Hunker Down and Cosy Up

NEWS: These past few months I've got to know my sofa quite well. Mainly because I've been sitting on it for increasing periods of time. My recent inactivity has been brought on by a new and fantastic occurrence...I'm four months pregnant! My husband and I are both beyond excited about becoming parents. It will be, and has already been, a massive learning curve but we're ready for it :)

As amazing as this life changing news is, it has brought on a tremendous amount of morning sickness - I don't think I ever fully appreciated how debilitating morning sickness can be. I take my hat off to all the mammas out there. I think I am past the worst of it, thank goodness, so now I want to get to the crazy nesting and obsessive planning stage. Any tips on preparing for motherhood are most certainly welcome!

It has been a while since I graced these pages with my presence. I do apologise. As I've said before, I cannot guarantee I'll be back here with a regular schedule but I do intend to continue posting as and when I can. 

Right, let's get down to business and talk some interiors...

I love making my home as cosy as it possibly can be; especially when the weather is as cold as it has been recently. Goodness me, did someone say fluffy slipper socks?! I, for one, have definitely been living in mine. To help me snuggle down sofasofa.com kindly contributed to my cushion collection. My obsession with grey is still as strong as ever, and so their Cleo cushions in pewter were the perfect addition to my sofa party. 

sofasofa.com Cleo cushions in Pewter

The cushions are extremely plump and supportive as well as being a good quality. I feel that the thick, ribbed material makes them hard wearing so they wont be looking sorry for themselves any time soon, especially considering my current overuse of them.

Hands up, who'll be running round picking up last minute Christmas presents this weekend. I'm very nearly finished but I certainly have a lot of wrapping to do. 

If I don't manage to head back here before the big day, may I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year!

Claire x

Sofasofa.com kindly supplied the cushions featured in this post for review purposes. All thoughts are my own. 

Hot Off the Press: Interior Designer Interview

It's that transition time of year whether you're stalking the shops for a new winter coat or updating your interiors with cosy cushions and thicker throws. I do enjoy this time of year but the darker and colder mornings make it that bit harder to get out of bed. I'm one of those people who has to get up and out of bed as soon as my alarm goes off. None of this having several alarms going off at scheduled times apart. Oh no, bite the bullet and get out of bed before my body knows what it's doing. 

I know I've been in a blogging hiatus recently and for that I do apologise. I can't promise that I will fully get back into the swing of things but I will try my best to post as and when I have something useful to say. I definitely want to share our garden as after all the hard work over the summer it is looking rather splendid, even if I do say so myself. 

Anyway, first up I wanted to share a professional interiors insight with you. The work of Anna Palmer a professional interior designer recently caught my attention as she's teamed up with Bathroom Heaven and you might remember that our small bathroom is next on my hit list. So when the opportunity arose to interview Anna I jumped at the chance. Here's what we discussed...

Q. What are the upcoming colour trends that we should be looking out for?
A. Copper, with its rich, warm and inviting feel is very much in at the moment. It works particularly well in kitchens and bathrooms and can create a stunning focal point in an otherwise plain interior. Copper has found its way as a feature with a plethora of accessories, making it even easier to use this beautifully hued metal as an accent colour.

Grey is the new neutral these days and works well with pops of colour alongside. I have seen some wonderful grey interiors with accents of yellow.

Via Decor8 Photo from Angelica Gonzalez

Q. How would you go about decorating a small bathroom?
A. Any space will feel larger if it’s lighter and brighter so start off with choosing the colour of your tiles and paint wisely; anything too dark will absorb light and make the room appear smaller. Consider putting in a wall hung WC which ‘floats’ above the floor. Lighting can help create height and depth in a space. Achieve this by adding an LED lightstrip underneath a wall hung vanity sink unit and Illuminating above the sink and in the shower area with task lighting. Include a large mirror or mirrored cabinet to bounce light around the room and lights either side to create the appearance of more space in the room.

