[Your] Place: A winter update, That's not just for Christmas

It's officially winter here in Blighty; December is in full swing, festive lights are twinkling and the parties are in full swing.

So it seemed very timely to have been encouraged by Jordan at Douglas Elliman’s Florida office to write a blog post that would inspire people to cosy up their homes for the oncoming season.

This post has been conjugating in my mind since we first decorated our lounge (you can see the original decor here) which has been designed with a neutral base to allow us to change it up seasonally. 

Many people decorate their homes exclusively for Christmas festivities, but I wanted to create a scheme with a big more longevity that celebrates the beauty of the winter season, lasts well beyond the month of December and could just as easily be implemented in warmer (than freezing) climates.

My first step is always a mood board, a collection of images, textures, materials and photographs that start to shape the feel of the scheme I want to create. Pintrest is such great platform for this. You can see the full board here [Your] Place: Winter Wonderland.

I wanted to create a relaxing colour scheme, inspired by the colours of winter. A palette which creates a feeling of cosy, refined opulence through the use of natural materials and variety in texture. 

I also wanted to bring some of the freshness of the outdoors inside, to create a connection bring in some of the evergreen life and beautiful muted blues and greens of Eucalyptus. 

So here are my easy updates...

1) Cushions & Textiles

One of the easiest updates, with the most impact, is to change the textiles.

When coming up with the original scheme for the lounge I kept the base monochrome and of colour limited to throw cushions and artwork for exactly this reason. 

I've kept our teal cushions but removed the mustard yellow and bright pink for the time being. I've introduced a more muted colour palette of pinks and greys, inspired by the mood board above, and introduced a wider range of texture to keep things interesting and feeling sumptuous. Choosing to mix up textures in a simple colourway really gives a lot of freedom to just pick up the things that appeal to you, without worrying about clashes or mismatches. 

2) Plants, flowers and greenery

There are many studies into the positive and uplifting effects that a connection with nature has on the human psyche. I used a lot of greenery in the scheme as a cost effective and sustainable way to resist the stuffiness that can come with winter. 

My home is full or succulents a year round, as they are easy to maintain (I've got previous as a plant killer), and come in a vast variety of shapes and colours. 



Introducing seasonal evergreens connects the existing succulent plants with the seasonal update and brings a fresh fragrance into the home. The use of similar evergreens in each space is a cost effective way to create a cohesive look throughout your home and a chance to get a bit creative. I used two bunches of Eucalyptus from our local flower market [£15] but you could just as easily go foraging in your garden. 

3) Accessories

I've introduced some marble accessories into the lounge area to build on the muted natural colour palette and texture. The coasters and tray were from Home Sense but I have found a similar tray and coasters from Olivia Bonas 

4) Lighting

Lighting is one of the most powerful tools to change the way a space feels. I'm a great believer in levels of lighting, table, floor lamps and candles are a permanent feature in our home. 

For the winter update I've used white, cream and grey candles in every room. I've also added a wooden garland with fairy lights in the lounge.

The antler candle holders on the mantle piece were from H&M last year but I found a similar Branch Candle Holder this year.

5) The Tree

Our tree is a mixture of metallics and white, every year I buy a new ornament (or two) this years additions was from our new John Lewis store, available here and from Olivia Bonas available here 

6) Table settings

Food and drink is a big focus of the festive period, and they say you eat with your eyes so the table setting deserves some good attention. 

Every year we lose at least a couple of glasses, due to my chaotic demeanour, so this year we recycled the odd ones and stocked up with cheap and (I think) stylishly cheerful glasses from Ikea, suitable for a range of cocktails. The tall tumblers are my particular favourite. The stopper bottles are to avoid that last minute 'who needs a drink?' as you're trying to get all the food to the table.



The washed linen table runner is from H&M which not only provides variety in texture but also protects the table from hot dishes. The paper napkins are also from Ikea and the napkin holder is from H&M

The total cost of the lounge update was around £155 and will (mostly) last well beyond Christmas. For me its about creating a home that you long to be in without breaking the bank.

