Interior: the "grown up" Games Room (yes that is a thing!)

Now that most of the  boxes have been unpacked and the important rooms are starting to take shape  we've started to throw about ideas for the unnamed den/games room/ play room/ man cave upstairs in the roof. (Can a den be in the roof?)

Between us we've got nearly every games console since the commodore but they've all been gathering dust at our parent's houses under a spaghetti junction of cables.

Below are some ideas that we both like for a games room that incorporate function, organisation and the kind of design that continues throughout the house. It's hard to make, what's essentially a kids room, look stylish but below shows that with a bit of money and planning it can be done.

Click on the images for relevant links. It gets a bit silly towards the end but this is all research anyway...

*look out for the console glass coffee table!!

Various stickers available online and through Etsy

Wall stickers from: UberDecals

Poster from: PopChartLab

Pong sticker from: Zesty Graphics

Dream gaming room via Dannycoo.com (the craziest site!!)

Star Wars poster from: Conception Studios

$10,500 when sold with all the money going to charity!

Contemporary Media Room

The Sunday Session: Favourite things from the past month

http://stepjourney.wordpress.com/how-to-study/

It's Sunday afternoon and we are both trying to study. Despite the blazing sun and the call to laze in the park with a cider and some strawberries. Our attempt to take our books to the park was a disaster as we quickly gobbled up all the picnic food so we are now held captive; chained to the desk and fuelled by scorching coffee on a scorching day.

As part of my attempt at record breaking procrastination (Jim is currently taking a break to sing to the cat) I thought I would start a little regular post to cover my favourite things from the past Month. If you've got any recommendations of your own please send them my way as I am incredibly nosy and love to hear what other people are hooked on!


1 What are you reading?


I finished "Billy and me" by Giovanna Fletcher (Mrs Tom McFly) in just under 24hours. It's lighthearted, easy reading and written in one of the most delightful voices I've read in a while. I had a day off of work so curled up on the sofa (which I pushed to the french doors as we don't have any garden furniture yet) and hungrily consumed the novel and an entire packet of Maryland cookies (ahem) which made for one of a blissful and self indulgent day! 



2 What are you watching?

I am hooked on 3 TV shows at the moment which I hoped would fill the "Game of Thrones" void in my life. "Top of the lake" (BBC 2) is a crime drama set in New Zealand with (a now predictable) a female lead, "The White Queen" (BBC 1) is a glorified soap opera set during the 'Wars of the roses' and "The Returned" (Channel 4), a supernatural/zombie drama in French. If anyone knows how to take the English subtitles off when watching back on 4OD please let me know!!

Fact: Jeremy Irons son plays the lead in "The white Queen". Lovley, um, genes!

We also watched "The Firm" starring Tom Cruise which I'd never seen before as I find his on screen presence creepy and a little embarrassing (maybe just me) but it was so good! Afterwards I discovered that it's really famous and everyone has seen it so this may be old news to you.


3 Where have you been?

Our best friends bought a house close to us around the same time as we moved and they had a house warming/birthday BBQ this Month to celebrate all the good things! They have the most beautiful home and it's one of those places that as soon as you walk in feels so relaxing and comfortable. There were about 25 of us there and the sun shone and the bubbles flowed and it was such a great day. I know it is a sign of things to come and that their little home will see many years of good times! For a sneak peek have a look at my instagram on the right!

We also went to Lovebox festival in Victoria Park, London just for the Sunday and watched Kelis, Leanne La Havas, Hurts and Goldfrapp play. Jim's Nan gave us tickets and it couldn't have been a better day. The sun was scorching, the cider chilled and dancing to Goldfrapp made me reminisce about crimping my hair to look like Alison. The glory days...


4 What made you smile?

Yesterday my girl friends and I had an old photo/letter/memories day and huddled under the umbrella in the garden with huge tubs of food and bottles of cider and dug out all our old photos. There were some absolute shockers in there and some I would happily forget but it was such a nice afternoon remembering the good the bad and the ugly (fashion wise) and trying to get over the fact we've been friends for nearly 12 years!!

A little taster of some of the classics...




5 Most listened to?

• Yes Giantess, "Tuff n stuff" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CpUyZcEPAs
• Air, Moon Safari http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo8aSo5Tv1E
• Laura Marling, everything she's released (and not released) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC2MaFHDzEo

6 Who deserves a mention?

Charlotte from Charlotte's Web

We all read lots of blogs (some of us on a weekly, daily, hourly basis) and there are those special blogs that simply make you smile as soon as they load up on your screen. Charlotte is hilarious, a brilliant writer, part of a fantastic web design team and a cat lover (which in my book speaks volumes about a person) and her blog is one that I race to as soon as she's posted. I urge you to have a read if you haven't already and I'm sure you'll love her blog as much as I do and if you were a dog person before, you may even be turned.. 


7 Favourite purchase?

My absolute steal was a pair of green chunky heels from Debenhams in the sale. I haven't had the opportunity to wear them yet but as I have had my eye on some chunky heeled Jeffrey Campbell's and nearly fainted at the price I feel quite smug that I spotted these beauties on the shelf. 

8 Most used site/app/game?

My go to app for house related ideas again this Month has to be Houzz. It's an online platform a little like Pinterest except that it also features articles and edits by interior designers. You can store things you like in a scrapbook and search for themes, styles, items and link to the site where the items can be purchased. It's a great reference too but is also a more useful alternative to a hard copy mood board or scrapbook.

Jim and I both downloaded (brace yourselves) Candy Crush to see what those 1573 requests on Facebook (from people I spoke to on one occasion at school) were about and 102 levels later I think you can gather how much time has been wasted on it.

For a break from crushing electronic sweets try "Dumb ways to die" which is a silly, railway safety based game (bare with me) which we've ben singing the song from it for days. Apparently it's famous in Australia although correct me if I'm wrong! (Both available from the App store - you've been warned!)

My most visited site this month has been "Junkaholique" for the photos, inspiration from Artemis and her Husband Nao on up-cycling, places to visit in the Uk and how to take the most beautiful photos I've seen on the internet. Nao captures moments between Artemis and her daughter Pehr that would normally be missed in the blink of an eye. 


9 Something good to eat?

Jim and I whipped up a lazy sweet, juicy salad as the weather has been so hot and splitting up during the shopping and then realising what we'd bought once we got back to the kitchen has meant we've invented our new favourite summer snack!

• Salad leaves (ours were peppery pre-washed salad leaves topped up with iceberg and romaine)
• Plum tomatoes chopped
• Flakes of goats cheese
• Orange slices
• Beetroot chopped into chunks
• A dash of olive oil and the juice of another orange...

Not for everyone I admit but if you like zesty, colourful and juicy salads give this a try!


10 Random favourite

Charity Shops. This may seem an obvious choice considering we love vintage furniture and homeware but I just can't get enough of them. I can't seem to walk past one without having a little look for potential gems. I love the fact that they completely differ depending on the area and country and that what is one person's junk really could be your treasure!

I will leave you with exhibit A...

Demi-john from a charity shop around the corner for £2.00!!