The general rule of thumb around here is: if it heats up, don’t plug it in. The only exceptions are the kettle and the hot water heater. Our electrician, Colm, nearly has a heart attack every time he visits, so we’ve agreed to install a new fuse box and re-wire the three rooms we use most: Kitchen, Master Bedroom & Bath. All three are comfortable enough for now. If only we had a proper cooker instead of our gas camping stove – but we’re making progress.

We are working with the engineer to determine our short term and long term priorities. Up soon is getting the chimneys looked at to make sure they are safe to use. They definitely need a cleaning. Most likely, it will be fires and space heaters  to keep us warm this winter (after the new wiring, of course.) Fortunately the weather has been decent more days than not. Irish summer is a lot colder than I’m used to though, and I probably should have packed more warm things.

Last week we got our first guest room set up, with two double beds. So if you don’t mind rustic and do like pulling plaster off the walls, you are welcome to come and stay. In order to dry-line and insulate, we need to strip the ground floor walls down to the stone. It’s a messy process, but also gratifying to reveal the raw materials of our walls.

Today we thought we’d share some before and after photos of our bedroom. And some inspiration for the future, too.

When we saw that house there was a massive crucifix above the bed. We had no idea what we were going to do with it, but were spared that daunting decision as the previous owner took it with her.

So far, we removed the carpet and took down all of the wallpaper. Most of the paper came down easily, but the bits that didn’t were tedious! We scrubbed the walls with a bleach solution to kill any mold or mildew and get rid of the damp odor. All of the furniture was cleaned, too.

Whoever painted the wood floor didn’t bother with a 7ft square in the center, so I got a rug from Ikea, though it doesn’t quite cover it all. We’ve also set up a work space, purchased a printer, and scored a free sofa from Done Deal (Irish craigslist). It’s a pretty cozy place to hang out, and the light is gorgeous. It doesn’t get dark until nearly 10pm right now, so it has been easy to keep working without realizing just how late is.

Today it looks more like this:

From Casasugar.com

Someday: The plan for the bedroom is a funky/luxurious/vintage combination. I am torn between trying for a calm space and going over the top with fabric and pattern. I’d love to have fabulous wallpaper and a chandelier. I’ve been thinking white and gold wallpaper (maybe just on an accent wall?) but love some of the bolder patterns I’m finding.

In the meantime, we bought a new light fixture for the dining room and will bring the antique fixture there currently up to the bedroom. I think a dark painted floor would be nice, and maybe some velvety curtains. When we move our furniture over, we’ll put up our antique iron bed frame. I may swap in some marble top pieces, too. No idea what to do for bedding, but probably something bright. Eventually, we’d like to have a separate office, but I think the bedroom will continue as our workspace for the foreseeable future.

What do you think – white & gold or bright and bold?

What would you do with the room? Let us know in the comments.

If you’d like to see more of our inspiration, I avidly collect images to two boards on Pinterest: Interior and Exterior

Image Credits: Calico Wallpaper, Apartment Therapy, Flckr, Domaine Home,
Marie Claire Maison,Marie Claire Maison, Harlequin Amazilia Wallpaper,
Schumacher Wallpaper – Birds and Butterflies