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.

My pick of cutting garden favourites (& ideas for how to style them)

August 1, 2016

DIY Pineapple vase flower arrangement styling interiors

Image: Design Soda

 

It’s the first day of August and right now Mother Nature is putting on quite a show in our garden, flowers are everywhere in abundance. We’ve been celebrating each new bloom by bringing them into the home throughout July and I’ve been watching what thrives best and looks well within our interior style. I’m over the moon to have a garden to grow flowers in, not only are they much cheaper than florists and fresher too but there’s something really pleasing about watching your blooms come from shoots and blossom on top of which I love the smell and they are great for your wellbeing in a space. I’ve been reading Holly Becker’s Decorate with Flowers this month (which  I highly recommend) and last week I was at a brilliant workshop put together by bloomon on modern flower arrangements so I thought I’d put together some of the top tips I’ve learned and some styling ideas for if you fancy growing a cutting garden but don’t know where to start. I’ve had window boxes and front garden pots for years so I have some tried and trusted faves along with new additions that I’m now able to grow in our outdoor space and work really well indoors.Read More

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Design Crush #10

July 27, 2016

Studio-Flock-geometric surface patter ply furniture
Image: Studio Flock

Help, I have literally nowhere to put this, but I am totally in love with it! The coffee table on the right (but I’d take either of the others too) It’s glorious, the definition of style, so colourful, so noisy, so anarchic, hell just so everything! OK, enough of the hyperbole, but it makes me want to bin other bits of furniture to make room, I’m a little in love with this company and their fine sense of pattern. I bought a cushion from them a while back which is a real stunner and, having seen a peek on their Instagram feed, I can’t wait for their rug collection for FLoor_Story to launch at Design Junction this year. A fellow blogger featured these tables last week just when I’d started drafting this so it’s clearly going to be a design hit everywhere soon!

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Weaving Workshop – Upstairs at Smug

July 25, 2016

hand weaving workshop smug bezalel
Last weekend I enrolled on a day course to learn hand weaving. I’ve been a big fan of the bohemian home trend with a tribal twist for a while now and admiring the various wall hangings I’ve come across. So when I saw a course come up in one of my favourite London design stores – Smug,  it was a bit of a no brainer. It was a fantastic thing to do, contemplative and relaxing in a way I’d liken to gardening which is in contrast to my experience of sewing or cross stitch which I find a bit frustrating. Weaving is therapeutic, it has less maths and more fun than other techniques I’ve learnt before so I thought I’d share my experience on the blog today. Read More

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Living Room Makeover: Our Natural History Infused Bohemian Modern Space

July 20, 2016

Natural history decor coral, eucalyptus, shells, curios. styling nature interior design

 

We are now at the really nice point in decorating the house (hallelujah) where we have finished decorating everything internally so can look to objects and styling spaces to make it feel more our own and interesting. This is everyone’s favourite part, right? The bit where you edit down your pieces, add a few special new ones to embellish with and drive your partner crazy moving things around until they are just right (all before a tiny toddler comes into the room and makes his own stylist decisions about exactly what belongs where!).Read More

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Through the Aperture – The Great Outdoors

July 18, 2016

Japanese Sago Palm - Plants on PinkSago Palm on Pink

Confession time, today was supposed to be a post on our living room update but it isn’t quite finished (for various very boring reasons) so I am posting a few summery pics instead. This weather has been amazing the last few days, perfect temperatures, light and of course nature in abundance. From the crinoline blush of the pink poppies in my garden to the hot house bananas in Lisbon, nature is creating a dream right now. House tour will roll out on Wednesday if you can hold your breath til then (insert your favourite cheeky faced emoji here)!Read More

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