Every single interiors retail show I visited over the summer this year featured metallics, particularly copper, that’s why it’s this week’s Monday Moodboard.
Fans of simplicity take note. You don’t have to be full-on bling to embrace a bit of metallic joy in your life (although don’t mind a bit of bling sometimes). Metallics can achieve a dramatic, opulent look but you can also use metallics to add warmth and texture to things as I hope I’ve shown here.
Metallic touches can be subtle, chic and classy I promise; underlaid under shabby chic furniture, incorporated into abstract-impressionist inspired painting, a subtle accent onto painted pebbles, gorgeous vintage bakewares even to brighten up a simply-shaped cake – it’s not all about blinding people with glamour and sparkle.
Summer is nearly done (yes, sorry to let you know about that one) and I’m looking forward to refreshing JB towers with some new looks for AW16.
I’m very excited about this season – there are so many looks I love that can be enjoyed and adapted to suit your style. There are seven really strong themes that would work well in any kind of interior, large or small, grand or modest.
Colour pop fun
From Very
I can’t resist a pop in colour in my rooms. You can go bold with a Memphis-inspired scheme like the one from Very above or you can simply add colour accents to a more restrained room with accessories. How about some bright crockery or a statement lamp or piece of brightly coloured furniture.
From VeryFrom Cuckooland
Lush and plush
From House of Fraser
We all love a bit of luxe; gorgeous fabrics and textures that are tactile, soft and warm that make us feel warm and snuggly while still retaining a sense of style and opulence. Key colours are navy, purple and turquoise and beautiful metallic touches. Oh, and don’t forget a bit of greenery!
From Debenhams
Understated luxury
From Sainsbury’s
This look reminds of years ago when, in another life I think, as production editor on Restaurant Magazine I went on my first press trip. It was to the Martel Chateaux in Bordeaux and it was really quite something. Woven carpets and tapestries, distressed wooden panels and floors. Studded sofas, elegant candelabra and pretty chandeliers – the whole place was just divine and now is rather easy to evoke with a few high street buys.
From Sainsburys’From Marks & Spencer
Quirky classics
From Marks and Spencer
If you’ve had a look at my menagerie pages you’ll know I love a home with a sense of humour and a touch of the unexpected. So I’m pleased to see accessories from so many leading retailers that make you smile this year. I’m particularly taken with this vase from Marks and Spencer.
From George at ASDA
Cool and clean
From Dunelm
A calm colour scheme and well chosen, minimal accessorising can be a really rather wonderful thing. Its certainly something I like in a bedroom and this was definitely my approach when I lived in a small flat. There are so many collections available in terms of furniture and accessories that you can co-ordinate to get this grown-up look.
From NextFrom Debenhams
Cosy eclectic
From Homesense
As a former editor of craft mags I’m always drawn to a mismatched style that showcases knitting, crochet, patchwork, weaving and a nice bit of trimming. Check out this room scene from Homesense – it’s colourful and cosy sure but it also has such a cohesive style, it’s just so inviting.
Woodland wonders
From George at Asda
No autumn round up would be complete without this season’s take on nordic and woodland. I think these ceramics and ornaments from George are really cool; contemporary and fun.
As an artist, illustrator and journalist, observation, research and image gathering are key to the success of my work. So from now on I’m letting you in on my working practice every week with my Monday Moodboards.
I’m always taking pictures of things that catch my eye and (much to Dr B’s chagrin) spend at least a couple of hours a day on Pinterest (probably not very healthy I know) collecting all kinds of images that reflect trends and serve as inspiration for my home and my drawings. Making them into a moodboard distills my thoughts and allows me to think about the vibe I want to create with my own endeavours.
I’ve recently become fascinated by green and white. It is so representative of this time of year. During the past three weeks I’ve been greeted with this glorious colour combination on my daily morning woodland and riverside walks. Lush grass, delicate hawthorn flower and cow parsley abound the environment creating delightful glades and giving everything a soft, elegant appearance. Beautiful.
This simple palette has so much potential in terms of design and it’s versatile too; a simple flower arrangement, artful grouping of fern and minty coloured objet, delicate planting or full-on statement floor and wall tiles, there are so many ways to incorporate this look into your home. Used wisely it can look stylish in a laid back, understated way. And even if you’re not actually using natural elements or motifs it suggests a natural, organic feel. The clean, fresh scheme and simplicity reflected in my mood board has also given me food for thought when it comes to my illustrations – sometimes maybe less is more?
