How To Brighten Dark Rooms

How to brighten dark rooms

Want to know how to brighten dark rooms? These three steps will help you lighten and brighten — and shed a little more light on the situation!

Downstairs Toilet Ideas Brought to Life

AD | I have been (or could be if you click on a link in this post) compensated via a cash payment, gift or something else of value for writing this post. See the full disclosure policy and privacy policy for more details. Even before we began the renovation of our listed home, I had so many plans and ideas …

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A Review of Quorn Stone (And Why I Love My Stone Floor…)

AD | I have been (or could be if you click on a link in this post) compensated via a cash payment, gift or something else of value for writing this post. See the full disclosure policy and privacy policy for more details. I get lots of messages on my Listed Home Instagram account, asking about my stone floor …

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How to Get The Aesthetic Bedroom Look on a Budget

Designing an aesthetic bedroom on a budget can be a fun and creative process. Choose your look, source your decor and have fun creating.

Browsing through Instagram — or Pinterest — can be a dangerous pastime for an interiors lover. There is so much inspiration, but what if your budget just doesn’t stretch to the look you want? For example, dream aesthetic bedrooms don’t come cheap. Wall prints, cushions, and lighting are all costly. But designing an aesthetic bedroom …

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A Twin Bedroom for Boys

Planning a twin bedroom can be a daunting but fun task! Here are my top tips for zoning and decorating a bedroom for twins.

Planning a twin bedroom can be a daunting but fun task! Here are my top tips for zoning and decorating a bedroom for twins.

Planning a Kitchen Makeover

Planning a kitchen makeover? There’s so much to think about — and stuff to remember. These tips will help you plan and action your dream space

DIY Pergola Ideas To Create The Perfect Outside Room

DIY Pergola ideas

Are you tired of your boring back garden? Let me paint the picture: just grass and a small concrete patio? Maybe a tree if you’re lucky. Now let’s spice that backyard up. These DIY pergola ideas will elevate your outdoor space and give you the garden you’ve been dreaming of. We have three complete DIY …

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6 Reasons to Choose Limestone Flooring

AD | I have been (or could be if you click on a link in this post) compensated via a cash payment, gift or something else of value for writing this post. See the full disclosure policy and privacy policy for more details. When we were looking at new flooring options for the extension on our grade 2 listed …

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How To Create Easy Faux Wall Panelling

Have you ever wondered how to create easy faux wall panelling? I’ve always loved the elegant panelling that can be seen in stately homes; it’s a really effective way of adding charm to a plain wall. And, although our little cottage is full of period features, the walls are fairly plain. Particularly the wall up …

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Ikea Bench Seat Hack {Turning a Shoe Rack into a Bench}

Unique Bathroom Decor Ideas

Rolling the clock back to 2015, when I turned a cheap IKEA shoe rack into sweet little bathroom bench seat, in this Ikea bench seat hack. I’d been desperate to do something lovely with this sad little shoe rack for a while — it was the perfect size for our bathroom and offered great storage …

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Make a Leopard Print Love Cushion (free leopard print cut file)

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I’ve been busy making things for my own Valentine; my lovely husband, Mr D! I’ve designed card for him — the word LOVE in leopard print. And from it, I’ve created a free leopard print cut file. Perfect for use on cards, gifts — or pretty much anything …

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How To Paint a Chest of Drawers in Cottagecore Style

Simple, homespun interiors have been in fashion for decades; under different guises. The Cottagecore aesthetic appears — once again — in this year’s top 10 interior trends. And it shows no signs of slowing down or decreasing in popularity. In this post, I’ll show you how to paint a chest of drawers in Cottagecore style. …

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Alternative Christmas Decor | DIY Alternative Christmas Tree

I shared this idea for an alternative Christmas tree a few years ago but —with Christmas looming on the horizon — I thought I’d resurrect it! Folk are always looking for creative new ways to decorate their homes (Pinterest is full of alternative Christmas decor) and this alternative Christmas tree is too good not to share. …

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5 Tips for a Simple Bathroom Makeover

Although I wouldn’t call myself a slave to interior trends, I love to update things on a fairly regular basis. Richard would roll his eyes at this point. I think ‘fickle’ might be a good description. But things don’t always have to cost a lot. You can always update on a budget. For example; our …

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Decorating Childrens Rooms with Hand Painted Wall Murals

About 15 years ago I was asked if I would decorate a friend’s daughter’s bedroom; with some hand painted wall murals. It was years before the advent of wall decals and vinyl stickers. But my friend wanted something fun and pretty to break up the vast expanse of magnolia. The room was a bit of an odd shape …

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Oh Faux Fabulous! In Praise of Faux Flowers That Look Real…

I’ve written about my love of faux flowers that look real before. From my glorious hydranges from HomeSense to the fabulous faux florals from Jane Packer, I’ve had a thing about everlasting flowers for as long as I can remember. Once upon a time they were considered a bit ‘naff’. After all, plastic and silk …

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Custom Wall Murals From Les Dominotiers | AD

