March - Wood Kitchens

Nordiska Kok - the ultimate Scandi wooden kitchen.

Wood kitchens are having a bit of a moment and I am here for it. You may have heard about “bringing nature indoors” and “being inspired by nature” and there is no more important time than the present to reconnect with Mother Nature. Using tactile textiles, natural materials and earthy colour palettes is the go to Interior Design technique and bringing wood into the kitchen is the perfect response to that.

All Sources tagged.

Pale Woods

Louisa Warfield’s Kitchen

Light, bright, Scandi. Pale wood cladding is a top trend for 2021 and kitchen cabinets made from plywood, MDF or stripped back give a lovely youthful feel to a space. Keep everything white and simple, or pair with contrasting stones - I think this will be around for a while to come.

Ecru Studio

Atelier Leymarie Gourdon

Jill Egan Interiors

Rustic Woods

The Venetian Pantry - one of my favourite kitchens on Instagram

Rustic woods - the ones that whisper “run your fingers along me”, those are the best kind of woods. Think Haberdashers, log cabins and country cottages. Grooves, imperfections and uneven edges will make your kitchen feel like it’s been there a 100 years but in a really, really good way.

Selina Lake Styling

Food Stories X Devol Kitchens

The Venetian Pantry

Dark & Mid Tone Woods

Loft 208’s amazing kitchen wrap.

From scorched black woods to rich mid tones - dark kitchens can really create a mood. They are statement, luxurious and probably really expensive. One clever way of overcoming that obstacle is to do what Lisa from Loft 208 did and have your kitchen wrapped. Honestly you won’t believe what the kitchen looked like before. It is AMAZING.

Norm Architects

Studio Arthur Casas

Georgina Jeffries Kitchen

Pops of Wood

Barefoot Bay Kitchen by Designory

Not feeling an all out wood kitchen but want to add in the trend? Why not try just some simple fluted panels to wrap around your kitchen island? Or add some wooden open shelving. I am also loving the comeback wooden ceilings are making. No longer is everyone disguising their beams under plasterboard but lovingly bringing them back to life and creating that statement on the 5th wall.

Anthology Creative Studio

Pluck Kitchens

Kitty Lee Architecture

February - Valentines At Home

Mara Design Valentine’s Colour Palette

After a conversation with my girlfriends at the weekend, it seems like people might be going to make a little bit more effort this year for February 14th. It’s a little bit like marmite - the hopeless romantics go big or go home, whilst the cynics would argue it’s just another way of corporations to make money. Whichever side of the fence you sit on, I’m here for celebrating the small wins at the min and if Valentines is the only date in my diary till Easter then I’m going to mark the occasion.

I’ve put together a couple of cute ideas to break up the groundhog day cycle of lockdown. And this doesn’t just apply if you are in a relationship, I’m talking treating yourself, your girls and even the cat!

Amazingly Simple Graphic Design Software - Canva

Pretty Tablescapes

Image by Agata Dimmich

Image via Pizzazzerie

Image by Agata Dimmich

Set the table, light the candles, pour yourself a glass of wine. How often have you been doing this in lockdown? If it’s every weekend then well done you! I know in our household we are so guilty of seeing eating as a means to an end, especially in the week. And weekends consist of takeaways in front of the tv. Even if it is just you, make an effort to make the table look pretty. It can instantly give you a boost.

These heart plates from Next are perfect for recreating some of this amazing tablescapes above and have been added to my basket.

Next Heart Shape Plates

Home Meal Kits

From Fortnum & Mason’s Champagne breakfast box to an M&S meal deal, there is something to suit every budget for the cook at home experience. If you can, why not support you’re favourite restaurant if they have a meal kit special. I can vouch for Hawksmoor being delicious at home, and of course the M&S menus are always a winner in my eyes. I’m also loving the idea of a afternoon tea if you have kids and want to share it with them (totally stolen from my best friend). This one from local suppliers Silver Apples Bakery look delicious. And if you’re feeling really fancy just go all out and have breakfast, afternoon tea and and evening meal! Why not? Nothing else to do!

Champagne Breakfast

M&S Love Churros

Hawksmoor

Afternoon Tea

Galentine’s Virtual Cocktails

Berry Pomegranate Martini by Cookie Rookie

Google, Pinterest, whatever your search engine of choice is just waiting for you to type Valentine’s Cocktails and distract you for 3-4 hours. There are so many! Why not grab the girls or the boys, get everyone to buy the same ingredients and throw a virtual cocktail party. Yes it’s not the same, but it can still be good for the soul. I’m eyeing up the Berry Martini (dry ice optional).

Frozen Rosé

Lark & Linen Love Potion

Pretty Pink Gin & Cranberry Martini

Treat Yourself

Soak Sunday Candles

Buy yourself a candle, get the expensive bubble bath out that you got for Christmas but are waiting for a reason to use it. Get a flower subscription that goes on way beyond just one day. Put some bunting or balloons up. Anything that makes you happy. We all need a little love right now and the best love can come from yourself.

Flower Lounge Roses

Honeywell Biscuits Love Bugs

Ginger Ray Bunting

Rose Petal Bath by me!

