I hope you have all enjoyed the festive season, it's a great time to enjoy the company of others but it is also a time to relax and to reflect on the past 12 months and bring together thoughts of the lovely memories you have of those dear to you, whether family, friends or pets. Now we have reached the end of 2017 we must look forward to welcoming a new year, one that will keep us positive, happy and healthy.
2018 will bring new trends and colours to our homes; I will be demonstrating in my monthly blog the high street and designer trends from paint colours, wallpapers, to furniture and soft furnishings to help make your home gorgeous!
So until then, I hope you all have a fun, filled evening celebrating the coming of the New Year.
Happy 2018!
Love
GRx
Now the dark nights have arrived and the Christmas lights have been switched on in town, we can start to look forward to Christmas. This month I thought I would look at preparing our homes for the festive season.
Now is the time to decide on the theme for this years Christmas table; the shops are adorned with ideas on how to decorate your home with striking, glamorous and elegant decorations, glass and tableware.
Here are some of my favourite shops right now offering style and sophistication to any home, urban or rural.
The White Company - www.thewhitecompany.com
nkuku - www.nkuku.com
One World Trading - www.one.world
Now the clocks have turned back an hour and the dark nights have returned, winter is not so far away. The winds feel more bitter and the skies are grey. For me this conjures up feelings of warm, woolly jumpers and snug boots. We want to feel cosy in ourselves and so likewise our homes must feel warm, cosy and welcoming within minutes of opening the door.
This month I am looking at fireplaces and how to make your sitting room a desirable and snug place to be!
Here are some of my favourite designs to suit a range of house styles, age and location.
Keep warm!
GR x
As we draw a close to September, we notice the nights are slowly drawing in; for some it's a time when we can start to feel sad that the long, warmer days are behind us for another season but for others it's a time to think cosy, gather around the log burner and cook something comforting!
Autumn is actually a wonderful time; my work is often inspired by the most magnificent colours I see on the trees and hedge rows as I drive along the country lanes; the weather can still be quite warm but the evenings are definitely getting colder.
Therefore, the one thing I know I love about Autumn and you should too, is the array of ever changing shades of red, orange, yellow and the warm subtle tones of natures earthy colours!
So come on, get excited and add some warmth and vibrancy to your home!
Here are a few inspirational looks this autumn that will brighten any home!
Lampshades:
Rugs:
Throws:
Cushions:
Although we have recently experienced such fabulous weather over the August bank holiday, the evening air is un-doubtedly cooler and often feels like Summer is almost over. It's a time for new beginnings as children return to school, the evenings are slowly starting to draw in once more and there is a chill in the air. It's a time to return home after the summer holidays holding those memories of the warm sunshine and fun in the sea a little longer, whilst we turn our thoughts to sorting out the home for the Autumn. It's a good time to declutter, sort through our Summer wardrobe and cupboards and discard any worn out clothes and shoes. It's a time to freshen up (dare I say it) our warmer clothes and dust off our boots ready for the Autumn weather.
To declutter our homes is to declutter your mind, creating a feeling of a stress free lifestyle; so if you find it hard to do this, start by selecting one item on day one and sell, donate, store, or throw it away, then try selecting two items on day two and three items on day three and so on; you will start to see the results fairly quickly and see how having a minimalist home makes you feel ready for new beginnings and the new season ahead, making decisions far more easy.
To some people the start of Autumn is the start of the season of hibernation, a time when warmer duvets, lambswool throws and cushions provide the feeling of warmth and relaxation; so start this glorious season ahead with a feeling of clarity and comfort in a home that is tidy and clutter free!
Here are some looks to help you on your way.
Although it is Summer and we are experiencing a lot of heavy downpours right now there is still a lot to be done in the garden to keep that lawn looking green and lush and those borders blooming.
July is a month of warm, sometimes very hot weather, long dry spells followed by heavy, thunderous downpours. The garden can sometimes take a real battering from such extreme weather conditions, so here are some regular jobs to help that garden stay simply gorgeous all summer long!