Have you ever considered decorating with custom wall murals? Made to measure wall murals have been around for a while now. They’re a little like wallpaper but — more often than not — they feature scenes or photographs. Some even have hand-painted, freeform designs; rather than a traditional repeat pattern. There are various options; you …

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The Listed Home Renovation On Instagram

the listed home on Instagram

Anyone who’s been reading my blog for a while, will be aware that we’ve been living through the chaos of the renovation of our listed home over the last 17 months. I began writing the progress on here initially (here’s what happened in weeks 1-4); and had every intention of keeping regular updates and writing …

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How To Age Brass and Bronze With Vinegar and Salt

Have you ever wanted to know how to age brass and bronze? If you don’t want to wait for it to age naturally, I’ve got a little trick, using just a couple of household staples; that takes hours — rather than years — to work! Aged Brass = Lots of Brass We’ve been having the …

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Silentnight Comfort Control Mattress Topper Review

AD | I have been (or could be if you click on a link in this post) compensated via a cash payment, gift or something else of value for writing this post. See the full disclosure policy and privacy policy for more details. When I was asked if I’d conduct a Silentnight Comfort Control mattress topper review for my …

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Updating a Room with a Radiator Cover

Have you ever considered updating a room with a radiator cover? I’ve spoken about our ensuite bathroom before and how I was desperate to give it a makeover. Although it’s a nice sized room — with a lovely, old cast iron, roll-top bath — it was fairly bland; and uninspiring, to say the least. It certainly wouldn’t …

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Kitchen Organisation When You’re Renovating

kitchen organisation — the dream!

One of the things I’ve found the hardest, since we’ve been renovating our house is the kitchen organisation… Or lack of it. Washing up in the bath for weeks on end was definitely a low-point! Here are some kitchen organisation tips, that might help you if you’re planning on renovating your home. Sort Before You …

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Saying Goodbye to Bees in Our Chimney

Honey bees are fascinating insects, and as they pollinate plants, they’re also extremely beneficial to us humans. But they can also be a nuisance if they build a hive in your home. We suffered from bees in the chimney for eight years before we considered honey bee removal and called in a professional beekeeper. If …

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The Listed Home Renovation {Weeks 1-4: Out with the old}

OK — so you know that for years I’ve been banging on about extending our home? But as our 16th century cottage is Grade 2 listed, a listed home renovation isn’t just as simple as getting planning permission and off you go. But undeterred, in October last year, we finally put in some plans to …

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How to Make a Silk Flower Wreath | Tutorial

The internet is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? Want to learn to make a curry? Ask Google. Want to know how to get wax crayon off a table? Google it. Want to know how to make a silk flower wreath? Hopefully your search has sent you over to my blog! I’ve seen so many beautiful …

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Bringing London Fashion Week Home

Ever since I was a teen, I’ve had love/hate relationship with fashion. In some respects I love it. I love the creativity, the drama. Seeing the models stomping down the catwalk at London Fashion Week is a joy to behold. Particularly when they’re wearing something weird and wonderful. But that’s it, isn’t it? The majority …

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Colour Your World | #30 Living Coral {Colour of the Year 2019}

Happy, happy new year everyone! I had so many grand plans to share more Christmas decorating posts over the festive period but, if truth be told, switching off from the screen (and social media in general) was way too appealing. Once I’d cracked open that first mince pie, my resolve went straight out the window. …

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The Best Living Room Storage for Toys

Looking for smart living room storage for toys? Toys literally seem to be taking over our home. We’ve gone from having the ubiquitous Jumperoo — in duplicate — sitting in the corner of our sitting room; to mounds of Lego, a giant play festival food van, and loads of teeny tiny Playmobil accessories. I wrote …

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The Style at Home Christmas Tree Challenge

Ever heard of The Style at Home Christmas Tree Challenge? I hadn’t either until a couple of weeks ago. Occasionally life throws us a curve-ball doesn’t it? Sometimes it’s bad, sometimes good and every once in a while it’s downright extraordinary. Picture this: you’re heading off in one direction, only to find that — at …

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Turning our back on The Throw-Away Society {#BuyWoodBuyOnce}

There has been so much in the news about ‘sustainability’ in the last few months hasn’t there? Documentaries like Blue Planet II, showing sickening images of plastic pollution; closely followed by Stacey Dooley with her hard hitting report on cotton production and the fashion industry. I feel as though there’s been a real shift in …

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Colour Your World | #29 Pantone Terrarium Moss

Terrarium Moss. Whilst it’s an odd name for a colour — without even seeing it — you can imagine exactly what shade it is from those two words. I was given a lovely terrarium a few years ago. I’d intended to fill it with tiny plants — succulents or cacti — but I ended up cramming …

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Going Radio Gaga | VQ Lark Review

Looking for an honest review of the VQ Lark? You’ve come to the right place! Working from home is something that I’m so grateful I’m able to do. I’ve been freelance for 11 years now and there’s not a day that goes by where I don’t feel thankful that I’m able to do what I …

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Could You Go Plastic Free For a Week? {The Family Sustainability Challenge}

