tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68700224625242336742024-02-19T01:34:48.269+00:00The Fantasy Decorator...if money were no object.Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.comBlogger162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-45336144627107941662014-10-18T18:50:00.001+01:002014-10-18T18:50:15.676+01:00Proof you shouldn't blog after drinking cocktails<p dir="ltr">My kitchen is too small<br>
My kitchen is too small<br>
My kitchen is too small</p>
<p dir="ltr">And contains too many rodents.</p>
Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-84335675500393644582014-07-05T11:56:00.000+01:002014-07-05T11:56:30.105+01:00On yer bikeNever let it be said that I'm not one to <strike>jump on a band wagon</strike> be up to date with current affairs.<br />
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Got a cycling nut in the family? As the Tour De France is set to kick off Le Grand Départ in beautiful Yorkshire, the accessories below might make them feel right at home:<br />
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1) <a href="http://prf.hn/click/camref:1l3v7M2/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fuk%2Flisting%2F164019231%2Fbike-sprocket-wheel-clock%3Fref%3Dsr_gallery_9%26ga_search_query%3Dbike%26ga_search_type%3Dall%26ga_view_type%3Dgallery" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bike sprocket wheel clock by Vyconic on Etsy</a></div>
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2) <a href="http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/gingerandfrench/product/bike-wallpaper-blue-and-grey" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bike wallpaper by Ginger & French at Not on the High Street</a></div>
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3) <a href="http://prf.hn/click/camref:1l3v7M2/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fuk%2Flisting%2F167503063%2Fbike-wall-mount-bottle-opener%3Fref%3Dsr_gallery_24%26ga_search_query%3Dbike%26ga_page%3D2%26ga_search_type%3Dall%26ga_view_type%3Dgallery" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bike wallmount bottle opened by ReEcoShop at Etsy</a></div>
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4) <a href="http://www.elladoran.co.uk/shop/chopping-boards/bike-wheel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bike wheel chopping board by Ella Doran Design</a></div>
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Happy cycling!</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: I'm not being paid for this post, but I may be due some commission on affiliate links if you make a purchase.</span></i></div>
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Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-1234004507090545072014-05-28T18:57:00.003+01:002014-05-28T18:57:55.789+01:00How to design the perfect sofa...<i>Sponsored post</i><br />
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I don't know about you, but images like the ones below often look so effortless that it's easy to forget how much work and effort has actually gone into putting them together. Not just in the styling and the photography, but in the design and manufacture of each item.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.willowandhall.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Lynham</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7ZdUzW_RmpSZ9ji3bCJb6oQIEaXOHEjy_1vd20eu42579eS9JRN_byUmEGndkkQ1kBUzH8Bp0La0sp0aoO-JMpRSmkx_HpaC77N8fMB6HboqwC7Fsk47v0G33Dp3aKfeW5EJfZj_EuE/s1600/The+Downton+Angle+Dressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7ZdUzW_RmpSZ9ji3bCJb6oQIEaXOHEjy_1vd20eu42579eS9JRN_byUmEGndkkQ1kBUzH8Bp0La0sp0aoO-JMpRSmkx_HpaC77N8fMB6HboqwC7Fsk47v0G33Dp3aKfeW5EJfZj_EuE/s1600/The+Downton+Angle+Dressed.jpg" height="236" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.willowandhall.co.uk/sofabeds/3-seater/the-downton-sofabed-3-seater.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Downton</a></td></tr>
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Of course, a lot of what we buy is manufactured overseas these days, so it's always exciting to come across a home-grown talent. So when the lovely people at <a href="http://www.willowandhall.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Willow and Hall </a>contacted me about working with them, I was intrigued, because I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that I'd never really given a great deal of thought into what goes into the design of a sofa. After all - they're all just for bottoms in the end, aren't they?<br />
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Apparently, it all starts with sketches and ideas by the Willow and Hall design team, after which there follow a series of meetings with their manufacturer in Wiltshire, where they discuss each different design, including the pros and cons and how each piece might work in practice. Thankfully, the manufacturer they use has over 35 years' experience, so they know what they are talking about!<br />
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Once each design has been tweaked accordingly, they build a prototype of each model and <strike>jump up and down on them loads </strike>test them thoroughly. After this, there is more tweaking and re-designing if the holy grail of design, comfort and style don't quite work together. When the final prototype is ready, it gets sent for a photoshoot like the one above, and gets uploaded to the website.<br />
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This whole process takes about four months from start to finish, taking into account the quality of the materials at each stage. Thankfully after that they are ready for bums!<br />
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If corner sofas are your thing, then thankfully Willow and Hall have recently introduced those! The corner units come as sofas or sofa beds with the choice of an open sprung, pocket sprung or memory foam mattress, so the whole body can have the comfort experience. If bums <b><i>are </i></b>your priority, however, <a href="http://www.willowandhall.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Willow and Hall</a> will also let you order a matching armchair in your chosen range! (I told you they were lovely people).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.willowandhall.co.uk/sofabeds/the-alderton-sofabed-left-4-seater.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alderton sofa bed</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GUuscYj2K_bE0ELJRqJdsnNofTCMpWRmOVaA-PIPABUL90mFQBdaRuJ4cBrDPy6yuw4XmT6N2hl5TiLf-wpnTA1V4jKiztQyKKBi-aNVi1E_fwkcLYco80557MfMxuKTgF2NsOPQUIU/s1600/amesbury_chair_cush_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GUuscYj2K_bE0ELJRqJdsnNofTCMpWRmOVaA-PIPABUL90mFQBdaRuJ4cBrDPy6yuw4XmT6N2hl5TiLf-wpnTA1V4jKiztQyKKBi-aNVi1E_fwkcLYco80557MfMxuKTgF2NsOPQUIU/s1600/amesbury_chair_cush_7.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.willowandhall.co.uk/armchairs/the-amesbury-armchair.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">The Amesbury</span></a></td></tr>
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Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-44201803303002738002014-02-21T20:58:00.000+00:002014-02-21T20:58:34.164+00:00Announcing Etsy AffiliationIsn't it funny how life works sometimes? I've been tinkering with this blog for a good couple of years mainly for my own pleasure, yet as soon as I get a new job that allows me less time to blog quite as often, I suddenly get lots of tempting offers of collaboration... Given my penchant for fantasy shopping, imagine how excited I was that <a href="http://prf.hn/click/camref:1l3v7M2/destination:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fuk%2F%3Fref%3Dsi_home" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Etsy </a>wanted me to become an affiliate. My only worry was that I would never find enough time to browse their vast collection of unique, handmade and vintage items from independent sellers.<br />
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Thankfully, I was up for the challenge! </div>
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I was going to try and weave a narrative around this collection of items, but really, it's just an excuse to show you some random stuff that I love. Here, therefore, are a few of my favourite items at the moment:</div>
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This Mason Jar chandelier is such a cute colour, and would look great hanging from a TALL ceiling:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgo756y1tfuVhCy-jAlVaomgp6mJYXozTbqXkbOegTRMb8k8zEdOBjHgjS_5IyrfyKcM8fy_kW9jxmhu2K284RNnvyrC7fAtJ53ZisTFjBYa2tfECjzPwcqHv_3nz3Z_lShtmJ1X7wmhQ/s1600/bluemason.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgo756y1tfuVhCy-jAlVaomgp6mJYXozTbqXkbOegTRMb8k8zEdOBjHgjS_5IyrfyKcM8fy_kW9jxmhu2K284RNnvyrC7fAtJ53ZisTFjBYa2tfECjzPwcqHv_3nz3Z_lShtmJ1X7wmhQ/s1600/bluemason.jpg" height="320" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://prf.hn/click/camref:1l3v7M2/destination:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fuk%2Flisting%2F160515123%2Fraindrops-mason-jar-chandelier-upcycled%3Fref%3Dsr_gallery_19%26ga_search_query%3Dlighting%26ga_view_type%3Dgallery%26ga_ship_to%3DGB%26ga_search_type%3Dall" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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...and I just cannot resist either whitewashed floorboards or distressed leather:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdQYh71dAkg2y4On5qFAhCFCUiHHmWlY5TDnFUXv5jm-JWTx2POF2f3YcPLxaFT6Q0eNexCgvlHqFqssPMqnPVOPdi7MQ46ofFCSJSKhNz-ayCTmOOnZF1CF-sbIYDNSRuORBc61O0JA/s1600/leatherstools.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdQYh71dAkg2y4On5qFAhCFCUiHHmWlY5TDnFUXv5jm-JWTx2POF2f3YcPLxaFT6Q0eNexCgvlHqFqssPMqnPVOPdi7MQ46ofFCSJSKhNz-ayCTmOOnZF1CF-sbIYDNSRuORBc61O0JA/s1600/leatherstools.jpg" height="320" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://prf.hn/click/camref:1l3v7M2/destination:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fuk%2Flisting%2F175959276%2Fpair-of-1930s-european-oak-tobacconist%3Fref%3Dshop_home_active_20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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...whilst this mirror would look very cute in a little girl's bedroom: </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://prf.hn/click/camref:1l3v7M2/destination:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fuk%2Flisting%2F177656576%2Fprincess-wall-mirror-ornate-oval-frame%3Fref%3Dsr_gallery_5%26ga_search_query%3Dmirror%26ga_view_type%3Dgallery%26ga_ship_to%3DGB%26ga_page%3D3%26ga_search_type%3Dall%26ga_facet%3Dvintage%252Fhome_decor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">source</a></td></tr>
