West Egg Interiors

http://www.westegg.co.uk/

Today I am please to share an interview with Louisa Blackmore from West Egg Interiors an inspiring collection of antique and vintage furniture and decorative home accessories. 

1. Where did it all begin with West Egg what made you start your own business?

 I set up West Egg in late 2010 and the company started trading in February 2011. West Egg is an online boutique store selling antique and vintage furniture and decorative home accessories. I had the idea for the company a few years ago while I working at a hedge fund in London. I never thought I’d have the guts to quit my job and follow my dream until I have a real “moment of truth” on a plane to the States for a wedding. When I turned my blackberry off I realised I was the happiest I’d been in months and it suddenly dawned on me that if I didn’t do it now I probably never would and that terrified me more than the thought of failing.
 

2. Tell us a little bit about the products you sell at West Egg?
 
All the products at West Egg are individually sourced and restored to their former glory before going on sale. The main criteria for stock is that they are charming, simple and good quality. We want our customers to be able to create a fresh, vintage and personal look for their homes and our products reflect this philosophy. Our collection is really eclectic - currently we have in stock some lovely vintage trunks, distressed chairs, tables, mirrors, vintage French L’Ideale glassware, antique maps and prints and Chinese ceramic jars and vases.

3. You have some new products just launched on your site tell us more about these?
 
The new products include a stunning vintage French armoire painted in Chateaux Grey and Old White from the Annie Sloan paint collection, a beautiful distressed vintage trunk, some lovely vintage shelves, a fabulous Victorian washstand and Chinese ceramic jars and vases. I will be sorry to see them go!

4. You also undertake restoration projects what does this involve?
 
I restore pieces for the West Egg store but I also undertake projects for other people which might include stain removal (heat marks, water stains), furniture stripping, staining and waxing and of course french polishing. 

5. What gives you inspiration for these restoration projects & what process & techniques do you use?
 
For the West Egg pieces I tend to research the item and get an idea of what it would look like now if it hadn’t been damaged/neglected. Sometimes though I have to overhaul a piece completely if it’s badly neglected and damaged - for example, the lovely vintage shelves were in a terrible condition so I used the Annie Sloan paints to create a lovely French country finish - lightly distressed with a soft wax finish. All the techniques I use are sympathetic and traditional, for example, the vintage trunks are re-lined using traditional blue & white ticking fabric to give an authentic and classic look to the piece. 

6. You have a source book service, what is this?
 
Because I spend so much time at different fairs and auctions, West Egg also offers a sourcing service for clients looking for a particular piece of furniture. Clients can upload a description and photograph of what they’re searching for to the source book online which I then keep with me in case I spot something similar.

7. Where can we buy your products, do you have a shop we can visit?

West Egg is an online store and does not currently have a physical shop premises. Customers can order online via the website or over the phone and we offer a fully secure Visa and Mastercard payment gateway powered by RBS Worldpay. We want our customers to love their purchases but if for whatever reason they don’t, we offer a no quibbles returns policy. If customers want to see a product before ordering, they can contact us and we will do our best to arrange a viewing.
 
8. What advice would you have for someone staring their own business?
 
The best advice is to be flexible and open to new ideas and different ways of doing things. I wasn’t too keen on doing restoration work for other people to start with but now I love it; it’s all experience and it’s a great way to earn extra money for the business. The other valuable pieces of advice are to keep it simple and follow up on every lead - even an unlikely chance encounter can go somewhere.  Above all, keep believing in yourself and work hard!

For more details on all these lovely products please contact Louisa Blackmore

                              West Egg Limited  T: 0207 060 2975   M: 07979 238019  info@westegg.co.uk
                                                  or visit the website  http://www.westegg.co.uk/

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Bathing Beauty's

I spied these gorgeous bathroom images a short time ago on the lovely blog http://www.mixandchic.com/ (please pop over & take a look). They are such beautifully inspirational bathrooms I just had to save them for my file & thought it would be rude not to share such wonderful images with you. I think my favourite is the last one, which one catches your eye?

