All Things Bright and Beautiful

A couple of weeks ago I looked at the fabulous book COLOUR by Abigail Ahern for our monthly Book Club. Since then I have been intrigued by all things colourful in the world of interiors. It’s a fun and easy task to turn your home from a neutral setting to fabulously colourful! A bold paint choice, or wild decorative piece may be exactly what you need to create an enviable rainbow-esque room, but if you’re not ready to dive straight in there are small injections of colour to be made by the addition of bright home accessories.

So starting off slow, I’ve got together a collection of exciting, sophisticated and most importantly brightly coloured accessories and furnishings to show you how much fun there is to be had with the bold and beautiful.

If you feel like you might need easing into the idea of eccentric and bright interiors, it’s best to go easy and introduce colour step by step with a few gleaming home accessories. These glass candle holders from Rockett St George are a great way to spice up a window sill or bare surface. The interaction between the gold and the colourful exteriors will create a warm and inviting setting in any home.

‘Glass Globe Candle Holders’ from Rockett St George

Before you go in bright and beaming, opting for a more muted colourful tone is a good way to get acquainted with colour, something like these crackled, antiqued plant pots from Graham & Green will jazz up a patio area or conservatory without being too overbearing, plus they’ll make a strong canvas to continue to add colour to in the future.

’Turquoise Plant Pots’ from Graham & Green

I’m finding it ever increasingly harder and harder to resist a bit of trim these days, so this blanket is absolutely perfect. The lovely blue tones with make a bright impact, and will be easily adapted into all sorts of colour and style schemes.

‘Pom Pom Blanket’ from Holly’s House

 

Not all bold colour interiors need to consist of the bright primary colours, take a cooler, more relaxed journey with some sophisticated metallics, like this bronze Barabra chair from Sweetpea and Willow. It’s has a fantastic retro vibe going on, and will transform a simple front room into a plush cocktail lounge.

‘Barabra Bronze Chair’ from Sweetpea and Willow

When it comes to a large piece of furniture such as a dining room table, there is always an urge to stick to the status quo and go for something conventional. But if you’re interested in adding a little colour to your palette, there’s no need to go to extremes and end up with a tomato red shiny table. Find your middle ground with something like this stylish piece from Houseology. The traditional wood top combined with the playful painted legs makes a wonderful contemporary statement.

‘Moooi Paper Table Patchwork’ from Houseology

When you get more comfortable with the idea of bright, colourful interiors you can really start to have some fun with the concept, from small and big ideas. If you’re thinking big, you can’t get more bright, colourful and stylish than this iconic design by Missoni from Roche Bobois. Whether you want to make a big statement or have just fallen in love with the design, it’s every colour lover’s dream.

‘Mah Jong Composition Missoni Home’ from Roche Bobois

This Zulu girl cushion from Graham & Green brings a lovely regal side to the world of bright interiors, it makes the perfect scatter cushion, either in a collection of equally bold cushions or as a statement piece against a sea of neutral cushions as its backdrop.

‘Zulu Girl Cushion’ from Graham & Green

There is always something to be found from the colourful section of home accessories if you want to add a sense of humour into your interior settings. Although they might be a little too quirky for some people’s taste, this set of winking eyes is rather fun. They’re perfect for a den or bedroom and are a great way to put a smile on people’s faces.

‘Winking Eye Cushions’ from Rockett St George

To give your table a quick fix of colourful fun, these Magritte inspired plates are a must. They’re so fabulous that they’ll even distract the guests if the dinner all goes wrong!

‘Magritte Melamine Plates’ from Rockett St George

And finally if you ever need a little colourful pick me up, this pink budgie is marvellous, hide it away in some plants or up on a shelf so that it’ll catch anyone who spots it by surprise as they walk past.

‘Pink Budgie’ from Rockett St George

Whatever your budget and whatever your taste or space requirements there is always a way to add a little brightness into your interiors and a little joy into your life!

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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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