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...and this sofa just screamed FUN at me:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAYNCdy88y8Gu_RZLHhXib4esb1s6du-huFyNfosjOhKH2mkwR93ehuZKGbKO90zgpEntPGPYRv2FbjU4lzY3E_3lnrzh6eJEhsF7h0NhK0Fut-xWdtjftgnEfCh51Oizym72uvuCNrc/s1600/funky+sofa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAYNCdy88y8Gu_RZLHhXib4esb1s6du-huFyNfosjOhKH2mkwR93ehuZKGbKO90zgpEntPGPYRv2FbjU4lzY3E_3lnrzh6eJEhsF7h0NhK0Fut-xWdtjftgnEfCh51Oizym72uvuCNrc/s1600/funky+sofa.jpg" height="268" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://prf.hn/click/camref:1l3v7M2/destination:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fuk%2Flisting%2F155220079%2Floveseat%3Fref%3Dbr_feed_2%26br_feed_tlp%3Dhome-garden" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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I couldn't possibly do a blog post without feeding my cushion addiction, and these Campbell's soup designs are on an unusual linen fabric:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYkw-8MimSXEE27NFnVXPHMbWCrlXJFjYzrd80AdLczF57DSQ9ek29s51Tn01srPM1whV-Af3TcKrHYxT2sResYlFNZ-75ISF2vsd6SOxNvEfIblpFe_Cvq98n3_L-fxmIev6LyjedDM/s1600/soup+cushions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYkw-8MimSXEE27NFnVXPHMbWCrlXJFjYzrd80AdLczF57DSQ9ek29s51Tn01srPM1whV-Af3TcKrHYxT2sResYlFNZ-75ISF2vsd6SOxNvEfIblpFe_Cvq98n3_L-fxmIev6LyjedDM/s1600/soup+cushions.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://prf.hn/click/camref:1l3v7M2/destination:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fuk%2Flisting%2F179563802%2F100-natural-linen-eco-friendly-campbell%3Fref%3Dshop_home_active_9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a><br />
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...even my husband went "Ooh, I like that bag!" when he saw this felt number. Plus, it's Finnish, so it gets double points from me:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTthQm15vFOQcRpm368y_5a3yNCwe3By0aFeAw2MzxNGaNwKrmHogYGI_flhVvXtApYWZKOSc9L3u3zWv37NUvXCvQ9dyYOi5PtAJVH5eJg3EF5Pxn2IjAXCUElHk8ftU1sWuOAE3AmZw/s1600/felt+bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTthQm15vFOQcRpm368y_5a3yNCwe3By0aFeAw2MzxNGaNwKrmHogYGI_flhVvXtApYWZKOSc9L3u3zWv37NUvXCvQ9dyYOi5PtAJVH5eJg3EF5Pxn2IjAXCUElHk8ftU1sWuOAE3AmZw/s1600/felt+bag.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://prf.hn/click/camref:1l3v7M2/destination:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fuk%2Flisting%2F93930091%2Ffolding-bag-large-industrial-felt-bag%3Fref%3Dbr_feed_34%26br_feed_tlp%3Dhome-garden" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Narrowing down my favourites was pretty tough, but the beauty of Etsy is that there really is something new to discover all the time - have you succumbed to it's allure yet?</div>
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Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-90956993668343244602014-02-11T11:05:00.000+00:002014-02-11T11:05:05.542+00:00Random Hotel Room of the Week- Hotel Mercure Kensington<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Let it not be said that the room description on the website was incorrect when we booked our recent annual London January trip... "Small room", it said, and it was definitely small! This is by no means a complaint, however - after all, it was a perfectly accurate description. Also, I occasionally love staying in a small room as I find the use of space intriguing. After all - not everyone has the luxury of huge, palatial suites in their own home!</div>
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One thing that is obvious, however, is that small rooms are not easy to photograph - so I hope you get an idea of how the space has been used from my meagre attempts:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJz2ODPi-99T6VSDyuHfybVD79EHPEtaWtwg0tTD3zeo2dsz4-IZtJ6I1iRvTaGe17fSmYfYWT4c-5HUDSQzpWyX79TQ-eM4l0vNpCoWxXXdFPV7FADzUmUfu51CvphmyjxMQJnEOYq3M/s1600/20140125_140650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJz2ODPi-99T6VSDyuHfybVD79EHPEtaWtwg0tTD3zeo2dsz4-IZtJ6I1iRvTaGe17fSmYfYWT4c-5HUDSQzpWyX79TQ-eM4l0vNpCoWxXXdFPV7FADzUmUfu51CvphmyjxMQJnEOYq3M/s400/20140125_140650.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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As well as a bed and a small desk, the bedroom itself housed a wardrobe containing safe and tea/coffee making facilities - not a huge amount of space for clothing, but perfectly adequate for one night. I'm in two minds as to whether the oversized headboard makes the room look larger or smaller, but it was certainly comfortable to lean against when you don't have a separate armchair!</div>
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I'm also taking tips on small bathrooms - noting the large, light-coloured tiles, and the frugal, rectangular layout - no longer than the total length of the bath.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkYgYmrSMzZh9RCW9hx5V_1zJiutrLG0qgSCy9C8WwqXqjSk1jqV1WR5uv8wmt3N0-1c2r6-Q2_oTlBa-OY4cmqvwoaBge6oGBLzXvfC_IMvj5_k_fWaWloQ0FE39l33WgkA9ON38GrI/s1600/20140125_140710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkYgYmrSMzZh9RCW9hx5V_1zJiutrLG0qgSCy9C8WwqXqjSk1jqV1WR5uv8wmt3N0-1c2r6-Q2_oTlBa-OY4cmqvwoaBge6oGBLzXvfC_IMvj5_k_fWaWloQ0FE39l33WgkA9ON38GrI/s400/20140125_140710.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wcuxcWZEtEWoAnKDX5O-jva2QYEFIRwXjjnO-Z9_dlIJMH1L-CxHO-CpzvMglEJR2m1YAE4WEXfUF6q09E9s6sOOGYds2JeHI4wvJ3s4agcSaojb0wcI1CffU2a_mL0YsCcJEDNTJgA/s1600/20140125_140719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wcuxcWZEtEWoAnKDX5O-jva2QYEFIRwXjjnO-Z9_dlIJMH1L-CxHO-CpzvMglEJR2m1YAE4WEXfUF6q09E9s6sOOGYds2JeHI4wvJ3s4agcSaojb0wcI1CffU2a_mL0YsCcJEDNTJgA/s400/20140125_140719.jpg" /> </a> </div>
Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-15566129340368498172014-01-24T09:57:00.003+00:002014-01-24T09:57:49.272+00:00Bringing Brightness to JanuaryNo matter how hard I try, January always leaves me slightly flat and gloomy after the warm glow of Christmas and the fizzing celebrations that see in the New Year. It still feels like dark December without the bonus of twinkling fairylights, and all it really makes me want to do is hibernate until Spring.<br />
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To try and shake myself out of the January blues, I've been looking at colour. Lots of colour. Colours that run contrary to the muted palette I would probably choose for myself, but colours that just scream "happy".<br />
Like these:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjY8pbdETojaWGfTpoFowWAJROeR2Sxjnr4UWvCY6nnl6EjiUBbiPtSbcD_r5rY7DWYz7d8AYpk_dDZ48CwufC6sajSBIJLBC2v3SJXlJJi6WNy1Ash0XJTjmsHsLUQufo_NfAy8NWPhM/s1600/Accessorize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjY8pbdETojaWGfTpoFowWAJROeR2Sxjnr4UWvCY6nnl6EjiUBbiPtSbcD_r5rY7DWYz7d8AYpk_dDZ48CwufC6sajSBIJLBC2v3SJXlJJi6WNy1Ash0XJTjmsHsLUQufo_NfAy8NWPhM/s1600/Accessorize.jpg" height="640" width="499" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_5.44.1/3031179900" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Accessorize</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zV26vwd-EWunF0hzwtXlc65P1u2GFuz6nd_5tK8X80Rjs0Cu1IpuZtv496-ThkqnpnhVxPDgYuZ1lMLaBrimuMiH_YN7Csc0ss8SJ5lMZVWDYoB_yUEr1ayX9RM37IGb4yPen75UyV4/s1600/Living-roometc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zV26vwd-EWunF0hzwtXlc65P1u2GFuz6nd_5tK8X80Rjs0Cu1IpuZtv496-ThkqnpnhVxPDgYuZ1lMLaBrimuMiH_YN7Csc0ss8SJ5lMZVWDYoB_yUEr1ayX9RM37IGb4yPen75UyV4/s1600/Living-roometc.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.housetohome.co.uk/house-tour/picture/take-a-tour-around-an-eclectic-home-in-west-london-with-a-21st-century-vibe/2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">House to Home</a></td></tr>
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And yes, I couldn't really do a colour post and ignore the Colour of the Year as decreed by Pantone - which of course this year is Radiant Orchid. I confess I have a bit of an aversion to pinkish hues (being the mother of two girls it just makes me break out in hives), but I do love this combination of it to liven up a bit of grey:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUmUALJYLazlap9WPPHJ7EXoA71b_dk_FPo_4TjHLF6BDy_uYWCO46N1qsEM7zvS8bLLxhShggVs3wEotUtdSFd6_c2C0YyboW3PPbpBOhKD_Qmwcmg1gy_dmTuK7X_GMGgpy9af1Vik/s1600/radiant+orchid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUmUALJYLazlap9WPPHJ7EXoA71b_dk_FPo_4TjHLF6BDy_uYWCO46N1qsEM7zvS8bLLxhShggVs3wEotUtdSFd6_c2C0YyboW3PPbpBOhKD_Qmwcmg1gy_dmTuK7X_GMGgpy9af1Vik/s1600/radiant+orchid.jpg" height="400" width="325" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/55591376624524573/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></td></tr>
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Here's to a colourful year!Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-5846998943231108862013-12-12T12:52:00.000+00:002013-12-12T12:52:11.691+00:00The Retro Decorator - 90s Christmas OpulenceWho remembers 1991? It was the year of the first Gulf War, the year of the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and the year Freddie Mercury died. Bryan Adams was riding high in the UK charts with "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" for weeks...and weeks...and weeks...and on TV the UK was watching the first "Prime Suspect". It was also the year that the first "PC World" store opened in Croydon.<br />
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It was also the year of a major UK recession caused by high interest rates, falling house prices and an overvalued exchange rate<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.economicshelp.org/macroeconomics/economic-growth/uk-recession-1991/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(1)</a></span>. Not that you would notice if you were a regular reader of House & Garden magazine at this time. No, the December 1991 edition can be described in two words: Christmas Opulence. No sign here of minimalist Scandinavian interiors, no driftwood trees or home-spun decorations. This is a Christmas of conspicuous consumption.<br />
