Author Archives: Design_Soda_Ruthie

About Design_Soda_Ruthie

I write Design Soda, a design blog with a focus on interiors. My blog aims to be an unpretentious, stimulating, fun and naturally curious delve into inspirational design and Londoncentric culture. I describe my style as boho-eclectic and am open to most design which doesn’t look too serious or composed. As a design geek with a love of vintage and upcycling, I am passionate about my home and love blogging ideas and looks that I find inspirational. Since the time when my teenage bedroom was an Aladdins cave of upcycled furniture, Cecil Beaton photography and Situationist slogans I have been interested in the way the home environment can make you feel and inspire your inner life. As a new mummy, trying to negotiate my passions with my lovely new baby's schedule can be difficult, but in my spare time you will often find me snapping the things that catch my eye in my wonderful home city London. Or, reading, upcycling, spending longer on Pinterest than I should, baking and watching old movies. I have a lifelong passion for French New Wave cinema.

Best of the artisan ceramics trend

August 24, 2016

best hand thrown artisan ceramics, interior design trends 2016

 

Since London Design Week last year, beautifully crafted ceramics have barely been off my radar, there seems to be a real vogue for beautiful handcrafted artisan pieces at the moment and I can’t get enough of them. I have a post in draft at present on kitchen updates for little investment and this is certainly one very pleasing way to do it – a well placed beautiful ceramic in the kitchen can detract from a multitude of sins! As I seem to have been pinning and saving ceramics for most of 2016, today I’m sharing my favourites from around the world. From the painterly to the abstract via the gold leafed and pastel here are all my favourite pretties for your perusal. Enjoy!Read More

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Our colourful cocktail room

August 15, 2016

 

eclectic vintage art deco colourful bohemian modern interior decor design & styling ideas

Yippee, another month and another room becomes complete in the house (I’m loving this part of renovation when you get to add the personal touches that pull a room together). This time it’s the dining room which I am decadently referring to as our cocktail room since its the main purpose of the space. I guess this would traditionally be a room for family time, but with a toddler running riot throughout the rest of the house and as we aren’t really formal enough as a family to do dinner anywhere other than round the kitchen table  (if that!) I don’t believe in creating a dead space simply out of convention so cocktail room it is!
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Amara Interior Blog Awards – Design Soda Nomination

August 12, 2016

Amara Interior blog awards 2016 - Design Soda

Good morning all, just a quick post today in form of a plea. If you follow me on social media you may have noticed that I’m a teensy bit excited to be up for an Amara Interior Blog Award in the Best Design Inspiration Category.

A lot of work goes on behind the scenes (when I’m not working or toddler taming) to bring you my favourite passions. I absolutely love writing this blog and have started to get opportunities to bring you fresh content over the last year beyond my expectations. Getting on the shortlist would bring many more of these opportunities and I’d be lying if I didn’t say it would be nice just to get on the shortlist in and of itself (despite my stats, I’m never quite sure it’s not just my mum reading this – hi mum!).

So, I happily have my begging bowl out today to ask you that if you enjoy reading my blog please take 10 seconds and vote for it via the link below. I promise to love you forever (!)

Thank you in advance

This is the link: http://www.interiorblogawards.com/vote/design-soda/

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10 Best Botanical Leaf Print Wallpapers

August 8, 2016

best botanical and tropical leaf print wallpapers

Image: Design Soda

If you have eyes and ears I’m sure you’ve noticed tropical palm and banana leaf prints are a massive trend in homes and fashion at the moment, all over the catwalk (sometimes head to toe outfits, I’m looking at you Dolce and Gabanna!), homewares, fabrics, paper and I’m totally seduced by them. I think our new obsession with leaves in the home started with our acceptance en masse of succulents and cacti into our homes a few years back followed by the adoption of larger house plants, last year was definitely the year of the cheese plant, looks like this year may be the fiddle leaf tree, both of which are beautiful but utterly toxic to cats. We have one very shady border in our garden so I’ve been looking at all of the beautiful different leaf patterns Mother Nature has created in quite a lot of detail over the last few months and all of these leaf prints make my heart sing.Read More

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Through the aperture: Summer in London

August 5, 2016

byron burger interior caramel and turquoise

Byron Burger, Caramel & Turquoise colour hunting

 

I got some exciting news this week when an email dropped in from a magazine who would like to feature our bathroom in their makeovers section, we have just had a seaside break seeing family in Scarborough and my home is currently full of fresh flowers from the garden, so August is looking good so far! Here are some of the things that have caught my eye. Image above is a beautiful colour combination in Byron Burgers Wandsworth caramel leather and turquoise walls, only problem with this place is going with one of your favourites on lunch hour and not wanting to leave…

 

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