Feeling deflated...wine needed

So I've made it to Wednesday and I'm totally flogged! With only a week and a half to go until my studio deadline, I've literally been working flat out 10 hour days and pretty much everything else has  out of the window (including getting dressed properly some days) Hence the lack of blog posts! I promise I'll pick up where we left off with the accessories posts as I have much more to share, but for the time being Im afraid your going to have to bear with me as I'm trying my best to be wonderwoman but it's just not as easy as you'd think!

The pooches are looking just as fed up as I am today...

As I don't have much else exciting to share at the minute (hold tight though 'cos I promise good things are to come(, here's a little insight into my painstaking world of double French seaming and hanging chair problem solving! 

XOXO

Bringing the outside in, the unthought of accessory...

Good morning! It looks like it's gonna' be another sunny one - horrah! Lets pick up where we left off, Fridays post was full of promises, so here I am attempting to fulfil those.

I hope my rant about accessories got you thinking. I must stress that these posts are a total combination of the things I am picking up along my journey. Mainly from other bloggers and designers. Of course there is no right or wrong, but I am finding them to be successful in my home, and definitely feel like my own style is evolving from the hints and tips I'm reading. If you have any other ideas or thoughts I'd love you to share them too.

Anyway...

So this mystery accessory, 'TELL ME TELL ME" I hear you cry. Well I must admit, a year ago I'd never have thought I'd have done this but since I have read about plants in the home, yes you heard me, PLANTS, I think I'm becoming addicted.
They are a nifty little trick that lots of stylists (those magic makers who throw together the gorgeoussss images we drool over in the glossies), and designers use within interiors. When I first read about using them, the thought ' I'll kill them' sprung to mind, and Craig just looked at me like he had married a girl born in the wrong era. But seriously, we were in IKEA of all places and I literally thought,
'I'll pick some up while they are cheap and try it, what's to loose?'

I HAVE NEVER LOOKED BACK.

I went for cacti as I'd read about their texture which again adds intrigue and I remembered from being a kid that they didn't need much looking after. I had also seen some cool pictures of cacti on Abigail Aherns pinterest. I did opt for the real thing, however, many of these stylists and designers I speak so highly of really do champion faux.

They seriously add something to a space that no other plastic, metal, glass, you name it can add. Its marvellous! And not just plants but flowers too! Although this is something I haven't actually gotten round to yet. I'm desperate for some faux flowers though but I want to get the rooms a little more finished before I invest in some good quality ones.

So have a look about, I guarantee once you've tried a few you'll catch on to this. Our go-to girl Abigail Ahern does some AMAZING fauxs, obviously! But I did find IKEA to be pretty good, and cheap too. If you shop about online there are plenty of places selling them, and your trusty home retailers like M & S, John Lewis, and Dunelm all sell them. Steer clear of anything unnatural looking and from what I've found I'd say greenery is a safe place to start.

This is really not my area of expertise so even though I'm happy to share with you my advice on going for it and how it's inspired me, I'm not going to claim I'm an expert flower arranger 'cos I'm not! So I'd say if you try it and think it's for you, have a read of this blog. You could even speak to your florist about how to arrange displays and ask if they can get hold of some good quality fauxs for you. I'm off to see Rebecca at my local as soon as I get around to it - it's another job on the list!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, tonight I'll be sharing my pick of the best accessories for May/ July and a few tips on what to do with them in your home. I've popped up a few pics of the start of my collection, it is only very small at the minute but I'm planning on expanding :) I'm loving using them in bathrooms and you can't tell so much in the snap as it was a little dark this morning when I took it and we haven't finished with the lighting in there, but rather than fitting a blind I want to create a natural screen using lots of varying heights of plants.

XOXO.

TGI Friday...

Ahhhhhhhh, TGI Friday right?
Well I hope that's how you're feeling, but to be honest my weekend is going to be very much a weekend of work. I'm not complaining though as the light at the end of the tunnel is (kind of) near and it will be sooooo worth it in the end.

I'm loving using this blog as an escape from uni work and the routines of day to day life so I really hope you guys are enjoying it if even just a little too.

I thought I'd try a little theme for this weekends blogs, continuing from Wednesdays post about the little touches, it's a perfect time to chat home accessories.

This is probably one of the biggest littlest things I have learnt through reading up on decorating and DIY-ing; 

we all stop decorating too soon, FACT. 

We pour that much time and effort into choosing colour schemes and laboriously painting walls and woodwork that by the time it's all done we can't wait to get the sofas back in and slouch on down with a glass (or bottle in my case) of wine. It's time to reassess the stage we class as 'finished'. I am no stranger to this, our house is absolutely at this stage at the minute and it's driving me NUTS. It feels so boring and impersonal.

So basically what I'm saying is...

the more things in a room, the more stuff there is to look at and take in; and subsequently the more exciting the room becomes.