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Exhibit 1 - the London home of florist Martin Robinson:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFbY1Ix4HEN9TT8WE6b73zSPZwTYpWu-iZRij47NzITuOuqJBc-a80TfSd0Kp59LLOQpib0qnNrkhyRXIeK1w-taOBIy9X1gEuMdR-iZF9WglIfgDzIttxST4IFxWmeyHxTyKai8hie4/s1600/90s+xmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFbY1Ix4HEN9TT8WE6b73zSPZwTYpWu-iZRij47NzITuOuqJBc-a80TfSd0Kp59LLOQpib0qnNrkhyRXIeK1w-taOBIy9X1gEuMdR-iZF9WglIfgDzIttxST4IFxWmeyHxTyKai8hie4/s400/90s+xmas.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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...and exhibit 2 the Christmas Eve dinner designed for a china shop by consultant designer Tom Ellery:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkfqnX4q6ylIBlNc1i_6UItfeLROVYz8K2-kqP3EWOUiv6NoUgL9zYi_pfY_lvZLHU6nS6PZ66SpHflwS7c5qHRLZEsfR6kUs4Wy3nIji1YMblr78uMgqPWNGxIonoXmHGaB8e0i1o4I/s1600/90sxmas2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkfqnX4q6ylIBlNc1i_6UItfeLROVYz8K2-kqP3EWOUiv6NoUgL9zYi_pfY_lvZLHU6nS6PZ66SpHflwS7c5qHRLZEsfR6kUs4Wy3nIji1YMblr78uMgqPWNGxIonoXmHGaB8e0i1o4I/s400/90sxmas2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNPgUJdSpk7iHr7Lx6Dz2xBy4QY9nxej284IwBP3z7sGleyjzup2WQJ8EOsfRd6QTNe431Dim5C4W8-TxpwOWTpcNdBKJ8NNJ8xV73nUroAw8BDlXGNHjUds2DgjPCDly7r6zV_Es-qw/s1600/90sXmas3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNPgUJdSpk7iHr7Lx6Dz2xBy4QY9nxej284IwBP3z7sGleyjzup2WQJ8EOsfRd6QTNe431Dim5C4W8-TxpwOWTpcNdBKJ8NNJ8xV73nUroAw8BDlXGNHjUds2DgjPCDly7r6zV_Es-qw/s400/90sXmas3.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
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Quite frankly, I wonder how anyone had any space for the food!</div>
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Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-91391950663666676832013-12-08T14:05:00.000+00:002013-12-08T14:05:00.374+00:00Fantasy Christmas DecorationsHappy 2nd Advent!<br />
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My distinct failure to do any crafting has led to me hitting the internet for some favourite quirky Christmas finds this week instead:<br />
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I'm definitely aiming for a red and white/Scandinavian theme this year - and these purchases would be just the ticket.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIjetwpizQUZ4LHybpmUNDBWLjDaCKhwmTffvzPpLTC5tI3wEFcp9dBqdsVdPznCq5f3tBOMfUhBnpmWqTZFy4DKUaBeZMkR9FEbaqFeT8r39ywlzxwsebXhDHhtYSCcCaW0QMHanObE/s1600/chrsitmasshoppingcollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIjetwpizQUZ4LHybpmUNDBWLjDaCKhwmTffvzPpLTC5tI3wEFcp9dBqdsVdPznCq5f3tBOMfUhBnpmWqTZFy4DKUaBeZMkR9FEbaqFeT8r39ywlzxwsebXhDHhtYSCcCaW0QMHanObE/s640/chrsitmasshoppingcollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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1) I love the fact these snowflake decorations from the <a href="http://www.thewhitecompany.com/candles-and-fragrance/new-arrivals/winter-ceramic-snowflakes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">White Company</a> come with their own Christmas scent.<br />
2) These simple sticker place settings are my absolute favourite thing this year - they come in different colours and are personisable. via<a href="http://www.swingsandprettythings.co.uk/latest-additions/four-personalised-christmas-placemat-stickers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Swing and Pretty Things</a>.<br />
3) A simple modern take on the traditional wreath by <a href="http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/wildink/product/metal-typography-christmas-wreath" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wild Ink.</a><br />
4) Got a coastal theme? This unique driftwood star decoration from <a href="http://www.driftwooddreaming.co.uk/product/driftwood-white-star-with-red-ribbon/" target="_blank">Driftwood Dreaming</a> would go perfectly!Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-40443254762569586302013-12-01T13:39:00.000+00:002013-12-01T13:39:00.618+00:00Christmas crafts even I'm tempted to try<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As today is the first Sunday of Advent, it means my inner Christmasholic is finally allowed free rein without scaring too many people. (What do you mean I've hardly held back so far?!)</div>
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I've stated before that I'm not really much of a crafter. Sometimes, however, I come across ideas of both such elegance and apparent simplicity that even I'm tempted to give them a try - and if you can't try these things at Christmas, then what hope is there...?</div>
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My favourite is definitely this simple string tree decoration on the right - what a fabulous way of displaying a few cards!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2leEp7kbXeDOklOdHHHnn-selZnBWVAVo1YdpGXwYopSOlrBT3EiDu7cuQ0Mf2gd4xoeh2ldAMGirDKhEHVcXq4HCRy70GolvtJMpDXICZRCtteg7iupfy9tvOAR8Asa-BM2y1wdWQOs/s1600/ChristmasCraftinsipiration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2leEp7kbXeDOklOdHHHnn-selZnBWVAVo1YdpGXwYopSOlrBT3EiDu7cuQ0Mf2gd4xoeh2ldAMGirDKhEHVcXq4HCRy70GolvtJMpDXICZRCtteg7iupfy9tvOAR8Asa-BM2y1wdWQOs/s640/ChristmasCraftinsipiration.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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1) <a href="http://myscandinavianhome.blogspot.ca/2012/12/guest-post-diy-christmas-tree.html" target="_blank">My Scandinavian home</a></div>
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2) <a href="http://www.digsdigs.com/76-inspiring-scandinavian-christmas-decorating-ideas/" target="_blank">Digdigs</a></div>
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3) <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/31173422394220505/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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Happy first Sunday in Advent!</div>
<br />Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-50393854346380705352013-11-27T11:11:00.000+00:002013-11-27T11:11:00.386+00:00A Tartan ChristmasOK, I cheated. I was going to add tartan (that's plaid to any Americans out there) as a paragraph on my previous Retro Decorator post, because I have a strangely vivid memory of an old copy of House and Garden of my mums that showed a table festooned in green tartan for one Christmas issue. Rather irritatingly, I don't seem to have the magazine in question amongst my collection, so you'll have to use your imaginations.<br />
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The thing is, when I then went in search of tartan images for that 80s Christmas post, I soon discovered that, actually, tartan is still also quite "<i>now</i>", although it's definitely more red than green these days, which of course makes it an excellent accompaniment to a red and white Christmas scheme.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxatMupxGMvPhGpkSm2Ts4C85FEvlgd9ptCKXzOtcooqGOF0-VCZRPcqDgK4BYu_eJK88r2zJx5rNjfi0j3s0OBEFxj9FkdngBrcRGkZnRS18q7ubxhSpMLRPTakAV0qidxoh6KKqMFT4/s1600/TartanCollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxatMupxGMvPhGpkSm2Ts4C85FEvlgd9ptCKXzOtcooqGOF0-VCZRPcqDgK4BYu_eJK88r2zJx5rNjfi0j3s0OBEFxj9FkdngBrcRGkZnRS18q7ubxhSpMLRPTakAV0qidxoh6KKqMFT4/s640/TartanCollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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1) <a href="http://www.housetohome.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;" target="_blank">House to Home</a></div>
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2) <a href="http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/redberryapple/product/set-of-two-tartan-christmas-tree-decorations" rel="nofollow" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Not on the High Street</a></div>
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3) <a href="http://www.housetohome.co.uk/dining-room/picture/festive-tartan-dining-room" rel="nofollow" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;" target="_blank">House to Home</a></div>
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4) <a href="http://www.therange.co.uk/kelso-red-tartan-bedding/bedding/the-range/fcp-product/90536" rel="nofollow" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;" target="_blank">The Range</a></div>
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There's something particularly cosy and comforting about these schemes at this time of year, especially in the bedroom that makes me want to snuggle down in some flannel!</div>
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<br />Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-40235869885493063202013-11-22T10:37:00.002+00:002013-11-22T10:37:36.731+00:00The Retro Decorator - 80s Christmas I've tried to avoid the C word for as long as I possibly could, I really have, but with little more than a month to go I've finally cracked.<br />
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It's been way too long since I did a Retro Decorator post, and I stumbled across this beauty on tumblr the other day that for me summed up what I think of when I think of 1980s Christmases:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCYPiszOji3rvlUEagcPBPdqKJ0MJyLeEFnqRxwV1tcVutjrNHbZIz99fTkDLJP-ZcloaKKZIB3LemZo3CpFGrqrqpwciUqeUWOBdL0ESiuWeL0f_BRh0LyWqJN1NyEhU_OQYH64xSFE/s1600/80sXmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="80s Christmas" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCYPiszOji3rvlUEagcPBPdqKJ0MJyLeEFnqRxwV1tcVutjrNHbZIz99fTkDLJP-ZcloaKKZIB3LemZo3CpFGrqrqpwciUqeUWOBdL0ESiuWeL0f_BRh0LyWqJN1NyEhU_OQYH64xSFE/s400/80sXmas.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://allthingsshabbyandbeautiful.tumblr.com/post/67563281776" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Allthingsshabbyandbeautiful</a></td></tr>
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I'm not even 100% sure it is from the 1980s, but a quick search through my magazine back catalogue couldn't come up with anything better, so we'll stick with this. However, just in case you aren't convinced, here's another reminder of the classic 1980s Christmas:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/E8gmARGvPlI" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
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So, what will you need if you perhaps feel a desperate hankering to recreate your childhood?<br />