Melissa Davis 

Q. What are your top tips for injecting personality into a space?
A. I saw a painting at the entrance of a flea market I went to years ago with my sister. It really caught my eye but was a bit on the expensive side plus I didn’t want to be carrying it around for the next few hours so decided against purchasing it. On my way out it was still there but reduced to half price! I bought it and every time I look at it, even now, it gives me great pleasure and reminds me of the fun I had on that day with my sister. The things we put in our space should have a positive effect on us – buy what makes you feel good. It’s hard to explain sometimes why something makes us feel the way we do but it’s all linked the our personality.

Kiitos Marimeko

Use a side table to display unusual objects, your favourite coffee-table book or a beautiful ornament/bust. It adds a depth and wonderful interest to a room and gives a glimpse of you and what you like. Add a light behind to illuminate and help showcase your life. I have a friend who has a wall dedicated to displaying all his many books he’s collected over the years. He says he’ll never get rid of them because every time he needs inspiration he’ll look at a book and remember what he’s read, where he read it and how it made him feel. It’s a personal thing but one which give him great pleasure and is a link to his past.

Erika Brechtel

Q. What are your favourite resources for inspiration?
A. Google is great for sourcing images and I use Pinterest to collect them and store on one of my many boards I have created. It’s also important to see products, if possible, before buying so I find myself in many a department store which are great places for inspiration. I travel by push-bike in London and I find myself stopping far too often to look into large window displays! It’s all very tempting…

Great tips! A big thank you to Anna for answering my questions and being a part of my blog. I hope you all found what she had to say helpful. 

Claire x

Garden Revamp 4.0

Back again with another small garden update. The concrete foundations have been laid and the wall is on its way up. Hurrah! It's really starting to take shape and I can get a better feel for the area I will eventually be filling with beautiful plants. 

We're currently two dense bricks deep and fingers crossed that the whole structure will be completed this week. (Let's just hope the weather predictions of heavy rain are incorrect.) We're very lucky that we've been able to borrow a lot of the bigger tools from friends and neighbours. Things like the cement mixer and angle grinder, it means that we don't have expensive deadlines if we take a little longer than if we'd have hired them. It is definitely worth asking around, you never really know what your friends have in their garages! 

Once the flower bed structure is up we will be looking at rendering the walls that I will eventually be painting a lovely dark grey colour. I want to jump to the finishing-touches phase but I must be patient. 

Claire x

Pinch, Punch

Good day to you, and welcome to July! 

We're over half way through the year, can you believe it? There's something that I want to be open and honest with you about and it's that I am currently dramatically failing at achieving any of my 'Home Goals' that I shared way back in January. Other things have stepped in and taken priority or we've just not had the time or funds. I'm certainly not going to beat myself up about it because I'm very happy in our home, however it may come, and that's what's important to me. 

Anyway, summer is apparently here and I am definitely a fan of the warmer months and really want to try and make the most of being outside. We've even got a last-minute getaway booked for my husband's 30th birthday to look forward to next week. I'm rather excited! 

I also wanted to let you know that I was back over on the Object blog the other day, if you fancy heading over for a quick read. I'm discussing decluttering techniques for a healthy house and mind. 

Have a happy hump day! :)

Claire x

Garden Revamp 3.0

Hello, I'm here with a little garden revamp update. The weather has been a little off lately which has slowed us down a tad but we're making progress, even if it is slow and steady. 

My extremely hard working husband has dug out the foundations in preparation for the building of the raised flower bed. The foundations have to cover a larger footprint than the actual structure itself, this is to provide sufficient support and hopefully prevent any unwanted movement. The digging and shoveling were no easy tasks as the ground is full of roots and rocks, so hats off to him because I'm sure it would have taken me days (or longer!) if I were to attempt it on my own. 

Looking from the back of the garden towards the house

Foundations dug for the raised flower bed

With the foundations in place we've been busy ordering the next lot of supplies (concrete and bricks) that should be delivered this week, and with a heat wave apparently on its way to the UK hopefully we'll be able to get lots done. It's a shame we won't be enjoying the heat wave relaxing in our garden because as you can see it is definitely resembling a builder's yard more than an oasis of peace and tranquility. 

