Guest Blogging

Not so long back I was asked by United Creativity to do a little guest blogging on interior trends and tips.  My piece on dip-dye has just been published using products from much loved Rockett St. George and Rose & Grey.  You can check out my take on this trend right here.

United Creativity sells and exhibits contemporary fine art.  You can check out what they have available on their online gallery. 

Be sure to check out the rest of their blog post about photography in design.

Thank you to United Creativy for the opportunity to be a part of their site, I look forward to working along side you more in the future with a few more trends and tips.

Creating Your Dream Home

I know I usually like to write about how you can create different rooms and where to get some fab products, but I have to change that today and write about the course I attended on Saturday.  It's called Creating Your Dream Home (hence the title).  The course is run by Abigail Ahern in her own home.  A rare opportunity to see a designers vision in their own surroundings.  I've been following Abigail's blog for sometime and have learnt a lot about how do things differently and some simple tricks to have the best effect.  Anyone who also follows Abigail will be very aware of her love of the dark side.  Painting rooms in inky hues rather than bright whites. 

The course covered not only some tips such as you would read in the blog, but also further ideas and inspiration and allowed what I had been reading in the blog to really come alive.   You were seeing and sitting in rooms that showed you exactly how her hints and tips worked, after her it is her home you are in.

Learning about the certain interior rules in order to break them was probably the most interesting element of the course for me, as it gave me the confidence to remember that just because not everyone else is doing it doesn't mean I can't. 

Just to give a few ideas about what you learn (I don't want to tell you everything as I'd rather recommend you go to see and hear it for yourself).  Your learn to use different products for different uses, such as stools and tables for beside units, something I already want to do by using old post boxes if you read my London Calling post.  The idea that a mirror should always reflect something not just an empty wall, mix old with new products and lighting, the importance of it and the types.  One key part I take from that is wherever there is a seat there should be a light.  I hope to put this in to practice more in my home.

So my home is the complete opposite to Abigail's, having all the room painted in white.  However after reading about "the darkside"  I wanted to give it a go and started with the downstairs toilet.  A room that I cared little about and quickly hung a mirror and canvas up in.  Not a majorly wonderful room, I thought that would do.  Now it has a personality and impact of it's own.  It is no longer the leftover cold room but a fabulous little space that seems much warmer and bigger.  Here's some before and after shots for you to see.


Before I entered the darkside, very bland and cold

 

Painting door and door frames the same colour makes them "disappear"
 



Reflecting images in the mirror, an old find from local charity shop hung vertically to add interest
 

As much as Abigail would encourage the dark colours, she also wants to encourage people's personalities and tastes in their own right, so the majority of my home will no doubt remain predominately white,  but there will always be at least one room now that takes on this darker look. 

Many thanks to Abigail Ahern for giving her time to myself and the rest of the people there.  It certainly made me feel inspired and confident in what I do.

If you wish to attend one of these courses you can book and find out more on Abigail's website click here.  There are no more courses till the new year now but I highly recommend them for any budding interior designers, home renovators or if you just have an interest and fancy a great day out.