Weeds just love this weather, and seem to pop up everywhere. Try to keep on top of them by using a hoe and regularly turning over the soil in the borders. Spray weed killer on paths and driveways to keep the weeds at bay. Top up the borders with mulch or decorative bark, as this will not only retain moisture but will also help to keep away those weeds.
Continue to dead head the faded blooms, this will re-energise the plant and encourage further blooms.
Water pots and hanging baskets regularly as despite the heavy down pours many hanging baskets miss out on much of the rain often being sheltered by porches or the eaves of a house or garage, and the soil dries very quickly in the warm temperatures.
It's a good time for cuttings, especially tender plants like perennials and shrubs such as hydrangeas and pieris.
Even with us experiencing heavy downpours the lawn may still need a regular water, use a sprinkler to make light work of a large lawn and be economical with the water usage. Don't cut the lawn too short as it may scorch in hot weather. Using a water butt will help recycle the rain water for watering pots and hanging baskets.
Finally, remember to top up bird baths, there are a lot of young birds at this time of year all trying to cope with the intense hot weather and if possible fill up the bird feeders with seed too, there's something very English about seeing the different variety of birds in our gardens.
Enjoy!
GRx
The summer holidays are fast approaching and with the warm, long, sunny days that we are now experiencing we no longer feel that we have to go abroad for a vacation. I often holiday in Cornwall and when the sun shines, the beaches light up and the sea is a stunning, teal blue and as clear and beautiful as any Caribbean resort. It is when I walk along the north Cornwall coast line that I feel inspired to bring in to my home the stunning colours that I see out on these walks, from the gorgeous sandy beaches to the rugged coastline there are many shades of yellow, blue, green and grey. These colours can be used in harmony to bring that coastal feeling home with you creating a light, trendy and uplifting feel to any room.
Here are some tips on selecting the right colours, shades and tones for your room:
Always start with a neutral colour, this will be a great starting point to add further colours to as you grow confident in your colour schemes.
Think about the use of the room, I often speak with clients who use a room for more than one activity
and today many people have open plan living where some functions cross over in a room. For example the kitchen breakfast room is often used to host a cosy dinner party too.
Take note of the amount of light that comes into the room and at what time of day you use the room. This will affect your colour choice of light, bright, dark or warmer shades.
Size matters too! Most people believe lighter colours work better in small spaces creating a feeling of space, where as in fact darker, bolder colours are more dramatic and make a room more inviting, and purposeful. Larger rooms look great in lighter shades, increase the brightness, the layout of furniture and cleverly placed accessories will help shape the room and and create a feeling of proportion.
I am always telling my clients to bare in mind the age of the property when choosing colour schemes and furniture etc. It is great following trends but sometimes working with tradition suited to your style and age of property only but enhances the features and character of your home. Remember to include the ceiling, doors, skirting and cornices of a room within your colour scheme to ensure you create the required look.
When decorating, carefully choose some favourite pieces in the home, a fireplace, a painting, a vase, a chair or rug and use this as a starting point to draw ideas for a colour scheme.
Paint samples are expensive but I always advise you test your chosen colours on the walls in your own home. Neutralise any existing colour on the wall first and paint a large area of the colour from the tester pot. Alternatively, paint a large sheet of cardboard and place it on the wall to check the colour, ideally move the painted card around the room at different times of the day. This is to check how the light may affect the colours true hue as this will differ from day to day with the weather and also morning to evening light.
It is really important to consider who is using a room on a day to day basis; earlier I mentioned the functionality of a room and this can change according to who lives in the house. If you have children especially young children or dogs consider a more durable, harder wearing paint that will be perfect for busy areas, like hallways and kitchens.
Finally choose a colour scheme you love, regardless of what is trending right now, decorating is expensive so you must love the end result and one that is true to your personality!
Happy painting!
GRx