Must. Remain. Positive. ;)

As always, let me know your thoughts or whether you have any tips you'd like to share. 

Claire x

Garden Revamp 2.0

If you remember reading my garden inspiration post then you will know that I am partial to a raised flower bed. Especially when it incorporates a seating area. Since I posted about my inspiration I found the below photo on Pinterest and fell in love with the design. The flower bed with the built-in bench allows you to get that bit closer to nature and I think it looks great too. I've decided that I want our rendered walls to be a dark grey - I've been loving the look of grey in the garden (as well as the home) for quite some time and seeing Sian's post over on Moregeous confirmed it for me. A deep and dark grey colour will allow the natural colours of the foliage and flowers to truly pop and stand out. I know that picking out colours is jumping the gun a bit because we are yet to dig the hole for the foundations. It's good to have goals, right? ;)

Olive Garden Design and Landscaping Ltd

Our design:
As mentioned above, the raised bed and seating area were non-negotiable so with the help of my super talented brother we've come up with a design which incorporates both. Perfect! I really liked the 'L' shape as it allows for extra seating and nicely links the flower bed with the decking area. 

To add another texture and area into the garden we're going to be looking at laying some artificial grass, on the right side of the gate as you look into the garden from the house. You might be wondering why we don't just lay some real grass but trust me, there is some logic behind this decision. That side of the garden is quite often shaded by the boundary fence and so grass would not happily grow in that corner. Our next-door neighbours used to have some real grass which looked mostly patchy and so they got rid of it. The flower bed has been positioned in the opposite corner as it gets more sunlight making it a better spot for the plants I'd like to grow. 

The grass won't be laid until the majority of the other work is completed but we should be going to have a look at some suppliers soon to get an idea on price. If you've used any artificial grass then please let us know what you think any recommendations will be gratefully received. 

What do you think of our design? Do you have any tips about building raised flower beds?

Claire x

Garden Revamp 1.0

Our garden revamp is well and truly underway! But first, allow me to whisk you back to where we started:

Our small garden back in 2013

The above photograph is of our garden two summers ago when the decking area was first completed. It all looked rather lovely. We had two flower beds on either side of a Yorkshire stone path (not visible in this picture) that allowed you to walk from the gate to the decking. Surrounding the path and the beds we had used bark to keep any weeds at bay. It was quite a rushed and fairly cheap job but it suited our needs at the time.  

An extremely overgrown back garden

Fast forward to more recently and, as you can see above, I felt out of love with the flower beds to the point where I completely neglected them. They inevitably became overgrown and started to look a lot more shabby than chic. As soon as the weather started to brighten up earlier this spring we knew that the garden had to be next on our hit list. That's when I shared a blog post about my Small Suburban Garden Inspiration. 

So where are we up to now? 

The old beds have been demolished, favourite plants have been salvaged, soil has been moved, two tonnes of sharp sand has arrived and basically a giant mess has been made. Nonetheless, I am excited about our progress and hope that we can keep going with this momentum. 

Garden revamp tip:
Even though the old flower beds looked like a disaster area they were still home to several plants that I wanted to keep and eventually replant into the new beds. This included lamb's ear, purple iris and pink geraniums. I didn't have any spare large pots so we had to improvise. My gardening-loving mother advised me that the best way to keep the plants alive during the renovation was to dig them out of the ground, keeping their roots intact with plenty of soil surrounding them and place them in plastic bags with holes in the bottom. In this state the plants have to be watered just as much as you would a pot or hanging basket. 

That's how far we've come up to now. I'll be back soon with more details on our plans.

Claire x

Object

There's a new online concept store that requires your full attention. Object is a beautifully curated virtual shop for those on the search for unique and delightful pieces for the home, wardrobe and wedding. I've known Rachael, Object's founder, for a few years now and had the pleasure of working with her on several projects in the past. She's an incredibly dedicated entrepreneur, and has worked hard to hone her eye to create a strong and extremely aesthetically pleasing brand. You must check out the official instagram account, it is a vision of rose gold heaven!

