Nursery Design: Essential Buys and Inspiration

I’ve not yet begun to decorate my Daughters nursery but have been looking around for ideas. As our previous home was rented and we planned to buy a house shortly after the birth, we never actually did the “decorating the nursery” bit before she was born. But as we’d have gone down a very neutral route anyway, having not known whether she was in fact a she, I’m sort of grateful we didn’t waste our money.

Most of the furniture we acquired pre-birth was done on less than a shoestring budget. I was really overwhelmed during my pregnancy as to how much money you apparently need to fork out on a baby. Cot, car seat, pram, clothes, bedding etc is all uber expensive. And when you haven’t a clue as to what a baby actually needs, it can be really overwhelming as to what you should or shouldn’t buy. So we were really thrifty and spent less that £200 getting ready – including all the big purchases. I’m really proud of that. If any of you are expecting, here is my take on nursery equipment: what’s worth spending your money on and what really can be ignored.

MUST HAVE BUYS:

·         A Cot Bed – Ours cost £40 second hand and it’s a good, sturdy make. And its suitable from birth up to about 4 years of age so you really get your money’s worth.

·         Cot Mattress – if you go with a cot bed, it’s worth bearing in mind that your child will be using the same mattress for up to 4 years, so it needs to be durable and provide them with good support. It can be tempting to opt for a foam mattress if your budget is really tight (as they retail at about £40 on the highstreet) but don’t be hasty. We shopped around and bought a sprung mattress off an Ebay shop for just £34. Its brilliant quality and would cost upwards of £90 for one from mothercare and over £120 from Mamas & Papas.

·         Changing Mat – Nothing prepares you for how many nappies you’ll be changing in the first few weeks after childbirth. And how messy the whole process is. Though we had a girl, we still had many an “accident” during nappy change – the fresh air on a naked bottom causes all kinds of mishaps! So a mat is essential. I never bought the small towels which lie on top of the mat as I found an old towel was more than adequate.      

·         Wardrobe – We’ve only just bought a wardrobe and we really struggled up until now in terms of storage. So many people buy your child clothes after they’re born, you’ll be amazed at how many styles are available. And you end up having a whole load of clothes which don’t yet fit but still need storing. We opted for a robe with 3 drawers along the bottom too as that gave a storage solution for the bedding and blankets too.

·         Small Basket – I found that babies need a lot of toiletries – it’s almost unbelievable. It’s really helpful to have somewhere to store all the bits together, if only to keep the room in some sort of order. So I recommend getting a little basket to keep all toiletries in for nappy changes and bathtime, meaning everything is easy to find and nearby.

·         Fitted Sheets, Sleeping bag & Swaddle blanket – all essential bedding. Don’t underestimate how good swaddle blankets are for helping get your baby off to sleep in the first few weeks! And the sleeping bags remove any worry about them getting tangles up in blankets when they start moving about the cot.

OPTIONALS:

·         Moses Basket or crib– our daughter is quite small and got good use out of her moses basket, but some babies are literally only in them for the first month. Considering that moses baskets cost upwards of £50, its not absolutely essential. But if you do get one, you’ll need a stand too, and they often cost about £30.

·         Nappy Stacker – for aesthetics, its much nicer to have your nappies stored away rather than just piled on the side or in the wrapper but again, you could live without it.

·         Cot Top Changer – we used the cot & mat for changes and never bought a changer at all, but I did want one of these and would have used it. But as we proved, you can get by without.

CAN DO WITHOUT:

·         Cot Bumpers – these are a complete waste of time. They look good but can only be used when your baby is not moving about or pulling themselves up. Our daughter is already standing and the bumper has been taken down as it’s now dangerous. But now is the actual time she needs it as often bumps her head toppling over or crawling in her sleep. For at least £50, it’s a complete waste of cash. Some bedding bales again cost in excess of £100 and I think realistically all you need are fitted sheets. Babies don’t need lots of layers as can overheat very easily when asleep – a sleeping bag of the appropriate tog is much better.

·         Changing Unit – again, these are more of an aesthetic unit really. And they can be dangerous if your child likes to roll over a lot. Most parents I know who had one used it for the first few weeks, then took to changing on the floor with a mat instead.

I hope this helps if you are looking for advice on nursery essentials. Of course, these are just my opinions and will mostly help if your budget is very tight, like ours was. You’re not a bad parent if you don’t spend a fortune on your baby’s nursery and it’s important to remember that. In terms of design, there are lots of ways to be creative. There is a fantastic blog, Chic & Cheap, which showcases some brilliant nurseries which have been done on minimal budgets and they’re really inspiring.

How have you decided to decorate your little one’s nursery? I’d love to hear from you if you think your nursery is worth sharing!

