27 November 2006

Downstairs Loo!


Remember a couple of months ago I said the old coal-hole was going to be transformed? Well, it's getting there. The loo and basin were put in soon after that post, but that's as far as it got as neither of us had any time to get it beyond the basics. But today I played!

As you can see, the walls aren't plastered and we decided not to have them done as it's narrow enough without giving up precious millimetres to plaster! So the brickwork has simply been painted white. I unpacked the box marked "bathroom bits" (not viewed since we moved in July), and found all sorts of goodies. My long-suffering husband finally put up the shelf and I began to fill it. He also put up a mirror but he'd had enough by then, so all the other bits and pieces which need to be fixed to the wall are piled on the shelves or left in the box (for the time being). Anyway, this is the start of making the coal-hole more user-friendly! I thought you might like to see how I utilise my precious free time when I finally have a day off!

Most items have a story to tell, apart from the shells, which I purchased recently from another dealer. Knowing my passion for beach-huts and seaside-related things, Hannah has given me most of the other bits and pieces. The tiny espadrilles were sent to me by Han's 'best friend' who lives in Australia. She saw them in a shop window and burst out laughing as they reminded her of the time we - she, her mum, her sister, Hannah and I - went to Palavas in the South of France for a fortnight. I'd bought some turquoise espadrilles on the beach one day and wore them constantly. One particular day we went to visit some friends in Marseilles and they took us for a walk. The Heavens opened and we got absolutely drenched. When we got back to our apartment my feet were turquoise and I spent the next 2 hours sitting on the loo with my feet in the bidet scrubbing them with a pan scourer. The girls thought it was hilarious and there's a photo somewhere to prove it!! It took about 3 days of sea, sand and showering to finally remove the colour! Twenty years later Emma saw these and thought of me! I bought a box frame, printed off a photo of the sea and shingle at Buddleigh Salterton, and framed them. Whenever I catch sight of them I'm transported back to 1984!

There's a little glass jar of shells from Han's holiday in Cuba a few years ago and a lighthouse. "The English at the Seaside" is a lovely vintage book with illustrations. This isn't the end result, more a work in progress! I still have to finish painting it out and need to find something for the floor. The door is currently a fairly bright green which doesn't really go with the seaside theme, and I still haven't painted the ceiling! But I have plans ...

2 comments:

Niki Fretwell said...

Hi Sue,
Your display is really effective! Good luck with the rest of the makeover!
Niki.x

Clare and Mike said...

Hi Sue

Glad to see you've been busy! How nice to see all your lovely things on display. Clare x