I did a little guest post over on Object's blog where I discuss 'The Rise of the Sharing Traveller'. This involved some research into Behomm, a house swap website for creative professionals. My new aim in life is to get my home listed on their site, there are so many picture-perfect places to stay, in all far flung edges of this earth. Have a little read if you've got a spare moment. I guarantee you'll want a nosey.

I wouldn't be a very good 'interiors blogger' if I didn't show you a few of my favourite pieces from Object's 'Home' section. So, here you go:

Biscuit Thief Bone China Mug by Ink Inc

Lucky Wheel Print by Kristina Krogh

Trio of Grey Felt Storage Baskets

Medium Textured Weave by Maryanne Moodie

Silver and Black Glass Circular Wall Hanging

I bet you've already mentally loaded your shopping basket. You're welcome ;)

Claire x

Three New Houseplants

It wasn't that long ago that I said I wouldn't be buying any more living plants to adorn my house with. I'm afraid I didn't keep my word. I gave in; and I'm so glad I did because the plants look great and thankfully haven't shriveled up just yet.  My new green friends all sneaked into my shopping trolley at the supermarket and are now happily dotted around the house. I really do love seeing a bit of the outdoors inside, they make such a difference. 

My fireplace in the front room is now home to a lovely fern. I've mentioned previously that our living room is rather shady; and fortunately ferns don't mind that too much. 

Our bedroom fireplace is perfect for this little succulent fella. Unfortunately I don't know it's name - it has tiny heart-shaped leaves that grow from long stems and tumble delicately over the edge of the pot. Any guesses? 

And last but not least the bathroom window has a happy little Christmas cactus also known as Schlumbergera. Our cat Bella has taken quite a fancy to it.

Adding a little splash of green to my home has really helped set the tone for summer. How are you prepping your house for the change in season?

Claire x

Utility Room Inspiration

Our small Victorian terrace has a utility room surprisingly tucked into a narrow extension attached to the rear of the house. The name utility room is definitely apt for this particular room because we utilise it to the max! It houses our washing machine, chest freezer, bike gear, walking attire, coats, boots, dog leads, an extra sink and a whole lot more. When we arrive back from a dog walk and Luna is covered head to toe in mud (a frequent occurrence, thanks to living in Manchester) this is the entrance we use. Unfortunately this means that the room takes a good old bashing and is often a little disheveled to say the very least. I really want to give it a refresh but I know that it isn't quite so high on our list of priorities at the moment. Oh well, a girl can dream. And that's exactly what I do via the world of Pinterest. Below are some current inspiration ideas for our utility room. At the moment I seem to be favouring an all white scheme but I'm not sure how well that idea fits in considering the amount of mud and dirt this rooms sees.  My ideas may have to be adapted. 

This small laundry room uses simple touches, like the basket and artwork, 
to make it feel homely
Source unknown

Great use of plants and greenery in this particular utility room
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Subway tiles - of course
Source

Great storage ideas, more subway tiles and, of course grey 
will always be a firm favourite of mine
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A utility room that doesn't look quite so utility-like, 
hidden white goods are another potential option
Source

Do you have a utility/laundry/mud room? How do you combat the mess, especially if you have a mucky pup?

Claire x

Five Years in Our First Home

We recently celebrated our fifth year in our house. Goodness me, how those years have flown by and so much has happened! We got married; went on the honeymoon of a lifetime; expanded our family with the additions of our cat Bella and our puppy Luna; changed jobs; decorated *almost* every room in the house; attempted to tackle the garden; had parties, BBQs and duvet days; had our share of DIY disasters and successes, the list goes on. Our home is far from perfect but it's just that, our home, and I love it.

