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Dekko Bird

inspiration & ideas for stylish home living

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A midcentury chair lovingly upholstered in collaboration with Yorkshire Fabric Shop {ad}

You know how it is; you can’t walk away from that bargain piece of furniture in the local charity shop and your inner DIY goddess tells you how good it would look with a little lick of paint or a simple reupholster? Well, that was me when I happened upon this lovely little Parker Knoll midcentury chair fresh out of the 1950s. Its seat pad had been well sat on, its wooden frame was scratched and worn, but it was only £30. I was sold!

Here she is stripped back to her bare bones – thankfully the frame and base springs were in pretty good nick.

My Parker Knoll armchair in its ‘raw’ state!

But that was over four years ago and the chair has been even more sat on and worn down, thanks to a variety of colourful throws and cushions thrown over to cheer it up. That was, until the Yorkshire Fabric Shop got in touch with me to showcase their new ‘Freedom’ collection of upholstery fabrics. It’s a really vibrant range and when they kindly offered me a length of fabric of my choice, knew I needed to grab the opportunity to finally get my little midcentury chair reupholstered!

After much deliberation, I chose this fabric from the Freedom range, as I felt its colours and pattern would fit in well with a few different areas in my home, meaning I could inevitably move the chair around as I wish. (I’m definitely not one for keeping things in the same place for too long – a shuffle around once in a while always makes your home feel fresh!)

Having only ever attempted to re-cover a footstool in the past, I had to accept that my upholstery skills were somewhat restricted to wielding a staple gun, so I enlisted the help of local upholsterer, Nicola Parkes, to ensure my chair would be professionally finished and last the test of time (not to mention my kids’ feet dragged all over it).

I set to work sanding back the wood frame as best I could, then finished it off with a good rubbing of beeswax to bring out the wood’s natural colour and grain (I used IKEA beeswax picked up from the ‘Bargain Corner’ a while back). Nicola then did a sterling job in reupholstering the seat pads with my chosen fabric – it really has given the chair a new lease of life!

I love the fabric’s soft velvety feel and the Ikat-inspired pattern in all my favourite deep blue and rusty hues. It tones with the natural colour of the Parker Knoll’s wood frame so perfectly.

The chair sits very happily in our playroom/snug corner, adding a lively pop of pattern against the muted grey-green walls.

It’s a nice and comfortable spot to sit in when I’m taking a break from working at my desk.

I hope you love it as much as I do. I think it was worth the four year wait!! :)

Do take a look at the wide range of fabric on offer at the Yorkshire Fabric Shop, there’s definitely a design for everyone and for every project. What will you choose to reupholster?

K x

Using texture to add interest and warmth to your home

I don’t know whether it’s the promise of lighter, brighter, summer days or just too much time spent browsing Pinterest during lockdown (probably the latter!), but I’m seriously lusting after some bright and airy North American modern vintage style homes at the moment. I love their clean, considered design, rustic warmth and cosy textures – it just seems to work.

But why exactly does it work? Well, one word is important here – TEXTURE. An interior that is carefully layered up with different textures and finishes is immediately more inviting, more pulled together and basically more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

However, layering your interior with texture and pattern is not always easy to get right, so I’ve pinpointed some key elements you need to consider in order to perfect this interior decor trick in your own home.

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My pick of stylish garden lounge chairs

I recently decided to treat myself to a new pair of garden chairs for our patio. Not just dining style chairs for around the table, but more like ‘lounge’ style chairs for sitting in to enjoy an alfresco cup of coffee and a good book.

Now, which of these dream patio scenarios would be where you’d choose to have that coffee and book time? The trick is to work out your outdoor decor style to help narrow down your garden chair search…

I found these great ones in Homebase (link further below), but they are low in stock now (blame the good weather and their exceptional good value). I thought they looked a lot more expensive than they actually are and they’re the perfect size and style for this corner.

What I love about them is how they look great both completely unadorned or cosied up with a good old sheepskin – bonus!

