Layers, layers, layers

Late one this morning, team drinks in a pub in Islington after work last night ended up with walking home in the swirling misty streets of London with Mungy and Maud at midnight banging on about how fun it is to tip toe home when the streets are quiet and the roads so thick with fog, you could almost cut them with a knife. Felt I was in some sort of Dickens novel as I sticky beaked my long way home peering into people’s home’s who were still up and running into foxes that sent the two M’s off into crazy barking mode.

Now I’m going to talk about layers again (please not again I here you shout) but listen they are sooooo very important and I reckon I should talk about them at least once a week until I see some changes happening! Walking back through Islington at midnight quite a few of the homes (being polite here) were minimally decorated by that I mean I could clock them in a second. Living rooms looked like so; single pendant, furniture around the perimeter, coffee table (if I am lucky) big TV over mantle or on wall. That’s it. That was it, promise not exaggerating. Now that is perfectly OK if you are happy with that scenario but I’m thinking NO ONE repeat no one could be happy with that scenario unless some sort of medication is being taken, no?

The thing about layers is that they are so transformative, they elevate a space to another level because as you will see in the image below your eye doesn’t quite know where to look. It darts from the painting, to the bar, to the yellow chair, to the corner of the coffee table,.  Consciously or subconsciously your senses are more engaged and you feel intrigued, excited and tantalised! So easy to do no?

Right then I need coffee, times that by hundred and something to eat like a little home made granola, Greek yoghurt and poached fruits. Actually I need a chief a full time live in chief because the only thing in the house right now is apple juice, and a banana unless I tuck into the food of the two M’s, organic fishy pie anyone?

Talking curtains

Had the first lunch of the year outside on the terrace yesterday. It was just, only just warm enough. Home made pizza, Sunday papers, good strong coffee and happy as Larry! The whole weekend was spent messing around with the garden (more neighbour problems. different neighbour this time with a different set of problems). One side at the back of the garden has been exposed (and you know how funny I am about seeing even a roof top) so trellis had to go up, and a whizz to the nursery where I brought the quickest growing climber on earth and that is only half of it. Won’t bore you with everything else that has to be done.

Down to business, I thought I would talk about curtains this morning, something I rarely touch upon since for ages I’ve had an aversion to them. However I am coming round slowly but surely and whilst I am not about to put curtains up in any of my rooms (apart from possibly the bedroom) I know many people have them and love them so lets discuss. Obviously this is personal and you don’t have to listen to me but I prefer curtains with clean lines so literally no frills, minimal puddles, no swags or god forbid lambrequins (decorative valances), just simple simple. I generally go for a solid hue without pattern, although my parents brought some bookcase curtains from H&M recently and they look fab! The unfussier you go, the unfussier your room will look. So I tend to think of them as a lovely embellishment, like a piece of jewellery that doesn’t overwhelm what’s going on  just subtlety enhances it.

A couple of images below of curtains which I happen to adore.

This is made from burlap a super cheap material (burlap) and I have to say  looks pretty amazing, particularly against the dark hue.

Same house but different room and a more expensive material. Cashmere, solid in hue and extremely elegant adds a layer of softness and luxury that you just wouldn’t get if you left unadorned.

We’ve got (as some of you know I am sure) a double height glass wall at the back of house with no window treatment, which is why getting back to gardens I am obsessive about the back since its like one big curtain with jasmine, bamboo and huge trees screening us not from just neighbours but also from any odd ugly building. I shall say no more on that front, other than I’m planting the hell out of our garden so never again will I have to deal with it!

Faux bois

I like Friday’s. This time last week I was still in Sydney about to give my seminar, book sign afterwards, run to a fab restaurant in Potts Point for a super quick lunch with some friends and then whizz to the airport for that long journey home. Bonkers but true.

In the seminar and in the book I talk about paint, and just how transformative it is. Infact ( and apologises I say this a thousand times a day)  paint is the single most transformative thing you can do to a space and it’s the cheapest.

So this morning I wanted to talk to you about paint effects, once so popular in the 90’s anyone remember all that dragging and sponging and who knows what else. These days, with tastes changing they have come on somewhat to a whole other level so  think marbling, verdigris, faux leather, trompe l’oeil and faux bois. I wanted to spend five mins talking about faux bois, Faux bois (from the French word false wood) refers to the artistic imitation of wood grain in various media, most commonly paint but apparently it was first crafted by the inventor of concrete in around 1875 – Joseph Monier. History lesson over and despite it being around since the late 19th century it’s suddenly everywhere. On products, on walls and I’m loving it. I saw it when I flew to the States to photograph some amazing spaces for my book. Shauna Alterio and Stephen Loidolt whose space is below have  used this technique in their loft which they are renting. The result is so cool!

