11/10/2013

How To: Decorate A Family Country Living Room


The living room is the heart of the home, a place where the whole family gathers round the TV on a Saturday night with bowls of popcorn and a place warm and cosy to relax.
 
When we first moved into our cottage it felt damp, cold and worn.  The layout and natural features of the place were beautiful but it was in need of some TLC.
 
I strongly believe just the smallest bits and bobs can transform a room, so here if how I transformed our bland, cold living room into a cosy family retreat.
 

 
We decided we wanted a natural rustic theme throughout the room to keep it matching with the cottage.  It just wouldn't look right if we decided the colour theme was luminous green, maybe in a modern flat you could make something that crazy work, but not in a 350 year old cottage!
 
We got these photo frames from The Range and added our favourite family photos to them to keep the room homely and family orientated.
 


 
I love little positive messages dotted around the house, just reading them makes me smile. We have this stuffed beige and cream heart hanging on the lounge door which we got from Dunelm Mill.  I love the textures of it, the softness, the rope and the wood.
 
We also got this light blue wooden message with 'Follow Your Dreams' written on it.  Even though its just hung up outside the lounge it sub consciously adds a positive vibe to the house.  This was purchased in Store Twenty One.
 

 
Candles were added to the room to create warmth, light and a gorgeous clean vanilla scent.  You can use candles to create different dynamics to the room by using candles of different shapes and textures.  The candles in the photos above were purchased from Tesco and Primark.
 
 
To make the room feel more 3D we added this neutral coloured candle bought from The Range that has a knitted texture to it with a suede feel heart tied round the top of it. 
 

 
Light is a really easy was to create a warmer more glamorous feel to a room.  To keep within a natural, country cottage theme we added a range of flowers to our twig/branch style lights which contrast slightly to the brassy rose gold coloured vase they're standing in.  We chose orangey red coloured poppies to add a little splash of colour to the room.  We thought poppies were the perfect flower as they're natural wild flowers which tied in with the country theme we were trying to create.
 
The vase and pot were purchased from The Range and the flowers from Dunelm Mill.
 
 
We used lettering placed unevenly on top of the fire place to make the room more homely and again, creating depth and texture by the use of the uneven placement of each letter.
 
We also added a cream fleece throw, a cream ribbed light reflecting square cushion, a cream teddy bear texture rectangle cushion and a soft beigey cream coloured faux fur square cushion to the sofa.  This added extra texture as well as homeliness to the room.
 
When creating a room it is important to remember that it is an experience to anyone that visits, and an experience is remembered through all five of the senses.  So when we added accessories to our living room we ensured we placed plenty of textures throughout the room for feel, light and warmth created with the candles and lights and a pleasant scent made from the candles.
 
Follow that simple rule and you will easily create a room that stays in a guests mind, for all the right reasons.
 
Remember to chose an appropriate colour theme that transitions from room to room appropriately so the whole house 'flows'.
 
I hope these little tips and photos helped any budding interior designers out there or anyone looking for inspiration to decorate their own living room.
 
 
 
You can find some of my favourite home shops below:
 



07/10/2013

The This or That Beauty Tag

 
Make Up
 
Blush or Bronzer?  Bronzer
Lip gloss or Lipstick?  Lipstick
Eye liner or Mascara?  Mascara
Foundation or Concealer?  Concealer
Neutral or Colour eye shadow?  Neutral
Pressed or Loose Powder?  Pressed
Brushes or Sponges?  Brushes
 
 
Nails
 
OPI or China Glaze?  OPI
Long or Short?  Long
Acrylic or Natural?  Natural
Brights or Darks?  Darks for Autumn/Winter & Pastels for Spring/Summer
 
 
Body
 
Perfume or Body Spray?  Perfume
Body Lotion or Body Butter?  Body Lotion
Body Wash or Soap?  Body Wash
Lush or Soap & Glory?  Soap & Glory
 