There are lots of lovely bistro sets, garden benches and outdoor sofas on the market, but the garden lounge chair is an affordable option that we can relax into. They’re also really handy to move around the garden or from the front of the house to the back, and so forth. Much easier than shoving a two seater outdoor sofa about or lifting a heavy garden bench!

Anyway, it was on my quest for a stylish, comfortable and affordable garden lounge chair, that I came across so many other lovely designs that I really wanted to share with you. Now that garden centres and larger outdoor retailers are reopening, you can have a sit down and try out before you buy, which is pretty important considering the small investment you’re making.

Here’s my pick of 12 great ones to choose from:

Where to buy:

  1. Indoor/outdoor grey string chair // Cox & Cox* // £125
  2. ‘Ross’ rattan effect garden chair // Argos // £60
  3. ‘Bondholmen’ chair // IKEA // £75
  4. ‘Conservatory’ rattan chair // La Redoute* // £139.30 (in sale)
  5. ‘Ellipse’ garden lounging chairs // John Lewis* // £160 (set of 2)
  6. ‘Leopold’ black wire contemporary chair // Habitat* // £125
  7. ‘Joalie’ wicker garden chair // La Redoute* // £189.05 (in sale)
  8. ‘Oneman’ garden chair // Wayfair UK // £156.99
  9. ‘Lyra’ garden chair set // Made.com* // £179 (set of 2)
  10. ‘Yuri’ multi woven lounge chair // Made.com* // £199
  11. Bamboo stacking chair // Homebase // £55 (2 for £80)
  12. ‘Acapulco’ chair // SKLUM // £65.75

*contains affiliate link

Happy shopping!

K x

How I styled my daughter’s small bedroom

My youngest daughter, Annabel, turns 9 later this year and had outgrown the childish baby pink decor in her small bedroom. It was time for a mini bedroom project and she wanted to make sure she was involved!! She completely ran the project in many ways – instructing me clearly on the aspects of the room she didn’t like and the colour she wanted on the walls… but more on that later!

The first thing we did was get rid of the existing loft bed. It was an IKEA one similar to this one and although it incorporated plenty of storage and sleeping space within a singular piece of furniture, it took up almost half her bedroom floor space, making the room feel cramped and busy. It’s not a big bedroom by any means, but not a ‘box room’ either, so we felt there must be a better way of maximising on the space available.

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Recipe: Honey Coconut Granola

When I started the Dekko Bird blog back in 2015, I used to write a ‘Friday Foodie’ post, sharing my favourite, easy recipes on here; and so as I was making our regular batch of honey coconut granola recently, I thought I’d feature it on here for you all to have a go at making.

After all, we’re spending more time at home creating, baking and making in our spare time, so using up store cupboard ingredients and getting creative with your granola mix might be the ideal way to put in some downtime in the kitchen.

Easy, crunchy honey coconut granola… so tasty!

We make a batch of this granola pretty regularly in our house. I’m not saying we avoid the shop-bought stuff – when life is busy and time is short we have our preferred brands that we pick up at the supermarket – but homemade granola is less sickly sweet than the shop-bought varieties and you can make it to suit your own tastes. You can throw any combination of nuts, seeds and dried fruits into the mix as pleases you! And it tastes so so superior to the ready made packet granola.

We love this particular granola mix as it’s super versatile: it’s a simple enough basic recipe that you can serve with yogurt, fresh fruit or simply a splash of ice cold milk on its own.

Or how about changing it up with dried apricots, dates or raisins added in at the end of baking time? Cashews or walnuts are another great addition for a lovely added crunch. We love coconut-anything in this house, but you could substitute it for some quinoa flakes, goji berries or even chia seeds for a healthy boost.

No two batches are ever quite the same, as we like to use up whatever nuts or seeds we have in the house. For this granola jar, I added whole almonds, one of our family’s favourite nuts, however you can change the texture up a little by crushing half the almonds and leaving the rest whole. Or throw in some ground almonds. It’s entirely up to you (and how strong your teeth are, of course!!)