Would you ever consider taking part in a family sustainability challenge? There’s such a buzz around ‘sustainability’ at the moment, isn’t there? Everything from banning single use plastics, to reducing meat production; saving energy to recycling. It seems to be everywhere you look.  I think we humans are starting to become increasingly more aware of …

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The Blush Pink Bedroom | Featuring Desenio

AD | I have been (or could be if you click on a link in this post) compensated via a cash payment, gift or something else of value for writing this post. See the full disclosure policy and privacy policy for more details. As a lone woman in a houseful of boys, there’s not a lot of pink in …

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My New Sleeping Partner: The Nora Mattress from Wayfair

AD | I have been (or could be if you click on a link in this post) compensated via a cash payment, gift or something else of value for writing this post. See the full disclosure policy and privacy policy for more details. I’ve spoken before about my love of our bed. My boy and I bought it for …

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Colour Your World | #28 Pantone Almost Mauve

I often wonder what the Pantone Institute were thinking when they named some of their shades. Some have such obscure names; think Serenity and Lucite Green. Whilst others are really obvious; Tangerine and Custard, for example. I wonder if the big-wigs at Pantone ever argue? Disagree on what something should be called? One thing’s for sure, I bet …

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273 weeks and 2 days | White Stuff Press Show AW18

A couple of week’s ago I left the confines of my desk — I know, amazing right. It’s been a while ;) — to go into London and catch up with a couple of my girlfriends; Heledd from Running In Lavender and Bonnie from the blog Mama’s VIB for the White Stuff Press Show. The …

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A little facelift {for my hallway bench!}

I wrote last year about finding the perfect narrow hallway bench seat for our wonky little cottage. We didn’t have to look very hard, as I found the perfect small hallway bench with storage from GLTC. The Abbeville storage bench is SO useful and a master of disguise. It works well as a little reading nook. …

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Colour Your World | #27 Pantone Lime Punch

Oh hello sunshine! So nice to see you. This weeks’ predicted heatwave has finally arrived and I’m sitting here feeling a warmth that — unusually — isn’t coming from the central heating; for the first time in months. I think spring is actually here at last. A little late to the party but fashionably so, …

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Light nights, light mornings {and botanical roller blinds}

Well, hurrah for the clocks going forward. I don’t think I have ever, ever been so grateful to lose an hour! This winter has felt very, very long indeed hasn’t it? That extra hour of daylight made the world of difference yesterday though. Added to the fact that spring finally seems to have sprung. At …

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Snow, The Beast of The East and Seasonal Affective Disorder

This is the longest, coldest season I can ever remember. Just as I think we’re turning a corner — and spring tries to make an appearance — the cold bites back and we’re in the throes of winter once more. I thought we’d seen the last of the ‘Beast of The East’ but more snow …

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Introducing The Breville Curve Toaster and Kettle

Happy, happy new year! I thought I’d kick off the year by introducing my new Breville Curve Toaster and Kettle. Although — as we’re exactly two weeks into January — is it appropriate to say happy new year still?! It’s been a slow start for me. I’ve been taking my time and easing myself into …

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Diamond Geezer — Breville DiamondXpress Review

Thought I’d start my Breville DiamondXpress review with an admission — I’m not the one that irons in our house! So thankful my husband is the king of ironing! Anyone who knows me will tell you that ironing is just not my bag. I am rubbish at it. Tricky when I like a classic white …

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All Things Bright & Beautiful {Bosinver Farm Cottages}

When you think of Cornish holiday cottages, what’s the first thing that springs to mind when it comes to decor? Blue. Whitewashed wood. Seaside themed accessories. Certainly not punchy brights, designer prints and funky furniture then? No. Me either. I must admit, they certainly wouldn’t be top of my ‘Cornish cottage decor’ list. So when …

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A Very British Hygge

Why are we Brits so obsessed with all things Scandinavian? We seem to love Scandi design; type ‘Scandi’ into Google and every major high street brand has a listing on the first page. Each one trying to tempt us to come and check out their Scandinavian inspired offerings. Plus there’s a very well known blue …

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Letting sleeping dogs (bears) lie | A Sleepbear mattress review

I’ve gone to great lengths in the past to make sure our guests have a good night’s sleep when they come to stay. We’re lucky that the basics are already covered. Our guest rooms are on the back of the house so there’s very little traffic noise; visitors won’t be woken by lorries rumbling by in …

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240 weeks and 6 days | Autumn Colour in the Garden

We went back to my mum and dad’s a couple of weekend’s ago. It was my friend’s 40th birthday and we left the boys with my parents overnight and went up to the Wirral; footloose and fancy free. The next day we were not *quite* as chipper. Mr D had the hangover from hell and …

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The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

I read something last week about Swedish Death Cleaning. Huh?? Yes quite. I thought Marie Kondo’s decluttering method was a bit full on but this new practice makes that look fairly tame! What is The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning? This new craze is based around a book called The Gentle Art of Swedish …

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A Colourful Bedroom Makeover

