Lamp love

Cate Burren of Angel and Blume Interior Design discusses the beauty and usefulness of lamps in our homes – an article in Velvet Magazine May 2021

I was completely seduced by a table lamp this week. It was displayed in the ‘new in’ section on one of my favourite lighting company’s website and as soon as I saw it’s beautiful emerald green ribbed base and the wicker shade it was paired with, I knew without even considering where I would put it that I had to have both it and its shade. It arrived the next day (yes, really) and immediately made itself comfortable on a side table next to an armchair in the kitchen. I am delighted with it but much more than that, it has transformed the corner of the room. The pool of light that it throws on to the table and chair really does change the feel of the whole kitchen and makes the chair more inviting to sit in, not to mention being able to actually see what you are reading, even if you are using a back lit device. I should be more embarrassed that I didn’t identify the need for a light there before but I am so pleased with the result that I think we need say no more about that.

Lighting is one of the most powerful elements of an interior scheme and has the ability to completely alter the functionality and the feel of a space. When planning a lighting scheme, it is crucial to have a pretty good idea of how the space will be used because the best lighting lights things – artwork, furniture, decorative features, a dining table, a desk and so on – rather than just randomly providing light. That is why when you see a really well lit space, there tends to be pools of light that draw your eye and provide contrast with other less well lit spaces.

If you are at the stage of planning your lighting scheme from scratch, you will have the luxury of using different types of light – ceiling lights, wall lights, concealed lighting and so on. But if you are not, lamps are your best friend because they can provide a lot of these effects if used cleverly. Depending on the type of lamp you use, they can provide very focused light directed onto a piece of furniture or an accessory for example, but they can also provide quite widespread up-lighting if your room is lacking light higher up in a space. The height of the floor or table lamp makes a difference but more important is the direction that the lamp projects the light. You can get some lights that really do only throw the light upwards onto a ceiling, with very little light, if any, falling down onto the space below.

The brand new Boster light with wicker shade from Pooky.com

If you are planning a brand new lighting scheme, or willing to make adjustments to location of sockets in a room, think about where you would want your lamps in relation to furniture you have and allow for sockets accordingly. Better still, think about installing a 5 amp lamp circuit which all your lamps can be plugged in to allowing you to control them from one (dimmable) switch on the wall. If you have a particularly big room, you might also want to think about floor sockets so that you can place a lamp next to a chair or sofa without having a wire trailing across the floor from the wall. (A word to the wise here, just to avoid confusion with your contractor – when you discuss lamps with your electrician, (s)he will assume you are taking about bulbs which they call lamps – bulbs apparently are for planting in the ground.)

The style of your lamp depends on your own interior taste and there are plenty to choose from. Not all your lamps need to make a statement, some of them can just provide light in the background, but some lamps are so beautiful that they are artwork pieces in themselves. Consider where you want to make a statement and where you just need light and pick your fittings accordingly. As well as there being a huge selection of new lamps ranging from the very traditional to the ultra modern, there are also some fantastic antique lights available with iconic collectors pieces being in very high demand. ‘1000 Lights’ published by Taschen is a great guide and contains something for every taste.

Some lamps are there just to bring joy. There is a lovely lamp originally from Porta Romana that has a highly feathered shade with a base made in the style of a long pair of birds legs and webbed feet which really never fails to get a smile. It has been copied by others but not executed quite as well or humourously as this version.

It sounds a very obvious thing to say but you need to see a lamp when it is lit, as well as when it is not, as they are often sold both online and in the flesh without the ability to see the lamp illuminated. A shade also makes a big difference to this effect – a colourful shade will affect the colour of the light that is emitted, as indeed a very dense shade will reduce the amount of light given off. My new wicker shade gives a lovely broken-up light, and from most angles you can see the bulb so an attractive bulb also had to be acquired.

An elegant tripod lamp from Chaplins is a stylish statement and provides useful task lighting

The amount of light that you want in a room will change during the day, at dusk and at night so it is worth thinking this through when you are selecting the position and style of your lighting. During the day you may need no lights on, or just a couple to light darker spaces. You will probably want a few more lit when it is dusk or during the winter months of gloomy weather. At night, all lamps might be on, but it will depend on what you are using the room for at the time. Also, I am sad to say having experienced this first hand, you do tend to want and need more light as you get older.

The number of lamps that you have in a room, and their positioning, will affect the amount of light in a room, but also the bulb that you use will too. Selecting a good bulb does make a difference and at the very least, think about the amount of light that a bulb emits and the colour of light (warm, cool, daylight etc.) when selecting your fitting.

The good news is that huge changes can be made to the feel of a room and the way that it works for you just by changing some light fittings. An overlit room is as bad as an underlit room, and a poorly thought out arrangement of lamps and light fittings will also mean that you are not doing justice to your interior. I have quite literally had a light bulb moment this week and I can highly recommend it.

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Plant power

An article from Velvet Magazine that appeared in February 2020, to hopefully distract us for a few minutes from Coronavirus!

