In today’s Guardian lots of last minute super speedy tips from some of the most creative minds around including moi, I’m incredibly flattered to say certainly worth checking it out. From creating an instant fancy dinner table (one of my top tips) to making your pad instantly festive.
Thank you for all your lovely messages yesterday happy holidays again,
xx
Last post of the year from me, which sounds weird hey as I keep thinking the holidays are weeks away but nope they are just round the corner. Yesterday Christmas did actually come early as an advanced copy of my book arrived and it looks fabulous cannot wait for you guys to see. It’s published in Australia to tie in with my seminar at Decoration and Design early February in Sydney. Infact I will be book signing after the seminar if anyone fancies hanging around after and yabbering (more on that in the new year). Everywhere else its published end of March so we have to be a little more patient.
So I didn’t want to wind down without thanking you guys for reading my yabberings each and every day, for all your support, kind words, encouragement, questions. I get asked a lot why do I get up so early to write a blog, that doesn’t pay, that isn’t a commercial vehicle for the store (I hate pushing products) so what’s the point? The point is you guys, hearing that someone has converted across to the dark side and loves it, or added a few more quirky bits and adores it, or has just got a little bit more confident to create a home that they love that’s the reason. That’s why I do it, I am obsessed with interiors, you pretty much know that right? Its so addictive, its so life changing so when other people get the same buzz the same high, that heart pounding faster experience (you normally get when you meet the love of your life) but you can also get through dabbling around with your interior it gives me the biggest feeling of euphoria. So that’s why I do it.
Have a lovely Christmas, holiday season and New Year, I’m back in a week and a half.
Until then happy holidays
With only a few days left until the big day I wanted to post a heap of little finishing touches should any of you be hosting Christmas this year and felt like upping the style ratings. Taken from one of my favourite pads, odd actually that its my fav as its a tad traditional for me, but it feels so lived in and loved and personal to the owners (Kate and Andy Spade).
I’ve mentioned this before and if you can stand it I’ll mention it again. Create a bar any old surface will do, but its great for softening empty nooks and creating interest. Add a lamp and it gets even more interesting especially at night.
Heap family photos on mass, those below are in the coolest little frames but you’ll find when you cluster in a group rather than plonking the odd one here or there they will feel more like a little art installation.
Books, books books and more books on consoles, little tables, coffee tables they give a room depth and I’ve got them everyone. It’s the easiest trick in the decorating book.
If you’ve got to add more furniture to accommodate all the guests don’t worry about it. In my pad, in the Spades pad you can’t walk in a straight line from one end of the room to the other, as there is stuff in the way so you have to meander, weave, chart your own path and you know what happens? Automatically your senses are activated and the space feels more interesting than it really is. You can’t clock it in an instant your eye tarts from one vignette to another, LOVE IT! It feels scary at first putting stuff in the middle of the room as opposed to round the perimeter but I promise you it’s the equivivalent of giving your room a face lift its life changing!
Add some art to walls, hell be braver place above doorways like the Spades have done. Kids art, prints, flea market stuff, magazine tears in a frame again it adds so much depth.
Have a great Thursday, its supposed to bucket it down all day apparently so other than a quick dash to Islington it’s a big fire, a scented candle and an afternoon of quietly working away in my studio.
Life can sometimes be a little strange; juggling many balls in the air hoping none will fall down. A day more or less typical went like this a week or so ago. Come up with a scheme for the Beckman’s’ possible new London pad for the Times, take the two M’s for a walk, be interviewed by the Guardian on bicycle taxidermy (I kid you not), list the trends for a US magazine for 2013, approve new models for next collection, eat something (soup) I think, conceptualise and mood board new mini magazine, take kids for another walk, finalise dates for Australian trip Feb 2013, write a press release, feed birds, feed dogs, light fire, light candles, move a few accessories around on a shelf that weren’t working, stand around, ponder, sigh put them back in original position. Bed
Its called being a jack of all trades and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but every time I think I’ve nailed a room here the smallest tinniest little voice in my head is always muttering not quite good enough Ahern could do better. So on we go constantly striving to nail each and every room in that perfectly imperfect way. I can’t imagine a day when there is no voice, most times its quietly mumbling in the background so I can pretty much get on with what I am doing. Sometimes it’s so loud I have to literally stop, move the darn accessories around, or relocate the chair or switch the painting and then I can get back to work. On the weekend I brought a painting. ‘oh that’s Johnny Fletcher’ said the bloke that sold it to me , one of Lucien’s earliest works. Right for £20 quid I think not but who cares. I whizzed home with no problem placing him, infact with bundles of food shopping, papers, dogs on leads and other stuff there was no putting away the produce everything got plonked on the hall floor. I whizzed upstairs to grab a nail and hammer banged it into the wall (no measuring or farting around, no voice this time) and wham bam looks bloomin cool!
