Precious Metals

I often find myself being nicknamed a magpie, because I’m constantly drawn to shiny things! Although I don’t always appreciate the nickname, I have to admit that more often than not it tends to be true, especially when it comes to home accessories. Metal and metallic items keep cropping up all over our favourite stores and sites at the moment, and with so much range there is something to suit everyone’s style and everyone’s home. So I thought I would share some wonderful shiny accessories with you, to help to start your own magpie collection!

‘Pindale Copper Wire Light’ from Graham & Green

This pendant light from Graham & Green is something that immediately caught my eye when I saw it, from its curvy shape to its glistening colour, everything about it fantastic. It’ll make a great showstopper in a high-ceilinged living room or hallway. As you can see from the picture above it really pops out against a green back ground, as it would with a rich blue, but if you want keep things a little more minimal it will look equally as good against a crisp white backdrop.

For something else with an equally interesting shape to it, this bowl from Jonathan Adler is a rather fascinating design. Based on seeds, barnacles and pebbles, the bowl is designed to crack slightly during the firing process, which unveils some understated modernist patterns. It’ll make a beautiful centrepiece on a coffee or dining table.

‘Metallic Pinch Bowl’ from Jonathan Adler

Not all metallic accessories need to be contemporary pieces, in fact there are some wonderful, traditional style ideas out there. I love this toilet roll holder from Rockett St George, it’s a great way to add a little antique glamour to a bathroom with breaking the bank. It can work as a simple one-off accessory, or if you want to use the style for a whole bathroom theme, match the holder with a roll top bath and a dark wooden toilet seat.

‘Traditional Style Metal & Wood Toilet Roll Holder’ from Rockett St George

For another dose of glamour, these vintage style candlesticks will add a bit of grandeur to a dressing or dining table, or a mantelpiece. Mix and match the different heights for some diversity, and to make a really dramatic appearance collect a whole cluster of them!

‘Gilded Glass Candlestick’ from Rose & Grey

If you enjoy a particular style, metal and metallic can always be worked into any scheme. Add a little freshness to a rustic setting with these dishevelled herb pots from Anthropologie. The worn down look will go great with an already established look, while the zing of the colours will give a room a few sporadic pops.

‘Metallic Crackle Herb Pots’ from Anthropologie

If you want something with more of a matte finish, but something still incredibly eye-catching, this bull’s head from Rockett St George is not only a fantastic piece but great take on the traditional animal’s head style. The ornate metalwork will make you feel like you commissioned the piece yourself, but fortunately the price tag won’t!

‘Ornate Metal Faux Bull Skull with Horns’ from Rockett St George

For a room which style follows an exotic home décor, this Moorish wind-light from Lombok is a dream. They’re made by artisans in India with antiqued iron, and are perfect for creating some romantic lighting.

‘Moorish Iron Wind-Light’ from Lombok

This hanging plant pot is ideally suited from a contemporary, urban space. The angular shape gives the accessory more of a masculine edge, and its simple form means it’ll work in a minimal space without altering the tone.

‘Metal Distressed Hanging Plant Pot’ from Rockett St George

Finally, I had to throw in this adorable little etched coaster from Anthropologie, its pattern is super sweet, and will look lovely littered across a coffee table.

‘Etched Metal Coaster’ from Anthropologie

Whatever you’re style, adding a little bit of metal here and there into your home is a great way to experiment, have some fun, and bring a little freshness to an interior!

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Welcome to the Jungle

If like me you’re not quite making it out to a tropical island for a holiday this year, then fear not! Choose wisely and you can recreate that tropical feeling from your very own home, from quirky and contemporary to classic and stylish, tropical and jungle interiors have been a prominent trend over the last few years and there not going anywhere! I’ve pick out some absolutely scorching home accessories that’ll give you that hot, tropical feeling all year round!

‘Palmeral Amhurst Sofa in White and Green’ from House of Hackney

Jump straight into the deep end with this extravagant leafy sofa from House of Hackney.
Despite its busy pattern the piece of furniture manages to keep its cool, giving off more of a jungle chic vibe than jungle fever!

For a mellow hint of tropical flavour, this bedding from Graham & Green is a fun, non-committal way to interact with the style. It’ll look great as a standalone jungle themed piece or act as a lovely base to build upon.

‘Palmier Bedding’ from Graham & Green

The same can be said for this leaf item from Rose & Grey, which combines tropical and glamourous themes to create a beautiful piece. This complementary piece will make a stylish addition to a room and is ideal for storing jewellery or little knick-knacks.

