by Amber on March 4, 2013
The joys of forgotten film! It was a cold, but sunny spring day in 2012 when I took these pictures, not too dissimilar to today. This is the Barbican, my favourite place in London. From the concrete Brutalist architecture to the high walks of the estate, the sound-muffling lake and the velveteen belly of the performing arts centre, I love everything about it. It’s my dream to live there one day, fingers crossed we make a milli in the next year or so.
If you’re ever in London, make sure the Barbican is on your list – whether that’s to see a film, visit the art gallery, or simply hang out next to the lake with a coffee and a good book. Don’t forget to visit the hidden conservatory, too. Built to disguise the theatre’s fly tower, it is home to over 2000 species of tropical plants and trees. That’s where I took the photo of a lonely heart…
by Amber on September 26, 2012
This is a sponsored post from department store darlings John Lewis. All products are available from johnlewis.com, where you can also browse a wide range of DAB radios.
The onset of the cold winter months can often prompt the need for home makeovers, and the John Lewis style spotter is here to offer some tips. A successful interior décor overhaul could make you relish spending more time behind closed doors rather than resenting the loss of alfresco living, but tackling the whole house in one go is rarely a viable option. Here we take it room by room, with inspiration from Roberts’ range of retro Revival radios.
Rich red for the living room
Deep reds can warm a living room and work well with many complementary hues such as whites, blacks, yellows, golds and oranges. Take inspiration from bold Mid-Century style, an era in which the shade was propelled to the forefront of home fashion, with Pop-Art prints, retro typography and design classics such as Anglepoise lamps. Naturalistic prints on fabrics can also help add interest to your ruby canvas.
Powerful purple for the bedroom
Strong and sensual, purple is the perfect choice for a bedroom. Choose tactile fabrics such as satins and silks and rich textures to add an air of luxury to your nighttime haven. For a soft glow to help you relax at the end of a long day, look for purple tea light holders, glass ornaments and mirror detailing to reflect low lights.
Beautiful blue for the kitchen
For a fresh, clean yet fun feel in the kitchen – the room where you’re likely to do a lot of your entertaining – try a powder blue colour scheme plus a generous helping of Fifties’ kitsch. Take a leaf out of Cath Kidston’s interior design book with baby blue polka dot set cushions, pretty printed crockery and retro glassware. But you don’t have to buy up the CK shop to get the look – this popular style is available all over the high street at the minute.
by Amber on September 5, 2012
I spotted this old glass cabinet, from a school science lab, on eBay. And now I have it in my head that this would make a perfect liquor cabinet! From Van de Graafs, horseshoe magnets, capacitors and convection tubes (the actual labels on the cabinet) to St. Germaine, whiskeys and Ricard Pastis…
by Amber on February 21, 2012
Auroras, galaxies, rainbows, carpet. At the moment carpet is seen as a bit naff. Soft-floor coverings have been ditched in new builds, and renovations see everyone ripping up their rugs.
But there is something inherently nice about jumping out of bed to something softer underfoot. And digital printing offers a wealth of new opportunities for both wall to wall carpeting, and rug design. could it make a comeback? I’d like to see this carpet being used for good (schools, bars, residential), and not evil (conference venues, offices, casinos)…
The photos above are from Carpets for Buildings {via today and tomorrow}
by Amber on February 2, 2012
I can’t wait till Spring, when the dirt will thaw and we can plant things in a our postage stamp of a garden. In the meantime, I feel like I need to surround myself with more living things inside. The right ratio? At least 3 plants per human per room, perhaps. Or maybe we should turn our downstairs bathroom into a veritable jungle.
{click the photos for sources}
by Amber on January 16, 2012
Steve’s Sydney apartment has it all. Twin chestnut chesterfields, a sun-room peppered with hanging plants, and an appropriately seedy King’s Cross sign. In particular the stacked and strapped filing cabinet wall of storage is an idea I’d like to steal, and a giant mirror wouldn’t go amiss in my house either.
Scooch on over to Apartment Therapy for all the pictures and to read about the inspiration behind it. Meanwhile, I’m still be busily scouring the classifieds for the perfect couch…
by Amber on December 16, 2011
Don’t these beautiful pictures by Sam Stowell make you hungry? They were shot for Falcon Enamelware, to showcase their distinctive ice-white and blue rimmed tableware. Falcon have recently upped their game by offering their enamel in a new range of bold colours, including a pillarbox red. In particular their tumblers are brilliant – I’d like a set of eight, two of each colour (especially pigeon).
I like enamel because it lasts forever. It doesn’t break when you drop it, and neither will it burn when you accidentally leave a pie in the oven too long… I think my mother still uses enamel kitchenware that came from her grandmother’s kitchen. So it’s no surprise then that Falcon Enamelware is a bit of a British cooking classic.
by Amber on December 9, 2011
by Amber on December 6, 2011
Bike storage and security is a serious issue. In London, you can’t just leave your bike leaning outside the dairy while you pop in for some milk. You need to lock that shiz up!
Chances are you live in a teeny little flat too, with not much lock-up space. In my current house we have 3 bikes littering the living room, which is a bit of a pain. I’ve researched how to best store my bike out-of-the-way, and my favourite find so far is Reclamation Art + Furniture’s Bike Valet:
“The Bike Valet is wall mounted storage unit and a valet for your keys, wallet, bike and items you need put down when you pedal in the door. Made from Urban Harvest Walnut with a natural hand rubbed, zero VOC oil finish.”
I can imagine this walnut unit working really well in a modern interior. Sadly, not with my bike – it has too many sexy curves – but for any straight lining fixie it’d be perfect.
For more of Steven Tiller’s smart, simple, and handmade designs take a look at reclamationartandfurniture.com.
by Amber on November 28, 2011
All going well, I will be moving into a new house soon (xx, those are my fingers; twisted, knotted and wishing). Starting with blank walls, and empty rooms. Some decor inspiration:
It turns out my decorating wish list is quite simple; a Chesterfield sofa with a velveteen blanket, a big solid work table, and lots of bookshelves. How is it, that despite arriving in England with one book, I have acquired a few dozen more in just 4 months? Oops!
