love this...

{available here}

I LOVE this guy! Now, if only I had somewhere to put him? Or £89 to spend on a faux deer head. 

Love B x

I love...Bird Vases

{available here}

How sweet are these white ceramic bird vases from Graham & Green? I love the sparrow. I don't know whether I could add it to our home though - what with the owl bookends, the Picasso Penguin print {I don't think I've shown you that} and the two real life budgies {Gilbert & Sullivan - I don't know if I've told you about them too!} I'd be worried about looking like we have a bird of a bird obsession. Still, I think they're so lovely!

Love B x

Art Attack

I had a couple of days all to myself this week and I knew I wanted to do something with them. I've been on a bit of an art kick recently, trying to add things to our flat. It all seems to add up pretty quickly though so, having bought one piece of art {and wanting plenty more} I decided to turn my hand to making a couple bits and pieces.

Now, I'm not daft so I am aware of my limited drawing skills but I love pieces like this and this and I thought the graphic black and white would look great against the bright green walls of our kitchen. With that inspiration in mind I hunted down these graphics online and, armed with a £3 9x12" canvas and a packet of 99p permanent markers, I set to work.

It was pretty simple to be honest with you. I split the canvas up into measured sections to give myself a rough idea of the spacing between each doodle and then set to work copying out the images with a pencil.  The best part is that you can be pretty rough at this part knowing that the marker will cover most of the sketch.

After that, it was simply a case of colouring in the outline, and rubbing out any remaining pencil drawings...

Until I was happy with the result!

What do you think? I'm really pleased with how it turned out, considering it cost me under a fiver and only took about 30 minutes. I bought a few larger canvases whilst I was there and I've got another couple ideas up my sleeve so I'll post about how those turned out too.

Love B x

Interior Style

I've just been going over my Pinterest images. There's definitely a theme going through my little board for the home. I love homes based around neutral colours, with details that give it interest and pops of colour as well as well curated {and well loved} objects that make it truly look like a home.  Whilst I can admire modern and minimalist design, it couldn't be further from my own aesthetic. I simply can't imagine living in that kind of space. I am far too keen on my knick knacks {and I have far too many shoes and clothes to ever be able to hide in a minimal white space}. I think it's why I love old Edinburgh flats - ours certainly has plenty of period details. I can't wait to get my hands on a space that I can decorate.  Want to see some of the images I have stashed away for future inspiration?

{all via my Pinterest}

What do you think?

Love B x

Dining

I love this space.  It's saved in my inspiration folder though and I can't remember where I came across it - any ideas? Anyway, like I said, love it: the dark wood table with the pale grey sofas and bright cushions makes for a brilliant combination that looks as inviting as it is stylish. The light fitting as well, is to die for. What a gorgeous place to sit and eat breakfast. I love the mishmash of vases too: I find fresh flowers always lift a space.

And don't get me started on the dog. In my head a pet always takes things from house to home.

Love B x

Zara Home

As a follow up to the H&M home post a did a few days ago, I quickly expanded my search to Zara Home. I am a huge Zara fan. It's style, quick turn around of trends and accessories range all mean I could quite happily kit myself out mainly in their clothes {throw in some Whistles and Reiss and I'd be seriously happy}.  Anyway, their home range is no exception when it comes to making me lust after it.  I wish wish wish we had a homeware store near us.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but off the top of my head any I've seen tend to be abroad in Europe {perhaps further afield?}.  Anyway, this is when I am grateful for the invention of internet shopping {my credit card, not so much}. I love that their signature simple, elegant, yet stylish look is carried over equally well into their home line.  Again, here's a round up of just a few of my favourites:

I love these little place name holders:

Chic salt & pepper dish:

Canapes anyone? {Don't really have much of a use for a canape dish but thought it was too lovely to leave out!}:

Perfect tray for holding all your knick knacks.  Maybe by the front door {a new key bowl?} or on your dressing table for removing all your jewellery at night:

Love this ikat print frame:

More chevron anyone?

This rug would be perfect in our hallway. It's entirely turquoise {I know} and devoid of natural light so I'm trying to lighten it up with my accessory choices:

Perfect to hang hand towels in a bathroom:

If you're like me, you're constantly chilly. It gets on my nerves having blankets thrown over armchairs all the time so I thought this would be perfect to roll them up in:

As soon as we have both the need and the space, I am desperate to do this DIY that did the rounds a while back. Wouldn't this make a chic addition {though not quite the price I was looking for!}:

They have a brilliant sale on as well at the mo, so it's definitely worth checking out!  I think it has just that right mix of chic, subtle colour palettes with interesting patterns and design details that make for lovely little additions to your home.

What do you think?

Love B x

To clarify, this post was even more image heavy to begin with. I've cut it right back, meaning I didn't include my other 9 million favourites that I could easily have added. The site is definitely worth a browse.

