de Le Cuona – Savage Beauty

A few weeks ago we had our lovely rep Onur from De Le Cuona come in to show us the fantastic collection Savage Beauty. It’s a wonderful combination of linens and rich fabrics, that is perfectly described as a collection where “intrepid travel and haute couture meet”. The fabrics are simply stunning, and so I had to dedicate a blog to the collection.

You can tell that careful consideration has been taken over each and every fabric in the collection, the quality of work and style is top notch, with each fabric both visually and texturally wowing you; if you’re looking for a luxurious collection to deck your interiors in, this is it.

There’s a real sense of a naturalistic element to the fabrics, Flint has a stone-flecked finish to it, much akin to its namesake, and Treasure despite its metallic sheen manages to maintain a rustic element.

The haute couture component of the collection comes out the play in fabrics such as Persia, where “a tween crosses a tapestry and Chanel jacket woven in ribbons and tapes”. It’s a playful, elegant fabric that on closer inspection reveals layers in colours and textures.

Another beautiful piece from the couture side is the delicious Cleopatra, which flows effortlessly like air, as well as the Liquid velvet, which is by far the softest velvet we ever felt in the office!

Another of my favourites is the Mistral fabric. Made to resemble the rippling effect created by the wind in sand dunes and the sea, the fabric is light in weight but heavy in texture and spirit and reflects its brief perfectly.

Vintage is a reversible linen, a creamy off-white colour on top and on the bottom a light beige. Both sides can be used, and De Le Cuona shows this off perfectly with this marvellous chair combining the two sides.

Savage Beauty is a dreamy, romantic collection. It ties together nature and luxury and creates an “adventurous glamour” as they so aptly describe it. However, unlike a lot of collections where the beauty is so present it’s hard to see how the fabrics can function in the real world, Savage Beauty manages to maintain both its practicality and its romance all in one quick, awe-inspiring swoop.

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Some Like It Hot!

The temperature is rising all around Cambridge today and in typical British fashion we’re all getting a little flustered! But fear not as we have an abundance of lovely summer saviours to keep you cool in the heat.

Comfort is the key on a scorching day like today and whether you like to lie back and work on your tan or read a book in a deck chair there’s something for everyone.

This beautiful cotton double cushion from Cox and Cox is perfect for a picnic on a lazy afternoon.

House of Hackney has deck chairs for sale at the moment with some wonderful prints that’ll keep you stylish in the sun. And if you love prints and patterns then you’ll want to check out Sunbeam Jackie’s collection of beautiful bohemian parasols.

Staying hydrated is the perfect excuse to get this gorgeous pitcher from Cox and Cox, great for serving up some Pimms or perhaps some refreshing cucumber water

And to accompany it why not have a look at House of Hackney’s collection of fun trays, a great addition to any gathering in the sun and the perfect way to serve those drinks in style!

After watching a beautiful sunset, these lovely wicker lanterns from The White Company will be a great way to keep the night going without losing the light.

Of course we’re not forgetting the inside of your home, nothing says summertime like a set of beautiful linen curtains blowing in the breeze, and as always Ian Mankin has some stunning fabrics in his collection.

So there’s our guide to staying cool in the sun, we hope you enjoy!

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Sweet dreams

One of the great pleasures in life, I believe, is really good bed linen and fresh sheets each and every day (not orchestrated by me) would certainly be near the top of my list following a spectacular lottery win. Slipping between very beautiful sheets not only helps towards a good night’s kip, it also makes you feel like a princess (or prince of course) and that in my book is pretty important.

I love this bedding from The Linen Works as you get the great feel of linen without the need to iron – the whole look is relaxed and feels better the more it is used. I also think it looks great when you mix the colours up – here is Parisian Blue and Cassis Rose – divine!

Silk bedlinen is not to be confused with nasty nylon. Silk is not only good for regulating body temperature, it is also regarded as a youth preserver as it does not absorb moisture from the skin and so helps to prevent aging. This beautiful 100% silk bedlinen from Ginger Lily is also fabulously glamorous.

What’s not to love about a bed strewn with flowers and ferns and this delightful bedlinen from Designers Guild adds colourful femininity to a bedroom in a fresh sophisticated way.

Flannelette has had a very bad press in the past as somewhat of a passion killer but let me tell you, that is not true. Flannelette is soft and inviting and perfect for snuggling up in, especially when it is chilly. This wonderful Chamonix bedlinen is from Cologne and Cotton and is shown here is single but more importantly is available in double.

Contemporary interiors can also take a little pattern and colour, if applied in a considered way, and this teasel design from the Secret Linen Store hits the mark creating a smart and luxurious feel.

Marimekko’s wonderful unmistakable designs translate perfectly into bedlinen and I love the mixture of patterns and restrained colours here that look oh so inviting.

Finally who can resist the mixture of pure linen and fair trade organic cotton that make up this bedlinen from Luma, ensuring that you not only sleep in style, you also sleep with an easy conscience.

Nighty night and sleep well

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Oxbow and Peach

Don’t miss seeing the Oxbow and Peach stall at the upcoming Christmas Fairs at Barnadiston Hall this Friday or at the NSPCC Autumn Fair in Cambridge on 21st November.  Beautiful hand picked accessories for the home and lots of individual things that would make perfect Christmas presents – it is worth the trip to see what new stock they have in and I am told there is lots of it!