Disclosure: I received a set of Tetbury bedding from Bluebellgrey and paint from Farrow and Ball to style this colourful bedroom makeover. Amazing how quickly the summer has passed. It seems that no sooner as the first snowdrops appear — and we joyfully wave goodbye to the cold and grey — that we we have …

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Liberty for Anthropologie {up a tree, K I S S I N G}

You know how certain things are made for each other; jam and cream, black and white, Liz and Richard etc etc Well there is currently the most amazing collaboration happening — like two planets colliding — it’s a spectacular pairing. Basically, my two very favourite  brands have put their heads together and created the most …

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The GLTC Abbeville Storage Bench {The smartest smart storage}

smart storage — The Abbeville Storage Bench from GLTC

Smart storage. Does the ‘smart’ mean clever? Or does  it mean dapper and debonair? Well in the case of the Abbeville Storage Bench from GLTC it means both of those things. This is one bit of furniture that’s as clever as is it good looking. The Perfect Reading Nook. When we first bought the Abbeville …

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Operation She Shed | #5 The Build {Painting The Interior}

Part 5 of Operation She Shed is all about painting the interior. I said from the start that these posts weren’t going to be that sexy — and I wasn’t kidding — but in order to see the butterfly, you have to begin with a dull old chrysalis. Or something like that. Anyway. Just to put this …

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Stairway to heaven {how to create a gallery wall up a staircase}

Since we decorated just before Christmas last year, the majority of the walls in our home have remained bare; and most of our framed pictures have been stacked up on the floor, waiting to be rehung. We used to have a ‘stairway photo gallery’ going up the staircase. Dozens of black framed, black and white photographs — in various shapes …

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Chiaroscuro | Decorating with dark walls and mirrors

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that we’d painted our snug. And if you happened to be flicking through my Insta Stories, that day, you’d have seen the action taking place; and the paint actually going onto the walls in real time. The room had been a mid-dark grey for quite a few years but in a …

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A good nights sleep & total blackout blinds | AD

Getting a good night’s sleep becomes as evasive and mystical as the unicorn when you’re a new parent. But total blackout blinds are literally the holy grail and go a long way in making things a little easier. Sleep deprivation is most definitely a form of torture. And ‘sleeping through’ is a hot topic of conversation; …

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Boho Luxe Living | Home Inspiration

I mentioned a few week’s ago that this year I’m working with Wayfair, on their Home Experts panel. My first challenge was to create a post celebrating the colour of the year ‘Greenery’ and more recently I was asked if I’d like to pick six of my favourite products, from their site, and discuss why I liked them. Definitely easier said …

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A Beautiful Home | Dreamcatchers at St Mawes Retreats

This is an unpaid post for Dreamcatchers at St Mawes Retreats but all thoughts, words and images — as ever — are entirely my own. Many thanks to Amanda and the team at St Mawes Retreats for generously allowing us to come and stay and sample the delights of Dreamcatchers for the purposes of this review; …

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Operation She Shed | #4 The Build {Boarding & Insulating}

Part 4 of ‘Operation She Shed’ — and this time round I’m talking about boarding and insulating. Now, I warn you, this isn’t going to be the sexiest post in the world. The pictures are not the best quality and the content is more function than form. That said, I never intended to just show …

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Dark Grey Walls & Life in General

Ever considered dark grey walls in your home? It’s a bold choice and not to everyone’s taste but I’d decided late on Friday night that I was going to repaint the snug. Again. I’d only painted it just before Christmas but the colour just didn’t suit. And hey. It’s only paint at the end of the …

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Laura Ashley Press Show SS17

One of the loveliest things about my job is being invited along to the press shows of the amazing brands I work with, so when an invite to the Laura Ashley Press Show SS17 pinged into my inbox I was very excited indeed. It’s a real treat to see the product before it hits the shops and …

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Baby it’s cold outside | Modern electric radiators

I wish the weather would make up it’s mind — one minute it feels as mild as spring, the next it’s Baltic. On warmer days, I’ve been sitting in my she-shed with the doors and windows open but on cooler mornings I’ve literally had a blanket around my knees as I’ve been working. To ensure I …

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188 weeks and 6 days | Autumn in the garden

Autumn crept up without me really noticing. Most of the deciduous trees, in our area, still have most of their foliage which is a little strange for this time of year. Often by now there’s a crunchy carpet of leaves underfoot. Usually by mid October, everything’s starting to look a little more stark than it did …

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A dining room makeover | Featuring Laura Ashley

I mentioned a couple of week’s ago that I was planning a dining room makeover. I’d put together a little mood-board, picked out the wall-paint and chosen a couple of bits and pieces to give the room a bit of a refresh. The room was OK before — not hideous — but it was all a …

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My Black and White Geometric Rug

Back in July I chose a new black and white geometric rug for my she-shed. I spent a long time deciding on the colour, size and style. I deliberated over patterns (I wanted something quite graphic). Mulled over sizes (I needed something large enough to cover the main area of my work space to keep me cosy in the …

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181 weeks and 6 days | Dust {& a dining room makeover moodboard}