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1) TINSEL! And plenty of it. It seems to have fallen out of fashion in some circles, where a more pared-down, Scandinavian Christmas look of wooden decorations is de rigeur, but you can still find plenty of it around on the high street.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEO8wzGwIdgwHxieviNRxBIVhxFMi2ogl3q9Gjmca07VtVOdHgPDjnpivBjJZAzDTx6VR8RxJNyQ8GiqmOxLEJoDz9DsifocwZIlzKzM8K4qvix7wNlA8kfx60rGPs7MfFxOVu5cHvYA/s1600/800px-Tinsel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEO8wzGwIdgwHxieviNRxBIVhxFMi2ogl3q9Gjmca07VtVOdHgPDjnpivBjJZAzDTx6VR8RxJNyQ8GiqmOxLEJoDz9DsifocwZIlzKzM8K4qvix7wNlA8kfx60rGPs7MfFxOVu5cHvYA/s320/800px-Tinsel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ATinsel.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">By Londonsista (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons</a></td></tr>
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Which brings me on to...<br />
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2) Multi-coloured decorations. If you're buying tinsel, don't just stick to one, or maybe two colours. The 80s tree (as demonstrated so beautifully by George Michael) was a riot of different colours - the brighter, the better. That also goes for any non-tinselly stuff you may be adding:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JKwnDq9AaaYV7bvPgtYxQaoXPK9lzoLzuoLc2flGsjuF0kcZ-JtgO5B-u6xgVyUa8GEqDsp8iLGxcXYxJsLQrNwJzk3OA0y6DyhD-Br5HFRFvu4hVsoP9FanrRP5Loa_Nvuv4Yne_fo/s1600/Xmasmagazine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JKwnDq9AaaYV7bvPgtYxQaoXPK9lzoLzuoLc2flGsjuF0kcZ-JtgO5B-u6xgVyUa8GEqDsp8iLGxcXYxJsLQrNwJzk3OA0y6DyhD-Br5HFRFvu4hVsoP9FanrRP5Loa_Nvuv4Yne_fo/s400/Xmasmagazine.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/toymaster/3081364474/lightbox/" target="_blank">Zellaby on Flickr</a></td></tr>
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3) Foil garlands. A bit like tinsel, but for the room, rather than just the tree. Mr Fantasy Decorator still has a number of these "original" beauties that we argue over every year ("It's a family heirloom!" "It's not, it kitsch tat!" etc etc) before they get banished to the kids playroom where I hope nobody thinks I had anything to do with them. I didn't actually realise you could still buy them...:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUysXSXlh5LMdhf7MyiPVVHokURIFldlDi1dELst1bGIFD6PrWZneYreh0qa-KZajE2QQIx1IGVVnxxuVVuG03Yuz0sZR5bBolGfmayCnw1S73jRTvW8AB-WaduEeGqp9Feq_TboDdsp0/s1600/Poundland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUysXSXlh5LMdhf7MyiPVVHokURIFldlDi1dELst1bGIFD6PrWZneYreh0qa-KZajE2QQIx1IGVVnxxuVVuG03Yuz0sZR5bBolGfmayCnw1S73jRTvW8AB-WaduEeGqp9Feq_TboDdsp0/s320/Poundland.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.poundland.co.uk/christmas/christmas-decorations/christmas-room-decorations/christmas-foil-garland-decoration-2-pack" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Poundland</a></td></tr>
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Finally, if you're going to enjoy an 80s Christmas, make sure you dress for the occasion, won't you? Because if there is one thing that appears to be back with a vengeance this year, it's the Christmas Jumper...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhNyS82EWLWHW6sgtpZ5F7E-auagTM9D-I_sZqQveY4t2lUBx4xJCkncay-alTosJxQtNERg2B0vYYtEVV8bq752cRo0PBI4EQl4AZs9hLIOZ2qH-QBwtybQ2f6NxQ4j4526IeYXTj-0/s1600/xmasjumper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhNyS82EWLWHW6sgtpZ5F7E-auagTM9D-I_sZqQveY4t2lUBx4xJCkncay-alTosJxQtNERg2B0vYYtEVV8bq752cRo0PBI4EQl4AZs9hLIOZ2qH-QBwtybQ2f6NxQ4j4526IeYXTj-0/s400/xmasjumper.jpg" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.asos.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ASOS</a></td></tr>
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<br />Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-27290691380935171562013-11-12T12:06:00.000+00:002013-11-12T12:06:33.981+00:00Painted floor loveThe problem with having relatively recently painted our <a href="http://www.thefantasydecorator.com/2013/09/thirty-pound-bathroom-makeover.html#.UoIT-nCyJtY" target="_blank">bathroom floor</a> is that of course now I'm itching to do the same with the varnished floorboards in all our other rooms! As I don't think that's happening for a while, I'm drooling over other people's instead!<br />
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Whilst I'm definitely in love with the bright cleanliness of white floorboards, I couldn't help falling in love with these stripey ones in a cute children's bedroom:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4n72CAzJIhJX9kKLKCz9fqEGbQChDB5cHYFAAzXmI5xuLsDidOSDj9g51xGgarIQGsALtOtWRevCypa81q_sqsFlzl6kse2I9AfRcZ1x5HIK6bihq3_sfMNTyQlYOJqXwG5slQBrLEw/s1600/childrens-room22floorboards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4n72CAzJIhJX9kKLKCz9fqEGbQChDB5cHYFAAzXmI5xuLsDidOSDj9g51xGgarIQGsALtOtWRevCypa81q_sqsFlzl6kse2I9AfRcZ1x5HIK6bihq3_sfMNTyQlYOJqXwG5slQBrLEw/s400/childrens-room22floorboards.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.housetohome.co.uk/childrens-room/picture/striped-childs-bedroom" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">House to Home</a></td></tr>
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...and how funky is this red kitchen floor?<br />
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<a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/328509/Houzz-Tour--A-light-filled-South-Holland-eclectic-coastal-home--kitchen-amsterdam"><img border="0" height="334" src="http://st.houzz.com/simgs/67d143a00ea01450_8-4101/-kitchen.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Kitchen</a> by <a href="http://www.houzz.com/professionals/media-and-blogs/amsterdam" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Amsterdam Media & Bloggers</a> <a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/hollymarder/holly-marder" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Holly Marder</a></small></div>
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<br />
...although tempting as they are, I just love the versatility of white as a base for adding pops of colour:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdigzHv6JILYsaPED1XsWhydLEZYU4BV3PVlvDsJE7scRqSn3rrSzbBCiHWjObxvBMTDacGzJqShHw-Ls8f9I8-scbjtVeniLJmqWLNpnWS8kHTr7mpn_OuiI4M1Ds52tHvy9TuPyOAU/s1600/popsofcolour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdigzHv6JILYsaPED1XsWhydLEZYU4BV3PVlvDsJE7scRqSn3rrSzbBCiHWjObxvBMTDacGzJqShHw-Ls8f9I8-scbjtVeniLJmqWLNpnWS8kHTr7mpn_OuiI4M1Ds52tHvy9TuPyOAU/s400/popsofcolour.jpg" width="337" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://emmelines.blogspot.fr/2012/03/verdens-mest-elendige-spakone-star-frem.html?m=1" target="_blank">Emmeline blog</a></td></tr>
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...plus they still look great in a more neutral/all-white palette:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu17PJGSuvQqTMvBdAcAKOhCNalPw8oQbxJyzYzhy6OTMMQy49u9OFgPkOjUvVcH5pmdUMY7yr1EDGhwZVYSzf7RH3QqJturAS5Z5rpaI6jvwEvAQU9aOnR_rhQGP9wduBTfU64Z2Uyc8/s1600/whitediningroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu17PJGSuvQqTMvBdAcAKOhCNalPw8oQbxJyzYzhy6OTMMQy49u9OFgPkOjUvVcH5pmdUMY7yr1EDGhwZVYSzf7RH3QqJturAS5Z5rpaI6jvwEvAQU9aOnR_rhQGP9wduBTfU64Z2Uyc8/s400/whitediningroom.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/537828380469993948/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">via Pinterest</a></td></tr>
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Now where did I put my paintbrush...?<br />
<br />Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-41487332913391906452013-10-21T10:00:00.000+01:002013-10-21T10:00:07.262+01:00Warming up the homeThe nights are drawing in here in the Northern hemisphere, and temperatures are taking a downward turn.<br />
Do you like to add texture and comfort to signal warmth?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7aEyRGbKdDy5d0Bhppz1JGvuibFshJCm2ZXaAEsQLTzjQMT6ITNCg1wEtHr-v-of915bKEzCkA73G3QMcZ1RURbkqSyvI_OiVSRPsxj7pNAMeV2E0G5WDYMui-ZcjsfZdyxKCCZ3hl4/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7aEyRGbKdDy5d0Bhppz1JGvuibFshJCm2ZXaAEsQLTzjQMT6ITNCg1wEtHr-v-of915bKEzCkA73G3QMcZ1RURbkqSyvI_OiVSRPsxj7pNAMeV2E0G5WDYMui-ZcjsfZdyxKCCZ3hl4/s640/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.anta.co.uk/made-in-scotland/cushions" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1) Anta</a><br />
<a href="http://www.okadirect.com/arcadia-large-statement-mirror.aspx?vid=mwm006brm-0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2) Oka direct</a><br />
<a href="http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/thewoolroom/product/luxury-sheepskin-rug?utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_medium=Home&utm_campaign=217224&gclid=CLfL58Sw4bkCFYPHtAod7CMAyg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">3) Not on the High Street</a><br />
4) via <a href="http://furnish.co.uk/features/1086-floor-candle-holder-from-nordic-house" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Furnish</a><br />
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...or do you prefer to signal the changing seasons with richer, more autumnal colours?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJc2pnvyn86nz-6VuYb_yVl72onLpq6pmcJdpp9xj2c75HUZMT_uRm8l0lQHBkYHKG0mq7Z0ZdJYCBBh-9ieKiRU_iCCftsA0HMFbUxWadd6ZZnODwgeDk2A_6yVVZmkjcGzyjBbu7bI/s1600/colourscollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJc2pnvyn86nz-6VuYb_yVl72onLpq6pmcJdpp9xj2c75HUZMT_uRm8l0lQHBkYHKG0mq7Z0ZdJYCBBh-9ieKiRU_iCCftsA0HMFbUxWadd6ZZnODwgeDk2A_6yVVZmkjcGzyjBbu7bI/s640/colourscollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Biba%20Kareen%20Jacquard%20double%20duvet%20cover%20gold/166206380,default,pd.html?_$ja=tsid:45090|kw:Skimbit|cgn:78888&awinDCS=3100_1381833993_fcdb2b1421ea4539e96eca09e88bfd57||0||0||0||skim635X130712X69f2642fecd4d569d7b0e7fc11945ca2&awc=3100_1381833993_fcdb2b1421ea4539e96eca09e88bfd57&cm_mmc=AWIN-_-Deeplink-_-NULL-_-NULL&istCompanyId=17910aed-1bae-4362-9580-b523eb87a91e&istItemId=imrqpqmx&istBid=t" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1) House of Fraser</a><br />
<a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2) Apartment Therapy</a><br />
<a href="http://www.harlequin.uk.com/uploads/harlequin-poetica-fabrics-1.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">3) Harlequin</a><br />
<a href="http://www.housetohome.co.uk/room-idea/picture/norwegian-lines-decorating-trend-2011" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">4) House to Home</a><br />
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Much as I love the idea of changing my interiors even few months, in reality it's just not that practical, but even I might be tempted by the odd throw...<br />