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New fabrics from Lewis and Wood

Lewis and Wood fabrics and wallpapers have long been a favourite of ours and the small but perfectly formed new collection of five fabrics makes us love them even more! There are some absolute beauties – lovely designs in a range of beautiful colours and all very useable and desirable.

‘Wild thing’ is a beautiful print in three colourways and uses a very fine linen cloth which makes is drape wonderfully as a curtain.

Etienne is classic Lewis and Wood and is a lovely filigree design printed onto a linen weave. The colours are all delicate combinations and the oatmeal colour of the background keeps this design looking really grown up.

Stockholm Stitch is a really useful texture cotton with reverse stitching detail in a range of gorgeous colours. Works well for upholstery, curtains and bedthrows!

Finally three delightful prints on a linen cotton drill in lots of delicious colour combinations. From left above, Sea Holly, Speedwell and Diamond Dot.

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Flying the flag

As the Jubilee weekend is upon us, and the Angel and Blume office is feeling really rather patriotic, we feel this is a perfect time to promote some of our wonderful British fabric companies – if you are looking to redecorate, now is the perfect time to indulge in some great British design.

 This blog first appeared on the Cambridge Evening News website

 Celia Birtwell is known round the world as a great textile designer and having successfully conquered the fashion industry, she then expanded into fabrics for the home in the 1980s. Her designs are just gorgeous and bring a charm and humour to the home that is an absolute winner. Beautiful attention to detail and perfect colouring mean that her fabrics are elegant, stylish and very useable. We love them.

  

St Judes are based in Norfolk and produce beautiful, quirky designs on printed fabric that are perfect for curtains, upholstery, cushions, lampshades – you name it, St Judes fabric looks good in it. They work with a range of artists who produce designs for their fabrics which contributes in no small part to their original, refreshing and highly desirable look. www.stjudesfabrics.co.uk

My Mum bought a Melin Tregwynt welsh blanket when I was very young (I now have it, I’m delighted to say) and it is still looking fabulous all these years later. Their products are all made in Wales at their own mill and I love their individual designs and their robust, honest and well made products. Melin Tregwynt are celebrating their 100 year anniversary this year and I think their designs and products are better than ever

 

Kate Forman Fabrics has captured the wonderful essence of French vintage floral design with a tiny bit of Gustavian chic and the result is fabulous British designed and produced range of fabrics. The collection extends into cushions, accessories and also furniture which embodies the flavour of the fabric collection. We highly recommend a look at the irresistible website.

Rapture and Wright have a fresh, creative and interesting look about their fabrics and that coupled with delicate colouring and high quality linen cloth is very enticing. Their website is beautifully presented – so much so that it is hard to resist purchasing –  and they also say on the home page that their philosophy is to be 100% British, and that is ok by us!

 

The Isle Mill produces the most beautiful and useable woollen tweeds. Their clever use of colours and pattern makes these wools desirable in both traditional and contemporary homes and their finely woven wools work really well for both perfectly draped curtains and luxurious upholstery. We think these Scottish wools are an absolute winner.

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In the English House Tradition

Bennison is one of my favourite fabric companies and one that I immediately turn to when we have a requirement for some classic English style.  They hand print their designs onto lovely thick linen or finest silk and you can see samples of  the fabrics at their gorgeous London showroom in Holbein place. Bennison have very kindly forwarded me a selection of their lifestyle photography which I think really do their fabrics justice – enjoy!

Images courtesy of Bennison Fabrics

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Beautiful Bedrooms as featured in Cambridge News

Turn your bedroom into a haven with fresh tones, crisp textures and a dash of luxury. We bring you decorating ideas to suit any style.

In the summer you want your bedroom to be cool fresh and inviting, so make sure it’s kept tidy and clutter free.  The bed, styled by Zimmer and Rhode is wonderfully glamorous with a textured bedthrow,  fabric covered headboard and velvet cushions piped in hot pink. Teamed with a simple side table and a soft blue wall it looks cosy and calm.

For a bit of drama why not make a statement with an oversized upholstered headboard. This one by Chelsea Textiles might be a bit extravagant, but you can adapt this idea to suit any sized room, just choose a fabric that you love and be bold.

Or keep things light and airy with zingy accent colours. This lime green bedthrow, bright towels and simple flowers are all the decoration this bedroom needs.

For a gorgeously rustic look, try using linen bedsheets rather than cotton. The Linen Works is our favourite for this and the beauty of linen is that the more scrumpled it looks the better!

When the evenings start to get cooler you’ll appreciate a soft throw to drape over the bed and Melin Tregwynt have the best selection of throws and blankets in a gorgeous range of shades and patterns. They are all made in Wales and are a firm favourite at Angel + Blume.

Image credits: Zimmer + Rohde, Designers Guild, Chelsea Textiles, The Linen Works, Melin Tregwynt

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Lovin’ the Linen

The new Rapture and Wright catalogue has just dropped through the Angel and Blume letterbox and it really is worth a look. This lovely British company specialises in linen and linen union printed cloths that work beautifully for curtains and blinds but also (as you can see from their gorgeous web images) for upholstery, lampshades and bed headboards.  They have produced four of their fabric patterns as wallpaper which really shows off their beautifully drawn designs to their best advantage. Take a look, we don’t think you will be disappointed!

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