Happy Halloween

October 31st, the one day in the calendar my home official becomes relevant!  Ok so to me my home is relevant all year round but I have a love of skulls! I also love to name them.  As kid I named my teddy bears, as a "grown up" I name my skulls.  Now my house is not full of them, and not every room has one but for the ones I have here's to them!  Happy Halloween everyone!

George and Jimmy my first skulls bought from Dwell

Charlie I got from Dwell

Sam greets my visitors in the front hallway

Work Hard, Play Hard

As the old saying goes, "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy".  But why cant work and play go together?  In a time where so many of us work from home, either for costs, family circumstances or general flexibility, that extra room in the house is often being set aside as a home office.  This was very true for us when buying our house, one room had to be turned into an office.  My other half often spends time after "regular" office hours doing more work at home and occasionally will have a working from home day.  So how does this work with the idea of work and play?  Well he also happens to be a keen cyclist!  So if we are going to have an office at home then I'd rather it became more home than office, and so went ahead my latest inspiration.  I say inspiration as I actually allowed him full choice in the décor of that room when we first moved in.......he also has an interest in football, need I say more!


Keeping with my preferred black and white style but adding a touch of industrial character I'd love to wallpaper the room in a white brick work effect paper.  If the white is too cold for you there are redbrick versions available.  Check out various wallpaper stockists and if possible get a sample so you know you are happy with the design.  I love these from Rockett St. George .

Photo Jane Rockett @ Rocket St. George

How about some wire rack shelves from Graham & Green for above the desk for any files or reference books?  And talking about about above the desk........what desk? Well you can find some great industrial style ones out there, try Rose & Grey for their console table.

Shelving @ Graham & Green and Console desk from Rose & Grey

 

So that's work done, how about the play.  For our office I want to look at cycling but you can pick whatever hobby you like and as seen from the pictures above they show cameras and typewriters with their items so if that's your interest go with that.  But for the cycling, again some great stuff out there but add a bit of quirkiness to this and find an old bicycle.  Check out eBay, local charity shops or reclamation yards and see what they have.  Clean it up and hang it above the wall behind the desk.  Look at spraying it in your desired colour but check out the right way and things you might need before you do!

Then accessorise with some art and cushions (either for the desk chair or if you can have another chair in the corner even if it gives you a break away from sitting at the desk all day).  I love the art from Maison Privee and another great item from Rose & Grey with their nostalgic bike cushion.

Motivational Print from Maison Privee and cushion at Rose & Grey 

Finish the look with some wire baskets as desk tidies, or some leather effect pieces to mix up the textures and nip down to your local DIY store for some wood cut offs or MDF and paint them up in chalkboard paint for your notice board.







Not Such a Girly Girl





Available from Rockett St. George this canvas
can be hung or lean it against the wall for a relaxed feel.

Ok so I love a bit of pink, sparkle, clothes, jewellery, all the girly things. But not in that girly girl way where all things are pretty and sweet. So when I think of my ideal dressing room, it's girly glamour with an edge.  Then I found this picture from Rockett St George , a stunning canvas art that sums up what I'm looking for and started me on the road to inspiration. 

To continue the look I came across some Thomas & Vines Ltd a flocking specialist.  Flocking is big right now and as in previous post you will see I am a fan!  Now what dressing room isn't complete without a chandelier, none better than the Natasha Chandelier  - it's dramatic for the edgy look all in black, but they do offer a number of other colours and offer it with 3,5 or 8 lamps.  Add a punch of colour with the Baroque Wall Mirror in pink. What I love about Thomas & Vines Ltd is not only do they do some fab products but they will also flock your own products!  Now that's one way to get something unique.




Forever Flocking @ Thomas & Vine



Keep the glamour up with the Bouji Chair from Made .  This can used as a good accent chair in the corner or double up as seating if you have a dressing table. 


Various colours available @ Made

 

While added the edge, I love to add a few skull accessorise, there are so many out there right now you may find it hard to choose and like me just buy lots!  I'll no doubt go through my love of this current trend in a future post.

 





London Calling

I have recently been inspired for a London themed bedroom.  London always inspires me as it is one of my favourite places to visit.  So this idea comes from my both love of London and British, and the redecorating of my living room recently which has left my home without a "London Room" 





Don't be afraid to use alternative furniture.

(Big Ben image courtesy of Jane Rockett @ Rockett St. George).



For some the bedroom should be a place of calm and relaxation.  But for me I still like to add a bit of fun to the décor of the room.  So keeping the colour scheme in simple white, added quirky accessorise and furniture to stamp on some style.  The Big Ben Clock is something I already have in my living room, patience required to put up but well worth it.  You can get this from Rockett St. George available also in white!  If you have room for it, look at the egg chairs on Plush Deco for a range of colours as well as my personal favourite with the Union Jack print.  And don't be afraid to use something a little different for your furniture.  A couple of replica post boxes can make great bedside tables.  Check out a local reclaimation yard or eBay and see what else you can find. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kitchen Delights

Not long after decorating my kitchen I came across the work of Sarah Graham a realist painter.  Shame I hadn't come across it earlier or I may have had a very different looking kitchen.  

The phrase "looks good enough to eat" is never more apt than when describing her "Saucy Sundae" piece.  Just looking at this gave me the ideas of a modern yet 1950's inspired kitchen. 





Sarah's work is original oil on canvas but is available in print and for further information please see www.sarahgraham.info

 



It's a bold piece of work that could work in a simple white kitchen by itself, but why not add to the fun of the art and accessorise around it.  This is when I remembered Johnny Egg, his Flocked Coke Bottle Vases are that classic design and come in four colour options; red, black, anthracite, indigo.   His items are available direct through his website Johnny Egg

Use them as a collection together, spaced out as vases on the windowsill, singularly in floating boxed shelves, or in that glass front cupboard you have to add a pop of colour.

 

There are so many retro inspired pieces out there for your kitchen, from radios to  weighing scales, kettles and toasters, not forgetting the fab range of appliances from Smeg and their 50's retro stlye, with every colour to suit whatever your taste.  Go to Smeg 50s Retro Style for their details.

 

This is your kitchen, be creative!

 

If masses of colour isn't your thing though, don't forget that a key piece like the art from Sarah Graham can become a real focal point if you want to keep the kitchen in tones of greys and allow the art to be centre of attention.....with Sarah's art it deserves to be.