Party Dress time....

At this time of year when the party invitations come flying through the door, we start needing a collection of party dresses. I'm mentioning this mainly because I bought a fab new red dress today!

What would be more fabulous then displaying your new party dresses on a stunning mannequin! Even when the dresses are put away you still have a beautiful piece of furniture in the corner of your bedroom, or thinking about it the hall way would be a stunning place to show off your wears!
Here are a few of my favorite.

Recycle, reuse, re-love.

I am a firm believer about recycling and reusing objects and in the process creating new and exciting things! I believe when objects, furniture or even an entire interior design has history, a story, it gives it more meaning, whether it's an inherited antique or recycled crates forming an interesting shelving display, they will always have more personal value when creating a home.

I currently have a stack of discontinued fabric samples from a furniture shop which I couldn't bare them to just throw away. Then I will use them to make a pretty cushion, fashion accessory, or a sweet little critter. Not to mention a ridiculous collection of old jam jars which will be useful one day!
Apart from having a huge passion for sewing and making something new, I get more delight in transforming old useless things into something with a different purpose or simply a unique homemade addition.
Perfect for the Christmas season, as much as we all love new things, a homemade person gift will always be something special to us.

 What a sweet a colourful use of an old pair of clogs! Or even turn them into plant pots.





















This Christmas dinner use old scraps of paper or fabric sewn with buttons to create individual table place mats and napkin holders. Even ribbon can be tied around the cutlery!

For a 'sweet' and delicious Christmas decoration, munch your way through the inevitable box of chocolate, save all the wrappers and fill with paper to tie them back up, creating this colourful recycled garland.

Moroccan splendor.

One place I want to visit on my wish is Morocco, the landscape, the delicious food, architecture and of course the beautiful colours and patterns which adorn the wonderful objects which come from this fascinating country.

The luxurious colours that enriched Moroccan interiors are so inspiring and are completely up my street! Even if you take just some simple elements from Morocco it can warm and brighten up any interiors without it looking too 'themed'.

Today I got a fantastic turquoise Moroccan leather pouffe! I have been looking out for one for a long time and having found an absolute bargain I couldn't refuse!
Similar can be found at Graham and Green.

I have now been inspired to do a bit of research and most definitely invest in more colourful accessorizes! Especially, cushions, lamps, tiles! In fact, I think Moroccan style is absolutely stunning, I better start saving for my plane ticket!

Moroccan style doesn't have to be bright fushias, oranges and blues. Then again why would you do it any way?
However, I still think it works using more earthy tones and the traditional perforated screen or lamp using dark wood and metal, though a bit of gold would highlight the glamour of Morocco.

Mix and Match 2

Have faith in a room which contains all different style of furniture and finishes! It does work, not everything has to match!
Use colours which complement and a simplicity form to create designs which express you.

Using just blue shades and yellow on a white back drop unites this space even with the furniture consisting retro wood, modern glass and classic acrylic. Mix and match..

Mix Match.

Sorry, it's been a little bit since last post! I've been busy busy with work! However I did need to express my feelings in the interior design of our homes! Use what's in design magazines and what's online as inspiration! Making a house a home means using personality and individuality, so use what's unique to your life to create a space which is totally YOU and suits your lifestyle!
Mixing new buys with sentimental pieces creating an interior story all about you.

I think this is a fantastic example, mixing colours and styles creating a jam style of delight.
Understanding the individuals of the people who live and use their home,  should then be replicated in the interior design using their experiences, interests and dreams as inspiration!

The image makes you really feel the personality of the home and owners who have gradually collected furniture and objects over time, which have meaning. The strength of the turquoise wall and personal artwork,  with the impact of the fushia cushions, enlightens the space, mixing traditional furniture with geometric patterns, like on the rug and the modern style coffee table creates an individual interior, unique to the client.

Do you have any piece of furniture which you know will always stay with you no matter how you decorate?

Memo board.

