Veronika Pollard of a few things from my life: Show & Tell Home Tour

Veronika PollardToday, paper crafter, shop owner, blogger, mum to one, and stepmum to two, Veronika Pollard of a few things from my life and sarah & bendrix takes us on our next Show & Tell Home Tour.

Let's head to London, England to check out her lovely home.

Come on inside ...

Veronika, tell us a little about your family and your home.

We live in a 1930s house on the edge of London, England, UK -- me, my husband, our 2-year-old daughter, and every second week, my two teenage stepsons (12, 16). 

How do you approach decorating in your home? What's the most important thing?

I'm very impulsive. I change things a lot, all the time. I move furniture, pictures, paint, customize ... I used to do it much more, but now I have much less time as I spend every spare second doing my pictures, or I'm with my daughter. I'm a very practical, organized person; I don't like clutter, but I like to look at nice things. Our house is not big, and I just can't function with a lot of stuff around.

Adorable narrow and wood-framed fireplaceYour daughter is a toddler and your tween- and teen-aged stepsons live with you every other week. How is their STUFF influencing the look and feel of your home?

We have even more storage now. I'm obsessed with cabinets and cupboards. I hide everything ... :).

Wall of storage hides away clutterWe have wipeable paint in the kitchen and on the staircase and washable sofa covers. As I said, I'm very practical ...

Great-looking and washable sofa coversIn which room in your home does your family congregate most often?

The kitchen/dining room. It's quite big, but at the moment, it's my workspace as well. I often get very stressed out, as boxes, frames, and paper are everywhere. We are extending our house this autumn and I can't wait. But yes, I love our kitchen.

The kitchen is the family gathering placeGreat design can be expensive. How do you get the most bang for your buck?

I like to customize cheap furniture. A couple of years ago, my family used to joke that I was always building cupboards and tables. I like to use parts of IKEA furniture, like their wardrobes or kitchen doors. One of my most successful DIY projects was an IKEA coffee table covered with cowhide.

Toddler and tween draw on chalkboard doorsTell us about a DIY project you have taken on recently and love.

I made leather wardrobe handles for our bedroom wardrobes. I couldn't find anything for ages, so I made them myself and they didn't cost me anything. I used swatches of leather I kept from my previous work.

Pretty bedroom with simple DIY leather pulls on the wardrobesAnother DIY project I completed is the 120-year-old wooden toy box for $40, which I painted and wallpapered inside. Now it's in my daughter's room.

Refinished antique toy box, repainted and wallpapered
Pom poms for the girl's room
Artwork in her daughter's room
Toys are organized on the shelfYou are a paper crafter and a blogger. Do you have a room or space of your own? If yes, tell us about it. If no, how do you find the space for your creativity?

I struggle :). I create framed pictures, so I have things everywhere around the house. Kitchen, loft ... But hopefully I'll have my space when we extend the house in autumn.

Office space is tucked on one side of the kitchen Paper crafts and framed artwork can take over the workspace pretty easily.

What is your most important everyday ritual at home?

We try to eat dinner together every day and then bedtime reading with my daughter. I don't think we have missed a single day in two years. She is a passionate "reader." She can sit for hours and just flick through the pages.

In your home, what is one indulgence you give into?

I like clocks, photos, white bed linen, blankets ...

White linens and photosWhat are your favorite stores to shop for home?

IKEA, Heal's, Habitat, eBay, and local antique and thrift shops.

The boys' roomWhat Home & Garden blogs or websites inspire you the most?

Design Sponge, Bloesem, decor8, A Cup of Joe, Flickr, Apartment Therapy, and all other blogs on my blog roll ...

Thanks for showing us around, Veronika. See and read more about Veronika on her blog a few things from my life and check out her wonderful paper handcrafts at sarah & bendrix.

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