The point you ask, oh yes the point it never gets finished no matter when you think you’ve nailed it and you possibly couldn’t do anything better, different or add something else, WRONG. It’s always evolving, always changing not changing in big shattering type ways just little tweaks.
Oh on top of that we got these amazing table lamps in on Friday- bobbly, hairy, super sized everything a lamp should be and I’ve naughtily bagged a few for me. Only ordered 5 it’s taken the artist like 4 months to make and I haven’t taken the remaining few to the store. Why, can’t stand too in case they get sold, and I can’t show you either in case you might want them sorry! I have one in the bedroom and one in the living room (no voice this time either they look perfect) but I also want one in the hall, one in the kitchen, one in the bathroom, hell even one in the loo I don’t care where!
It’s causing a few maritals to say the least! When I say a few times that by one thousand!
Oh and an image below, doesn’t relate to todays yabberings I just rather like the colours.
Happy Wednesday
The reason I am so obsessed with design or decorating (if I want to make it sound more laid back casual) is because I seriously believe it changes lives and can make you happier. I talk from experience because I can honestly say it’s made me so much happier. Yesterday walking back through the dark streets from the physio I came upon a home with a single light in the living room. Get this a single low energy bulb suspended from a piece of white flex in the living room nothing else on the lighting front! There was also a glitter ball in the window (can’t quite deal with both problems on one day so we will stick with the lighting issue) I stopped and peaked through some more, one sofa, one chair, one coffee table and a big TV. No stuff, no pictures, flowers, lighting, rugs, no stuff. No stuff on the coffee table, nothing!
I didn’t bang on the door and yell ‘design police’ you have undertaken a criminal design offence off to jail you go, I wanted to but hey each to there own I thought. If that makes you happy go for it, but does it? Maybe, great if so, no looking at a zillion interior images a day, trawling flea markets at 6.30 am, scouring eBay and other online sites – no sirree.
This is a personal viewpoint obviously but things that make a home happy is stuff, personal stuff it doesn’t have to cost a fortune, it can if you want but it has to mean something. I say this a thousand times a day (apologises) but if you want to create a memorable interior, one where you will never ever want to leave you have to start layering. Books on side tables, lamps, t-lights, candles on mantles, stuff. When I’m on the way home I often times envision my pad, lights softly glowing, fire quietly crackling, sofa squishy and comfy, the two M’s bounding up at me the minute the key goes in and it makes me happy. Coming home to a room with nothing in it, and a single low energy bulb wouldn’t make me happy but that’s me.
Some images below, just things that someone loves that make up a tableau and show us, the sticky beaks that whoever lives here loves their pad.
A couple of weeks ago Style Magazine (The Times) asked me and 2 other (super cool) designers to design a London home for the Beckhams should they consider relocating to London. Yesterday full page spread in the mag of my mutterings as seen below, it was a fabulous thing to do, got carried away of course and spent a night last week dreaming of what could be done to their whole house.
I actually think there is quite alot to be learned from the Beckham’s, Victoria in particular – raising above all the negative press, relentless horrible comments that dogged her for years to follow her own path, and successfully create what she is today. When you dare to be different, negativity I hate to say tends to follow it goes with the territory.
I don’t mind criticism I mean I can’t say I love it but it actually doesn’t bother me what I find worse are the little jibes or underhand comments dressed up as humour. Odd no? In America having lived there for quite a few years there is such a different attitude to success, its embraced, encouraged its congratulated over here its a little different. Obviously I’m not talking about everyone true friends are true friends its more those casual acquaintances you bump into in the street or in the park that you don’t know so well who you can see thinking ‘how the hell is she doing so well when her interiors are so dark and so designed’. Hence the underhand comments dressed up as humour. Ignore I say if you go dark, if you play around with scale if you add a few more focal points then just one, hell if you care about your interiors and make it anything other than dullsville white you will get the piss taken out of you. Fom extended family, from neighbours, from casual acquaintances from the milkman to the postman its fair game I hate to say.
Don’t quite get why but lets not worry about that!
Ignore it all and decorate as you want to decorate and stay above it. I go to white houses all the time and I don’t hyperventilate or reach for the Prozac or a knife I might have to secretly regulate my breathing but nobody knows about that other than me. I don’t take the piss and I don’t sneer I am always always polite.
