6 Reasons Why Housewives Get Hot Under The Collar

all photos by talented Bucharest based Catalin Tecaru

Well I'm ashamed to say my ironing efforts would be hanging in the area of 73 miles. I'm not a typical female when it comes to pulling out the ironing board sadly for my Ollie who loves me to make his shirts wrinkle free. I remember when I was starting out styling  I use to assist the fashion director for Vogue Australia she had me ironing and steaming outfits for photo shoots . I was a whiz with the steamer but the minute I was asked to iron a shirt it was always a disaster. It's the arms. No matter how many tips and tricks I've been shown I can't for the life of me make the arms wrinkle free. I guess this is one of the reasons why I moved into interiors - although ironing + advertising shoots for bedlinen is another whole post I will share with you another time. 

How To Be Green - Easy Updates

All Images by Deb McLean

"The best way to garden is to put on a wide-brimmed straw hat
and some old clothes. And with a hoe in one hand and a cold
drink in the other, tell somebody else where to dig".

- Texas Bix Bender, Don't Throw in the Trowel

I adore stylist Deb McLean, from Busy Being Fabulous, iphone photos. I have been a big lover for a long time now in using grass to cover outdoor furniture. My love affair started with architects Fung + Blatt's grass chaise lounge they designed at the begining of 2000. It's such a simple, cheap yet striking contribution to any garden. It would work for a small patio or for an estate. Only thing you need to remeber is it's living so don't forget to water!

 

Deb has provided us a great starting point to get creative in the garden. One other thing green and white is such a great colour combo to create a crisp, clean and fresh look. Perfect for an outdoor room xxx

Hybrid Design At Home

1-3. Loui Banks 4. Yokko Minemura 5. Kate Wu

I can't help but notice how there is a mass of you  playing at home with animal masks...So many of you make me smile with the inventive and crazy things you come up with. I want the bunny mask.

What animal would you go for? You can buy them here or here or here

LA Modern

All photos by Richard Powers

I was watching Four Christmas's the other night and I couldn't help but notice one of the location homes used at the beginning of the movie I had visited myself a couple of years ago. When I was there with photographer Richard Powers it was a perfect sunny LA day and the owner Steve Shaw was as gorgeous as his home.

Born in Manchester, ex-boyfriend to Dannii Minogue, photographer Steve started his career in Miami as a cruise-ship photographer. In 1998 he swapped Hawaiian-shirt-toting holidaymakers for celebrities in Los Angeles: think sexy yet timeless images of A-list glitterati - from Hilary Swank to Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba and Kylie Minogue - for glossy magazines such as Vogue, Esquire and British ELLE. His eye for high-impact style came in handy when creating his Venice Beach pad. Inspired by his childhood obsession with James Bond's boys' toys and his love of American architect John Lautner's seminal buildings, Steve designed and built this home combining industrial sleek with sensual Seventies textures. The result is LA-style modern luxe, with a voluptuous vintage. Does it deliver as a bachelor pad? "I have my Aston Martin parked in the garage and I photograph beautiful actresses in the studio, so yes! The other night when a Hollywood producer friend held a screening here, I used one remote to turn down the lights, shut the blinds and open the curtains hiding the screen. This house has fufilled my boyhood fantasies!" says Steve.

If you have any questions about furniture or textures please ask in the comments

Fill Your Home With Stories

I wanted to share one of my favourite shopping destinations - home mail-order Niki Jones. Ex Wedgwood design director Niki launched in September 2009 an online only collection of beautiful homewares, which includes a wonderfully rich and tactile selection of furniture, textiles and gifts.

