Remember my thrilling series of posts called: News from the Mantelpiece??? Well, I am no longer able to continue the series, as this is what the mantelpiece looks like now…
The mantelpiece is no more! I have been busy. The decluttering has moved on to redecorating, and about time too! I have loathed the lilac walls for about a decade, and the disproportionate mantelpiece. I’m not sure when my room will be ready for reoccupation – a new floor is on order and won’t arrive for at least 8 weeks, so hopefully I will be back in there, and have an ‘after’ picture, before Christmas.
For the time being I am camped out in a much smaller room, and I don’t know where anything is, and The Instructions on Page 11 have been packed away and are no longer accessible. Apologies for that.
Wonky Words 
I look forward to the “After” picture. I’m sure it will be lovely to see. In the meantime I hope you are comfortable!
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Mr Ducks – I’m looking forward to the ‘after’ picture too! I wish it was all done, comfy and cosy. I’m eventually getting new furniture as well, so it’s all rather exciting – there might even be a sofa, and a reading lamp.
Sx
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I can picture you, sledgehammer in hand, cursing everyone who has ever crossed you with every blow… Jx
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Jon – Now that would have been fun! If only I wasn’t sensible. Unfortunately the mantelpiece was easily, er, dismantled! It must have been a mantelpiece kit from B&Q – a right mess behind – rubble and suchlike. It’s removal gives me more floor space, and I won’t keep tripping over the hearth on my way to my desk.
Sx
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Is this the “New Russian Style” of interior design ? Is this what this Japanese woman wanted ? From de-cluttering to “rrrippitoff” in a few days ?
I hope you are a “happy camper” until you return under the roof. At least you have Sid to warm yer feet …
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Mr Mags – I am in the spare bedroom with my desk and a few boxes. And the printer. It is definitely temporary. Sid seems to like it.
You should have seen the kitchen when that was gutted – now that was scary.
Sx
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You mean the place later known as “Gory Kitchen of Doom” ?
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Mr Mags – One of my previous kitchens did indeed end up as The Gory Kitchen of Doom, but that was because of the murder. Nought to do with me, I may add!
My current kitchen is based on The Great British Bake Off – I even have bunting!
Sx
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I only read about the “Bake Off” in the yellow press, so I have no real idea how their kitchen looks. Isn’t it performed – at least partly – in a tent ?
I hope you will leave the spare room soon. After all it can’t take so long to fill a gap in the wall, and put a decent bookshelf in front of it, what describes my idea of interior design accurately.
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Bake Off is in a tent, but I have walls 🙂 And it has the visual flavour of Bake Off.
As for my room, the walls need painting, a new floor needs laying…. But there will be a new bookcase! The fireplace has been re plastered, and is drying out. It’s a long slog – oh, I also need some blinds.
Sx
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Sorry, I have no idea, absolutely none, why I have to think of this old fashioned picture by P. Garner here.
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Mr Mags – Doable, I suppose, but the weights bother me. Would I be expected to exercise in my new space??? I was thinking along the lines of rest and relaxation! Yes, MORE rest and relaxation!
Sx
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“The fireplace has been re plastered, and is drying out.” Phew! I thought that you may have been keeping it as is. Industrial Chic is so last decade. Or was it the one before?
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“As for my room, the walls need painting, a new floor needs laying …”
Will you use something else on the wall than this “beige” – I am just not sure how to call this colour, sorry : Khaki, mocca perhaps ? I think the trend goes more into the direction of pure primary colours these days (but what do I know ?!). Whatever – I am curious to see what will happen here.
Plum ? Orange ? An oak brown – ach, do what you want ! I am just really curious, sorry.
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I seem to recall hearing a sociologist holding forth on how mantelpieces are liminal spaces at the intersection between the private and the public. Just a handy place to put an ormolu clock and a pair of stuffed guillemots if you ask me, but presumably you’re not encumbered with such things, Scarlet?
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Damn it, Mr Batarde, now I want a pair of stuffed guillemots! The power of suggestion. To be fair a couple of stuffed rooks would do. I need to get some pictures on these walls, that’s for sure.
Sx
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The mantel may be gone, but your inner fire still burns. Incidentally, that white shape looks like a Ninja Turtle with a dangerously thin neck.
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Mr Kinky – An inner fire? Without a mantelpiece or hearth??? Crazy talk!!!
Are you referring to the kitchen roll?! Let me go back and look again.
I did have very grubby walls behind the books… the books might not be making a comeback.
Sx
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Oh! You mean the thing I rest my paintbrushes on! Oh, I get it now!
Sx
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When our Inexplicable friend from Norfolk reads this I expect he’ll offer to get a cormorant/shag for your mantel piece…
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Dinah – So long as it’s stuffed! I’m not sure I will have a new mantelpiece. I might make do with a shelf and some fairy lights.
Sx
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Probably wise. Imagine having to explain your shag on the mantel…
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Dinah – Indeed, so much easier to explain a shag on a shelf.
Sx
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Having just read Mr Batarde’s “stuffed guillemots” idea, I am now so over cormorants. Although the jury’s still out on a shag…
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Will the fireplace remain or be closed up? Will it still be usable for Santa? (Father Christmas for Brits???)
I don’t care for fireplaces. They are useful if you have documents laying around and the authorities show up.
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Bill – I think the chimney will be capped off and the fireplace closed up – I have a wood burning stove on another room so I’ll still be ahead of the authorities.
Sx
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Mind the gap.
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Always, Ms Mistress!
Sx
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What a terrible hole! It looks like you’re taking your early Halloween decorating quite seriously. I too am eager for the “after” picture. That box of drawers on the second shelf to the left. Did you get it from Ikea? I have one like it that I also painted and decorated. I’ll have to share a picture of it. Maybe on my next post.
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I once overhard a conversation my mother was having with a friend, well, actually I was listening at the living room door, she told her friend after she gave birth to me, a whopping 9 pounder that her “fanny resembled a ripped out fireplace” I’ve never been able to envision it until now, I’m seeing brown plaster as the flappage. No wonder she shut up shop after me. That’s a posh looking pasting table.
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Ha, ha, ha, Mitzi! I will not be able to unsee this visual imagery now!
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What a fabulous looking room! I look forward to seeing what you do with it
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The place looks better – good decision. I can see the ghost of the old disproportionate mantle in the tear-out picture.
p.s. Contact Sherlock Holmes for a good rough shag.
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Can’t wait to see what you do with the place, I couldn’t have lived with lilac walls for a day, though I do love a lilac bush.
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I can’t wait to see what happens next, it’ll look gorgeous no doubt.
I’m struggling with Blogger, too lazy to move – probably best to shoot me xxx
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How is it with that mantello now ? Are you curled up in a fetal position in the spare room ? Renovations may take their toll …
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