White washed floorboards...

...Inspiration

OK, so as I'm typing this, I am actually stuck in the kitchen...

...I have been spending this week whitewashing our living room floorboards, and I applied the final coat of wax this morning....So now I am stuck, waiting for it all to dry!!

I love wooden flooring, and it was one of those things that made us choose our house in the first place: But our living room, being at the back of the house, is quite dark....not helped by the original,yellowing pine wooden floorboards. And as time has passed they'd become a bit grubby and worn, leaving me longing for those beautiful Scandinavian style whitewashed wooden floors!

Earlier this year, Mr. and I decided we would invest in some new Laminate flooring, but as faith would have it, we had to abandon our plans for financial reasons...

I was gutted!

But determined to make the best of what I had to work with, I have now , as mentioned above, given our battered old floorboards a new lease of life, by whitewashing them myself...A how-to post on this is coming soon!!

But for today, I will show you some images I found on Pinterest that inspired me to do this in the first place!! (I have tried to credit the original sources where I could):

Image via uncovet

I just love the way you can , just about, see the original grain of the wood through the whitewash:

It looks so elegant and effortlessly chic...Not to mention how it makes a great canvas for colored and textured rugs!

Image via apetycznewnetrzearpe

We have white walls in our living room, as I am a big fan of the Scandinavian all white interior look...with the whitewashed floorboards it looks bright and airy! By adding lots of different textures to the room , you can avoid it all looking too stark and cold. (I just loooooove the textures in the image above....and that sofa cover!!)

Photo cred: Hemma hos Larsons

Some people worry about the upkeep of whitewashed wooden flooring, but if it's finished correctly with a good hardwood wax, it is actually surprisingly easy to keep, by just mopping it down with a damp rag once a week...and it looks so nice and clean!

Image via blackbirdstyle

Whitewashed floors comes in different looks and finishes: You can get a barely there look by just lime-washing the wood or a more dense look by using paint. It can be as smooth and finished as you'd like, or maybe a bit distressed looking....it all looks beautiful to me!!

Image via the marion house book

Maybe it's because I'm Norwegian, and I have that yearning for all things Scandinavian....or maybe it's because it is a trend that has been brought to the forefront of my mind, as I keep seeing more and more of these beautiful whitewashed floors in magazines, on instagram and various interior blogs... but I am absolutely in love with this look, and am feeling rather pleased with myself that I have just given our living room this treatment... As mentioned above, I will post  how-to whitewash your wooden floorboards next week, along with a little sneak-peak on my living room Scandinavian style makeover! https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5334983011637438110#editor/target=post;postID=8284451819364864907;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=18;src=link

Today is international "Make your bed day"!!

...did you know that??

I know, right...there's a day for everything!!

But this is one I can get behind!!

Image from Laura Thomas Linens

(this is a sponsored post, and all images are from Laura Thomas Linens)

I make my bed every day...it's true, I do....but sometimes I don't get around to it until maybe 5 o'clock in the afternoon...LOL! It doesn't matter: it just makes such a difference come bedtime, when you peel your bedding aside, and get in....AAAAhhh! 

The only thing better is the feeling of getting into a FRESHLY made bed, with new bedding!!

They say you should always buy the best bedding you can afford....and I agree!

There are few things as important as a good nights sleep, and getting into bed at night should feel like a treat!!

So when Laura from Laura Thomas Linens sent me out some of her gorgeous organic cotton pillowcases earlier this summer, I was in heaven!

Not only is the quality superb...(like nothing I've ever had before...because up until now I've been a cheapskate when it comes to paying for bedding!!) but knowing that Laura has taken the care to make sure that all her products are fair trade, ethically produced and in keeping with the GOTS (Global Organic Trading Standard) meant that I could go to sleep with a clear conscience...No more "made in china" bedding here!! Oh no seree!!

I love it when blogging gets me in touch with people like Laura: Passionate, fair and with a great sense of style. 