Whenever I hear the word ‘dust’ I immediately think of the Little Britain sketch with the irrepressible Fat-Fighting Marjorie Dawes; ‘Dust. Anybody? No?   Dust.’ But over the last couple of months ‘Dust’ has taken on a totally new meaning. There seems to be dust everywhere. My she-shed is still full of dust. It’s certainly looking more room-like …

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Operation She Shed | #3 The Build {Part One}

In January this year, my boy and I finally embarked on the project that I’ve been desperate to start since I began working for myself around a decade ago; Operation She Shed. I’ve always wanted a dedicated work-space. Having a room in the house is OK but when you work from home — on a full time basis — you can begin to …

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178 weeks and 6 days | An ode to IKEA

My name is Caro and I have a bit of a thing for IKEA. There. I said it. It’s been one of my favourite places to shop for the last 25 years, ever since the first time, when I joyfully accompanied my mum to choose stuff for university. But when you find yourself suggest the IKEA café for a date-night with your …

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Styling The Seasons — July (plus a mini greenhouse from Rose & Grey)

Well, we’re very nearly reaching the close of this month and I’ve only just got around to writing my styling the seasons post. But hey. I’m consoling myself with the fact that at least I’ve done one this month!! I missed June’s completely!! I was recently sent a mini greenhouse from the lovely interiors company Rose & Grey and asked …

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Operation She Shed | #2 It’s all about the base

Now — apologies if you’re looking for an inspirational, design-led post, full of colour and style. You certainly won’t find it here!!! Inspiration, maybe, but certainly none of the others. I wanted to document this she shed journey from start to finish and the build is not exactly what you’d call ‘pretty’. Anyway, around this …

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Watercolour crockery for summer dining

Every once in a while, something stops me in my tracks and I end up becoming totally fixated with it, until its mine. It began with a cuddly monkey (called Lucy) — that had a yellow dummy in it’s mouth and a rose sprinkled bonnet and nappy — when I was around 8 years old. Then a super-soft …

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The Tiger Who Came To Tea and Frugi Bedding

Summer has been a wash out so far hasn’t it? As I’m sitting here, typing this, the sky is a steely grey and the rain is drumming a tune on the roof of my new office. Its a far cry from the sun-drenched picture in my head, when I think of summer. Not many days …

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Colour Your World | #19 Pantone Serenity

“Weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, Pantone 15-3919 Serenity comforts with a calming effect, bringing a feeling of respite even in turbulent times. A transcendent blue, Pantone Serenity provides us with a naturally connected sense of space” — Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director – Pantone Colour Institute When I read …

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Have bed will travel… GLTC Bed in a Bag Review

I thought I’d post a GLTC Bed in a Bag review; our findings might help another family. Since the boys were born, we’ve never had a proper travel cot. I hate how big and clumsy traditional travel cots are and decided to look for an alternative. So after a lot of research, we bought a …

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Operation She Shed | #1 My Flatpack Garden Office

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you’ll know I work from home. You’ll also know that I’ve been dreaming of of a garden office for the last three and a half years. I used to have a dedicated workspace — a room that housed everything I needed — a GIGANTIC printer, my desk and computer, guillotines, folding machines, …

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The Perfect Gardening Companion | The Hepburn Mark II Radio

I’ve spoken before about my love of gardening. I guess it’s in the blood. My paternal grandmother was notoriously green fingered — as was my maternal grandfather. He was a really keen gardener and when he died I asked for a couple of rhubarb plants from his garden. I’ve written about the homemade rhubarb cordial that …

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164 weeks and 6 days — A mini garden update

I’ve been meaning to write this post for a few weeks now but spare time seems to be elusive and this handful of images, that I took in the last days of March, have been sitting on my camera waiting to see the light of day. And actually, since taking these photographs, the garden has changed beyond all …

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Top Tips For Keeping White Sofas Looking Nice

Since the boys were born we’ve had quite a few friends and family remark that we’re ‘brave’ to have white sofas. I’m not sure if it’s brave or foolhardy but I’ve always loved pale coloured sofas. Plus, but I’ve got some top tips for keeping white sofas looking nice! I love white sofas as they work well with …

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The stylish pegboard | A master of disguise

Disclosure: I was given this stylish pegboard by The Great Little Trading Company; to style for the purposes of this post. All thoughts, words and images — as ever — are entirely my own. I’ve already mentioned in a previous post. This year our family are fortunate enough to be part of the testing team for the Great …

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Styling The Seasons — April

April been a hectic month already; the tiny boys have started pre-school — and we’ve upped their days to 4 long mornings a week — plus my in-laws are moving house. They’re downsizing from their large 5 bedroom family home to a 3 bed penthouse apartment. Contracts have already been exchanged, the removal men were in yesterday, the cleaners tomorrow …

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Creating a Gin Bar at Home

Ever wondered how to set up a gin bar at home? These days there are gazillions of Pinterest boards full of gin bar inspiration. Mine is a little more humble, but it is really lovely to have my favourite tipple in one place! Mother’s Ruin Aaah gin. They call it ‘Mother’s Ruin’ don’t they? In …

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Smart recycling | Totem 60 Bin Review

