1920s style

I have been watching Broadwalk Empire with my partner recently & if any of you have seen it you will know its set in the 1920's a time when both fashion & interiors went through some major changes. Seeing the costumes & sets has really got me thinking about this period in time & how it impacts us today. The roaring 20s saw the new trends of both Art Noveau & Art Deco influence strongely in interior decor. Interiors really became quite the fashion statement & bathrooms in particular went from being purely just functional to a more brightened space with the use of vibrant colours. Art Deco style features simplicity, symmetry and repetition instead of the traditional styling of floral designs and chintzy fabrics.

Below is an Art Deco bathroom designed by Adrienne Chinn . This bathroom was part of a re-design for a flat in London which had this origional art deco bathroom still in situ. The walls were clad in original glass tiles which were preserved. 



The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco epitomizes 1920s design. Check out the stunning dinning room.



It certainly feels glamourous

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Retro Vintage Swooning

I found this gorgeous image over on swoon worthy & swoon I certainly did. I adore this retro vintage sideboard  & this is something I'm noting down on my wish list for sure. I love the colours & its also very sleek & stylish I would certainly like to find a space in my home for this.

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Colour Inspiration

Lets look at some cool neutral tones today.

Understated cool greys like in this image to the left, work well teamed with many tones from other colour pallettes like they do here with mustard yellow.

But they also work well alongside pinks & corals or even teal. Choose a cool grey colour pallette for a backdrop to give an up to date look then add in deeper shades of greys & pops of brighter colours. Deeper shades such as clays & slates give depth to warmer shades of neutrals & create a chic contemporary feel.

Below cool neutral tones look stuning with some statement chairs in a darker shade of slate thats picked out in a piece of absract art. A very cool & chic space.




Warm earthy tones teamed with both charcoal grey & cream shades create's  a comfortable, cozy look when mixed with layered textures.

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Book Review - Decorate Workshop

Well in amongst getting the sledge out & enjoying the snow, I have spent a few quiet nights snuggled on the couch with a hot chocolate (or a cheeky glass of wine) & having a little read of Holly Becker's (founder of Decor8)  new book 'Decorate Workshop'. I enjoyed this read & having a little delve back to basics with interior design. It certainly is a good book for someone new to interior decorating. There is some great tips & inspiration. I also loved that it really was like a little interactive workshop with spaces in the book itself to make notes, this isnt something you see often & is a really great idea. For me personally I liked having a little nose at Hollys house. Ive always loved to see how other designers style thier own homes. Its also inspiring to see how other designers work too.





A little sneak peak inside at some of holly's inspirational images...........

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house tour

You know I love a good snoop around on a house tour & today we are taking a step inside a beautiful barn conversion which oozes plenty of French Country Charm & Glamour with lots of modern twists to its design. It really is a stunning home with a beautifully soft & creamy colour pallette & lots of french style furnishings.












                                         Images sourced from 'House to Home'

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home fires burning

Its so cold outside & quite honestly just as cold inside at my desk. I am sat in my little office wrapped in my scarf & I am able to see my breath. Cant be a good thing can it? The heating here needs to be sorted out pronto!!!.
I think tonight I will skip the training (well a girl needs the odd day off to rest her muscles & I have already topped my fastest 10K run time, done a spinning class, Body FX & an abs blaster session you know). So tonight I think curling up on the sofa with a glass of wine & my copy of Decorate Workshop. Its the worst kept secret by now that I love an open fireplace so here's a little inspiration that has by little heart a-pounding.....


This beautiful stone open fireplace steals the limelight in this living room space as a stunning focal point to the room. The warm glow of the fire adds real comfort to an already calm & tranquil white colour scheme.

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French Elegance

I have been twittering on about perfect bedroom spaces & what features would be important for me, from four poster beds to beautiful dressing tables to the more extravagent walk in wardrobes. But often people use a small space in the bedroom as a home office too. This is something I have talked about before & I have incorporated home office spaces in to some of my bedroom designs with beautiful matching bedroom/study furniture. Especially with many people working from home with expanding families taking over the spare rooms of the house. But desks in the bedroom are hardly a new thing, writing desks were once very popular furniutre items that were often found in a corner of a bedroom where you could sit & pen a letter in the days long before email & text. I have to say this free standing Belle Maison writing desk  along with the antique french chair is a stunning feature to a bedroom dont you think?



Little fact for you :- The 17th century, medieval, Jacobean writing desk was among one of the first created & was constructed of rich woods like black walnut or oak often with  floral or scroll motifs carved into them.


With the highly popular trend of Shabby chic the vintage writing desk is making a come back with some stunning pieces to be found that have had a lick of paint & some TLC....

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Simple Rustic Charm

Ok so I have bleeted on & on about gorgeous bedroom spaces that I love, but I couldnt resist showing you this gorgeous rustic bedroom. The dreamy, white linen drapes on the four poster are simple gorgeous. It has a tranquil colour pallette with the mushroom coloured walls & pale wood floors. It really is the perfect space to relax.  This to me is exactly what I dream of, along with my beautiful dressing table space of course.