Everything is designed by Niki, who commissions skilled craftspeople from all over the world to produce the items. For example, brambleknitted cushions and throws are handmade in Scotland using the softest lambswool, while handknotted rugs are produced in the specialist rug district of Varanasi in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. There are also silk quilts from Delhi and boneinlay furniture inspired by antiques which once adorned the palaces of Rajasthan – and much more. Get your credit card ready and discover the product here

Homako Love

all pictures by Yoko Minemura

It's so exciting when you finally get to set up house with the one you love. It's one of the stages in our life when we nest creating a space that feels like it belongs to both partners. He adds his big TV she adds a new duvet cover. Ok I'm generalising but you get what I'm talking about. I really adore Yoko and Ryan's story. She shares her time in Japan waiting for a visa to move to L.A to be with her man. This is one Flick'r link you will love. Yoko aka Homako is oozing joyous creativity with a threaded story filled with heart warmth love. Check her etsy store here

Home Style

1. Angie Johnson  2. Amian Asraf  3.Amareline  4. Mel Vyvyan 5. Tim Dear & Darling 6. Tricia Royal 7. Benzoo  8. Hannah Karina 9. LuisAHHH 10. Kelly Connor 11. Hannah Karina 12. Katie Angilletta 13. Memepunk 14. Carmel Chetcuti 15. Angie Johnson  16. Morgan
 Good morning everyone. I hope you had a lovely weekend. I wanted to start this week in saying how amazing you all are. As you know I have worked on magazines where the culture is very different to what you find on the net. It's funny how you hear so many journalists saying how blogs are a danger to professional content. Well I'm going to say it here. I think I was lazier on a magazine than I am here when it comes to researching. It has been like an awakening for me. Instead of going to press events, trade shows and flicking through other magazines and papers I have discovered you! A group of very talented individuals who have a lot more to give than a lot of journalists I know. I have spent over ten years trying to predict the latest trends, find inspiring people and present breathtaking homes. However, what I have learned with my little time within the blogsphere is a new depth. You have shown me and reminded me how we live in our homes. While the magazines and papers are telling us now to buy vintage and  make do and mend you have all been at it for years. I love it how so many of you are brave enough to stand in front of your camera and photograph your outfits each day and share it with us. I want to celebrate your creativity, courage and sense of humour. Most of all thank you for giving us a little sneak peak into your life. xxx

Berlin City Break

We have just got back from an AMAZING few days in Berlin! It was my first time and it certainly will not be my last. It's such a vibrant, cultural city with a huge art and music scene. It's fantastic for people watching. Those Berliners are super cool and stylish.  I know I should be telling you about all the cool Christmas markets, exhibitions,  restaurants, bars, shops and so on but I have to RANT about the hotel we stayed in. Hotel Amano. It was a bummer....

First impressions are wonderful. The design is impressive. This is where we had traditional German breakfast which filled us up for the day to brave the brisk winter air. Below is the apartments you can stay in if you have the cash...

This was our room below... It was 80 Euro a night. So why do I want to rant... For three reasons. When a hotel is selling it's image on luxury modern design they need to make sure they don't scrimp on the most important details... Sheets, towels and customer service. The sheets I swear were purchased from Ikea'. They gave us sheet rash when we slid under the synthetic duvet.  The word sandpaper comes to mind when describing the towels rather than fluffy and the service was HORRIBLE! Crack a smile receptionists.

It was such a shame as the location was fantastic it's right in the heart of Mitte, located in the very cool, chic  east side of Berlin. Sometimes I think designers need to consider about saving some money on things like coat hooks and splurge on things that are expected from a hotel. They didn't even have any product to use... A hotel needs to be more than a space that photographs well for magazine shoots.

What Time Is It?

...fun built-in canvas clocks by noto-fusai...

At Home With Moya and Nowel

To view more work click here

Making Music Improves Your Health - Fact!

Photographs by Amsterdam photographer Ananda Serne

From children to students to OAP’s music is a consistant part of our life. Not only does it give us pleasure but it helps keep us happy and healthy. Buckets of research has gone into uncovering direct links between making music and enhancing your well-being.

Get Healthy! – Making music improves your health. Evidence from around the globe has proved that playing a musical instrument can:

# Help Asthma sufferers reduce their symptoms

# Relieve stress and increase well-being

# Build muscle strength and aid recovery

# Enhance the function of the immune system


Get Back! – Making music keeps you younger. An increasing amount of research shows that for older people making music can delay the signs of ageing and help with the symptoms of some degenerative diseases. Making music, particularly within a group setting, can:

# Help decrease anxiety, loneliness and depression

# Improve self-esteem

# Help improve memory

# Give a general sense of well-being

Believe it or not, playing an instrument that you have to blow into burns a significant amount of calories. So your hour a day practicing will improve your health and give your lungs a workout