Disclosure: This is an unpaid review with Joseph Joseph. I was sent a Totem 60 Bin for the purposes of this blogpost. All images, thoughts and words — as ever — are my own. There used to be a time when we’d literally throw anything and everything in the bin, if it was surplus to requirements. And there …

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Styling The Seasons — March

Last month’s styling the seasons post was late. Very late. So this month I decided to buck the trend and try and organise myself a little better. Although look — it’s 28th of the month and I’m only just posting once again. Oh. Must. Try. Harder. Although it’s been such a hectic month, I really should cut myself a little …

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Flower Magic | Faux florals by Jane Packer

Faux florals by Jane Packer are not words that naturally sit together.  But last Tuesday I visited the London shop of the world renowned florist; to have a look at the new range of faux florals that she’s created exclusively for Sainsbury’s Home. Now I’ve spoken about my love for faux florals before but these were something else entirely. The …

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Developing a love for geometry | Geometric Lighting

Geometric lighting, geometric print cushions, geometric homeware — geometry is taking interiors by storm. Now, I loathed geometry at school. I’m a complete dullard when it comes to maths. Being made to do fractions and *shudder* long division is something that I still have nightmares about. However, every new school year — without fail — I’d twist my mum’s arm. And persuade …

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Room For a Little One Campaign with Silentnight

Disclosure: This is an unpaid collaboration. I was given two sets of children’s bedding for the Room For a Little One Campaign with Silentnight. Now, the boys’ room hasn’t really changed a great deal since they were born. I shared a little nursery tour last year. And apart from a couple of new bits and …

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Creating a gallery wall at home

When I was a little girl, I dreamt of being an artist when I grew up. It was inconceivable that I’d be anything else, to be honest, as I spent my days drawing, painting and colouring. Then when I was a little bit bigger I studied for an art A’Level, followed by a graphic design course at art college, before finally leaving home and …

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Styling The Seasons — February

I had the very best of intentions for this month’s styling the seasons post. I’d bought some beautiful Muscari (otherwise known as Grape Hyacinths) — in a glorious sky blue shade — and popped them in a cheerful turquoise glazed pot, in readiness. I’d envisaged them sitting on my kitchen table on a stack of …

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Behind The Scenes at The George Home

Disclosure: This is an unpaid post with George Home. We were invited to a birthday party at the George Home but all thoughts and words, as ever, are entirely my own. Every once in a while, my blog presents an opportunity that makes me really grateful to be part of this lovely industry. And leaves me a …

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How Do You Decorate with Blush Pink?

Pink is certainly the colour of the moment isn’t it? But how do you decorate with blush pink in a living room? Ever since Pantone named Rose Quartz as one of its colours of the year for 2016, the high street has been awash with it. It’s a delicious pale pink — not too saccharine sweet, not too babyish …

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Everlasting Blooms (The Best Artificial Flowers Ever!)

Flowers. I love them. But especially everlasting blooms. I think I might have just found the best artificial flowers ever! In all their guises, I’m a girl who loves nothing more than a vase of blooms in the house. Goldfish bowls brimming with tulips, glass cylindrical vases full of lilies, or sweet little forget-me-nots or hellebores in …

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Styling The Seasons January

So we’re almost at the end of the first month of the year — January is nearly at a close. What does this month mean to me? Well, in a few days time it will be my birthday. It’s funny, I’ve always moaned about being born a month after Christmas. As a child I felt sad — …

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New bedding and lazy mornings

I’ll be the first to admit, I have really struggled over the last couple of weeks. I’m not naturally a ‘morning person’ and having to drag myself out of a cosy warm bed is hard for me on most days. However, on wintery mornings — when there’s a chill in the air and frosty patterns …

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Sea-green brogues and a modern vintage rug

Shortly after I began taking these photographs, it became clear that I wasn’t sure what I was focussing on, to be honest. Initially it was the beautiful sea-green brogues, that my boy bought me for Christmas. Just look how gorgeous they are! Sea-green brogues of dreams… They are from Seasalt Cornwall and I am totally and utterly in love …

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Storage Ideas For My Garden Office

I’ve been thinking of storage ideas for my garden office. My imaginary garden office. I’ve mentioned it time and time again on my blog. I’ve even dedicated a Pinterest board to it. But THIS YEAR it’s finally happening! This is the year my garden office goes from being imaginary to real! Weeeeeeeee! *claps hands in excitement* It’s …

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Beefayre Candles (It’s Beginning to Smell a Lot Like Christmas)

Disclosure: This is an unpaid post that was written in collaboration with Beefayre Candles. All thoughts, words and images are my own. As well as decorating the house for Christmas, I’ve been burning some amazing scented candles recently so, as well as looking festive, it’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas too. Orange, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove — these are …

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The ultimate Christmas Gift-Guide for the hard to buy for…

The festive season is in full swing and unsurprisingly there’s been much chat between my friends and I about presents — or to be precise — Christmas gifts for the hard to buy for. We all have them, don’t we? The father who has everything, the mum who doesn’t want anything and various other relatives — and friends — who …

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Preparing the home for Christmas | A visitors welcome basket

I love having friends and family come to stay and, throughout the year, our house can be so busy — and full of people — it sometimes resembles a B&B. A visitors welcome basket is a lovely thing to welcome guests with. It’s easy to put together but really makes guests feel looked after. We …

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An Emma Bridgewater Polkadot Radio

In the days when I was art-directing, my working days were busy and full of noise and laughter. I spent 15 years in a location or studio environment and the teams I surrounded myself with — made up of photographers and stylists — soon became friends off set as well as on. There was always plenty of catching up and …

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Deck the Halls | What’s your Christmas decorating style?

