Decs in the City

A bag for a wife

2009-04-06T14:59:00.001-07:00

Now that we're nearly married I feel compelled to buy this fabulous bag for the other half. At the moment he's the one who always buys those raffia bags sold in supermarkets.

The best part is the fact that the bag costs just $6.95 (£4.65) from Archie McPhee.

Thanks to Rare Bird Finds for bringing this to my attention.

Sweet dreams

2009-04-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

This beautiful headboard carries an adorable sentiment despite being wonderfully simple. I love it and think it finishes the photo off perfectly.

The image is of a bedoom styled by Sophie Anderson.

Office mouse

2009-04-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking quite a bit about my new office recently. The other half wants a minimalistic, simple vibe, whereas I prefer my office to be full of cute inspirational little objects and pictures.

We leads to this adorable paper clip holder, Fievel goes desk. It has a magnet inside that keep you paperclips in all place and costs just $13.99 at ModCloth.

We'll have to find a compromise somewhere.

Interior cure

2009-04-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

I've had a long week so will hold back on the words today. Instead I'm just going to show you some of my favourite images from the last few days. Let me know what you think.

isabellesicart.com

designspongeonline.com

Twig Hutchinson

Ashe + Leandro

Todd Alexander Romano

Apartment Therapy
Bolig Magasinet

Domino
Living Etc.
Marie Claire Maison

Have a good weekend everyone.

Cool, calm and collected

2009-04-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

I'm most definitely a hoarder, especially given the 150 interior design magazines that I now have stacked up in my hallway (thank you Freecycle!).

The word "hoarder" however, has negative connotations. These images, recently posted on poppy talk show that collecting things is most definitely not negative, especially if you display your treasures thoughtfully. The weirdest things can look cool when gathered all together.

Then again, the prospect of moving my collection of 500-plus magazines in six weeks' time does feel me with quite a substantial feeling of fear.

Milk it

2009-04-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

I'm not really one for fancy milk jugs, which is why this one caught my eye.

Although it will mean you don't have to put the shop bought carton on the table, it isn't stuffy like some milk jugs are. And it's a bargain at just £9 ($13).

Head to helitrope to pick one up.

Soaking up style

2009-04-01T13:52:00.000-07:00

I dream of a bathroom like this. It's so stylish and decadent. I could spend hours in that gorgeous tub. Mmmmmmm.

Clean easy

2009-04-01T13:34:00.001-07:00

If you want to bring a suggestion of personality into your bathroom without breaking the bank, you can't go far wrong with these fabulous retro soaps.

They're made by Digital Soaps and are available through Etsy. And as they at just £3.60 ($5.25) they're the perfect way to bring a splash of character to your bathing space.

Up to the Guilds

2009-03-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

I used to think of the Designer's Guild as pretty stuffy, but the email they sent me the other day changed my perception once and for all.

Here are some of my favourite items:

Cheep cheep – don't eat

2009-03-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know this is an interior design blog but I simply have to show you these amazing cookies from Eleni's. I don't know if I could bring myself to eat one, as they must take so long to make. Perfect for spring though.

Muted magic

2009-03-29T10:26:00.000-07:00

I normally find myself drawn towards bright, playful colours, but I found myself really driven towards this image of Nicolette Camille's kitchen. Despite its muted palette, the unusual plants make it really interesting. For more images like this head on over to Design*Sponge.

Shiny and clean

2009-03-26T22:51:00.000-07:00

I told you a few weeks ago that I simply adore wall transfers (Transfer your affections, Truly stumped). Well it's for that reason that I simply have to share this amazing image of a bathroom, which I came across yesterday.

It was found on Inspace Locations and the decor is so beautifully unique that it would work in a bathroom of any size.

This is great news for me because the bathroom in my new house is rather on the small side. It will soon look fab when I apply some decoration this though.

A portrait of pleasure

2009-03-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

Although the weather's taken a turn for the worse, there's no sign of spring disappearing from the world of interior design any time soon.

A few items in particular have caught my eye today, all of them bursting with colour and character.

Numero uno is the work of Wary Meyers, which offers an original take on pet and wedding portraits. This isn't the extent of their work though. It also includes adorable crests, clothing, interior design and they even painted canoes.

