Interior styling
If you want to experience a cross between a magical midsummer night’s dream whilst entering the secret walled garden of a genteel country house (one whose Victorian glass house has charmingly ‘seen better days’) – then Richmond’s Petersham Nurseries is the place for you!
Continue reading “Midsummer interior styling ideas at Petersham Nurseries”
My celebration of Indigo blues culminates with this summer’s Preppy take on Indigo. It is almost as if the fashion and interiors industries sat down and considered the colours of the The Leander Club in Henley for their summer collections! The Leander Club is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world, has produced many of GB’s great rowing Olympians and its members sport a rather jaunty rowing blazer and cap in – you guessed it – pale pink (traditionally known as ‘cerise’) and Indigo. With the Royal Regatta imminent (Weds 28th June to Sunday 1st July) what better time to see how everyone from high street fashion to interior decorators, textile designers, restaurants and bars are embracing Preppy style.
If only it were as simple to change your interior decoration as it is your clothes. If it were, exploring the depths of Indigo blues would be high on my decorating agenda this summer. The trend for Indigo blues has been simmering away for a few years in the UK. For holiday homes in the Hamptons, Scandinavia and in parts of the Greek Islands, it never really disappears. Blues are sometimes accused of being cold, but there is nothing icy or ‘blue’ about Indigo. It is velvety warm at its deepest hue and can be as smart, boho or as classically pretty as you wish it to be.
Continue reading “Interior decorating with Indigo blues: Part one of two”
When guests visit Helen and John Worton’s home for the first time, they sometimes find themselves left a little bit speechless! This is due to the fact that to all intents and purposes the terraced frontage of this 16th Century Cornish cottage is not at all what it appears from the village square. You might imagine that what lies behind are low-beamed ceilings with a conventional upstairs/downstairs floor plan and a country-style interior in a neutral Farrow & Ball palette.
There is a certain mystique about wallpaper and fabric brand Lewis & Wood. When I think of their designs, ideas of enchanted woods and fairy tales of faraway places spring to mind. So let me take you ‘into the enchanted woods’ and show you behind the scenes of one of Britain’s national design treasures as they launch Spitalfields – a fabulous new collection for Chelsea Design Week…
Continue reading “Spitalfields: Lewis and Wood’s new collection at Chelsea Design Week 2017”
When I was approached by Helen Cormack of Tissus D’Helene to style her Chelsea Design Week (12 – 17 March 2017) window display, to say I was excited was an understatement! As dream jobs go, this is right up there. When I styled some features for Homes & Gardens magazine, they often used Helen’s fabrics – and I have always adored them.
Continue reading “Tissus D’Helene: styling for Chelsea Design Week 2017”
It is just a small personal theory of mine that the roots to the careers we desire are often to be found in childhood. However, for various reasons people don’t always get an opportunity to go straight into the career of their dreams. It can take many years to find an ‘in’ and fulfil that thing – whatever that ‘thing’ is. Tracy Head, co-owner of Vintage Barn Interiors, has always loved interiors. Before having children, Tracy worked in banking and her first foray into the world of interiors was at the plucky age of 12 when she wallpapered her mother’s bedroom. Continue reading “House tour: Vintage Barn Interiors”
It’s that time of year again, when many Scots and expats around the world celebrate Burns Night (Wednesday, 25th January). I just can’t help but revisit (please see my post from Scottish Style 2016) some traditional and also not quite so traditional Scottish Style interior design and fashion.
What is a stylist? I was struck this week by a throwaway comment by interior designer Kelly Hoppen on an episode of the Great British Interior Design Challenge (BBC Two) where she said that one of the contestants (who was a photographer) was a good designer and not ‘just’ a stylist. I think that the term interior stylist can be a confusing one so I thought it might be helpful to outline what I think an interior stylist does.
A very Happy New Year 2017. Rather than wait for the first daffodils of Spring to open, I thought I would slice through the grey gloom of January to present one of Spring/Summer ’17’s most joyful interior and fashion trends. ‘Mellow Yellow’ is all set to bring its mood enhancing properties to our lives and I for one can’t wait!
Continue reading “Yellow interiors and fashion trend Spring/Summer 2017”