Can you hear it? Jingle bells and a slight whisper of panic as the run up to Christmas begins. Now, I’m not a fan of the cold — and certainly not of short dark days — but I LOVE this time of year. A shiny, sparkly beacon amidst the grey, rain-sodden skies, Christmas is — …

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142 weeks | Matalan SS16 Press Show

Last Thursday I spent the afternoon at Somerset House, in London. It’s a glorious place, which is a feast for the eyes, in every sense of the word. A neo-classical building — of epic proportions — that sits between the Strand and the Thames. For years, Somerset House was the national archive for birth, marriage and death …

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Leesa Mattress Review — Part 1

AD | I have been (or could be if you click on a link in this post) compensated via a cash payment, gift or something else of value for writing this post. See the full disclosure policy and privacy policy for more details. Looking for a Leesa mattress reveiw? Here’s what we think of ours… Mr D and I …

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Colour Your World | #16 Pantone Titanium

The next in my Colour Your World series is Pantone Titanium. Granted it’s not as zingy as Woodbine or restful as the gorgeous Dusk Blue — that I featured back in May — but it’s edgy, cool and works in any setting. Titanium. A glorious dark, graphite grey. Team it with acid yellows, soft pinks or fiery oranges and you’ve …

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A Teal Rug From Benuta

Disclosure: I was kindly sent this lovely teal rug for the purposes of this review. You can buy it in various sizes, shapes and other colours — plus lots of other lovely rugs — from the Benuta website. Pop along and have a look www.benuta.co.uk All photos, thoughts and words — as ever — are …

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Extending a Listed Building

I’ve mentioned before that our home is listed. The main part of it was built in the 17th century with a shiny new extension added in 1890 (modern hey?!). But even though it could really do with being dragged into the 21st century, extending a listed building is easier said than done. That said, 15 …

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Creating a Vintage Style Table Setting

vintage table setting

My boy and I love entertaining. I’m lucky enough that he’s a pretty awesome chef too so, whilst he’s off planning his menus and making sure the food and beverage is all sorted, I can do a bit of hunter-gathering of my own. Usually in the form of sourcing lovely table decorations, to make things look pretty. After …

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A Fishermans Table Lamp

I just wanted to share my new fishermans table lamp from Iconic Lights. They’ve got a fabulous selection of lighting. Modern, vintage, industrial, plus incredible design led reproductions which, as their name suggests, are utterly iconic. Our amazing geometric lights in the bedroom are from there. Adding light to dark rooms is a fine art …

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Dream Garden Office

We were talking about my ‘dream garden office’ the other day and how next year may finally be the year that we make my dreams reality. I’ve spoken on many occasions about my current work set up. The fact that I run a design business from home but my office gave way to the boys’ …

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Colour Your World | #14 Pantone Woodbine

The 14th colour in my spring/summer 2015 colour series is ‘Pantone Woodbine’. I LOVE this colour. It’s a little greener than it’s yellow-rich counterpart — chartreuse — and it’s one of my favourites to wear. I perhaps call it ‘olive green’ rather than Woodbine though. But hey — who am I to argue!? Leatrice Eisman from The Pantone Institute describes …

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Our Happy Home | A Bathroom Tour

A couple of months ago I turned a little shoe rack — that used to house towels in our bathroom — into a little bench seat in an IKEA bench seat hack. I took some pics whilst I was doing it, with the intention of creating a little tour for one of the smallest rooms …

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Bedroom makeover & Wallpapering a Ceiling

wallpapering a ceiling

I’ve mentioned in previous posts that we live in a wonky old house. Built in the 17th century — it is Grade 2 listed — has warm stone walls and a tin roof. There is thatch underneath the tin but, in the war, the thatch was covered in a layer of corrugated metal, in order to stop the incendiary …

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Scenes from Laura Ashley Press Show 2015

Last week I left the boys with their daddy for the day. I toddled off down to London for a little adventure; to the Laura Ashley press show 2015. I am big fan of Laura Ashley products — there are always such beautiful things to see each season. Often the brand is associated with more traditional home …

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A Beautiful Home | The Brighton Town House

We went down south on the weekend to visit a university friend of mine, Caroline, and her lovely family in their beautiful Brighton Town House It’s always a nice change for us to visit the coast. Living in the middle of the country we couldn’t possibly be any further away, so it’s always a real treat to breathe in a …

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Nursery Inspiration in Green White and Yellow