 
Fashion
 
Jeans or Sweatpants?  Jeans
Long Sleeve or Short Sleeve?  Short Sleeve
Dresses or Skirts?  Dresses
Spots or Stripes?  Stripes
Flip Flops or Sandals?  Sandals
Scarves or Hats?  Hats
Studs or Dangly Earrings?  Studs
Bracelets or Necklace?  Necklace
Heels or Flats?  Flats
Jacket or Hoodie?  Jacket
Forever 21 or Topshop?  Topshop
Abercrombie or Hollister?  Hollister
Designer or High Street?  High Street
 
 
Hair
 
Curly or Straight?  Wavy or Straight but messy
Bun or Ponytail?  Bun
Bobby Pins or Butterfly Clips?  Bobby Pins
Hairspray or Gel?  Hairspray
Long or Short?  Long but only if it looks healthy & shiny
Dark or Light?  Light
Side Swept Bangs or Full Bangs?  Full Bangs
Up or Down?  Down
 
 
Random
 
Rain or Shine?  Shine
Summer or Winter?  Winter
Fall or Spring?  Fall
Chocolate or Vanilla?  Vanilla
East Coast or West Coast?  East Coast
 
 
 
I hope you guys enjoyed reading this little post & I tag all of you that read this post to do the tag!
 


06/10/2013

OOTD : : Primark Perfection

 Hey guys!

So like the majority of people, I love Primark, and I mean I love it.  Whenever I go out shopping Primark is where I head first.  I love that it always has the latest trends along with the most simple basic clothing like skinny jeans and plain white vest tops, and all for a bargain price!



So as I'm pretty sure you guessed from the title of this post, this whole outfit is from Primark.  Who says you can't look good on a budget?!
 
 
 
Black Collared Blouse-  I got this blouse in Primark around a year ago, its cream with bunnies printed over it and cost around £12.00.
 
Pastel Blue Super Soft Jumper- This is such a soft cosy jumper, with a round neck and button detailing on the shoulders it is worth every penny of the £6.00 it costs.




 
Black Ankle Boots- Simple and comfy these shoes are an autumn/winter must have!  At a cost of £10 you can't go wrong.  They fit well, are easy to get on and off but keep your feet dry and warm.

 
Denim Skinny Jeans-  These jeans are a dark navy denim covered in a lighter denim colour floral print.  I can't fault these jeans, they're super soft but hold the skinny shape without bagging at the back of the knees.  They're super easy to move in and feel elasticated round the waist, allowing movement without pinching but pinging back into shape when needed.  I would have happily paid £30 for the jeans, they're such high quality.  On the label these jeans were marked as £13.00 but as soon as I got to the till they were scanned in as only £7.00! 



I added a splash of warmth to the outfit by painting my nails a soft matte brown by Sinful Colors.
 
I love this outfit, its simple, comfy and bang on trend.  All for just £35! 
Primark, this is why I love you!
 
All of these items apart from the blouse I got less than a week ago so you will still be able to find them in store :-)
 
I hope you liked this post, look out for an autumn/winter look book coming soon!


04/10/2013

Autumn Primark Haul

Hello my lovely readers!
Last week I popped into Primark to buy a few warmer bits and bobs for autumn and winter and wanted to share my buys with you.  Unfortunately there were 2 pairs of trousers and a top that are currently in the wash and therefore I couldn't include them in this haul but as soon as they re appear in my wardrobe I will be sure to post some photos of them.  A few items included in this post I didn't get last week but I did notice they were still for sale in Primark which is why I have included them in this haul.
 
 
Gold necklace (also available in silver) £3.50 (unfortunately I don't have the receipt for this item so this is a bit of a guess, it definitely didn't cost any more than this)
 
 
Cream owl print snood £4.00
 

 
Pastel blue super soft round neck jumper with button detailing on the shoulders £6.00
 

 
Plain white boyfriend tee £3.50
 


 
Skinny floral print denim jeans £7.00
 

 

Black faux leather ankle boots £10.00
 
 
Burgundy knitted beanie hat with turn up detail £3.00  
 
 
Well that's it m'loves!  I hope you enjoyed this post and if you would like me to do more Primark hauls or an Autumn look book please comment below.  What else would you like to see?  Face of the day, OOTD, beauty hauls?  Drop me a comment and I will do my best to reply!
 