Happy Holidays!

[Our] Place; For the Love of Dogs

Inspiration- Monochrome & Graphic prints-Osborne and Little’s best in Show Wallpaper [£55 per roll]

Best Find- Centre footstool in TKMaxx [£86]

 I love our lounge; Once a separate Lounge and Dining Room it was been knocked through into one big space when the kitchen was extended by the previous owners. 
This is great for floor area but it made it a little difficult to decide how to furnish it…as it is essentially a very long thin room with one source of natural light from the window at one end.

After

Before

After much consideration we decided to give each end of the lounge distinct purpose and feel but with a cohesive undertone to the colour scheme so it still feels like a single space. We kept the furniture arrangement flexible so we can adapt when entertaining.

Most of the base finishes, for example the floor and the neutral wall colour have been kept the same- its amazing the difference a few highlight colours and patterns and some new furniture can make to how a space feels.

We’ve created the TV end and the Snug OR if we want to be more slightly more pretentious The Lounge and The Drawing Room.

The Snug

The Snug is free from the distractions of TV and allows us a more social side to our living space, its focal point is the fireplace. It also gives me a cosy place to read and blog in comfort away from constant infliction of Top Gear.

The existing fire place influenced the tone for the space; I love its ornate detail contrasting with its antiqued pewter finish.

We enhanced the focus on the fireplace with a large angled mirror mounted above it. The angled frame reflects light and external views into this, the darker end of the lounge.

Angled Mirror from Homebase and Candle Holders from H&M Home

We painted the chimney breast Dulux Perfectly Taupe to complement the pewter fireplace and either side we wallpapered the alcoves in a textured silver paper by Art House Vintage to enhance the feeling of symetry (in non symetrical shapes- one is a rectangular recess and one is an arch).

Original Artwork By Eturpart [My super talented sister]

White Ikea Besta unit creates a bar area with original Artwork of my favorite drink by my very talented sister.

The distinction between the Snug and the Lounge is defined by a painted charcoal line, on the inside of the wall opening between the spaces. The same treatment has been used on the inside of the arch between the lounge and kitchen diner to create a visual link and flow between the spaces.

The Lounge

The Osborne and Little; Best in Show wallpaper is the defining finish. It’s strong graphic print in monochrome tones which is absolutely perfect for making a statement without committing to a feature colour. 

The L-shaped sofa is designed to create a social setting allowing the three seater to be swung around to face the window for more than four guests.

Slate grey curtains reflect the dark painted lines inside the wall opening and frame the window.

The rug, which I searched high and low for but eventually found in B&Q, has the same strength of pattern and monochrome shades as the wallpaper, creating a pattern clash that doesn't directly compete with the wallpaper. [I will be doing a blog post on geometric rugs soon as requested by my good friend Rob]

The monochrome palette for the big ticket items provides the perfect base for an injection of colour, provided in this case from the rich and vibrant velvet cushions from H&M- which I raved about here. 

The cushion colours were selected to bring rich colours and metallics together in the canvas I created.

Cushions from H&M Home

 Finally accessories are, well... quite bling! Bold colours, sumptuous fabrics and metallic shine.

Artwork by me

Creating Visual Links

• There are a few strong themes in this room, graphic patterns, metallics and bright feature colours- but they work together because I've matched fabric tones and textures, and kept the patterns monochrome.
• The snug has more metallic finishes and the lounge has more pattern but my making sure there are consistant colour tones and materials it forms a quirky cohesive scheme. The canvas I created ties all of the themes together and was easy peasy to do.
• Painted charcoal wall openings are echoed by the charcoal curtains framing the windows.
• The charcoal colour and strong graphic prints which bright contrasting colours are continued in the kitchen. [Post to follow]
• The lampshades in both rooms are consistent and we choose large fittings close to the ceiling to maximise the visual impact and effectiveness of the lighting- these are a firm favorite also used in A Place to Entertain for Victoria Hale
• Cushions and sofa fabrics are velvet which provides the same depth of colour and sheen.