Amazingly Simple Graphic Design Software - Canva

January - Cottage Core

cottage core

someone who’s style/aesthetic is like snow whites. u love to pick flowers and stroll through quiet meadows. and baking treats and wearing blousy dresses and shirts. you’re very kind hearted and you’re super sweet

me: wow i wish i had cottage core aesthetic

also me: i wanna be trendy

Photo by Evangelina Silina

Cottage Core is a momentum which is taking Instagram by storm at the moment and I have to say - even though I’m an eclectic industrial girl at heart - I’m here for this movement. I think there’s something magical about a simpler life, it feels romantic and carefree. In reality it’s probably mud and drafts but let’s just dream.

I’ve rounded up some of my favourite accounts and shops which I think epitomise the Cottage Core Aesthetic.

Jessica Rose Williams

@jessicarosewilliams

The perfect blend of minimalism, horses, baths and hills. I’ve followed Jessica for a long time and she makes me want to move to the Peak District at least once a week!

Sara Tasker

@me_and_orla

Another lady I have followed since day one and have done a couple of her fab insta courses. Sara’s house is just gorgeous and she has the best window scenes.

Frankie B

@homeatthemoat

Frankie is a new discovery for me and I am loving the gorgeous poses from her lovely brood of dogs!

Pheobe Miller

@simply.weekend

Pheobe is another veteren in the insta world and someone who i’ve followed for years. I love her interiors and her general approach to life. She always has a fab essential oil business and runs a wedding account.

Neptune

https://www.neptune.com/

The giants of the editorial lifestyle. Predominately kitchens and furniture, but if you sign up to their Stories brochures then you get products, recipes, a whole lifestyle in a perfect little magazine.

I hope that transported you to the countryside for 5 minutes. What do you think? Are you a countryman at heart? Or a city girl forever? I’d like both please. Beautiful little French cottage somewhere and the old Victorian city place. A girl can dream.

Photo by Jason Grove

November - Monsieur George Hotel, Paris

All photos taken from Monsieur George Instagram @monsieurgeorgeparis

It’s not secret that my love affair of Paris is endless and now there’s another reason to go back immediately (when we’re allowed of course). The Monsieur George Hotel sits in the heart of the 8th district and has been designed by renowned designer Anouska Hempel.

As soon as I saw a blog written about this hotel, I knew it had to feature in my Monthly Obsession Series.

The monochromatic bedrooms first caught my eyes with every detail carefully designed. Crittal style mirrors and brass highlights look divine. I don’t know about you but well designed hotels are my jam! Yes you don’t go to a city to spend all your time in a hotel, but I think the time you do spend there should be as every bit amazing as the destination.

Another thing which looks incredible is the hotel bar and restaurant Galanga. Again Crittal features throughout with the most fabulous shades of green popping through everywhere. The little courtyard garden looks beyond cute and I could imagine sitting here with beret and croissant living the ultimate Parisian fantasy. (Except I never look good in ANY kind of hat!)

So let’s hope that we can be enjoying breakfast on this balcony. with this view, very soon and in the meantime it can just stay as a fantasy.

August - Devol Kitchens

Hello!

This is a new feature for me where I’m going to be sharing my monthly obsessions, month by month. This could be anything that has caught my eye recently - interiors, travel, food. Because inspiration can come from anywhere and it doesn’t necessarily have to be interior focused to get my juices flowing!

That being said - first up is an interior post as I wanted to share this divine kitchen by Devol. Regular followers of mine know that my dream kitchen would be a Devol kitchen and I have loved them for years. One day I will achieve my dream but in the meantime I’ll just be over here drooling about the future!

Provençal meets Wes Anderson - Devol Chiswick Basement Kitchen

First up I was drawn to the green Crittall doors - I love Crittall but have never seen them in this pea green colour before and it’s so refreshing! It also perfectly compliments the bespoke, almost blackened deep green kitchen cabinets.

I’m also loving these patterned tiles which gives the space a real classic but contemporary feel. My default when styling a space is to use wooden flooring but these tiles have certainly opened my eyes up to fresh possibilities.

The kitchen has been split into three functional areas which is a really clever thing to consider when designing your own kitchen. How will you use the space? Purely for function? Will you entertain? Will you work from the breakfast bar? A kitchen should work exactly how you need it to. Here there is the sink run which is made up of beautiful open and closed storage and unusually, the sink and tap are nestled right in the chimney breast complete with a fabulous marble splashback. Normally you see range cookers go here so this is a lovely change.

Provençal meets Wes Anderson - Devol Chiswick Basement Kitchen

Then you’ve got the island, the centre of the action, the place to prep and cook and chat and just hang around, with unmatched views right out to a little sun trap of a garden. And lastly, a whole room dedicated to storage and refrigeration - a long floor-to-ceiling larder housing the family's fridge freezer, a huge pantry and space for a washing machine and dryer, all hiding away quietly behind lovely wooden doors. This is a fab way to disguise all the ugly appliances you don’t want on show.

Provençal meets Wes Anderson - Devol Chiswick Basement Kitchen

Finally the finishing touches here are what brings the whole space together. The trinkets and treasures collected over time and proudly displayed give the kitchen it’s own personality and make it truly unique to you.

For more dreamy kitchen inspo head to Devol’s Instagram.

I would love to know if you’re planning a kitchen revamp or even what you would do if money was no object! Let me know in the comments and as always my DM’s are open.

Thanks for reading this new feature and I hope it brings you some regular monthly inspo!