Add the enjoyment of sipping from a hot cup of coffee and nibbling on a sweet cookie and you’ve created a tiny moment of joy.
Or a piece of pie.
Or a browny?
Or chocolate…
Ok, sorry, I got a little carried away there.

Anyway, in our last home, Joran and I created a windowsill seat that doubled as extra dining tables.

I loved it. But when we moved, we had to say “bye-bye” to the tables that we had made to fit perfectly to match the exact measurements of that home. After we’d experienced the magic of a little seating space like that we decided to build a new version of it in our current home.

This time, we went even further with the design. I had big plans. They involved organic lines, and lots of greenery. I had this vision of pulling the outdoors in, and surrounding ourselves with plants. It was quite the project. And it was executed over a long period of time. But it has become a joyful spot inside our living room.

Here is the step by step breakdown of the process.

Phase 1: Prototype

As a designer, I believe any design in an early phase should start with prototyping your vision to test your ideas. I did this in 3 ways:

1. Photo-edit the space to get a rough idea of the look and feel.

2. Create tiny paper models of different shapes to play around with the angle of the curves and functionality (the early idea had moving parts in it, which I eliminated after this paper experiment).

3. Create a full-scale cardboard prototype to check if the dimensions worked to sit comfortably on, and how the size and shape would look and feel in the space. I don’t have a picture of it, but this also included me sitting on a piece of cardboard next to a wall with a pillow in my back to make sure the surface was wide enough on the right places.

In every phase I made big and small tweaks and changes. That’s how an idea develops into a concept. Once I was happy with the design, it was time to build it.

Phase 2: Build the wooden bench

I wish I had better pictures for your guys. But I don’t. The thing is, I actually have loads of video material of this project, but zero motivation to edit that into the video that could have been (#shiftedprioritiesinlife). We bought an enormous piece of wood at a lumberyard to create the seat out of one piece. Joran was the real hero of this project. He basically built the entire thing, and made sure that the semi-floating seat was sturdy enough to carry our weight.

If you look very closely, you might recognize the old table leg from our up-cycled dining room table that we repurposed for extra support here.

Phase 3. Create a shelf above the window for loads of plants.

Some inspiration for the project: Matamba hanging ceramic planter [rose & grey] | Natalie Ensor’s master suite | Jean & Jeff’s Manhattan loft

Originally I just wanted to hang a few planters. But that idea slowly evolved to build a hanging shelf full of plant pots. Because of the available space above the window, and our choice to not have curtains downstairs, this actually worked perfectly.

Use neutral colours

I kept all the colours neutral so that the structure would blend in with the rest of the walls and space. I had to fight my urge to bring in pops of colour, and decided to keep all the planters white in the end. This way the plants are the real stars of the show and it radiates a more tranquil vibe. We thrifted all of the white pots in a few different thriftshop visits (pro-tip: measure your inner plant-pots before you go to the shop, save the dimensions on your phone and always take a measuring tape with you).

Pick carefree plants

We bought a few plants. A friend of my sister owned a plant shop, and she was instrumental in getting the right plants. I basically created a list of requirements (watering max. once a week, west-facing windows, both extreme direct sunlight in summer but also parts that never get any sunshine, etc.). And then she advised a few plants that have been doing a stellar job ever since.

Add a simple irrigation system

Admittedly, watering the plants did become a bit of a hassle. So Joran ordered a set of ceramic cones and tubes to set up a basic irrigation system. Now we only need to fill 2 containers with water on time and it saves us a lot of time and effort.

Make it kid-proof

Last year I gave away my biggest plant – my pride and glory – to a friend. When our son started crawling nothing was safe anymore, including the luscious plant overgrowing our living room floor. I was sad to see it go, but the safety hazard was not worth its good looks.

Phase 4: Make custom seat cushions and pillow covers

I’m proud to say I’ve been able to recycle the foam from our past window seat with some clever cut work. I picked out a stylish fabric (Lane by Arvidssons), and then the true time-consuming effort begun to create custom pillow covers.

Do you see how even the half-circles on the sides perfectly match up with the repeat pattern, even where the cushions meet each other? Anyone with even the slightest bit of sewing experience will understand how proud I am of pulling this project off.

BONUS: Add a second backrest

Joran created a modular piece of wood that you can add to one end of the window sill. It adds a second seat to the bench and transforms it to a second place where you can more easily (read: relaxed) sit. Or, it means you can sit there when the afternoon sun shines upon that part of the seat (while there is no sunshine on the other seat on the far end directly to the wall). Because the piece is removable, it doesn’t sacrifice the minimal look of the window seat ‘ in rest’. I created the cushions in such a way that it perfectly matches up with this extra feature. The small third cushion transforms in a pillow to support your back.