Cate Burren of Angel and Blume Interior Design shares her enthusiasm for incorporating flora of all types into our homes.

I am currently rather in love with a giant fiddle leaf fig tree that is sitting in the Colefax shop in Pimlico. Like a splendid work of art, it catches my eye every time I go in there and it is fortunate that it does not seem to be available for purchase as I have neither the cash nor the space in my home to buy a plant that is significantly taller than me and heralds from the heart of Chelsea. However, it is magnificent (and it knows it) as is the beautiful oversized basket that it lives in and it has single-handedly reminded me of what a great addition to our interiors plants of all descriptions can be.

The first things I would say is, because I can hear the mutterings already, is that if you really aren’t green fingered (I am not, an orchid once died in my car on the way home from the shops), there are some very hardy plants around and if that is still too much to entertain, there are some fantastic artificial trees, plants and flowers to be had. Artificial no longer means dusty silk roses that can be spotted as fakes at a hundred paces, modern artificial is almost impossible to call until you touch it and even then, you can be fooled. My own personal choice is to have a number of good fake plants and flower arrangements in my home and to also have a few real offerings that can be replaced as and when death occurs.

The trick with real is to know your plants – I would not insult you by offering horticultural advice but getting the right plant in the right place, and looking after it, I am told, will result in almost guaranteed success. I am currently carrying out just such an experiment with a Swiss Cheese plant (purchased from Homebase near the Beehive Centre in case you are wondering) in the front window of the office where there is plenty of indirect light and as I write, the Swiss Cheese is thriving. However, if you pass by and it is gone, please assume that I have moved it into another room, rather than unwittingly murdered it.

As important as selecting the plants that will thrive, is finding plants that fit with your interior style. The chances are that the flora you are drawn to will naturally work within your home but it pays to consider what you might want before turning up at the garden centre. If you have a modern feel to your home, you will probably want plants with a more contemporary feel – a snake plant or aloe vera for example. A traditional interior may call for something more in keeping such as lavender, hydrangea, cyclamen or camelia.

There are a few very natural fits in the home where plants are concerned. Citrus trees in conservatories or rooms where there is a lot of glass look very at home, as do herbs in a kitchen where they seem ready to leap into a recipe at a moment’s notice. I also think plants look great near a window that looks onto greenery of some description as they seem to naturally blend with the view, blurring the lines of inside and outside.

How you present your plants or flowers will have a significant effect on how they work within your scheme. Pots and vases come in endless shapes and sizes and making sure their look fits with the plant is as important as how they work in an interior space. Try to be creative with your container, thinking about both the plant and the surrounding it will be in. Remember that if you go for something non water or soil proof such as a basket, a plastic pot inside the container is the key. In fact it is often better as it makes watering easier. Remember in addition to look at the scale of the container relative to the plant – an over or undersized pot, basket or other will look odd, so try to get a balance between the two.

While we are on the subject of size, the overall height and width of your plant and pot needs to work with the space that it is in. An oversize plant can look fantastic (particularly in a large posh shop) but the minute it is even vaguely crammed into a space, it will look odd. Similarly a very small plant and pot probably needs to be arranged with other things (books, photos, lamps, other plants) so that it doesn’t get lost. If it is going to work on it’s own, it will probably need a window sill or other smaller space so there is something around it. Grouping plants together can work well but such an arrangement does quite quickly create a small jungle feel so I think it is better to try to find the right size plant for the space in question unless there is a good reason to do otherwise (a collection of herbs for example).

I haven’t intentionally avoided the subject of cut flowers here – my love of the big fig tree has only very temporarily distracted me – I think flowers in a home are wonderful and actually, similar rules apply. Artificial are now very good and it is great for both your time and wallet to invest in some good artificial and treat yourself to fresh when you can. I would also suggest sticking mainly to your style rules about modern or traditional blooms and having a collection of vases that work with your interior. Scent from cut flowers is one of the most delicious aromas in a home so find what works for you and place your blooms in a location where you will enjoy them most.

So as we edge into Spring and outside spaces come to life, think about bringing a bit of that green growth into your homes; it really will add a fresh new feel to your interior spaces.

 

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Anyone for a Dry Martini?

I thought this article might be appropriate for New Year’s Eve or for anyone contemplating Dry January. Happy New Year everyone!

 

Cate Burren of Angel and Blume Interior Design considers the art of the bar cart

I’ve recently been trying to cut back on my alcohol intake (not for any particular reason than the obvious ones, and it’s not going too badly thank you) and as with cutting back on anything, it does make you slightly obsessed with what you are trying to avoid. What I have particularly noticed is just how many references there are to our supposed love of a tipple in our modern world. Greetings cards seem to be particular offenders – it feels that every other card in the shop has a humorous, or otherwise, reference to celebrating almost any occasion with an elegant aperitif, or by getting completely hammered, depending on what section of the shop you find yourself in. Our interiors are not immune either. There is a sea of opportunity available to pronounce yourself a fan of an alcoholic beverage. I was recently in a largish department store where I saw, all in close vicinity, a money box with ‘Mummy’s Prosecco Fund’ written on the side, a cushion proclaiming ‘Champagne is the Answer’ and a framed poster which somewhat aggressively instructed its audience to ‘DRINK MORE GIN’.

