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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Enchanted Gardens

Whenever Lizzie Ibbotson, our Osborne & Little rep comes in to show us the new collections it’s always a wonderful trip to a world of fantasy and magic. Osborne & Little have completely nailed their latest collection, Enchanted Gardens, with beautiful patterns, designs and some fantastic colourways, it’s a collection to covet. So take a look at some truly enchanting designs.

‘Meadow’

Meadow is a vibrant pattern is a modern take on the typical floral themed fabrics. The array of wild flowers, including some lively poppies, really stand out of against the navy background. It’s a strong look that must be met with some hefty confidence, but it’s a great choice for making an impact in a room.

‘Aviary’

The Aviary pattern gives you a geometric feel, these colourful birds on a structural web are a great way to add some colour and fun to a contemporary room. If typical florals and natural motifs aren’t really your thing, adding a contemporary element can help to eliminate the factors that you’re not so keen on.

‘Woodland Sheer’

When it comes to sheers, you’ll typically find some beautiful white or off-white colours that’ll look elegant whilst giving your room some substance, but at the same time maintaining the light. Osborne & Little have taken this one step further, keeping the cool and sophisticated sheer qualities but adding a dash of colour into the mix with some fun leafy shapes.

One of my favourites from the collection is Rain Forest; it’s the combination of vivid colours, intriguing patterns and the overall striped effect that really create a concise, contemporary and glamorous effect. The only problem you’ll have with this fabric is choosing between the two colourways; the first, a green leafed pattern with almost neon indigo flowers, and the second a beautiful combination of purple and yellow.

‘Rain Forest’

Hanging Gardens is an adorable fabric that’s perfect for a feminine, sweet interior. The pattern consists of all the wonderful planters, baskets and birdcages you might imagine in your dream conservatory. The painterly style gives the whole look a soft and charming feel, giving it some interesting character. It’ll look gorgeous framing a window or doorway to the outside, especially blowing gracefully in the breeze.

‘Hanging Garden’

One of my favourite flowers, the Rhododendron, is captured beautifully in one of the fabric patterns in this collection. The gentle trellis-like formation makes a sophisticated structural look without being too heavy. The pattern is perfect for giving a little life to a conservative setting. The flowers have a charming traditional feel, but the dabbled background gives a little touch of contemporariness to the look, making perfect for adding florals to a period home without it looking dated.

‘Rhodara’

For a chinoiserie style, but with a twist of modern colours, the Japanese Garden pattern is just the ticket. The busy yet delicate design will give a room a new lease of life, and is a design that can be introduced in to a multitude of interior themes; including contemporary, bohemian, retro or traditional. A great feature of a chinoiserie style pattern is that it integrates the old with the new, and the fun with the elegant.

‘Japanese Gardens’

A new lighter touch has been given to an old favourite from the Pasha collection, the Tulipan. The teal, blush pink and faded orange tones of the detailing, gives the intricate pattern a softer feel, making it a more diverse fabric. There is also a certain modern neon-ness to the pattern which gives it an unique, contemporary, floral look.

‘Tulipan’

Lastly, for something full of quirk, fun and just a hint of quaintness, the Curio pattern. From a distance, there’s a grid-like formation but upon closer inspection, you see a whole world of curiosities. Squirrels and owls that have found themselves bouncing around crockery and shells overall making a sweet, joyful pattern. It would make a perfect kitchen or bathroom blind, giving additional warmth.

‘Curio’

If you love adding a touch or romance, character, fantasy and charm into your interior, this collection is your new best friend. From contemporary to traditional, there’s something to suit everyone, and all sorts of ways to have fun and get creative with the Enchanted Gardens collection.

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Where The Wild Things Are

As a child I remember loving nothing more than animals and all things wild. Perhaps it stemmed from my love of Disney’s The Jungle Book and The Lion King, or our family’s visits to Wimpole Farm, but my bedroom was filled to the brim with soft toys, animal themed curtains and wooden parrots hanging from the ceiling. Animal and nature themed bedrooms for kids are an innovative and fun way for your child to explore their imagination and if you’re looking to decorate along these lines then have a look at what’s around at the moment by some of our favourite brands and designers.

Story-time can be made a lot more comfortable and stylish with this range of cosy cushions and beanbag chairs, so that you and your child can sit back, relax and get lost in their favourite storybook.

This marvellous Quentin Blake inspired fabric pattern by Osborne & Little is a wonderful return to some classic children’s books, and is the perfect addition to if you’re sceptical about taking the plunge and going head-to-toe in a wildlife theme.

If you’re searching for a more classic English countryside landscape style then check out this cushion design by Designers Guild. This Happy Campers Kids Cushion with its aged pastel look and delightful little foxes is an adorable design.

This fun beanbag chair by Aspace comes in a wonderful mix-match pattern that would work perfectly in a child’s room, or even in your living room, the little strawberries and kiwis in the pattern are sweet touches as well.

Designers Guild have some lovely wallpapers designed for children’s bedrooms, and my particular favourite is this Daisy Patch design. The pattern is fun and bright enough to get the kid’s approval, and because the design isn’t too childish it means that the wallpaper could last until your child is in their early teens.

There are some really fun and creative animal and nature accessories to play around with when decorating your kid’s bedroom. Aspace has some wonderful ideas to spark your child’s imagination. This Felt Elephant Head is a fun, quirky accessory that both parent and child will love for years!

As is this adorable cloud- shelf idea, it’s both pretty and practical and is a great way to individualise your child’s room.

If you’re looking for something more than simply decorative, have a look at some of the toys by Designers Guild. I love these Carp paper mobiles, so much so I’m tempted to get some for my room! And this wooden wheel-along rabbit toy is both a super stylish and a fun toy. These toys are perfect for your kids’ enjoyment without you having to endure the usual garishness of kids’ toys.

A nature theme can also be incorporated into your child’s learning, whatever stage they may be at. This animal alphabet wall sticker by Feather & Black is a great learning tool, and is still something fun to decorate the walls with and for the kids to look at.

This adorable little tree bookcase from Not On The High Street is both great for storing books and odds and ends as well as being unbelievably cute.

And finally, just for some extra cute factor Not On The High Street is also stocking some sweet little animal head shaped mirrors that will give you and your child hours of entertainment.

So whether you want to dive straight in and immerse yourself in everything nature and wildlife related, or you just want to dip a few toes in the pool, I hope this has given you a few ideas about how to turn your child’s bedroom into a wonderful wild adventure!

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