Very recently, my friend Louise had a baby girl. Throughout her entire pregnancy people had said she was having a boy and — given the fact she already has a little boy — it wasn’t beyond the realms of probability! 50/50 in fact ;) But when the announcement came that my lovely friend was the proud mother …

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Colour Your World | #12 Pantone Dusk Blue

We’ve looked at various shades of blue since I started this series of Pantone posts. It’s such an amazing colour and there are so many variants. From the greenest, turquoise to the darkest tone of indigo, the colour blue covers an amazing spectrum. We’ve already looked at Aquamarine; an ethereal powder blue. Not actually what I’d call Aquamarine …

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112 weeks | Working from home

I’ve been working from home for around 8 years now — something that I’m incredibly grateful for and don’t ever take for granted. Only last week, in fact, I was reading the blog of another mama who — as she’s a doctor by profession — is struggling to decide on whether she can even afford to go back to …

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110 weeks and 6 days | Cool kids wallpaper

On Saturday, when I was at BlogCamp in Birmingham, the venue that it was being held at had a feature wall that was covered in wallpaper that could be coloured in! A couple of the girls I was with commented how this would be great wallpaper for a kid’s room so I thought I’d have a look …

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A Chest of Drawers Makeover With Chalk Paint

Disclosure: I upcycled my IKEA chest of drawers with chalk paint I’d bought. But I was gifted some beautiful drawer-knobs to complete my chest of drawers makeover too. Trinca-Ferro have  so many lovely designs to choose from — pop along and grab some inspiration from their website. The Easter bank holiday gave me so many opportunities to roll up my sleeves and …

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A Rainbow Flower Arrangement Styling Challenge

Have you ever created a rainbow flower arrangement? A couple of weeks ago I was asked by the lovely folk at Rose and Grey to take part in a styling challenge. Now, you know me, I love a challenge. And, particularly, when the challenge involves something ‘interiors’ — or homes — related, I’m there like a shot! The task sounded simple …

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Colour Your World | #10 Pantone Marsala {Colour Of The Year 2015}

Each year, within the palette of colours for Spring/Summer, Pantone appoints it’s number one colour — the one that will filter down, from catwalk to highstreet, and will influence the buyer’s choices for selecting the product we see in the shops. Previous shades have included Tangerine Tango, Mimosa and Radiant Orchid but this year it’s …

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Our Plans for an Ensuite Bathroom Makeover

Unique Bathroom Decor Ideas

What do Bowler hat lights & egg shaped baths have in common? They both feature in my plans for our ensuite bathroom makeover! I love our home. It’s Grade 2 listed — built in 1690 something — and I think the best way to describe it is ‘quirky’, I love the wonky walls. The tin …

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Colour Your World | #9 Pantone Custard

I was really torn with this colour post! Usually I pick a collection of either fashion or homes pieces but I absolutely LOVE yellow!! I have found it so difficult to choose, so as a result, the post for Pantone Custard will showcase both. ‘Custard’ is a bright, sunny yellow shade. In my mind it’s …

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Colour Your World | #7 Pantone Strawberry Ice

Pink. Hot,  candy,  baby,  blush,  soft — whichever tone floats your boat — there’s sure to be the perfect shade for you! In this instance, the pick from colour gurus ‘Pantone’, for spring 2015 is Strawberry Ice. As it’s name suggests, it’s the colour of fresh strawberry gelato — a vivid, mid-pink colour — with quite a …

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Colour Your World | #5 Pantone Classic Blue

The fourth colour in our Pantone spring forecast series is Classic Blue. This is a colour staple in terms of fashion but it’s sometimes overlooked in modern interiors because it can feel quite dark. But team it with fresh white walls and pick up another accent colour, to warm things up a little bit — pink, coral, chartreuse, turquoise or purple — and you’ve …

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Colour Your World | #4 Pantone Lucite Green

In the third part of our look at the spring colour forecast, we’re looking at Pantone Lucite Green. It’s quite a retro colour; reminds me of 1950s kitchens and cars (and also toothpaste for some bizarre reason)! It’s a soft, jade green; Pantone say — ‘Light in weight and also in tone, Pantone Lucite Green seems …

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Colour Your World | #3 Pantone Scuba Blue

Last week we began looking at Pantone’s spring colour forecast and focussed on the first colour in their palette — Aquamarine — and how we could use it in our homes. This time we’re looking at ‘Pantone Scuba Blue’. As it’s name suggests it’s another aqua inspired shade — although probably most people would call it turquoise! It’s a vibrant, …

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Colour Your World | #2 Pantone Aquamarine

So a couple of days ago I was talking about the colour forecast for this spring and I started thinking about how we’d use some of these shades in the home. This time round I’m looking at Pantone Aquamarine. It’s always a little easier to keep up with trends and fashions for our wardrobe — as the …

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How to Upcycle an Old Desk

Creating a lovely space for working from home can be a fun project but buying new furniture can be expensive. I wanted the furniture in my home office space to be quirky and cool so I learnt how to upcycle an old desk. It gave an unloved piece of furniture a new lease of life. …

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