Saturday 31 March 2012
Friday 30 March 2012
Rugs and Texture
In last nights blog post, Abigail Ahern posted a great post all about Rugs and Texture. Here's a snippet;
'Imperfection, eclecticism and quirkiness is how I described my style recently to a journalist. For me (at least) it’s so hard to be surprised anymore so what I set out to do is add layers of interest to give people the opportunity to be tantalised. In the store, and for my design work I want to create spaces so dense with references its impossible to know where to look. An easy way to start is with rugs. Rugs are great for adding that tactile element, and not just that for open plan spaces (that at times can feel rather cold) they are great for softening. Use them as a pathway; layer one over another if you dare. For one of the episodes, I fell in love with an Ikea rug not dissimilar to below. Black and white striped it adds an immediate contemporary tone to the space as well as grounding it beautifully. You can pick up rugs for a song if you know where to look, auction houses, flea markets, eBay, Anthropologie (beautiful), Urban Outfitters (cool) or take a trip to Morocco or Istanbul and wander the souks (so want to do that)!'
Found Here
'Imperfection, eclecticism and quirkiness is how I described my style recently to a journalist. For me (at least) it’s so hard to be surprised anymore so what I set out to do is add layers of interest to give people the opportunity to be tantalised. In the store, and for my design work I want to create spaces so dense with references its impossible to know where to look. An easy way to start is with rugs. Rugs are great for adding that tactile element, and not just that for open plan spaces (that at times can feel rather cold) they are great for softening. Use them as a pathway; layer one over another if you dare. For one of the episodes, I fell in love with an Ikea rug not dissimilar to below. Black and white striped it adds an immediate contemporary tone to the space as well as grounding it beautifully. You can pick up rugs for a song if you know where to look, auction houses, flea markets, eBay, Anthropologie (beautiful), Urban Outfitters (cool) or take a trip to Morocco or Istanbul and wander the souks (so want to do that)!'
See the small Morrocan rug cushion on the rug? It's gorgeous.
She's nailed it on the head with her ideas about rugs, They transform a space, especially if you have a particularly bland or ugly carpet that you want to cover up. It's an easy way to present your style or quirkiness (if you're Abigail or me) with a little texture and pattern. My preference is mostly Moroccan rugs, which my parents and I have collected over the years from trips to Marrakech. Ikea is also fantastic if you have a large floor space to fill with not much cash to spend on beautiful expensive rugs. Here's a few examples of what rugs I would choose;
Sunday 25 March 2012
Tiny House by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design. I found this a few days ago on interior design best of year awards. The little house is on Sauvie Island, by an interior design company based in Oregon. More on Jessica Helgerson to follow.
Saturday 24 March 2012
Indonesian Interiors
Friday 23 March 2012
Treehouses
Some articles I have found on the Guardian, Blue Forest Bespoke Treehouses, and another Guardian on several treehouse companies that either design and build treehouses or offer a hotel service in a treehouse on their land. Very interesting.
Thursday 22 March 2012
'Ikea's gone boho'
A post from Abigail Aherns blog from 2010 that I found this morning 'Ikea's gone boho' some great examples of Ikea's fantastic styling. I've always admired how each room is styled so perfectly to look like a well used, fully-functional room. See below.
As Abigail taught me via her blog and book, a dash of vibrant colour will really knock the room out of the park.
As Abigail taught me via her blog and book, a dash of vibrant colour will really knock the room out of the park.
“If you are collector, let other people share your pride and joy. Don’t sprinkle your collection out of sight in a meaningless jumble. Notice how groups of small objects, when they are well arranged, become important and effective. Remember that repetition is a form of emphasis. Collect what you will, but see to it that you arrange your hobby to its best advantage.”
Dorothy Draper. Sourced from Abigail Aherns blog, of which I am a regular reader.
I'll be watching her new programme airing on Channel 4 at 8pm tonight, 'Get Your House in Order'
Dorothy Draper. Sourced from Abigail Aherns blog, of which I am a regular reader.
I'll be watching her new programme airing on Channel 4 at 8pm tonight, 'Get Your House in Order'
Tuesday 20 March 2012
Mood Board
I am creating a mood board for a friend of mine who is building a house in Berry, New South Wales. I have found a lot of things that would be great and it's such a help knowing the 'client' personally as you really discover their style and what they are passionate about when it comes to decorating the home.
Quote from 'The Key to Successful Interior Design' at http://www.squidoo.com/successful-interior-design
'I want to make the point that people often have two sides - the side that they show us when you let them know you are coming to visit and the real side that you see when you just drop in!
That drop in side is what the designer detective needs to unearth to show how the client and family really live. Then they will have a feeling for the type of design that will work for them. You need to dig deep to find out what they really need as well as want.'
Quote from 'The Key to Successful Interior Design' at http://www.squidoo.com/successful-interior-design
'I want to make the point that people often have two sides - the side that they show us when you let them know you are coming to visit and the real side that you see when you just drop in!
That drop in side is what the designer detective needs to unearth to show how the client and family really live. Then they will have a feeling for the type of design that will work for them. You need to dig deep to find out what they really need as well as want.'
I have been looking through back issues of Vogue Living Australia which I collected a few years ago and have stumbled across this beautiful safari lodge in Nairobi; Ngong House www.ngonghouse.com
I haven't felt this much obsession for an interior for a long time. Perfect, like an African take on a 'Toast' interior.
Sunday 18 March 2012
TOAST New Season
http://www.toast.co.uk/
Gorgeous dresses. Gorgeous clothes. Gorgeous homeware. Order the toast catalogue just to look at, it's a beautifully presented little book.
Gorgeous dresses. Gorgeous clothes. Gorgeous homeware. Order the toast catalogue just to look at, it's a beautifully presented little book.
Marrakesh blog
http://moroccanmaryam.typepad.com/
Visit this blog! Some great images of a guest house that's been renovated by an American family and photographed for Elle Decor.
Visit this blog! Some great images of a guest house that's been renovated by an American family and photographed for Elle Decor.
Cloche
I just bought two glass cloche's from TK Maxx, after finding inspiration in my interiors magazines and at a few houses I have visited. Most people put coral, books, sculptures and other small objects in them to create an extra dimension to the display.
I have a few ideas of things I could put in my new cloches. First I will have to create a stand; either from a large chunk of circular oak like a chopping board or a homemade light painted base with an extra layer of height inside the glass. I have some coral found on the beaches in Thailand last year, also a nest that the girls found in the garden. Or perhaps some of my favourite feathers and the wooden mushroom xmas decoration that James bought for me this christmas. Moss or empty birds eggs are also a great decoration piece if put in a glass display.
Here are a few images of cloches being used in the home, I sourced them all from Dear Designer's Blog at http://deardesigner.co.uk/inspiration-the-cloche/ and the last image is of her own cloche.
I have a few ideas of things I could put in my new cloches. First I will have to create a stand; either from a large chunk of circular oak like a chopping board or a homemade light painted base with an extra layer of height inside the glass. I have some coral found on the beaches in Thailand last year, also a nest that the girls found in the garden. Or perhaps some of my favourite feathers and the wooden mushroom xmas decoration that James bought for me this christmas. Moss or empty birds eggs are also a great decoration piece if put in a glass display.
Here are a few images of cloches being used in the home, I sourced them all from Dear Designer's Blog at http://deardesigner.co.uk/inspiration-the-cloche/ and the last image is of her own cloche.
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