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<br />Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-69454572603546075452013-10-15T11:40:00.001+01:002013-10-15T11:40:31.937+01:00Random hotel room of the week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I was lucky enough to be whisked away for a night at the <a href="http://www.feathers.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Feathers Hotel</a> in Woodstock last week. This is a higgledy-piggledy olde-worlde sort of building that apparently has been everything from a row of cottages, to a butcher's shop to a sanatorium for those recovering from tuberculosis until it was knocked into one building in the 1960s. </div>
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From an interiors point of view, the styling is what I would call "traditional with a twist". We stayed in one of the suites, the bedroom of which was in a fairly traditional style. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pv3nFKX_5XGJy7QD8_j7BdDMdP3-76Ifa0O0c3LrLxPP_pgbOU0ek2Ypfo3iu5xVDnDpDphmZG2zD8mhX7yKKNt_8sVz33S14Yjg5WdWJ4u3f9DojYsOCRBIP5crKhQxKt8OgYuDvZs/s1600/20131004_172931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pv3nFKX_5XGJy7QD8_j7BdDMdP3-76Ifa0O0c3LrLxPP_pgbOU0ek2Ypfo3iu5xVDnDpDphmZG2zD8mhX7yKKNt_8sVz33S14Yjg5WdWJ4u3f9DojYsOCRBIP5crKhQxKt8OgYuDvZs/s400/20131004_172931.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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Our little seating area was slightly quirkier, however, with a splash of bright pink and some abstract art (a lot of which was dotted around the rest of the hotel):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBT-C_OTGMVc1YVznp6yhoW0aLYZ9QU7ZKL8JOHctL9nhIYNlIs2yahIOl9pZ0srS3F4cOKQoyWm9gycZ85WLOkPLFAQ3Sc8UST4fhoCTZUF57RRKn8kfMaKxrsuEJE7Ukwz2aeBF-p0/s1600/20131004_173006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBT-C_OTGMVc1YVznp6yhoW0aLYZ9QU7ZKL8JOHctL9nhIYNlIs2yahIOl9pZ0srS3F4cOKQoyWm9gycZ85WLOkPLFAQ3Sc8UST4fhoCTZUF57RRKn8kfMaKxrsuEJE7Ukwz2aeBF-p0/s400/20131004_173006.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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The bathroom was fairly modern and functional, just as I like it (coincidentally the tiles are a very similar colour to our own bathtub at home)!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTE-dGA3up1t0tRrBodcriYXosYjwknexNcBKHy2_B3MdbPX1CIo-V-9B78SVe18QLtQaPrj_hac3yqbzYHJwEjnZa4Ha9rHesVoZ7b4Wjq3RoTRTJVUKHqmmLx0WZxzQ7i86Zb_yFuJY/s1600/20131004_173049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTE-dGA3up1t0tRrBodcriYXosYjwknexNcBKHy2_B3MdbPX1CIo-V-9B78SVe18QLtQaPrj_hac3yqbzYHJwEjnZa4Ha9rHesVoZ7b4Wjq3RoTRTJVUKHqmmLx0WZxzQ7i86Zb_yFuJY/s400/20131004_173049.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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To be honest though, the real attraction wasn't necessarily the room, but the bar with its hundreds of types of gin...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvdMiS6tR8x6QSpvq216AbpLFXuEAD-dsXSk3ctdcEVEdQDKpY5LwFT-q3qdQ6QLiyVjsE-QbKrnV2gWfEV1DExvRkXeW76RWLroFAGS7qlZcbzGhldei2_rp7DSM3Gb6wQe2JxZ31Ts/s1600/gingingin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvdMiS6tR8x6QSpvq216AbpLFXuEAD-dsXSk3ctdcEVEdQDKpY5LwFT-q3qdQ6QLiyVjsE-QbKrnV2gWfEV1DExvRkXeW76RWLroFAGS7qlZcbzGhldei2_rp7DSM3Gb6wQe2JxZ31Ts/s400/gingingin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-51784081034663874342013-09-23T11:06:00.002+01:002013-09-23T11:06:27.931+01:00Thirty Pound Bathroom Makeover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've written before about how I've never been in love with our bathroom, which was put in by previous occupants who were obviously trying to keep it within the Victorian style of our house. Within a couple of months of months of moving in, not only had I managed to crack the sink by dropping a cup in it, but the dark stain of the floor also started coming off. </div>
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Since replacing the broken sink a couple of months ago with a similar eBay bargain, it really highlighted how awful the rest of the room was, and now that I have a <a href="http://www.thesardinetin.com/2013/09/First-Day-of-Unemployment.html" target="_blank">bit more time on my hands</a>, it seemed like a good opportunity to tackle that embarrassing floor:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPuEX5880z7tGUiOrKjpSwtxctn1EAq7QDngcpJ63iJ1eefC2aOmT1XESoGCu3PCmIJqgsXXXoTq2ixJ5ZKU8r1A-y3zvaG6jK4fmD3lhqBwQVMQ901fbxOZDfGuTZaXHdE63vtpbMQs/s1600/20130916_100030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPuEX5880z7tGUiOrKjpSwtxctn1EAq7QDngcpJ63iJ1eefC2aOmT1XESoGCu3PCmIJqgsXXXoTq2ixJ5ZKU8r1A-y3zvaG6jK4fmD3lhqBwQVMQ901fbxOZDfGuTZaXHdE63vtpbMQs/s400/20130916_100030.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unloved</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Twufj0tXs1zlUiBRORxzNvQbhM4g5rjeGwlxnxzB80hLU47qqInWfvxGpW4LCInWqgMt5o7dhygDQlAKwshPFH8wD17Bup6dpwpbfq7CsSlPLnZS_uGpWrKzRA8avyeBOEmZKwmtXZM/s1600/20130916_100125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Twufj0tXs1zlUiBRORxzNvQbhM4g5rjeGwlxnxzB80hLU47qqInWfvxGpW4LCInWqgMt5o7dhygDQlAKwshPFH8wD17Bup6dpwpbfq7CsSlPLnZS_uGpWrKzRA8avyeBOEmZKwmtXZM/s400/20130916_100125.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dark stain is what the entire floor was previously covered in.</td></tr>
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The lovely Karen from <a href="http://thewhiteapproach.com/" target="_blank">The White Approach</a> had previously recommended Ronseal's Diamond Hard Floor Paint as one that she had successfully used in her own house (with four men!), and her recommendation was good enough for me. </div>
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We decided against brilliant white, and instead went for the off-white "cotton" shade in the hope that it would blend better with the rather tired paint in the rest of the room. The tin recommended two coats, but in the end I probably applied more like three as the floorboards weren't in great condition to begin with and needed lumps and bumps going over a couple of times. </div>
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My biggest fear was that painting the floor such a light colour would only highlight the gaps in the floorboards, which to an extent it does. However, I think the overall much brighter effect it definitely worth it:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB74zvKi5VDG2GvE1GyEGDlsOGfacPVA0beJ-FjFtbRVTjxin-iY5PRBLNk-owEUKv3HCeJPDWl0jr6mFvzzbOJjmDoYt4nr3zK6uQ2PIRuTRSE3CEIfZqxkU-yw2PwXHSJ6x03Q2P8HY/s1600/20130921_131530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB74zvKi5VDG2GvE1GyEGDlsOGfacPVA0beJ-FjFtbRVTjxin-iY5PRBLNk-owEUKv3HCeJPDWl0jr6mFvzzbOJjmDoYt4nr3zK6uQ2PIRuTRSE3CEIfZqxkU-yw2PwXHSJ6x03Q2P8HY/s400/20130921_131530.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally our towel ladder from Cox & Cox feels a bit more at home</td></tr>
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Not bad for thirty quid, if I do say so myself!</div>
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Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-21153889962061018602013-09-12T17:50:00.003+01:002013-09-12T17:50:48.863+01:00Hues of BlueRemember that Cyprus holiday apartment that's <b><i>slowly </i></b>been taking shape? Well, I thought it was time for an update on how far it's got now...We spent a couple of weeks there in August, and, while it needs one or two more finishing touches, it's pretty much got all we need.<br />
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We went for a hard-wearing navy in the living area:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliMyW69JitRQwo3CjKhNzcgZ7_zV9vkVcWlnZsZE4w53JChQJEmqLX_ENyf0xl5SxVDm9IzgwzIhTJGwZD7pG5uCzcqOSvm55_zPHfSVayZI4UZoJTX7M6iBfBTAmcbcLz0pG56Dvghg/s1600/DSC02986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliMyW69JitRQwo3CjKhNzcgZ7_zV9vkVcWlnZsZE4w53JChQJEmqLX_ENyf0xl5SxVDm9IzgwzIhTJGwZD7pG5uCzcqOSvm55_zPHfSVayZI4UZoJTX7M6iBfBTAmcbcLz0pG56Dvghg/s400/DSC02986.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hrtKz7-56uDXSAdtmHTh3ZuokZ_1C6SeowVa_3GO7immMtOBxqMRPulBzkKTF2BryoP7O9oHuBw6_i5CV7BPXACF7gvBeGfK5ko0ZO53EgzFdEjqsfdU2HbFCAkee4kxs3O_Ynp0CCo/s1600/DSC03003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TsjcllKR3sC87PN0X7UpUxxIW6lqNnaaPL7-vWGj2_d1IM49_jYJj2xh3kpXmldMOEcr4tAKc5nyizBap3F0XHCW2IJW9tcZHvRoGUqHhJf0rfFlwvctOc9LOlCPa80RVbgExkOFq9c/s1600/DSC02989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TsjcllKR3sC87PN0X7UpUxxIW6lqNnaaPL7-vWGj2_d1IM49_jYJj2xh3kpXmldMOEcr4tAKc5nyizBap3F0XHCW2IJW9tcZHvRoGUqHhJf0rfFlwvctOc9LOlCPa80RVbgExkOFq9c/s400/DSC02989.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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With a slightly brighter blue in the kitchen/breakfast area:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eaNCSBIDefmP6I3RRek8wifWs6oWVqHD0MAriwSmyCh76s3mB5elnERLij4UcnA8WtHxLqVy5Yt2Z3YQXLr1uKAZ1VOCVhM70lbPVYDog8kkVMCOhMR0z-t1OXJdeluVGzA_FExq8vY/s1600/DSC02991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eaNCSBIDefmP6I3RRek8wifWs6oWVqHD0MAriwSmyCh76s3mB5elnERLij4UcnA8WtHxLqVy5Yt2Z3YQXLr1uKAZ1VOCVhM70lbPVYDog8kkVMCOhMR0z-t1OXJdeluVGzA_FExq8vY/s400/DSC02991.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqR0_gY4RcdH3M2yWp8g6_KvFSgNTETHprrZJmH_KeMs_IfjVHkw3tMxI7A4-xFlX7b1VN3nCj-sTYy4_rgjLxzUzQsLOIrqPUBYXR7NkjZ6-vDBWfu5fVWTMktS17tUYyXPnizDcG00/s1600/DSC02992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqR0_gY4RcdH3M2yWp8g6_KvFSgNTETHprrZJmH_KeMs_IfjVHkw3tMxI7A4-xFlX7b1VN3nCj-sTYy4_rgjLxzUzQsLOIrqPUBYXR7NkjZ6-vDBWfu5fVWTMktS17tUYyXPnizDcG00/s400/DSC02992.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The inside table is relatively small, but most of the eating will be done outside anyway:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNWYVW5px3EFzX2CKTwxGbvSQx3AVEkuZSJr_HK9NONkdbxtsWrEHm6CzbzVCe2XQa5_Cs7s05hYOA7qTWnqpfMKZvUxOVXXLlOyVu-qLxdAFp__ZTL8-wtgm8CY-xShkFZW16hXN9e4/s1600/DSC02996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNWYVW5px3EFzX2CKTwxGbvSQx3AVEkuZSJr_HK9NONkdbxtsWrEHm6CzbzVCe2XQa5_Cs7s05hYOA7qTWnqpfMKZvUxOVXXLlOyVu-qLxdAFp__ZTL8-wtgm8CY-xShkFZW16hXN9e4/s400/DSC02996.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We've continued the blue theme in the bedrooms, with the main bedroom mirroring the navy of the living area:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicC8sIYAgjBNMwp_SKh4reGN4ZUUKEneNo8PTn7YCDMi4atIv7fan45Vyp2AU_cA6B2LIS6CkVUwrh25epXVmYuKNbNcit8KB24oW7rPDVTBg6jdiSMvqyFYjy_-m0SuBX8cfSGkQhlpE/s1600/DSC03005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicC8sIYAgjBNMwp_SKh4reGN4ZUUKEneNo8PTn7YCDMi4atIv7fan45Vyp2AU_cA6B2LIS6CkVUwrh25epXVmYuKNbNcit8KB24oW7rPDVTBg6jdiSMvqyFYjy_-m0SuBX8cfSGkQhlpE/s400/DSC03005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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...and the twin is the slightly brighter blue that's a bit more fun for kids:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkW6IMn05Rx3pZi7DXofuYG-CPiypfKUnGVnXscnD9g-5wUs0LxP6yg9CkKkBGwOIs1PrtTyyvuLaImV6EosAXQe3Epawg3R2OkzEFMHc5hd1o7tO_lG2tSXWWSkuAtchz9yQ9ZyvUas/s1600/DSC03010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkW6IMn05Rx3pZi7DXofuYG-CPiypfKUnGVnXscnD9g-5wUs0LxP6yg9CkKkBGwOIs1PrtTyyvuLaImV6EosAXQe3Epawg3R2OkzEFMHc5hd1o7tO_lG2tSXWWSkuAtchz9yQ9ZyvUas/s400/DSC03010.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">teddies not included ;-)</td></tr>