Doggy Wallpaper inspired by Milo- our dearly departed best bud

Inspiration from Travel: Californian Boutique Hotels

This time last year we were preparing for an amazing USA West Coast Road Trip from San Francisco to Las Vegas. 

I was extremely excited as we decided to splash out on the hotels which allowed hours of perusing beautiful hotel websites. Here are the best of where we stayed:

Hotel Zetta San Francisco

A world of quirky cool fun complete with a metallic dogs (and you know I love a dog), a giant Plinko* Wall, graffiti décor and huge chandeliers made from coloured reading glasses.

*For anyone not familiar (which includes me) Plinko seems to be like a penny arcade machine but with a basketball instead of a coin… fun though!

I loved this hotel, warm natural wood tones and leather contrasted with bright pops of colour. In the bedrooms urber cool bedside table lamps, luxurious bed head and amazing book shelf wall paper in the ensuite made it feel like we were staying in a cool city loft- which I suppose we were.

  

Add caption

BROKEN GLASS DECORATIVE CEILING IN THE LIFT LOBBY

YES THAT IS A CHANDELIER MADE FROM COLOURFUL READING GLASSES

THE BEST BOOK WALLPAPER OF ALL TIME

 Monterey- Portola Hotel and Spa
Monterey is the only other place I would want to live, it is truly idyllic and we saw more amazing wildlife on our morning walk than you would see on an average trip to a British zoo.

Monterey may be the best place in the world or I may have been swayed by the WARM chocolate chip cookie presented to us on arrival.

It was a shame we only stayed here for one night and didn’t have time to explore the spa which is connected to the hotel via a large covered courtyard illuminated by fairy light decorated tress but we did partake in the Micro-brewery bar (with its fire pit tables) and I really enjoyed the décor of the rooms.

They were simple with gorgeous white sheets bold nautical prints and beautiful white wooden shutters with views to tree lined streets. The show stopper for me was the en-suite and when we redo our bathroom I will be stealing more than a few details from this design.

OTTER CUDDLY TOY A BARGAIN AT ONLY $20- I WASN'T ALLOWED

THE OTTER STEALER! 

MOSAIC FLOOR TILES AND WHITE SUBWAY TILES COMBINED WITH SLEEK GLASS SHOWER SCREEN

MARBLE TOPS, OAK UNITS AND A DEEP OCEAN BLUE WITH LIME/OLIVE HIGHLIGHTS- I JUST LOVE IT

 LA- SIXTY, Beverly Hills

This hotel was pure cool, dark and luxurious.

En-suites

We all know ensuites in hotels are wonderful but the three in the hotels I've shared about were examplary- everything was exactly where you wanted it before you even know that you needed it- and that is the best design compliment ever.

Watch this space for California Chic influeneces coming soon.

[Your] Place: Rise of the Feature Ceiling

Recently a couple of images have really caught my eye with feature wallpapered ceilings...

I want to declare it a 'new trend' but a glance into any European cathedral or stately home would point out otherwise.

The most famous decorated ceiling - The Sistine Chapel

Instead I think its a rarely seen trend in the modern home which I hope to see more of because; with a wallpapered ceiling you can keep the walls light and focus the attention up which would be very beneficial in a small space, its a more designer take on the feature wall and would allow you to make a bold paint and bold pattern choice if you so desired and finally its an extra platform to play with the dimensions of your space.

STADSHEM

The image above is the perfect example of how a carefully selected wall paper paired with light walls can make a room look bigger. This paper not only reflects the light it emulates the sky- effectively making the ceiling disappear- well almost. This would also be a great idea for a nursery, bedroom or any other room in which you spend a lot of time -ehem- looking up.

JENNA MCLAUGHLIN

The image above is from a fantastic virtual tour of fantastic Edinburgh Apartment on Houzz- full of retro glamour and subtle geometric pattern contrasted with bold bright blocks of colour- please check it out! This wallpaper is striking contrast to the all white bathroom tiles and fixtures, this takes a standard bathroom to a 'stand out' bathroom.   