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January Blues

 
Ill be honest I'm not a fan of January along with many people. I guess its hugely due to all the build up & excited of Christmas one of my favourite times of the year then followed by a lull of things to look forward to. Its just so dreary due to the cold weather, an empty purse & what is always a quiet period at work. If I could I would hibenate for the whole month under a big fluffy blanket, dreaming of that open fireplace & avoiding venturing out into the cold. Unfortunatley life doesnt permit me the chance to do this. Although quite frankly its nice to have a slightly slower pace at work to give me time to reflect on new ideas & forcast my plans for the year ahead both workwise & personally. Im not really one to make new years resolutions as such but I like to set myself new goals. This year I am doing a triathalon so a new training regime has begun. I already run a lot & have started spinning classes so now its time to build up the anti with swimming & boxing. I am looking forward to some variety in my training & pushing myself harder.
 Workwise I have a lot of ideas in the pipeline & I am excited to see how things will pan out, I am enjoying having the time to plan new things (so watch this space).
 I have to say though, January this year for me isnt quite as dreary as normal as I have a holiday to The Dominican to look forward to. We didnt go away last year so its long over due & its great to have something to look forward to that can blast away the January blues. Its certainly a great insentive to kickstart the training too, knowing im going to be wearing a bikini just 5 weeks from now. Its certainly got me off that sofa & straight into things.
To be honest for the next few weeks I am looking forward to spending the time reading some of the new books I got for christmas & watching some DVD box sets. Its nice to get some chillax time. Sometimes I find it hard to have time to read & it takes me a while to get through a book. One book I cant wait to get into is not some romantic noval but a craft book by Channel Fours Kirstie Allsopp.
I already have her book 'Kirsties Homemade Home' which is packed full of great ideas & tutorials, so I cant wait to get started on some craft projects from her newest book 'Kirstie Allsopp Craft'. So the next few quieter weeks of January will be devoted to some crafting time. I love to make things so I am going to have a bit of me time making & sewing.
I also got the new Holly Becker book 'Decorate Workshop' book to get my teeth into. So time to get stuck in & ill be getting back to you with some book reviews & tutorials shortly. I also have some great interviews coming up with some fabulous bathroom & kitchen designers who will be popping in to share thier wisdom with you. I also have some great work projects to share with you too. So until next time xxxxx 

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four poster beds

There is something very romantic feeling about a four poster bed, I have always wanted one & in the right house & space I certainly intend too. It really is a classic bed & although nowhere near as popular as it used to be it still graces bedrooms & certainly hotel rooms today. It first became popular in England back in the 15th century. The four poster has certainly evolved a long way since then, from the very heavy oak beds covered with drapes that they once were to a much more understated version. Now a far more elegant design feature.

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Dream Dressing Rooms

I was swooning over dressing tables the other day, but lets face it if money was no object then every women would be putting a dressing area or walk-in wardrobe (or both) in her dream home. This huge walk in wardrobe/dressing space is to die for, a beautiful dressing table & racks of clothes, shoes & bags like the rich & famous have.

Check out Paris Hiltons huge walk in closet complete with a beautiful chandelier....




or Mariah Careys boutique feeling closet, now this is a lush space she even has a comfy couch so she can sit & ponder what to wear & to try on a pair of shoes (heavy sigh)....



But who could forget the icconic walk in closet belonging to Carrie Bradshaw in 'Sex & the City' which was always brimming with gorgoues outfits. It may not be quite as extravegant as Paris or Mariahs  but it would certainly suit me down to the ground I can tell you



So reality check now for most of us this dream space to this extent wont be happening but thats not to say we cant create our own (slightly smaller) version of the walk in wardrobe. If you have a space to build something in then great, take over a section of your bedroom. Or how about a tiny box room that is altogether a little too small to be a bedroom, well then claim that space girlfriend.




Ok so taking over space for a walk-in wardrobe isnt always possible so you just have to use your space well. Fitted furniture is a great option, a good designer will design the space well to get the most out of the space you have taking into consideration awkward angles, alcoves & lowered ceiling space's to help provide you with the perfect hanging space. A well designed wardrobe space can make a huge difference to your storage needs & present a sleek finish. Not quite Mariah Careys space but a perfect space non the less.

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Pretty Dressing Tables

I spied this beautiful dressing table over on my friend Jessie's blog 'mix and chic', & it really got my heart a racing. This is truely gorgeous. I worbled on about dressing tables sometime ago, a pretty little space I feel that every girl should have in her bedroom. Somewhere to sit & do your hair & makeup with lots of pretty things surrounding you. Some years ago every girl had a dressing table in her bedroom & they are certainly making a come back now. I certainly couldnt live without my lovely little dressing table. 

This gorgeous dressing table however belongs to Australian designer Lucy Fenton,

To take a tour of her house pop on over to mix and chic.





Here's some of my favourite dressing table images to get you inspired........










                                 These pretty images thanks to 'House to Home'

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kitchen inspiration

It's all about the sexy curves in this gorgeous walnut kitchen. I don't think there will ever be a time in my life when I don't get excited about a beautifully designed space like this. The gorgeous warm tones of the walnut wood look stunning against the creamy white walls & flooring. I never tire to see this combination of cool, crisp white against the dark, warm tones of natural wood.

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living space with art

The crisp white walls are a perfect setting for the vibrant pieces of art work & fun pops of coloured accessories. I do love to see spaces with white walls teamed with the beautiful warm tones of wood like in the flooring here or in bold furniture pieces, the contrast has a wonderful feel. Splashes of colour work wonderfully when contrasting against this cool/warm palette with its fresh clean lines. I love to see beautiful & bold colour schemes like this one the room has a lot of positive energy. This is the perfect way to get brave with colour by using a neutral base & filling it with bright & colourful accessories.

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living spaces

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Getting it right with vintage style, this space is simple yet very appealing. Pops of colour here & there in  accessories cheer up the otherwise very neutral base.

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