The Great Outdoors

Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start planning a beautiful garden for the season. From large pieces of furniture to the smaller details, creating a lovely outdoor area means you’re prepared for those rare sunny days and the warm evenings that follow. Whether you want to entertain a crowd or just make a cosy setup for yourself, there are plenty of ways to step up your outdoor game with some wonderful pieces.

‘Somerton Outdoor Dining Set’ from Cox & Cox

Add a little glamour to your alfresco dining by finding a suitable, but stylish table. This Somerton table and benches from Cox & Cox will give both contemporary and rustic elements to your outdoor area. The modern grey is a versatile colour and the long benches mean you can squeeze a few extra people around the table when you have guests over, making it a great table for spontaneous dinner parties. If you don’t need as much space, you can opt for something a little smaller like this Bistro table from Houseology, it’s more modern then your typical Bistro set, meaning you can adapt it to different types of settings.

‘Houseology Collection Grigio Bistro Set in Grey’ from Houseology

To stay out of the shade, and for the ultimate way to show off some style, a parasol is an outdoor must-have. If you’re looking for something really jaw-dropping, Sunbeam Jackie have a beautiful collection of ready-made parasols as well as doing bespoke versions if you really want to tailor it perfectly to your style. This Sunflowers in Blue piece is a gorgeous way to keep cool in the sun.

‘Sunflowers in Blue Parasol’ from Sunbeam Jackie

Another beautiful garden parasol comes from Rockett St George, this beaded piece will transform your back garden into an exotic paradise. It’s a great buy for making a style statement, adding fun and sophistication to your overall look.

‘Boho Beaded Cotton Garden Umbrella’ from Rockett St George

When the evenings get a little cold, gather round a gorgeous fire pit to keep yourself warm. This square aged brazier from Cox & Cox is a wonderful contemporary piece that’ll steal the show in your garden. The unusual shape and style will have people thinking you commissioned it yourself.

‘Square Rusty Brazier’ from Cox & Cox

To make sure you keep the light, a few garden accessories from The White Company are sure to do the trick. These crooks and lanterns will look amazing leading down a pathway or placed on the edge of a patio to give a party the perfect ambient lighting.

‘Metal Crooks and Torch Lanterns’ from The White Company

If you ever need a quick and inexpensive way to create a romantic and dreamy garden setting, fairy lights will never go amiss. This extra-long set from The White Company will allow you to cover your whole garden. Neatly decorate a bush or tree, or give some structural work a little make over like in the picture below; a rustic beam covered in fairy lights and a few branches turn something ordinary into a beautiful decorative charm.

‘Extra Long Fairy Lights’ from The White Company

Create the ideal hangout spot with this sweet crochet hammock from Graham and Green. It’s a great bohemian style and all you need to do is find some cushions to add into the mix and place your hammock in a hidden part of your garden, making it the perfect spot when you want to get away from the world.

‘Crochet Double Hammock’ from Graham & Green

If your garden is lacking a bit of space, you can always create the illusion of more with the use of mirrors; place on the garden wall where it’ll reflect the lawn or a collection of plants and it’ll make your space feel a little bigger. This mirror with some rustic shutters from Cox & Cox will add a bit of old, vintage charm to your garden, giving it its own character.

‘Outdoor Shutter Mirror’ from Cox & Cox

In order to keep your drink close by you on a hot day, you’ll need a few side tables to accompany your outdoor chairs. This bistro style table from Garden Trading is a charming little number that will go with most styles and a great way to finish off a seating area.

‘Rive Droite Bistro Tray Table in Charcoal’ from Garden Trading

For a touch of decorative flair on your outdoor side or coffee table, a few hurricane lanterns will really complete the look. These candle holders from West Elm are the perfect way to dress an outdoor table; the various heights and colours gives depth and range to the collection, making them both stylish and a great way to keep the garden feeling cosy late into the evening.

