Quick Fixes

Over the weekend I went to visit my friend in his new flat, a lovely space in the centre of town, but just missing a little something. He asked me what I thought was the best, least expensive way to create a home that actually feels like home, even when it’s rented. While you can’t always do a lot of permanent changes, there are small but effective accessories that you can buy that will not only fill up the space, but will make it feel more cosy and inviting.

Candles, cushions, rugs and other accessories are a lovely way to add some individuality to a space that doesn’t belong to you. They will automatically create a welcoming space, and are easy items to pack up if you move. I’ve picked out some cheap, but chic portable home accessories to help turn your house a home.

‘Cactus Candle’ from Graham and Green

Candles on the whole are an easy way to change a rooms lighting and atmosphere, building a collection of candles in all shapes and sizes will show off your individuality and character. This cactus candle is super stylish and a fun decorative piece to have in your home. Make it a focal point by surrounding it with simple, long stem candles.

If buying a designer set of table and chairs seems like something you’d rather not do, you can dress up your existing set in a few simple ways. Getting some cheap and cheery seat cushions will make a creative space out of an ordinary one, so will buying a tablecloth, they’re both an easy way to inject some personality into a rented house and will make the whole space feel homier. H&M Home have some rather fun, contemporary and reasonably priced low-key items that are perfect for a quick fix. I really like their range of seat cushions and tablecloths, plus they’re cheap enough that if you get them a little messy you don’t need to feel bad about it.

‘Selection of seat cushions’ and ‘Printed tablecloth’ from H&M Home

You can create a more settled-in feeling in a house by decorating the walls, it’s a great way to show off your style and taste without taking up too much space. I think this round copper mirror and Barker and Stonehouse is something special. The copper tones will help make a cold space warm, and will complement some leafy green plants. It can also be made to work with contemporary and bohemian style interiors.

‘Round copper wall mirror’ from Barker and Stonehouse

For something a little more alternative and intriguing, an interesting art piece like this wall trellis from Habitat is an inexpensive way to add some style to a plain wall. You could even get creative and begin to add you own personal touch to the piece by weaving in some fairy lights or fake foliage.

‘Trellis wall art’ from Habitat

Display photographs or postcards in an interesting way with these brass picture frames from Rockett St George. You could use one as focal point among some simpler frames or create a whole feature wall by using a few in different sizes.

‘Brass picture frame with chain’ from Rockett St George

Rugs are just a great solution to make any home feel more inviting for both style and practical reasons. Firstly they’ll help make the room feel warmer, and they’ll also help to reduce an echoing sounds. Style-wise they’re perfect to introduce some fun to your floors, especially if you don’t want to spend too much or you aren’t able to change the primary floor materials. I like these two simple but sweet rugs from Ikea that are ideal for making a blank canvas a little less blank.

‘Ristinge rug’ and ‘Sommar rug’ from Ikea

And finally, add a simple floor lamp, with a softly coloured bulb and turn a cold corner into a warm happy place. These Rutbo floor lamps from Ikea will work in all sorts of interior schemes, get two in the different sizes to create some diversity.

‘Retbo floor lamps’ from Ikea

From lamps to rugs, there are so many solutions to making a house feel like your own, and so much fun to be had in the process!

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A Guide to Table and Floor Lamps

Lighting is a seriously important component when it comes to creating the atmosphere and managing the ambience of a room or home. From simple changes such as altering the brightness of your bulbs, to updating your lampshades, or completely redoing a room’s setup, the relationship between your home and its lighting needs is a never-ending journey.

Though our first instinct may be to jump straight to ceiling or wall lights, there is much to be said for the use of floor and table lamps as your main source of lighting, especially since it won’t require having to get building or electrical work done. Not only can using table and floor lamps create a softer, romantic, more inviting setting than opting for just using a ceiling light, but they are also a fantastic way to introduce different styles into your interiors. This week at Angel + Blume we’re going to take you through some amazing designs and ideas from the world of floor and table lighting.

