House And Home Archives - Rhubarb and Wren

Fireplace Studio – How to Make a Creative Space in a Chock-a-block Family Home

I have always wanted my own art studio, but after having kids, my dream changed. All I wanted now was a teeny tiny art studio. Somewhere I could do my own stuff without having to clear up the play dough first…

Our kids’ stuff gets EVERYWHERE. Arts and crafts, cookery bits, board games, play shopping, children’s books, bikes, scooters, etcetera, etcetera. The kids’ things have spread from their bedrooms to all the shared spaces in our home too.

As a result, we grown-ups finding it more and more frustrating when WE wanted to do something; nothing was ever to hand or easy to get started on.

But there is good news! We took a hard look at our small-to-middling Victorian terrace house. And, even bursting at the seams with stuff as it is, we were able to find spaces to annex as dedicated ‘grown-up’ areas. We even found one for each of us.

All it took was thinking about what we both needed. Then identifying a few wasted areas around the house that we could make better use of. Mostly, all it took was a little bit of reorganisation. And I promise you, if messy pack-rats like us can do it, you can too!

fireplace being used for art supplies storage space — *Every home has a few nooks and crannies of wasted space. Make use of an unused fireplace to create useful storage!*

Linocut Project – Harry Potter’s Firebolt

I’ve made a simple Harry Potter linocut of a Firebolt broomstick for a project I’m working on for G-Man’s birthday. It’s intended to be the first of a few Harry Potter linocut prints. But though I have something very specific in mind for it, I couldn’t resist playing around with a few other ideas too.

lino print of Harry Potter's firebolt broom — *Making a linocut print of Harry Potter’s Firebolt broomstick – kitchen table art!*

Steampunk-Victorian Chic Bathroom Makeover!

After seven years of living with the grottiest bathroom on the planet, we’ve finally managed to update it – huzzah! Now I realise this blog isn’t really about interior design, but I was so excited I had to share it.

Little girl in bright bathroom with colourful floor and cupboard. — *A colourful and fun take on a steampunk bathroom.*

Yes, it was bad. Oh so very bad. Nasty dark green tiles on every wall, wrinkled linoleum, a mouldy bath and cracked sink. Not to mention manky old exposed pipework sticking out of the wall over the bath taps. Yuk…

It’s amazing what you can live with (seven years!!), but now we finally have a beautiful, fun, funky and actually rather peaceful bathroom of our very own.

Alice in Wonderland Scarecrow Festival

One of the many wonderful community events run in our local neighbourhood is the annual scarecrow parade that takes place every September. This year, I really wanted to get involved and so corralled some of my friends and neighbours on our street into doing our scarecrows on the same theme.

In honour of this year’s 150th anniversary of the publication of the book, we themed our scarecrows around Alice in Wonderland.

Alice in Wonderland scarecrow - playing card gardener painting paper roses red — Our scarecrow Playing Card Gardener from Alice in Wonderland – painting the white roses red!

Vintage Loveliness… Bucket Chair

Quick and Colourful Washi Tape Fix for Tatty Chair Legs

I lucked upon a lovely old bucket chair in my local vintage emporium recently, and have been in a quandary ever since as to what to do with it.

I was thinking of painting the original pink woven seat a funkier, brighter colour, but when I’d given it a good clean, it was in such good condition that it seemed a crime to cover up. The legs, however, were a rather tatty silver that was knocked and peeling in places. Recalling another recent project that I’d almost painted, I got out my washi tape instead.

Category: House And Home