Number 21 - our red brick Victorian terrace house

We were fortunate enough to be able to buy our first home at a fairly young age. I was 22, fresh out of university and eager to set down roots after living in three different cities in as many years. We found our perfect first-time-buyers home pretty quickly and fell in love with the location and the feel of the house. I can still remember viewing it for the first time and how we were both unable to hide the massive grins on our faces. We knew straight away that this was where we wanted to be. 

When you take on a house for the first time you don't quite realise what you're letting yourself in for. As much as you can prepare for all the 'what-ifs' you will never be ready for every eventuality. With that in mind I thought I'd share my top five tips for first-time buyers:

1. Live and learn - if possible you should try and live with the house as it is before making decisions about decorating. This way you gain insight into how you use the space and what you want and need from it. 
2. You can't do everything at once - plan, prioritise and save.
3. Take the rough with the smooth - things will inevitably and unfortunately break and go wrong. Keep calm and put the kettle on before panicking. 
4. Call on as many favours as possible - plumbing or plastering friend? It's time to give them a call.
5. Leave the hallway to last - this is advice that we will heed in every future house that we own. The hallway takes the brunt of the knocks and scrapes as you decorate the rest of the house. Don't put your time and energy into decorating an area which will get damaged.

What are your top tips for first-time-buyers? 

Claire x

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Bowls from House Envy // Copper frame from Cox and Cox //
Blue tit cushions from Live Like the Boy // Keyring from What I Always Wanted

Quick, it's not too late to order something lovely for Mother's Day. I've gathered together a few pieces that have the potential of bringing a smile to your Mum's face this coming Sunday. 

Beautiful bowls for her to enjoy her breakfast. A super cool yet delicate landscape frame for her to display captured memories. A cute cushion for her to get comfy in her favourite chair when doing her weekly crossword. A garden shed keyring because you know that's where she'll be most of the spring and summer.

What Mother's Day gifts have you opted for?

Claire x

Loving Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus has been taking the home interiors world by storm for a while now. It's stunningly delicate green/silver leaves and warming fragrance has made it a strong favourite for many interiors-obsessed folk. I recently picked up a few stems at a local florist. Here's how I styled them in my bedroom:

Eucalyptus in the home

Eucalyptus branches add interest and height to any area

I've been thinking how much easier it would be if I could pop out to my garden, instead of the florist, each time I wanted to bring some of the eucalyptus trend inside my home. Imagine having your own eucalyptus plant just outside your back door. I want in! My initial research on the Royal Horticultural Society website seems promising if a little challenging but I'm willing to give it a try. 

There are lots of different varieties so I'm going to speak to my local garden centre to make sure that I select the right one. Once the garden has had it's makeover and the eucalyptus plant is in-situ, I'll be sure to share the outcome with you. 

Claire x

Small Suburban Garden Inspiration

As thoughts of Spring creep into my head I cannot help but ponder how I want to update our garden. We live in a Victorian terrace and we have a small front yard, a back yard and a small garden. It's quite a lot of garden considering the bijou size of our house. A couple of years ago we added a decked area to the back garden which you can see here but our old wooden planters are now looking very sorry for themselves. The non-decked area desperately needs attention. It's a task that needs doing but we don't have much budget for it, so we really need to think about what changes we want to make and how we can do them rather cheaply. 

I want some sturdier planters and am considering faux grass (living grass would not survive for very long as the area we're updating does not get enough sun and we have a puppy who loves digging up grass - not a good combo.)

I've collected a selection of inspiration shots, all of which include flower beds made from a variety of materials. Let's take a look...

As much as I love the look of railway sleepers, I'm not sure our budget will stretch to them

Rendered walls look good, but I think white would be a bad idea, on account of the amount of rain Manchester sees on an annual basis

Brick walls would look classic and in keeping with our house but we would probably need to hire someone to make them

I'd like to create a bench area around some of the planters to create extra seating space

Which is your favourite look? Have you designed your own garden, or have you hired help?

Claire x

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Laundry Basket, At Last!