‘Pure Glass Hurricanes’ from West Elm

While there is always a slim chance that we might not get a sun-filled summer, you can still guarantee a beautiful one with some amazing pieces of outdoor furniture and some charming accessories.

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Glorious Garden Furniture

It’s May bank holiday this weekend and for me that always signifies the beginning of summer. May and June in Cambridge always tend to be my favourite months, and hopefully this year will be no different. Since the sun is, fingers crossed, here to stay it’s probably a good time to start thinking about your garden furniture in preparation for the warm weather.

Whatever space you have and whatever style you like there are absolutely tons of furniture pieces around at the moment, and now is the perfect time to purchase them. I’ve collected a few of my favourite pieces to share with you.

‘Rattan Garden Furniture’ from Habitat

If you’re feeling like adding a dose of retro glamour to your backyard then these rattan pieces from Habitat are just the ticket. The bench and the chair make a wonderful set, but I have a particular soft spot for the tall sided chair. It’s super stylish and paired with a few cosy cushions, it’ll make the perfect place for relaxing on a warm summer’s day.

A collaboration that I was very excited to hear about was the teaming up of House of Hackney and Sun Beam Jackie. The latter is a company based in Cornwall that specialise in make amazing parasols, which are now available in some classic House of Hackney prints, creating an absolutely must-have item for any garden.

‘Palmeral Parasol’ from House of Hackney x Sunbeam Jackie

For an extra added something to accompany an already existing set of chairs or loungers, these concrete garden stools from Habitat would make a great addition. They’re an easy way to insert in a bit of style or to update an overall look.

‘Round Concrete Garden Stools’ from Habitat

There is always something rather elegant about a hanging chair in a garden, it can turn a simple, ordinary area into a little wonderland. For traditional, classic style The White Company always has you covered, this sweet hanging chair would look lovely surrounded by a bed of flowers.

‘Hanging Chair’ from The White Company

If you have a taste for the unusual or a little quirky, this hanging nest from Encompass is a great alternative to a traditional hanging chair, its design will really make a statement and give a touch of the Avant Garde to the look of your garden.

‘Maffam Manu Nest Hanging Chair’ from Encompass

For an quick and stylish update to a decking or patio area of a garden, that would be well suited to a typical English country home, these sun loungers from The White Company are rather splendid. The traditional style in a modern grey colour creates a clever combination.

‘Adirondack Chair and Foot Stool’ from The White Company

Traditional isn’t always for everyone, so if a contemporary garden sounds like something you want to try on for size there are some really exciting ways to go. Roche Bobois has some wonderful products, including this armless sofa. Its modern design indulges in a hint of St Tropez style with an abstract wood frame, and is a great way to stay cool in the shade.

‘Saga Armless Sofa’ from Roche Bobois

A swing set needn’t only come in a traditional style, for a sleek, modern design try this set from Encompass, its non-fussy design and clean lines are perfect if you enjoy the minimalist style or if you don’t have a lot of space to play with its open design won’t make your garden feel too cluttered or heavy.

‘Viteo Home Swing Set’ from Encompass

Finally if you’re looking for a piece that’s a little more playful and bursting with colour, this outdoor sofa from Roche Bobois is fantastic, it’s a fun and vibrant way to relax in your garden this summer.

‘Escapade Outdoor Sofa’ from Roche Bobois

With so much excellent furniture around for our gardens, we’ll all be stocking up and praying for glorious sunny days all year round!

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A Home Away from Home

Holidays during my childhood largely consisted of squeezing everything and everybody into a car and heading either up or down to Cornwall or the Lake District for a week. Holiday rentals to me seemed to be places that were stuck in time, a perfectly preserved overload of twee-ness, with excessive amounts of ruffles and dusty fake flowers, and while some managed to maintain the endearing nature of the property, others were unfortunately interior design disaster zones.

With so many holiday rentals around in Britain, and with the ever-rising popularity of Airbnb, we thought it rather fitting to give a little guide on how to make your holiday home that extra bit special, and making it an appealing, exciting place to be that will make people want to fight for the chance to stay there instead of running for the hills!