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A Passion for Pink

Today I did my 5K Race for Life run in add of breast cancer along with thousands of other women. It was scorching hot today but we enjoyed the run & felt proud to be part of it. We were dressed in tutus & fairy wings & many others taking part were also dressed up with pink being the theme. So todays post is dedicated to my passion for pink for breast cancer with some pink inspired images. If you would like to sponser me & help fight cancer please click onto my think pink page & find the link to my sponser page which pays the charity direct. So for all the women out there that are fighting or have fought cancer this passion for pink is for you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx





Images from House to Home

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Cool Small Spaces

This cute narrow boot bed proves space isnt everything. They have utilized the space beneath the bed as handy storage for clothes etc. A beautifully sculpted stepladder leads up to the bed, built into the framework with a double mattress that snuggly fits into the bow of the narrowboat. The walls around the bed area are cushioned with padded red leatherette & the small porthole draws natural light into the space yet allows for privacy

house to home

Heres a couple more cool small places, a place to snuggle down & somewhere cosy to read, proving small doesnt have to be cramped.

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A Perfect Porch

Beautiful isnt it? Love the open fire place & the comfortable seating I would love to sit out here on a summer evening, sun going down but a fire to keep me warm, reading & relaxing just perfect. So many pretty flowers in this space, I really am going to make a conscious effort to do some gardening now I have moved & start by getting some pots on my patio to cheer it up a bit.

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Artist Erica Erikdotter

Remember my very lucky win on Zhush a short while ago when I won the fabulous piece of artwork from Erica Erikdotter? Well my beautiful tulip artwork arrived last week & it looks amazing. I still have to find the perfect frame for it & then I will post a picture of it in its new home. I thought today I would share with you a bit about the very lovely Erica. After talking to Erica I have to say she is such a sweet person as well as an incredibly talented artist.


She was born and raised in Sweden and sold her first painting at the tender young age of 10. In 2000, at the age of 20, Erica moved to the U.S. to continue her studies in communications and public relations at George Mason University, Fairfax, Va. As she evolved as an artist, she started working in acrylics and has stayed with it, although she also does watercolor renderings for LiveLikeYou.com, which is an online shopping site. She now lives just outside of Washington, D.C. with her husband, a photographer and interactive media designer.
Erica say's
 "Each painting is more than just paint on a canvas, it is a story and each layer forms that story for the viewer to enjoy I hope to bring inspiration and happiness to people through my art and strive to make the viewer aware of and believe in the vibrancy of life. It's all about celebrating life with color and bringing joy to the room and the people enjoying it."

Erica has also recently begun a unique package for her business where you can order your bridal bouquet as an artwork. It is a brilliant and wonderfully creative way to capture your wedding day. It is a keepsake to light up your home & bring smiles to friends and family as well as a great reminder of the emotions you felt when you said "I do." I love the idea of bringing something so personal to your home interiors by capturing your bridal bouquet in the form of art, such a clever service that i am sure will be hugely popular. I really insist you should check out her website.
http://www.studioeriksdotter.com/commissions/erins-bridal-bouquet/8400625

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Table Tonic

Remember last week I was harping on about my love of Moroccoon style interiors, well look at what I stumbled across on blogland.... some gorgeous global treasures on     tabletonic.   I have died & gone to heaven!!! You have to check out this blog & shop for some modern bohemian style interior lovelies.

morroccoon wedding blanket

Beautiful moroccoon wedding blanket & below moroccoon berber rug

 

morroccoon berber rug

And whats even more exciting right now they have a sale

tabletonic.

