Friday’s Fetish: autumn decorating ideas

If only it could stop raining enough for me to kick through the autumn leaves and enjoy the smell of smokey bonfires!! (At least until it starts snowing anyway – nothing can compare to that kind of festive fun!)

I’ve been looking longingly at these country-style decorating ideas on housetohome. They’re perfect for cosying up your home in time for winter.

roomenvy - cosy country living room

Snuggle up in a rich leather sofa packed with cosy cushions.

roomenvy - rustic country bathroom

Warm up in a stunning roll-top tub. I love how it’s been updated with chalky lilac paint.

Cool Christmas advent calender idea!

What does a can of baked beans and an advent calendar have on common? A funky Christmas craft idea the kids will love!

Count down the days to the big day with an ‘upcycled’ tin can advent calender!!

Step 1) Paint the cans and print out numbers to stick on.

Step 2) Cover the tops with brightly-colour tissue paper and secure with colourful ribbons.

Step 3) Fill with sweets, chocolates, tiny gifts or handwritten messages and jokes – and obviously not beans!

roomenvy - christmas advent calendar with a twist

 

Christmas trees – the good, the bad and the UGLY!

Anyone walking past my desk this afternoon would have thought I was having a webchat with a clown and a murderer at the same time! You see, i’ve been searching the web for the Christmas tree decorating ideas, and while some of them filled me with festive joy, other so-called ‘best designs’ were enough to make a grown [decorating addict] weep!

The good Christmas tree

Although i’d like a fuller tree (this one looks like it’s going to get frost-bite!), I adore the cute vintage decorations and homespun style. You can pick up everything for this look at John Lewis.

roomenvy - nostalgic Christmas tree

The bad Christmas tree

Although i’m a fan of all things ‘weird and wonderful’ I’m just not convinced by this alternative Christmas tree. I’m with Casa Sugar on this one, it’s just not … well … Christmassy?

roomenvy - alternative Christmas tree

The ugly Christmas tree

Oh my! This is what happens when bad Christmas decorations happen to good trees. I’m sure it works for some people, but do those people have a Lion, a Witch and also a Wardrobe??

roomenvy - scary Christmas tree

p.s Is that actually a STONE HEAD in the middle of this tree? (or am I seeing a ghost?)

Creative gift wrapping

I know this is ‘roomenvy’, but what happens if I have serious ‘craftenvy’? I just can’t get enough of looking at the personalised Christmas gift wrapping ideas on housetohome, and Martha Stewart’s cute homemade gift tags.

Plus, i’ve found the answer to organised gift wrapping! I usually just sprawl out on the living room floor covered in wrapping paper and wrestling with sellotape (and the inevitable fluff that gets caught in it), but this way gift-wrapping station idea from Country Living is much more efficient!

roomenvy - creative gift wrapping station

How to create a pretty craft room

I go into ‘craft overload‘ at Christmas time, I just love spending a quiet Sunday afternoon, when it’s freezing outside, snuggled up inside making Christmas tree decorations and wrapping presents (after i’ve plucked up the courage to face the Christmas shopping crowd, that is!)

I love this ‘How to create a craft room‘ idea from the November issue of Country Homes & Interiors magazine. It’s packed with top storage tips for your ribbons and tassels, as well as decorating ideas.

roomenvy - craft ideas galore!

roomenvy - craft storage idea

This rustic merchant’s chest is the perfect house for your crafty bits and pieces.

Check out more of these ideas at housetohome.

Plus, have a look at the countrydays blog. It’s by Rhoda, editor of Country Homes and Interiors and, as you’d imagine, it’s stuffed full to the brim with all things country-style, from craft makes to recipes.

Children’s wallpapers – I’m in love!

There are several reasons why I’d love to be a child again at this time of year…

1) The excitement/sheer PANIC that Santa Claus might miss your stocking if you stay up late watching Christmas films (or Hunt For The Red October!)

2) The wealth of presents, and the ability to remark, completely unphased, that there simply aren’t enough!

3) Cath Kidston children’s wallpapers! Sorry did I mention Christmas? I meant ALL YEAR ROUND!