Drinks trolley from Graham and Green

I am certainly not going to make a (mildly) reformed person’s judgement on the content of these declarations but it does strike me as odd that we don’t celebrate other forms of high living with quite such gusto. You don’t often see a fridge magnet for example that says ‘It’s Steak O’Clock!’ or a birthday card saying ‘Lobster Thermidor Makes Everything Better’.

Given our great love of a little drinky, we do seem to be surprisingly coy about how we house our habit. Wine racks and wine fridges are much more present in our houses than they used to be but other drinks are often still relegated to the back of a cupboard. I grant you that few of us want a Del Boy style bar in the corner of our living room but there can be something very glamourous about a selection of drinks, glasses and accessories that are well-displayed and ready for use.

I think drinks trolleys (or bar carts as the Americans call them) can be very good edition to a sitting room or other interior space as they make such a heartening display. Although they have wheels, they are not designed to be pushed round the room like you are serving on an intercity train although a quick trip to the dishwasher at the end of the evening (or the following morning if we are being honest) is quite handy. They are often rather marvellous pieces of furniture in themselves and look great when fully loaded up and ready to serve.

Cocktail cabinets are more discreet and can look very innocent from the outside. What you find inside can be anything from utilitarian to utterly fabulous. They often feature a rack for hanging glasses, mirrored back or sides, slots for your accessories and sometimes more – mini fridges, a pull-out serving ledge, lighting etc. David Linley, the master furniture maker has a ‘Techtonic Bar’ which is a piece of art as much as it is a piece of furniture and incorporates secret compartments (for your bootleg liquor) revolving columns and a cigar humidor. Its utterly beautiful and should be at a price tag of £130,000.

Gin glasses from Graham and Green

There are also some fantastic antique cocktail cabinets to be had and many of them have a least a whiff of lost days of high living. Unsurprisingly many of the really good ones have an Art Deco flavour about them and look great when either discreetly closed or party ready. I could be wrong about this but I personally think that no good can come from having a world globe that opens into a drinks cabinet but perhaps I am no fun.

Whatever style you prefer at home, it is hard to argue against a large, smart tray that quietly does the job of a drinks trolley or cabinet. This is not to serve the drinks but to keep all your beverage paraphernalia in order. A lovely tray, well curated, on top of a sideboard or occasional table works both functionally and aesthetically and is certainly a good place to start if you are initially dipping your toes into the home bar arena.

Whether you opt for a bespoke piece of furniture or a humble tray, the contents are key. Good glasses, an ice bucket, your desired bottles and mixers, condiments (citrus fruit, olives, tabasco sauce, cherries if you must) and other essential tools – ice tongs, cocktail shaker, cocktails sticks, swizzle sticks (come on, you know you want to) – can all play a part and there is lots of style choices available from grown up glamour right through to party lover.

I think it is important, both in terms of the look of your house but also for your own sanity to remember that you are not actually a bar, neither boutique hotel nor local boozer – you do not need to have every spirit, mixer, soft drink in the world to offer your guests. I think serving a drink or two that is appropriate for the time of year and day, that goes with the food you are going to serve, plus a quality non-alcoholic alternative or two, is perfect. Having a wide selection of dusty bottles, some with questionable sell-by dates, is a bit grim. After all, you select a meal for your guests rather than offering them a menu of choices (I hope) so why would you not do the same with the pre-dinner, and indeed during and post dinner, drinks.

And whilst we are talking about planning your drinking, quantity is as important as quality – sending your guests home plastered is not doing them, or you, any favours. Of course you want to have a great time and be a marvellous host/hostess but part of that is keeping an eye on the intake – serving four large G&Ts before feeding anyone will end badly. In addition, taking as much care over your Mocktails as you do over your Moscow Mules will encourage enjoyment over drunkenness. Lots of people don’t drink alcohol at all, or are restrained, and non-alcoholic drinks really can be delicious but it does take both effort and imagination.

So on that note, and before my best laid plans to drink less and behave better are too challenged, I would like to say it isn’t hard to glam up your drinks stash, so have fun, let your hair down and here’s to all our good health.

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The love of books

Have you noticed how many things that were absolutely finished have proved to be anything but obsolete and are now really rather fashionable in our lives and homes? Remember how cinemas were going to die out when the DVD (or VHS machines for those of us of a certain vintage) came along, or when records were taken over by tape cassettes and then CDs and then music was just simply downloaded. And finally the beloved book was going to be replaced with a kindle or tablet or phone. Thank goodness that none of these predictions have come true and indeed we seem to now have the best of all worlds available to us as LPs make a huge comeback, cinemas thrive (in fact most of us seem obsessed with not only going to the pictures but trying to recreate both the surround sound and the size of the screen at home) and books sales, including eBooks, flourish. How wonderful to have choices and to not lose the old, whilst embracing the new.