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And while we're still lacking a few more wall decorations, we do already have a few bits and pieces up that we took with us:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://booandboy.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Boo & Boy</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mirrors from TK Maxx, sticker from Not on the High Street</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vase an old one of ours, filled with blue stones found at Lidl!</td></tr>
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Our next trip out is at Easter, so until then the quest is on to find a BIG blue seascape for the main living area!<br />
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<br />Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-54353671024475021872013-09-06T12:47:00.002+01:002013-09-06T12:48:18.093+01:00Review - The Inspired Home by Karen Lehrman Bloch<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've been wrestling ridiculous amounts of spam on this blog over the past couple of months - everything from dumpster rental to p*nis enlargement (and no, it doesn't fool anyone if you type the link in Spanish, dear spammer). It's been more than a little disheartening and frustrating, to say the least. So when the lovely folks at Harper Collins asked me if I wanted to review a book called "The Inspired Home - <i>Interiors of Deep Beauty</i>", I figured it was just what the doctor ordered to get me back on track and focused on what really matters with this blog!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2I6WADM0mpOfLdV05_WBNiAD4AsKSzlTn693rVjtxMVXdZvEyUf5Hb4hBOxq0q2yrgFmSg6ESOvfSQyzE_5adLiDYIljbNvIm8Qt1_0Wz9RPd7OWztFkXJH0uF9jCfd8MKQ-diqRmmgg/s1600/Inspiredhomecover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2I6WADM0mpOfLdV05_WBNiAD4AsKSzlTn693rVjtxMVXdZvEyUf5Hb4hBOxq0q2yrgFmSg6ESOvfSQyzE_5adLiDYIljbNvIm8Qt1_0Wz9RPd7OWztFkXJH0uF9jCfd8MKQ-diqRmmgg/s400/Inspiredhomecover.png" width="347" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The foreword is by Donna Karan, and her opening sentence sounded like just the tonic;<i> "What is a soulful interior? How do you create a home that feels like a retreat, a sanctuary, every time you enter? How do you find the calm within the chaos?" </i>This sounded like just the book for me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRudgZT2-87c66tnSZ2oHc0bb95jM6FEmL1q_-13kKN2SXaje2VZCjOtkFDRB03Y-z9UFP9MOfJgp6rGuNtO_TkzYU1v8xTxuyXDJ2PvbyeCsyrfh100DQS50YWp472yIDHRa4k5V5wQ/s1600/Inspiredhomefrontis.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRudgZT2-87c66tnSZ2oHc0bb95jM6FEmL1q_-13kKN2SXaje2VZCjOtkFDRB03Y-z9UFP9MOfJgp6rGuNtO_TkzYU1v8xTxuyXDJ2PvbyeCsyrfh100DQS50YWp472yIDHRa4k5V5wQ/s400/Inspiredhomefrontis.bmp" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The author's premise is simple - that in fact the modern trend for a "decorated", and fashionable home is not a concept that actually makes for harmonious living. Instead, she advocates the use of natural elements to create a home that we feel comfortable and at peace in. It's an approach that appealed to me straight away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />She uses photographs of the homes of, and interviews with, a number of artists and designers from around the world to illustrate her point, e.g. Consuelo Castiglioni (founder of Marni), fashion designer Alberta Ferretti, sculptor <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">Jérôme Abel Seguin, interior designer Mimmi O'Connell, Donna Karan herself, plus many others. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">The book is divided into five parts - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">authenticity, simplicity, balance, surprise, and grandeur - designed to mirror natural elements, and each idea is well illustrated through the use of several specific homes. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222;"><i><b>What this book is not:</b></i></span><span style="color: #222222;">If you're a fan of ultra-modern, or very colourful interiors, you won't find a great deal to please you. Also, if you are looking for step-by-step detailed instructions on how to implement some of the looks and ideas you probably won't find those beyond one or two vague pointers. I personally would probably describe it as <i>as</i>pirational.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222;"><i><b>What this book is:</b></i></span><span style="color: #222222;">It may be short on text, and what text there is can be a little new-age for some sensibilities , but it is jam-packed full of <b>stunning </b>photography of some amazingly beautiful homes that I could spend hours drooling over:</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The home of James Cavagnari in Salina, Italy, photographed by Giorgio Baroni </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjYiyty_qhpMrVNMEaUo8rrhPjhaxHalWlUaSze48wGTxcVBr5k7MxD2ey8g9oRFP5yWJfHj0BBBrhM0UIuuP4FX2dcnvwhPaS6dc0aDcz-V3EDSVTeknPo-bCMBtN5CqNMAu-EElBbY/s1600/Marie-Laure+Helmkampf.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjYiyty_qhpMrVNMEaUo8rrhPjhaxHalWlUaSze48wGTxcVBr5k7MxD2ey8g9oRFP5yWJfHj0BBBrhM0UIuuP4FX2dcnvwhPaS6dc0aDcz-V3EDSVTeknPo-bCMBtN5CqNMAu-EElBbY/s400/Marie-Laure+Helmkampf.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home of Marie-Laure Helmkampf photographed by Jean-Marc Wullschleger/Living Agency and Tim Street-Porter</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home of Cathy Vandewalle in Bangkok photographed by Vicente Wolf</td></tr>
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F<span style="font-family: inherit;">ull of neutral palettes and quirky touches, these homes are individual, luxurious and incredibly beautiful. Be warned though - if you're anything like me, they'll spark insane jealousy.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Inspired Home: Interiors of Deep Beauty Karen Lehrman Bloch is published in hardback by Harper Design and will be on sale in the US on 17th September at a price of $35 dollars. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Disclosure: I was provided with a preview copy of this book, all views my own.</span></span><br />
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Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-928962349333159392013-04-16T11:06:00.001+01:002013-04-16T11:06:43.931+01:00The Retro Decorator - 50s bathroom, Basildon Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The miserable weather that characterised the British summer last year meant we didn't get out and about as much as we might have liked, and as a knock-on effect we didn't really use our <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/what-we-do/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">National Trust</a> membership to its full potential. This year, however, we're determined to get the most out of it, and we recently visited the lovely <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/basildon-park/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Basildon Park</a> in Berkshire. </div>
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From the outside, it looks like a lot of similar Palladian mansions built in the 1700s:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basildon Park facade</td></tr>
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<br />However, it has a slightly more unusual history in that it was never fully completed, and had a number of different owners with varying financial difficulties - including the government, which used the house as a barracks during the Second World War. (Interestingly, the house was almost completely dismantled and shipped to the USA at one point, and a large number of interior elements have been stripped out and can be found in various public buildings in the US).<div>
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The house was rescued from ruin in the mid-1950s by Lord and Lady Illiffe. They set about trying to restore the house until it was left to the National Trust in 1978. As well as some very grand state rooms, the house also contains a number of original 1950s "mod cons" that make for interesting viewing, and which is how this makes it into a Retro Decorator post!</div>
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The 1950s kitchen is currently undergoing some restoration, but it's the bathrooms that caught my eye...<br /><div>
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I've always stated my preference for a clean, modern bathroom, but anyone who has followed this blog for a while may remember that conversely I also have a particularly nostalgic love of a black and pink bathroom - and these ones are probably as grand as they come:</div>
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Very Hollywood screen siren, I'm sure you'll agree! (And if the house looks familiar, it's because it has been used in a number of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basildon_Park#Basildon_and_its_future" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">films and TV productions...</a>)</div>
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Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-25377289440350470532013-03-28T10:03:00.004+00:002013-03-28T10:03:49.466+00:00Bit of AdminSo, Google reader will soon be no more. For those millions of you that follow using this method, you might like to know that I'm setting up a bloglovin' account. I really have no idea what I'm doing, but apparently I have to paste this into a post:<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/4951463/?claim=suzwaeyqxx9">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a><br />