My style crush Abigail Ahern (along with may other interior gurus I am finding) is all about this idea, and I have found it to be completely true. Now when I walk into a room with bare walls and floors (my living room is quite the perfect example) I instantly scan it and think,

 'OK so that's it, fun OVER.'

Lets mix things up a little. Throw in some texture, some art hung in unexpected places (over the door perhaps), some personality and quirk.

Accessories can come however you'd like them to, it's your space after all. You should be longing to fill it with cool stuff that you (and your guests) never get sick of looking at. I'm talking lamps, rugs, cushions, throws, artwork, chairs, tables, flowers, photographs, candles, ornament, more lamps, more rugs. MORE STUFF!

 A biggie and the easiest thing is to fill a room with stuff that reflects you and your stories. That weird vase you picked up on holiday for example, get it back out of the cupboard! Then put it somewhere where you wouldn't expect to see it and watch the magic happen. 

I could ramble about this all night long but, besides a few insider hints and tips of arranging and styling (this post will follow!) , it really is dependent upon you and the style of your home. I'm going to show you a little example of how I'm muddling through this and kind of beginning to feel like I'm finding my way. Firstly we will talk colour with accessories, then posts will follow on arrangements.

So as is evident from the bedroom, hall and bathroom (the latter two are soon to be revealed!), I am well and truly crossing over to the dark side. I am fully embracing using dark colours on walls to create intrigue and cosy, grown up spaces. HOWEVER, despite my love for the lady, I cannot quite convince Craig (and admittedly myself wholly) to follow the wisdom of Abigail Ahern completely by painting the walls, ceilings and woodwork out in one colour - it's still a little scary.

So in order to make sure that the white ceilings and woodwork don't stand STARKERS against the darker colours, I am embracing white in the form of accessories and furnishings. You see, as I am learning, this draws the eye from the ONLY BIG THING in the room you've chosen to leave white, and helps to mellowly blend it in to the rest of the decor - are you following? (This stands true even if your walls are 'beige', the white ceiling will still stand out if it's the only white thing in the room.) So rather than it sticking out like a sore thumb, it is now completely in accordance with your well planned colour palette ;) I also find it gives a crisp edge to the darker colours rather than leaning towards too edgy.

Currently I'm going for mono. White, black, grey and of course a little metallic ( personally I love to mix up metallics. I see no wrong in pairing brass with aluminium or silver and gold) are my go to for accessories right now.

A little bonus here is because I have chosen to GO BOLD on the colour of the walls in my rooms, I can reign it in a little with the accessories. I am now finding myself accessorising rooms with similar palettes - yeah I hear what you're thinking, could be kind of boring, BUT at the same time makes it SO EASY to shop my own house when I get bored of seeing stuff in the same place. When I'm sick of seeing the white occasional table in the hall, I'll move it into the bedroom and use it as a bedside table. Clever no? This also gives a little continuity throughout the house.

Of course there is no right or wrong when it comes to colour, again it's your home, What I'm trying to say is 

ACCESSORISE YOUR HOME. 

I think it's something we so easily forget to do. Maybe if you can't bear the thought of abandoning your white walls ( god forbid - give me a month you will!), then add colour through your accessories. Stick to 2/3 different colours and go wild. Don't be afraid of pattern too. This is highly underestimated in the power to change stakes ( again by the old me ), as long as you don't let your colour palette get too out of control, try mixing up a few different patterns, it's all about creating interest. Although I reiterate, do watch your colours, we want interest not gaud. 

I'll leave you on a few pics of my growing accessory collection, which in the absence of an accessory I used to think only concerned old people, highlight how important they actually are. All will be revealed.

TGI Friday folks.

XOXO.
P.S when arranging your accessories, stick to grouping things in odd numbers. It's a little rule in design - much more appealing to the eye as my uni co star always reminds me.

P.P.S notice how bare the walls look, I NEED STUFF!!!

It's the little things...

Hey guys, so remember in the bedroom blog from last week I told you about the wood sill we were having made? Well we picked it up from the joiners at the weekend, and here it is...

So excited to finally get rid of the plastered top! This just goes to show what a difference those special touches make. We could have easily just painted this top but I wanted to make a feature of it. Rather than a tiled or even laminated 'wood' effect, I wanted the counter and this sill to be a little rustic but still have a refined finish to them.

Here's a reminder of before...

 Voi La... 

To do this Craig made a template to fit the top from cheap MDF, and sent it to our local joiners in Markse by the Sea ( who is retiring - I'm gutted as he sourced lovely old beams and made them very cleverly into gorgeous pieces for us. If you search and nag your local joiners, you will easily find someone similar.) They then made this sill to match from reclaimed timber. We stained it and then finished with a couple of coats of oil to seal it. I can't wait to top it with some lovely candles and frames. Let me know what you think.