Lighting is often overlooked when people are planning their rooms, but it can make or break your interior design. Which brings me to my next pick of the day. The koro purple and black was made by Etsy crafter poaplum, who was inspired by coral and anemone. The best thing is that costs less than £50. What a bargain!

My third pick relates to a post from a few weeks ago (I'm hooked), where I mentioned my idea of mixing and matching coat hooks. It's these über-cute sparrow hooks, which cost just $20 (£13) for two. I just love them.

Talking stripes

2009-03-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

I've got just one image for you today. I found it on desiretoinspire.net and it's the work of Mads Mogensen. As I'm currently planning the decoration of my living room this one just "spoke" to me. The painted stripes are smart but playful, and work well with simple furnishings. Not too sure I can stick to that though!

Space invaders

2009-03-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

Yet another post from decor8 caught my eye today. Check out the space invader tiling in the kitchen. It's so simple but incredible none-the-less. I'm also loving the fact that owls are appearing in home furnishings so much this year. Very wise!

Domestic bliss

2009-03-22T05:40:00.000-07:00

The lovely people at Decor8 have bought another lovely selection of items to my attention today. They showcased the work of Domestic Candy, aka Kerstin from Germany and I simply had to share it with you. It's perfect for spring, and most definitely ideal for the Easter weekend.

Clipped wings

2009-03-21T15:09:00.000-07:00

I'll keep it short and sweet today.

Everyone needs cute items on their desk in order to feel inspired. This has to be one of the cutest out there, and was brought to my attention by Rare Bird Finds.

This chirping bird paper clip holder from Perpetual Kid doesn't only keep all your paper clips in one place, but it chirps when you remove one from its body.

And the best part is that it costs just £14.99 (£10.40). Bargain!

Spinging to life

2009-03-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

The weather here in Bath is gorgeous at the moment. I'm starting to remember what spring and summer are like. It's been so long since we had those seasons that they seem a distant memory.

On account of spring being in full force, I thought I'd share a few of my favourite images of the day with you.

Rice pudding

2009-03-19T11:55:00.001-07:00

I know I've been giving you quite a few websites lately but there are so many gorgeous sites out there that I just can't resist.

Jo (see Sofa so Good) showed me this beautiful site today, called Rice. Not only is the site itself sumptuous (with it's own theme track and beautiful design), but its products are extremely cute, and remind me a lot of DutchByDesign.co.uk.

Here are some of my favourite items:

What a (curious) state

2009-03-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

You are in for a treat today.

First up, and in the same vein as the Ork posters I told you about a few weeks ago, are these fabulous United Plates. These screen prints are made by John Wayne Holcomb, and are based on the outlines of the US states and, as the name suggests, food.

Here are a couple of my favourites:

Next up is a beautiful site that I stumbled on today, The Curiosity Shoppe. It's overflowing with all sorts of cute nick-nacks for your beautiful home, and none of them are over-priced.

Here are a few of my favourite items:

The site is full of items just as cute as this. Check it out now.

Present & Correct

2009-03-16T04:52:00.000-07:00

I've got another great website for you to look at now. Present&Correct is the place to go for pretty prints, unusual notebooks, and sweet stationery.

Sweet as honey

2009-03-16T04:20:00.000-07:00

Listen up. I've just found a site overflowing with beautiful metalwork for your home.
Beehive Kitchenwareare an American husband-and-wife team, who set out to produce items that are as beautiful as they functional.

They succeeded, as you will see in the beautiful images below. If only they had more stockists in the UK.

Truly stumped

2009-03-16T03:39:00.000-07:00

I pretty much live to lounge around at home, which is why this tree stump floor pillow caught my eye.

It makes hanging around in your pyjamas almost acceptably cool, which is great news for me!

This is just another great product to come from the world of Etsy. After recently blogging about wall transfers, the selection I just found on Etsy simply had to be flagged up.

Transfer your affections

2009-03-13T06:35:00.000-07:00

I know wall transfers have been around for a while now, but I'd just like to take this opportunity to say how much I love them. They create a funky, unusual focal point in a room, and can be changed quickly to give your wall an entirely different look, without the fuss and expense of redecorating.