Nothing quite says fun, tropical and sunshine than a bright pink flamingo. So much so I’ve created some flamingo prints myself. Here’s one below available at my Folksy shop…
Anyway enough about me. There are a plethora of fab flamingo designs you can buy this summer. From kitsch watering cans, funky cake candles and garden decs to gloriously luxe silky cushions, contemporary objet and lamps plus tropical beach towels and picnic accessories, even the most muted of interior tastes can be won over with a cheeky on-trend flamingo buy!
You may have noticed that I’m a bit of an old hippy at heart and as an illustrator I can’t help but be drawn to a folky design. I love its simple, yet rather splendid style plus the sense of symmetry and its decorative hand-crafted look. I also like they way that even if you just use small touches, folky styles can give the most austere and coolest of spaces a relaxed edge and an element of informality and, because this style is steeped in history, it can give your spaces a sense of heritage.
It would appear that I am not alone. There are so many gorgeous folk-inspired designs on the market for you to buy to give your spaces that relaxed vibe. Take a look at my top ten (in no particular order) below…
As I mentioned in an earlier post the Memphis Movement has a very big influence on interiors and design at the moment and only looks set to be more prevalent in home shops over the coming months. The style is already emerging in a number of buys, from fridge magnets, trinket boxes and party plates to beanbags, cushions, lights and cot protectors –have a look at my selection of favourite Memphis style ideas that can add a playful on-trend update to your home.
I was out shopping with Dr B last week and he remarked how many pastel shades there were on the high street. It’s funny, as someone who looks at trends all the time and who is always looking at colourways, I’m used to pastels – I forget that by the time they hit the shops, I’m looking at the next new thing.
At the start of the year Pantone launched its colours for 2016; Rose Quartz and Serenity, stating that the colours “demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace”. As well as championing the colours themselves, the company also outlined some exquisite colour pairings that can imbue a sense of calm and relaxation.
It’s simple to add a sense of tranquility to your spaces with the addition of soft pastels. These cool shades can really brighten interiors as well as set a soothing mood. And you don’t have to go full-on with pastel, simple touches will do. A bed spread, a pop of pink with some fluffy towels (as seen above), a subtle bud vase or some simple lighting could be all you need to embrace this trend. Here’s a little sampler of more pastel themed buys…
Geo Stripe Throw £65, Oliver BonasSet Of Eight Colour Pop Porcelain T-light Holders £19.95, dotcomgiftshopSet of two Roef Chairs in Serenity Blue £180, CuckoolandM&S Loft Mixing Bowl in Pastel Mix (set of 3) £15, Marks & SpencerBlue Swirl Glass Table Lamp £60, NextRose Geometric Bud Vase £12.95, MiaFleurEva Five-Drawer Jewellery Box £69. Oliver BonasColours Oxygen Emulsion Paint, B&QRarkids Pink Natural, £35, Cult FurnitureRecycled Pastel Paisley Green Trinket Box, £7.50, Karenza & CoSet Of 3 Pastel Retro Suitcases, £13.94. Luck and LuckPastel Lustre Vases (set Of 3), £42. MiaFleur
Where I live, by the creeks and estuaries in East Anglia, salvaged wood turns up in many people’s homes – crafted into sculptures of the wading birds that dot the shorelines in winter. Foremost among driftwood bird sculptors is Guy Taplin, who made the birds above. He’s sometimes known as the Bird Man of Wivenhoe. Along the river banks between his studio and Ella’s Place you’ll see upturned tenders (the little rowing boats that carry you out to the larger sailing or pleasure boats anchored further out on the water). Many of the houses are weatherboarded in the vernacular East Anglian style, too. A good friend of ours says it looks more like New England, USA, than Olde England.
The reclaimed and salvaged wood trend has been everywhere in interiors this year, too, cropping up in all kinds of editorials and ads. Used well to complement other materials and colours, it doesn’t need to overpower and can look chic, rather than just shabby.
Here are a few examples of the trend I’ve found recently.
1. The neutral and earthy tones of reclaimed – salvaged – wood can help to soften a room when used carefully. The accent wall above is complemented by the stone, steel and leather, but allows the pop of a red armchair and yellow pouffe to stand out.
2. As a headboard, above, it provides the colour-pop on its own, jumping out to contrast with the colourful wall.
3. The weathered boarding, above, adds notes of outdoor wilderness to a small space, without turning the room into a log cabin.
6. For a calming space, the natural tones of wood look great when set against clean whites and complementary shades. To mix things up, try bringing in different textures instead of colours.
