This Frangipani enamelware range available from mid March from Fairwind Online. 

Colourful folksy flowers in pink, blue and jade reminiscent of the traditional canal art that you can still see on some barges in the UK.  That tradition of decorating and adding colour to every day objects is also similar to the Kashmiri tradition of hand-painting home pieces.

Perfect for alfresco dining, picnics and camping.  So says the press release.

So roll on summer I say!

With hand drawings from visits and photographs she recorded such memories onto the prints of her fabric collection but it’s her hand-crafted objects that really caught my eye.  And when I investigated further there’s a unique little twist…

Two of her fabrics can be re-used to make the cute little fabric birds and houses.  One fabric holds the patterns for four different types of birds and another, when cut up, can be sewn into a miniature old farmhouse.

But if like me, you can’t sew for toffee, you can buy the birds on etsy.

What do you love most about winter?

Sources

Beautiful floral textiles from Ying Mu, a wall of plates from The New English Company,  hand-drawn wallpaper designs from Emma Cowlam, recycled furniture from Caroline Key.

Wonderful doggy chairs from Jimmie Martin, pastel loveliness from Birmingham City University students who interpreted next years colour trends, a bed I just wanted to sink into from House of Hackney and lovely skeleton lampshades from Donna Walker.

And last but not least a few inspirational words from Mary Portas.

Nothing fancy pants, just a modest cottage nestling in a valley with a stream trickling by.  The rooms will be square and perfectly formed.  A fireplace in every room, windows unadorned by curtains, floorboards waxed and swept.  There will be no superfluous decorations, just the things that make day-to-day living pleasant and comfortable…

And the bedrooms will be the simplest but most comfortable rooms of all.

Here’s my wishlist for the perfect country bedroom.

• Iron bedsteads.  Timeless and sturdy and perfectly suited to life in the country.

• Comfortable bedding.  Plump duck down duvets and eider-downs to snuggle under in the winter and to air out of the windows in spring.

• Simple furniture.  Chunky wood or pieces rescued from a previous life.  Suitcases and stools make perfect bedside tables.

• A rug to ease the transition from bed to bathroom. 

• A few essentials by the side of the bed.  A lamp, a book, a water carafe.

• Flowers of course.  Best when picked staight from the garden and displayed in simple jug.

• Simple decorations.  Flower pictures, a cushion on a wooden chair, a few family mementos, a touch of lace…

Do we all have these fantasies?  Or is it just me?

Image credits: 1 Everyday Lovely 2 James Merrell 3 Apartmenttherapy 4 Papa Stour 5 Country Living 6 Sweet Home Style 7 VTWonen

 Sunday, Monday and Tuesday saw the Heart Home team at the new interiors trade show Home London at Earls Court.  The first show we’ve ever done and it was a huge success.  So many people came to say hello, friends old and new, and we had a great time too getting out into the show and catching up with the exhibitors – again, some new to us and some old pals.

 We gave ‘Heart Home loves us’ awards to our ten favourite stands and it was so hard to choose because the quality of the show was so incredibly high.  We are doing posts on the ten winners over on the Heart Home blog but here is just a taster of the winning stands.

Next week we are starting the photo shoots for HHm issue 3 but not before Arianna has visited Maison & Object and we have both visited Interiors UK in Birmingham. Phew.

And such exciting news!  We have both been selected to go to New York for Blog Tour NY in March.  But more about that next week…

Oh yes, and I’m now a complete Instagram convert.

Have a lovely weekend all!

Roll call of Heart Home Loves Us winners:1 Blue Bell Gray 2 Mini Moderns 3 Lindsey Lang 4 Michelle Maison 5 Clare Nicolson 6 Surface Philia 7 Raw Exclusive 8 Ella Doran 9 Chase and Wonder 10 Chocolate Creative

The Monogrammed Linen Shop have launched a stunning new concept in dining linen.  Placemat and napkin sets for the table that are a combination of paint and embroidery.  They can even be machine washed.

Each design is bespoke so the only limit is your imagination.

A word of warning though.  Each set takes a month to complete and they cost £180.

Who cares, they’re gorgeous!

.  Of course practical considerations have to be taken into account – like a good extractor to get rid of the cooking smells – but even after that, how do you make sure that the kitchen doesn’t dominate the space and jeopardise that relaxing and calm vibe you are craving.

The photograph above, by photographer Patric Johansson is a perfect example of how it’s done.

• Choose sleek and glossy kitchen furniture in muted colours.  The white and grey cabinets above wouldn’t look out-of-place in a sitting room and there are no handles to create fussiness.
• Try using wallpaper under glass as a very sophisticated splashback.  The design here is from Osborne and Little.  The under cabinet down lighters make it look even more classy.
• Choose design classics for the dining area.  White is cheery and practical and these Eames DSW chairs will never go out of style.  Available from The Conran Shop.
• Hang a statement pendent light over the dining table.  This is the Tom Dixon Copper Shade and it will create a pool of light over the table when all other lights are turned off.  Perfect for hiding the dirty dishes.
• Create yet more sophistication by putting a rug under the table.  It also helps to zone the dining area and is cosy for the feet.  A black hide rug like this can be bought at The French Bedroom Company.
• Add a vase of pretty flowers.  These pretty roses are from Bloom and the vase is from Miratis.
• Keep clutter out of site!

Gorgeous interiors and beautiful closeups had me at the first photograph.  But be warned, if you do click on the link, you may be gone some time…

Alongside known and loved brands there will be undiscovered and exciting new products.  It really is a must see!

 Stockist Details

And not only that! The Heart Home magazine team will be there too.

Please pop along and say hi!