I am well aware that I am a sucker for books. I have always loved them and seeing a well presented, personal collection of books really does lift my heart. Just occasionally I encounter a home without books – more often this is a holiday cottage or a guest room where the owners just haven’t thought to leave any books – and I am surprised how characterless it can feel without them.

Presenting your books is a somewhat trickier business than you would imagine. I like to think that being able to access your books (by which I mean comfortably taking them off the shelf) is crucial to good usage of your collection so you need space in front of them to get to them, a good orderly system that means if you remove a few tomes, the whole row doesn’t fall over and some sort of order to where things go (subject matter, alphabetical etc. – but more of this later). The late lamented Karl Lagerfeld was a notorious book collector with purportedly over 300,000 books in his collection. He claimed that he had no room left in his house to collect anything other than books and he stacked them high and sideways (if you look at ‘Karl Lagerfeld book collection’ in google images, you will see what I mean). Whilst this was typically dramatic, I can’t think that if you are searching for that one book that you need, you are going to be able to easily lay your hands on it, or indeed extract it from the bottom of the pile should you stumble across it.

Displaying books so they look good is a different matter (and I suspect presentation was high in Karl’s mind but I could be doing him a disservice). I think books of similar heights work well on bookcases and not having too much wasted height between the top of the books and the shelf above is generally an aesthetic bonus. Fortunately, types of books (novels, cookery books, gardening books etc.) seem to have approximately similar heights as I have witnessed regularly in bookshops so you can make your collection look good and still have some sense of order. I have occasionally seen books arranged by colour of spine (in overly stylish interiors magazines) and this seems a step too far, unless of course you really can remember the colour of the spine of all the books you own so you can find them again, in which case you may need to get out more, as indeed does the arranger of books by colour.

On a more practical note, a client of mine made a very good and obvious point, when you think about it, that if you put children’s books low down where they can reach them, or better still use a bookcase where they can see the fronts of them, they are more likely to be tempted to get them out and read them. And not just in their bedrooms, in communal household spaces too – it may be a long shot to think that a book would catch their eye and they might end up reading rather than watching telly – but it is surely worth a try.

For similar reasons, I am a very big fan of books in bathrooms and kitchen – we tend to think that books don’t really live in either room (apart from the collection of current trendy cookbooks arranged ostentatiously within an open wall unit) but I think they should. I have an ever-changing selection of books in my bathroom which I browse when bathing and a large bookcase in my kitchen which I like to think distracts me from eating, although unfortunately this is one bit of multitasking I do seem to be good at.

Of course, an actual library in your home is a wonderful thing – to have a calm space, surrounded by books, comfortable reading chairs, appropriate lighting is a slice of heaven, but I think that libraries can be created even if you don’t have a room to allocate to it, as most of us don’t. A dining room can double up beautifully as a library, as can a spacious landing or hallway, or sometimes just a corner of a room with well-designed built in bookcases can give a library feel and add interest to a room. Thinking about how best to house your collection of books – precious or otherwise – will mean that you get the most from them and they will add character and familiarity to your home.

And just a final thought for you which is perhaps not totally interiors related but is a reminder to you from me, just as a book lover. We all love Amazon. We like the speed, the price and the Amazon delivery person arriving on our doorstep with exactly what we ordered. However, I am going to say to you what I regularly say to myself. Try to resist, or at least, try other approaches as well. Bookshops are magical, wondrous places and feeling the book in your hands, sampling its contents at your will and looking at its pictures will lead you to books that you would not necessarily be drawn to online. And whilst I am doling out advice that I am not qualified to give, I am also going to encourage you to think about second hand books – a book with a rich history, an interesting smell, a heritage is an individual object that only you have. Really, I would defy any who truly loves books to enter the Amnesty bookshop on Mill Road and not leave clutching a purchase that feels like an absolute treasure.

This article first appeared in Velvet Magazine 

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Vintage Creations

Creating your own individual pieces of homeware is a lovely way to get a little bit crafty and give your home something special. I love the idea of using something old, and creating a whole new function for it. I’ve been trawling through Pinterest to find some inventive ways to re-use vintage pieces and give your home that one of a kind feel.

Antique book Display from Stitch Design Co. via Pinterest

Antique books are always a pretty edition to a shelf or display; the old fashioned covers and spines can look lovely lined up together. But if you’ve got a large collection that you’re hoping to do something a bit different with, I love what someone has done above. Take your books, opening them to pages with your favourite quote, or a pretty illustration, and create an art piece of the book montage. Not only will it be an unusual artwork, it’s also a great way to display your books in a new and exciting way, and for you to be able to share favourite parts with friends and guests. It would make a wonderful piece to have in a study, stairwell or a bedroom.

If the idea of using the pages of a book intrigues you, the image below rather inspired me, using the pages as wallpaper. The idea might seem a tad gimmicky, but in the dining room below it looks rather elegant and sophisticated. The trick is to use pages from the same book so that the layout remains the same, so that when you take a step back, there’s a flowing pattern. This could be a great idea for a bathroom, or a smaller room that you want to try it out on first.

