Loving my IKEA DOMSJÖ Sink

I wanted to write this post as every week I get several emails from people wanting to know how my IKEA DOMSJÖ sink has stood the test of time. I had the Domsjo farmhouse sink installed just over 18 months ago as part of our kitchen renovations. The ceramic apron fronted sink really suited our French kitchen style.  

Before I bought a ceramic sink I was very nervous that I would break my crystal champagne and wine glasses in it or chip my dinner set or break the actual sink. None of these things have ever happened.  And I figure that if I did actually break the sink then even if I replaced it with another IKEA sink I'd still be ahead financially than if I'd gone with another type of fireclay sink that all cost 3-4 times with price of the IKEA one. Actually I'm pretty impressed with this sink and how it's made -not to mention how good it looks!

Mine is still very white and shiny! One thing I love about it also is that it goes right back to the splashback. It makes it very easy to clean.  

The edges of the sink rest on your benchtop. This is then sealed with a silicone sealer and makes it all very neat and tidy and easy to clean.  

And there's nothing like a pretty French linen tea towel to make it all the more pretty.  This tea towel is a perfect colour match to my cabinetry.

Two nice deep sink bowls

I am by no means gentle with my IKEA sink. At Lilyfield Life we love to cook and we love to bake. I use heavy Scanpan baking dishes and we have the Le Creuset and Le Chasseur heavy casserole dishes that get a good work out.  These of course don't go in the dishwasher so I wash them in the sink. I use a plastic sink mat. These are actually quite hard to find in Australia. Howards Storage have these ones for $18 each. When I bought my sink instead of that geometric pattern they had floral ones that I didn't like too much but bought as breaking the sink or my plates would be much more expensive. I have since found the ones in the photo below for $2 each at my local "everything made in china" $2 shop.  Your sink mats will eventually discolour - go cloudy - mine last about 10 months each time, so if you find a cheap source buy several.

If you buy the IKEA Domsjo sink (or any fireclay white ceramic sink) you will spend more time cleaning it than your normal sink. Trust me, you will. But you know what, you'll probably enjoy cleaning it. It's not that it gets dirty, but being so pristine white the dirt shows up more and it's so pretty that you'll want to keep it that way. I never used to care about my old stainless steel sink - They scratch so easily but it's all part of the look.

To clean my sink I use Gumption which is a white paste that is not very abrasive. I find that it easily removes marks. 

You can see in this close up of the central bar that I do have some very fine marks - the grey marks. These are not really visible - I used a macro lens to take this photo.  I think if i scrubbed a bit more with the Gumption or a mix of bicarbonate soda and white vinegar these would come off.  I get these marks on my sink because I clean my cast iron stove hob in the sink. The cast iron rests on this central bar. I really should put a tea towel under the cast iron to protect my sink but i get a bit lazy with it all.

If you are having trouble finding details on the IKEA Domsjo sink, see my earlier post with part numbers and installation details.  Also here is a great video in how to install an IKEA Domsjo sink into non IKEA cabinetry. Although don't hack out the back of your cabinet like these guys do. You can just make a nice straight line at the required level. You won't be able to see it anyway as it's behind the sink inside the cabinet but it would be much easier than how they cut it out.

I hope that helps if you are contemplating this sink. My advice would be go right ahead. You may get some push back from your cabinet maker (they can often think it's going to be too hard/too heavy etc) but it is doable and i think you'll be happy with your beautiful sink for years to come. I am!)

here are some more posts about my kitchen and other renovations

Kitchen Reveal

Ikea Sink

Bathroom

Is it weird to love your kitchen sink so much?

cheers 

Fiona

Succulents in the Salad Bowl

Do you love succulents?  They are some of my favourite plants. I love the fleshiness of the leaves and their muted colours - the mauve's and misty greens.

These are some succulents from my mother's garden. She has them everywhere and grows them from pups.  It gets very gold and frosty in Eden but she has a sheltered courtyard in her garden and the succulents thrive there.  

I found this bowl of them next to the window in the family room. This wooden bowl was our salad bowl growing up. We always had to never put it in the dishwasher or hot water but wipe it down with oil after use. Strict instructions.  I love that mum has put it to use as a succulent garden now it's no longer needed as the family salad bowl. 

Here is a watercolour painting I did of some succulents. This was painted while we were living in London. I spent a day once in Kew Gardens painting all sorts of plants and flowers.

Thanks for all the lovely words about my mother. She is now in RPA and is under the care of a very lovely neurosurgeon Dr Johnny Wong. I always amazed by the NSW public health system and how good it is when you really need it. I think it is incredible and am very thankful to all the staff at RPA.  

Furniture painting - in my genes?

Thanks for the love lately about my poor sick mum. We are off to RPA today to see the neurosurgeon registrar but things don't sound good.  Hello also to all my new visitors. I really appreciate you checking in each day with my life and projects.  With one thing and another (good and bad) it's been a while since I've shared some furniture painting.

Actually the painted furniture I'm sharing today is my mother's. Mum is very creative and an amazing quilter, seamstress and embroiderer. In her younger days she would do heaps of DIY also.  These are 2 little cabinets/tables that she painted in the    mid 1960's.  Her paintwork has stood the test of time with only a few chips.

