• Posts Tagged ‘home’

    Rustic animal print cushions

    by  • May 18, 2012 • Living • 2 Comments

    I’m a firm believer that you can never have too many cushions. Not only do they provide a bit of extra comfort, they’re also a great way of adding pattern, texture and colour to your home.

    My cushion crush this week is the fabulous collection from Helkatdesign at Two Red Trees. Animal motifs are big news in the interiors world and these rustic, hand-printed cushions are a perfect way to embrace the trend.

    These designs are so adorable, which one is your favourite?

    Hand printed rustic cushions from top left; Wading bird pair, £40; Piggy, £38; Beagle, £40; Butterfly & dragonflies, £50; Trotting horse, £39; Mouse, £38, all Helkatdesign at Two Red Trees.

    Hand printed rustic cushions from top left; Wading bird pair, £40; Piggy, £38; Beagle, £40; Butterfly & dragonflies, £50; Trotting horse, £39; Mouse, £38, all Helkatdesign at Two Red Trees.

    Two Red Trees actively supports and promotes talented Artisans, within the UK, producing a wealth of beautiful handmade items for the modern country home.

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    Say it with words

    by  • April 18, 2012 • Living • 4 Comments

    There’s been a massive boom in the written word as a decorative motif recently. Whether it be sentimental sayings and phrases carved in wood on swing seats, printed on teacups and textiles such as cushions and tea towels as well as on posters and accessories such as rubber stamps and pencil cases. It’s a nice way to create an ambience, or set the scene at home and let your loved ones know how you feel without even being there!

    If you love the written word then you can obviously find it anywhere and everywhere. Old love letters and the backs of vintage postcards translate into fabulous wallpaper designs, such as the one shown here. Old maps and music scores can be equally as decorative and the beauty of these designs is they are subtle and nostalgic. If you don’t fancy wallpapering a whole wall then how about framing a page from an old song sheet or an out of date map?

    Wallpaper, ref 313000, £305 per roll, Brian Yates.

    Wallpaper, ref 313000, £305 per roll, Brian Yates.

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    Vintage chic at DesResDesign

    by  • March 6, 2012 • Living • 3 Comments

    I love the discovery of a new website to browse and escape into a dreamy world of fabulous finds! The object of my online affections this week is DesResDesign, a treasure trove of unique homewares for the relaxed country home. The eclectic mix of contemporary lighting, chic accessories and rustic furniture offers something for everyone.

    I’ve been admiring the vintage style collection and wanted to share a few of my favourite pieces, particularly the metal lace edged pendant. A great example of modern country style, with its delicate vintage design in a sleek contemporary finish – it really is a thing of beauty!

    With butterflies, flowers and birds all set to be big trends for interiors this summer, these beautiful accessories are sure to add a pretty touch to your home.

    Top from left; Vintage style washbag £21.95; Lace metal pendant light in pink, £79.50; Vintage style cup & saucer in Olive, £11.95; Vintage style botanics cake stand, £24.95, all Des Res Design

    Top from left; Vintage style washbag £21.95; Lace metal pendant light in pink, £79.50; Vintage style cup & saucer in Olive, £11.95; Vintage style botanics cake stand, £24.95, all DesResDesign

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    Country chic designer Helen Stevens

    by  • February 2, 2012 • Living • 1 Comment

    I recently visited the ‘Home’ exhibition at Earls Court in London on the look out for up-and-coming talented designers. One exhibitor that stood out for me was textiles and surface design graduate Helen Stevens, who launched Surfacephilia in September 2011.

    Her debut collection of wallpapers and ceramics offers an eclectic twist on the Navajo trend, taking inspiration from nature with birds and feathers, beautifully combining them with geometric patterns and hints of fashion detailing, such as sequins.

    Helen’s unique designs are made using layers of hand-drawn illustrations, painting and collage. Adding her glamorous touch to everyday objects makes them stunning country chic pieces.

    Jaegar wallpaper, £175 a roll; Plates, £20 each; Mugs, £22 each, all from the Navajo collection by Surfacephilia.