Whether you want to create a statement or just give a helping hand to the room’s mood, floor lamps are a great way to go. Floor lamps can be for both functional and decorative use. A floor lamp with an amazing design, whatever your style be it simplistic or avant garde, positioned slightly away from the rest of the furniture in the room will make it become the room’s focal point, the object your eyes will initially land on. Therefore choosing the right style and design for your home and yourself is imperative.

Grossman Cobra Floor Lamp from Gubi

This wonderfully contemporary design from Gubi, which comes in five colour variations, is minimalist style at its finest, its design is modern blended with retro influences, ideal for those who love modern style and enjoy having a fun dose of originality in their interiors.

Pedrera PD2 Floor Lamp from Gubi

Another contemporary example from Gubi is this futuristic style floor lamp, its bold design makes it a feature point of the room. It would look great following a monochrome scheme or creating the perfect contrast against a juxtaposition of colourful walls and furniture.

Lamps are superb for creating warm and inviting spaces, opting for floor or table lamps in a sitting room means crafting the optimal space for relaxing or entertaining guests and easily changing from day to night time with just a few flicks of a switch.

Trafalgar Floor Lamp from Pooky

The antique brassy tones from the base mixed together with the yellowy hues from the lampshade gives this floor lamp a sunny warming power, made for those cold, wintery nights were doing anything but curling up on the sofa seems near impossible.

Pooky, as you can see from above and below make some lovely lamps both floor and table. Their designs are absolutely adorable and are the ideal addition if you want to give your home a little face-lift, and at very reasonable prices too!

Wisteria Table Lamp from Pooky

Palmyra Table Lamp from Pooky

For subtle, sweet style that is as far from ostentatious as you can get Pooky is the place to go. Each of their designs are individual yet will be complementary with the rest of your design scheme. A few lovely lamps from Pooky dotted around a living room or study would help create a warm and charming atmosphere to immerse yourself into.

If you work from home, or have a desk or office that is in need of a little finishing touch or an boost of colour, picking out a bright and beautiful desk lamp is a sure fire way to add style and originality to your room without going overboard on the distractions when you need to focus. Something to suit your style will be the pick me up you need when work has you stressed.

Dalù from Artemide

Artemide has reinvented a design from the sixties by Vico Magistretti, the Dalù lamp has the most glorious sixties shape with modern colours. The transparent red and orange are simply stunning and will make the best desk companions.

If classic, elegant style is music to your ears, your one-stop shop for your lighting needs should be Original BTC. Their designs are sophisticated, and exude style without being over the top. A simple, organised desk needs its lamp equal and Original BTC is the place to find it. Two designs that stand out from the crowd for their appealing nature are the London Table Lamp and the Walter Table Lamp, both ooze with style and grace.

London Table Lamp from Original BTC

Walter Table Lamp from Original BTC

Recently Heathfield and Zoffany paired up to create a stunning lighting collection, chiefly table lamps. The designs they’ve created together are completely brilliant and would work wonders in a dozen different interior styles. Their twenty-eight piece collection is created using free blown glass, therefore each individual lamp you buy is unique in its own right, giving you a personal touch to your interiors.

 

From left to right: Colmea (silver), Gaia (velvet blue), Novella (antique bronze), Fiametta (smoke blue) from Heathfield and Zoffany

The interesting nature of the bases means that the table lamps make a statement without being overzealous. The designs would look beautiful on a sideboard or end table. They’re great pieces for adding a little pizazz to a traditional or classic setting, and their elegance means they’re in for the style long haul and won’t become dated any time soon.

Finding the right lighting setup for your home can be a fun but timely task, but once you’ve found the perfect arrangement you’ll be living in pure lighting harmony, making you never want to leave your home again.

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Room for Improvement – Workspaces within the Home

This week at Angel + Blume we’re taking a look at the various kinds of workspaces in the home. No matter what space you have to work with, be it a whole room dedicated to the cause, or just a little corner of the room, it’s vital to make sure that the space is well executed. Whether you’re running an entire business out of your home or organising a hectic family life, the space you work in has to be just right. We’ve put together a little guide together of what we think makes a great study or workspace, and a few examples of some previous spaces that Angel + Blume have created for a little inspiration!

Often we find ourselves having to double up a room’s function, and so a study may also need to be a spare room as well. Less is always more in these situations and what can look amazing is a beautiful antique writing desk, placed nicely in the corner of a room, making it not just a functional piece of furniture, but decorative as well.