Dark cocooning interiors are not a fad infact they have been around for yonks and at least whilst I’m alive they are staying that way.
Is this sounding like a right old rant, its not meant to I just need to get it off my chest!
Link and images below:
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/style/homes_and_gardens/interiors/article1173897.ece
How is it Friday already, crazy, more over how is it nearly the end of the year even crazier! New year resolutions are quite simple this time round, get a better work/life balance (pretty sure that is not going to happen) collect more art, re-do the bathroom (hate it) oh and go do Pilates and swim for 2 hours a day (right). Told you they were simple.
The art thing I am serious about, I’ve neglected it a bit which is incredibly lazy of me and yet it’s so transformative. You don’t need a big budget to get some seriously cool art, I’ve picked up some fabulous finds at auction houses and vintage shops you just need time something I never seem to have enough off, but I’m making time. Katie and Andy Spades pad in NY which I have shown a zillion times is full to brim of art, expensive art, cheap art, flea market art you walk into anyone of their rooms and you immediately want to linger longer and take it all in.
In my early days of living here I had nothing on the walls not a thing – my life is so chaotic I want to come home to a neutral calm space I remember telling someone. What a load of BS in other words I have no idea where to start and it’s easier to make myself believe I want a calm neutral space than step out of the box and push things. I look back now at the images of our house white and I honestly shudder, so bland, so boring what was I thinking? Actually I wasn’t thinking I hadn’t yet converted across to the dark side and I had no idea how addictive it was. Once you start daring to be different there is no going back, back then in the white minimal days I didn’t put the key in the door and smile or feel my spirits raise on walking thru I didn’t think anything. These days the moment I am thru that door some kind of magic envelopes me, no matter how tough the day its a bit like taking a massive glug of whisky suddenly I feel mellow and contended.
Anwyas I digress, even if you start in a small way with the odd print or flea market art find banged up salon style (aka higgledy piggledy) in a alcove see what happens. You’ll be drawn to it the minute you enter the room, and then imagine another alcove or blank wall with some other art, way hey before you know it you’ve created some darn cool focal points, tantalised the eye and raised the spirits. Easy no?
An image to inspire as all to collect more art.
Have a lovely weekend – for us Borough market, potter along the south bank maybe a Royal Park for the two M’s oh and I fancied Notting hill but that’s pushing it in a day.
One more thing one of our lovely staff is leaving so we are looking for a full time position for our Islington store, please send any CVs to admin@atelierbypost.com
Yesterday got up early penned a post on dining rooms, pressed publish or so I thought carried on my day only to find I hadn’t published at all so I’m attempting it again. No I don’t have a document outlining all my posts for the week, I get up drink coffee sit in my pyjamas and shoot from the cuff. Unprofessional? Possibly, but then this isn’t a blog like most others. I’m not showcasing the latest products from who ever, I’m not scanning in images from the latest mags and giving my opinions I am merely giving as many tips, tricks and know how for you guys to create the coolest rooms on the planet. Advice from hands on experience in the field, and although my attitude may seem a tad devil my care my delivery and the execution on any of my projects is always every time exceedingly calculated. I am deadly serious about interiors I just don’t think you need to be sombre or up your own (you know what) in order to be taken seriously! Or maybe you do, will think some more on that one!
So onto dining rooms. Why are dining rooms so dour I ask myself time and time again? If they are in an open plan environment there is a little more chance they’re cool, if in a room of there own oh dear, dullsville! My theory goes the least amount of time you spend in a room the least loved it feels. So if you have a space that you only entertain in once a week/month/year then the chances are it’s going to feel a tad neglected. Whereas when you spend more time in a room you get to see all its fault (a bit like a relationship no)? and you can sort of work on them, or so the theory goes.
Because the table takes up the largest space and is the main focal point we’ve got to introduce one of two other focals to pull the eye left right and centre. So a fab artwork, a cool colour on a wall, a rug anything that takes the attention away from the table. Also any empty alcoves or walls layer up – whether that’s with an impromptu bar (couple of bottles of plonk, cool little lamp, bunch of blooms, you’ve nailed it) or whether that’s a shelf (one of the coolest buys in this house is a besta burs shelf from Ikea) its all about layers. Layers add intrigue, intrigue creates excitement it’s as simple as that!
Fairy lights are great for dining rooms draped over your bar or shelf, B&Q (yes really B&Q) do the coolest ones this season. Tiny little pinpricks of light, I think they are called glow worm or soft glow but check the box they are the smallest bulbs ever and soft and warm, pretty cool. From the market last week we picked up bare branches which I’ve stuck in pots and draped lights over – too darn cool for school and lovely for dining rooms. Then lots of little pots of herbs, again from the market bunches or rosemary, bay, or anything scented like eucalyptus amazing for this time of year.