We've been on the hunt for a new laundry bag since we decorated our bedroom. I'm not exaggerating when I say 'hunt' because that's genuinely what it ended up feeling like. Stylish laundry bags are few and far between. I've searched online and in store and struggled to find any designs that didn't involve wicker. This meant that we were still using the laundry basket I'd had whilst at University - you do the maths! The poor cream, pop-up bag desperately needed replacing.  

I'd just about given up when I stumbled across this lovely grey laundry bag in Wilkos the other day (I could only find a striped version online here.) At the incredible bargain price of £7.50 and with only one on display, I practically launched myself at it before anyone else did. I am extremely pleased with my purchase, my only criticism is that it is a little on the small side. Although, I suppose this means that I'll be more inclined to keep on top of the washing. 

Do you have a go-to shop for home basics? 

Claire x

White Bedding and a Pop of Pink

I mentioned the other day that I had ordered some new white bed sheets that I was hoping to share with you. Thanks to a little bit of sunshine this weekend I was able to snap a few photos of them styled up on our bed. If you'd like to see the 'before' pictures then you can click here and peruse our Master Bedroom Reveal post from November last year.

The bedding is from Debenhams and is their White pleated 'Tibet' bedding set from the Home Basics Collection. Even though our bed is only a double we like to have a king size duvet so that's the size you can see below. I decided to go for white bedding because I like the contrast against the grey walls and dark furniture. However, I shied away from completely flat sheets and chose a set with pleats to add a bit of texture (plus, it makes me feel less guilty for not ironing them! Does everyone always iron their bed sheets? Or is this just something my mother tends to do?) I also happened upon a rather lovely accent cushion in TKMaxx the other day, the colours fit in perfectly with our bedroom's scheme so it was swiftly popped into my shopping basket. The hint of pink is feeling suitably festive what with Valentine's day just around the corner. 

White pleated 'Tibet' bedding set

Crisp white bed sheets / Pop of pink

Herringbone blanket / Pleats

Textured sheets

The bedding is soft and looks great, especially considering that the set only cost £50. Bargain! I would love to be able to invest in some Egyptian cotton sheets or perhaps even switch over to linen but I'm not currently able to justify the price. I think this set is holding it's own for now anyway.

Do you like my choice of white bedding? Would you dare to pick completely plain white bed sheets? 

Claire x

Bedding - Debenhams
Cushion - TKMaxx
Vintage-look glassware - gift
Pink heart print - Made By Girl 
Herringbow blanket - H&M
Candle - Yankee Candle (Black Coconut)

Dollybirds Art

The use of birds in interior design and home decor will probably never grown old. They can instantly add a feeling of frivolity to a space and bring a snippet of nature inside to liven up any room. 

When I first caught sight of Dollybirds Art on Twitter, I knew straight away that I would eventually be ordering one of their prints. The instantly recognisable selection of British Isles native birds was perfect. Belfast artist Eimear Maguire captures the character and colours of her favourite birds in a way that truly demonstrates her appreciation for all things feathery. The perfect opportunity to purchase a print presented itself last week when my bird-loving mother's birthday came around. I opted for the 'Cyanistes caeruleus' also known as the Blue Tit. It arrived promptly and beautifully packaged with a lovely little note from Eimear. I love that each print comes mounted and presented in it's own upcycled frame. They really are the perfect gift. Although in all honesty, I'd quite like to 'gift' one to myself ;-)

 Which is your favourite Dollybirds print? Have you already used birds in your home decor? 

Claire x

Cotton vs Linen

I've recently ordered some new bedding and I opted for crisp white sheets. It's not the above cotton set from The White Company but how cute is the pom pom detailing on the edge? I'm hoping to shoot my new sheets in-situ this weekend so that I can share them with you soon. However, when I see pictures like the one above from Australian bedding brand Cultiver, I can't help let my mind wander to linen sheet heaven instead. Linen sheets look super soft and snug, even when they're creased and a little worn. They tend to verge more on the expensive side, but we spend so much time in our beds that we should at least be as comfortable as we possibly can! 

Where do you stand (or should that be lie?) Do you favour cotton or linen when it comes to your bed sheets? 

Claire x

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