Sunday 28 February 2010

Arts and Crafts house, Living Etc*





I came across a wonderful Arts and Crafts house in Living Etc today. The owner has chosen a dark, cocooning effect for their living room. It makes such a nice change from white, light, bright which everyone is doing, I mean everyone. There is something very mock-baronial about dark pannelled walls and a stuffed animal on the wall.

Friday 26 February 2010

Most Curious by Tracey Neuls/Nina Saunders*

If you fancy some fairy, Alice in Wonderland interior escapism, check out the 'Most Curious' Tracey Neuls/Nina Saunders collaboration at the Tracey Neuls Marylebone store. Get some trees indoors pronto. Check_ check_ check_ it out! It all looks very Florence and the Machine. Watch out for giant rabbits.

Monday 22 February 2010

Dean Street Townhouse*





Regency style - tick. Cosy escapism in central London - tick. BritArt in the rooms - tick. Roll top baths in the bedroom - tick. Dean Street Townhouse is the new hotel from the Soho House people. I'm a big fan.

Thursday 18 February 2010

Retro kitchen*

Oooooo, how cool is this retro kitchen. A lovely way to start a Thursday

Monday 15 February 2010

Cosy winter lounges*




Today I was up at 6am and in Clerkenwell at 8am in my spring mac. What a mistake. It started snowing and made my hands go blue. I should be thinking about spring interiors schemes and bursts of colour but all I can think about is cosy winter lounges - my favorites here.

Tuesday 9 February 2010

Bathroom colour*






Today is officially 'house on the market' day. The For Sale sign is on our front garden wall! And I know what this means - an excuse to work up mood board after sample board for each new space. I'm getting a little high pitched just thinking about it. Pity my poor boyfriend. Anyway, it's got me thinking about bathroom ideas, and colour - not least because I have a residential bathroom project to resolve by Thursday. I have seen some nice bathroom treatments recently that introduce colour in different ways - wallpaper, colour glass shower walls, metallic mosaic tiles and ethnic style tiles, with a middle eastern style. This is just the start!

Monday 8 February 2010

Hackney glass extension - Platform 5*




Everyone is talking about the glass side extension to a Victorian east London house by architect Patrick Mitchell of Platform 5 Architects. And I mean everyone. That's all I have heard today. And there is no doubting that as well as being beautiful, the extension has transformed the rear of the dark Victorian house into something light-filled and utilitarian. The architect has built in a quirky and snug window seat for lazy afternoons gazing into the garden. And the huge glass door on the left pivots open, linking the inside with the outside. But while I admire the space I don't love it. The contrast between the roughness of the Victorian bricks and sleek new glass is great, but the overall feel of the room is a little stark and bare. I can't imagine warm times spent in there. It's not the cosiness we all crave right now?

Sunday 7 February 2010

Highland Fling - Dunblane Hydro*



It's February, it's cold and I need some tartan in my life. And some dark panelled walls. Oh, and some cosy deep red velvet chairs. Just to keep me warm from the snow, don't you know. I've just spent four lovely days at the Double Tree at Dunblane Hydro. It's hard to find highland interiors chic though the miles of hotels that cater for the retirement set. I loved the Hydro for it's contemporary scottish style - antler mirrors, tarten covered modernist chairs and ballsy Farrow and Ball Downpipe walls. The gallery of black and white photos details the Scottish great and the good that have stayed here. It is the perfect place to hole up in with a strong drink and a window framed view to the hills outside.