You can now buy transfers in both boutiques like Marmarco, and multi-national furnishing shops such as Ikea and Cargo.

They don't cost a great deal, but will wow everyone who walks into your home so I strongly recommend investing in a few right now.

In a right mood

2009-03-12T15:01:00.000-07:00

I love mood boards, really I do. I actually love them so much that I have now moved on to having mood books, which are scrap books full of my favourite images

I think it's really important to have inspiring images around your home, and I cannot shout loudly enough about having a mood board near the area in which you work (if, like me, you often work at home).

I was reminded of this when I saw this image on Chocolate Creative, featuring a fabulous collection of items over the desk. Personally I'm not a fan of the "all white" look – it's far too clinical – but the mood board looks very inviting.

From Chocolate Creative: White heaven

Sofa so good

2009-03-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

Today I want to shout about the fabulous work of my friend, Jo. Jo is an upholsterer who took up the craft after interviewing an upholsterer for a magazine.

She was so intrigued by the experience that she took a night course to learn the skill, and now she upholsters sofas, dining chairs, chaise longues etc in the hours that surround her day job and home life.

Jo is an extremely bubbly person, and this is reflected in her stunning furniture, which is often brightly coloured and always beautifully finished.

If you live anywhere near Bath I strongly recommend commissioning Jo to upholster a statement piece for your home. You will be able to rest assured that nobody else in the whole world will have the same item as you, and the the quality will be second to none.

To see more examples of Jo's work go to joannaheptinstall.weebly.com, and you can reach Jo at joannaheptinstall@btopenworld.com.

I'm hooked

2009-03-09T14:58:00.000-07:00

I've decided that rather than having a row of hooks for coats in the hallway, I'm just going to put up a variety of hooks of all sorts of shapes and sizes. Afterall there are too many cute hooks in the world.

I've seen this done elsewhere but was reminded of the idea after seeing this cute koi fish hook on Rare Bird Finds. I strongly recommend this site if, like me, you're hooked on interior design.

Walk all over your house

2009-03-07T13:31:00.000-08:00

Often your doormat is the first chance you have to give a hint of the personalities residing in a house, so I think it's vital that yours tell your visitors something about you.

That being said, if you were to purchase this doormat from Rebecca Chitty's site Product of Your Environment, you may seem just a little bit paranoid.

It's full of personality though, as are all the other items on Rebecca's site. I like all of them but I love the TV and picture frame pillow cases, and the "Disturbed" door hanger (below).

This is the site to go to if you want your home to be so cool that it hurts.

Time flies

2009-03-06T14:39:00.000-08:00

Today's post is dedicated to this beautiful butterfly clock that's currently on sale at Heal's. Made by German designer Susanne Philippson, it costs more than I would feel comfortable spending on a clock (£117), but, all the same, it really is beautiful.

I just love the effect created by the "fleeing" butterflies. And the hot pink makes it perfect for colour lovers such as myself. It would simply amazine in a funky kitchen.

Pretty as a picture

2009-03-04T13:47:00.000-08:00

The way in which you display your favourite things can times their effect by 100. I'm becoming more of an art fiend with every passing day, so when I saw this beautiful bedroom on Desire to Inspire, I felt I had to flag it up.

Interior expert Rees Roberts has grouped together 11 bold, cartoon-style pictures, to bring
a fun and personal feel to the room. This is counter-balanced by the grown-up, monotone, cityscape blinds over the large windows.

The fact that there is very little colour elsewhere in the room allows the art to really take centre stage.

I always try to add an element of fun to my own interior design, so this combination of fun and mature really appeals to me. Good work.

A case study for your bathroom

2009-03-03T13:17:00.000-08:00

You wake up in the morning, pad slowly into your bathroom, reach into your bathroom cabinet for your facial wash, and remember as you do so that you own the coolest vanity cabinet in the planet, and suddenly you are ready to face the day.

I imagine this is what would happen if you owned one of these amazing vanity cabinets, available for sale through Etsy. The exterior is in the style of an old-fashioned suitcase and comes complete with a luggage lable.