‘Gold Leaf Tray’ from Rose & Grey

Jazz up your hallway with these functional yet beautiful umbrella stand and stool from Lombok. They’re made by artisans in Indian and will really provide a sense of glamour to a hallway or room that is in need of a little face-lift.

‘Frette Design Umbrella Stand and Stool’ from Lombok

If you really want to inject some jungle fun into your interiors, there are all sorts of stylish ways to do so. For a talking point, these parrots on perches are just the ticket. They’re perfect if you like your home to have a sense of humour and are a great way to insert a jungle theme into your ornaments.

‘Parrots on a Perch’ from Graham and Green

There’s always a lot of fun to be had when picking out a lampshade, with each room there’s a chance to add some individuality and character. New to Rockett St George are these fantastic hand woven lampshades, which work wonderfully with the tropical theme. The frayed ends a reminiscent of grass skirts and the looks as whole feels as if it could be found in a lovely beachside cabana. A few in a cluster would set off the entire look with a swing.

‘Hand Woven Bamboo Basket Lampshade’ from Rockett St George

For an alternative tropical look for your ceiling lights, take a peek at these Kauai Lanterns from Oka. The playful tassels that rest on top of the shade come in three colours, rust, natural and blue. This design will mix really well with a stylish, contemporary interior that is in need of a little zing.

‘Kauai Lanterns’ from Oka

Give an extra little spurt of tropical spirit with this adorable, quirky flamingo light bulb from Rose & Grey, a super addition for kid’s room, or for an adults!

‘Flamingo Light Bulb’ from Rose & Grey

Bring your jungle theme back down to eye-level and to your table with these snazzy table accessories. For a simple yet effective piece of day-to-day tableware try these super sweet elephant shakers from Jonathan Adler, they’re almost impossibly cute.

‘Elephant Salt & Pepper Shakers’

And for an exciting and colourful table update, this dinner plate set from Anthropologie will really get your guests talking! An absolute sea of vivid colours and images, perfect for a summer’s evening or even to brighten up a cold wintery night.

‘Aperta Melamine Dinner Set’ from Anthropologie

There’s all sorts of tropical, jungle fun to be had with your interiors and you don’t need to be an explorer to find them!

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Back to Black

When decorating, and filling our homes with wonderful things, it seems that we tend to lean towards using lighter colours, but I believe that there is an argument to be made from using darker shades, especially black. There’s something intriguingly stylish and timeless about the colour black, and using it within a room helps to frame and sharpen the overall look of a room. Whether you want to go hard and heavy or just have a little play around with the idea, here are some absolutely brilliant black accessories and furniture pieces to be thinking about.

‘Round Copper Art Deco Shelf’

The black metal frame that circulates this shelving unit creates a wonderful contemporary look, especially combined with the copper effect of the shelves. It’s a simple yet intriguing piece that would look stunning as a feature on any wall and is a lovely way to use a small amount of black within your home.

‘Ronde Pendant’ from Gubi

This matte black pendant from Gubi has a certain sleekness that is hard to replicate in another colour. It breathes cool, and is the perfect piece to use in a modern designed kitchen, perhaps using a few in a row for a truly sophisticated look.

‘Black Oak Parquet’ from Kardean

If using black interiors has really taken you fancy, go all out with a bold statement under your feet. A black flooring system really creates a modern, urban feel and will serve as a brilliant blank canvas if you want to add some depth to your scheme with a few colourful or contrasting rugs.

For example, a beautiful black patterned rug, this Paul Smith designed stunner is just the right amount of contrast to make the black on black work together making a powerful yet understated visual look.

‘Arrows’ by Paul Smith from The Rug Company

If you’re not quite ready to take the big plunge into the world of black interiors, a few simple accessories that follow the black motif are a great way to test the waters. This marble clock from Houseology is a worthy investment. Its timeless style means it’ll be well suited to many styles and will be adaptable as you move homes or change your interiors.

‘Marble Wall Clock’ from Houseology

This lamp base from Pooky combines black with pinch of cuteness, especially when you can mix and match with their wonderful patterned lampshades, which will add a bit of fun and playfulness into an interior.

‘Verona Table Lamp’ from Pooky

Another charming home accessory that will appeal to your softer side is this lovely black heart light. It’ll be super effective if you want to warm up a look of a room or space in your home.