Admittedly, we haven’t really used this extra seat that much yet. But I still think it’s pretty awesome feature that can be added at any time.

So, that’s it.

This post was long overdue. We have been living with our completed window seat for quite some time already. But I think it’s a pretty cool project that I have been wanting to share here.

What are your thoughts on it?

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1. I got offered a job as a service designer at a consultancy firm in the educational field in spring of last year, and have been enjoying the work very much ever since. 
2. I unregistered Magical Daydream from the Chamber of Commerce at the end of last year, meaning I officially pulled the plug from my small independent business.
3. I am happily pregnant, like super pregnant, almost 38 weeks to be exact. So baby can be here any day now.  

I kept thinking I should share these things here at some point. And as life kept happening, I just, didn’t.

Even though I am no longer pursuing Magical Daydream as an official career, my intention has been to keep my blog as a creative outlet of some sorts. Somehow it has been very quiet around here though.

At first I blamed it on the busy adjustment period that comes with a new job. There were still some creative projects though. But they ended up in folders with half-finished blogposts and unedited pictures hidden away on my computer. Somehow I could never bring myself to edit and finish them. Then, when I got pregnant, my focus became more oriented towards all the major and minor tasks connected to preparing for a new life, and my leisure time became more focused on simply getting enough rest.

So here we are. I am in my second week of my maternity leave. And I finally find myself with a bit more time and energy on hands than usual. So I thought I’d pop in to say hello. Let you know what I’ve been up to. 

I find it hard to predict what you can expect around here in the coming months. The nursery make-over I have been working on? Our recent trip (baby moon) to Spain? The window-sill-bench we built last year? My creating street-art date with Joran? The sewing project I finished months ago? 

Who knows. Maybe I’ll share those things. Or new creative endeavors. Or maybe I will be just busy staring at a newborn, happily in our own little bubble for a while. :)

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In a way this post doesn’t feel like sharing anything ‘new’, because we have been living with a version of this kitchen for a very long time now. However, the video files were gathering dust on my computer. So I thought it was about time to show you some of the progress we’ve made over time to transform our kitchen.

Check out the video to see the process (including fun DIY’s and footage of several years).

I’m curious. Are there any home projects that you’re working on that seem to take forever? Just because it involves a lot of steps, life gets busy and energy fluctuates? Is there anything you have been making slow but steady progress in? Or slow and somewhat unsteady? ;)

Life isn’t a make-over show. It’s messy and imperfect. But tiny steps go a long way :)

The post Kitchen make-over appeared first on Magical Daydream.

But some days, you’re in need of a bit of rainbow. We all have days that can use a bit of colour, happiness, and magic. And sometimes, you simply can’t wait for a rainbow to appear in the sky. If so, you might need to create your own magic.

To do so: carefully select and collect beads in all the colours of the rainbow. Add a pot of gold in the form of different necklace-related supplies. Perhaps add some stars from a far-away galaxy.

Then, start creating colourful orchestrated strings. I’ve always loved the colourfulness and intricate textures of African beaded jewellery. They inspired the look & feel of this necklace.

Go on, until you have a beautiful, colourful, happy rainbow!

The awesome thing about this rainbow, is that it will follow me wherever I go.

And whenever I feel I could use a little colour, I can simply open my closet to get it out.

Who else could use a little rainbow disco in their life?

(This was #13 on my creative dream list. Start your own creative dream list if you like!)

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I ordered a super cute collection of animal nesting dolls from the Internet.

And drew on this fox’s head.

Then, I performed brain surgery on the little fellow. No worries, he’s doing great.

Mr. Bear was next.

Then I filled their bellies up. I made sure nobody felt hungry.

And tadaa! Now I have the most amazing animal family watching over me while I cook. Besides adding joy to my kitchen, they also come pretty handy as salt shakers.

I made this animal nesting dolls salt shaker, but I suppose you can transform any nesting dolls into a fun salt shaker or spice holder for your kitchen, or perhaps as a cute gift.

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I’ve heard about mail-order brides. But what about a mail-order husband?

Would they come with a money-back guarantee?

And be able to think outside of the box?

They say it’s technological progress. I say it’s magic.

Because how else to describe when the mailman magically shows up at my doorstep with exactly what my heart desires.

The manual seemed easy enough. Love husband. Don’t yell at him. When hangry: bring beer and make food. Get enough sleep. And have fun.

I think I got this.

Got him up and running in no time. ;)

And it’s always nice when things turn out exactly as specified.

Yep, this one is a keeper.

The post Mail-order husband appeared first on Magical Daydream.

The thing is, I’m very particular with what I like. And I often have a clear vision in my mind of what that looks like. This is one of the reasons why I end up making a lot of things around my house.