Antique Book Wallpaper from Country Living via Pinterest

Vintage prints and charts are a thing of beauty and if you love that style, they make wonderful pieces of art to have in your home. But if you want to get a little more creative than just hanging them, there other ways of making them more of a feature in your space. Fitting the prints into something like a plain room divider will not only dress up the piece of furniture but give your prints a distinct presence in a room.

Vintage Print Room Divider from Comfortably Carried Away via Pinterest

Vintage and antique doorknobs are lovely little ornate things, that sometimes you can’t resist purchasing even if you have no place for them, or that not in that good condition. But there are loads of ways to use a rusty old doorknob as a display piece, either in your home or garden. A lined up in a row, the doorknobs can become great hooks, or here they’ve used them in a garden as a display for some wild plants.

Antique Doorknpb Display from Home BNC via Pinterest

Someone has used old doorknobs to create name card holders for the dining table; this would be a perfect way to make guests feel special at a dinner party.

Door Knob Name Card Holders from Save on Crafts via Pinterest

Mounting plates and trays on the wall is a great way of displaying them, especially as antique trays are so beautifully decorated. If you stick to a particular style or era it’ll create a really beautiful and dramatic look for a kitchen or a wall that connects a kitchen and dining area. I love these different shape and sizes metal trays that really give a distinctive touch to the room. I also like the drama of the black trays placed together in a random order.

Metal Trays from Pinterest

Collection of Trays from Remodelista via Pinterest

Old postcards and photographs are something I love to collect, whether they’re of people you know or random ones you can find in vintage shops, they’re really interesting to look at and read; they can also make great display items in your home, especially if you have a large collection. Often people want to pack away big collections of things, but some pieces are meant to be shown off. I like the idea of using some old drawers of a dresser or chest of drawers that’s perhaps beyond salvage, but using the drawers as open displays for a coffee table for example.

Postcard Drawer Storage from Martha Stewart Weddings via Pinterest

Some vintage photographs of your ancestors can be made into a really special display by placing them in glass bottles to put on your window sill, mantelpiece or shelf.

Photographs in Bottles from Father Rabbit via Pinterest

I love searching for ideas and getting inspired by other people’s creations, thinking about how I can rework an idea to fit into my own space and in my style. It’s these little additions to your home that make it really special and unique to you, so go out and find your next craft project!

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Wild Kingdom

Using animal motifs in your home can be a great way of giving the space a healthy portion of personality. Animals have had quite a presence in interior design in the last few years with new, playful ways of using them; from quirky ideas like salt and pepper shakers, to wallpaper to abstract interpretations, there are lots of ways to include animals in your home that suit your style. I’ve pulled some of my favourite ideas that are around at the moment to share with you.

Example of Dalmatian Wallpaper from Trend Addictions via Pinterest

When you think of animal prints in homes, you might be tempted to make a grimacing face, but nowadays there are some rather sophisticated designs around that counteract the bad rep animal prints have faced. Something I love is this Dalmatian style print that you can find floating around at the moment. It falls somewhere between polka dots and animal prints, and has the perfect zest of personality and glamour without being over the top; instead it offers a really pretty, feminine look for a room. Sanderson have something similar to this look above called the Ocelli wallpaper in three different colour ways.

Ocelli Wallpaper from Sanderson

Using animal motifs doesn’t have to apply to just one type of interior style, you can find all sorts of accessories in a whole range of designs from minimalist to extravagant. This cushion from Mineheart might appeal to the more dramatic and glamorous interiors, with a dash of humour. This best dressed giraffe would look perfect on a bold armchair or mixed into a range of scatter cushions.

Dame Griselda Cushion from Mineheart

Add some animal into your interiors with a three-dimensional aspect; this Indian Tiger money box from Rockett St George has a fun charm to it, as well as an antique look to it. It’s well suited to a bohemian style interior, but could also be integrated into different styles as an exciting pop of colour and character.

Indian Tiger Money Box from Rockett St George

This panther vase from Graham & Green hits the nail on the head. It finds the right balance between quirky and sophisticated, giving an overall design that’ll catch your eye and be an unusual addition to a smart and sleek look. Contrast the strong black look with a few stems of brightly colour flowers.

Panther Vase from Graham & Green

Cole & Son do some absolutely knockout wallpapers, they’re beautifully crafted and designed to perfection so that even with a big, brave print the wallpapers still retain their sophistication, style and grace. This Jabu wallpaper reinvents the concept of striped wallpaper; the rhinos and their patterned horns peak out of the African motif stripe and the overall effect is stunning.

Jabu Wallpaper from Cole & Son

There’s a wonderful sense of humour that’s involved with using animal motifs in the home; a simple, mundane item can be given a little twist, like this door mat. If you want to have some fun with your interior this is a great way to start as you mean to go on.

Leopard Door Mat from Amara

Add a little extra flair to your drinks with this Giraffe tray from Graham & Green. The pattern of giraffes are mirrored on the tray to create an abstract and intriguing look; a beautiful set of coffee cups or glasses will look lovely on top of this wild design.