‘Small Black Heart Light’ from Graham and Green

The award winning Philippe Starck has designed this stunning dining room chair, available via Houseology. Its sleek design is every contemporary lover’s dream, and would look amazing paired with a glass or white table. If you’re not sure about getting a whole set, then just purchasing two for the heads of the table will also make a wonderful feature piece.

‘Kartell Masters Dining Chair’ from Houseology

The canton collection from Lombok has a particularly elegant look, I especially love this four poster bed from the collection. It’s a simple and classic design, and accompanied by some beautiful bedding will really be the icing on the cake.

‘Canton Four Poster Bed’ from Lombok

Lastly, I had to squeeze in this little marvel from the ever brilliant Julian Chichester. For show stopping pieces Julian Chichester is a must, and this piece is no different. The gilded metal legs give the piece a lighter feel as though it is floating meaning that despite its black lacquer finish, it doesn’t appear heavy or bulky.

‘Twister Cabinet’ from Julian Chichester

If you’re brave enough to go in full throttle, or just want to have a little dabble, there is so much fun to be had and you may find your perfect little black piece of furniture.

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A Clutter-Free Life

Whether it’s a big or small problem, our constant need for more storage space seems to be never-ending! Unless ultra-minimalism is your thing or you’ve completely conquered the hoarder’s curse then it’s quite likely that often you find yourself with piles of things all around your house; be it books, clothes or just general clutter, it always seems to be accumulating.

Sometimes it’s a simple case of needing a few more boxes or baskets to help house your overflowing tendencies or maybe you’re in need of a storage unit or a piece of furniture that can accommodate your needs. Either way we’ve found some marvellous storage solutions that aren’t just about utility but look stunning as well, all just waiting to be your storage saviour!

For a simple design with an industrial style, a piece like this super convenient unit from Graham and Green is a great idea. Its open style makes it decorative as well as functional and would look lovely in a contemporary designed home.

‘Zoe Pigeon Hole Storage’ and ‘Mekon Baskets in Black’ from Graham and Green

The Mekon baskets are also a fantastic storage solution, they come in a set of three in various sizes and are very versatile meaning you can keep all sorts in them and they’ll look great on display as well.

Another small but handy storage idea comes from Lombok, this beautiful bone inlay box is exquisite and would look perfect used as a jewellery box or located on a coffee or occasional table.

‘Siri Small Bone Inlay Box’ from Lombok

Alternatively if you’re looking for something a little more robust these crate-style storage boxes from Loaf are a brilliant idea. Their rustic style can be adapted to multiple design schemes, plus the handy chalkboard front means you aren’t stuck with a mislabelled box when it’s function changes.

‘Pomme Wooden Storage Crates’ from Loaf

For a more permanent, larger solution to your storage troubles investing in a large, sustainable bookcase or storage unit is the way to go. For the ultimate contemporary style head straight over to Ligne Roset. Their designs are breathtakingly gorgeous as well as practical, not only will they solve your clutter problems but they’ll add heaps of style to your home.

‘Book & Look’ from Ligne Roset

‘Cuts’ from Ligne Roset

If you don’t have a lot of floor space at your disposal you needn’t compromise on style, in fact there are some fantastic shelves around that look amazing and won’t break the bank or take up an excessive amount of space. Twentytwentyone are a brilliant shop that sell some amazing contemporary pieces, and this shelving unit is just one of them. It’s the perfect place to store all your extra things and by placing a few ornaments on some of the shelves it will become a lovely feature piece in the room.

‘Royal System’ from Twentytwentyone

Another wonderful design from Twentytwentyone is this stylish valet piece. It will make a great bathroom or bedroom companion without taking up too much space and is deal for keeping everyday things on like towels.

‘Laurel Valet’ from Twentytwentyone

Storage units don’t always have to be a contemporary design, if your taste is more suited to vintage pieces there are absolutely tons of pieces on the market that will make you smile. The Old Cinema is a wonderful place that sells some stunning vintage and antique pieces, this old Zanzibar chest is a real showstopper as well a great place to store blankets, books or anything your heart desires.

‘Early 19^th Century Zanzibar Style Chest’ from The Old Cinema

I couldn’t resist putting in a mid-century piece from Alfie’s Antique Market, this ultra-sleek storage piece is Danish Teak perfection, and would look stunning located in a hallway or living room.

‘Danish Teak Shelving Unit’ from Alfie’s Antique Market

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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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