Christmas is Coming!

Whether you rejoice at the news that Christmas is just around the corner, or tremble with a little disbelief at how fast the year has gone, there’s no denying that the festive season is upon us, and what better way to embrace it with with some fab decorations. I tend to pull a bit of a face at the masses of tinsel you usually find adorning every possible surface at this times of year and other conventional styles of decorating you home, so this year I wanted to make it my mission to find some decorations that not only are full of festive glamour, but could also be worked into an interior all year round. Whatever your style there’s something for everyone that’ll turn your home into an ultra-glam setting 365 days of the year.

If you’re not into your traditional red and green Christmas colours, opting for a crisp all-white theme will really add some style to your home this year. A great way to make sure that your decorations are suitable for all year round use, is to find pieces that don’t follow a seasonal motif too closely. These paper stars from Rose & Grey are contemporary way to kit out your home. Hang them from a high ceiling to make a fairy-tale style feeling, and pair with these lovely lanterns from Rockett St George to really get into the spirit. Once the Christmas season is over, the paper lanterns are the perfect decorations to create a dreamy bohemian-style room, or to dress up a child’s bedroom.

‘Nine Point Paper Stars’ from Rose & Grey.

‘Set of Three Paper Lanterns’ from Rockett St George

This carved skull from Angel & Boho is perfect for all year round use. It’s a fun and interesting way to play around with the animal head trend, the carving detail is a sweet addition, and the bright white colour means that you’re free to add some individuality to yourself, even decorating it horns with some tinsel if you really wanted!

‘Tribal Carved Skull’ from Angel & Boho

For a little rustic charm, a few rattan stars from Holly’s House are sure to do the trick, they’ll look great on a shelf or mantel, surrounded by some fairy lights at any time of the year.

‘Set of Three Natural Rattan Deco Stars’ from Holly’s House

To give your home a touch of luxury this Christmas time, why not go for some decorations that are full to the brim with glamour and exotic style. If you’re less into shepherds and sheep and more into glitzy, romantic settings something like this lanterns from Angel & Boho are perfect. Surround a dining room table for an extra special Christmas meal, or dot around various surfaces for Christmas drinks, and then for a dramatic and romantic year just simply keep them there!

‘Tall Filigree Lantern’ from Angel & Boho

‘Venezia Oversized Gilded Lantern’ from Angel & Boho

The ideal companion for some striking lanterns, are some extravagant candlesticks. You can mix and match the lanterns and candlesticks around the room to create a beautiful, romantic setting, or fill a table up with a wonderful arrangement of candlesticks to set the tone. This set from Graham & Green come in all different sizes, which is a good idea if you don’t want your arrangement to look too stiff. Their antiqued glass style can work with various existing styles from bohemian to traditional to glamourous contemporary.

‘Mercury Antiqued Glass Candleholders’ from Graham & Green

Decoration doesn’t have to always be about adding extra drama to your interiors, it’s also a great way show off your fun side and add little hints of quirk and playfulness to a room without going overboard. This Llama from Graham & Green is just the ticket if you want to have a good laugh this Christmas (and everyday afterwards!), and is a good twist on a traditional reindeer. It’s perfect for hanging decorations off of and for being a wonderful decoration itself. It’ll make a great addition to your home if you enjoy not taking life too seriously, positioned over a fireplace or perhaps a bed.

‘Pom Pom Llama Mount’ from Graham and Green

These painted hearts from Re-Found Objects will make wonderful colourful decorations this festive season, and can go on to brighten up your home afterwards. For Christmas time, place them in a more concentrated area, decorating a dresser, or staircase. For the rest of the year, a collection of them would make a lovely touch scattered around a wall, it’ll add a youthful and fresh take to your home, plus they’d go rather nicely with the llama!

‘Hand Painted Hearts’ from Re-Found Objects

If you like fun festive decorations, and want to find a quirky alternative to tinsel, you might want to take a look at finding some pom poms! They are absolutely everywhere these days, so you’re bound to find some in a style to your liking. These red and orange poms from The Conran Shop are oh so cute, but they use contemporary colours, therefore avoiding an overly twee feeling.

‘Pom Pom Garland Festival’ from The Conran Shop

At Christmas time, you can get away with going a little overboard if you fancy, and if you like going all out over the holidays, chances are you probably like doing it all year round too. If you want to add a bit of nature to your interiors, you might not want to stop at just a Christmas tree. These indoor outdoor trees from Cox & Cox are adorable and add a theatrical element to a room without being too dark or mysterious. They can be used inside to get into the holiday spirit, and then when the New Year comes by, place them outside to really enchant your garden.

‘Indoor Outdoor Birch Trees’ from Cox & Cox

The same can be said for these lights from Cox & Cox, use them to decorate your interiors over Christmas and then afterwards they can be used to light up a garden, or transform an archway.

‘Indoor Outdoor Twinkle Light Garland’ from Cox & Cox

There are all sorts of way to create a wonderful winter land this Christmas, and even more ways to get creative and make magical interiors all year round!

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Come Dine With Me

With so many special occasions getting closer and closer in our calendars, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Fireworks Nights, and dare I say it, Christmas, it’s more than likely that we’ll be booking in family visits, dinner parties with friends, and beginning to plan the holidays.

The next few months are really a time for bringing people together and spending time with loved ones you don’t often get to see. So in preparation for these upcoming soirées, we’ve assembled our absolute favourite pieces of tableware and accessories from the best collections to shower you with ideas for transforming your everyday table into a thing a beauty. Even if you’re not having guests over, indulge yourself and marvel over these items. You’ll be drooling over your table setting, not just at the food!

Firstly I’m paying homage to Thanksgiving with this American classic style plate set from Ralph Lauren.

