Picasso

Hello friends...I got busy and abandoned my blog! I had so much on the last two months which was great but I was slightly overwhelmed, so I saved downtime for the gym (the only place my mind empties)...but alas I'm back and have SO much to catch up on!

Starting here-

Picasso cushions. Genius!

I seriously adore these and think they will add the perfect dose of pattern and style to any room.

I spotted them in Brussels a few weeks ago when I went in support of my boyfriend running the half marathon. The weather was atrocious so while he ran I hid in many of the textile shops that surround the streets of the Grand Place, here you'll find the most intricate lace, crochet and silk work in cushions, throws, tablecloths and more.These were by far my favourite find.

 

You can get these from a few websites so shop around, and the Conran shop have a good selection of Picasso print cushions. Or, Eurostar to Brussels. Why not? 

loveWANTneed

Just a quick post about what I will be dreaming of until I have it hanging over my head.

www.mineheartstore.com

I think this would look amazing in a room painted the deep mauve colour that's on the image- a white room would look gorgeous too but I love the idea of a darker hue against the white of the shade. This is such an easy way to introduce a stand-out stylish feature that will makes your friends wish they had found it first.

Have a great weekend everyone!

xxx

concrete. brutalist or loveliest?

In a recent project re-vamping the Topshop Oxford Circus Personal Shopping suite (images of this will be up soon!) I pitched the idea of taking the dated white space and creating a 'cool girls apartment', with a mix of upholsteries, art work and furniture so it looked like a collection of treasured belongings that reflected the Topshop girls style.
I was really keen to use tin-tile effect wallpaper by Abigail Ahern on some of the walls to add an industrial but feminine feel (see here http://abigailahern.com/collections/wallpaper) but alas, the creative director wasn't sold on it. So I came up with the idea of concrete... polished concrete! This is an effect created by plastering walls and polishing them up- in the middle stage before you take it to the white plaster we are all used too. The slight sheen on it looks polished and slightly luxurious with an industrial edge. This is what you will find if you ever go in to the suite, sneak peek picture below....

TOPSHOP Personal Shopping Oxford Circus

We had the work done by hand- BUT there are some fantastic wallpapers available that let you create this look by yourself! Paper's in concrete  tiles, brick and wood are available and the effects are amazing. High resolution details make them realistic so these papers aren't cheap, but as a feature they are affordable and definitely worth the money- I love this sort of thing, I'm all about texture and love a little decayed character in a home. Below is a list of a few styles and suppliers, follow the links! These websites are amazing- some really talented folks who I will blog about in more detail soon. Also last months Elle Decor did a piece on this style of decorating if you can still get your hands on it!

Patina- Ageing with Beauty - Mr Perswell www.mrperswall.co.uk

Stone Angels - Young & Battaglia www.youngbattaglia.com

Stones - Mr Perswell

Attic #01 - Tom Haga

Cast Iron Gate -  Young & Battaglia

Concrete Wall #15 - Tom Haga

green with envy

Green decor? And I mean pea green- not like Farrow & Ball greens, but green...green. Not a colour I can say I've really given much thought about for an interior not in a Mediterranean climate. (which obviously relishes with even the most vibrant shades.) But then this picture came to my attention- I love it and think this is the way to work green in any interior. The white in the wallpaper freshens it up, and the im-perfect, slightly distressed green paint is rustic and charming. I personally love distressed looks but I appreciate that's not everyone's cup of tea. Mixing this up with the addition of a glossy tiled floor, an opposing element to the distressed walls- creates a romantic and eclectic look. So that's the way to do it!

Inspired? Here's a way to achieve a similar look yourself.

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1. italian floor tiles. 2.matt dark green via www.vinyldepot.co.uk 3. floral wallpaper by Designers Guild.
4. Kartell Combeck armchair by Patricia Urquiola 

TOAST. bread free & delicious

The fashion and lifestyle brand that has me drooling over it's latest catalogue is Toast. The company started in 1997 and is growing stronger than ever, they say the ethos of the brand is to create 'original evocative and inspiring' brand imagery and I think it's clear to see they are hitting the mark- I want to order pretty much everything and am completely sold into the lifestyle their brand portrays.

Their latest catalogue photo-shoot showcases products against beautiful Moroccan tiles and natural surfaces, which compliments their Kitchenware, yummy tile print towels and beautiful bedding selection. I've selected some of my favourite images but hop on over to their website which is particularly lovely, www.toast.co.uk and see for yourself. While you're digesting Toast, my orders already on it's way! Now I've just got to book that long overdue Moroccan adventure....

Part TWO. currently coveting...

FARROW & BALL, I HEART YOU.

Their new range of wallpapers include two really fun prints, which will add a quirky element to your decor but true to brand they are still super elegant. They also come in shades that match their paint ranges- got to love that.

Below is Bumblebee which is available in a variety of colours but here are two i love.

And Ocelot- leopard print at it's classiest! This is also available in more colour options

 I am constantly recommending Farrow & Ball for my clients as the colours are so timeless and people seems to trust the brand instinctively. I often get a quite negative response when I suggest wallpaper- whether that's due to the effort it takes to put up or the  idea wallpaper is somehow dated- I wonder if Farrow & Ball and it's existing reputation can help me change people's minds...

Part ONE. currently coveting...

The most beautiful over-dyed rugs from www.vintagecarpets.com.
This is a family run business that specialise in these utterly beautiful Persian rugs which are handmade vintage from Iran and Turkey. These rugs are guaranteed to elivate the look of any room you put them in- the colours vary from light greys, to deep pinks through to bright turquoises and are undeniably gorgeous. 

 Below are just a few of my favourites-