I think they’re just so cute! I’m going to check out Cath Kidston’s new spring/summer collection tomorrow morning, so before I get distracted by the new designs, I thought I’d browse through some of my old favourites.

I can start of a ‘cowboys and indians‘ theme in my living room, in my twenties, right? Good luck prizing kids out of that castle children’s bed!

roomenvy - king of the castle children's room

Pretty in pink! Little girls will love this children’s wallpaper even as they get older. (The bunting’s adorable, too.)

roomenvy - floral fireplace girl's bedroom

Ahoy there matey! Create a feature wall in your children’s bedroom with this sailing boat wallpaper design.

roomenvy - nautical theme boy's bedroom

Plus, check out housetohome’s pick of the best children’s wallpapers. Young budding decorators need inspiration, too!

Friday’s Fetish: wall stencils

I was completely inspired by Helen Morris, one of the faces behind The Stencil Library when I met her this week. She shared some fantastic tips with me about stencilling – especially for those of us who rent and don’t want to anger our landlords with a door surrounded by butterflies (I mention no names!) She shares some great tips on her blog, Design Inspiration.

Wall stencils are a fantastic way to  liven up your scheme and give it a truly personal touch. I just love them!!

1) They don’t have to be bold and brassy, these leaf stencils add a lovely delicate touch. Though to be honest, what’s going to make more a statement than having a TREE in your kitchen? They’re taken from designer, Di Overton’s kitchen.

roomenvy - kitchen decorating the natural way!

2) You don’t just have to use stencils on the walls, either. This funky home, featured on Design Sponge, proves just that.

Bring your floors to life! The hardwood floors in this dining room are given an update with playful pattern.

roomenvy - so much more than a floor!

And don’t let a simple radiator miss out on all the fun. Now this is what I call stylish heating!

roomenvy - turn up the heat with a colourful stencil

Celebrity bedroom decorating ideas

Can you guess which celebrity has designed each of these bedrooms?

a) This was her moment.

roomenvy - bedroom feather detailing

b) No need to change rooms.

romenvy - golden accents bedroom

c) As flamboyant as their dress sense.

roomenvy - dramatic damask bedroom

d) They won’t find flowers like that in the celebrity jungle!

roomenvy - tropical blooms bedroom

I went to check out the new ‘Influences’ spring/summer range for Matalan and to meet Martine McCutcheon (a) and Linda Barker (b) , who join Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen (c), Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan (d) … who were unfortunately not there being stuck in a celeb-filled ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’ jungle, and all! (with the really charming celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo who also designs for Matalan – must be something in the water!)

Actress, Jane Asher, and celeb chef, James Tanner, also join the team and had some GORGEOUS kitchen buys to show me.

What’s your ‘colour of the decade’?

Can you believe a decade’s gone by already? It seemed only yesterday I was badgering my parents to send me ‘any spare food’ whilst at University!

At the Crown Paint launch, they were casting their eyes back to the most popular colour of the noughties, and as it turns out, it was this chocolate paint shade.

roomenvy - chocolate colour of the decade

So what’s your colour of the noughties?

I found it really difficult to decide on it from a decorating perspective (distracted by the ‘facebook blues’ and ‘The X Factor reds’) but finally I settled on this rich purple colour. It seemed the naughty noughties gave people the confidence to go for richer, more dramatic colours!

Rich purples have stuck by me in one way or another for the past few years! This living room is super glam.

roomenvy - aubergine living room

SNEAK PEAK Crown’s colour trends 2010

If your paintbrush is poised nervously over your paint pot, and you’re not sure whether it should take the plunge, check out the hot colour predictions from Crown Paint.

I was invited to the launch to check out their colour trends for 2010 and felt really inspired to grab my paintbrush and attack my walls with colour. Here’s a peak are my two favourites.

New Mexico (maybe it’s because it reminded me of what it was like to step outside without a ski jacket on!)

Plush – glamorous, romantic, dramatic and boudoir-chic. My bedroom is calling for it. Paint floorboards in a deeper shade than the walls for a really striking look

roomenvy - living room colour ideas

Look out for more of these hot colour trends as well as behind-the-scenes gossip at the Crown Blog!