The elegant feather trim makes me nostalgic for winter walks with the family and spotting a flustered pheasant shooting up from the nearby ditches. The pattern is lively enough to catch your eye without being so overwhelming that it distracts from the beautiful food about to be served onto it.

Sticking to the feather motif but taking a little more of a flashy turn, these feather napkin rings, from Not On The High Street are a real show-stopper. They take elements of traditional English heritage with a splash of fun quirkiness, to make a playful addition to a formal table.

For a table with a touch more allure and mystery, here are some elegant accessories to spice up a table and create the perfect ambience for an evening of glamour.

Set the mood with these beautiful neo-gothic style candlestick holders from The French House.

A few dotted on the dining table or the surrounding areas will help to transform your home, and once a few beads of candle wax work their way onto the holder the vintage style will really come alive.

Mixing both vintage and more contemporary accessories together on the dinner table will create a really beautiful effect. I love this water glass set from Rockett St George, they’ll work for both everyday use and for when you’re planning something more special. The beautiful smokey finish on the glasses creates an old Hollywood style allure.

An elegant table needs an elegant centrepiece, and this stained gold glass bottle, from An Angel At My Table, is an ideal candidate; just right for adding a few English roses, or flowers of your choice.

All these events may mean digging out some recipes for some delicious meaty dishes, therefore what better time to invest in a beautiful carving set. This charming 1950’s style carving set from Baileys Home are a perfect addition to any table regardless of style as they’ll work in perfectly with whatever cutlery you already own.

If you’re feeling a little more mischievous and playful and want your table to reflect this, there are hundreds of quirky, fun tableware items to choose from. Rockett St George is an excellent choice if you’re looking for something with an original flair. This whale tray set by Thomas Paul is a wonderful contemporary piece for a modern home and table. Handy for carrying drinks or condiments but also great as an innovative statement piece when left bare.

Another little gem from Rockett St George is this cactus margarita glass.

If you’re not one for wine and are planning on serving up some cocktails these are absolutely adorable, plus they’ll look just as good on display as well as in your hand!

If playing host becomes a little too stressful then sit back and relax with a cup of tea poured from this outrageously cute little elephant teapot from Anthropologie.

It’s so sweet you can’t help but smile, and even if it’s not your usual style it’ll be great as a little one-off piece amongst your other tableware items.

Last but not least are these festive harvest-style napkins from Anthropologie, they’ll refresh any table in an instant and are the perfect extra touch it make a Sunday lunch with the family just a little bit more special.

The next couple of months are full of happy events, and with your cupboards and tables stocked full of glorious new things there will be even more cause for celebration.

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Living with White

I am loving the snow that is falling in Cambridge today (give me a few days and I will think differently) and I am once again marvelling at how nature really is the best colourist in the world.  The snow is the whitest of whites when it falls, perfectly complementing the winter trees, green parks and grey skies and creates the most extraordinary light in both daylight and as the sun fades. All of this adulation of the snow has turned my mind to how lovely white interiors can be and in celebration, I am highly recommending the fabulous book ‘Living with White’ by Gail Abbott and Mark Scott which if you love neutrals is a must have for your library.

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Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow – as featured in Cambridge News

With arctic winds sweeping in and snow flurries predicted over the next few weeks its time to batten down the hatches and make sure your home is winter proof for the cold months ahead.

This blog first featured in Cambridge News

Make your home as welcoming as possible by lighting up front doors and porches  to guide visitors in from the snow (or rain). Stock up on salt as well to make sure pathways and steps are clear of ice and snow.

Prepare for a flurry of muddy boots by setting aside an area for damp clothes and shoes. If your hallway is carpeted make sure you’ve got a heavy duty door mat to ensure visitors don’t bring the outdoors in with them.

If you’re lucky enough to have an indoor fire or woodburner stock up on supplies of pre-seasoned wood and kindling to last you through a few nights and store them in a smart log basket indoors to prevent endless trips out to the woodpile.

To ensure heat doesn’t escape under the door and out into the night a thick drape across your front door is very effective. Or, for a cheaper option, a draught excluder will help to trap heat indoors and prevent the night air from whistling in.

And finally, layer up. Heap lots of snuggly throws and blankets onto beds to keep them nice and cosy, ensure your windows are thickly curtained to keep out wintry drafts and pile your sofa high with cushions in rich tactile fabrics.

Image credits: The White Company, Fired Earth, Graham and Green, Lewis and Wood

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Beat the clock – as featured in Cambridge News

As we prepare to turn back the clocks it’s the perfect time to brighten up your home and beat the winter blues before they even start! Victoria Harrison of Angel + Blume shows you a few simple updates to make sure your home makes the most of every last bit of winter sunshine to remain bright, light and welcoming over the next few months.

(This article first appeared in Cambridge News)

Rather than bemoan the lack of natural sunlight, see it as the perfect excuse to splash out on some new lighting. A cheerful table lamp will create a warm and welcoming glow so dot them around your living room,  bedroom and hallway.

Mirrored furniture like this beautiful chest of drawers  by Graham and Green will catch every last little bit of sunshine, helping to bounce light around the room and instantly brighten up a dull corner.

Rich velvet textures are perfect for the winter months, but you don’t have to pick a dark shade. This bright pink chair combines the cosiness of velvet with a mood lifting colour pop which will beat any hint of winter gloom.

A soft, inviting rug will instantly warm up your living room, but pick a soft cream shade and you will still get a bright and airy feel. Combine it with floor cushions or a luxury beanbag like this one from The White Company for cosy winter lounging.

And finally, The White Company are the master of winter whites, so follow their example and make your bed cosy and inviting by piling it high with layers of soft white and cream throws and cushions to create a light, bright nest.

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