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VILLA BETULA

the dark hues of maren ingeborg gråblomst

BOTTOM OF THE LAKE AND A SHIP – THE KITCHEN IS DONE!

09/02/2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally I took some photos of the “new” kitchen for you yesterday. Editing took like forever and it was a tiresome day. But today is good, so here we go! Where to start… maybe by saying please leave a comment if there’s something you want to know about the kitchen (or something else), this post might not cover everything. But here’s the question many people use to have: What is the name of the colour? Well, it does not have a name, but let’s call it Betula Inky Green! The NCS code is S7020-B90G (the “G” is for yellow, so maybe it’s called “Y” in English speaking countries). The walls is matte, the ceiling is max shine because of the reflection. And they are the same colour (I always do that).

For me it was absurd that my most liked photo on instagram last year was the kitchen. It was light grey and not that intriguing, and for me a very boring room. So some of you might liked the “before” better, but lucky me I can change is as much as I like, and now I think it has changed its character completely. And just for the better. Want to see the before you say? You find a small video with the before and after on my instagram @villabetulablog. Do you think I should start making small videos for the blog as well? I would love to hear your opinion!

OK, the budget: under 100£ / 120$. I had most of the painting as left overs from the other green room which is attached to the kitchen, so they are now in the same colour and the boundaries between the rooms and the walls and ceilings have more or less disappeared. It seems bigger, taller, grander, more sophisticated and intriguing. Except from painting the room I used some terrible laminate shelves we got for free to make backsplashes. The trick to make them fab was to put some gold foil on them! The copper pipe to hang things on was there since the last make over, and we found it in the old basement. But maybe you can get some used somewhere? They can even be bought new I think. Except from that: cheap flea mirrors (three of them in the kitchen!), pimped a couple of lamps, I shopped my home for curtains and plants that where in desperate need for more light, gathered the coffee stuff on a teak tabletop to make a “coffee station”, and I painted the kitchen cupboards and bench black. Now I can hardly see that (ugly, in my opinion) induction top as it’s in the same colour as the bench. Yes, I felt very smart doing that, ha ha! And the finishing touch: a ship chandelier! I’ve just been dreaming of one, but they cost what I earn in a year. But then I released an idea for my husband – what if we made one? A very simple one with no intensions to look very good or expensive. So he got some stuff from the thrift shop and transformed thick wires from a small tent into a ship, just like it was the simplest thing ever (oh my, I love my husband). Then I took the job with twirling ten meters of copper strings with tiny lights on them on to the ship, and I also made some sails. And now it hangs there – reflecting it self in the shiny ceiling which looks like the surface of a deep sea…

So… remember me attending Abigail Ahern’s masterclass in January? The reason why you can read in that post, but my point now is the one thing I really needed to hear again, and to feel in her home: you should not be able to walk in a straight line from one place to another. Sounds weird? Unpractical? Stupid? Well, try it! Don’t be afraid to make a cozy nook a place you would never have thought of, don’t be afraid to put that huge palm where you are suppose to take the easiest walk to the next room. It makes such big exciting changes, like a little jungle of layers and discoveries. And thanks to Abigail‘s reminder I put an old bench in the middle of the tiny kitchen. Where you are suppose to walk straight from the stove to the dishes. And I love it. And my husband loves it too! We sit there with our coffee and lunch, feeling like the house has expanded, even though I’ve just made less floor space! Who would have thought so? With that and the budget in mind: go a little bananas! It’s fun, cheap and very transforming. If you need support – I’m here 😉

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  1. Kara says

    09/02/2017 at 18:52

    I’m totally obsessed and crushing on you, your husband and your gorgeous gorgeous home.love your style.xxx

    Reply
    • villabetula says

      09/02/2017 at 20:09

      That’s so cute of you Kara, I really appreciate it, thanks!

      Reply
  2. Emily says

    13/02/2017 at 06:34

    Such beautiful colors! I love the kitchen so so much. Let me ask you did you turn the inside of your large lamp’s shade gold? What did you use?

