Fireside accessorising

Having spent ages trying to weigh up the pros and cons of having a real fire or a gas fire in my living room, I finally decided on a real fire and with great excitement (from me) it was fitted last week. I immediately went out and purchased the initial requirements of logs, coal, kindling and firelighters, (and thus reminding myself of some of the cons of a real fire) and tried it out (very lovely), and I am now deep into the research of potential accessories for my fireside. Who knew the endless possibilities and options available? Here are just a few that are tempting me at the moment. Other suggestions welcomely received.

I have always loved this simple and stylish fireguard, available from Graham and Green

I could happily have any of Somerset Willow‘s beautiful products in my home, but this balloon log basket is one of my favourites.

The major drawback, in my opinion, is clearing out the ash, so it’s important to have good equipment – a practical and stylish dustpan and brush from Baileys Home fits the bill.

A very elegant alternative fireguard from Chesneys – decisions, decisions!

These firelighters from Cox and Cox are made from pine cones with natural wax and scented with cinnamon – I’m worried they might be just too nice to burn!

No more burnt fingers with these long matches from Dibor

A must have requirement is a great set of fireside tools – I’ve got my eye on this set from Garden Trading, although it doesn’t include a toasting fork so I may need one of these from Jim Lawrence for my crumpets!

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Gorgeous Suffolk

As a true East Anglia fan, I am ashamed to say that until last week, I had only fleetingly visited the Suffolk coast and I am delighted to report that I not only had a wonderful week in this beautiful county but I also uncovered some new treasures on the interiors front, and visited some old favourites.

My first find was Smoke and Fire in Darsham who make the most beautiful and creative tiles. Their decorative tiles are real works of art and I love the delicate colours of their plain tiles. I would highly recommend a visit to their showroom where the tiles are also made.

Two of my favourite lighting companies are based in Suffolk and I took the opportunity to visit both. The first is Bella Figura who have a head office and small showroom in Melton (their main showroom is in Chelsea Harbour) where they make their lighting, using glass brought over from Italy. The products are gorgeous and it was amazing to see the workshop and a selection of some of the new chandeliers that will not disappoint.

The other lighting company that I love and we have worked with for a long time is Jim Lawrence who have a fantastic showroom in Hadleigh that displays almost every product they have. They have more recently expanded into other homeware including fabrics, furniture and accessories and although it is generally their lighting that catches my eye, I couldn’t resist their new scented candle (pink pepper and green mandarin) which is delicate and delicious.

Woodbridge is a town that is really worth a visit and I made two brilliant discoveries there – the first was 10 Church Street which is a wonderful interiors shop selling a carefully selected mix of tasteful and stylish furniture, soft furnishings and accessories. Some of their products are on their website so it is worth keeping an eye on what they have in stock www.10churchstreet.co.uk

The second is a delightful business run by three sisters called Sant Studio which sells jewellery, textiles and home accessories. Everything in this delicious shop was tempting but the jewellery really caught my eye and they have just a few items on their website, although you really need to visit to see how lovely the stock is.

Last but not least is the fantastic Thorpeness Emporium – we were based in Thorpeness (which is lovely) so we visited almost everyday for a browse at the antiques and a cup of delicious coffee in the cafe. They also had an exhibition of gorgeous prints by a local artist called Liz Clark and if you are modernist or retro style inclined, these might appeal. I thought they were lovely.

I am now back and hard at work – customers of Angel and Blume will be pleased to hear – but I will be going back to the Suffolk coast as soon as I can, I am a convert!

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Stylish Lighting

This article first appeared on www.cambridge-news.co.uk

Really good lighting is crucial in all homes and once you’ve worked out what you need, there is still the tricky question of which fittings to buy. There is a bewildering range of light fittings on the market and unfortunately, an awful lot of them are, well, awful.

In order to avoid mistakes, I think it helps enormously to decide what style of fitting you prefer and then to find a small number of suppliers (two or three, but one is fine if they can provide for all your needs) and stick to them. We’ve put together a selection of different types of fittings from some of our favourite suppliers to show you what we mean.

Jim Lawrence design and manufacture some of the best light fittings around. They are fairly traditional, although with careful selection, some of their fittings work well in more contemporary homes. Here are some of their products we’d use for classic or country projects.

  

  

By contrast, more contemporary interiors normally require much simpler light fittings and I particularly like the fittings from Astro Lighting. If your own style is more for clean lines and unfussy design, these types of fittings are likely to work in your home and fit with the rest of your furnishings.

      

  
For glamorous, statement light fittings, I love these from Ochre. Made from a range of materials including glass, metals, coconut, horn strips and horsehair, they are works of art in their own right and will add more than a touch of style to any interior.

      

  

For really elegant light fittings, my first port of call would be Heathfield and Co. Their fittings work with a range of interior styles because they are classic and well designed. They also make bespoke lampshades for their lights which means you can get just the colour and fabric to fit your scheme.

  

  

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Love your home

With Valentine’s Day rapidly approaching, we hope that you are getting that loving feeling, and of course we think it is highly appropriate to show your home some of that affection as well as your sweetheart. Here are some of our favourite products in inject some subtle romance into your home.

This article first appeared on the Cambridge News website

You can’t get more romantic that this ‘Love Letters’ wallpaper from Andrew Martin – up close you will see names and addresses in beautiful hand writing and date stamped in the 1830s. A beautiful backdrop to any interior scheme and unusual enough to make a statement, it would be great to use on all walls in a room, or just inside a wardrobe to make you smile in the mornings.

It’s true! – all you do need is love (and, we would argue, a fab home). These wooden panels will make a joyful statement in the right place in your home – they are very striking so need a neutral backdrop and some eye-catching furnishings to balance them up. And possibly two very cute children to complete the look!

The Rug Company do some truly beautiful rugs and none more so that this Love Heart rug designed by Vivienne Westwood. It perfectly balances romantic and stylish and is an investment piece that will last you for many Valentine’s Days to come and all the days of the year in between.

New bedding is always a treat but these pillowcases make a perfect accessory too and if you want to make a statement this Valentine’s Day, well these should probably do the trick. They come in red, blue, pink, black and cream lettering and are in cotton poplin.

And finally, I just couldn’t resist this Heart Door Knocker from Jim Lawrence – sweet and stylish, it brings just a hint of romance to the entrance way to your home. Beautifully made as with all things from Jim Lawrence, it is hand forged and come in four different finishes.

Happy Valentine’s Day from all at Angel and Blume!

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