around here..

..enjoying the sunny day and looking forward to lots and lots of new photo projects. Be curious!

tuesday morning

December 2nd

Sunday, 6pm

finally finished

Before I continue to cook my Sophie Calle inspired menus in red, pink and purple, and before I reveal  more about myself by participating in @fatmumslim's photo-a-day challenge I  invite you to finally have a glimpse into my kitchen. Yes, into the new one! The light-flooded one! You can't believe how happy I am with all the works finished.

Well, there are still missing some blinds and a real nice work of art (black-and-white photography?) on the wall behind the table, but overall I'm super happy that I've met the challenge to transfer my kitchen from the dark to the bright side of the house. The former kitchen has become a cosy little library.

Those of you who are visiting my blog regularly know that I passed through hard times during the construction and at the end nearly lost my nerves, my energy and my patience..  A big thank you to all my friends who supported me and especially to those who helped me "not to give up three meters in front of the shelter"!

time to start off with a little spring detox

Begin the day with a detox tea of your choice and some oatmeal for breakfast. Soaked in rice milk. Or soy milk. Or fruit juice.

Don't forget sports: I try to swing the hula hoop for 10 minutes at least and force myself to practise yoga on a daily basis. My daughter warmly recommended me to join the fitocracy website for better motivation.

My today's lunch:  roasted fennel, leek and bell pepper, half a glass of "siciliana" tomato sauce with sweet potato/buckwheat noodles

In case you have to shop at Ikea don't buy yourself a HotDog for hungry you might be (I  did #¶¢ƒ…#??¿). Better snack some roasted seeds instead (if you have them at hand, haha!)

window number one

in the new kitchen and south oriented!

kitchen turnaround

Hi, my dear readers! First I must apologize for having been such a lazy blogger lately. Things are taking up speed, the turnaround of rooms is going to start on Thursday. Yes, this Thursday! As I mentioned it in an earlier post I've decided to move my kitchen from the north/eastern side of the house to the former music room in the south. A wall has to be removed to give additional space to the new kitchen, the floors have to be replaced, the former kitchen will become library, two new windows  (towards south) will be quarried out...   and  I stop here because you already can imagine  how excited I am right now.

I hope the coordination of the different craftsmen will work out well (the most important thing in my opinion) and there won't be too much dirt. Meanwhile I'll try to keep you on the loop by the one or the other shot from my camera. Wish me much luck and good nerves!

The neutrals of F&B and my home

Farrow&Ball Shaded White in my guestroom

The neutrals never get boring, they are incredibly warm and beautiful. But don't think that it's an easy matter to choose the right one. You have to consider the incoming light, the electric lightening, the furniture, the height of the ceilings and even the surroundings (yes, it's quite different if you look into the green, the blue or the grey) .  The pigments mirror  the outdoor colours, so that a stunning yellow "Babouche" may turn your room into a swamp if there's a lot of green reflected.

Actually, when I'm repainting a room, I can spend days with the colour fan in my hand, being entirely sure about my choice  in one moment,  dismissing everything in the next. That's the moment I usually  ask my friend Nancy for help, who looks at the setting with a fresh view and with plenty of experience!

Farrow&Ball Matchstick in the living room

So far, only the repainting of my kitchen ended in a disaster. With the last brushstroke I knew: NOOOO WAY!!  HELP! I should have known it. 

"Matchstick, the perfect colour for the living room had turned my beautiful bright kitchen into a dirty fish tank.

At that time there didn't yet exist a stockist in Dresden and I had to wait 2 long weeks for  the remedy "White Tie"...

Farrow&Ball White Tie in my kitchen

just a few photos ....

...of my kitchen windowsill, as evolved  over the last few weeks. All the flowers are from my garden.