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Picnic On The Beach

Now this is the way to picnic in style. On the beach with the sun blazing down while sitting on the comfort of some beautiful scatter cushions, the warm sand between your toes. How very bohemian hdont you think? Especialy with a bit of acoustic guitar playing while you sip your sangaria. It just goes to show you can have a lovely table scape even on a beach picnic, simple yet beautiful. Although sand in my sandwiches has always slightly taken the fun out of beach picnics.
I found this lovely photo over on designaddictmom.& thought what a lovely image it was to leave you with for the weekend. Happy Fathers Day have a great weekend whatever you do x

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A Moroccoon Mood

After the orange theme this week I have been thinking a lot about Morrocoon style interiors & the softer shades of oranges like terracottas & peaches that they use to paint thier walls. Do you remember my post a little while back about Eastern influences & this beautiful lounge image below (just swooning over it again, this I have reserved in my ideas book). The soft peachy walls are so warm & inviting like the colour pallette's used on textured morrocoon walls. I love the warm tones of honey or soft peachy pinks that they team with rich golds, reds & blues in Morroccoon fabrics that give the feeling of luxury.
Well I have been trawling the web for more morrocoon inspired rooms & I hope you love the images that I have found as much as I do. Moroccan style interior design is a mix of European, African & Persian influences vocusing on rich coloured fabrics, textiles & rugs, as well as tiles & pottery. Sheer fabrics such as muslin create a light floaty feeling for the hot Morroccan temperatures as well as filtering in the light. Lantern's are another common feature often adding some sparkle. These are made of goat skin and are fixed on metal frames.
How beautiful is the image below, the soft peach/ terracotta painted walls create warmth & the neutral seating is brought to life with the rich fabric cushions mixed with the softer tones of the crochet cushions. A Moroccan teapot & tea glasses rest on a tray.  A classic leather pouffe is another Morroccon feature here that has fast become very popular in more contemporary styled rooms recently.


There is abundance of pillows & cushions in Moroccan style lounges & bedrooms. In an ecclectic mix of patterns & bold colours in fabrics as well as the upholstery. The design patterns of thier rugs have Islamic and Asian influences & are also bold in colour & pattern.
The furniture of Moroccan style is mostly wooden. Table tops often have designs of tiles over them. Look at the beautifully designed Morroccoon styled garden furniture that incorporates mosiac styled tops.
Below is an image of a morroccon inspired bedroom. Honey-toned walls blend with creamy floor tiles & white bedlinen that are given some warmth & life with a vibrant red textured rug . A decorative shawl is used to add some luxury as a bedspread above the white bedlinen. A sheer panel separate's the bedroom from the dressing area.  I love the tiny wooden table that holds an over sized mirror its a cute touch although I would prefer something with drawers to hold my underwear. The mirrors used in Morroccoon interiors are framed with wood or metal.


Modern interiors can incorporate the rich hues of the upholstery & textiles with the soft honey walls, mixing the old with the new. I love the ecclectic feel of these interiors blended with some contemporary touched. The warm hues cry out to me after a decade of bland cream interiors that became popular during the boom of house sales. I say bring in some life & character to your home & the Morroccoon influences to me are a true winner.  

Morroccon pouffe www.adaanddarcy.blogspot.com/

Ada and Darcy

Ada and Darcy

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All about orange

Everywhere I look lately I am seeing fun pops of orange turning up in decor. I am rather liking this zesty colour for summer. Orange is often a colour thought of for halloween & for the leaves changing for autumn. But it is also a colour of citrus fruits & the burning sun. The vibrant & warm combination of red and yellow are all synonymous with summer. A less intense or aggressive colour than red that is calmed by the cheerfulness of yellow.
Add orange & green together to make a tropical feeling decor.


....or make it stand out with blues or reds & golds.


Purples with orange are a bold statment, but can also be mellowed by adding yellow.



Orange accents to a white room add a touch of warmth & interest.

 
Blend orange with neutral tones for a softer look.
In this Oriental-inspired bedroom the pale wooden furniture blends into the caramel-coloured walls & the pop of orange on one wall brings this room to life & adds depth & character to an otherwise bland pallette.
 









 

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