Monthly Archives: January 2017

Trends – Best of the Terrazzo Interiors Trend

January 31, 2017

Image: Cafe Kitsune by Anne Van Assche

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So this trend has been slowly building for over a year now, quietly sitting and biding it’s time as the counterpoint to marble, and I reckon it’s going to be everywhere come summer so today I thought I’d turn my attention to beautiful terrazzo. The current trend seemed to start with Max Lamb creating a showcase of the material for interior use and it’s slowly being used for pattern in homewares that are accessible to you and I. There were elements of terrazzo in Normann, Copenhagen’s Daily Fiction range of accessible design products last year and Danish powerhouse of style Ferm Living are just about to launch some terrazzo pattern in their kids range this month, and you know that if the stylish Scandi’s are bringing it,  it’s going to be a thing soon. Hell, even even The Wall Street Journal  are calling it for Terrazzo this year, it’s coming folks, mark my (amongst others) words. I love everything about terrazzo and have been waiting for enough products on the market to share with you, this runs the gamut from £4.59 to £800 so there’s something for every budget but most are in the highly accessible price bracket. Some of the examples I list are a cross over between splatter patterns (in abstract) and true terrazzo, some use a modern method of dried paint over precious stone (actually I’m thinking of making a d.i.y item using this method so watch this space for the practicalities!)  but what all of these items have in common is a chaotic and very beautiful sensibility. Enjoy!

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Pictures: Through the Aperture: January

January 24, 2017

 

Pump neon garage in shoreditch

Image: Design Soda

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What a cold and dark start this month has been, I’ve got lots to keep my mind occupied this month but still these dark cold days are starting to grind. So, as the Christmas lights have faded all around, I thought January the perfect time for appreciating pops of neon. Today’s aperture includes some of my favourite punches of neon (and even a carousel) to lift us out of the doldrums. First up is this very cool gas station in Shoreditch (above) spotted on my London wanderings, perfect seventies fun flair, enjoy. What are you doing to beat the January blues? 

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Tottenham Court Road station, geometric monochrome tiles, vintage transport

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Trends: Spring Summer ’17 Home Trends at Top Drawer London

January 20, 2017

Top Drawer London Spring Summer 17 Interiors home trends

Image: Design Soda

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I can think of no past time more cheerful on official ‘Blue Monday’ than surrounding yourself with Spring season homewares(!), so, as Top Drawer London was in town I hopped along to have a peep at what’s on the horizon in the world of interiors for Spring/Summer. Having seen a few previews in November from high street chains, the main things that resonated with me there – velvets, smoked glass, craftsmanship, and blues were all in abundance at Top Drawer too. And it may just be because I ventured out with a heavy cold unable to smell my own perfume, but my eye kept getting caught by gorgeous blankets, candles and soft pastel colours and I don’t think it was just because I felt like hiding under a duvet! The overall vibe I took from the show was one of understated luxury, craftsmanship, small details and if there was one message that was pretty hard to miss it was BLUSH PINK IS STILL HERE! And hooray for that as I’m not tiring of it any time soon. I love pretty well all dashes of pastel in spring time, they are like little drops of optimism for a new season in the home. Some of the blush is also turning to coral this year which I welcome gladly as a slightly punchier tone to offset the whites, blacks and greys that aren’t going anywhere either. So this is my roundup of favourite looks and inspiration from the show, with so many thousands of stalls I’ve narrowed down to just a few but as you can imagine there was an abundance more available to be seen. Let me know what you are swooning over, I have all the heart eyes for the knitted textiles at the moment.

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Shopping: Tile Choices & Home Design

January 16, 2017

Decorum Tiles Handpainted Calligraphy & Mint wash interior bathroom kitchen ideas and inspiration

Image: Design Soda

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So we are now halfway through January, and as it’s the first month of the year the accompanying clarity in relation to getting on top of things and to-do lists for a fresh start means that quite a few of you have been discussing your renovation plans online with me. So, today, I thought I’d do a piece on one of the big areas within renovation – tile choices. The nuts and bolts of a room, from kitchens to bathrooms, and even flooring, tiles are one of the most impactful decisions you’ll make in the home. There is such an abundance of wonderful products on the market these days that it can be a little daunting trying to narrow down your search and get just the look you want and which will outlast trends (drooling over competing looks on Pinterest is a bit of a past time of mine!). And tiles are such a big investment, usually in cost but also longevity, once those tiles are in they’re usually staying there for quite a while! I’ve been planning our kitchen for nearly a year now and keep changing my mind (luckily no tiles have been purchased or adhered). So, with all this in mind, today lets talk tiles!

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Decorum Tiles Marble and Mother of Pearl interior bathroom kitchen ideas and inspiration

Tiles: White Carrara Brick Mosaic Tiles & Shell Mystic Circle in White

Image: Design Soda

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Interiors: Bedroom Makeover – The Half way Point

January 9, 2017

 

scandinavian rustic bohemian white nordic geometric hygge bedroom urban jungle bloggers

Image: Design Soda

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One week into 2017 and it’s been quite a big one for me, the house is set to appear on both Apartment Therapy & Style Mutt soon, The Frugality sent interest in my bathroom stratospheric over the weekend, I’ve got some new commissions, and my son spent much of the weekend telling anyone who’d listen (mainly me and Dan) that he is the baby Jesus, little late with the Christmas imagination, I know, but at just two I admire the delusions of grandeur (for the record, we have definitely told him that he’s not the baby Jesus!), plus it’s my birthday at the end of the week and Dan has some time off so we are going uptown on adventures.

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scandinavian rustic bohemian white nordic plants minimalist hygge bedroom

Image: Design Soda

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One of the things I love most about the start of a new year is the opportunity clearing out decorations gives you to re-assess the space around you, it focuses the mind to sort out things that don’t work but you’ve been living with absent minded-ly for ages. For me a new year means a fresh set of eyes around the home and a narrowing down of tasks (I know it should mean resolutions, but I’m not really a resolutions kinda gal) this year we have flooring to sought out, some wallpapering in Teds room, the eternal hunt for the right sized period front door and on the more fun side I want more colour and more vintage in the home. The floors in the bedroom and study still need sanding and staining, as such, I don’t have a whole reveal for you today but as we are only missing the floor (OK, I accept this is quite a big thing) I thought I’d share it with you and hope that it gives me the final impetus to hire that sander again! 

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scandinavian rustic bohemian white nordic mid-century wood hygge bedroom

Image: Design Soda

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I’m a little nervous of sharing it, as firstly it’s not finished and I’m not entirely happy with some areas, but also, for someone who loves colour and pattern so much, it’s a bit plain Jane, dare I say even Scandi minimalist? Shh! Pretend I didn’t say that. Truth is I’ve been living with this room for a year and I absolutely love its white-ness. I could never have my whole house like this, it would bore me to tears with what feel like tones of anti-motivation but upstairs I have definitely been persuaded by the slightly Nordic. In my last bedroom there was a fair amount of Scandi white with pastel colour pops so this bedroom reveal is slightly redux if you’ve been reading my blog for a while but there’s definitely some new-ness too, if I don’t mention a product, you will likely find it on this old bedroom post here. 

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scandinavian rustic bohemian white nordic minimalist hygge bedroom

Image: Design Soda

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