It has a fabulous "General Map of the World" on the inside of the door, a contractible mirror, two fittings for bulbs and cute little draws.

I dream of the morning that I get my toothbrush out of a cabinet as cool as this one.

Double Dutch? Definitely not

2009-03-02T13:37:00.001-08:00

While flicking through the latest issue of Living Etc I found a photo of a crazily original chandelier. It's not a stuffy chandelier though, oh no no. This is a there's-not-a-bit-of-seriousness-in-me chandelier that was made of brightly coloured glass.

And the best news? It costs just £85. I'm sure you can understand why I rushed straight to the url that was listed alongside the image, dutchbydesign.com. And boy was I not disappointed.

This site is overloaded with interesting and unusual items which are fun and slightly off trend, just as I love 'em. There really are so many fabulous items that it really would take all day for me to add all the images of items I love here, so I strongly advise you to whizz on over to dutchbydesign.com after you've finished here.

Just to whet your appetite though, here are some of the best items.

How Bazaar

2009-03-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

While rummaging around in the wonderful Bloomsbury today, I found a beautiful book that really "spoke" to me. Bazaar Style is full of beautiful photographs showing how people have made stunning rooms consisting primarily of flea market and junk shop finds.

This is not only a great coffee-book table for our thrifty day and age, but real hands-on advice for those of us who like to create gorgeous rooms that are like nothing anybody's seen before. It's now marked as "Highest Priority" on my Amazon Wish List.

Welcoming spring home

2009-02-28T13:34:00.000-08:00

Spring has now most definitely sprung and it's time to fall in love with your home all over again. In light of this I want to draw your attention to some of the most interesting and beautiful points of inspiration that I've come across over the last few days.

First up is the innovative work of Peter Callesen, who works largely with white paper. I particularely like his piece entitled Fall, which shows a skeleton that cleverly takes the place of a tree's shadow.

Next is today's post from desipiretoinspire.net, which rounds up some of the most beautiful images to be found on Absolutely Beautiful Things. Together the two sites have brought together a collection of inspiring and refreshing images, that are all you need to convince you about the wonder of the world of interior design.

Next up is this bloomin' amazing bed, captured in the beautiful photography of Brian Park, and featured in House and Garden magazine. How could anyone who sleeps in a bed like this fail to wake up with a spring in their step?

And while we're celebrating fabulous uses of colour, it would be foolish of me not to point you back in the direction of desiretoinspire.net, and their celebration of the work of Molly Luetkemeyer, to be found at mdesignla.com.

Last but by no means least, it's time to take it to the floor with funonthefloor.com. Carpet shopping no longer be boring thanks to these fabulously fun floor-fillers. My personal favourite is the flower power carpet. I imagine it makes it far easier to get the kids up those apples and pears!

So there are just a few of my favourite interior design links of the moment. Have you lot found any that you'd like to shout about? If so, please let me know.

Shine a light

2009-02-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

Today I stumbled upon this great article, flagging up 40 of the most creative lamps ever. I think they're genius and particularly love the mushroom lamps, the Titanic light, Torn Lighting, the Alien Abduction lamp, Nymph, Tall & Tiny and the Duck Lamp. If you need to shed a funky light on your home, indulge yourself by buying your favourite. What a statement it would make.

A grand idea

2009-02-24T12:57:00.000-08:00

If, like me, you love Grand Designs, grab a bottle of vino and play the Grand Designs drinking game next time you're watching Kevin raising his eyebrows at another ambitious self-builder.

Image by sunface13

Sheer delight

2009-02-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

Last night I stumbled upon a site overflowing with cool furnishings. Sheerhome.co.uk offers beautiful and luxurious products, all of which would make the perfect statement piece for any room.

The wall hangings and stickers are the items that really made me fall in love with this site. They're simple but beautiful, and quirky in a way that I adore (I always fall for things that slightly twist conventions.)

There are also great curtains, headboards, cushions and bedroom furniture, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Check it out now!

Take note

2009-02-20T03:24:00.000-08:00

When walking the streets of Auckland last summer we stumbled across a great little stationery shop that is a grown-up version of Paperchase.

