Join The Room Debate!

Morning all! It’s my birthday today and what better way to celebrate than with the world famous Decorator’s Notebook Room Debate (humour me, just for today?). It’s a Scandinavian style white bedroom with natural touches for our perusal today…

To join in, just take a good look at the photo below and leave a comment with your answers to these two questions:

One thing I like most about this room is…

One thing I like least about this room is…

{Simon Bajada via 79 Ideas}

To me this room is a mixed bag so I’m looking forward to hearing which bits you love and loathe.

In other news, I’m off to West Dean for the weekend to learn how to throw pots. Hopefully I will have a few wobbly efforts to share with you on my return!

Fresh new colour combination: sage and gorse

How’s this for a lovely new colour combination? Softest sage with an unexpected splash of gorse yellow in the fireplace.

{sorry, unknown}

I’ve blogged loads in the past about my love of yellow and grey, but I feel like I’ve been getting a little sick of that combo recently and this seems a much more sophisticated, grown-up twist. Prettier somehow.

Also, I’ve looked everywhere for the source of this image to no avail – if you know whose home this is please let me know via the comments or email. I would love to make sure the owner of this home is credited for their fabulous eye for colour!

House tour: light and airy French apartment (with just a little colour)

Do you remember a while ago I posted some gorgeous details from Le Dans La? Recently photographer Melanie Rodriguez did a photo shoot there and the resulting pictures give a wonderful insight into how Aurelie’s home looks as a whole.

The windows in this place are amazing. It looks like it might be a converted factory or something. Yet another home to get me dreaming of loft living!

The more I see it, the more I like this dusky pink wall colour. Not something I thought I would say in my adult life. It looks rather like Calamine by Farrow & Ball. One of my personal favourite paint names… every time I think about it I can smell that smell!

Very pleasant use of dark grey in this home, don’t you think… and there’s something really quite cool about the group of paper lampshades hanging from the wooden beamed ceiling too. A touch of fun, but  in a grown-up way. The children’s bedrooms are really very grown-up too. A little too much perhaps?

{Home of Aurelie Lecuyer by Melanie Rodriguez for The Socialite Family}

What a beauty. This home is just the right blend of calming and interesting for me. For more inspiration from Aurelie’s home have a look at her blog, Le Dans La.

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House Tour: relaxed loft living in Philadelphia

I’m not really into fashion blogs, especially ones attached to commercial brands, but despite being both of those things there’s something lovely about The Free People. The mix of fashion and beauty mixed with horoscopes and expert hula-hooping tips is kind of offbeat and charming… in a too-cool-for-school American way.

Anyway, the owner of this welcoming loft apartment is the company’s graphic designer. I’ve always fancied a warehouse home one day (I love the high wooden ceilings and exposed brick) and this mix-and-matchy decorating style is perfect for the space.

I’m not sure I would’ve been clever enough to add deep red furniture to a room with so much brick, but actually I think it works beautifully, creating a comfortable and ever so slightly seedy vibe. In a bohemian French way I mean.

You might expect an apartment like this to have a pokey internal bathroom built into a corner somewhere but this bright white bathroom is a most pleasant surprise.

{all Brigette for The Free People blog}

There are a few more snaps of this apartment over on The Free People blog – I recommend you have a browse of their other posts and see what you think. Although you might want to wait until Coachella’s over. Yaaaawn.

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My blogging view (out with the old, in with the new)

Times are changing. My flat is getting a new owner. I hope she will like it here but it will be hard to say goodbye to this little place of mine. I always sit and write my blog in the same spot on the sofa and this is what I see. I will miss this view. It always looks so pretty in the early evening light.

{all Decorator’s Notebook}

These dried hydrangeas (liberated from the council flats around the corner) mixed with eucalyptus and pussy willow have served me well all winter. But the daffodils are finally blooming now and it’s time to embrace freshness and newness again. Even when there is brightness on the horizon, leaving the safe and familiar things can still be hard to do.