I think this clever memo board would brighten up any hall way. Storing your letters and precious images in such a fabulous way could even make an unwanted bill look good.

Simply by taking an unwanted picture frame and removing the back, then stapling tautened colourful ribbons in all different angles, enough so that letters can easily slot into place.

What a fun rainy day activity, using which ever frame or coloured ribbon you want. However I am loving the traditional gold frame with bright colours. Especially teaming it up with colourful accessories surrounding the entrance table.

Notice the ceramic welly boot with the walking sticks in, cleverly disguised next to the other boots!

New purchase!

So happy with my new urban drawer tidy for my bathroom. I love the mixture of hard fabrics such as the tin drawers with the clean and smooth bathroom tiles. I finally can hide all the pots and tubes we seem to collect in bathrooms!
I've grouped it with some candles for bath time and some old fashioned bottles, might even put some colourful labels on the doors.... for a rainy day project.

Sunburst Mirrors...

I am a huge fan of sunburst mirrors, the classic retro design works beautifully in any room! Bringing a sense of style and elegance of the thirty's yet still can appear to be a modern piece, I especially like them with a convex mirror.

What about even collecting a group together? I think it works. Here a few of my favorite..
I definitely want a couple of these in my home!

Beautiful collection of mirrors from 'An angel at my table'. large mirror: £225, small mirror: £49

Golden Flower mirror from 'Not on the High Street' £125

Sunburst from Graham and Green with a convex distressed mirror. £245

Wingback beautys.

I've spent the last part of the day sourcing a wing back chair for a client to be re-upholstered in a stunning red pinstripe velvet. To be placed in the corner as a statement reading chair within a dramatic slightly Gothic dining room! Absolutely fabulous.

Whilst trailing the internet wading through many styles from Queen-Ann leather studded wing backs to granny chintz. I was inspired by the wonders of this classic furniture styles and wanted to share with you all some fantastic finds.! Enjoy.

 Firstly, these two gorgeous yet still fun wing back chairs which bring a sense of elegance and wisdom to any room. The use of suzani and ikat fabric and rich cobalt blue reminds of me of far distant traveled lands of jewels and gold! Truly sumptuous!

I could not post about re-upholstered classic chairs without mentioning Kelly Swallow. This designer's stunning work, uses vintage fabric and creates unique patchwork furniture, all shapes and sizes, all unique to each other! I love the mix between the brightly coloured and playful fabrics to the very strong and masculine shape of a wing back chair!

Again these versions have created a fantastic look by using the traditional Victorian chair with modern West African fabric.
And below this eye-popping blue leather would look so smart in a room available from Anthropologie!

I don't know about you but it makes me want to curl up on one and escape with a fantastic book!

The Birds and The Butterflies...

Who doesn't find birds and butterflies simply precious? 

It takes a fine eye to create a subtle beauty using the elegance that birds and butterflies grace in our gardens for our homes, without looking like your in a zoo!

These sweet little plates which could lean on the chintz side have been reinvented into wall art with the addition of  perching birds. I know the days are getting colder and heading into winter but this wall brings everything that's so sweet and delicate about spring.

If your someone like myself who is renting, and although I have so many ideas I want to create for my own place there is always that barrier to get things done!
However I love this sweet flutter of butterflies as an imitation headboard.

So easily made from your favorite colours and patterns thickened with card and simply pinned into the wall. What a great idea for renters!

Similarly, jazzing up a plain lampshade by adding 3D butterflies and creating a story giving the appearance they have escaped from a framed collection of butterflies. Clever idea!

Colour corner.

Add some colour to a corner with a fantastic statement chair!

One of my many jobs I have on my DIY list of things to do is re-upholster an old retro armchair. It's a fantastic chair my Dad found in his loft and lovingly gave to me yet the excuse of not having done it yet, is I can't decide what fabric to use and if I do pick something I'm worried I'll find something better after! So instead it's holes are covered with old throws and cushions.