Not only would I like a mid-century lounge chair, I also want it to be in a quality fabric that I absolutely adore, I want it to be somewhat quirky (hence: yellow buttons and a polka-dotted bottom), it should be comfy, oh, and still affordable. Especially that last one is a reoccurring issue. 

DIY then often becomes the bridge between desired features and cost.

When searching for the perfect round dining table, I came across some beautiful designs. One of my favourites: this butterfly table by Studio Henk (below). The thing is, spending €1.860,00 on a table wasn’t in the budget, however pretty it is. So when Joran and I got a crash-course in welding, I used this design as inspiration for our geometric dining table legs.

After buying a round secondhand table (€40,-), steel (€72.70), a primer and anthracite coloured coating to paint it (€51.55), the total table cost came to a relatively modest €164,25.

Now, I do realize that learning to weld and doing everything yourself isn’t for everybody. So please, if you like the table design and are able to spend money on quality items, go buy it. I think it’s a beautiful table.

Personally however, I really love making things with my hands. I enjoy the personal quality of handmade items and making the best of what I already have. I enjoy the process of taking second-hand objects and transforming them into beloved items. And I like to learn some new skills along the way. 

I’m still a bit on the fence about the combination of the table design combined with the chair design, but overall I’m a happy camper. Progress is good.

Speaking of progress, #11 on my Creative Dream List was to finish these geometric dining table legs. Check out the other creative projects I’ve accomplished as part of this list here.

Have you up-cycled any item into an item that you truly love? If so, what is it?

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I have been slightly obsessed with yellow. It started harmless enough. Think flowerpots and a throw blanket. Then shoes. But now, it’s like a little voice has taken over my mind, saying:

MAKE ALL THE THINGS YELLOW.

Let’s just say that maybe I am the happy owner of a yellow couch now.

Naturally, it was just a matter of time before I started painting other furniture yellow. 

In my defense, this isn’t just something I’m doing on a whim. For ages, I’ve had this interior colour scheme in my mind of mainly yellow, accents of petrol and pops of colour. It’s just that now it’s finally slowly coming to fruition.

Anyway, we have this baby blue dresser that lives under our art gallery wall. I don’t hate the colour. It’s nice. However, I think it doesn’t really match the artwork above it. And since I like things being one big happy family, I decided that the blue must go.

Dresser makeover time!

Guess what colour I picked? ;)

Oh and I set myself a fun little challenge: I could only use materials I already had. No new purchases. 

Luckily for me, I still had some left-over yellow paint, a can of primer, different coloured spray cans and teak-oil and used all of these to the best of my ability.

I sanded the drawers down to the wood, because I liked the idea of showing pops of the natural material.

By the way, you can check out the inspiration Pinterest board I created for this project if you’re curious.

I like how all the colours of the dresser communicate with the colours above it now.

The yellow with the ukulele painting. The green with the plant and flamingo backdrop. The salmon with the skintone and flamingo.

It feels more like a union now. 

This also means I finished the first 10 of my creative dream list projects. This dresser makeover was #10. Curious to see what other projects I did and what is yet to come?

Check out creative dream list.

Have you felt the urge to spice up your interior lately? Any chance you have some materials lying in the back of a closet that you can use to make your vision come to life?

The post Dresser makeover: colourful triangles, wood and yellow appeared first on Magical Daydream.

Joran was in charge of sanding and oiling the wood. Me of everything else.

Things I love about my reupholstered chair:

• The rich colour
• The contrasting yellow buttons 
• A polka dotted bottom (just knowing that it is there – even though you don’t generally see it makes me smile)
• Proof that I learned a new skill
• Re-loving an old piece instead of buying something new
• The sleek design in general
• I know it inside out
• It’s living proof of my creative abilities. 

I don’t mean that last one in a smug way. Let me explain. 

A bundle of questions lie in my windowsill. No, not metaphorically. Actual physical paper cards with questions. Yesterday, they moved to our kitchen counter (also: you can see through our spotless windows again). And so I casually read the top one to Joran:

‘What did you love doing as a child? Do you still do this?’

Him: Basketball, no. Crafting, yes. For example: creating a chain reaction for fun, improvising a trellis for our vegetable garden.

Me: drawing, not so much. Reading, yes. Crafting, yes. I pointed around the room to the paper craft deer head, the butterfly shadow box and our refurbished chair. 

We tend to define ourselves by what we do.

Sometimes, that can be a pit of doom. I’m not productive so I am not worthy. My art sucks so therefore I suck. Not exactly the sentiment we’re aiming for here.

BUT. We can also use this trait to trick ourselves. I don’t know if this is a psychologically sound thing to do, but I know it makes me feel better, sometimes. 