    Jaegar wallpaper, £175 a 10 metre roll; Plates, £20 each; Mugs, £22 each, all from the Navajo collection by Surfacephilia.

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    Living with technology

    by  • January 18, 2012 • Living • 2 Comments

    I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty useless when it comes to home entertainment technology. All I know is that our homes are pretty full of it, which raises the question of what to do with it when you have a family home, whatever it’s decorative style rather that an ultra slick minimalist apartment where appliances seem to slip seamlessly into the decor. Hence our home tech decorating story Feb issue p76-81 which takes a practical view and answers the questions, where do I put it if I can’t hide it away and where can I store it when I’m not using it, hopefully in a way that you don’t have to be a ‘super geek’ to understand!

    AcerZ3751 Desktop PC, Intel Pentium 3.2GHz, 3GB Ram, 500GB with 21.5in Touch Screen, £499, John Lewis

    AcerZ3751 Desktop PC, Intel Pentium 3.2GHz, 3GB Ram, 500GB with 21.5in Touch Screen, £499, John Lewis

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    New Little Greene Wallpaper

    by  • January 13, 2012 • Living • 0 Comments

    My penchant for feature wallpapers is going from strength to strength – if you’ve seen our February issue you’ll know from Home Notes that I’m a big fan! The latest to catch my eye is this beautiful ‘Bark’ design from Little Greene, taken from their new Retrospective Papers collection. This simplistic and slightly abstract take on using wood patterns, gives the impression that you’ve decorated a room entirely with tree rubbings. Evoking a calming sense of being surrounded by elements from the countryside, it’s perfect for creating a cosy cabin feel in any room.

    Bark wallpaper, col Heath, £39.95 a roll, Little Greene.

    Bark wallpaper, col Heath, £39.95 a roll, Little Greene.

    ADDITIONAL IMAGE CREDITS

    Barton Oak sideboard 2972 , £1995, Barton nesting side table 2976 (part of pair), £595, both Ercol. Poise easy chair, £550, Heal’s. Natural hide rug, £175, Cox and Cox. Marina denim striped cushion, £40, Melin Tregwynt. Natural Vita cushion, £25, John Lewis. Log basket, £50, Cox and Cox. Cow skin rug, £189, Ikea.  [Accessories] Vintage angle-poise lamp, £40, Briggs & Oliver. Wood and white bowl, £12, Wood and white bottle vase, £20, both John Lewis. Ferm Living stem wood vase, £45, Heal’s. Ferm Living knitted vase, £40, Heal’s. Beaker, drift wood, pine cones and books all stylists own.

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    Forages

    by  • October 14, 2011 • Living • 7 Comments

    Find inspiration for your home at new online store Forages, which stocks interesting and unique buys you won’t find on the high street sourced from small designers. Based in the beautiful Kent countryside Forages offers a great sense of country living and all the things that evoke that style.

    I’ve picked out some of my favourite products for a country kitchen, perfect to complement a good cuppa!

    Brew up print illustrated by Laura Seaby, £24.95, Forages.

    Brew up print illustrated by Laura Seaby, £24.95, Forages.

    Bamboo coasters with tree motif, £12.50 set of 4, Forages.

    Bamboo coasters with tree motif, £12.50 set of 4, Forages.

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    Country style buys

    by  • September 23, 2011 • Living • 0 Comments

    Cloudberry Hill is an online shop set up earlier this year by friends Fleur Lloyd and Annabel Stickland. I love the story of how their joint business venture came about ‘one wintry afternoon while out walking with five children and two dogs in tow’.

    With a shared passion for interiors, the friends began sourcing classic pieces with a mix of modern design and vintage style that they felt would fit into their country homes. The collection is beautiful and here are some of my favourites…

    Handmade wooden hare bookend, £19.95, Cloudberry Hill.

    Handmade wooden hare bookend, £19.95, Cloudberry Hill.

    Embossed espresso mugs, £10.95 each, Cloudberry Hill.

    Embossed espresso mugs, £10.95 each, Cloudberry Hill.

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