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

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

#WeBlogMCR - The Foundation Coffee House Meet

It took me just over a year to decide that I wanted to write my own blog. I caught blog-fever whilst planning my wedding, as I devoured a wealth of wedding blogs on a daily basis. Eventually I had had enough, I wanted in. My own special little place on the internet where I was free to be creative, share things that I love and build on my passion for interiors. One particular aspect that I wasn't really expecting but has taken me pleasantly by surprise is the blogging community. There are so many lovely people, all kind and willing to help each other out. It really is fab. If you are thinking of starting a blog, my advice is do it! 

One perfect example of the blogging community at its best is #WeBlogMCR. These Manchester-based blogger events are ran by Holly (Holly Goes Lightly and Dribble) who is the loveliest hostess, she makes everybody feel welcome, sets a really relaxed vibe for the event to run by and even brings prizes! I went to the first meet up a whole year ago and attended the third meet up this past week. Last Thursday evening saw me turn up to The Foundation Coffee House on Lever Street in the Northern Quarter of Manchester. If you're around the area and in need of coffee then you should definitely try it. The staff are delightfully friendly, my first ever matcha latte was scrumptious and the interior is a complimentary mix of industrial-cool and vintage charm. 

Holly said a few welcoming words and we soon got stuck in to the far-reaching realms of blogging and all its wonders. The group comprised of fashion, beauty, health and lifestyle bloggers all happily sharing tips, troubles and goals whilst snapping pics of our location, drinks and nibbles. The Foundation Coffee House was kind enough not only to supply the space (after their usual opening hours) but also provided espresso martinis and a super healthy juice shots. Yum. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and getting to make some new blogging friends, as well as catch up with some old ones too. Make sure you scroll down and take some time to have a look at their links. Once again a massive thanks to Holly who put this all together whilst heavily pregnant! Absolute star :)

Matcha latte // espresso martini // skin juice boost

Great little styling details like the table leg and shelves

Scandi-inspired interiors

Hexagon tiles // subway tiles

Dromomania
Kat Horrocks
Oui Stephanie
Radiance Nutrition
Sarah Jane Jackson
EmmyLou Kelly Photography
SpamellaB
Smile At Style
Greedy Sisters

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

Bloomin' Monday

Hello and a happy welcome to the start of a new week. I hope you had a lovely weekend. We've been looking into some suppliers for our garden, (more on this later in the week!) finally booking a holiday (woop!) and enjoying some time with family. This week is set to be a busy one but a fun one for me. What are your plans?

Beautiful blooming peonies on our kitchen table

I thought I'd help ease into the week with some of my recent favourite blog posts from the wonderful world of the internet. 

This Victorian-inspired HOME on Rock My Style
A delicious looking lentil and sweet potato SALAD from Dania Trapani
All black FASHION inspiration from Lizzy at Shot From The Street
Making the perfect G&T with Miss Pond

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
Source

Subway tiles - of course
Source

Great storage ideas, more subway tiles and, of course grey 
will always be a firm favourite of mine
Source

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

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

Sources:
1 \ 2 \ 3 \ 4 \ 5

March Is Here

Yesterday we said a big 'Hello!' to March. I welcomed the start of the new month with pancakes for brunch and an hour or so tidying up the garden. It's so pleasing to see the little daffodil bulbs poking their way through the soil and discarded leaves. Spring is just around the corner and I cannot wait. 

I've collected several of my favourite blog posts from the past month. If you're in need of an inspiration boost then why not have a peruse:

Maps for ART on Chapter Friday
Comfort FOOD with Cupcakes and Cashmere 
A DIY pom pom wall hanging with A Beautiful Mess
Inspiration to ESCAPE the daily grid for Småland from Yvestown 

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)

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

Source 1 / 2

Favourite Glassware To Fill With Flowers

At this time of year the majority of people are looking forward to spring and would quite happily say goodbye to winter. I definitely fall into this category of people. I love getting all bundled up for the colder months, and yes, the snow does look delightful for all of two minutes but I want Spring to hurry up and be sprung. 

My biggest tip for those feeling the winter blues is to adorn your house with as many flowers as possible. They're my weekly treat and I love to arrange them in any vessel I can get my hands on. I currently cannot stop pinning new floral arrangements to my Blooms Pinterest board. There are still quite a few homeware sales on so I've rounded up my favourite five glassware items, all perfect for holding either a whole bunch of flowers or a carefully selected sprig. 

Rose & Grey £2.95

Homebase £8.99

House-Envy £10.20

H&M £7

Zara Home £2.99

One particular idea that caught my attention was shared by Emma, on her blog A Quiet Style. She uses bulbs next to blooms in glass jars to create a very interesting display. It's simple yet so stylish. 

A Quiet Style

How are you combating these harsh winter months? Do you have any tips on bringing Spring into your home early?

Claire x

Top Six Artificial Plants

I love, love, LOVE the indoor plant trend that's been dominating the home accessories scene for the past couple of years. Our green leafy friends can instantly change the feel of a room. The plants themselves can be works of art and even more interest can be added with a beautiful pot or stand. What's not to like? 

My front room is fairly dark and this has lead to several unfortunate short-lived plant appearances. I can't bring myself to buy another living plant for this room, when I know it's most likely going to end up in my compost bin. There is an alternative and that's the growing market of artificial plants and flowers. I've pulled together six of my current favourites and they look pretty good to me:

Eucalyptus Bush - Abigail Ahern 

Lit Banyan Tree - Next

Faux Aubergine Succulents - Nordic House

Green Succulents - Dunelm Mill

Fig - Ikea

Mini Echeveria - John Lewis

Would you fake it with an artificial plant? Or do you find it easy to look after the real-deal?

Claire x

Living Room Lift

I've been wanting to give my living room a little lift recently and one of the simplest ways to do this is by updating soft furnishings. Cue a pair of perfectly plumped cushions...

I was first introduced to Lisa Watson's designs through Home Is In The North, her traditional heirloom quilts are unique and beautifully handmade. They're an investment piece and would be an item I'd love to be in a position to buy in the future. Back in November I spotted her competition to win two of her Harris Tweed cushions, I jumped at the chance and quickly signed up to her mailing list. I'd actually forgotten that I'd entered the competition and so was very happy to find an email waiting for me last week saying that I'd only gone and won, and that two cushions would be winging their way to me. (I may have done a little fist pump at this point). 

I thought you'd like to see the charming pair of patchwork, Harris Tweed cushions in their new home. They compliment my other cushions and throws splendidly and have added that little zhush that I was looking for to keep me happy with this room through til Spring. 

Have you thought about adding statement cushions to update a room? 

Claire x