IKEA Trip

Is it actually possible to go to Ikea and NOT buy something?  I never seem to manage it.    I could show you my new chopping board, plastic bags and smelly candles, but really, that's not all that exciting.  However, I did have quite a few good ideas whilst going around the store today and it kept my mind nicely off panicking about the new job. 

So here we have the first of my house improvement ideas.  The bedroom.   I got this duvet set today and it will form the basis for my redecoration.  The bedroom was next on the list for painting in any case, but I hadn't decided on the colour until I saw this duvet and the entire room plan fell into place.  The current curtains are rather elderly glazed chintz with blue and purple flowers and I've had them in my bedroom for about 25 years or so.  They are Laura Ashley, and very pretty, have worn like iron but really, after 25 years, I'd like a change.  I fancy a dark cerise curtain fabric, about the colour of the darkest part of the flowers on the duvet cover.   A small chandelier to the ceiling ( I just love anything sparkly and have always wanted a proper crystal chandelier in my bedroom).  Chuck out the old melamine  furniture that I was given by my parents.  None of it actually matches and it was supposed to be a temporary short term solution... but the solution has been in place for about fifteen years!!  The edge trims are missing on some of the pieces because they were ripped out of a fitted unit run.  In their place I am considering the chest of drawers pictured.  Its actually a pretty big piece, and when centred on my window wall, will leave me 50cm each side... hopefully just large enough to fit some rather pretty covered storage boxes that tone with the duvet set.  There is a two drawer unit that matches the larger piece, that will make a fab bedside table and it even has one of those wooden slidey trays in the top drawer to make the drawer more useful.  I'd need to either cover the lampshade or buy a new one for the bedside lamp as its white silk with blue tassels but would keep the lamp which is glass and extremely pretty.  Today I bought some pink candles in little white china cups painted with the same little flowers as the duvet cover.  With the addition of a a pretty mirror on top of the large chest of drawers, a new picture, and very, very pale pink walls, like the inside of a shell,  I'd have a very smart and coordinated bedroom.    The existing wardrobes are plain white with panels so they will be perfectly happy to go with these drawers.  I'd probably improve the storage further with some plastic boxes in the bottom of the wardrobe so my shoes and handbags don't get dusty and add some drawer organisers to make the larger drawer unit work  effectively.  Of course I may not end up doing the room quite the way I planned, but I feel as though I've made a start.  Coming soon; the living room plan. 

Thanks to everyone who commented on my previous post.  I should be travelling about twice a month on average though I expect it will vary a little depending on workload and meetings scheduled.  I am going to have to be super firm with myself and keep the door to the sewing room SHUT all day.  I am going to make myself a place to work and force myself to stay there during working hours.  And I'm going to make sure my knitting in particular is put away where its not too easy to see or pick up when I walk past to get my coffee.  I may even set my coffee breaks so that I can't keep going in and out of the kitchen picking up biscuits and naughty stuff and taking it back to eat at my desk.