Mx

Achieving a Titanic Interior: get the look for 2012

With 2012 marking a century since the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic, many eyes are looking fondly back through design archives, looking to re-acquire the magic of Titanic. The White star Line giant was constructed primarily in the shipyards of Belfast, Ireland and housed some of the most spectacular interiors in history. Itself taking influences from many design eras including Jacobean, Louis XVI, Louis XV, Georgian and Queen Anne, the Titanic style is now becoming a hot trend for Interiors of 2012. Though achieving the magnificence of Titanic to a smaller budget and within the limitations of a family home may seem somewhat daunting, it is none the less achievable.

The key to taking inspiration from historical influences is not to create a replica of the style, but to take flavours of the era and fuse these with more contemporary elements. To cover your 8ft x 10ft dining room in wall to wall, floor to ceiling mahogany panelling with hand carved detailing in homage to the first class smoking room would not work. But taking the principles of the colour palette, displaying a print from the era or opting for a titanic inspired lighting theme may be more successful.

As always, I’m looking at bringing a little Titanic glory into the bedroom design. For anybody who has seen the 1997 blockbuster of the ships sinking, you may remember the labyrinth of rooms which Rose and Hal occupied on the maiden voyage. I think the film portrays a fairly accurate example of first class accommodation and its worth examining for inspiration.

Though many of Titanic’s rooms were panelled to recreate opulent stately home-style décor, this is not really practical for modern home design as most homes don’t have rooms of the correct dimensions to allow this to work. But achieving a panelled look can be easily achieved by applying MDF panels and dado detailing to a single wall. Rather than dominating the space in a Mahogany stain, opt for a more neutral colour like Taupe or Stone. This way, you are adding architectural detailing without distracting from other elements. Keep it simple and make the panelling proportionate to the room, with simplistic moulding rather than an over embellished cornice.

Wallpaper was a real luxury of the early 20^th century and some designs are being revampted for the modern market. Little Greene have some reproduction wallpaper prints which have been tweaked but are heavily based on original designs. The 1915 Marlborough design is a few years late for Titanic but certainly contains the right elements. Alternatively, the Rococco design by Cole & Son would work perfectly. Again, I prefer the muted greys, taupe and cream designs where the pattern design is subtle as I find the design is more impressive when subdued.

Lighting is another key element – spotlights & halogens are a no go on this one – instead look for creating a more intimate lighting scheme to create a quiet romantic air. For a contemporary take, use low hung pendant lighting for bedside illumination rather than table lamps, keeping your nightstand free and uncluttered.

Finally onto the Furniture and accessories: I think that if you have kept with a fairly neutral colour scheme up to now, opting for richer furniture and bold colours will pay off to complete the titanic vibe. Don’t be afraid to mix styles – the more dramatic the better. Graham & Green have lots of gorgeous pieces which take inspiration from early 20^th Century design. If you’re after detailed dark wood items, Stokers are also a good place to look for Bedsteads and Nightstands with a huge selection to choose from. In Accessories and staging, I love the idea of having three staggered mirrors like these Lucille Mirrors – they’re decorative and have an eclectic vibe and I can imagine being dolled up in full Dinner Attire and using these to get the full 360 of an outfit.

So there you go – Titanic style in bite sized pieces. Here is my take on using titanic influence within bedroom design, hope you like!

M x

The K factor: Kelly Hoppen

I read today that Kelly Hoppen is starring in new interior design programme, Superior Interiors, on Channel 5 starting on Tuesday evening. I confess, I was a tiny bit disappointed at first, as it means the Kelly Hoppen brand will truly be accessible to the masses, and therefore loses a little of her exclusivity. On the other hand, I was super excited as it means we'll really get chance to see how she pulls schemes together and how well she can budget-manage. I'm in two minds as to whether I'll watch it as the great british bake off is on the other side… we'll see. Anyway, as I'm sure much of it will feature on the show, I've had a browse through her collections and have selected my personal favourites. As you know, I tend to focus on Bedroom design so have opted for items with this in mind.

Hoppen's bedrooms…

Here are a couple of her bedroom designs shown on her website. I love her simplicity and adore the colour palette – you just know that this will still be a knockout interior scheme in 10 years' time which people are still trying the replicate.
Hoppen uses quite a unique headboard in one room, and unfortunately this isn't included in her ranges. However, I think the Ameilia Bed from High Fashion Home is maybe a nice alternative, though you may need to break open your Piggy Bank for this one.

Her Wallpaper range in exclusive to Graham & Brown and perfectly represents her brand, using black, taupe, grey and beige as her primary palette. She has also included a deeper than deep purple shade which is just beautiful. I particularly like the Tattoo design, available in four colour-ways at just £30 a roll. I'm seriously contemplating this now for our master bedroom.

