IKEA CHIC

I have that Love/Hate relationship with IKEA like I think most people do. I don't go for a while then suddenly decide that spending a Saturday afternoon there would actually be a brilliant idea. It inevitably ends in a screaming match with the husband, loads of money being spent on total crap and forgetting what we went in for in the first place - and it almost always ends with "we are NEVER going back there again".

However.... I have a new IKEA lust. All hail the Edland Bed Frame. I suddenly noticed it in a few magazines I had so did a wee google search and if you take it out of its budget Ikea catalogue/showroom surroundings.....well hello my beauty. 


Take one boring looking standard bed from the IKEA website...

...then see just how minimalist and perfect it can look here in the White Company Christmas catalogue...

...and here in Living Etc's October issue...

...here on Decorpad...

...and finally here at Cote Maison

Finally something affordable that I want!

NEON...AS IF BY MAGIC

So, in response to my previous NEON post a friend of mine sent me a link from Daily Candy with exactly what I wanted. How strange, after all this time, in the very same week the answer pops up in the form of Neon Circus. What a coincidence.


Check out the before...

...and after...

It's exactly what I want. HOORAY!  Although not cheap, oh well. Better start saving and thinking about what I finally want my sign to say.

NEON

A few years ago now I worked in a PR agency in London as a PA. The head honcho had the coolest piece of art given to him as a wedding present by Tracey Emin based on her series of works with Neon lights. It had a heart drawn with his name and her name inside - kinda like this one for George Michael. In fact it's exactly like that.

I've since been mildly obsessed with finding a way of making my own neon sign but with my own handwriting. I mean, if Tracey Emin can do it right?

There are some more examples here from the Frieze Art Fair which just made me want one even more and some pics below (another of Tracey Emin's at the bottom). Where oh where do I find someone who can make me one? 

Ideas on a postcard. Or I could just make friends with Tracey Emin of course, not sure which is more unlikely at the moment...

BUNTING

This blog isn't to do with the fact that I'm having a baby in 3 weeks (touch wood) but, because it's obviously taking over my life at the moment I thought I'd just put in a few things...firstly...bunting.

Bunting has had such a revival recently, not least with the Royal Wedding (and a million other weddings) but at all kinds of parties as well as being used in home decor.


My husband and I were lucky enough to have a holiday in Sri Lanka earlier this year, (the last as just us without any kids...arrgh) and we bought quite a bit of fabric as it was soooo super cheap (about USD$6 a metre). It came from a shop called Kahanda Kanda in Galle Fort but we also bought more from Paradise Road in Colombo (be warned, this shop is amazing and you will find it hard not to buy everything in sight).


As I was just 3 months pregnant on the holiday we succumbed to the below...

We didn't know what we'd make but we have about 8 metres of each so my first foray into using it was bunting for the baby's room. One problem was that we don't know if we're having a boy or a girl so I needed to have it made double sided (pink on one, blue on the other) so we can just flip it over depending on what pops out.


Now, I know on all the blogs the author's are usually incredible crafty and clever but I don't have a sewing machine and wouldn't have a clue where to start. Luckily my lovely cleaner saved the day and whipped away the material and my specifications and knocked it up for me. 

I looked on a few "how to" blogs and found some basic instructions, bought some dark blue binding and cut out a triangular template from card as shown above. 


The result...

As you can see it's not in its final location (I need a big ladder for that and have been banned from going up one as I'm too massive) but you get the picture - blue one side, pink the other... TA DAAAA

FLAMINGO FLAMINGOS

A little while ago I stumbled upon KULT Singapore which is, well actually I'm not entirely sure what it is. They are a design collective, they have a magazine, they do exhibitions...hmm, maybe I should be better informed. Anyhow, I picked up a copy of their latest magazine called Animals and fell in love with Stace Tan's Flamingo print. I contacted her and bought one of each colour print on matt archival paper at 28cm x 28cm each. I LOVE them although I'm still not too sure what to do with them yet, how to frame them or where to put them but that's not the point.... 

Cool huh?

Email Stace here.

LATEST OBSESSION - Sunburst Mirrors

I keep seeing examples of Sunburst mirrors everywhere, they're calling me (saying "BUY ME"). Hmm. Oh well, I don't have anywhere to put one and the ones I love ain't cheap so in the mean time I'll just look at the pictures and add them to my "NEED ONE" section.

Clockwise from top left 
1. from   ALLBELLE, 
2. (and I know this one isn't a mirror but I like it anyway) from   RUMMAGE HOME, 
3. from   DANA WOLTER INTERIORS, 
4. from   WISTERIA

Some in situ pics below, the first Lonny one is perfect - I love the convex mirror.

1. LONNY Sept/Oct

2. BUCKINGHAM INTERIORS + DESIGN

3. no source. Not quite a mirror but pretty nonetheless..

4. LONNY Sept/Oct

5. LILI ZARGHAMI

THINGS IN THE POST - HOT PINK IKAT

Just to continue with the theme of receiving things in the old-fashioned post...check out this beauty!

All the way from Uzbekistan and wrapped in old fashioned brown paper and string this contained my first Ikat fabric purchase (bought from Ebay). It's 300 x 47 cm and hand woven silk/cotton in hot pink and white chevrons. When I first opened it I was a little disappointed as I thought it was going to be brighter pink but actually the softness has grown on me and I love it. 

and...

Right now it's living as a runner on the table with some lovely hydrangeas but I think it might be a wee bit pink to stay there too much longer. Maybe I'll make it into cushions...

...TALKING OF WHICH...

..and following on from the last post...I LOVE stationary, especially personalised, old-fashioned embossed cards, writing paper and note cards. Here are some of my favourite places to pick up the best...

1. Smythson, 2. iomoi, 3. Lyttletons, 4. Cheree Berry, 5. Paperplain

SNAIL MAIL

As everything is now said and done via email, facebook, twitter, text and every other form of social media I find it even more touching when I receive a greeting card or letter, and I mean an actual, physical, one (Moonpig doesn’t count although living abroad I do use it a lot...) It shows that someone has gone to the effort of choosing and buying it from a shop, buying a stamp and bothering to find out what your home address is. The only things I receive in the post these day are bills, statements and junk mail (and the occasional wedding invitation) so I LOVE getting something personal and hand-written.

Check out some of the awesome, funny, pretty cards that I’ve been sent recently by lovely people who could be bothered...