Before: To be fair, the room wasn’t horrible. It was just meh. It felt like someone else’s house. Sold the bed and glass side tables/stools to make room for the good stuff.

Before: We used to have the shorter curtains, the ones that look like a crop top, but I replaced them with these adult ones after getting fabric during the 2019 Tile & Carpet sale. I got the pendant light from Glow Lighting around July 2019. It sat in a box for a while after the electrician refused to install it in my bathroom saying the moisture would ruin it, then I decided to bring it in here.

Before: I don’t hate the colour on the wall, which is a light grey silk vinyl from Duracoat (Moon & Stars I think) but I’d love something with more personality. I’m thinking of going a little moody with the space, should I do it?

Before: I really hated that purple shag carpet. It reminded me of COTU functions and Francis Atwoli. Even the pendant light couldn’t distract the eye from it.

After: I still have the same wall colour, pendant light (Glow Lighting) and curtains (Tile & Carpet). Swapped out the old bed for this industrial-inspired custom bed, nightstands and bench by Tira Studio, who are one of my current favourite furniture makers – and they’re woman-owned! Disclaimer: the natural light was crap when I was taking these photos, but it was either I wait or make do. I chose to make do.

I got this tribal-inspired black and white carpet from Odds & Ends during their sale in December 2019 while shopping for some clients, and I couldn’t leave it.  The pillows on the bench are oldies from TACC and Smartlady Home, which I had lying around the house. The picture on the wall is one of my favourites. It was taken by Stephen Ouma, a photographer I used to work with. I blew it up and framed it and found it a home here. It’s also the first piece of art I’ve installed by myself, and now I feel like such a badass. 

I’d really like to buy more prints from Kenyan photographers this year. There’s something about beautiful photos that excites me. Photo – Stephen Ouma. I’m not crazy about this light though so I’ll eventually change it.

Tribal-inspired wall hanging – Mats By Vee. We met during the first Savannah Space street fair I attended and she offered to make me a custom piece. I love how passionate she is about her craft, and how the piece turned out. Mud cloth inspired laundry basket: Savannah Space; Pillows – Smartlady Home and Imani Home Styles Bed & bench – Tira Studio; Bedside lamps – Meydan Lightings

I wish I could remember where I bought the duvet and pillow cover set from, but I don’t. The throw is from Smartlady Home (you can tell I’m one of their biggest fans by now). I’d love to replace the curtain box with modern rods installed higher up, closer to the ceiling to give the illusion of height, but we’re renting so I can’t do much about that. I’d also love to get a new mattress, this one feels like it’s seen better days.

This is the carpet we deserve. It feels so good underfoot, and is relatively easy to keep clean. I’d love to get something similar for my daughter’s room, and you’re about to see very many pictures of my feet on it. (Carpet, Odds & Ends)

No room in this house is complete without baskets, and I’m grateful to Erika’s Antique for feeding this obsession so well I can afford to style one basket with another.

One of the baskets was supposed to be used as a planter, but then I was gifted a plant and planter so I’ll keep them like this for a while. Let’s call it layering and make it sound intentional. (Baskets – Erika’s Antique)

I’m thinking I should’ve put something on top of this bench for styling purposes, but it’s still cute. Bench – Tira Studio; Rattan basket – Home Decor 254; Mud cloth-inspired laundry basket – Savannah Space.

Found this cute little note from Lilly of Home Decor 254 when I was moving the basket, which was a Christmas gift. I’m a sucker for handwritten notes 🙂

Obsessed with this pendant light. I originally thought it looked too much like a football, but it’s really grown on me!

I thought I was going to get an artificial plant for this room because I’m a plant killer, but Margaret from Dashing Spaces decided to either test me or show me how much she believes in me by gifting me this plant. Nightstand – Tira Studio.

My intention is not to kill her. Maybe if I give her a name I’ll become attached to her and put some effort into keeping her alive. I really like having some greenery in the room.

She’s supposed to be low maintenance and came with care instructions. Still laughing at the “add fertilizer once a month” part. I can barely remember to water plants, and Margaret wants me to use fertilizer. This might be an exercise in futility.

Created this cute little mixed metallics situation here with a brushed brass lamp from Meydan Lightings, bronze picture frame from TACC with a geometric card from Haute Baso and this vanilla scented candle from D’Vine (find them at The Hub, Karen).

I haven’t lit it yet, but it smelled so good at the shop that I couldn’t leave it. Really hoping it burns well because if it does, it’ll be my go-to locally made candle brand. Others have dissapointed me greatly.

Square pillows – Smartlady Home; Rectangular pillow – Imani Home Styles. I’m surprised the tassels have lasted this long: my child is a serial tassel puller.

Please, if you’re reading this and work in property development, consider installing power outlets on floors not just walls, so that we don’t have unsightly cables running all over the floors for us to have light. Thanks!

Decided to play with mixed metals on this side as well, with the brushed brass lamp from Meydan Lightings and cute little vintage alarm clock from Coffee Creatives, in copper.

Look at the grain on that wood! Nightstand – Tira Studio.

This custom mirror by Daniel (0723 465 263) was actually meant to be for a client, but some changes were made to her bedroom and they took up space meant for the mirror so I brought this baby home instead of selling it.

I saw a similar mirror by Anthropologie and was so inspired by it that I asked Daniel to make me something similar, because who doesn’t love a big-ass mirror?!

I feel like a dark wall would really bring out the brass, but I’m not sure I want to commit to it just yet – especially since I want to go dark with the closets. Might do something similar to what I have in my kitchen for the close doors, and do a half-n-half with the wall.

These wall hangings from Smartlady Home were supposed to go to my daughter’s room, but I used up all the wall space with floating shelves so I brought them here for a pop of colour.

Got a few scratches on the wall that I only noticed the other day. The perfectionist in me is screaming on the inside.

My little assistant and her chipped nail polish are also wondering who we could just ignore this water damage. Hoping to have it fixed soon.