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.



Winter Woodland

I don't know about where you guys are but this last week there has been a real change to the weather, it's November and that chill is being felt in the air.  Shops are starting to bring in the Christmas products and with the clocks going back the other week the nights are drawing in.  But don't let the darker days get to you, think cosy, think warmth (albeit with cushions and throws) and be inspired by the best winter décor around.  So much I love this trend this year that I'm redecorating my bedroom for it.  That, and I happen to have bought a new Stag Head from Achica so I have to find somewhere for it to go! 

There is a lot of Stag heads and winter woodland items out there but so often I find they are in reds, browns and neutral colours.  I like my red to highlight in my black and white scheme rather than be the dominant colour.  So when I came across the Opulent Stag head in black on Achica I was right there.  They aren't currently available now, but I have had a look around and if you head over to Amazon or Arthouse you can find stockists.

Looking around for more black/white décor for my room, I was lucky enough to stop by the following cushion from Rose & Grey on Twitter and I had that "found it" moment.  Simple as it seems sometimes it can just be a cushion to make you see what way the room is going to shape up.



Available from Rose & Grey
Thanks to @knitted_stars

So with Stag purchased, cushion (or maybe 2) in the basket, I'm ready to look at the rest.  I have a tall hotel headboard on my bed so my stag is likely to go on my side wall.  But I want to create impact in this room and not make it look to bare and cold just because it is black and white. 

I came  across Zazous and their fabulous range of wall stickers.  Wall stickers create a great impact in a room without the mess of wallpaper, or if you are like me without having to call in the professional (also known as Dad).  So I have my eye on this one;




Deer In the Forest available in various colour options for the birds.



My deer would have to be placed away from the trees for me due to the layout of the room but I have a way it will work!

One thing I'd love to convince myself on in this redecoration is to go black on the ceiling or black on the whole room rather than my current white walls. 

Then I want to add a few more flying birds on the ceiling itself (extra birds also available from Zazous ).

Accent the room in reds or maybe oranges, in fact choose the birds to be the accent colours, and keep bedding simple in white with a faux fur throw over the end for really cosiness.

Can't wait to get started!


As a little update, we finally did the bedroom!  Ok so not everything turned out as described above, I had a change of mind in some things and the layout of our room didn't really allow for everything I wanted, but I am very happy with the results so wanted to update this post to share with you.  I went with black winter tree wall stickers from Zazous and the separate birds you can buy to go with them.  To save in time and money I decided against painting the whole room black and opted for black gloss work instead, it really gives a rather dramatic look to the room.

We only did the room this week so my accessories and cushions still need to be ordered. 

It feels like a bedroom, but it really feels like you can disappear into another place when you are there, and yes suggestions of Narnia have already been mentioned.
 

Brighter Days

I have this habit of ordering wallpaper samples even if I have no intention of wallpapering anywhere.  Sometimes I just like the colours or design, sometimes they are good for inspiration.  Recently I ordered some from The Decorating Shop and I was immediately inspired.  They have a great range of wallpapers from top brands including Harlequin and Graham & Brown. 

But it is this one in particular really jumped out at me.  The geometric pattern in vibrant colours, and the colours being a great mix of some of my favourites, I had to order a sample. 

With the sample arriving and being just as vibrant as online, I could now visualise it in a living room.  It would also be suitable in maybe a teenage girls bedroom, but something about these darker nights made me want to picture a brighter living room to come home to.

Available in 4 colourways Harlequin Kaleidescope

So with wallpaper in hand I needed some ideas for pieces that would pull this room together.  Firstly I'd love to add a retro inspired black leather sofa, and an accent chair in bright pink.  For my chair I head straight over to Plush Deco for their Pink Barcelona Chair it really works well with the two tones of pink in the paper. 

Available in a variety of colours from Plush Deco

I was then lucky enough to come across these cushions whilst browsing some of my other favourite sites, and quite frankly it all made me really want to redecorate my living room.......shame I just have, will have to wait a little while now.

Cushions available (clockwise from top left) Made, Rose & Grey , Quirk & Rescue and Rose & Grey also

So there is now a lot of colour and design going on but the other walls are quite bare?  No worries, simple and cost effective way to fix that.  In fact 3 options you can look at.  Buy some tester pots of paint in colours from the wallpaper and mask up some squares, maybe even overlay them and you will get something like the following effect (note I have just done this on my pc to explain better what I mean, obviously it will look tons better on the wall!).

Paint squares of colours from the wallpaper to add life to the other walls.

Second possibility, picking up some square white photo frames (if you cant find white fine wooden and spray paint them - remembering to use the spray paint outside, covering the ground and wear a mask), and create some letters on the computer, for example spelling out love or punk.  One letter per frame and there is your own art.  Remember as this is for personal use at home you are ok.


And thirdly, why not put up a floating shelf in white (my walls are white so this works for me) and in frames (white is my preferred option here) in various sizes frame colours of card, again using the colours from the wallpaper.





 

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.