However one thing I'm sure is that I want it to be one of my future statement chairs I can take from house to house! And what makes a statement chair, well more of a statement is a fantastic vibrate luxurious colourful fabric!

I love this yellow armchair with cute lilac back buttons to match the wall, together with the colourful fairy lights and flower arrangement brings this statement corner together. The playful cushions invites  you to cozy up with a great book!

My chair is of similar style to the recently sold out Phoebe Chair from Made.com which always delivers when it comes to style and great furniture bargains!







I cannot comment about statement chairs without mentioning an upholsterer whom I have admired for a while now and had the pleasure of meeting, Kirsty Hull.
She is known for transforming vintage furniture by reupholstering and adding clever stitching detail picking out patterns from the chosen fabric or adding simple yet stylish twist to classic furniture.

 A current favorite is 'Olga'. The sharp contrast between the black wooden frame and gorgeous pink fabric helps to border the subtle lined stitching from the front checked pattern and the more feminine back picking out the delicate flowers. Absolutely stunningly clever!

Wallpaper picture..

The huge amount of wallpapers available can be overwhelming , and when you finally narrow it down, lets face it we always seem to like the most expensive ones! And when you start measuring and working out how many rolls are needed it can often add up.

Using wallpaper as art work as shown here is such a fantastic idea, rather then using the entire wall putting it with a simple border in contrast with the wall colour creates a feature without being the whole wall!
Matching with coordinated accessorizes (although yellow wouldn't be my desired choice, I love the dark grey with a striking colour, but you get the idea) it gives more depth to this retro sideboard. Adding the framed picture breaks the wall up and inputs some personality creating more of an individual look!

What do you think?

Hanging out.

I am currently having huge problems when it comes to hanging coats and storing shoes! And when I say problems I mean I have nothing! And I refuse to get something standard and ordinary, so for now I will have to live with coats and shoes left where ever they end up being abandoned!
 It's one of those things, when I see it I'll know it's right! And yes I am still talking about hooks and boxes!

However I found these ideas and knew I had to share them. I love the quirkiness they bring to the hall way, or any other room for that matter.

But what I think brings their strength in design is the impact colour has. The shoe rack which appears to be a vintage picture rail painted a fantastic citrus yellow is the center piece surrounded by white walls and objects.
Then in contrast the pure white faux antlers which  stand out due to the powerful earth orange wall.
Yet both providing a handy purpose!
 

Our pumpkin!

Having only found one of the last remaining pumpkins from my local supermarket (one year, I got there too late and had to use a butternut squash) I think the creation turned out well! Although we went for the standard ghoulish face, we added a snake nose, teeth and a raised eyebrow for a fiendish twist to an old classic.

What do you think?

Happy Halloween!

To get you in the mood for a scary Halloween weekend I have gathered a few of my favorite scary, yet stunning interior products!

Firstly this stunning tactile skull wallpaper from Rockett St George available with either skulls in glamorous glitter, oil slick or in a sumptuous black velvet all back dropped on a gun metal paper. 

Rock 'n' Roll glamor taken to the next level, great way to make a statement this Halloween.

One of my favorite design companies at the moment is the fantastic Curiousa & Curiousa. Check out their fantastical light creations perfect for any room, but more about them another time! With it being Halloween what's more perfect then these stunning fabrics and available as wallpaper of barbed wire and baby heads!











And what can be more creepy then combining the two and light them up! Just as we all did as kids telling ghost stories with a torch beneath our chins!


At first glance this lamp is stunningly classic but when the lights go on its a real shock factor that will get everyone talking! Fantastic.

Continuing with lights this fantastic skull light made from bone china from Alex Garnett is a great way to brighten up any room with a twist and as the saying kind of goes skulls are for life not just for Halloween!

And of course if your someone who takes Halloween as just the 31st October, and a pumpkin is as far as you go, why not try something new this Halloween so I've collected a few prettier pumpkins!! Which is your favorite?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!