Giraffe Birch Tray from Graham & Green

A beloved photo or memory can be given a touch more style with this lounging leopard frame. His paw dangles over the photo in a charming way, it’s the perfect finish for a fun nostalgic moment.

Leopard Picture Frame from Rockett St George

If you like the idea of animal motifs, but like you interiors to feel more contemporary and graphic, this fabric (and wallpaper) print from Osborne & Little may be right up your street. The waves of abstract foliage reveal a sleek black panther. This bold print would make an amazing statement as a sofa fabric, or an exciting set of curtains.

Fantasque Fabric from Osborne & Little

Finally, add some spice to your salt and pepper with these adorable leopard head shakers from Amara. They’ll make a super sweet addition to a table or breakfast nook, and will be sure to put a smile of guest’s faces when they come over.

Leopard Salt and Pepper Shakers from Amara

Adding in animal motifs into your interiors is a great way to utilise you style in another way. A contemporary look with clean lines is given a little more oomph with a sleek panther vase, or a bedside table is a given an extra flair with a leopard picture frame of a fond memory. There are always great ways to get creative with your home, so go out and find your favourite animal.

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Get into the Groove

We’re always looking for creative ways to add interest into an interior, especially by using new and different design techniques. There are plenty of ways to add depth and texture to your interior, and one creative way to is to use carved and decorated pieces of furniture and accessories; from wood to metal. They are a popular style at the moment, with the patterns that these techniques create adding personality and texture into a room. I’ve picked some of my favourite pieces to share with you and give you an idea of how you could use the style in your home.

Starcarved Nightstand by Anthropologie

This simply shaped beside table from Anthropologie has been given a charming front design in a handcrafted star motif. If you don’t want your bedroom to be too busy; adding a smaller detailed aspect like this nightstand is a great way to insert some personality without being too distracting. The drawer and open shelf also give you lots of options for storage so that the top doesn’t get too cluttered.

Another beautiful piece of carved furniture is this sideboard from Loaf; the hexagon carved detailing at the front is an unusual style, making the piece feeling unique. If we were to think of carving details on furniture we might be tempted to think of rather traditional ornate designs, or the sometimes overdone oriental style, but these contemporary versions are a really fresh take on the technique. This piece would look elegant in a hallway or a modern dining space for storage.

Grand Orinoco from Loaf

Carved details are also fun to add to your accessories, like this wooden frame mirror from H&M Home. The white lines would really stand out on a dark painted wall; giving a contemporary look with a touch of bohemian style.

Mirror with a Wooden Frame from H&M Home

This etched detailed tray by the House Doctor, available at Amara, is a really subtle way to add in the carved style into your home. The brass tray is given an antiqued look from the etching; it would make a lovely feature on a dining of coffee table.

Carved Tray by House Doctor from Amara

A more natural interpretation of the grooved look is this driftwood headboard from Tikamoon. The uneven pieces are placed together to create a calming, relaxed design that still makes a strong statement. This piece would look lovely against a neutrally decorated room with a few extra textural details on the bed to make a soft bohemian style atmosphere.

River Driftwood Headboard from Tikamoon

This ceramic vase from H&M Home is a simple, contemporary way to include a carving detail into your interior. The asymmetrical top is an interesting element, making it a feature in a room even when empty.

Ceramic Vase from H&M Home

If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, a pair of this wooden spoons would make a lovely addition to the table as salad servers. The wings have a great flair of personality and as well a playful sense.

Hand Carved Wooden Spoon from Rockett St George

Seville Sideboard from Swoon Editions

Moving back to furniture, this sideboard has a fantastic two-toned pattern, creating a really graphic, retro effect. The groove detail is the perfect design to catch your eye whilst still working harmoniously amongst the rest of your belongings.

Carved Black Resin Box from Graham & Green

This box’s pattern gives it a real sense of style, and makes it the perfect focal point at a dressing table. A great place to keep jewellery or those little bits and bobs you can never seem to find a place for.

This plant pot is a lovely balance between a simple and intricate design; the stretched diamond shapes are a lovely feature; this would make a great piece for a little bit of decking or on a balcony of an apartment.

Round Diamond Embossed Plant Pot and Tray from Graham & Green

Carvings, grooves and etchings are a great way to add in some details and textures into an interior, giving it more character and personality without being too over the top. Whether you want to go big or small, it’s a chance to get creative and play around with different techniques.

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The Nature of Wabi-Sabi

Every now and then, the interior world goes through phases of using traditional philosophies or ideas and relating them to an interior aesthetic and style. A few years ago Hygge, a Danish word for cosiness, became a huge lifestyle trend as well as a leading theme for interior design. This year, there seems to be a new philosophy style that’s surfacing as the latest interior trend; wabi-sabi. Wabi-Sabi is a traditional Japanese philosophy that draws upon the acceptance and admiration of imperfections, simplicity and aged beauty. In interior design terms this supports the notion of using natural materials, with natural flaws and imperfections such as aging or signs of distress, or man-made items that adopt organic forms. Here are a few ideas on how to introduce wabi-sabi into your home.

