 206 235 15453831
deepskyblue 1 (deepskyblue) deepskyblue 1 (deepskyblue) #00BFFF 0 191 255 16760576
deepskyblue 2 deepskyblue 2 #00B2EE 0 178 238 15643136
deepskyblue 3 deepskyblue 3 #009ACD 0 154 205 13474304
deepskyblue 4 deepskyblue 4 #00688B 0 104 139 9136128
peacock peacock #33A1C9 51 161 201 13214003
lightblue lightblue #ADD8E6 173 216 230 15128749
lightblue 1 lightblue 1 #BFEFFF 191 239 255 16773055
lightblue 2 lightblue 2 #B2DFEE

Jewellry on show

I had a problem - too much jewellry. I'd inherited much of it from my mother, and it was big, colourful, and tangely-uppy. Also, I never wore any of it because it was always tangled away in some box. Then, I had a brainwave! I came across an old decorative metal mannequin from the department store Dickens & Jones, which closed down - at least that was what the junk shop man said. He said there were only a few left. It's nothing like what you find on the net, much nicer with intricate spirals - a piece of art in itself. I knew it was exactly what I needed to hang all those necklaces on, so I twirled some fairy lights through and hung all my bits and pieces on it - it brings me a lot of pleasure, especially at night. I think my mother would approve.
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