 

03/10/2013

Woburn Safari Park


Located in Woburn, Bedfordshire is over 300 acres of parkland, home to hundreds of wild animals.  From lions to shetland ponies, baboons to sea lions, this safari park has everything to offer.  With a safari drive through in the comfort of your own car you can get up close and personal with rhinos, baboons, lions, wolves and much more.  This is by far my favourite part of the park, it allows you to take amazing photos of the animals with paths to drive along right next to the fields the animals are grazing in.  There are no fences to block your view and having rhinos stroll along within centimetres of your car, is a really surreal feeling.
 
 
 

Another highlight of the safari park is the walk through aviaries filled with emus, wallabies and ostriches.  Being used to humans the animals are very calm and are happy for you to stroll past them and take a few photos within a foot of them.  If you go around the right time of year (after summer) you should catch an eye of a few baby wallabies or two!

 

There are multiple walk through cages, one being full of adorable spider monkeys!  I would highly advise being present at their feeding time as its a chance to get some great photos as eating seems to be the only time these little chaps stay still! ...Oh and when I say still, I mean pausing for about 2 seconds to grab a handful of food before stuffing it in their mouths and scurrying off putting a gymnastics display on for all to see.  There is no doubt these little fellas are highly entertaining and provide endless giggles and squeals from the little kids watching. 

 


If up close and personal isn't for you then a relaxed stroll around the zoo might be.  With animals in enclosures its perfect for those that aren't hands on and allows for more good photo opportunities. 
 


From road safari's, foot safari's, feeding and keeper demonstrations to outdoor activities such as the treetops action trial to soft play areas for kids, this place is worth every penny. 
 

With plenty of places to stop and rest as well as grab a bite to eat this really is the perfect day out for all and I would highly recommend it as a family day out.


02/10/2013

25 facts about me!


1.  I don't have a middle name

2.  When I was 15 I bought my own puppy and trained him myself

3.  I started horse riding at the age of 4

4.  I love Pepsi Max

5.  My favourite colour is red

6.  I don't like feet

7.  If I wasn't called Kiersten I would have been called Daniella or Samantha

8.  If I was born a boy I would have been called Ryan

9.  I love finding bargains

10.  I adore MUA make up

11.  Me & my brother get on so well that people often ask us if we're boyfriend and girlfriend... awkward

12.  My hair is uber fluffy

13.  I have a laugh like a machine gun

14.  I always make really stupid impulsive decisions- oops

15.  I have a huge cartoony smile that fills up half of my face

16.  I am a little bit of an adrenaline junkie

17.  Thanks to my dad I am guilty of using cockney rhyming slang

18.  I really like thai curry

19.  I love travelling to different countries

20.  I am currently completing my bucket list that consists of 100 things (bets on how long it will take anyone?!)

21.  I love being outdoors

22.  Until about the age of 9 I would run around neighing, pretending to be a horse

23.  My hair is naturally mousey brown that has natural blonde highlights in it in the summer (they disappear in the winter though, MAGIC)

24.  I have a fluffy black pet cat that looks like she's on drugs

25.  I played netball from the ages of 8 to 16

 

Smokey eyes & nude lips

 
Products used
FACE
Foundation: MUA Fashionista Foundation £3
Concealer: Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer £3.99
Bronzer: SEVENTEEN Instant Glow Bronzing Rocks £4.99
Blusher: Collection 2000 Blush £2.99
Contour: MUA Bronzer Shade 3 £1.00
Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder £3.99

EYES
Mascara: Miss Sporty Studio Lash Mascara £2.99
Eyeshadow: MUA Pearl Eyeshadow Shade 12 £1.00 & MUA Pearl Eyeshadow Shade 1 £1.00
Eyebrows: Rimmel London Professional Eyebrow Pencil Shade Hazel £2.99

LIPS
Lipstick: Matte Lipstick Totally Nude £1.00
Lipgloss: Natural Collection Juicy Lips Gloss in Raspberry Ripple £1.99

TOOLS
Superdrug Medium Powder Brush
MUA F6 Blusher & Contouring Brush £3.00
MUA E3 Shadow and Blending Brush £1.95

Where to find these products:
http://www.superdrug.com/
http://www.muastore.co.uk/store
http://www.boots.com/