Hello all, sorry for the lack of blog posting. Other social media (aka Instagram) was where it has been happening along with my garden. Lots of gardening taking place at All things nice... I now have lavender, sunflowers, blue hydrangea, roses and lots of other pretty flowers. The weather last night and today is playing havoc with them... it is sooo windy. Yesterday was a lovely warm day so I got the garden mowed, but then it just changed and we had rain all day long today. Anyways it is such an Irish thing to keep talking about the weather...

I have also been busy cleaning and tidying the house and getting my sun room in order. I'm now enjoying spending time in here. It is eclectic but just what I want... In comparison to my living room which is very colour coordinated in greys, white and blue... Sorry about the dark photos but the weather hasn't been good for photographs today. Hope you all had a lovely weekend and have lots planned for August....

Hello everyone. We are all now settled into the New Year. I still haven't got use to writing 2016 though. This is the 8th year I will be blogging which is difficult to believe.... (almost a decade!!) When I first started All things nice... I wasn't sure what I was doing or what blogging even was. But here I am 8 years on and still blogging away. I never liked facebook so didn't bother with it but I have a twitter account, pinterest account and instagram account. I have connected with people from all over the world, from all walks of life and with all sorts of interests. I am grateful for this connection with so many others as it can be a bit lonely living in rural Ireland particularly during the long winter nights. For 2016 I hope to continue my blog, become more organised, keep on top of house work and keep positive. The photos below are all bright and colourful and reflect my mood as we embark on the New Year. What are your hopes for 2016?

Photos from top left; View of Central Park on Allure of the Seas (the world's largest cruise ship), a colourful handmade wooden carousel, my new floral Joules wellies and modern stained glass window in Saint Mel's Cathedral, Longford, Ireland.

It's the bank holiday weekend here in Ireland and I am just catching up on my blogging. The weather is still hit and miss here but I'm still living in hope that the sunshine will come later in August. Here are just a few pics from around my home... I will update you on my holiday plans later this week....

I have been procrastinating for a long time now over decorating my good living room. I have it painted since the summer time. It is a pale ice blue/white colour. I have my sofa and armchairs bought and am now trying to source a fireplace which I have spotted online.

Below are a few images of some wallpaper I like from Sanderson. I like both wallpapers but I think that the floral bird pattern is more to my taste. It is the voyage of discovery range (Clementine Dusty Pink). I will get this wallpaper for both alcoves each side of the fireplace.

In terms of the fireplace I like the Victorian fireplaces with the decorate corbel detaling, Below right is an image of our chimney breast. I need to buy a fireplace and get it fitted before getting the skirting, wallpaper and flooring can be started. 

I have my sofa bought, it a dark slate blue colour. Have you any nice inspiration for me for the room?

Apart from home (which is on a rural farm in Ireland), Mykonos is one of the most beautiful places I have visited. I love the white washed buildings with the pastel blues, greens and pinks. The azure blue skies and aqua coloured ocean adds further to the charm. The old churches and windmills are so pretty juxtaposed with the low buildings and blue skies and hilly terrain beyond. It is so clean, tidy, bright and relaxing. The cafes and bars are stylish and everything looks so good in white. I fell in love with Mykonos and hopefully some day I will get a chance to visit again.....

What is the most beautiful place you have visited? Is there one place that will always be in your memories for its beauty and uniqueness?

 

Here are some images of the rainbow I took this week. Hope you are all having a lovely weekend, I have lots of boring house work to do but might try and sneak in some shopping later today. There are plenty of rainbows in the sky this week with all the showery weather we are getting. Hope the sun is shining where ever you are!

Do you have any pink in your home? Do you think it is too girly? I spotted these cute pink items and the adorable badger cushion (I think it is a badger) all from H&M Home. Unfortunately H&M do not have home accessories in their stores here in Ireland. Have any of you bought any of their homewares? I think some of them are really stylish and very affordable too :) Keep up the good work H&M and bring the homewares to more of your stores, particularly here in Ireland!

Are you all set for Easter this weekend? I get an extra long weekend off work this weekend and want to spend some time with family and friends. I started to add some Spring time colours and flowers into my home last weekend to brighten the place up. The weather is extremely cold these days, but thank goodness we have no snow. Do you decorate your home for Easter

All images my own

 

We bought this image for our living room wall in Argos at the weekend. It suits the colours in our room. It is an image of Brixham Harbour.