OK me done hopefully this will publish. Mr Adler’s holiday pad below, a fabulous very Adlerish dining room. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it feels totally and utterly lived in and loved, hard to achieve for a holiday abode.
Oh and I need to come up with a million quid like immediately. I’ve seen a watermill in Bedford New York which is to die for. In the woods, massive roaring fires in every room was thinking I could relocate and then flit back and forth to London like once a month. I could turn part of it into a school you could all come for the weekend, I could bake…
A big thank you to everyone who attended the Christmas class on the weekend, Gem and I had a fabulous day, wreath making, flower making, mulled wine and mince pies loved it!
Early next year I fly back to Australia (yay hay) as I’m the keynote speaker at Decoration and Design where I will be talking about Decorating with Style and launching my new book of the very same title. Cannot wait, I’m speaking on the 6th and 8th and will be book signing afterwards plus loitering around if anyone has any questions. You can book tickets thru the link attached. Additionally I will be holding one retail class to be held in Sydney on the 7th. Regrettably I can not add any more days on this visit its another zap in and out trip as my schedule is bonkers, and as much as I tried juggling and trying to squeeze in Melbourne and other cities we just can’t manage it this time round apologises.
The retail class is for anyone who thinks they may want to get into this field online or otherwise. With ten years in the biz with a store that has been heralded as one of the coolest in the UK we will be giving our unique insight into how to create a successful retail store. Tips on buying, merchandising, PR, finance plus a whole load of stuff on all the pitfalls that we encountered and mistakes we made. For me there are not enough cool interiors store out there in the world, there are with fashion just not with interiors so if we can inspire anyone to launch and create a cool interiors store online or bricks and mortar a happy girl I will be! Oh and we’ve just opened up a London retail class in January should anyone this side of the world fancy coming along. I should warn anyone who has been to the other classes this is a pretty tough day – there aren’t lots of pretty pictures instead just tons and tons of insightful and all important advice. The day is longer (there is so much to whizz through) and the speed is fast, its a nuts and bolts incisive how to break into this world kind of day. The price of the day will include a catered lunch by the way and as we can only do the 7th Feb in Australia spaces are very limited again apologises. We go live with bookings in three hours, (11am our time) very exciting indeed.
That’s me done hope to see as many of you as I can in February have a lovely Monday x
A mammoth day yesterday an early trip to the flower market where we brought bundles of foliage, heathers, garland for the house and our Christmas masterclass tomorrow and then a quick dash to the store to get out all the newly arrived flowers. Back home to decorate which took all day, went to bed at 8pm and have just woken up now to a beautifully scented, decorated home. The thing about decorating a home for the holidays at least in my book is to keep it simple – so it totally fits into the scheme. I won’t tell you what we’ve done (it will spoil it for our guests) but I will take some shots over the weekend and post them next week. Plus I was exceedingly lucky I have one of the worlds top florists as my sister so this look would have cost thousands to pull off if you had booked her in her previous life, luckily she works for the business and its why our flowers look so darn amazing. Oh and she once did the decorations for Paul Smith as well as all the floral arrangements for a supper for President Clinton wouldn’t you know! Anyways tomorrow to all those in the class we are breaking down the secrets and showing you exactly how to pull off the look, can’t wait. Also in our new mini magazine launching next year I want her to have a section because what she has done is nothing short of genius!
Even if you’re not at home for the big day decorating your house for the month or few weeks in December gives you such a buzz and it really doesn’t need to cost the earth. As I said the trick is to not bling everything up and tinsel the hell out of your pad, its more subtle in our world. Because I am a little nutty (there I said it) I can’t stand to remove lamps and bits and bobs of furniture because I love them too much so I slit things in along side. You won’t see any huge trees here or massive garlands draping the banistairs but you will see subtle beautiful decorations that look like they could hang out here year round.
Your friend and the trick is foliage, foliage lasts for ever and we are obsessed with it. Infact now I don’t want December to end I just want to live like this all winter, big branches of pine and lichen bundles of rosemary am in heaven.
Today screw work I’m pottering around my newly decorated abode, the only thing I don’t have is cool music if any one has any suggestions, very gratefully received. Have a lovely weekend oh and by the way this wreath is not one of Gem’s (can’t reveal anything until our master class guests have seen) its from Saipua second most coolest florist in the world!
