Life’s a Beach

If you’re heading out to the beach this summer, or anywhere outdoorsy, keep the creature comforts of a stylish home at hand with some fantastic accessories that’ll make eating in the great outdoors feel less like camping and more like a relaxed al fresco affair. From glassware to blankets, we’ve got you covered, so that you can sit back, relax and enjoy that summer breeze.

Though the idea of a beautiful, sandy beach is rather picturesque, the reality is getting sand everywhere and anywhere. Avoid this mess with some helpful, and stylish, floor cushions and throws. These stripy picnic blankets from Trouva are made from recycled bottles, and are sturdy enough to keep that pesky sand at bay.

‘Striped Recycled Bottles Picnic Blankets’ from Trouva

Lean back and relax on these beautiful floor cushions, perfect for cosying into. The rich colours will really add some drama to your surroundings. Or keep it natural and more casual with one of these rush weave cushions from Not on the High Street.

‘Large Floor Cushions’ from Out There Interiors

 

‘Circular Rush Weave Grass Floor Cushions by Dibor’ from Not on the High Street

Give your seating area some character, and extra comfort, with a few of these beautiful outdoor cushions from Designers Guild. They’re a great buy and can be moved from a formal outdoor seating arrangement to a spontaneous picnic as quick as a flash.

From top to bottom ‘Jade Temple Cornflower, Amlapura Cobalt and Palasari Cobalt Outdoor Cushions’ from Designers Guild

Fine dining in the great outdoors can be made a little easier, and a lot more stylish, with some fun plasticware from Amara. These petroleum coloured tumblers are so pretty, and will work perfectly alongside these sky blue champagne flutes.

‘Double Face Acrylic Tumbler in Petroleum’ from Amara

‘Jellie Champagne Flute in Sky Blue’ from Amara

If you like a touch of over-the-top glamour, this wine glass is sure to be the icing on the cake, proving that being outdoorsy and sophisticated totally mix.

‘Chic & Zen Acrylic Wine Glass’ from Amara

It’s not only your drinks that need somewhere pretty to go, but your food too, and this pineapple plate from Graham & Green is so fun and summery.

‘Pineapple Bamboo Plate’ from Graham & Green

Keep everything packed away neatly is a classic and elegant picnic basket. This barrel shaped design adds an interesting touch, while the whitewashed basket below lends a contemporary feel.

‘Barrel Shaped Picnic Hamper by Eaton Hampers and Basketware’ from Not on the High Street

‘Ninon Whitewashed Wicker Picnic Basket’ from Maison du Monde

Stay out of the sun and into the cool shade with this stylish umbrella from House Doctor. The simple design means you can style it into the scheme without it looking out of place.

‘Oktogon Beach Umbrella by House Doctor’ from Wayfair

When it’s getting into the evening and you’re in need of some extra lighting, a few romantic candles that are protected from the wind will keep your magical surroundings well lit. This little bubble cage candle holder from Rockett St George is a really sweet find, adding charm to your alfresco area.

‘Glass Cage Lantern Candle Holder’ from Rockett St George

If you like a touch of the nautical theme, you’ll love this lantern from Zaza Homes, it’s a fun and simple edition to keep you going through the night.

‘Wood and Rope Nautical Lantern’ from Zaza Homes

And for that extra warmth, that most British holidays need, a cosy throw and a fire are the perfect companions. This blanket from Trouva is a beautiful colour, with some fun tassel details.

‘Jade Green Scandinavian Woven Blanket’ from Trouva

So whether you’ve venturing down to the beach, park or even just the bottom of your garden, make sure you have everything you need to have an amazing time this summer.

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Cheap Thrills

A rather excruciating part of my job is that I am constantly surrounded by, or looking at beautiful home furnishings and accessories, that unfortunately I just cannot afford. Fortunately, the interior design world is also full of wonderful pieces and products that will only take a pinch out of your wallet, and here are ten gorgeous items all under £50.00 to get you inspired!

‘Metal Pillar Candle Holders’ from Cox & Cox (£9.50)

A quick way to decorate a table area or ledge is with a few decorative candle holders. They instantly add a touch of personality to a room, and will also add a sense of homeliness. You can either follow a theme with your candle holders, or integrate a whole range of styles, from bohemian to luxe to rustic. They will easily dress up a room, and because they are usually cheap you’ll be able to get your hands of a few pairs! I love these pillar style holders from Cox & Cox, they had a hint of rustic glamour to a setting, but if you really want to give a little pizazz to a table or mantelpiece, these leopards from Oka are sure to do the trick!

‘Pair of Lakadema Leopard Candle Holders’ from Oka (£44.00)

If you’ve bought a cheap, plain sofa there is an easy solution to make it feel fancy, and that’s cushions! There are masses of low cost cushions out there from plain, bright and patterned, but I always find that if you want to add a bit of luxury to a sofa a little texture and colour goes a long way. Sometimes you’ll luck out and the cushion pad will be included in the price, but if not you can usually get the pad for just a little extra, or if you take note of the sizing you’ll be able to find a cheaper counterpart online or in a large department store.

‘Mint Cushion’ from Touva (£25.00 with cushion pad)

This little minty cushion is so sweet and so stylish, and for just £25.00 including the pad it’s an absolute bargain! I love the tassels and the contrasting patterns on this Trivandrum cover from Oka, it’s a wonderful solution if your sofa is looking a little bare, and is in need of a revamp.

‘Trivandrum Cushion Cover’ from Oka (£25.00 with cushion pad)

A nice way to dress up your home is with a few flowers or plants, and for that you’ll need somewhere to put them. If you’re into your contemporary interiors, this half-moon planter may be right up your street. It’s full of character, and its copper tones will look perfect against a vibrant green plant.

