wish list... ochre pear chandelier

I adore this chandelier and I think that it can work with some many different interior styles - from contemporary through to rustic spaces.

The Artic Pear Chandelier comes in nickle or black frames and in 3 x size:

45 cms diameter - £1780 plus vat, 60cms diameter - £2880 plus vat, 90 cms diameter - £5600 plus vat

The Artic Pear Chandelier comes from Ochre - which has stunning lights FULLSTOP!

Images taken from the Remodelista blog, House & Home and The Wife of an Artist blog

ideas...coloured stairs

Ikea runner

mexican stairwell

coloured stairs with matching stripe

Mediterranian influences

Pale colours

Have you ever thought about coloured stairs? You can use carpet & rugs, paint and even tiles to create a striking effect.

Take a look at these ideas..

i) Multi-coloured - The runner came from none other than Ikea..& as if you hadn't guessed, the vibrant painted stairwell was captured in Mexico.

ii) Single colour with a co-ordinating wall stripe really makes this space

iii) In the Mediterranian the use of colour has been around for centuries.

iv) Pale Blue - Colours which are altogether more subtle work just as well.

ideas...barn conversions

It's Monday morning and I am pretty certain that I am not alone in needing a little inspiration to kick start the week...!

Take a look at this superb barn conversion which is the work of the Dutch design group Ina & Matt.

Ina Meijer and Matthijs van Cruijsen are architects and designers who create homes with a sleek but informal edge. I particularly like this barn conversion which gives a sense of space but at the same time feels cosy. I love the use of wood throughout and whilst it is a barn conversion it isn't overly rustic.. I'd move in within a heart beat!

For more inspiration visit Ina and Matt's site to see other works.

I have reblogged from the interiordivine blog which is a superb source of great ideas....thank you!

just because....quote

wish list....free standing bath tub

a bath under the stars!

simple and stylish

an old relic

french double ended copper bath circa 1880

One day I would love to have a free standing bath tub - why today I should be blogging about baths I have no idea! But so be it! It is a wish of mine and one way or another I'll turn this dream into reality...

Perhaps my bath will be a terribly sad looking relic from times gone by - I really don't mind, it adds character!

Or, perhaps instead my bath will be pristine new and made from the finest italian marble.

Either way, I am looking forward to that day very much... soaking away the trials and tribulations of life's twisty road... and of course no bath is complete without bubbles and a rubber duck or two !

Happy Friday!

the sky is the limit....

image courtesy of Getty Images/ Kathleen Campbell

image courtesy of Getty Images/Keith Dannemiller

image courtesy of Getty Images/ Keith Dannemiller

image courtesy of Getty Images/Jeremy Woodhouse

Image courtesy of Getty Images/Jeremy Woodhouse

Colour, colour, colour - it needs little explanation and speaks volumes without the need to mutter a word.

These images all from Mexico show how anything goes really! The use of vibrant colours somehow lifts the spirits of all around and creates a warm and inviting feeling.

I particularly like the pink and red - you need to brave to pull this off but as the other images show with a little imagination the sky is the limit...

All images courtesy of Getty Images.

just because....quote

wish list....aguayos

Two years ago a girlfriend and I set up 'lana' which was our attempt at trying to bring the unique and beautiful aguayo rug from Northern Argentina and Bolivia to our friends.

Sadly, we didn't get very far before we were flummoxed by problems exporting from Argentina and the onset of the economic crisis... But, thankfully it seems that these beautiful rugs are making into the market now. Last summer in various European design magazines they were featured and you definitely do see more of them around now.

The aguayos have been used in the Andean region since pre-hispanic times and are regularly worn by Aymara & Quechua women to carry their babies and personal goods. Each region has its own colors, designs & techniques. Weaving of each aguayo is done in two separate parts which are then sewn together; this central seam shows decorative details and colors that highlight the beauty of the tapestry. The dyes are all natural.

Today, there are two types of aguayo -

i)The ancient ones which make wonderful wall hangings or can be used to upholster furniture - chairs, benches etc.

Note - They are not that big. They range btw 70cm by 50cm and 120cm by 100m.

And

ii) The more modern machine made version - which tends to be larger and less detailed in design.

You can usually tell the difference btw an ancient aguayo and a machine produced one by the vibrant colour. The ancient ones tend to show signs of fading, this is simply down to age and the fact that the natural dyes fade after extended exposure to the sun.

Good places to source aguayos and upholstered furniture using aguayos are - elementos argentinos, la puskana & la viva home...