This little bedside table is Western Red Cedar and was given to mum by her Mother-in-law (my Gran) when mum and dad were first married.  I think Mum's always felt a bit guilty about painting it but she did a lovely job.  She painted it a turquoise blue and then used a dark glaze. The paint is starting to chip a little now (probably bumped around by mum's many grandchildren) but to be truthful it's a paint job that is nearly 50 years old.   

When I am down in Eden next I will repaint it for her. This recent trip has been a bit busy with caring for mum and trips to the doctors, cleaning the house, feeding my mum, showering her etc, sorting out a nursing facility that I've now had to cancel. I tell you these few days have given me a new respect for carers. The other day Sasha said "Mummy, you must be tired. I haven't seen you sit down all day".

This other little cabinet Mum has in her sewing room.  It is in wonderful condition.  What I love about these 2 cabinets is while I was growing up they were not like any other furniture I had seen at friends' houses. Mum was always very creative and has a wonderful eye for beauty. We had beautifully decorated bedrooms when in small country towns in the 1970's that wasn't really what was done for your kids.

Look at the beautiful patina of the glaze on the paint.

I love the contrast of the copper knob.

This simple little cabinet has a lovely shape.

Nothing too fancy but ever so practical and lovely.

It has been good to look at this beautiful furniture and remember my mum how she was when I was growing up - strong, capable and creative. It is very hard seeing your parents so sick and frail.

I can't wait to be warm again. Eden was FREEZING!

cheers

Fiona

Edit - My mother sadly passed away since I wrote this post. I'm so glad I got to share this post with her before she died. 

Sharing at Funky Junk SNS

Squall

Yesterday was a rough old day - both on the water and for us. The wharf area at Eden is called Snug Cove. I have always loved that name as it's conjures up such safety for the local fishing fleet.  However yesterday afternoon it wasn't very snug at all. The wind was whipping around so much I could barely stand still to take these photos.

I decided we all needed a little treat for lunch so I went about bought local fresh fish, calamari and chips.  I took these photos while I was waiting for the fish to cook.  The fish shop is about 30 steps from where they unload the fish. That's lovely and local food isn't it.

Beautiful Two-fold Bay was filled with white caps and the local fishing fleet was being rocked about.  I didn't stand outside too long.  But long enough to find a pop of sunshiney yellow...not in the sky but this dinghy.

My plans for mum have changed. No good news in the brain CT Scan yesterday. Instead of the nursing home in Eden that she was going to spend a few weeks in, I'm taking her to RPA Hospital in Sydney for more tests.  We're driving back together today so I'm hoping the wind has died down and the weather is ok for us.

cheers
Fiona

Beautiful Countryside of the Far South Coast

Sunset near Candelo

So as you might know, I have come down to Eden, my childhood home, for a few days to help my mother who is quite sick with Rheumatoid Arthritis.  I've managed to organised care for her in respite for a few weeks (which is a miracle that there was room but also that she has agreed) and hopefully she'll be well enough to manage on her own in a few weeks but if not we'll reasses our options and lives then. It's tough anyway with ailing parents but when they live 8 or so hours drive away (and are pretty determined that they are still independent) then it's doubly tough. I'm totally exhausted from all that has happened today (Jonty is also sick and coughing up blood from nose bleeds) but I was lucky to spend the evening with a very close friend and her husband and it's been wonderful.

Driving to Eden from Sydney is a big undertaking esepciaclly when you do it by yourself with 2 small kids and a dog! I'm blessed that my kids are amazing on car trips and despite my daughter getting car sick othe moment the road begins to wind (and Brown Mountain is extremely winding) there are no complaints or "are we there yet?". 



almost a full moon

pretty little rocky rivers

 I usually drive through Canberra and down Brown Mountain rather than taking the coast road. The coast road sounds romantic but in actual fact most of it is about 50km inland and through forest so it's not as though your travelling along the beach and coast anyway. Going via Canberra means less towns, lots of freeway and less stops.  A quicker trip all round.

love me a cow

I love once you are down Brown Mountain and arrive at the beautiful hinterland surrounding the villages of Candelo and Wolumla.  Candelo is still about 55km from Eden but it's when it's starting to feel like I'm home.

I don't know if I love it so much becuase it is ACTUALLY beautiful or if it's because I know I'm close to home.

the evening mist!

...probably a mixture of both!

Click through for more beautiful scenery around my (childhood) home town of Eden.  Just stunning. No wonder I love the beach, coast and countryside.

Thanks everyone for your kind words about my mum both here on my blog and directly via email and sms. I really appreciate your kindness.

Tomorrow I'll have a post on furniture painting and I'll also be driving back to Sydney via this beautiful countryside again. Please wish me safe travels and wish my mum good health!

cheers

Fiona



and Charlie enjoyed the view also!

Goodbye Sun

Hello Mum

Blogopolis 2012 - Blog Conference

On Saturday I went to my first blogging conference, Nuffnang Blogopolis.  I had a great time and lots of laughs at my table - I got to meet some bloggers I really like and I learnt a few things about idea sourcing, blog design, SEO and analytics, and the blog scene in Australia.