XOXO.

Is it only Tuesday?

Hey, I hope you are feeling more enthusiastic than I am today - I'm feeling totally 'feathered' out after already spending at least 6 hours sat at a sewing machine embroidering feathers for my final piece (which is due in in 2 & 1/2 weeks!!!). I can't believe it's only Tuesday; I'm shattered already and feel like I need a pick me up so I'm swapping out the lemon water for a Crabbies!

So my final is (hopefully) going to be a fully functioning hanging chair that will be covered in around 450 individual fabric feathers that I have made right from dyeing the fabric, to printing the feather through to embellishing. 

I want this piece to be a bit of a show-stopper, somewhere that 'cocoons' you as you hunker down underneath it's wings hanging from a tree, making you feel content and at peace with the world! The right now here is the reality - I'm loosing love for the thing! I'm writing this post (in between a crazy whatsapp message between my best girlfriends discussing our best friends hen do antics, as a result of her announcing today that she has provisionally booked her wedding venue!!!) as total procrastination to avoid getting the machine out for the night. So to help be prolong this blissful time out, I thought I'd share with you a few of my fave hanging chair designs that I have found as part of my research. The hanging chair is MOST definitely a furniture must have for this summer, whether it be for your garden, sun room or bedroom - a hanging haven is top of my shopping hit list!

I think this baby is a bit of a bargain - it would suit outside or in and you can dress it to your own style with throws and cushions, and they also do it in white too! Find it here on Etsy. (in fact when I've finished writing this I'm thinking of bribing Craig into letting me buy one - it would finish the conservatory off right?)

As we have had such a lovely day, I'm feeling summer garden vibes and this chair below just hits the patin G-spot perfectly. It is a little more expensive, but look after it and it's a very VERY COOL investment if you ask me. Find this here on Wayfair.

OK so this next one is a product that I have taken great inspiration from, as much as I like the product, it was the concept and the manufacturers passion behind it that grabbed my attention most. As a textile designer, the aesthetic is not AMAZING, but... 

...it is ideal for those who love the great outdoors as it is light and easy to erect so can be taken with you on this cosy camping trips this summer. Check them out at

'Hang-in-Out' here.

This cute hammock chair reminds me of holidays and who doesn't love that feeling!? It's the cheapest on the hit list at only £43.03 and would bring a summery,  aid back hippy vibe to either an indoor or outdoor setting. Pick this up on outdoorbg here.

And my final pick, just for the hell of it, cos' we can all dream can't we...

This gorgeous piece had been designed by Urquiola as part of Louis Vuitton's folding collection, "Objet Nomades". Ahhhhhh if only...

Happy chair hanging folks!

P.s I hit bargain store "The Range" yesterday, and of course went in for nothing much, and came out with a trolley load go goodies. I was really pleasantly surprised, they have quite an apt range of little finishing touches...I tried hard to reign it in, so besides surface cleaner and body wash, here is what I picked up, I think the Giraffe is my favorite...

Gallery walls...

Following this mornings heads up on creating the gallery walls, (visit LillianDaph on Facebook if you missed it), I thought I'd share a quick post on one of my very own.

Granted this is only small, and took very little planning (when I say little I probably mean none as I am quite impatient when it comes to prep work!), but it's the first one we've done in this house and I do plan on creating a much bigger and better one in the hallway once I've collected the right content. 

But for now here's an insight into what you can do with a few charity shop frames, some home photography and a little bit of time (plus nails and a rolling pin - I told you I was impatient. DO NOT share this information with Craig, he would actually kill me if he knew I was banging nails into brick walls with the end of my rolling pin!).

Also I love the idea of having book cases in the home, but I painted this old pine one (again with little prep - it's my area for development I promise) when we first moved in and now I just hate the painted country blue effect, but it's on the to do list. 

So in the meantime; whilst I'm working on my vintage book collection, I'm making do with shoes and treasured bit's and pieces (my wedding hair band included) to fill up the space on this bookcase in my dressing room.  I suppose this kind of links to this mornings post about not creating problems, rather than thinking "I have nothing to put on that bookshelf, I made the best of what I had at the time. Not too shabby ey?

XOXO.

A positive mantra...

So here’s a thought, its Sunday morning, I'm up at the crack of dawn finding myself a little 'me time' (I've even managed to shut the dogs out - mainly because I spent at least half an hour hovering our wool sofa yesterday and don't plan on putting myself through that again any time soon!), sat here thinking why do we tend to over think things? I'm talking about everything, not just design but life in general. 

(Stay with me on this, it's a bit of a waffle-y post, but it's made me feel better just writing it!)

I had this conversation with two good friends yesterday, one of which was describing a scenario that put her smack bang in the middle of lacking spontaneity and preconceiving the day ahead, which she highlighted how in turn it effected her gorgeous weekend trip away (albeit not majorly, this party girl doesn't let much stand in her way of a good time!).