Oh and yes, also lana !!! We still have some aguayos which are all in the UK. Please contact me for further info.

Prices start at $50usd

Images taken from la puskana, la viva home & lana

ideas...shelving

floor to ceiling shelving

mixture of books and other display items

shelving on all walls

Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house. ~Henry Ward Beecher

I love books yet, my reading style could be deemed rather sporadic - glued to a book sometimes and at other times I go for months without opening one...

Yet...regardless of whether I am opening the books I absolutely adore having shelves full of them and I think they create a great and interesting feature in any home. Book cases always draw peoples attention and are a great conversation starter.

A lot depends on how you fill the shelves and an eye for design is vital if you don't want the space to come across as overly cluttered.

For a lighter softer touch perhaps counter balance books with other objects.

Or to create a more dramatic feature consider perhaps floor to ceiling shelving - although you'll need to be quite a book-worm to fill the space!

Here are some images to get you inspired by shelving - I must admit shelving doesn't sound the most exciting of terms but believe me when done well it MAKES a space.

Images taken from interiordivine and roseland green 2 x great blog I have just discovered.

just because....I'm trying

wish list.... JADEtribe

Okk so today I am feeling a little blue :-(....Sooo, I thought I would find something to blog about which was 'V'IBRANT to try and lift my spirits!

Wollahhhh, I think I have the ultimate pick-me-up - JADEtribe an amazing range of accessories by Kimberly Hartman

Her accessories are fashioned from multi-cultural, handmade tribal textiles and are personal forms of art and expression.

Her style is a little bit beach-y, a little bit bohemian jet set... and 100 percent natural and ethical which is refreshing in itself.

As her website writes - JADEtribe is the true embodiment of fashion with a conscience. Whether it’s the handbag repurposed from hand embroidered baby carrier cloths, or the hand braided jewelry that jingles, or the organically dyed and hand loomed traditional textiles, each element of JADEtribe carries in it a piece of Kimberly’s heart and a piece of the hearts of the women in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand whose lives have been improved by making it.

I have fallen in love with these images BUT the bad news is there is little info available as to how to get hold of the items... I feel like a little girl in the sweet shop but without 1 dime to buy anything :-(

Oh well... Alll I can do is direct you to the website, where there are listings of all the places that stock her beautiful things...

Happy hunting....

just because....quote

ideas...pink

pink cushions & mirror

pink walls

pink furnishings

pink bathroom walls

pink rug

Today is all about pink.

Pink is one of my favourite colours and I wanted to share with you some images that illustrate how pink can be used in a tasteful way - Pink doesn't necessarily have to be girly girly.....

These images have been taken from apartment therapy, pink is a religion, maggymoon, domino and flikr

wish list......plum pretty sugar

I am loving Plum Pretty Sugar and I thinking you might too.

Plum Pretty Sugar was born from the idea of bringing breezy happiness, cozy comfort and easy-living chic to lounge wear and accessories.

There are kimono style robes and pyjama sets that give flutters of gorgeous silhouettes - all are made using whisper-soft fabrics in enchanting garden of eden-inspired palettes. Much of the inspiration for the range has come from India where many of the fabrics have been sourced.

Started less than a year ago, Plum Pretty Sugar has already received write ups in the NY Times and other prestigious rags..... The range is now being expanded to include bed linens and accessories.

Congratulations Plum Pretty Sugar!!

Items are available through the following link and shipping outside of the US is possible.

Kimonos from $65 usd

Pyjama sets from $106 usd

ideas...sleepy head

yellow headboard

painting or image headboard

painted headboard - my dream bed!!

wooden headboards

headboards using ponchos or material

It's Monday morning again and as usual I struggled that little bit more to get out of bed...With this in mind it seems apt to be posting today some ideas about headboards...

Headboards come in all shapes and sizes - I think it depends very much on the context of the room and home whether or not a headboard is really needed....Sometimes less is indeed more...

Headboards can be made of an array of materials - you don't necessarily need to spend a huge amount of $$ either.

How about -

i)Scouting second hand drift shops for old frames and have fun painting or distressing them

ii)Or perhaps, taking a beautiful poncho or piece of fabric and hanging it accordingly using a wooden or iron curtain rail. The image I have used here is from the home of dear friends of mine in Salta, northern Argentina - you can stay at their home too!

iii) Or using a favorite painting/of image and using that as the focal point.

Finally, you could even just paint a headboard - indeed this image has been on my 'wish list' for over 3 years now.. One day, one day!