    Reply
    • villabetula says

      13/02/2017 at 09:07

      Thanks Emily! Nice to hear 🙂 The lamp shade used to be white inside and olive green outside, so I just used the same black on the outside which I used on the cupboards, and the gold inside I used some cheap paint from a shop where you buy small “creative hobby” things (don’t know what those shop are called in English, sorry, but you always find them on shopping centre an so on). Ha ve a good day!

      Reply
  3. Hendrik Philips says

    20/02/2017 at 19:41

    Whilst checking in on inspiration on Abigail Ahern’s website I saw Villa Betula mentioned a few times. Following the lead on your kitchen I ended up here. I really like the colors you used in the kitchen.
    I’m a bit hesitant to buy the ahern colours. On her website they look really deep and rich but if you check out the manufacter’s website (Craig & Rose http://www.craigandrose.com/paint/abigail-ahern) they look no such thing as on her website.
    Since you have used them, could you tell me which site I can trust? I know I can order samples but before I do that I want to hear some first hand experience!

    Reply
    • villabetula says

      20/02/2017 at 20:09

      Hi Hendrik! Glad you found your way to Villa Betula, welcome 🙂 I checked out craig and rose now, and I can see they’re a little different from Abi’s site. Well, even though I usually hashtag my photos #abigailaherncolour it is because I’m on the “dark style” and use dark rich colours, but I have not used Abigail Ahern paint. I can’t buy it in Norway, and they don’t ship paint to Norway, so I use other kinds of paint, and I never use a colour that someone else has “mixed”, I always find my own from a colour fan. But I do have the NCS-system codes of them if you need them. Don’ hesitate to ask me for something again, but sorry I could not answer better this time…

      Reply
      • Hendrik Philips says

        21/02/2017 at 12:13

        Your answer is of great help, so no need to feel sorry.
        Actually, I was thinking to source similar paint from our local shops to come as close as possible to Abi’s colours. So, if you’re willing to pass the NCS-system codes, that sure would be a great help! It certainly would make it a lot easier to turn my house into a kingdom of dark…
        Snooping throuhg this blog I did enter your band’s name in Youtube and I must say: Great music! Normally I’m more into rock and EBM/new wave and so but I do like your songs. And the videos: Brilliant!

        Reply
        • villabetula says

          21/02/2017 at 13:24

          Good I could be to some help! The NCS code for the dark green room and kitchen is S7020-B90Y and the mulberry/plum colour on the door, which is the same as in the hallway, is S7020-R10B. I would be great to see some photos when you enter the kingdom of dark 😉 If your on Instagram please follow @villabetulablog and then I will find you there. And I’m so happy to hear you researched the band, thank you for your lovely compliments! Today I’m finishing the art for the vinyl sleeve for our second album! If you liked the first one you will love and adore this one!! 😉

          Reply
          • Hendrik Philips says

            21/02/2017 at 21:25

            Hello Maren, thank you for the NCS codes! I guess I was hoping when you said you have the colour codes that you had them of all 13 Abigail’s colours. Haha, my bad! But it surely is a start! I’m doing some research now on the NCS system…

            Black Giant Herd, I like a lot…

            Good luck with the artwork and I sure hope to see you and the band in a venue in Belgium or the south of the Netherlands!

          • villabetula says

            22/02/2017 at 09:29

            Oh, you had big hopes for the codes! Well, the codes you got is just on the green and mulberry I have, and they are not identical to any of Abigail’s colours. But a tip: send the Abigail team a mail and ask if they can send you that paper they got with the colour-test on it (don’t know what’s called in English, but I know they have them in her physical shop), and then you can compare with a colour fan that they got on the shop were you buy paint. Or just find something you love yourself and don’t think too much about how Abi’s colours look 😉 Glad you like Black Giant Herd! It’s very expensive to travel and do concerts, but if you find somewhere we can play and buy us some tickets and a hotel we will show up, ha ha 😉

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ABOUT ME

I do and share things by heart. I create personal texts, am a musician, sell original art and prints, make a special home and capture the magic with my camera – everything rather dark hued. Villa Betula is not just skimming the tops.

And by the way - my name is Maren Ingeborg Gråblomst and I’m Norwegian. Gråblomst means grey flower.

Feel free to comment on my posts and get in touch for collaborations or other inquiries at contact@villabetula.com

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