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So I have. xSardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-48130382278054633712013-03-19T11:20:00.000+00:002013-03-19T11:20:48.914+00:00Cyprus holiday apartment updateIt seems Cyprus is the hot topic of conversation at the moment for all the wrong reasons. I therefore thought it might be nice to give it a bit of positive publicity and remind ourselves that it's still a fabulous holiday destination despite all the financial problems!<br />
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As a quick reminder, you can find the back story and my interest <a href="http://www.thefantasydecorator.com/search/label/Tala" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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My parents have just come back from a quick stint in Cyprus, and have done a fantastic job in getting some more of the basic furniture in that will allow us to spend our first proper family holiday out there in August (including air conditioning - a must in the heat of the summer!)<br />
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There is still a long way to go towards giving the apartment a "wow factor", but at least we will have somewhere to sleep:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwr31Ck_Bn9083nQxNswnmPGDc32e5Zk7NyaA_AUZvW5oirsP2loOCJM30EBYPYt9kWG5bN2L6C8MzfZztG6SPIgcpE2kKl9Jw1anG8LtajskUEFwB1qQ24O-jspt-wdjLp5_wyE0F0k0/s1600/Tala1_adjusted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwr31Ck_Bn9083nQxNswnmPGDc32e5Zk7NyaA_AUZvW5oirsP2loOCJM30EBYPYt9kWG5bN2L6C8MzfZztG6SPIgcpE2kKl9Jw1anG8LtajskUEFwB1qQ24O-jspt-wdjLp5_wyE0F0k0/s1600/Tala1_adjusted.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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...as will the children...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RbbV3b0iBJbV2HTGM24qaHQQAa-uxgokPc7AJBFX201_inFpHmxGujJcxPdhwIBMDZBpAUqUkijVKIQAbbgobAsbY_hdcyXtZ8J21k70JW3ME-liE_5QwX0ysU1-6xebkTut1UpOrZw/s1600/Tala3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RbbV3b0iBJbV2HTGM24qaHQQAa-uxgokPc7AJBFX201_inFpHmxGujJcxPdhwIBMDZBpAUqUkijVKIQAbbgobAsbY_hdcyXtZ8J21k70JW3ME-liE_5QwX0ysU1-6xebkTut1UpOrZw/s1600/Tala3.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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and we'll have somewhere to sit in comfort (note air conditioning unit on wall - hoorah!)<br />
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...as well as cook and eat, even if at the moment it is on outdoor furniture for the balcony only.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-g-eUl8ddESTTj5fJT9kYfC7n9PoWD8la1i_EgMZEREgSyIaNUt4dnkxhhh4M3Wdjlc3ednROi3qOZaC7wwiAvfWFJlvvodNBF665zy1Wn3lDrMp3gHcltn71pJ8EqBLQBUz9eFRs3wU/s1600/Tala4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-g-eUl8ddESTTj5fJT9kYfC7n9PoWD8la1i_EgMZEREgSyIaNUt4dnkxhhh4M3Wdjlc3ednROi3qOZaC7wwiAvfWFJlvvodNBF665zy1Wn3lDrMp3gHcltn71pJ8EqBLQBUz9eFRs3wU/s1600/Tala4.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's frustrating being so far away and being time constrained each time we do visit - it does limit us a little bit in terms of what we can do each time, and what is available to us. Hence why there is more IKEA furniture in the apartment than I probably initially would have liked. It seems you just can't beat them for instantly available furniture wherever you go - plus, I guess you know what you are getting, which can be reassuring if you don't know where to shop and where to avoid.<br />
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Our next bigger job will be to get some fabric into the place to deaden the echo - a couple more rugs, and window hangings, and add a few pictures to the walls to try and brighten it up and pull it together. Still with five months to go I think it's fair to say I've got plenty of time to do some more fantasy decorating in the meantime...<br />
<br />Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-60475916979697370612013-03-13T10:16:00.000+00:002013-03-13T10:16:18.728+00:00Simple hallway lightingIt's no secret that I've got a terrible magazine habit. I love flicking through them to get ideas, marvel at other peoples' homes, and generally get inspired. However, it has been a long time since I bought a specific item that I've seen in a magazine.<br />
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I was looking at the July 2012 edition of Ideal Home magazine, however, and came across this...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqvbdwCZ9iEqI6vdVBhyrDDi7XJsR_Bg7551vnIfGPfo3IvxB0OuEhAyaMwVrb6MB8aX9NOHSCGBtPxu8Tk6UI-OqI6Tv6CLCqZLKAjjPtE1FRr5bzZW2LORsb1Tx1CgIV8Ow2Pc7BL0/s1600/lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqvbdwCZ9iEqI6vdVBhyrDDi7XJsR_Bg7551vnIfGPfo3IvxB0OuEhAyaMwVrb6MB8aX9NOHSCGBtPxu8Tk6UI-OqI6Tv6CLCqZLKAjjPtE1FRr5bzZW2LORsb1Tx1CgIV8Ow2Pc7BL0/s1600/lights.jpg" height="377" width="400" /></a></div>
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The strange thing is that I'm neither a huge fan of the "country" look, or of the colour green..why, therefore, could I not get this picture out of my mind?<br />
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It wasn't the picture itself, but one of the items in it. Something about the light grabbed me. I just liked its simplicity, especially against the rest of the "country" look. I tried to dismiss it, yet somehow I became obsessed with it, bookmarking the page in the magazine and visiting and re-visiting the page. The light was available at <a href="http://www.baileyshomeandgarden.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bailey's</a> home and garden. I stalked their website, umming and ahhing.<br />
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My husband of course, couldn't understand my obsession. "It's only a light" he'd say, "and quite a plain one at that!". By October I was determined. I knew exactly where I wanted the lights (yes, I needed two!), namely to replace the ornate pink affairs in our hallway left by the previous owners. I'd always felt they detracted somewhat from our beautiful Victorian flooring and cornicing.<br />
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And so it came to pass that I got my way and I got my lights. Out went these:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4aJ5goX9c_wx9WTnmp8LPEGeL4pY77C1b_9Fq_SSvIlYmbbljECk0hR6iCwUQOOM4_ZE4evDh2ADZaSll_LCyokEwTa2DOHJ38cqaCpT2lQVaDnTLeVYWQzJiafJGguBtHnQBIYSUq4/s1600/LIghtsbefore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4aJ5goX9c_wx9WTnmp8LPEGeL4pY77C1b_9Fq_SSvIlYmbbljECk0hR6iCwUQOOM4_ZE4evDh2ADZaSll_LCyokEwTa2DOHJ38cqaCpT2lQVaDnTLeVYWQzJiafJGguBtHnQBIYSUq4/s1600/LIghtsbefore.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
...and in came these...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1sfY-ylnM50AIXh7-AcawbUS7Gsn1ZGynan2hsZWlCgJtSfKoblbVjhy2v5g_mpw-thbt2YGTMK9WJlG9sf2kN_wU1_zZGfcm4c_xF5Zt0v-YZC3UtkxOZVoPG1NzhpOYwyjHaEGTP0/s1600/lights3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1sfY-ylnM50AIXh7-AcawbUS7Gsn1ZGynan2hsZWlCgJtSfKoblbVjhy2v5g_mpw-thbt2YGTMK9WJlG9sf2kN_wU1_zZGfcm4c_xF5Zt0v-YZC3UtkxOZVoPG1NzhpOYwyjHaEGTP0/s1600/lights3.jpg" height="320" width="285" /></a></div>
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...and very pleased I am too!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVWJxZhTtYFvcS9QCQjbEaT8zBTpnUN3n1vIh4-M503cc7Lxww96HDV-RS44qywT8lzeueEXin9w-l2eUTjClA0RRedaW5SrByUkhHVSdMAkn-rQCSKoQaCh8q-7IjiZDlB5USjI6oDM/s1600/Lightwsafter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVWJxZhTtYFvcS9QCQjbEaT8zBTpnUN3n1vIh4-M503cc7Lxww96HDV-RS44qywT8lzeueEXin9w-l2eUTjClA0RRedaW5SrByUkhHVSdMAkn-rQCSKoQaCh8q-7IjiZDlB5USjI6oDM/s1600/Lightwsafter.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-57747336257553233772013-02-13T11:48:00.001+00:002013-02-13T11:48:40.123+00:00The Retro Decorator - 1967 Living RoomAnother tumblr find this time, and while admittedly dated, there are a few things to pick out about this room, namely the lovely wood coffee table, the exposed stonework and the classic, simple lines of the furniture.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc919ryVRWTmukaZWIvqqV5mn88CPwoawU4M_EDd0cXC0DxqSLBfCDcIFoBkhqk7vOMMX-wLuWbK3NryhTmGyf_OJ70xLcM18N5NQh5-nmW2adQjBu2EHpH3jBATGbrVDekQfZCSkSp5k/s1600/1967Living+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc919ryVRWTmukaZWIvqqV5mn88CPwoawU4M_EDd0cXC0DxqSLBfCDcIFoBkhqk7vOMMX-wLuWbK3NryhTmGyf_OJ70xLcM18N5NQh5-nmW2adQjBu2EHpH3jBATGbrVDekQfZCSkSp5k/s1600/1967Living+room.jpg" height="617" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://dtxmcclain.tumblr.com/post/11900033973/living-room-design-1967" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">via </a></td></tr>
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With orange on the catwalks and blues in the home, I could even transport the throw and the cushions to the modern day. I'd probably ditch the mustard rug though.<br />
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Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-28079359526105792002013-02-06T11:04:00.000+00:002013-02-06T11:04:30.388+00:00Moroccan Style Meets Scandinavian StyleI've made no secret of my love of both Scandinavian and Moroccan style in the past. Up to now, I've always thought they were probably kind of contradictory...<br />
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Until, that is, I came across this:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFxrA7TKolb8DC8_MqAjRllKVRiRk-6VGTQ_pPTExQF5HHQiLuw-YA7iNGoWMjUzj6cKCo8YWGUeCEEy1Vrx4zYFmOhVgF44kvk1I1m87d19Is5hTiQOHoyeOy15dyeKvWtH_lfqVL5o/s1600/79ideas-moroccan-touch-white-pouf.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFxrA7TKolb8DC8_MqAjRllKVRiRk-6VGTQ_pPTExQF5HHQiLuw-YA7iNGoWMjUzj6cKCo8YWGUeCEEy1Vrx4zYFmOhVgF44kvk1I1m87d19Is5hTiQOHoyeOy15dyeKvWtH_lfqVL5o/s1600/79ideas-moroccan-touch-white-pouf.png" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.79ideas.org/2012/11/moroccan-style-inspiration-in-white.html#.UQ-rLB3ZYkq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">79ideas</a></td></tr>
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...and it instantly grabbed my attention.<br />
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I love all-white interiors, and although it seems like an easy thing to do (no colour matching involved, after all), in a lot of ways it can be tricky to get right, and avoid making it look too cold and clinical. This combination uses the laid-back, pared down Scandinavian feel, but with the pattern and interest of a Moroccan scheme, minus the rich colour!<br />
