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.

New Designers Show, 2016

July 11, 2016

Image: Design Soda

Last week I was lucky enough to be given some tickets to the New Designers shows 2016 by a crafter & designer who’s work I really love (more on that in a post soon!). I really love design shows, the atmosphere, the creativity, the inspiration, I always feel pulled in a thousand directions all at once as my eyes glance something new at each turn. With an event like Decorex you expect to be wowed by the presentations of design houses at the top of their field, but what’s really special about platforms like New Designers is the wealth of talent out there waiting to become the future mainstream. I was excited to see quite a few of the designers in One Year On which was curated this year by the founder/owner of Luna & Curious which I’m a big fan of. It’s amazing to see the output of businesses which have been going for a year. Perhaps even more inspiring is the work of graduates (both BA & MA) some of whom displayed work with a truly stunning attention to pattern & detail, form and purpose. So, here is my photographic rundown of the things which really caught my eye, I include contact details of all designers under each piece.Read More

labeled : Design Favourites: Sourcing & Inspiration | 2 COMMENTS

Design Soda Travel Guide : Lisbon

July 4, 2016

We’ve just had 3 days KID FREE in Lisbon. It was bliss, Lisbon was magical, welcoming, pretty, hilly, hot & inspiring. It’s a great city for design lovers, a town of typography and tiles, pretty paving, colour, great food and a really convivial culture. We packed so much into a short time, I knew I had to see beautiful Sintra and also to escape to the beach for a few hours so fitting in all the cultural sights and the things highlighted in the fabulous Wallpaper* guide was a bit of a squeeze but well worth aching feet for. Today I’m sharing the top things we saw, did & ate in the city and on trips around which I think you could comfortably squeeze into a long weekend, wherever possible I have included a google map for directional purposes.Read More

labeled : Travel | 4 COMMENTS

Through the Aperture

July 1, 2016

Pink Architecture - Bayswater. Splendid Urban

I have seen so many amazing things over the last month, I love how London and summer come alive together, so I am reintroducing snaps through my aperture. There are so many places I want to go right now, think Palm Vaults in Hackney is next on my list. How about you?

labeled : London Sights | LEAVE A COMMENT

Simple Life Hack for your closet

June 20, 2016

I am a little too hard wired to cynical to be someone who can open heartedly embrace self help or lifestyle fads. I like the idea of slow living and of daily rituals that make you feel good but I’m not the type to throw my faith out to the universe and see what comes back. So this article really isnt The Life Changing Magic of Tidying. I love things to be organised, taken care of, easy, but if I’m honest I think the main pleasure of a tidy home is to enjoy it and mess it up again. I have perused The Life Changing Magic of Tidying and house cure’s on Apartment Therapy, I’m happy for any tidying tips that make life simpler, but I think I wasn’t the target market. As a new mum who had a long maternity leave, clutter and cleaning are now dealt with on turbo charge and we are never going to have a sterile, uber organised space even if I wanted one (which I don’t, I think houses have to breathe to feel homely) with a rampant toddler. Moreover, when it comes to clothing, past the 6 monthly clear out and vacuum bag packing of out of season clothes, my wardrobe is a bazaar of haphazard semi-chaos which I like. But something that gives me space in the most unashamedly cluttered part of my life? Yes please! So with this in mind, I am sharing the kind of tip that will not change your life but may solve a problem we share.

labeled : Lifestyle | LEAVE A COMMENT

Design Crush #9

June 13, 2016

Sometimes when X meets Y the result is utterly perfect. Say gin and pink lemonade, or Pecorino & honey. In the field of home design, as in fashion, when a brand collaborates with the creative energy of a unique output the results can be truly swoon worthy. Some of you may say Lenny Kravitz for CB2, or Henry Holland x Habitat, or maybe one of the zillion cutting edge collabs Liberty have done. My personal fave was always French company I-Bride’s collaboration with Habitat about 5 years ago. Until now. I’ve been coming across pieces that I love named Roar & Rabbit over at West Elm since the start of the year when I bought this so stunning geo inlay jewellery box (pictured above). But I only got round to looking into what it was last week.

labeled : Design Crushes - Design Favourites: Sourcing & Inspiration | LEAVE A COMMENT