"Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest."
~ Henry Van Dyke

Monday, May 23, 2011

Make do and mend Mondays

In the true spirit of Make do and Mend, I redid a room at Cranberry Cottage this past weekend without spending a single penny.

I was no longer using these frames which used to be in pride of place in our entrance hall at our previous home. They are really nice frames and I knew I would use them again. I also have all my Carl Larsson prints which I used to use throughout my home years ago. I was inspired to combine the two and take them up to the cottage instead and create a welcoming little extra bedroom.

I framed a few of the prints and gathered bits and pieces I have here at home to pack in the car...

This room is very tiny, only measuring 2 meters by 2,20 meters. We had purchased two pull out bed chairs when we bought the cottage but they turned out to be impractical in a number of ways. So the room became a catch all for junk instead. Jos likes selling our old stuff at a flea market and it houses the boxes for the market instead of being a bedroom.

After clearing everything out and cleaning the room, I pulled out one of the chairs into a bed. I dressed it with two quilts for warmth and a couple of pillows. I will make a new pillow for the bed instead of the cat pillow that matched the chairs when I get a chance as this dark blue really does not match.

We have one of the chairs at home now to sell and will do the same with the second once the first is gone. We need to get a real bed for this room or an extra mattress as this pull out bed is very low.

I borrowed a small table from my bathroom to use as a nightstand. A plant and candle also among things I already had to dress the table make the room a nicer place to stay.

To complete a room, I always hang a quilt on the wall. This quilt was inspired while I was sitting in a cloister garden in France.

I made do with things I had sitting around. We often have things in our home that we are tired of but could look really nice when you put them together in another way. This will lead to using some of my quilt fabrics now to create a pillow and better suited quilt for the bottom of the bed in the coming weeks.

Can you find ways to make do in your home? A few fellow bloggers are joining in the pursuit to make do and mend. Check out the links in my sidebar.....

15 comments:

Linda said...

Heidi,

I've been changing things around in my house lately - putting a different picture in a spot where I've had the same one for years and years.... rearranging things on my shelves to give them a different look. It is amazing how much these little changes can uplift my mood!

Linda in VA

Elizabethd said...

What a different room you made! It looks so calm and welcoming.
In UK, I'm not sure if in Europe, one can buy a single bed with another that slides under it. So it looks like a single bed, but you can pull out the under one for an extra guest.

Deborah said...

Heidi, you have done a beautiful job with the room. Very warm and welcoming.

Jenny said...

What a great job you did on the bedroom. I love how it looks now, the pictures are really perfect and I love the quilt on the wall especially....but then again I love all your quilts...grins...Hope you are having a good day....Hugs from CA.

Susan in SC said...

I have a Mend and Make do post on http://mycottagelife.blogspot.com

I have linked it to you.

Susan

Unknown said...

Thanks for your comment. I will look for those books, but I don't think my library has them. I just redid my decor in living room using what I had I'll do a post later this week. When I moved into my house I didn't have the money left to get new furniture like I had hoped and so I had to use what I had to furnish all the rooms. I ended up using garden furniture, wicker and eventually bought a few things, but I've never been able to just replace all my old stuff. I've found that it really doesn't matter I can make it look nice. Thanks for your inspiration.You do a beautiful job and I love your quilt. Linda

Nancy said...

That really looks nice now. Much more cozy. As you know, I love the prints and I also have some of them. Mine had been in the kitchen/dining room until I put up the pictures Kristy took of us.
You did a good job of recycling there.
You always do.
Love you, Mom

Kathy A. said...

Love your little guest room. Can I come stay in it? LOL
I am about to redo our guest room in a week or two. I hope I am as successful as you.

Carolien said...

Now this is a great, new room!
I must confess I feel a bit sad I can't see that lovely French quilt in Amersfoort anymore now, snif! ;) It's such a beauty ...

Have a nice evening! Hugs, Carolien

Jantine said...

The room is lovely and ready to use!

DonnaTN said...

Wonderful room make over. It is surprising what can be spruced up without spending a lot of money. the cloister garden inspired quilt is lovely.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful little room Heidi all ready now for me to come and stay. You give so much inspiration to everyone with your ideas and talents. Of now to search for some Chicken scratching patterns for my next craft class.

Have a good week and hope Jos's has got a job now.

Hugs and Crosses,
Hazel C (UK)

Anonymous said...

En weet je waar ik nou het meeste van geniet?? Dat je ook de rommel laat zien die er eerst was. Er is dus hoop voor zulke rommelkamers om omgetoverd te kunnen worden in een gezellige kamer, waar je tot rust kan komen!
And you know which picture i like the most? The one with all the mess. It means there is hope for these dreadful rooms to become a beauty!
(lukte niet om in te loggen, daarom maar 'anoniem')
groetjes Sonja

Rhonda said...

Hello Heidi
very pretty room now. Can I stay in when I come to Holland?

one advantage to a low bed, is that if the sleeper falls out of bed in the night, it is not very far to the floor :)

I did a very mini- make do and mend this week and of course I blogged it.

Anonymous said...

Dat ziet er leuk uit! Je kunt met gemak binnenhuisarchitecte worden! Vooral voor mensen met een kleine beurs! Leuk om al die berichten van "Make do and mend Mondays" te lezen.
Groetjes en hugs, Elly