Natural materials, such as linen, are already a popular choice in homes at the moment, and wabi-sabi opts for this fabric as well. To complete the look, keep the theme running with natural colours, and if you’re taking the full embrace of wabi-sabi on, a little crumpling of the sheets never hurt anyone! These rusty orange linens are just beautiful, creating a simple, natural statement out of your bed. For a similar look, try the H&M Home look below, or take a peek at The Linen Works for a whole range of simple colours.

Image from SF Girl Bay via Pinterest

Washed Linen Duvet Cover Set in Rust from H&M Home

The nature of wabi-sabi relies on embracing natural occurrences, such as lumps, bumps, ridges and cracks. Finding a way to incorporate organic materials, that haven’t had their natural composition interfered with, is a lovely way to introduce bigger elements into your interiors. This coffee table below is a raw edged slice of an old tree, revealing that bark and age lines and allowing these to be the feature of the piece. If you’re interested in your own live edge piece, there are many to be found on Etsy for your choosing, like this design from Konk Furniture.

Image from Planet Mag via Pinterest

Waney Edge Oak Dining Table from Konk Furniture

Take the idea of wabi-sabi to your lighting as well, avoid constricted, symmetrical designs and instead go for loose, soft fittings that give off an inherently relaxed theme. These free-form linen shades are a great example of a wabi-sabi conscious interior style, and they prove that a feature lighting piece doesn’t have to be overly designed or eccentric, but that you can in fact create a statement using just natural elements. You can learn to make these linen lampshades here, or for another idea, this delicate lampshade from Not on the High Street, also has a great wabi-sabi style to it.

Rustic Linen Lampshades from Remodelista via Pinterest

Nina Wire Pendant by Horsfall & Wright from Not on the High Street

Imperfect ceramic tableware is a way to easily get a little dose of wabi-sabi into your home. There was something of a heyday for perfectly coordinated table settings with immaculate precision and order, but now rustic charm has found its way into the grand scheme of things, and while we still want beautifully laid out tables for ourselves and our guests, there’s a little wiggle room for imperfect, uneven miscellaneous style. These plates below are a beautiful display of how raw materials are being used in stunning ways (and the collection they’re from is actually called the Wabi-Sabi Collection!) There is a strong trend for this type of ceramic design, so finding a favourite shouldn’t be hard; these bowls from Rockett St George are a good way to get started.

Wabi-Sabi Dinnerware Range from Made of Australia

Set of Four Earthenware Bowls from Rockett St George

A final idea for the inclusion of wabi-sabi in your home, using wild nature. Think less organised arrangements of flowers, and instead a wispy array of wold flowers and branches. I love the idea of collecting old thistles of branches over time to create a beautiful display; however if you can’t collect them yourselves, or want something that’ll last, a good quality faux branch will do the trick; like this willow twig from Neptune.

Image from Bauwerk via Pinterest

Willow Twig from Neptune

The wabi-sabi philosophy is a beautiful way of enjoying material things without being materialistic. Learning to appreciate the beauty in nature and bringing nature into your home offers a relaxing and simple environment; a peaceful foundation in which to add your own take on the style and story of wabi-sabi.

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A Rough Idea

At the moment in interior design we’re seeing a lot more of raw or organic shapes and materials being used. This is a great trend for those who love contemporary and diverse looks in their home, and want to experiment with different types of material; from metal, stone, wood, cork and concrete to natural forms. Take a look at some of these design to see if you might want to add some rough edges to your interiors.

This natural, pebble shaped mirror from Oliver Bonas takes the luxurious of the rose gold frame and plays it down with the relaxed shape, which is an interesting alternative to a formal rectangular mirror; making it a great buy if you want to soften a glam setting.

Full Length Rose Gold Pebble Mirror from Oliver Bonas

Break up a seating area with this raw shape petrified wood coffee table from Houseology. It appears like a slice straight from the trunk of a tree, but with a beautiful finish. It’ll add a diversity in texture and break up the space, as well as adding a natural element but in a formal and luxurious way.

Eichholtz Barrymore Coffee Table from Houseology

Offset the wooden coffee table with this agate top side table from Andrew Martin. The roughness of the agate edge contrasted against the angular brass legs give the side table a dynamic look that’ll add some unexpected glamour to a room.

Rosalie Side Table from Andrew Martin

If you want to add some natural motifs to your interiors in a larger way, there are a whole range of interesting wallpapers you could look at. This cement brick wallpaper adds a touch of industrial charm; it could look great in a sitting room with an added a cosy element like some textural sheepskin cushions completing the look.

Atlantis Cement Wallpaper from Andrew Martin

These pendants by Tom Dixon at Amara are perfect if you’re looking for something with an organic shape but still has a really glamorous touch. The finishes feel like precious metals and look like they’re melting, malleable to the touch. They would add a really vibrant edge to a room, over a dining table or hanging in a stairwell.

