Monochrome magic

I love the striking pattern on this settee available from Wisteria.

Tonight was my first night back at my upholstery course and a great one at that. I'm feeling particularly inspired at the moment, so looking forward to bringing some ideas to life sometime soon. x

Bare faced

I've always had a little thing for exposed brick.

The shabbier the better in my opinion.

I could spend hours in this kitchen...one of my favourites from my files.

However, an added lick of white paint is equally as fantastic.

It serves as a great backdrop for both traditional and contemporary furnishings.

Combined with exposed pipework, even better.

La piece de resistance...complete with a showstopping piece of taxidermy.

Have a very happy weekend.x

Images (from top) via: Design Is Mine, Geisslein, Desire To Inspire, White & Wander, My Little Apartment, Canadian House & Home, From The Right Bank

A year on

Yes, today our business, Coachhouse 8 Ltd turned one!

It's quite hard to believe where the year has gone but we can safely say we've enjoyed every minute and fingers crossed there'll be many more exciting years to come!

I think it's a fitting time to say a H.U.G.E thank you to everyone who helped us in the beginning and who have continued to support us along the way, you know who you are and we're extremely grateful!

It also means that I really need to pull my finger out and update our website which has been on my list since the start of the year! We're both really looking forward to our second year and have some exciting things planned for the business so I'll be sure to share them with you.

In the meantime I'm off to drink fizz and eat cake. It's nearly the weekend folks! x

Three Days

I took this last photo through the windscreen of our hire car, a little over three days ago, yet now it seems like a distant memory. (I found myself slightly obsessed with the local goats and their amazing rock-climbing abilities!)

It's funny how quickly you slip back to reality though isn't it?

The last few days have flown, catching up on e-mails in the office and all the necessary things you do when you return from time away.

We've also been looking forward to the delivery of our newly upholstered sofa for the office above. It's an old Habitat one which was given to us along with a couple of chairs in return for some help I've been giving my friend's parents in their home. Thanks Jan & Mary - we're loving it!!

And finally, (I know you shouldn't start a sentence with and..) the curtains have been going up in a scheme I've been working on for a lovely couple which is nearing completion. It's always lovely to see a job coming together, so all in all it's been a busy but satisfying week so far. Hope you've found that too!

Aqua pop

Hello. I'm back.

Feeling suitably refreshed and with memories of beautiful clear blue Grecian waters, it's no wonder this image caught my eye whilst catching up on all my favourite blogs. The amazing home of designer and stylist, Lizzie Carney over at Shelter. The peacock helped too!

Blue, blue, electric blue....

JJ Locations

House to Home

Pierre Frey

Carolyne Roehm

Amazon

Chinoiserie Chic

House To Home

Laura Casey

Amazon

Absolutely Beautiful Things

Farrow and Ball

Living etc.

House of Turquoise

VT Interiors

Eloquent Essence

Simply Natural

We're off to Kefalonia tomorrow morning, hence the blue and white themed post. It's a combination I can safely say I'll never ever tire of...one which fills me with both energy and a great sense of calm. I hope to return with lots of lovely images of Grecian life to share with you all. Have a lovely weekend. x

Marjorie Skouras

No doubt many of you will have seen this beautiful image recently.

I spotted it over at Greige and fell in love with the chandelier instantly...doesn't it work perfectly in that unassuming space?

Oh and just to divert for a sec, take a look at the industrial wedding in today's post over at Greige. Fantastic in every way! Now back to the chandelier (!!) I have to admit, I wasn't aware of the designer right away.

However, a trip to the lovely Ada & Darcy proved very informative and led me to Marjorie Skouras and more of these beauties in plenty of colourways.

Equally lovely interior accessories too...

...and images of her beautiful chandeliers used in her own interior schemes.

The art of display

Perfection.

Image via: House Of Turquoise

Lovely clusters

V.T Interiors

Aesthetic Outburst

Sasha Emerson Design

My Little Apartment (and second from bottom)

Kristen Buckingham

Apartment Therapy

Ill seen Ill said

I have to say, there's something nice about seeing objects grouped together in various settings.

Whilst all of the objects in the pictures above could easily have great visual impact alone, there's something striking about seeing them en-masse. I must admit, if I find a decorative object I love, I do tend to veer towards buying at least a couple. Some things you do have to cluster!

Saturday mornings are perfect for...

A spot of gardening.

Planting ornamental cabbages in fact.

These guys are great and their colours are so vivid...the name too!

So much better than just being called a cabbage!

Fabric hunting too.

An old rocker, waiting patiently to be upholstered.

Looking forward to seeing it's new look.

Going dottie!

'' You always get a feeling the minute you walk through the thrift store door as to whether it will be full to the point of overflowing with 'peachy finds' or total 'crappity crap'. "

No reason.

Just read this oh-so true quote again and it made me giggle!

Take a trip to one of my must read blogs, Dottie Angel. Tif is a real inspiration in sooo many ways!

Image: Dottie Angel

A new month, a new(ish) desk

I woke up today and decided my desk needed a fresh new look.

This is what it looked like this morning (cleared of course!!)

It started life as a pine table which I painted up at the start of the year and the idea was to change the wallpaper under the glass top from time to time which I also had cut to fit.

Whilst it's still officially Summer here in the U.K, the nights are slowly getting darker and I felt like lightening things up around the office.

I used Ribbed by Ferm Living under the glass...

It's funny how changing one little thing can make something feel like new...

...and this is what it looked like this evening. I'm really pleased with it's new found lighter look!