To do it yourself you will need two contrasting paint colours from the same family, (see image below) and a wood-graining tool. You paint the light colour first, wait for it to dry; thin the darker colour with 3 to 1 water to paint ratio and drag the graining tool through the wet paint. Vary the direction of the tool to up the decorative interest. Genius no? Beautiful for walls, cabinets anything really. More techniques in the book, but this one I’m am thinking of incorporating into my rather boring bathroom to up the style ratings.

Photography Graham Atkins Hughes

Have a lovely weekend x

 

 

Sprucing up for Spring

We’ve been swamped with emails since the lovely Jen from Interiors Addict wrote on her blog that we were opening a store in Australia. That is certainly the plan somewhere down the line, but not in the near future I hate to say. We need to find investors, a location a team and so much more, and possibly a huge rope in which to pull Australia just a little bit closer to London, all of which takes a little time. I would love to open in Oz, we send so much out there it’s bonkers but it will take a little time just to warn. Still on Australia I know lots of you have emailed to say my book has sold out everywhere which is amazing, and I’ll have more info shortly on when the next batch is due in, however I do know that the fabulous book shop Kinokuniya have copies if you are quick so fear not. Again thank you Australia we are literally blown away by the response not just to my packed out seminars but the pace and the level of which the book has been sold. AMAZING!

So now I need Spring to happen, its time already I’m bored of hats and boots and thick wintery coats, I want flip flops and shorts (maybe not shorts) but you know what I mean. I want to spruce up my home for spring, fling open the glass doors and breathe in the sweet smell of the earth. There is something about spring that just begs for change whether that’s revamping your pad or changing your life – it’s a time I love the most in the year, its full of rejuvenation and possibilities.

For me (and yes it helps having a faux flower store in my store) greenery and blooms transform a space. Changing some winterberry with a spring blossom elevates the room and it’s the easiest thing to do. Whether you go real or go faux the thing is to plonk them all over the place. If going real consider going down the foliage route, foliage lasts twice if not 3 times as long and is half the price!

Its funny because whilst most people think about painting things white bright and creamy I tend to go the other way because I love the contrast between indoors and out, inside feels even more magical. I don’t theme, no beachy vignettes happening here but I do add pops of summery hues into my scheme, bright yellow cushions that go pop for example or Barbie esq pink.

I use any coloured glassware I have as vases as n the spring summery light it looks magical and adds sunshine to a room.

The things I’m not doing is removing rugs, throws and artworks to simplify my scheme, are you crazy I would never come home if it were that bland – I’m just throwing is a few more bright hues and adding tons of flowers. Good job the next flower delivery is next week, Ive asked the truck to come via here before heading over to the store.

Don’t tell!

My pad in full summer as you will see nothing is removed or pared back, its taken from my new book, Decorating with Style  which (did I say already) launches end of next month. Am soooo excited

Get personal

Its sooo cold in London, after the amazing sunshine in Sydney last week where I eat breakfast outside of the hotel at 6.30 (in my pyjamas and flip flops I am embarrassed to say, which was not exactly professional but I figured it was early and no one would see), its hard to get used to! Feeling still under the weather, flu, bronchitis and extreme tiredness is not moving on as quickly as I hoped, wishing I had grabbed an extra day of non-work to swim in the ocean and potter about on the sand. Hey ho.

Its a busy time of the year for us, the store is about to go thru a major renovation, (its closed for a few days the week after next); new products are coming in, new spring flowers are due next week (we are expanding the flower shop by the way which is very exciting) so its all change. Change as they say is as good as a rest – supposedly so hopefully that will shake off my bugs. The new website will launch the same time as the store re-opening and our E-zine a few weeks after that.

Yesterday I was yabbering about space, and today I wanted to show you some fab images shot by Kristin Perers of a house in London belonging to Gaby Dellal. Check out Kristin’s blog by the way it’s fabulous, it features inspirational women turning 50. The thing that grabbed my attention about Gaby’s house is just how welcoming it feels. I’m asked all the time about tips on how to create the perfect home and my biggest biggest tip is to make it personal. Fill your home with stuff you love, ditch trends or whats in or whats out and follow you heart. Do that and you get to create a totally unique, bespoke house that conveys your personality and oozes with style. Co-incidentally I shot Gaby’s sisters house in NY for my first book, small world hey!