Melt Copper Pendant Light by Tom Dixon from Amara

Alternatively, finding products that used raw materials but take a contemporary shape can be a great way to give a room more texture when combined with other materials like velvets, paint or linen. This light made from concrete has a modern, simple shape, allowing the material to be the focal point of the design.

Dutch Bone Cradle Concrete Pendant Lamp from Cuckooland

Insert some a natural component and a little fun into your interior with this cork stool from Heal’s; it’s a playful when to add in some composition to a room, as well as having some back up seating when needed.

Cork Stool Model A from Heal’s

This could be contrasted nicely against this dark concrete mirror from Cult Furniture. It’s smart enough to be worked into a formal setting, but the added interested of the concrete means it can be toned down too.

Abra Modern Round Wall Mirror from Cult Furniture

This garden stool from Made is made from beautifully smooth concrete; it would look lovely in a juxtaposition against the green grass or on a minimalist desking. It could also be work inside the home as well; just add a little softness with a throw of cushion nearby.

Edison Garden Stool from Made

For a clean, strong look in the bathroom, using raw materials can create a dynamic look that plays to both masculine and feminine themes. This caddy from Next is made from a grey stone, and would look great added into a contemporary bathroom setting.

Pale Grey Stone Toothbrush Caddy from Next

For a larger touch of marble effect, this electric marble wallpaper is a giant textural feature. The orange tones against the dark bark almost glisten, making this wallpaper perfect if you want to create drama in say a dining room.

NLXL Piet Heim Eek Blakc Metallic Marble from IWOOT

From big drama to little drama, this pendant has a traditional style but made with a contemporary metal, to give it a stunning contrast. Two of these over a long dining table or as bedside lights would be the perfect finishing touch to a contemporary glamorous look.

Light & Living Alarice Pendant Light from Houseology

Whether you’re interested by raw forms or raw materials given an elegant finish, both are great ways to add texture and further depth to your interiors, so get out there and see how you can customise your own space.

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Dot-to-Dot

Creating a feeling of consistency throughout your home is a key part of designing any interior scheme. This can be done in all sorts of ways; through a particular style, a colour palette or even through a more focused feature such as the shape of your homeware and furniture. If you want to draw together rooms in your house, or even make one large space feel connected, take a look at how these circular pieces not only add style to your home but give it a subtle theme.

In a large seating area, create a connected look by using circular footstools. Whether it’s a large stool in the centre and a smaller ones flanking the sofa for a symmetrical look or, if you have the space, creating a beautiful feature in the centre of the area by placing the different sizes together, to create one multilevel piece. This big, round footstool from Swoon Editions in a glorious mustard velvet will add depth of colour and texture to a room, while being the perfect centre piece for a footstool feature. Next to it, a few of these little stools from Atkin & Thyme would look lovely.

Penfold Ottoman from Swoon Editions

Carnaby Footstool in Champagne Velvet from Atkin & Thyme

For a contrast in style, this legged stool from Graham & Green could add more diversity to the look, along with a Moroccan pattern.

Mina Printed Round Ottoman from Graham & Green

Getting the size of your rug right plays a huge hand in how a space or room feels, but if you have a large space to fill, finding a single rug to do the job can be an expensive and hard task. Alternatively opting to layer smaller rugs can be an interesting and resourceful way to work with your space. Layering and arranging round rugs can be a great way to gain a bigger rug and create a unique feature on your floor. These grey jute rugs from Bloomingville are a great foundation for a circular rug feature, a few of these with a central more flamboyant design, such as this botanical piece from Missoni Home would make a beautiful overall look.

Braided Jute Rug in Grey from Bloomingville via Amara

Botanica Round Rug from Missoni Home via Amara

For a smaller way to include a circular theme, using the shape in smaller details such as cabinet knobs throughout the house can create a simple, cohesive effect. Using knobs that are the same design, but with slightly different detailing keeps the look together but gives individuality to each space. For a modern look, these Enamel knobs from Bombay Duck are a fun way to add a spot of colour in your home as well.

Assorted Enamel Round Knobs from Bombay Duck

For a more traditional style, these knobs from Not on the High Street are created in the same vein but each have an individual look to them; they’d be great to use for different pieces in the same room, one style for the lower cabinets in a kitchen and one for the higher cabinets or on a dresser for example.

Aberca and Daroca Knobs from Not on the High Street

Finally, use circular mirrors to pull different room schemes together. If your rooms have different looks, link them by using the same or the same shape of mirror. Keeping some elements of each room the same means that there is still a connection between the spaces but each can have its own individual look. These round mirrors from Trouva are a perfect adaptable style.

Hare & Wilde Round Brass Mirrors from Trouva

Alternatively make a feature out of a long stretch of wall by combining different circular shaped mirrors. These tinted ones from Zara Home are a great modern style.

Toned Round Mirror from Zara Home

However you want to connect the rooms in your home, there are always endless ways to have a little fun with it and think up new ideas on how to make your home special to you.

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