Surround yourself with subtle reminders of your creative abilities

If you love creating, chances are, you will have surrounded yourself with some objects that are living proof of that. A DIY craft cabinet, a stained glass window or an art gallery featuring paintings you made. 

Those object then, become subtle daily reminders of your creative abilities. Those physical representation of your creative bliss will be there, even if it hasn’t been your day (your week, your month or even your yeaaaaaar. Are you also singing this to the FRIENDS theme song?).

Let’s assume you want to spend more time on creative passion projects. Your creations then become evidence of your best creative self. They show a tiny part of who you are; a part that you want to bring out more.

Some days, I simply can’t muster the creative energy. There are absolutely no creative vibes. My brain gets trapped in doom visions of the future and gloomy reminiscence over the past. And trust me, it’s no fun.

On days like those nothing helps except crying in a foetus ball and eating chocolate it can help to look around, and see things your best version accomplished.

It can be really powerful to showcase your badges of honor.

I’m not talking about hanging diplomas to impress colleagues. No, I’m talking about reminders of your best self, to inspire nobody other but your worst self. 

You don’t necessary need to start a new project or learn a new skill to feel creative. 

Perhaps though, you can feature old creations that you are proud of. Frame that drawing you made as a teenager. Transform your best Instagram-shots into fridge magnets. Actually wear that dress you made. 

Some days, you simply don’t have the energy to create. Or mental capacity. And that is fine. On those days, I hope you can look around your room, and see your beauty reflected back. In pictures of loved ones you befriended, in the grit it took you to install that floor, of your creative capacity in that cup you made in a pottery workshop. 

And those objects will whisper reassuringly: you have it in you. It’s all there. It’s just waiting to come out, whenever you’re ready. 

Refurbish a vintage Yngve Ekström Ruster lounge chair was #9 on my Creative Dream List. Check out the other creative projects I’ve accomplished as part of this list here. 

Also, if you are looking for a professional upholsterer who can redo your old furniture in Eindhoven area, Susan of Stoffig Hout generously helped me with materials and advice. I would definitely recommend her.

Do you have physical reminders of your creative abilities in your space? If so, what are they?

If not, is there anything you could feature that gives you all the proud creative vibes?

The post Refurbish a vintage Yngve Ekström Ruster lounge chair appeared first on Magical Daydream.

I also love taxidermy butterfly cases for this reason. However, I’m less enchanted by the idea that, well, everyone is dead.

So when I saw this butterfly illustration by Kelsey Oseid (Kelzuki) as a thick printed page in Flow Magazine *PING*: I had a lightbulb moment to make a faux taxidermy butterfly shadow box.

I adopted a backless, glass-covered wooden frame out of my mom’s attic. I thought it would serve perfectly as a shadow box for my 3D butterflies.

I had been helping my mom KonMari her beloved junk. After I had so much fun decluttering my own stuff (you may remember discarding 1000 possessions, creative office declutter, project house), I moved on to declutter other people’s stuff. Even though the guru herself says you shouldn’t. But whatever, it sparks joy.

No joy however for this particular object: it was heading for the garbage. And although I am very selective these days about what I bring into our home, you know what they say:

One woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure.

After cutting and glueing a 3D paper deer head a while back, I was on a roll. I thought: it’s time to add some more whimsical handmade DIY’s to our living room.

So I cut out all the butterflies to create a faux taxidermy effect. Initially I wanted to glue them all on sewing pins. But who needs new pins if you can also simply cut pieces of metal wire and created a little loop on top with a jewellery plier?

I carefully spaced my winged friends on a piece of foam board. Bending them slightly made them come alive. And with a glue gun the job was settled quickly.

For a touch of colour and whimsy I painted the frame with a salmon-pinkish shade that we’d also used on a living room lamp.

However, I wasn’t sure if I would dig the result. And although they say you should take risks in art, I wasn’t ready to my ruin my new-found treasure. So I simply sprayed painted some paper tape, which I then applied to the frame. Sometimes you can find ways to make bold choices without suffering potential negative consequences. Life lesson learned.

So there you have it. A simple DIY to make a faux taxidermy butterfly shadow box.

Now I have my new butterfly friends to accompany me in my living room when my real ones aren’t allowed…

A way to bring a little bit of life and whimsy into my home, because sometimes you’re the only one who can.

If you like butterflies as much as I do, you might also enjoy checking out these past posts: I made a glass cloche filled with butterflies before, I created a butterfly tie painting, and I framed handpainted butterflies for my whimsical art gallery wall.

This also means that I checked off #8 from my creative dream list. Working on finishing touches on #9, so stay tuned!

Are you working on any creative projects lately? Tell me! :)

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