Want to give it a go? Here’s the basic recipe I use to fill a 750ml (1 1/2 pint) sized Kilner jar. Obviously you can increase the quantities as you wish – just play about with your own recipe!

You’ll need:

  • 1 rounded cup porridge oats
  • 1/2 cup nuts (almonds/cashews/walnuts/brazil nuts or a mix of these)
  • 1/2 cup seeds (pumpkin/sunflower/sesame or a mix)
  • 1/4 cup desiccated coconut or coconut flakes
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla essence
  • Optional: chia seeds/goji berries/linseeds etc

Place the oats, nuts (either left whole or half chopped and half left whole), seeds, coconut flakes and sugar in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

Place the honey and coconut oil in a small microwaveable bowl and heat for around 1 minute until the coconut oil has melted into the honey. Add the vanilla essence to this, then pour onto the dry ingredients and combine well.

Empty the granola mixture onto a baking tray with high sides, lined with either foil or baking paper. Bake for 10 mins, give it a good stir, then return to the oven for a further 10 mins until golden. Be sure to mix the edges of the granola into the centre when mixing it together.

Leave to cool in the tin, then store in a glass jar or other suitable airtight container. Your honey coconut granola will keep for a couple of weeks (if you can resist it that long!)

Serve however you like it best: we don’t think you can go too wrong with a dollop of creamy Greek yogurt, fresh strawberries and an extra drizzle of honey! :)

Enjoy x

How to paint kitchen cabinets (& my own kitchen refresh!)

I’d been planning to refresh our kitchen walls and cabinets at some stage this year, mainly because after four years they had become rather grubby and – what can I say – I fancied a wee change! So, the paint charts were stuck onto the wall, sample pots dusted off and Pinterest thoroughly salivated over… then, as we are all too aware, 2020 took a very strange turn, with talk of complete lockdown impending by the middle of March.

Suddenly I realised I needed projects lined up to keep me same throughout my time at home! Home schooling certainly wouldn’t fill my days with happiness, but painting definitely could! Luckily, I had chosen the overall look I was trying to achieve in the kitchen. I wanted a darker colour on the units and a lighter colour on the walls to freshen and brighten the room up a little, particularly as the back of our house has a northerly aspect.

Have a read to find out how I got on :)

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My Guide to having Happy House Plants

I recently compiled some tips on how to best care for your house plants over on my Instagram page and received such a great response to it! It seems there are quite a few of us who share a love for and connection with our leafy green house buddies, however caring for them in the appropriate way can be a somewhat tricky business…

With this in mind, I have written an easy to follow guide on here, which I hope will act as a useful referral point for you as you find your way with your house plant care. So, from yellowing leaves to drooping stems, there’s a solution to be found for those common house plant problems – you just need to find the right plant for the right place in your home, then adhere to a few little rules and it will thrive!

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Going over to the ‘light side’ in our living room

Having painted our main living room fairly soon after moving into our home almost four years ago, I never really felt that I’d accomplished the look I was after in there. With an old piano and some other ‘brown’ wood furnishings handed down to us or upcycled in some fashion over recent years, it was all feeling a little heavy in comparison to the rest of the house.

Our living room has a dual aspect, with windows facing out over the front and back gardens due south and north respectively, therefore it was crying out for an airier feel to it. It’s a lovely bright room all year round, but I wanted it to feel cosy, too, as we hibernate in there by the fire during the winter months.

For a while, I’d been playing about with the idea of an all white room, but wasn’t convinced it would have the cosiness I was after, especially with it being a sizeable room. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago in true ‘Keira’ fashion, I decided to start ripping off the old wallpaper in the room, which to my delight (and relief!), came off easily enough. By the next day, I was ready to start redecorating onto the bare plaster walls.

Just to remind you, here’s a ‘before’ shot of the room. I had used Farrow & Ball Cornforth White on the walls, however it seemed too flat a grey in this room.

