Style Inside: April 2012

30 April 2012

Sunny Side Up...

What a glorious morning!! Sunshine and NO RAIN! At last! Drought? What drought?....

So these little rays of sunshine beaming through my living room window got me thinking (and dreaming) about beautiful homes in the sun....and I came across this beauty featured on Spearmint Decor. A beautiful country home in Palmela, Portugal. Not surprisingly it belongs to interior designer Monica Penaguião.

Loving the rustic modern mix - perfect balance.

29 April 2012

Project Upcycle!

Us Style Insiders are HUGE upcycling fans! There's nothing like finding a little gem at a car booty or a tired little piece in a charity shop and giving it a new lease of life!

I've been collecting bits and bobs for my flat to spruce up and add my own twist for some time now. I decided to paint them all the same colour - mainly because I have a slight obsession with Farrow & Ball's Cornforth White - but also, because I'm big on keeping things quite simple and adding accessories!

I went for Exterior Eggshell as it's hard wearing and holds better when painting directly onto wood. A good few coats, but well worth it and a great finish! I changed the knobs on one of the bedsides and keep the originals for the chest...

....amazing what a lick 'o paint can do innit!?...

A closer look!....

What do you think people?

27 April 2012

Pretty as a Picture..

As promised, a mini inspiration board especially for you Alice! You wanted sunshine and happiness - so here it is....Your bedroom will now be filled with all things pretty to make you leap out of bed in the morning as you admire all the beautiful things you're surrounded by....(in fact, I'm now actually slightly jealous of this board...don't be surprised if we end up with identical bedrooms)...

1. Floral Embroidered Cushion 2. Chain Links Drum Pendant 3. Yellow Chevron Rug 4. Sunburst Mirror 5. English Lavender Candle

Fancy a few hints and tips for adding some 'Style Inside' your living room, bedroom....or any room! Contact us about our design services and transform your house into your dream home!

26 April 2012

Ring Of Fire

Mooooorning people! I woke awoke this morning from my slumber to absolute silence - the rain had stopped!! Hurrah! Cause for celebration don't you think? I took this quite literally, made myself a coffee and began blogging....(that's what a constitute as celebratory behaviour).

Sooo, after a busy few weeks and lots of inspiration, we're turning our thoughts to the amazing fireplaces - old and new - that happily sit as the focal point of our living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens...or wherever! We've seen a huge mix of fantastic ideas; unique colour combinations, classic shapes and contemporary styles, so here's a peek at our faves....

Colour Splash..

Design Sponge

Nifty!..

via Pinterest

Clean Lines

via Quar Decor

Classic Meets Modern..

Gas Fireplaces

Plum and White Delight!

via Pinterest

Modern Elegance...

House To Home

Cosy, Cosy!

via Tiny White Daisies

Which is your fave??....

23 April 2012

La Bellezza Dei Mobili

Milan is not only the fashion capital of the world, but also home to the amazing Salone Internazionale del Mobile. Celebrating its 51st exhibition this week, the biggest furniture trade fair of it’s kind hit the ground running with a fantastic collection of high quality goods destined for the global market. I had a gander at some of the designers and their fabulous products after the show wrapped up yesterday and thought I'd let you in on the hype and share my Top 5..

This eye-popping Qvarto sofa from Bla Station designed by Borge Lindau is a beautiful piece of furniture. You can use each piece independently or together! It also comes in some brilliant patterns and colours.

Blastation - Hall /Stand 16/ D 34

Nordic company Muuto have made this cute range of coffee tables. The Around collection, designed by Danish designer Thomas Bentzen come in two sizes and six finishes so you can mix and match to suit you and your home.

Muuto - Hall / Stand 16 | F 54

A mirror AND a bookcase…genius idea. I love that you can chop and change the display too. Instead of using books, decorate with photo frames and ornaments. This Belvedere mirror from Opinion Ciatti designed by Marcello Zillani will for sure get your visitors talking!

Opinionciatti - Hall / Stand16 | D 37

This neo-classical Belle Etoile day bed from Italian company Serralunga and designed by Andrée & Olivia Putman is elegant, comfortable and timeless. Suitable for both inside and out, UV ray protected and 100% recyclable you can’t go wrong!

Serralunga - Hall / Stand 20 | D 29

Last, but by no means least, this A808 Floor Lamp from Finnish company Artek is designed by Alvar Aalto and comes in polished brass or white painted steel. The base and stand is covered in black leather and will add pure class to any room!

Artek - Hall / Stand16 | D 26

What do you think? Which is your favourite?

For more information on the Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2012 visit their website: www.cosmit.it

20 April 2012

Something For The Weekend...

We've happily presented our latest moodboard to our lovely clients, so we're now looking forward to seeing the transformation of their hall, stairs and landing unravel. Exciting times!

Their already beautiful house just needed a bit of direction in terms of subtle splashes of colour, how to accessorise without overpowering the space and adding their own personal touch....

Here's a sneaky peek at our ideas!

If you'd like any more information about any of our design services contact us - we're really friendly!

17 April 2012

Clocking On...

Is anyone else counting down the hours be we (hopefully) enter into our 'British' summer? Well we certainly are! We thought we'd share our top picks of the latest clocks to help those hours tick away in style! Make a statement with an unusual and eye-catching design or collect and combine to create your own little piece of tick-tock art!....