All posts filed under: Trends

Pantone Living Coral

How to live with Living Coral – Pantone’s choice for 2019

Living Coral!? Well that was a nice turn up for the books wasn’t it? After the disastrous announcement of Ultra Violet for 2018, (so bad I didn’t even write about it) and Greenery back in 2017 (which I did write about, mainly because it meant I could add a picture of Kermit to my blog), Pantone have finally relented and given us something we can get our teeth in to for 2019. It’s a real pop. And not one for the faint of heart. But actually, Coral is one of the easiest colours to add into your interiors. Don’t believe me? Well, come and see how some of my brilliant colleagues from the Interior Design Collective have worked their magic with Pantone’s chosen hue for 2019. GREAT WITH BLUE Given the UK’s love of blue, partly because of the ease it fits our UK rooms (we have very blue, light here), coral is the perfect accent colour with blue as they sit opposite one another on the colour wheel, otherwise known as complementary colours. Now, …

Ted Baker Stepped Tile

Ted Baker & British Ceramic Tile – New Designs Definitely Worth a Look

It’s not the first time British Ceramic Tile have featured on these pages. I worked with them back in winter 2016 on our loft conversion. I was lucky enough to use their Marble and Black Hex tiles in our loft bathroom. Chooch on the loo in our Loft Bathroom… The beautiful Marble Hex tiles were used again the Trumpet Family Bathroom (because the homeowners fell in love with them from seeing them in my own bathroom). Well, British Ceramic Tile, are releasing some rather exciting new designs by long time collaborator, Ted Baker. There are three designs that I think you lovely lot, need to see, because they’re ace. And normal people can afford them – hoorah! Indigo Blocks – £39 m2 These ceramic tiles give some of the mega expensive handmade, cement tiles a serious run for their money. The indigo blue with soft off-white provides a classic colour scheme to any wall or floor. Each pack of nine tiles contains an assortment of four different designs, so the end result is completely up to …

Cork in Interiors

Cork is for life, not just for coasters

Hello hello, how are you all this week? I have a couple of public announcements to make before I get stuck into this week’s blog post, so please bear with me… 1. Sorry for missing last week’s post everyone. I had the lurgi and tonsillitis so I spent most of last week moaning and watching Netflix. I’m just about back on it now, so i’ve got a lot of catching up to do! 2. THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH! To those that voted for me in this year’s Amara Interior Blog Awards, you did it. You got me shortlisted for Best Interior Designer Blog, so i’m off to the awards ceremony later this month. Eeeek! I can’t tell you how happy I was. Thank you so much once again! You guys are total legends 🙂 So onto today’s post. It’s about cork. Admittedly it might not sound that exciting, but you’d be wrong. I love cork and not just because it normally comes with wine or fizz. The use of cork in interiors is …

PeachBaby_Earthborn

Would you go nude? – The interior trend that’s barely there – Nude Walls

So yeah, a bit of a click-baity title I admit. No bums, boobs or body parts to see here people. It’s all about the nude walls today. Monument, New Black, and Temple Maybe it’s all this gorgeous weather we’re having that’s got me focussing on just how pale my pins are (like, really!) but since writing the Paint and Paper Library post where this picture above featured, i’ve been busy researching the best fleshy toned, nude paint colours out there. Because if you don’t already know, pink or “blush” aint going anywhere for a while… it is however, getting a little darker than those candy sweet pinks we’ve seen over the past four years or so. Think flesh tones, American tan tights, foundation samples, a touch more terracotta, peach… or dare I say it, “beige”. Yes, neutrals are on their way baby, but not in a boring way. Oh bloody hell no siree. Check out some of the best nude shades i’ve found and note how these barely there, neutrals can really pack a punch. …

SPÄNST collection

SPÄNST collection – Ikea Collaborates with Chris Stamp

Ikea have released some rather impressive collaborations so far this year, with the SPANST collection due to land this May. So not long to wait. It’s a capsule collection of “lifestyle” influenced furniture, lighting and decor, where the fashion conscious are very much in mind. In collaboration with fashion designer, Chris Stamp, the founder of ‘Stampd‘ a brand known for its meticulous attention to detail with designs that embody modern youth culture. The Stampd brand focuses on quality and the minimal, urban aesthetic. Its flagship store based in the heart of LosAngeles, sells its line of clothes and accessories all over the world.    A number of items from the collection were also designed by Maja Ganszyniec, a frequent IKEA collaborator since 2014. Together they explored the changes and needs of young homes today, with a special focus on active, urban lifestyles. Maja has collaborated on several Ikea designs, including the HJÄRTELIG collection which was released last month.  Chris and Maja met for the first time in New York to find alot of their design ideas were …