There are some wonderfully simple ways to turn a holiday home into a small haven. The high season for holiday goers is always summer and spring, therefore making the most out of your outdoor space is a sure fire way to bring smile to your renters face. Creating large, comfy communal areas is vital, and spaces that easily convert from day to night even more so. Making sure there is enough lighting, be it in the form of candles, lanterns or even making an investment in some chic permanent outdoor lighting will create the perfect relaxing vibe your holiday home needs, and will go hand-in-hand with some amazing outdoor furniture.

‘Luccombe Outdoor Set’ from Oka Direct

Whether you have a beautiful garden or a spectacular view, an outdoor space is enhanced a hundred times over with the addition of fantastic outdoor furniture. If you tend to cater to big groups, purchasing a set that can be used as a large all-in-one or broken up into smaller arrangements is the best seating solution. This set from Oka is a lovely modern rattan alternative to the dated wicker conservatory furniture that tends to be a staple in holiday homes.

For more intimate seating areas there are some adorable ideas that can really give an extra added touch, this loveseat from Oka is so stunning and if you have a small cottage, perfect for a romantic getaway, items like this are the icing on the cake.

‘Tendril Metal Garden Loveseat’ from Oka Direct

If you don’t want to have to re-mortgage your actual home in order to kit out your holiday rental, there are some charming, inexpensive ways to do so, I actually rather like this Bistro set from Homebase, which would make a sweet addition on a patio, perfect for a enjoying a glass of wine as you watch the sun go down.

‘Folding Metal Bistro Set’ from Homebase

When it comes to holiday rentals, it’s the extra added touches that make a renter a returning customer. Making them smile, whether they realise it or not, from simple home accessory additions will mean that they only think positively about your letting and will want to come back year after year. A beautiful parasol like this one from Hen and Hammock inserts individuality and character into an interior, so even if the rest of your furniture is simple and understated one extra added touch will make all the difference.

‘Indonesian Parasol’ from Hen and Hammock

Another insertion of charm could come in the form of a creative and wonderfully designed plant pot. Adding a little greenery to a garden is a great way to give a little oomph, and sourcing a lovely pot is an added bonus.

‘Wafture Planter’ from Anthropologie

Flowers will automatically brighten up any interior, the added spurt of colour adds excitement and vitality. However, holiday homes in my experience tend to replace with fresh with fake, while this is a much more viable option for a holiday home, the flowers always seem to be dusty and ever so rubbery looking. Throwing out your old fake flowers and purchasing some new ones will guarantee to make your holiday homes look ten times more modern and ten times less stuffy! For high quality florals that won’t break the bank head to Funky Bunch or An Angel At My Table, but ditch the typical gerbera flower and opt for something more sophisticated and elegant like peonies or hydrangeas or some wild flowers.

‘Short Pink Blossom’ from Funky Bunch

‘Soft Pink and Blush Hydrangeas’ from An Angel At My Table

A few small changes to the foundations of the house are a great way to modernise an older property and give character to a new one. Switching some unexciting door knobs for some interesting ones is an easy way to reinvent the look or theme of a house with minimal effort. These door handles from Rockett St George are super stylish and will look amazing with multiple design schemes.

‘Talia Ceramic Door Handle’ from Rockett St George

For an even quicker transformation, upgrading a dated and probably slightly mouldy doormat will instil your guests comfort and style right from the get-go, and a simple yet stunning design like this one will please almost any taste.

‘Black and Natural Simple Door Mat’ from Rockett St George

Finally, inserting some your town’s charm into your home is the perfect way to separate a holiday home from a regular one. As long as you don’t go too overboard with a theme (we know we’re by the sea no need for the nautical paraphernalia reminders), then a little small town charm can be quite lovely. A few antiques from a local shop or some paintings or prints of the local landscape, landmark or by a local artist can really do the trick.