Space matters

Morning, overslept big time this morning went to bed at 8.30 can you believe and slept a solid 11 hours, pretty unusual for me and probably would have slept a thousand hours more if I hadn’t been woken up. Thank goodness I was otherwise this could be lunchtime already!

Something I talked about alot last week in Australia was space. Whenever you move into a property somewhere along the line there is always a problem with space, rooms might be to big, to small, an awkward shape, facing the wrong direction there is always a little something.  In bijou teeny tiny pads in cities like NYC, Paris and London I’ve seen some ingenious use of small spaces; passageways and hallways double dutying as home offices, wardrobes you name it, to open plan massive spaces found in places like Australia and the States again I’ve seen some cool ways of cozying them up. So whether you live in a shoebox or a manor hourse my trick is to utilise rooms to the max.  You won’t be able to change the physical dimensions but you absolutely can change the perception. Here is how:

Number 1 top top top tip, paint the ceilings the same colour as the walls this applies to any size room. It will make the space grander, edgier and way more sophisticated especially in small rooms.

Number 2 Add visual interest through dazzling colour, this doesn’t have to be applied to walls so think accessories, the odd rug, bunch of flowers etc.

Number 3 Layer your lighting. If your space is large then you will want to cosy it up as it might feel a tad sterile and lighting is the way to go. Lots of little pockets of soft lighting will work a treat and take the space to a whole other level; the same of course goes with small rooms.

Number 4 Get the furniture placement right.  Crucial !. If all your stuff is up one end the room will feel unbalanced, if all the furniture is placed around the perimeter it will feel like a doctors waiting room and your space will feel uptight and dull. Move it in and angle it I say!

Number 5 Add Layers. The more layers you add the more interesting a room reads. The plan as I say a zillion times is to walk into a room and not know where to look because your eye is pulled in every which way. Subconsciously our senses are activated and we feel more excited. It’s an easy peasy trick.

My sister’s pad below (as seen in my latest book Decorating with Style, out here end of March). See how amazing Gem and her boyfriend Russ have made their hallway look. It’s not large but its sooo welcoming. You come in and you want to linger, hang out swig a martini whilst leaning against the banister looking at all the art. That is what its all about, decorating that makes you happy!

Photography Graham Atkins Hughes

Right then that’s me done, I need coffee!

Happy Decorating

Back from my whirlwind trip to Sydney with packed out seminars and long huge queues at my book signings and I must say I am totally overwhelmed, blown away, flattered and delighted at the response. Thank you Australia for being so enthusiastic to this style of decorating, particularly as its dark, eclectic, kaleidoscopic and so on. It goes to show that you can live anywhere in the world,  in hot climes in cool climes and once you get that decorating bug there is no going back. It becomes a little obsessive, just when you think you’ve nailed it and you’re sitting back with you’re feet up proud as punch wham bam you happen upon something that takes you by surprise, pulls you up by the cuffs and off you go again. It doesn’t end EVER, which is a good thing, as Martha Stewart would say.

The best thing about being home is being reunited with the two M’s, we have had the most snuggles ever this weekend. My parents kindly took care of them whilst we were away and from all accounts they had lots of country adventures. So this past weekend I snoozed they snoozed and we’re only just getting back to normal.  23 hours on a plane with no sleep kind of screws you up!

So this morning I wanted to try to encourage anyone who is up for it,  that is to ditch all those niggles and worries when it comes to decorating and just get on with it. Who cares if you’re room is to small, or an awkward shape, or you have little kids, or you’re renting. Maybe you have a limited budget, maybe you’re time poor (aren’t we all) but my point is the more limitations and barriers we put up the more boring our spaces become. Its only when we take risks, i.e. paint a wall in a colour you wouldn’t normally go for, or play around the scale, or move the furniture away from the walls, that sort of thing that we elevate our spaces to a whole other level. Years of being in the biz has taught me one thing – the most memorable interiors are those that push boundaries and dare to be different.

Found this image below from the latest issue of Rue. When you break it down its actually pretty easy to see why its so powerful. The homeowner has pushed it with the colour selection, added oodles of texture and into that mix a couple of beautiful hues to elevate to another level, the pink flowers (pink and black are a magical combo) and a gold mirror. You don’t need to be an A list decorator, or a leading stylist to pull it off. You just need to believe in yourself and have the confidence to give it a go.

Happy Decorating