Colour ways and weather ways

Salerno Blue + Wood + Noce Nagano

#smilingontheinside – Saturday 31 May 2025

With the opportunity to start completely new, I was a bit nervous on what “theme” colour to choose. For some reason, interior design felt oh-so-much more daunting than choosing quilting fabrics. Even though, in a way, the principles are almost the same.

Because I’ve never made a quilt for Alan, I haven’t really taken his likes / dislikes into account. But this is different! He’d be living in this very tiny space – a whopping 17m² with me.

Where to start…? What accent colour to choose…?

Marigold | Mustard | Burnt Yellow

Salerno Blue (apparently named after the beautiful Italian seaside town of Salerno) isn’t really a blue I’d choose myself – not out of all the squillions of other shades of blue. However, that’s what we’ve got and, fortunately, there’s not a lot of it to irk me.

On the colour wheel, I figured I could work in the golds-mustards-yellows or maybe the blush-watermelon-rose highlights. I didn’t think Alan would be particularly enamoured living on the pinky side of the wheel, so I’ve opted for the golds, instead.

I confess to cheating a bit. Fortunately, I can now say it was “confirmation” that I was on the right track. I had a look-see to see what the highly-paid Dethleffs interior designers had chosen for their glossy marketing brochures as an accent to go with their Salerno Blue + Wood + Noce Nagano interiors.

They’d opted for mustard-gold – phew!

Mustard Not An In-Colour in 2025

And typical! Because I’m not a fashionista, I had no idea that mustard just isn’t de rigueur in 2025. I could have any shade of khaki green, but not mustard.

On my to-do list is making two mustard coloured quilts. In the meantime, I scored two Esprit duvet covers with mustard (and rose). Not perfect, but better than nothing. Besides, they were reduced from >$100 to $45 each. Bargain!

There’s still a bit too much busyness in the colourway for my liking, but it’s a good starting point.

EBL = Twin Bed Model

Our research led us to the Dethleffs range because of the huge garage in the rear. Originally, we thought the centre island bed fitout was the model we wanted. It was a decent size bed you could walk around like a regular bed at home.

However, what we hadn’t factored in, was the height of the bed and how the wardrobes were positioned each side. This combination meant accessing the overhead storage was impossible for me, and a struggle for Alan.

It’s not a design fault – it’s because we have the bed raised as high as possible to fit the bikes inside, underneath. If we didn’t have to factor in the bikes internally-stowed, the centre island bed would work for us.

Geometrically though, our “reach” into the overhead cupboards (over the centre island) meant working along the hypotenuse of the triangle – the longest side.

We came oh-so-close (twice!) to buying a “DBL” (double bed long lounge) model and are sooo pleased we waited until we’d hired first. We would’ve made it work, but it wouldn’t’ve been ideal.

We’ve opted instead for the EBL model – “EB” = bed type + L = long lounge (vs “EB” or “DB” = short lounge).

The EBL can be extended into something very huge – maybe California King size (I’m not sure – we won’t be going that route) with the addition of extra squabs.

Making up the singles was a total body workout for me. I can’t imagine how difficult it’d be making up something the size of a California King. You’d probably have to have custom-made and fitted sheets for each of the four individual squabs, otherwise you’d have to be on the bed pulling the bottom sheet down as you were making it. Because I’m a bit (okay a lot!) fussy when it comes to sheets, bedding and taut bottom sheets when I sleep, I think I’d get over very fast, trying to make a bed that size in that way.

This isn’t a dilemma I’ll have because. Apart from the fact neither of us can be faffed making beds that require that much faffing around, nor do either of us enjoy having to scoot down the bed to get out of it, which is what’d be required with that set up.

Towel Success

I think this colour is marigold. Whatever! I’m #smilingontheinside as that’s the colourway I’m after.

Squally Weather

The weather yesterday wasn’t conducive to moving, or lots of trips between the house and the van. I sure didn’t envy all the farmers moving between farms on Gypsy Day – not in this weather – yuk!

After many attempts to release the handbrake – more practise required! – I finally did it – no idea what I did that worked – I rolled the van onto the hard, off the grass so I didn’t traipse mud everywhere.

Alan kept telling me just do what you normally do when you release a handbrake. I’ve no idea why he thought I’d suddenly attempt to do something different! Really…?? That just doesn’t make sense! Of course I was doing what I normally do – but it wasn’t working the way it normally does!

After a hundred or so conversations with the handbrake I finally moved the van down onto the driveway. Which meant the front half was on the drive and the back half was elevated up on the grass, which slopes up (or down, depending). Which meant the climb into the van was higher.

Problem solved #smilingontheinside!

My Saturday In Pictures

After my first attempt of writing all storage sizing info in digital on a note on my phone – which I then couldn’t find when I arrived at the shop on Friday 🙄​ – I handwrote them on an old-fashioned piece of paper with an old-fashioned pen on Saturday.

I’m really pleased with how these K-Mart drawer organisers work. We can just pull down one organiser at a time – when we need it – just like opening up a sock drawer at home. #smilingontheinside.

They fit in either the overhead shelves or locker spaces and keep our clothes stowed and tidy. Definitely #smilingontheinside!

Alan was making noises on Friday about how a T-spirit level would be a good thing but they were sold out at Mitre 10.

Because I’m a good and loving wife who likes giving My Hero presents, I found him one at Super Cheap Autos. I started looking – unsuccessfully – among the spirit levels – which I thought was the right place. But! they’re really stored in the specialist camping equipment section. A very helpful person told me where to politely go. #smilingontheinside

My World Today

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Here’s to bed-making being a full-body workout…

Here’s to successfully getting our new sheets washed and dried on the line amid squally weather…

Here’s to new adventures!

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Here’s to SmilingOnTheInside!