H&M Home

I love H&M.  Despite the fact that you often have to trawl through rail upon rail of {often random} clothes,  it often comes up with some absolute gems as well as being a reliable source of basics.  What I have found slightly infuriating was watching the prices creep up, but I suppose that is true of almost all high street retailers.  Regardless, I was mega impressed with the price point of their home ware range. There were plenty of lovely pieces, all at reasonable prices.  Fabulous for the little touches - cushions, place mats, towels - that you add to your home but might want to swap out.  From my point of view, we live in rented, furnished accommodation in a property with a lot of character {no sleek modern interiors here} so anything I buy for this home, I want to be able to pack up and take with us when we leave.  Here are a few of my favourites:

What do you think? Does anyone know what the quality is like {or should I just assume hit & miss?}. My personal favourite are the black and white chevron cushion covers and the graphic cutlery tea towel. Looking at the images collectively I do seem to have gone a bit chevron crazy, oops! I'm a big fan on the simple, graphic black and white. All of the above are available here for between £2.99 and £15.99. Hopefully they'll be winging their way to me shortly...

Love B x

Serene

{via}

How peaceful does this home work space look? So light and calming.  What a brilliant place to work from home {and an even better space to stop and reflect in}.  I love the light, airy feel the room has and the simplicity of it all.

Love B x

Nooks

I love the idea of having a space in my home almost perfectly designed for curling up with a cup of tea, a book or a stash of magazines.  On the grey days that so often grace Edinburgh, it would be lovely to be able to curl up and watch the world pass by outside. We've got a deep, buttery soft leather chair that would makes for the perfect space to curl up in. And I'd be happy to spend an hour or so in it - especially if my little nook was as lovely as these...

{via}

{via}

I do find myself torn though between the comforting, warm and inviting palettes of the above images and the bright airy feeling of these spaces...

{via}

{via}

And this one I just love even though it is wholly impractical to dedicate a room in your home to something like this.  Isn't it just dreamy? Imagine snuggling up here of an evening...

{via}

This last one though, truly has my heart. One day, I would love a space just like this in my home...

{via}

The extensive book collection, little vase of roses, comfortable seating and modern lighting? All perfect together.

If I'm going to insist on some essentials there needs to be a throw of some sort, a stash of magazines or a good book, good lighting, a cup of tea {and maybe a sliver of cake...} and preferably both a fireplace and a window nearby.

Love B x

Blue Velvet

{via ApartmentTherapy}

I am in love with this eclectic living room: it's interesting without verging on unnecessarily quirky {something I could not put up with!}.  I particularly love the big blue velvet sofa. I can just imagine curling up with a book, or with a glass of wine and a film. Our current {furnished} space has the teeniest sofa you can imagine, not good if you don't fancy cuddling up to the person sat next to you {not ideal if you do either, it's a bit cramped!} so I can't wait til we finally have a bit sofa to sprawl over! And this one just looks so inviting!  The woods really add warmth to the otherwise neutral backdrop too and I am mad over the print and pops of colour from the chaise longue. Personally, I'm mad keen on spaces that keep the base colour palette quite calm and bring all the noise with the furniture and little details.

It's definitely the velvet sofa in this picture that draws me in though. I love the texture, character and depth it brings to the room.  Just like these two examples:

{via Lonny}

{via PureStyleHome}

Obviously, in all of the above, the velvet sofa is just one beautiful detail amongst many but I still can't help but be drawn to it.

Love B x


By the way, Fourteen Days of Food is going to take a brief hiatus until I return from London on Sunday.  All those good intentions to pre-emptively bake/cook? Yeah, they didn't happen. Sozzles!


x

Retreat

{Jamie Herzlinger via PeppermintBliss}

How calm and serene is this bedroom? Don't you just want to dive right under the covers? I can see myself lounging about on a Sunday morning surrounded by the Sunday papers, delicious breakfast in bed and a huge cup of tea.  Bliss.

Even though our current bedroom looks nothing like this {does yours?!} there are still so many details that could be easily incorporated into our room: the vases of fresh flowers, the cozy throws, well chosen lighting and the crisp white {impossibly fluffy looking and inviting} bedding are all fairly straightforward additions.  The neutral colour pallette of so many rented flats {including ours - though our turquoise hallway is another matter} sets the perfect starting point for creating a calm and inviting bedroom space

Love B x

Owls

{via}

Ahhhhh, I am in LOVE with this little guy! Isn't he sweet? Just the right amount of whimsy mixed with classic white ceramic.  He'd be right at home on my dressing table. Love love love it.

Love B x

BHLDN

BHLDN have finally launched the decor portion of their collection and it can only be described as beautiful. Whilst not planning a wedding any time soon {you can exhale if you're reading this babe!} I can't help but linger over the designs.  Especially because I can imagine most of them being used time and time again for any number of parties and celebrations. Hell, I'd even buy them for that reason in the first place: they'd add beautiful finishing touches to your dinner party and the flowers, bunting and fans would make fabulous additions to any outdoor celebrations.  Here's a few rather a lot of my favourites from the site...

via {BHLDN}

I couldn't help myself! I had to pick them all!

Love

B

x