I’m all for a bit (or rather a lot) of colour, but every now and then you see an interior that shows how less can be more. This Suffolk apartment, featuring in the latest 25BH Room Envy house tour has just the odd dashes of blues here and there and looks perfect combined with a smattering of driftwoody wood (it’s at the seaside, after all).
Seán O
Shades of the seashore...
Yesterday the clocks went forward (or was it back?) and it coincided with the warmest day so far. I don’t know about you but I was out there on the patio (someone else’s…), barking my barbecue orders. It takes a day like that to remind you how precious even a modest outdoor space is. Is yours…
French style?
Floral style?
…or functional?
I’m about to redecorate my hallway and its present state leaves a lot to be desired. It’s fairly large and wide, with a staircase directly in front, but the orange wallpaper is from the 1930s, with a faded red carpet to ‘complement’ it! Ugh. I’m hoping for a fairly modern scheme, but at the moment, I can’t make up my mind whether to choose neutrals or something that makes more of a statement.
We’d love to hear how you’ve decorated your hallway, but in the meantime, here’s a few schemes that sparked my interest…
This monochrome scheme works beautifully and the high ceilings prevent the space from appearing too dark or dingy.
A sideboard makes a handy addition for the hallway, not only providing extra storage, but also a surface on which to display lamps and decorative objects. If your hall is large enough, a chair is ideal for when you’re putting shoes on or taking them off. See more of this house by clicking here.
Laurie
A company that provides new covers for Ikea furniture – but in a range of up to 100 colourways. Sounds too good to be true – or so I thought until I discovered Bemz. This Swedish outfit has realised there’s a market for replacement covers with scope for being more individual – even wacky – using fabrics from the likes of Designers Guild, Marimekko, and up-and-coming Swedish design house Bantie. It’s the perfect way to pep up the home for spring! For more inspirational ideas, check out House to Home’s spring trends
Seán O
Designers Guild – hardly for the shrinking violets…
I’m talking floorboards, of course. If you’re doing a spring revamp of a downstairs room, this is the time of year when it seems to make sense to pull up your Axminster and go au naturel. Yes carpets are cosy and provide flexible colour choices, but floorboards add character, are easier to clean (so better for allergies) and apparently add value to a property. Ok, so you probably need a rug to warm up the room, but check out these schemes from 25BH and see what you think.
Seán O
Big...
Bold...
...and beautiful
I recently helped a friend decorate her bedroom. Asking her for ideas as to what she wanted, all she could come up with was that she liked the colour purple – we decided to go down a Moroccan-inspired route, with floaty voile, mosaic tealights, jewel-coloured cushions and silver gilt mirrors. It got me thinking that when you’re short of inspiration, there’s nothing like a ‘theme’ to get you motivated.
Whether it’s a colour, an animal, a pattern or a country, we’d love to hear whether you’ve ‘themed’ any of your rooms. This coastal-inspired bedroom belongs to a Suffolk seaside apartment you can see more by clicking here.
Laurie
Spring has almost sprung and the new shoots are coming through (so they tell me), so what better time to turn over a new leaf and spruce up your interior. When I saw this vibrant new collection, it seemed the perfect starting point. It’s by Scion – the name means young shoot – and true to its word, it has produced the Melinki range of prints, weaves and wallcoverings that looks fresh as a daisy. With wallpaper, it’s sometimes hard to find a trendy (yuk) look without suspecting that its freshness will wilt before the paste is dry, but this stuff feels edgy and original. Melinki is inspired by mid-century archive designs and modern Scandinavia and but it’s good to hear that its fabrics and wallcoverings are made in the UK. While you’re at it, why not check out how to the House to Home bring spring inside… feature.
Seán O
Fresh 'n' funky!
‘Always finish what you start’ is what they say. I don’t agree. Homemaking is the so-called work in progress, isn’t it. Always adding, removing or updating things to create your latest little triumph. Our latest addition is a good, solid Laura Ashley bookcase that’ll probably outlast us. A home’s not a home without books – they reveal as much about the owner as any decor does (in my case, that I’m a music nut). If you’re still unconvinced, look up the bookcase guide on House to Home. It’s a page turner…
Seán O
For stairs, read bookcase
It’s my birthday today. And although it comes as no surprise to me, there has been a definite theme amongst my loved ones for cards and presents… PINK! As a girlie girl, I just can’t get enough, and so today’s blog is dedicated to my favourite shade. From fuchsia to baby pink, magenta to bubblegum, why not add a splash of colour to your home in time for summer? Mix sugary pastels with soft dove grey, stronger magenta with red and purple, or vivid pink against a neutral palette of white. If you’ve got a hint of pink in your home, I’d love to hear how you’ve used it.
Loving these flamingo-pink bar stools.
Laurie
I’ve spent this weekend hung up on storage. But after two days of putting together wardrobes for a dressing room that’s been full of junk for three years, I have a massive sense of satisfaction. My wife even more so – she’s spent all weekend in readiness for the big event – like a mother hen on a mission. To be honest I started putting together these units together a week ago, but waking up this morning and not having to step over drawers (not those kind of drawers…) felt fantastic. I now appreciate what a difference it makes to have decent – and plentiful – storage. Ok, the units were only of the Swedish megastore variety but they’re perfect for the space and, most importantly, they fit. Like a glove! Coincidence then, that my first email of the morning is a press release about summer storage from Oficina Inglesa. All very tasteful, albeit a tad fancier than mine…
Seán O
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