Here are my top tips from the conference:

1) Get there early and don't expect a conference sponsored by Twinings tea to have any good coffee! In all seriousness though, the catering was divine!

2) Grab a table with a good view of the stage and sit with friends. It will make the day that much more enjoyable.  Lou, Katrina, Julienne, A-M and Marina - it was great to spend the day with you all.  Lots of laughs and thanks Katrina for helping me open my mints! So much for that old engineering degree. #fail



Katrina, Julienne and A-M all intent



3) Idea Sourcing - by Imogen from Inside Out Styling

• Use the comments and questions you get asked as inspiration,
• what are your readers interested in,
• check your key words search,
• blog lists (top 10 things etc)
• Pinterest
• ask your readers what they want
• guest posts
• How to - be a problem solver
• opinion posts
• case studies
• headlines

4) Blog design by Katrina Chambers (the Media Maid and block fav)

• Katrina gave so much advice on how to keep people on your page and get them linking through to other posts.
• Use links within your post to other posts.
• Use your footer!
• Highlight your popular blog posts.
• Make sure your blog is mobile friendly.
• Social media buttons.
• A clean crisp page.
• NO MUSIC.
• NO CAPTCHA.
• I think I might pay a visit to Katrina for a migration to Wordpress. She makes a lot of sense.

Katrina ready for action

5) SEO by Jeff?

• Use google analytics to track your reach
• tweak your page titles for keywords
• link up!
• Understand what your analytics are saying, what your readers want and produce more of that 

 6) Branding  a great session from Nicole Avery (Planning with Kids).

• Who are you and what do you offer your readers
• be consistent across all avenues
• Understand what makes a reader read your blog?
• Same name across all social media
• align yourself with brands and events that fit your image
• Business cards (yay I just got mine!)

Instagram shot of my new card

There was a great session on blog photography and also a great talk on using Pinterest by Hair Romance, Podasting by Caz (Ytravelblog) and You Tube by Chairgyaru.  There was also lots of chat on panels about finding your voice and what's happening in Australia for bloggers. I could have skipped these as they were a bit all over the shop except for a couple of people (Sarah and Lady Melbourne had some great points so thanks). I just wish panelists didn't spend the time when someone else on the panel was talking playing with their phones and tweeting #poorshow.

ANYWAY - here's some of the lovely bloggers I spent my day with.

Me and Katrina

Me and A-M

the girls from Something Gorgeous.

Such a funny story about meeting these two from Something Gorgeous. I asked A-M where they were and she waved at 2 women at a table nearby so I went up and said Hey Something gorgeous, I love your blogs. They looked at me a bit strangely but obviously compliemented. We started chatting and then they gave me their business cards - one was for an blog about recovering alcoholics and the other was for autistic children - ahmmm -not homewares, furniture and renovation in all. I completely had the wrong table.  Whoops! sorry but I do not read your alcoholic/autism blogs....I think they just thought I did think they were gorgeous and that I'm extremely friendly. Anyway A-M finally pointed me in the proper direction and I loved meeting the correct gorgeous girls.

and the final thing I learnt - from Sarah (a beach cottage) - was to always show the left side of your face in photos - apparently it's way more flattering - so of course in this photo with Sarah and Mojito Mother Caz, I'm showing my right side -ha ha. Oh well.

Me, Sarah, Caz

So that was a hoot!

I'm down in Eden now looking after my mum for a few days as she's quite sick. I'll be posting some lovely photos from this divine part of the world tomorrow.

cheers Fiona

Off to a Blogging Conference

I'm heading to the Nuffnang Blogopolis 2012 conference this morning.  I am looking forward to meeting some more Australian Bloggers and learning lots.

on the way from the airport

I asked  A-M yesterday if she wanted a lift from the airport and she in turn was waiting for  Katrina to fly in from Wagga. So A-M and I had a take away coffee next to the baggage carousel (we're so glamorous) for an hour while we waited for Katrina to land.  It was great to have time to catch up properly and not just in comments on each others blog or Instagram!

I'll be on twitter during the day. Find me at @lilyfieldlife

happy weekend

cheers Fiona

IKEA is feeling a little blue

Oh my, have you seen the new IKEA range "Simply Blue". It's looking good!  I think a trip to the nearby IKEA Tempe will be in the near future. 

via Ikea Newsletter

Inspired by India, China and Portugal, IKEA sure has captured a bright beach-y feeling. If you are living in Australia, this might just be the pop of colour you need to get you through the winter.  These colours are making me very excited about our upcoming Bali holiday. I'm sure I can find a pool that bright blue somewhere... or a cocktail!

These are my favourites:

BETYDANDE vase $29.99

BETYDANDE candle holder $9.99

BOLBRO rug $29.99

BLADSPINNARE cushion $39.99

And I might need a sarong for beside the Bali pool! $9.99

Click through to the IKEA campaign catalogue. You've got to love IKEA for their cheap homewares (and their Swedish meatballs).

Enjoy!


cheers
Fiona