We put this home sweet home canvas in our kitchen. This was a total bargain at €3.00 from Pennys. All of these add a nice homely feel to our home. I have lots of photo frames but no photographs to put in them yet. Do you put many photographs of your family and friends around your home? I have only one of my parents wedding. I have none of my own wedding yet but I intend to get one or two developed.

Yesterday afternoon I went for a long walk and picked some lovely wildflowers. Coupled with three hydrangeas from my mother's garden they make a wonderful mixture. I really love the purple Loosestrife which I haven't come across too often before. I have them on display in my sunroom. Hope you are all having a nice weekend and enjoying the Olympics. I am off work tomorrow so have plans to spend the day with my mother.

Yesterday I took the day off work and spent the day with my mother. We decided to take a look around the shops and above are some of my purchases, both from Monsoon and both half price :) One loves a bargain! :) Hope you are all having a nice weekend. Good news- I also took Monday off work too so I have an extra long weekend :)

The kitchen is one the most important spaces in a home. Apart from indulging in all your epicurean fantasies, it is the place where one can enjoy some family camaraderie and have sit-down dinners with loved ones. Despite being a core factor in a home, the quintessential kitchen is often neglected in terms of design and tends to be more utilitarian than stylish. Give your kitchen a makeover without any hardcore remodeling and assuage the monotonous by injecting splashes of colour in your décor. Demonstrate a progressive sensibility by purchasing colourful dishware, going for accent walls or opting for trendy kitchen island lights.


Paint The Wall

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The quickest way to inject color in a kitchen is to paint it in a bright shade.  No need to paint the entire kitchen in vivid hues, as focusing on an accent wall achieves the same result. You can also paint the wood cabinets or the furniture in bright colours and opt for a sedate white for the walls. Or try the opposite, by opting for white lacquered kitchen accessories like a dining table, pendant lighting and flooring, and contrasting it with a brightly colored accent wall.

Colourful Backsplashes

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Be it a traditional styled kitchen or something more mid-century modern, chances are, it has been done predominately in white. For that added dose of vibrancy and color, splurge on a kitchen backsplash in shades of chartreuse, champagne, and turquoise, as it will contrast wonderfully with white.

Purchase Signature Lighting Fixtures

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Another nifty way to augment the kitchen décor is to purchase an avant-garde light fixture. Binge on a retro styled pendant light or opt for unconventional kitchen island lights.  A little pop of color can insert vibrancy even in the most minimalistic kitchen.

Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Home Appliances

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These days home appliances are the perfect mesh of form and function. Utilitarian purpose is no longer the key factor when designing appliances, as the market is flooded with colourful and funky home appliances. To introduce stunning splashes of colour in your kitchen, shop for appliances in pulsating colors.

Have A Seat

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Upholster the kitchen chairs in any shade that catches your fancy. Don’t mind going on a shopping spree? Then select kitchen stools and chairs in vibrant hues like green, red and yellow, and place them next to a white countertop. Make sure to add colorful pendant lights into the mix. The contrasting colors will highlight a more harmonized design approach.

Kitchen Utensils

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The cheapest way to add some hue in the kitchen is to flaunt brightly colored kitchen utensils. The utensils can range from pots and pans, to teapots, to bowls, to even oven mittens. But, just ensure they are displayed in plain sight.

Experiment With Cabinets

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No kitchen is complete without cabinets or a shelving system. Update both and ditch the clichéd wooden tones and finishes. Instead, paint them in a bright hue or opt for a color-tinted stain, to make them juxtapose with the monochromatic colour scheme of the walls or the floor.

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Dear blog friends, hope you are all having a nice week, thought I would share these pretty cushions from heatons with you all. Almost the weekend :) Have you any nice plans?

Do you like cream interiors, are they boring?!? Well how about these? They are all very simple but stylish, elegant yet subtle and streamlined. There are such an array of cream paints to choose from, the ones below are all from the dulux paint range. I am really liking them all and think they look very cheerful and cosy too. Do you have any nice cream interiors to share with us all?  

This is the roof light over my bed where I watch the clouds flutter by, the rain lash about the window pane and the stars shine in the night sky. I dream, imagine, think and get inspiration lying here on my bed. To ensure the birds won't go astray and fly my way I have attached the celtic design window sticker. Its like my window on life, my outlook on life as I think away about the unknown and whats gone before. I think of loved ones and those who have passed away, my life, my dreams, my future....