‘Cambridge’ by Glynn Thomas from Cambridge Contemporary Art

So with a little spruce and just the right amount of whimsy a beautiful holiday home is just around the corner, just in time for summer!

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Kick back and relax, in style

There are surely few things that shout British holiday as loudly as the deck chair and whilst we are enjoying a wonderful summer, now is the perfect time to invest in the classiest seating you can lay your hands on for use in the great outdoors. Here are just a few of my favourite finds.

I love all the designs from Thornback and Peel but this turquoise sardine tin seems to work perfectly on a deckchair – don’t forget the matching cushion!

House of Hackney‘s fab fabrics give their deckchairs a decided air of cool, and I love the Edwardian version with shade cover and stool for the perfect feet-up experience.

This double deck chair from Cox and Cox is extra wide for communal relaxing – there is room for two, or more, so bag your place quickly.

Liberty has joined forces with deckchair experts Southsea Deckchairs to produce these limited edition deckchairs in classic Liberty print. Available for one season only, so buy now to avoid disappointment!

You get a little piece of history with these deckchairs from Plum and Ashby as each frame used to be used on the sea front at Weston-Super-Mare and has now been given an overhaul with a new seat in their charming Bertie print.

Life is indeed beautiful with these chairs from Rockett St George with their upbeat messages. You Are My Sunshine and Life is Beautiful – but which will you choose? – I recommend both to be on the safe side.

And finally whilst this is not a deckchair, I couldn’t resist tempting you with this wonderful covered Rocker Swinging Seat from House of Hackney. Couldn’t you just snooze on that until the Autumn?

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Springtime

At last, after what seems like the longest winter, we have had a gloriously sunny Spring weekend.  The aconites are blooming on Christ’s Pieces and the daffodils are peeping out on New Square and here at Angel + Blume we have welcomed spring into the office by displaying the beautiful Pierre Frey fabric Espalier on a canvas on the back wall of the studio.

 

 Below is our choice of green and yellow fabrics, furniture and accessories which will allow you to bring a little bit of spring into your homes and gardens without involving a major decorating exercise.

 

 This beautiful selection of fabrics is from Osborne & Little’s Spring 2013 collection and the clever combination of vibrant lime green with more subdued greys and black makes them perfectly understated and eminently usable in any room.

This simple, pretty and extremely ‘spring like’ Cushion Cover is a design called Hedgerow by Angie Lewin at St Jude’s.  The three colour design is screen printed in the UK and comes in two other colour ways.

 

Also by Angie Lewin, Dandelion 1 in Pale Green and Sage is slightly more subdued but also comes in the more vibrant Sage and Yellow combination.  The cushion covers measure 45x45cm and cost £32 each.

 

 Zoffany’s  Town and Country Collection

The curtains in this bedroom are from Zoffany’s recent Town and Country Collection.  Once again, the combination of zesty lime green with shades of grey make the fabric really user friendly whilst still allowing that energizing splash of bright colour.

 

 If you’re looking to brighten up your child’s bedroom or nursery then look no further than this delightful desk and chair set from molly-meg.  Les Gambettes little Suzie child’s chair in Lemon yellow is a fantastic design with a distinct 50’s feel made from formica and metal. It comes in a beautiful choice of retro colours and costs £68.

 

  The matching desk is £170.

  

Emma Bridgewater never fails to deliver and her jaunty Daffodil Mug priced at £19.99 will brighten up breakfast time, coffee time or anytime you fancy a quick cuppa.

 

Its not too soon to be thinking about having that cup of tea in the garden either, if you’re lucky enough to have a sheltered spot and this lovely little patio set will fit in even the tightest space.  It affords you limited maintenance as it is constructed in metal and designed to imitate wood and folds for easy storage.

The WimbledonRange by Jonart Design.

 

 And if it still feels a bit nippy then this jolly throw from The Great English Outdoors is just what you need to cover up.

Vintage Fringed Throw FT32 £125

 This blog first appeared on the Cambridge News website

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