Joie De Vivre

Joie De Vivre

Design Dilemmas

Design Dilemmas

Episode 78. Lots of sourcing today, including smart drinks cabinets without the price, window coverings and pet hair vacuums. Plus how to decide what sort of worktop to pick and the Sunday Niche Edit.

Sep 14, 2025
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I have dashed to my desk to finish this (it’s Saturday afternoon) as I’ve spent the day emptying my kitchen cupboards into the middle living room in preparation for them being removed tomorrow by two sets of friends who are going to repurpose them. Part of me is very excited to see quite how big the space is once it’s all been taken out - currently, the kitchen cupboards run right to the roof (in fact, I can’t even reach them) so it’ll be interesting to see the space that I’ve got to work with in fully glory. My working space now consists of my PC, an airfryer and the Nespresso coffee maker but am taking this as a positive that I won’t have to move to make a Golden Caramel Vertuo. The animals are over the moon that there is now seating in the window so that they can harass passers by. In fact, there is seating everywhere for the next few months - seven seats now, actually, in a room that is 14 x 12. It looked like a crack den before - it now looks like an overcrowded squat, except with a stack of Assouline books on the coffee table. Squatters who like an aesthetically pleasing coffee table book.

Anyway, I now have four cupboards filled with kitchen stuff and food in the living room. I’m calling it a freestanding kitchen for comedy purposes, but actually, it’s looking quite neat. I don’t mind it. Whether or not I still feel this way in two months time is another question, obvs, but currently, I am IN THE ZONE. One thing that I have realised, though, is that I have a LOT of plants. So many plants, some may say too many. As I write this, Joe is sitting watching the women’s rugby with a six foot monstera towering over his head from behind him that he has to keep batting out of his face. Anyway, here is my new kitchen after a day of clearance. I am nothing if not organised.

This is actually much more organised than it looks. I promise.

But back to business and this week, there was a lot of sourcing questions so this is ALMOST a Sourcing Special, but not quite. Starting with drinks cabinets that look a million dollars but cost significantly less, plus window coverings for a low ceiling room with French doors. I’ve done an edit of well priced pet vacuums, including one that not only vacuums your furniture but also grooms your pet. Who knew? There’s the second part of the worktop Q&A from the lovely Justyna at Caesarstone, who has explained the differences between the different types of worktop. And finally, the Sunday Niche Edit is Autumn appropriate - fireside companions that don’t look traditional.

You can READ ON by becoming a paid subscriber which means that not only do you receive four free posts a month but you’ll also get an eight EXTRA posts a month (including all my plans for our new home) plus Chat threads so you can join our blossoming community. You’ll be able to access my archive to read ALL of my past posts (including recipes and travel write ups) for the price of one coffee a month. I would thoroughly recommend!

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