‘Half Moon Plant Pot’ from Urban Outfitters (£14.00)

If you want something a bit simpler, that follows a more classic style, this glass cloche from Cox & Cox is so elegant, and just waiting for from wildflowers to be put in!

‘Glass Plant Cloche’ from Cox & Cox

When acquiring tableware, because you often need so much of it, it can be hard to find a gorgeous but inexpensive set. Instead, you might want to opt for getting some cheaper plain plates and dishes and then dressing up the table with some one-off extras. This striking jug from Trouva is amazing, and placed in the centre it’ll really stand out and make the whole table feel that extra bit special.

‘Faye Toogood Indigo Storm Jug’ from Touva (£29.95)

You can easily dress up your walls without spending too much money, a nice frame added to cheap print will really increase the overall quality, and some interesting wall lighting is a great way to add some character. I love this candle wall sconce from An Angel at my Table, the mirror panels offer an interesting design, and it’s perfect if you love a bit of bohemian style.

‘Refracting Mirrored Candle Sconce’ from Angel at my Table (£35.00)

Decorating your home with lovely but cheaper pieces don’t just have to be about knick-knacks, you can find some wonderful pieces for a small prices that can also serve a purpose. This suitcase self from Urban Outfitters is rather sweet, and is ideal for storing books and magazines in an attractive way. It’s quirky, retro flair makes it not only useful but stylish too.

‘Palm Pattern Suitcase Shelf’ from Urban Outfitters (£50.00)

When you need to add that finishing touch to a seating area, something like this little table from An Angel at my Table is a great way to insert some decorative magic.

‘Small Brocante Tray Table’ from An Angel at my Table (£45.00)

A smaller budget by no means equals scrimping on the finer things in life, or getting your hands on something that’ll really complete your home. After all, you may find that good things come with small price tags.

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All Things Bright and Beautiful

A couple of weeks ago I looked at the fabulous book COLOUR by Abigail Ahern for our monthly Book Club. Since then I have been intrigued by all things colourful in the world of interiors. It’s a fun and easy task to turn your home from a neutral setting to fabulously colourful! A bold paint choice, or wild decorative piece may be exactly what you need to create an enviable rainbow-esque room, but if you’re not ready to dive straight in there are small injections of colour to be made by the addition of bright home accessories.

So starting off slow, I’ve got together a collection of exciting, sophisticated and most importantly brightly coloured accessories and furnishings to show you how much fun there is to be had with the bold and beautiful.

If you feel like you might need easing into the idea of eccentric and bright interiors, it’s best to go easy and introduce colour step by step with a few gleaming home accessories. These glass candle holders from Rockett St George are a great way to spice up a window sill or bare surface. The interaction between the gold and the colourful exteriors will create a warm and inviting setting in any home.

‘Glass Globe Candle Holders’ from Rockett St George

Before you go in bright and beaming, opting for a more muted colourful tone is a good way to get acquainted with colour, something like these crackled, antiqued plant pots from Graham & Green will jazz up a patio area or conservatory without being too overbearing, plus they’ll make a strong canvas to continue to add colour to in the future.

’Turquoise Plant Pots’ from Graham & Green

I’m finding it ever increasingly harder and harder to resist a bit of trim these days, so this blanket is absolutely perfect. The lovely blue tones with make a bright impact, and will be easily adapted into all sorts of colour and style schemes.

‘Pom Pom Blanket’ from Holly’s House

 

Not all bold colour interiors need to consist of the bright primary colours, take a cooler, more relaxed journey with some sophisticated metallics, like this bronze Barabra chair from Sweetpea and Willow. It’s has a fantastic retro vibe going on, and will transform a simple front room into a plush cocktail lounge.

‘Barabra Bronze Chair’ from Sweetpea and Willow

When it comes to a large piece of furniture such as a dining room table, there is always an urge to stick to the status quo and go for something conventional. But if you’re interested in adding a little colour to your palette, there’s no need to go to extremes and end up with a tomato red shiny table. Find your middle ground with something like this stylish piece from Houseology. The traditional wood top combined with the playful painted legs makes a wonderful contemporary statement.

‘Moooi Paper Table Patchwork’ from Houseology

When you get more comfortable with the idea of bright, colourful interiors you can really start to have some fun with the concept, from small and big ideas. If you’re thinking big, you can’t get more bright, colourful and stylish than this iconic design by Missoni from Roche Bobois. Whether you want to make a big statement or have just fallen in love with the design, it’s every colour lover’s dream.

‘Mah Jong Composition Missoni Home’ from Roche Bobois

This Zulu girl cushion from Graham & Green brings a lovely regal side to the world of bright interiors, it makes the perfect scatter cushion, either in a collection of equally bold cushions or as a statement piece against a sea of neutral cushions as its backdrop.

‘Zulu Girl Cushion’ from Graham & Green

There is always something to be found from the colourful section of home accessories if you want to add a sense of humour into your interior settings. Although they might be a little too quirky for some people’s taste, this set of winking eyes is rather fun. They’re perfect for a den or bedroom and are a great way to put a smile on people’s faces.

‘Winking Eye Cushions’ from Rockett St George

To give your table a quick fix of colourful fun, these Magritte inspired plates are a must. They’re so fabulous that they’ll even distract the guests if the dinner all goes wrong!

‘Magritte Melamine Plates’ from Rockett St George

And finally if you ever need a little colourful pick me up, this pink budgie is marvellous, hide it away in some plants or up on a shelf so that it’ll catch anyone who spots it by surprise as they walk past.

‘Pink Budgie’ from Rockett St George

Whatever your budget and whatever your taste or space requirements there is always a way to add a little brightness into your interiors and a little joy into your life!

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