Deck The Halls With Boughs of Holly – My Decorations Wishlist.

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Similar to a small child, Christmas makes me feel giddy and excited. It is such a sensory overload, the sights and smells are a true sensualists dream.

My first acknowledgment of this is my excited perusal and horde planning of decorations for the home. And as advent has officially started I have already begun to hang the first of my Christmas decorations.

Here are my favourites of the year, from bright and shiny to white and understated, like all other areas of home decor I love eclecticism in my Christmas touches.

Winter Wonderland:

If there’s one thing Cox & Cox excel at, its classic Christmas items, the top two items are their staples which have been available for the last few years and they just don’t date. Birch Scatter Stars £9.50 and the Birch Stars Pinecone Garland £15.50, I have one of these for the mantlepiece and one to entwine on their willow wreath. Adorable  Deer Figurines available from Angel at My Table and these bargain Deer Magnets £2 each in store at Tiger.

Paper on String:

I just love these stars made by Danish company House Doctor, hanging these stars from the top of window frames looks particularly effective. You can get them from many places online, I found the cheapest was through Design Vintage and Rockett St George’s collection.The Meri Meri Pinwheels are £15.95  from Selfridges. All Retro Honeycomb Paper Decorations made by Miss etoile are available at Rockett St George.

White Christmas

I bought this Ceramic Fox Bauble last year, its very expensive but just exquisite, available through Notonthehighstreet for £19.95. Another Cox & Cox classic, the opulent wreath for £45, but their Willow Wreath for £14.50 is a better cheap option. I just love this Pearl in Oyster Decoration from the V&A shop. And lastly the Xmas Lace Bauble £6.95 from Selfridges

Christmas Kitsch

I love a bit of Xmas tackiness and tat, these are all fabulous examples of supreme kitsch. Snow Doll Candles £19.95 from Rockett St George. Deer & Holly Tealight Holders £6 from Cath kidston. Nutcracker Figurines £9.41 for 8 available on Etsy. Horse and Rider Moulds from Pedlars. Cute Guardian Angel Candle Holders 8 for £40 via Rose & Frank. Pink Reindeer £2.50 from Paperchase.

Bauhaus Baubles – Geometric Xmas

I love these Xmas geometrics, they are super stylish and interesting. Red & White Geometric Blocks from Sketchinc on Etsy. Gold Geometric Decorations £15.95 from Selfridges.

All That Glitters is Gold….

I don’t tend to do gold very much in the home, it tends to remind me of eighties fleur-de-lys and the like but at christmas I make an exception. There is nothing so stylish as white and silver but also nothing more Christmass-y-joyful than shouting-sunburst-gold. Gold Slipper Decoration £3.95 from Graham & Green. Gold Concertina Globe Decoration £4.95 for two, Rockett St George.

Brown Paper Packages Tied up with String:

Who doesn’t love fancy trimmings and wrap adorning their presents? These are my favorites of the year, all would look incredible tied around craft paper, best quality cheap wrap is from Tiger in my opinion, but Ikea comes a close second. Merry Christmas Black Printed tape £4.50 from Selfridges. Hot Pink Velvet Decorative Ribbon on Spool £6,.50 from Oliver Bonas. Neon Coral Ribbon with Stars £16, Rockett St George. Multicoloured Bakers Twine available through a plethora of sellers on ebay.

Now time to crack open the second door on the advent calender….

My blog has moved and changed name to DESIGN SODA, I’d love it if you followed along with my new content there.

Things That Made Me Smile This Week…

My blog has moved and changed name to DESIGN SODA, I’d love it if you followed along with my new content there.

 

1. These glorious vintage style pompom decorations new in at Graham & Green, they remind you of nans house at Christmas and are all the more covetable for it.
2. An exhibition which closes today at the Design Museum showcasing the work of architects FleaFolly. Last summer to mark the 200th anniversary of the publication of The Brothers Grimm tales this company re-imagined their fairy tales through structure in a workshop on the outskirts of the Black Forest in Germany. Their works in miniature are so dramatic and intriguing:                                                             
3. The discovery that one of my favourite singers Lana Del Rey has recorded a cover version of a song I love – Chelsea Hotel by Leonard Cohen. I may still prefer the original but her vocals are sumptuous…
4. Contemporary artist Keira Rathbone who had the genius idea of drawing with vintage typewriter keys. I especially like her figure sketches, you can purchase prints of some of her work at etsy.                                                                                   
5. The Reith lectures given by Greyson Perry this month –  thought provoking, funny and accessible. I haven’t heard this weeks one yet, but thought the first and third were both brilliant, one had me wondering which bracket of gallery visitor I fit, think I may be rather horrified by it, listen to them on i-player here.

My blog has moved and changed name to DESIGN SODA, I’d love it if you followed along with my new content there.

 

Window Licking The New Season

My blog has moved and changed name to DESIGN SODA, I’d love it if you followed along with my new content there.

It’s that time of year again where everything re-launches, there’s a green glint in my eye, and I am looking longingly at everything. Forget the September issue of Vogue, or the edit from London Fashion Week, it’s the new season in home design and I feel like a child in a sweetshop! Although I can’t actually justify buying any of these items I am vicariously browsing the online emporiums, I believe I have mentioned this before, but I am indulging in what the French term window licking – far closer to the truth than the banal English term window shopping I think!

This is my personal edit of the best of the new season, no trend alerts, just a long and fabulous list of over 20 covetable things! The  Anthropologie items are sourced them from their American site, but keeping fingers crossed that some make their way across the sea (or not as ones bank manager may dictate).

Top of my Lust List:

Brocante Cabinet in Turquoise, £650, from Graham & Green.

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Hand carved Contractor Table, an eye watering $798.00 from Anthropologie.

Industrial Chrome Utensil Rack, $298.00, also Anthropologie.

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Fishs Eddy Admit One Tray £9.95 at Liberty.

Glass display globe, £19.95 from Rockett St George.

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These cushions are actually quite old stock, but oh so cute,

£44.50 & £29.50 respectively by Nikki McWilliams.

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Pinta Vase, quite pricey at £50, from the new collection at Habitat.

 ZitaGreys Throw, £60,  again new in at Habitat.

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Abate Slatted Mirror $298, Anthropologie.

Ceramic Pelican Stamp $14.95, again Anthropologie

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Small Square Framed Round Mirror,  £120, Graham & Green.

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Belgian Industrial Tool Cabinet sourced from Textile factory, POA, from The Old Cinema.

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Mason Jar Cocktail Shaker, £34, Rowen & Wren.

Cartouche White Rimmed Boards, £76, Rowen & Wren.

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These exquisitely expensive, but equally exquisitely beautiful cushions, from American firm Design Legacy $158-185, available from The Designer Pillow Shop.

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Light Industrial 789 Sideboard Cabinet, £250, from Rockett St George.

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Coca Cola crates £45.00 at Baileys Home.

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Model of the Hoover building, £135,  available from Liberty.

My blog has moved and changed name to DESIGN SODA, I’d love it if you followed along with my new content there.