Just realised how badly the first photo is on the piss. Must get over my annoyance at putting up my tripod :-)

My perfect hallway (just add dog)

I found this gorgeously grey country style hallway on Pinterest a while ago, but didn’t share it because I struggled to find the original source. I’ve now tracked it down (I should’ve guessed really – it’s the wonderful Ben Kendrick and Brent Darby for Country Living) so can post it last and we can all drool over it together.

{Brent Darby for Country Living}

I love it all – the contrast of the soft grey and red brick, the rough linen bench cushion, the touches of seagrass and rattan. It will be many moons before I have any hope of having my dream country home (although I’m happy to report I’m one baby step closer) but when I do, I would love to welcome my visitors into a hallway like this. All that’s missing is a dog!

Join The Room Debate!

I love Room Debate time and I have an unusual candidate for today’s discussion!

Everyone’s welcome to join in – simply take a good look at the photo below and leave a comment with your answers to these two questions:

One thing I like most about this room is…

One thing I like least about this room is…

{Matthew Williams via House to Home}

I have kind of mixed feelings about this living room so I’m interested to hear what you think. Not sure whether I’d use yellow clogs as an accessory in my flat but each to their own!

Hope you have a fun weekend planned – I’m going to be looking for a new flat. More on that soon :-)

House Tour: not your usual Finnish home

For reasons I won’t dwell on, I spend a lot more time than the average Brit reading Finnish interiors blogs. Despite having  the most incomprehensible language imaginable, I can usually spot them from a mile off because they almost all the homes have a remarkably similar style. Black, white, big Marimekko prints and a hit of bright yellow.

So when I came across Maria’s blog Diagnoosi Sisustusmania (Interiors Mania) I was pleasantly surprised by the welcoming vintage vibe of her lovely Finnish home.

Maria’s blog mainly tracks the restoration of her house and her flea market finds. I like the relaxed, non-try-hard vibe, mixing vintage bits with inexpensive high-street accessories like the cushions from H&M home. Her style feels achievable and real somehow. Styled, yes, but not contrived.

Maria’s clearly a dab hand with a paintbrush and there are some really cool things going on with the floors in her house. Check out the checked floorboards in the living room and this pattern in the hallway. If I’m lucky enough to have original boards in my new flat I’d love to have a go at something like this…

Upstairs the bedrooms have that magical mix of warm and inviting and fresh and calm.

And tell me… what teenage boy wouldn’t want to have an old VW campervan embedded in their bedroom wall?

{all Diagnoosi Sisustusmania}

Follow the renovation diary and soak up more inspiration by clicking through to the Diagnoosi Sisustusmania blog.

How to add warmth and softness to a monochrome bedroom

I’m not big on bright colours – so much in my life is super hectic that when I come home I want to close the door and feel I’ve entered a calming sanctuary. The problem with black, white and grey rooms though is that they can feel a bit hard or cold. I spotted this bedroom and thought I’d share it to show my fellow monochrome fans it doesn’t need to be that way!

{Carina Olander via 79 Ideas}

When you look closely, there’s subtle texture in almost every area of this room. The wood panelled ceiling, raised wallpaper, rough headboard and embroidered textiles all work together to take the hard edge off the white and grey colour scheme.

Then there are all the wooden elements – painted, waxed and raw which add warmth too. If you chose vintage furniture then that’s even better – like a good wine, wood mellows with age and by adding antique bits and pieces the mellowing effect will transfer to your room too.

Lastly, it helps to have a few different lighting options in every room, especially a bedroom where you want strong natural light for doing your make-up, a directional light for reading and something a bit more romantic too. Although this photo was taken in bright daylight (with no curtains!) you can easily imagine how warm and cosy it would look at night time as well.

Have you got any other good tips for adding softness and warmth to a room?

Join The Room Debate!

Morning all – how’s your week been? I’ve been rushing around like a mad woman so the weekend is super welcome!

Anyway, back to the task in hand – today’s Room Debate. If it helps, here are a couple more shots of the room to look at too.

To join in, just leave a comment with your answers to these two questions:

One thing I like most about this room is…

One thing I like least about this room is…

{The Marion House Book}

This living room has quite a bit going on so I’m looking forward to hearing what you think!

Have a happy weekend – see you on the other side!