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If I had a room to do it in, I'd be tempted to give it a go with some fabulous Scandinavian and Moroccan accessories....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4aOqlpIYGPOt-Fqw2_lmIT7ci6xDMjtl8Od6XK7OSnv7WKoIoN2GMax0uz_5OMEXFbR-O_xhQBaFjJCH5qNP_pXcAPcIRZAESAtLMkZSLfIcT9AlaM8Y1FK__jGBmMZiC7FuJXIA_Ys/s1600/MoroccoScandicollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4aOqlpIYGPOt-Fqw2_lmIT7ci6xDMjtl8Od6XK7OSnv7WKoIoN2GMax0uz_5OMEXFbR-O_xhQBaFjJCH5qNP_pXcAPcIRZAESAtLMkZSLfIcT9AlaM8Y1FK__jGBmMZiC7FuJXIA_Ys/s640/MoroccoScandicollage.jpg" width="636" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">1) <a href="http://www.scandinavianshop.co.uk/broste-lantern-malin-bamboo-large.ir?cName=home-living-living" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Broste Malin lantern bamboo large at The Scandinavian Shop</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">2) <a href="http://www.thewhitecompany.com/home-accessories/decorative-accessories/sparkle-glass-tealight-holder/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sparkle Glass Tealight holder at The White Company</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">3) <a href="http://www.alexanderandpearl.co.uk/warehouse-industrial-white-metal-dome-pendant---2-sizes-15690-p.asp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Warehouse Industrial White Metal Dome Pendant by Alexander and Pearl</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">4) <a href="http://www.dovemill.co.uk/Cream-Moroccan-Floral-Ball-Light-Shades?filter_name=Moroccan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Moroccan Flower Ball Ivory Pendat at Dove Mill</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">5) <a href="http://www.grahamandgreen.co.uk/adriana-white-floral-mirror" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Adriana White Floral Mirror at Graham & Green</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">6) <a href="http://tartanandzebra.com/product/FUR-CHA-ACW304/Cord+chairs+in+white" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">White Cord Chair at Tartan & Zebra</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">7) <a href="http://www.nordichouse.co.uk/large-scandinavian-tray-p-812.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Large Scandinavian Tray at Nordic House</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">8) <a href="http://artic-design.co.uk/woodbag.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">White Woodbag Firewood Holder at Artic Design</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">9) <a href="https://www.moroccanbazaar.co.uk/furniture/moroccan-leather-pouffes/moroccan-leather-pouffe-white-lpf-3w.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">White Moroccan Leather Pouffe at Moroccan Bazaar</a></span></div>
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Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-55076890589561453802013-02-01T12:33:00.001+00:002013-02-01T12:33:42.642+00:00Achica Valentine's Wishlist - Creating a Romantic Bedroom<i>sponsored post </i><br />
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Happy February! We all know what February means, don't we? Yes...Valentine's Day...<br />
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First off I should probably confess that I'm an old cynic that hates the commercialism of Valentine's Day. If you're going to be romantic, be spontaneous and unexpected about it, don't wait for a certain day! Having said that, the lovely folks at <a href="http://www.achica.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Achica </a>have been all kinds of spontaneous and unexpected, by asking me if I wanted to compile a wishlist on their site in exchange for some lovely store credit. It seems only fair to show them a little love in return by going for a Valentine's-inspired theme.<br />
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Achica describes itself as a member-only luxury lifestyle store, and runs daily shopping promotions which last around 72 hours. The items that I have picked throughout this week therefore might not be available any more, but I'm sure other lovely things will be!<br />
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First of all, you'll probably want to declare your love with a few words:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ylc8dj-u_Y-M_K7xwbp0TjT7dWuugZWX-YjJoOEFUvouWsTIUcWalrPyrLhHE3H5OSR_A4tvEAEtquMFY2w5CP-FDJJlBEkygcbV9DvDsCg_THBD4h9ykmx4NgevutrrkrAYsWakvw8/s1600/Love+Words.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ylc8dj-u_Y-M_K7xwbp0TjT7dWuugZWX-YjJoOEFUvouWsTIUcWalrPyrLhHE3H5OSR_A4tvEAEtquMFY2w5CP-FDJJlBEkygcbV9DvDsCg_THBD4h9ykmx4NgevutrrkrAYsWakvw8/s400/Love+Words.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan Constantine cream Love cushion<br />
+ <br />
The Nostalgia Wall Measure of Love plank style wall plaque</td></tr>
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If all goes well, you'll hopefully be moving things along to the bedroom, and if you want to woo your beloved, you must have some decent bedlinen. Therefore you can't go wrong with some silk blend sheets:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIV73444KEso9EKFJBWSAT-RNiS7o3QwhggwmrREnsnrsvLxR96gTxbV3tFaHFg275t211bvcEJCrnAE6oxarIH2oSkZ-r6TWU_ZkChGD5L1iUcrDCaCzeCw5eL7nl2bF8eYFTxM_-EWk/s1600/silkblendbedlinene.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="bed linen" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIV73444KEso9EKFJBWSAT-RNiS7o3QwhggwmrREnsnrsvLxR96gTxbV3tFaHFg275t211bvcEJCrnAE6oxarIH2oSkZ-r6TWU_ZkChGD5L1iUcrDCaCzeCw5eL7nl2bF8eYFTxM_-EWk/s400/silkblendbedlinene.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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However, the key to a romantic bedroom, in my opinion, is all about creating the right mood, in which case I'd probably add either a scented candle, or a Moroccan style tealight holder for both aroma and subtle lighting:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7KTcluPRV4Wb-wXRW58HEesIweG4lvsd0y2KspNR9vNN7jEWrGt6b6P4rI0lFISXnCHgXNB0Cq9ZgyGCdOmCQJ6cO9mRIEKdwhvRvcQFy3hjMPLg5j0J5o6xKjJZpZRNro52ozRsRgs/s1600/candle+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7KTcluPRV4Wb-wXRW58HEesIweG4lvsd0y2KspNR9vNN7jEWrGt6b6P4rI0lFISXnCHgXNB0Cq9ZgyGCdOmCQJ6cO9mRIEKdwhvRvcQFy3hjMPLg5j0J5o6xKjJZpZRNro52ozRsRgs/s400/candle+Collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenneth Turner 5 wick candle<br />
+<br />
Garden Lantern Co Morocco tealight lantern</td></tr>
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Finally, if you are lucky to have a fireplace in your bedroom, a roaring fire can warm even the most die-hard Valentine's bah-humbug-er. In the interests of safety, I'd add a fire guard evoking the eternal city of Rome:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMdC6Kt1n4gE2veaE-jpcK7ZkkzcmkXd7Q5aRbWqDlMQHdmzSnEGSCFpL0lNMLT0ntMUUVqa4amYpG4QgMjjTmPH-Cm_hdIVAo_W42pZm9MfOnTFIeWP4epFAF__8KXOMM6iHdpJpybE/s1600/fireguard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMdC6Kt1n4gE2veaE-jpcK7ZkkzcmkXd7Q5aRbWqDlMQHdmzSnEGSCFpL0lNMLT0ntMUUVqa4amYpG4QgMjjTmPH-Cm_hdIVAo_W42pZm9MfOnTFIeWP4epFAF__8KXOMM6iHdpJpybE/s400/fireguard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Whatever you choose, I hope you'll get hearts racing!<br />
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<br />Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6870022462524233674.post-54092692821014442802013-01-28T12:11:00.000+00:002013-01-28T12:11:16.626+00:00Today I'm Loving...Wall and Ceiling StickersI admit it, I got lost down the rabbit hole of <a href="http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Not on the High Street</a> recently. I don't know about you, but I go on there for one thing, and end up branching off and finding all sorts of things I never knew existed.<br />
<br />
I couldn't even tell you what I was originally looking for, however, I ended up buying this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVdJfBeFdTAC_2pvT09Tl_7thb0ssCmWzytLz2rm9pk2cA-WALB9393wDW3qQEqKI6VONERbxM-lELS-8bFM4C_anTCUnGowsibTeVo4tyoz6rv_ccXspsuuC4Ure0jc11VVrCA67B0A/s1600/normal_blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVdJfBeFdTAC_2pvT09Tl_7thb0ssCmWzytLz2rm9pk2cA-WALB9393wDW3qQEqKI6VONERbxM-lELS-8bFM4C_anTCUnGowsibTeVo4tyoz6rv_ccXspsuuC4Ure0jc11VVrCA67B0A/s320/normal_blue.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/oakdenecoops/product/gin-bottle-vinyl-wall-sticker" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Not on the High Street</a></td></tr>
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...with the justification that a) it would look great in our Cyprus flat (and easy to put up - no tools required!), and b) it mentioned gin and tonic.<br />
<br />
Anyway, maybe I'm terribly behind the times, but I've never really thought too much about wall stickers before, but I ended up spending a happy half an hour browsing their entire range and mentally sticking all my walls full of them. However, what especially caught my eye was not a wall sticker, but a ceiling sticker. We are lucky enough to have original Victorian ceiling roses in two rooms of our house, but I thought these might be fun for where we didn't, or in a modern house that fancied a bit of ceiling rose grandeur:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLidWfxOSSC_XXsmGK4YM63ItYmTPAVO8GQCysqx09dmWWS7sFArqmCklMn8xG32puqlanVdWQdxbvLGE2vBMp_WIV4g5iKKZqlWSMdMrL0kHU07x7B5E2Cd1HOP6mVGSHp1SKpiHRbk/s1600/original_Spiro_lifestyle_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLidWfxOSSC_XXsmGK4YM63ItYmTPAVO8GQCysqx09dmWWS7sFArqmCklMn8xG32puqlanVdWQdxbvLGE2vBMp_WIV4g5iKKZqlWSMdMrL0kHU07x7B5E2Cd1HOP6mVGSHp1SKpiHRbk/s320/original_Spiro_lifestyle_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/laurenmoriartyandco/product/spiro-ceiling-rose-sticker" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Not on the High Street</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VTb7oG-xBnAmycCHDUs0GThiW16NgYOxypicMfQLyYrBEDsEYA6_msJdPq5oCMjuQEddUzhUkNmGlp0du4sJSoa2fQ0qwPkB2MgziQZP-vIwMF34UjvAn-6batBUHf1ShGJC3uS9rKY/s1600/caselio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VTb7oG-xBnAmycCHDUs0GThiW16NgYOxypicMfQLyYrBEDsEYA6_msJdPq5oCMjuQEddUzhUkNmGlp0du4sJSoa2fQ0qwPkB2MgziQZP-vIwMF34UjvAn-6batBUHf1ShGJC3uS9rKY/s320/caselio.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.caselio.fr/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Caselio</a></td></tr>
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Are you stuck on stickers?<br />
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<br />Sardinetinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05100828647660659428noreply@blogger.com0