Scottish lass, Laura dreamed up LTL after she had an "epiphany" whilst living in Edinburgh:

 "my bedroom window overlooked Edinburgh Castle.  While supping on a cup of tea one Sunday morning in bed and looking up at the Castle, a thought popped into my head.  What did the Kings and Queens of yesteryear's bedding look like?"

She started the company whilst living in New Zealand in 2012,where she has been living for the past 9 years , and aimed to supply the market with good quality, mid prized bedding and sheets that were both ethical and affordable:

Non of her products are mass produced, they are all unique one-off designs. Laura ensures prices are kept down by working directly with her suppliers in countries like India and Vietnam, but as mentioned above, with strict criteria on the workers daily conditions:

"I currently deal with a Vietnamese Commune that supply beautiful hand embroidered bed linen and have actually seen images of the lovely ladies who stitch on my detailing!"

Laura also runs the beautiful and inspiring lifestyle and interiors blog laura thomas interior design, featured in my blog roll...do check it out for some beautiful images of inspiring interiors as well as great DIY ideas!

Until I got the "interior bug", I (as previously mentioned) never gave bedding much thought....as long as it was clean: But having discovered the joys and beauty of quality bedding through LTL, I am now a true convert: It's got to be 100% cotton or linen and preferably organic...

...its a luxury, I know...but one I can safely say that I deserve!!

So go on...get to it: make your bed: It'll be sooo worth it!!

Our bedroom is ALMOST finished...only the chest of drawers left to fit, before I can show you all my new haven!! It's been a long time coming, I know...but stay tuned!

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5334983011637438110#editor/target=post;postID=8284451819364864907;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=18;src=link

AMARA interior blog awards

WOW!

I am so happy to announce that Nostalgiecat has been nominated for yet another Blog award!!

This time its the more industry specific AMARA interior blog awards.

For the first year running, hosted by the  leading worldwide luxury retailer Amara , this is set to become a heavyweight of an Award specifically aimed at Interior bloggers!!

The Vitra. range at Amara

The Amara team says that they believe that bloggers are an integral part of the interior design community and that they wanted to create the Amara interior blog awards to "award them for all of their amazing work."*

More than that they promise to

 "bring you the largest, most glamourous blog awards you’ve ever seen. With the award ceremony set to be hosted at the lavish Rosewood Hotel in London, sponsors such as Missoni Home..."*

And with judges like Martin Waller of Andrew Martin international , the founder of the pinnacle of the interior design industry: The international interior designer of the year awards and the man behind  "the bible of the interior design world", the interior design review  I believe them!!

Image from Andrew Martin

So I feel absolutely honored to be nominated for BEST DIY BLOG...(if not a little out of my debt as well) . The competition is stiff, and I am in very good company, so if you enjoy all my projects and tutorials for the home here at Nostalgiecat, please spare half a minute to give me your vote...just click on the image below:

There are 11 other categories as well: Best architecture blog, Best colour inspiration blog , Best designed blog , Best design inspiration blog, Best fashion inspired blog , Best international blog , Best luxury blog, Best newcomer blog, Best organisation blog and Best stylist interior designer blog...So if you love interior design, you might want to check out the other categories....who knows you may find your new favorite blog among them all!!

Finally, there is The editors choice awards: "a special award for someone who the judges think really stands out as an exceptional interior blogger. Any of the final shortlisted blogs can win this award and will even walk away with an extra special prize!"* So if you enjoy Nostalgiecat, please don't hesitate, give me your vote now, so I'm in with a chance of making the shortlist!

I also just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for all your votes for the Cosmopolitan blog awards, where I am up for best interior blog...You are all superstars! Voting is now closed for the Cosmo awards, and all I can do is dig out the glad-rags for the award ceremony in October and keep my fingers crossed !  I really wasn't expecting to be in the running for yet another award....this year is turning out to be amazing for my little blog, thanks to YOU: my amazing readers!!  I hope I have your continued support for The AMARA interior blog awards!! You can vote for me here! I adore you all!! Signing off with extra kisses today, again: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5334983011637438110#editor/target=post;postID=8284451819364864907;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=18;src=link *extracts from the Amara interior blog awards website