ABC in the Bathroom (Anything But Chrome)

If you’re currently planning a bathroom refit and looking to break with convention and not go down the easy route of chrome brassware… you’ll soon experience what I refer to as The ABC Nightmare. Anything But Chrome. Black and Brass are currently the choix du jour and has been for a while but the market is taking some time to catch up. As you already know our loft bathroom was graced with a black tap, bottle trap and waste from Olif. The Minimo Matt Black Tap is still available on their website, which they’ve recently revamped, so definitely worth a look. They also do gold, copper, bronze and anthracite taps… basically, Anything. But. Chrome. So sourcing a black tap for our loft shower room wasn’t too bad… but could I for the life of me find a shower or a shower screen with black fittings (that wasn’t a million ££’s)? No. No I couldn’t. But guess what? They’re finally trickling down onto the market, so I thought i’d save you a month’s painful search and pop ’em all here for …

Anaglypta Alfred Black

Anaglypta – It’s back in a big way

For those of you in the know, you won’t need any convincing about Anaglypta. Yes, that wallpaper we were all moaning about having to strip off our walls back in the 80’s. Well it’s back. In a big way. But for those of you that might need a little arm twisting, here I am, happy to get physical and twist away. Check out these images. Maybe they’ll make you see Anaglypta in a whole new light. Derby Now, this is probably how you remember it best. Normally white or off white. But here, paired with a concrete floor, industrial furniture, warm wood and metallics, it couldn’t look much different to the days of your nan’s front room. Imagine your nan having this light. And styling up the writing bureau… Egon Anaglypta was developed by Thomas Palmer over 130 years ago. The name being taken from the Greek, for ‘raised cameo’. Lincolnshire Brick It’s the perfect compromise between pattered/multicolour wallpaper and painted, plastered walls. Anaglypta gives your room some dimension and depth plus the option to …

Florian Planter La Redoute

My Top 10 Mid Century Planters

Plants plants plants!! They are everywhere. And I love it. I can’t actually get enough of them. Combine my love of plants, styling and all things mid-century, this inevitably makes mid-century planters right up there with one of my fave things to add to interiors right now. Turned, tapered wooden legs? Elevated greenery? Yes please! Let me show you my top 10 picks . Tall Concrete Planter with Wooden Legs, £55 – Next Yes, you read right, Next! Wide Concrete Planter with Wooden Legs, £55 – Next Concrete and wood, super versatile materials to fit right into industrial, Scandi, vintage, mid-century and contemporary interiors. Modern Wood Leg Planter, £89 – West Elm “With their simple ceramic bowls and solid wood legs, our Modern Wood Leg Planters create an industrial look for your greenery. Even better? Their oak-finished legs have been treated to be used either inside or out.” A good choice for those of you looking to take the concrete look into the great outdoors. Turned Leg Tabletop Planters, from £24 – Westelm “Inspired by the clean silhouettes …

Making Spaces Living Room update

Living Room Update – Pt 2 #styleitdark

Ok, if you didn’t read Part I, then this post might not make that much sense. So you might want to pop back a couple of posts and catch up so you know what the heck i’m going on about today. Or just keep reading… you’re in charge. I think it’s fair to say I wasted spent a week painting various sections of this room. This bit that colour, that bit this colour. There are some sections of wall that have been painted four times over the space of a fortnight, I swear the room is smaller. https://www.instagram.com/p/BTRQx3RA0GD/?taken-by=makingspacesnet As much as I loved the tone of Dulux’s Rich Praline 3, it just did not work with our oak furniture or pine door. It was also a perfect match for the carpet (which I don’t like) making the room feel a bit “blah”. Not exactly the look I was going for when I started this room update. So after, repeatedly telling my hubster how the room would’t work unless I painted the door in with the …

Pantone 2017

Let’s talk about “Colour of the Year”

This post isn’t going to tell you anything you don’t already know. If you follow anything remotely interiors/fashion/media related, then you’ll already know what this year’s official “Colour of the Year” is. Ya know, by Pantone. Today’s post is to question what “Colour of the Year” actually means (and for me to have a little moan about it) because, although my husband is the most wonderful person I know, even he would struggle listening to me grumble on about this kind of stuff. But I know you guys will get it… Last September, Dulux UK released their chosen hue for 2017, “Denim Drift”. “Denim Drift is the must-have color of 2017. It is truly adaptable, fitting into all life and interior styles, making it the perfect choice for reflecting our new perspective for 2017.”   Blue and grey are hardly new but I do like “Denim Drift”, a grey-er, more versatile shade similar to Pantone’s release last year, “Serenity”. Remember that one? At the same time as Denim Drift’s release came “Starry Sky” from Dulux Canada. A …