[Our] Place: Christmas Party

I have been wanting to host a Christmas Party for years but with a diverse family to satisfy and a hectic work schedule it has never been the 'right year'.

This year we decided to go out for Christmas lunch and therefore had reduced hosting responsibilities, making it the perfect year to throw a party to celebrate breaking up from work.

Christmas is a great opportunity time to make the house festive. Our usual decorations are Nordic inspired, mostly white with touches of red. You can see [Our] Place; The Festive Version here.


1) Invitations ordered from Vistaprint
2) Lighting inspiration at House to Home
3) Fresh Mistletoe acquired from the market
4) Gingerbread decorations hung for guests to nibble on inspired by House to Home
5) Edible decorations
6) Candles in jam jars to create atmospheric lighting (and stop the house burning down)
7) Gingerbread decorations
8) White decor with touches of red
9) Ginger bread trees
10) Gingerbread house
11) Make your own fresh greenery garland
12)Floral arrangements and candles suspended on ribbons.

1) Candy stripe paper straws from Sainsbury's
2) I heart Santa napkins from Tesco Home
3) Edible stocking inspired centre piece
3) Festive jam jars from Sainsbury's
4) Vintage Style Paper Chains from Tesco Home
5) A DIY centre piece - upturned wine glasses filled with Christmas decorations to support church candles
 

[Our] Place: The Festive Version

I love Christmas and I love making our home festive for the season.

Literally any excuse to alter and improve my surroundings is gleefully pounced upon and Christmas is my favourite time of year.

This year we have decided to go out for Christmas lunch which leaves me more time to focus on those little details I never get quite enough time to master.

Our usual Christmas decorations are Nordic inspired and mostly white white with touches of red. The key staples are still white lights, white tinsel, real tree and lots of white candles.



My favourite Christmas decoration our 3ft Father Christmas (a.k.a. Bob) found a couple of years ago at TKMaxx



Left to right: Christmas tree and 'Bob', Mums home made 'Merry Xmas' banner, vase of bargain bucket baubles from B&Q and very fat reindeer from Dusseldorf Christmas Market, red bell wreath purchased from Sainsburys and finally our newly acquired I heart NY bauble from Bloomingdale's. 

Upstairs in the bedroom we have matched the colour scheme to our bedroom and kept it neutral and subtle. The selection of decorations were bought this year from Sainsburys. Sainsburys currently has a third off most Christmas decorations instore, also a small selection online.

I have suspended the decorations on curling ribbon from two nails above the bed. I find curling ribbon to be a good strong material for suspending decorations... those knots just don't come undone. The decorations are spaced a hand span apart, I find this a simple method of spacing things equally without getting out the tape measure.

As we get closer to Christmas I plan to further embellish the house with fresh greenery such as fir tree garlands and bunches of mistletoe so watch this space...

Happy Decorating

X



[Our] Place: Metallic Obsession

Ever since seeing the spread featuring metallic table lamps in the John Lewis Magazine I have found myself obsessing over the idea of updating our lounge for the festive season with some metallic interest.

No amount of festive cheer can magic up £350 for me to splash on a Kartell bourgie 24 Carat gold plated table lamp [no matter how I try and persuade myself that one day it will be a collector’s item]. So in the interest of getting what I want for what I want to pay I have been researching to find that injection of bling that won’t break the bank.

1. Ikea Tallvik, Copper, £23 [60cm high x 15cm dia]
2. Aimbury Americana Mettalic Table Lamp [50cm high x 20cm wide]
3. Habitat Yves Lampbase , Black £45 [50cm high x 26cm dia]

4. B&Q Massalia Lamp, Bornze £40 [47cm high x 31cm dia] (currently on offer)

5. Kartell Cindy Lamp, Bronze £149 [42cm high x 23cm dia]
6. John Lewis Anais Lamp, Gold £75 [60cm high x 22 cm dia.]
7. John Lewis Milano Lamp , £80 [59cm high x 22cm dia]
8. Kartell Bourgie Lamp, Clear £196 [68cm high x 37cm dia]

Hmmmm, decisions decisions...

[Your] Place; The Brand Behind The Name

Branding is a big decision.

I spent a long time trying to find the right name and image for my venture. The right words and the right look to encompass everything I want this company to be.

Being a designer left to my own devices I was, naturally, a nightmare. The prospect of virtually unlimited possibilities to promote myself and my design ethos to the world left me chasing my tail for weeks.

This issue was alien territory for me; it is not a problem I suffer with when realising my client’s dreams and aspirations. I rarely have difficulty when it comes to ascertaining another's desires and personality and infusing them into a space.

 

Thinking about what I want this company to be is how I came to the conclusion that my brand had to describe my ethos;

I am client focused.

 

I believe that good design is not all about high end glossy schemes, it is about thinking about the people and the place as a single entity and designing the space to the way the people within it choose to live, work and play. Good design is about really thinking through how a space will be used and designing and detailing it accordingly. I believe that no matter what your budget, requirements or restrictions there will be a way to make your space work as hard as you do to improve your standard of living.

Now came the task to find the name and words to encompass homes and workplaces, offices, gardens and public spaces and my design ethos. So I came up with:

Place; The universal description of a space, building or area with defined or infinite boundaries. A word that conveys belonging and ownership

Your; Belonging to you; of you; related to you

 

And finally I am really rather happy with it.