So this got me thinking, why do we overcomplicate EVERYTHING? As humans is it just in our nature to come up with an excuse not to do something, or to put something off til' a later date? If we want something so badly why not just go out and get it? Or do it? Or use it? Or WHATEVER.

What stands in our way? The answer, I reckon, is us. It's mainly ourselves and our self conscious creating barriers that don't even necessarily exist. Yeah thinks like money and resources obviously come in to it, but how does it go; 'where there's a will there's a way?!'
Honestly I think as reactive people sometimes we are scared of SUCCESS, just as much as FAILURE. 

After all success takes time, hard work, dedication. It means living up to the bill, and once you're there, maintaining that position. 

So any way, besides just getting this off my chest, I think what I'm trying to say is...

LETS STOP PUTTING THINGS IN THE WAY.
Surely life would be much richer, happier, more enjoyable and rewarding if we just GO OUT AND GET IT and stop worrying about things that COULD be a problem.

I can hear you saying, 'What on earth does this have to do with this girls design blog', which despite feeling that becoming an art student has given me the free pass to drink red wine and become all deep and artsy, I'm thinking this totally links to EVERYTHING going on in my life right now, and so there is some smidgen of possibility that it does to your life too?

So today I’m channelling a new mantra…

If you want that lovely looking cake on the counter go get it, stop worrying about how it will affect your plans for tea time, and ENJOY IT. 

Happy Sunday guys

xoxo.

P.S Ill post up a lighter, more design-y, picture-y post later today - just to compensate for this one!

HOUSE RENO CONTINUED...a proper grown up bedroom.

Good morning, things are pretty manic this week after the Easter break but it's great to get back in the studio. There's a bit of a mad rush now until our studio deadline in little over three weeks but I'm gonna try my best not to let the blog posts slip!

Last week I shared with you a glimmer of our very own house reno, starting with the living room and conservatory. Well I thought seeing as though were getting to know each other nicely it's about time to share a few more snaps of the pad...

Today lets tour into the bedroom, which I think has to be my favourite room in the house.
Evidently, it's got a pretty different vibe to the rooms you saw last week -  I'm blaming this on my girl/ interior/ career and all round general crush, Abigail Ahern. Since I started reading her books and following her, interiors stuff just makes so much more sense and our house has definitely got A LOT COOLER! 

I plan to incorporate THE TIPS and cooler colours we've used in the latter renovations (bedroom, hall and main bathroom) into the rooms we did first (kitchen, conservatory and lounge) later on - Craig is about ready to kill me already so I'm not sure he can handle another paint job quite yet! This is not to say I don't like these rooms, I just feel they lack, hmmm, spunk.

So the master bedroom originally had a small, awkwardly (and stupidly) fit bathroom on the side, we knocked the dividing wall down and very, VERY BRAVELY opted to go for an open plan wet room in the bedroom space - complete with toilet! Yep you heard me, our loo is open into our bedroom. To be honest I've heard just about every man and his dogs opinion on this that I'm wayyyy past caring, it might not work for everyone but it WORKS FOR US, its our home and WE LOVE IT :D

P.S Please excuse some of the earlier photos, mid- reno we were just snapping with iPhones so the quality isn't great.

And AFTER...

 

Forgive me for the photo overload  -  I'm practicing my photography skills! I've also added some pics mid- decorating below to show the progress. Again, this room is not totally complete - we're waiting for some wood sills and we need way more art and 'stuff' to make the space more interesting, but hell it's one big improvement don't you think???

 I'll post up some pictures of the sill when it comes, hopefully that will be next week. 

This room was HARD GRAFT and did almost break us (just kidding - came close though!), but to say we now have a gorgeous room that is so MUCH MORE than a room to sleep in is amazing. Craig did much of this work himself (obviously under close supervision), but that really helps with savings if you can do it. I think if we'd have had to pay labour we would'nt have been able to afford a room like this. Have a go I say, you might surprise yourself!

  I've never really had a proper grown up space like this before, and I'd say the colour plays a MASSIVE part in this feeling, it creates such a 'hunker down' feel. So many people knocked this idea of DARK BLUE walls. "What all over?", " YES MAM EVERY WALL WILL BE PAINTED DARK". My advice to take from this - tell everyone who is interested that you're painting your rooms white, then let them be pleasantly surprised when they see how gorgeous your newly painted dark walls are! I was nervous as hell when I started painting the walls, but I stuck with my instinct ( and Abigail Aherns advice) and went for it. And now I feel there is no going back, you'll see what I mean when I share with you some more snaps of the latest paint jobs.

Be brave - it's game changing!

XOXO.

P.s We used Farrow and Ball Hague Blue Estate emulsion on the walls if your interested ;)