 

 

If your style is more contemporary and an antique desk doesn’t meet the bar, there are heaps of stylish, modern desks out there. A few of my favourites on the market at the moment come from Gillmore Space and Lombok.

 

‘The Walnut Gerrit Writing Desk’ from Gillmore Space

 

This desk Gillmore Space is a beautiful, strong design, making it the perfect piece for the focal point of a whole study, or as a singular piece in a multi-functional room; it offers functionality whilst still maintaining style.

If you wanted something with a more industrial look to it, this Artisan desk by Lombok would make a great feature piece in any room, and has a minimalist, no clutter kind of feel to it.

 

‘Artisan Honeycomb Desk’ from Lombok

 

If you’re carrying out professional work in your home then it’s essential to make sure that your surroundings can accommodate your needs, from storage to additional seating, everything plays a key role in making you as work-productive as possible but also evoking the right setting for visitors (be it clients or business partners).

Anglepoise lamps are an iconic design in the world of lighting, and they won’t be bested when it comes to those late night work sessions. This season Anglepoise teamed up with designer Paul Smith to create some ultra sleek designs. There a great addition to any study to keep morale levels high and add a little retro style to your surroundings.

 

‘Type 75 Desk Lamp – Edition 2 by Paul Smith’ from Anglepoise

 

When creating an office inside of a home having a flexible seating arrangement is great for accommodating extra bodies when need be. Depending on the level of formality needed, armchairs and sofas can make the space look fantastic.

Angel + Blume created this space for a client to work as both a media room and as an office.

 

 

Armchairs from Gotham were used to make a comfortable, yet professional setting so that the room can easily transfer between its functions. Gotham has some absolutely stunning designs that can work in both a professional and relaxed setting.

 

‘The Ulysse Armchair’ from Gotham

 

‘The Calaf Armchair’ from Gotham

 

For extreme glamour and sleekness, Bolier is an absolute must! Their designs are real timeless, classic style pieces that will last a lifetime. My favourite design in their collection at the moment is the Domicile Curved Back Lounge Chair.

 

    

‘Domicile Curved Back Armchair’ from Bolier

 

Below is a perfect example of how to create a workspace within a living area. When you don’t need a focused atmosphere and are looking for something a little more social, incorporating the computer into a lively part of the house is a great idea. In a space like this you could add a few interchangeable home accessories to work with the space.

 

 

 

For a more relaxed arrangement in your workspace, adding a few cushions into the mix will make your work seem a lot less strenuous. Everything Matthew Williamson does for Osborne & Little is outstanding and his cushions are no exception!

 

‘Sunbird’ from Matthew Williamson at Osborne & Little

A great piece from Rockett St George is this gorgeous embossed brass cabinet, which is perfect for containing all your files whilst still looking beautiful.

 

‘Embossed Brass Cabinet’ from Rockett St George

Or for a contemporary alternative, check out Chaplins, who create some stunning designs, including this elegant cabinet.

‘Lochness Cabinet’ from Chaplins

 

It’s always important to give yourself a little treat when you’re working hard, and this may take the form of a little bit of artwork to gaze at every so often and have a sneaky daydream. Byard Art always has great pieces by amazing artists, and with quite a diverse range everyone is likely to find something to take their fancy. One of my favourites is this ‘Running Cheetah’ by Lucy Kinsella, perfect for placing on the end of your desk.

 

‘Running Cheetah’ by Lucy Kinsella from Byard Art

 

Another favourite is this dreamy landscape piece by Felicity Keefe, which will be a great little detox for the mind in times of stress!

 

‘The Brooding Sky’ by Felicity Keefe from Byard Art

However big or small, or how much it’s used, crafting the perfect workspace in your home will make all that work seem just a little bit easier, and maybe a little bit more fun!

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Interior design classes

After a very successful spring term of evening classes with an enthusiastic and creative audience, our next term of classes is starting at the end of April. There are still places left for anyone embarking on a home improvement project, or just with an interest in interior design so visit the website to find out more and to book your place. www.interiordesigntalks.com

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