Christmas is Coming

'Tis the the season to write lists. Christmas card lists, food lists, present lists.


So here are a few interior/ design ideas.

1.If having visitors to stay, do buy new sheets and duvet covers- a throw at the bottom of the bed shows you care.

2.The smallest room in house can be interesting too! Red towel, scented tea lights and a funky toilet roll.

3. Wrapping presents: simple paper, some nice ribbon, a party popper or last year's cracker gift attached can make a small gift look amazing.

4. Smarten up those dining chars- 1 1/2 metres of fabric should do 4 chairs.  Borrow a staple gun and voila!

5. Scented candles are a must, cinnamon, pine or Christmas Memories.

6. Fabric napkins always look good. Use any plain or slightly patterned fabric, hemmed and you are done.

7. A wreath for the front door always looks good. Wire, moss and whatever decorations you have to hand. Here is my handmade. I trimmed off some fake boughs, made into circle  and added decoration.

8. Mince Pies. Much more fun and very easy to make. 250g flour, 125 butter or lard 75gm sugar and and an egg with little milk to reach right consistency- perfect pastry.

9. A Christmas Tree- any kind, Christmas isn't the same without one. I prefer a real green one- but lots of funky pop up ones available now.

10. Friends and family. 

Christmas Ideas That Don't Cost the Earth

"Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat.."

They may be the only ones enjoying a good life, many people are in the worst recession since the 70's, and money is tight.

All  we want is a good Christmas, and it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

Friends, family- if you are cooking for others, they all want to help. This year do let them contribute, a starter here, a cheese, the veg.  It's your home and your electricity/ gas. It is all about the company.

Decoration- most of us have probably acquired enough to decorate a small town. If you are starting out, raid your parents loft.  If you can't do that, ask a neighbour with holly growing in their garden  if you can have some. North France has the most abundant mistletoe I have ever seen- but check if ok to bring into country before doing so, or asking friends who might be returning from there.
Branches, twigs, boughs of holly- as the song says. Less is definitely more, but indoor greenery is Christmassy.

Presents- Do you write a blog? One that has good info and others might like?  Print it. WillowTreePress  will print blogs, books, make up custom notecards, even make the fledgling business person in your family their own business cards.

Books- everyone loves a good book.
What if it came with its own gorgeous bookmark? Sherieann Jewelery have a great range, £3 and free UK delivery.

An inexpensive "vintage" find of a book and a lovely keep forever bookmark.

This company do a range of boys wristbands, bracelets and other crafty finds!

Use some imagination,remember a lot of last year's presents have ended up in charity shops!

Wrapping paper - Quirky paper such as old comics, tissue paper with ribbon, brown paper, newspaper. Just make sure ink print won't stain gift. Or cheap gauze and netting .

Attach a sprig of holly, a tealight, a miniature Baileys, last years christmas cracker finds (ha, now you know what to do with that mirror/ toolset/ baby charm).

A few ideas, I will add to this post.
Maybe it takes a Recession to remind us of  a better meaning of Christmas- time spent with friends and family.

Bauhaus Bird Feeder

This fabulous birdfeeder is available from REthinkthings £40.00

And if that's not enough to persuade you to buy, have a look at the great video http://www.vimeo.com/24655348

REthinkthings

Tindle Lighting

Who says Lighting has to be boring! Clearly not Tindle. I love the coloured glass fruits dripping from this gorgeous chandelier. I can see this in a busy and colourful family kitchen, the kind with kids drawings on the fridge and an old pine kitchen table.

And this Pink Murano light would be equally at home in a pale cream painted French guest bedroom or lucky little girl's room.

Just beautiful.

Contact me for prices.

Charity Appeal

I am asking you to have a look at ShelterBox , a charity which provides emergency shelter, cooking equipment, thermal blankets,ground sheets, basic tool kits, water purification and even colouring books in disaster areas.

The work they do is immense, and tailored to each disaster. They aim to assist 50,000 families each year.  Their website is http://www.shelterbox.org/index.php

And one way to get involved is through DreamWall Style who promote DesignRelief Justgiving website
http://www.justgiving.com/DesignRelief

Thank You x

New Year Resolutions

I've made the usual list of New Year Resolutions- learn Spanish, drink more water, eat less bread....cut and pasted I think from the year before, and maybe the year before that! I'm getting there though. Hola! tea counts for water and I try to eat only the bread I make.

Should we be looking at interior trends or interior resolutions?  It has been said recently with falling house prices that a house should not be looked at merely as an investment but as a home.  That may not sound like rocket science, but actually there are many houses I go to that have no homely feel but are trying to recreate some bland showhome impression.
 I always cite the case of 15 years ago, large detached new house built in wealthy area where the buyers bought the showhome complete with all furniture, curtains etc.  I was invited to visit some 6 months later and the dining table was laid out showhome style complete with plastic bread.  The photographs of unknown people used to dress the side tables were still in place.
Then there is a now dear friend of mine who has furnished her home with bargains and auction items, handdowns and throwaways.  I only commented about a lamp shade.  Everything else was comfortable and you felt a warmth when you walked into her home.
I also remember the awful bathroom we had growing up in an apartment in New York, and shame to say that the cowboy tilers who did my own bathroom make me recall that scene daily.

Given we are only around for max maybe 100 years, why don't we create more of an impression? No one will remember us for having the latest Next dining set, the Marks and Spencer sofa or that light in the B&Q advert.
We will remember the good, the bad and the ugly- but never the bland.
A good interior creates an environment in which people can flourish.

1. Keep it tidy- find a home for everything- shelves, storage boxes, just don't leave it lying around
2. If colour blind, ask a friend to help. Pink and peach are not the same colours, neither are green and grey.
3.If you are going to wallpaper get a decorator. Nothing worse than seeing joins
4. If you are being brave with colour stick to Farrow and Ball or Little Greene Paint- good solid colours
5.Everyone who buys a new carpet has an old one going spare, chat to shops.

6.Frame those family photographs
7.Have fun, I love this mural
8.Sort out the bathroom, not talking hygiene, just make it more interesting
9 Did I mention clutter?
10. Just be you and your person, and let your house be your home.