  

GREG NATALE

I've just discovered Greg Natale and I'm a little bit in love. This geometric pattern is probably my favourite uses of wall paper on a ceiling I've seen, this would be particularly good to balance the proportions of a long narrow room. By keeping the walls light the room seems larger and by focusing the colour and pattern on the ceiling it seems lower.

Is this a trend you'll be trying?

[Your] Place; The Finishing Touches

Getting the basics of your scheme right is important,
Sometimes a scheme concept can be a struggle to get right...

...but all that hard work will pay off when you add the finishing touches.

This is the fun bit- These pieces will really put your stamp on the your place, they'll have the most impact with instant effect and (with a little luck) bring everything together.

[Our] Lounge scheme (post coming soon]) has been developed as a neutral base with dark charcoal grey, creams and blacks. The prints and patterns we've selected  are very graphic and I've been letting it settle in my mind whilst looking for the right statement to set it off.

Sometimes you just can't rush to finish!

I recently painted a very simple canvas (project from the January Cure) that brings together my favorite shades and tones in a sort of graffiti mood board.

My colourful Graffiti Canvas

Its a large canvas and a strong statement that balances the monochrome patterns and metallic wallpaper and introduces another influence.

To pull this influence into the room I have been seeking some bright color block velvet cushions to complement the pale grey velvet fabric of the sofa.

I love velvet and suede; the intensity of the color is so much more lustrous and luxurious with a textured fabric finish.

After a long search I found some gorgeous cushions in by Soho at Heals, but at £45 a pop I couldn't bring myself to do it (especially as the Mr hates cushions).

Soho At Heal's

I am a firm believer in spending your money where it counts and in my mind that is investment pieces of furniture, I always try to keep spending on accessories minimal so a scheme can be easily updated without breaking the bank.

And that's how I came across H&M for Home cushion range and I just had to share...

The Colourways...

The cushion covers come in two sizes 50 x 50cm (£6.99) and 30 x 50cm (£4.99). H&M also sell the inner cushions at £6.99 and £4.99 respectively.

Its quite unusual to find such a board range of colors and sizes in a variety of fabrics I think H&M will be my go to for throw cushions from here on in.

I've put together some example colorways below to get the creative juices flowing!

 Post on completed Lounge scheme coming soon...

[Your] Place; In love with the digital design world

Happy Valentines Day!

Today I'm getting in the spirit and am going to wax lyrical about this exciting time we live in and the interior & lifestyle blogs I adore!

A Bit of British-

The Brit Chic Lifestyle Blog;

Apart from frequently featuring one of my besties on in an 'Girl about town' feature, Florence finds also offer interesting and inspirational posts on interiors, recipes and outfits from the UK.

Image from the Flemish Exchange post on Real Rooms

Design Inspiration Mecca;
The Beat That My Heart Skipped does an awful lot of legwork seeking sources of inspiration in the nooks and crannies of our home city. I love this blog!

Steven Alan Strips for White Elm Post 

Quirky finds with a wicked sense of humor;

My friends house is everything I love about Britain; wit, humor and unique creativity. They make me proud to be a British designer!

Cushions from Fine Cell Work post @ My Friends House

Blogs from across the pond;

First up my newest crush; 

Apartment Therapy is the Interiors Blog dedicated to home well being. This blog is vast and one of my favorite features is the before and after and tours of real homes.

Image from Top DIY Projects for the Bedroom

The Constant Guide;

Design Sponge offers practical advice on every aspect of design. If you want something specific [like advice on good interior photography] and it's very likely to be here.

Image from Sneek Peeks post of a Lower East Side Apartment

Long Standing Love Affair;

I've been reading the Made by Girl blog of, New Yorker, Jen Ramos for a while, she posts interesting interiors, recipes, outfits and more besides. She also has her own range of prints and original paintings- a couple of which are winging their way to [Our] Place.

Love Print From Made By Girl NY

Do you want to share the love?

Tell me your favorite blogs below...