I was just never 100% happy with how the room looked, too many brown pieces of furniture were weighing it down and with the grey sofa and curtains it lacked a little something.

I decided to refresh the walls with a warm, creamy, white, and after trialling a few samples, found that Farrow & Ball Wimborne White ticked all the boxes. My only concern was the size of the room. I felt it needed something to frame the white walls and add a little more interest, so I had a root around the garage and found a half-used tin of satin paint in another Farrow & Ball colour, Mole’s Breath, that I’d used for our front door. I thought it would be perfect to continue this colour through to the woodwork in the living room…

Here’s how the room looks now with a fresh lick of paint on the walls and woodwork. I kept the little gallery wall above my pair of Ercol chairs the same, just adding a handy tray table from IKEA to finish off this area.

I love the winter light streaming in here during the day… the Habitat bistro table (just seen) is lovely to sit and work at or enjoy a few pages of my book with a coffee, enjoying the warm sunlight. I also changed up my vintage trolley, setting it up as a bar cart ready for some festive entertaining. I think I’ll decorate it for Christmas soon with some sparkle and lights!

I removed the G plan unit/bookcase from one corner of the room to make a new space for the piano (seen further down). This left a good area of wall space in the other corner, to which I added a set of IKEA bookshelves and styled them up with heavier books, trinkets and of course, some greenery to soften.

The glass ceiling lights are original to the house, so almost 85 years old. They add such character, however one of them is broken, so I will have to replace them down the line, with something more modern, yet classic and in fitting with the house. I look forward to decorating the mantelpiece with some seasonal greenery and twinkly lights, but for now, I’m keeping it simple with these Scandi style candle houses and some dried seedheads from the garden.

This is the piano/music corner of the room, where I covered the piano stool with a piece of plain woven fabric to tone better with the rest of the room. Just need to add a trim around the edge of the seat to conceal the ugly staples. I set the stool onto a round jute rug I’ve had for a while to add some texture. And as you can see, the Monstera plant is continuing to grow like crazy!

I’m delighted with how the room has come together – it turned into a bigger job than I previously anticipated, but then again, what decor job doesn’t?! I suppose all the hard graft makes it more worthwhile in the end :)

Here are a few key pieces I have used (or similar) to achieve the Scandi / midcentury look here…

What do you think – a good change? x

Make your home bright & cosy during a British summer

So, summer’s here and we’ve swapped out the cosy woollen blankets for lightweight linens, stashed our candles in a drawer somewhere and rid the entire house of fairy lights… right? Well, actually, not quite…

The problem is, for those of us who live in Britain and Ireland, summer rarely arrives in all its sunshine-y, blisteringly hot glory. Most years it’s a succession of rainy or cloudy days, interspersed with the odd period of warmth. However, just because the heating’s gone back on, it doesn’t necessarily mean we want to curl up and hibernate under a furry throw once again. (Ok, there are possibly exceptions to this rule!)

It’s easy to adopt the Danish concept of hygge all winter long when we can light the fire and wrap up, however on a dreary summer’s day (and yes, we all know how depressingly common those are), how do we create a bright and cosy feeling when it’s not that cold outside, just grey and wet? Here are a few tips you can try at home to help lift the spirits when you’re shut up indoors on a rainy summer weekend…

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Trend alert: The Library

First it was the death of the dining room. With our hunger for open plan living, we no longer needed a separate room for entertaining our dinner guests, so we converted our old dining rooms into playrooms, teen hangout dens, even home offices. But there’s a growing new trend out there which I think is fabulous… it’s the return of the Library Room.

Along with the growing popularity of a separate pantry and the ever coveted boot room, it’s another sign that our home interiors are increasingly reflective of a time gone by. As an antidote to the technology-driven world we live in, our homes have become our havens and we crave a more organic, wholesome, environment to live in. Along with the all-connected, technology-abundant open plan living spaces we have created, there’s a growing need to escape from it. And how better than with a good old book!

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