Don't get me wrong, I adore Paperchase, but kikki.K takes notebooks, files and home organization to an altogether more sophisticated level.

It offers cute folders purposely designed for functions such as wedding planning, money management, home organization and baby expecting, and the cutest post-it notes you've ever seen (below).

When we returned back to Blighty I was gutted to discover that the postage cost from Australia is so much, and am yet to make an order, but if you don't mind coughing it up I cannot recommend ordering from kikki.K enough. Oh but, if you do, please let me know. I'll split the postage with you!

Pop art

2009-02-20T03:01:00.000-08:00

Spring has sprung and it's time to give our homes a new lease of life. A cheap but effective way to do this is to buy a piece of art that you love and to hang it in a funky frame.

This doesn't have to be expensive. My latest poster purchase is in the form of the amazingly cool Ork NYC poster, see above.

Ork divide a map into areas and then label that entire area with its name in bold type. It makes for a stylish and eye-catching image, and combined with an chunky black Ikea frame costs a grand total of £40. Not bad for an artistic statement. Ork also produce maps of numerous other US cities.

I also recently struck artistic gold at a Keane gig of all places. Most band posters feature band members thrashing about on stage, or posing moodily. At the Keane gig however we found a long, thin illustration-style poster full of beautiful imagery, that wouldn't look out of place in a kid's bedroom.

It cost us a measily £5 and although we are yet to find a frame to fit it, once we do I know it will take pride of place in our home.

Anyone else got any tips for cheap decorative features?

It's a small world afterall

2009-02-18T02:50:00.000-08:00

Do you love architecture? I know I do. If you wish to own your own versions of the world's best buildings all you need to is invest in a heap of Lego bricks. Check out the Beethan Tower website for 20 that have already been made.

I would love to have a go at making Stonehenge. I shall start trawling charity shops for Lego!

PS Shedding light on fab Ikea range

2009-02-18T01:54:00.000-08:00

I simply have to show you this fabulous wonky Ikea lamp. It is part of the ps range which is unfortunately only available in Sweden at the moment but I seriously hope that changes soon. The whole range is innovative and fun.

Elle's belles

2009-02-16T08:30:00.000-08:00

Anyone who loves interior design as I do simply must subscribe to the Elle Decoration blog. I can never wait for the next issue of the magazine to come out and now I don't have to. It keeps you completely up-to-date with the world of home decor, and is a bit more playful than the magazine. I still adore that though.

My favourite post so far was The Cat House, which was posted at the end of last week.

I forwarded it straight to my fiance as part of my argument for us getting a pet. I don't think it convinced him. Surprising!

Are there any other interior design blogs out there that I should be subscribing to?

Butterfly dreams

2007-09-21T12:28:00.000-07:00

I have to recommend a great artist based in the Bath area. I stumbled upon him after he had a few paintings displayed in my local Starbucks. He paints all my favourite themes including sunsets and oriental landscapes but most importantly he paints funky paintings with a butterfly theme.

Anyone who knows me will know that butterfly designs are my thing and I can't wait to have the painting hanging up in my home. He is very accommodating so check out his work and treat yourself to something funky and special.

Oriental cutey

2007-09-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Pier has to be one of my favourite shops. It's always full of interesting but affordable objects that somehow all seem to match my interior styles.

One of their best ever items though has to be this oriental figurine. She's really cute, is about 30cm tall and the best part is that she costs just £12.

She could be used as an isolated piece (as shown left) or amongst other objects of a similar theme.

Check out her and similar cool items at The Pier.

Welcome to Decs and the City

2007-08-25T23:32:00.000-07:00

For a long time now I have had an obsession with interior design. Because however, I have never been a homeowner, I have always been limited in the ways that I can implement my ideas. I know that many others face the same problem.

Another issue that I often have to contend with, like many others in rental properties, is the fact that I mostly rent inner-city properties that are often limited in space.

Decs in the City will be a blog about easy ways to make the most of "your" home. It will feature lovely knick-knacks that can help personalise your space, tips for saving space, and news about cool new products and decorating techniques.

Think Living Etc and Elle Decoration for those without much time, space, flexibility and in most cases money.

Make your house a home.