Hoppen also has her own paint range, but I've not personally used it and as you may have figured out by now, I'm rather addicted to Farrow and Ball paint; it applies wonderfully for a supreme finish. The muted tones of Farrow & Ball complement Hoppen's much loved Taupe, in particular Elephant's Breath, so I'd be more inclined to select a colour from F&B. They also have a slightly broader colour range. I do intend to try some Kelly Hoppen paint and if it matches F&B in quality, I'll happily revise the above comments J

Now, two items I REALLY, REALLY LOVE are these chairs which Hoppen has designed with Barker & Stonehouse. The first armchair reminds me of a classic mid-20^th century chair by T.H. Robsjohn. It's upholstered in a taupe/grey leather with beautiful detailing. The second is the dining chair, upholstered in a linen blend with simplicity in form and decoration. Either would be suitable for a bedroom chair, as they are interesting enough to stand alone without dictating a style to the other furniture or fittings.

Onto soft furnishings, hot on my wish list are these gorgeous Button cushions and this beautiful bedspread from QVC.
So what about the pieces which Hoppen doesn't have yet in her range? (namely bedsides, wardrobes, flooring). Well, the old staple Hemnes range from ikea would be appropriate for a lower budget scheme if you tried to replicate Hoppen's style at Home. Or www.Andsotobed.co.uk for some more unique-looking furniture in dark wood. Kelly tends to stick with angular designs, so even Dwell could be used for a more contemporary look. The key aspect is to go for something quite simple but with nice detailing: if it's a simple shape, maybe the veneer could be turned, or the finish could be mock-marble to make it that little bit special.

I'm surprised Hoppen hasn't yet struck up an alliance with The Rug Company to create her own complimenting range, as rugs do feature heavily in her schemes (please do it Kelly!) so until that happens, I think the Stepevi deep pile collections could work equally well in a Hoppen inspired interior. Be warned, they are pricey but no rug I've come across remotely compares in quality or design.

Do you have a favourite from the Brand? And more importantly, will you be watching the Great British Bake Off or Superior Interiors?

Copycat Design: Connaught Hotel, London

The Connaught Hotel in London's Mayfair is a particularly prestigious Hotel. Tastefully decorated without appearing dated, the Connaught's style is almost like Audrey Hepburn; no matter how many years past, she will always be stylish and fashionable without succumbing to the minute-fashion which adorns our high street. The Connaught has a distinct style which draws from various eras without committing to a particular one – its selective and mellow, opting to explore texture, depth and detail rather than using pattern and colour.

Though much of the Connaught's bedroom Furniture has been handcrafted by Afghanistan Artisans bespoke to each space, there are similar available to purchase off the peg, though unfortunately not at a price for every purse.

Top Scheme Items:

• Bed: The London Bed Company
• Bedsides: And So To Bed
• Wallpaper: Designers Guild, Ernani Opal & Ecru
• Armchair: Designers Guild
• Cushions: John Lewis
• Bedspread/Throw: John Lewis
• Floor Lamp: John Lewis
• Curtains: Debenhams Montgomery range

I love the Headboard used at the Connaught, and simply could not find a close match anywhere, but think that the Vermont bed by Frank Hudson is just as beautiful. I think the Hotel style overall is quite masculine, with dark wood tones, tailored drapes and wallpaper reminiscent of an Italian Business Suit – lush! – with delicate feminine touches in the floral arrangements and dainty lighting.

Cost to achieve? I'd allow for at least £10k in your budget to really go to town and replicate this in your own home, but again, stealing the colour palette and keeping minimal with cute tailored details will achieve a similar result. Happy Decorating!

Harry Potter and the House that Magic Made

I LOVE Harry Potter, and am totally amazed that it was all dreamed up by one mind. And, as per usual, I often find myself inspired by a particular scene or location. It's not always Harry Potter – films and books of all walks seem to influence me – but I do think this magical world is particularly inspiring.

So, should you too feel inspired by the Harry Potter Universe and want to indulge in a little fantasy interior, here are a few items available on the high street to help you on your way.

Thinking about trawling the Hogwarts library in search of Nicolas Flamel? There's a whole world of Library themed wallpapers which have been in vogue since about 2005 and are still going strong. This one is available from Andrew Martin is very Potteresque.

Remember the case which Mad Eye is kept captive in during Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire? This piece by Antropologie really fits the bill. And this Rug from The Rug Company could easily have resided in the Griffindor Common Room.

And what Harry Potter interior is complete without the token Chesterfield?

And finally, if you really want to splash the cash to go all-out-castle-interior, this Wall Tapestry surely is a must have.

 

REPLICATE THE MOVIES: Sex and the City

Ever watched a film and thought "I'd love to live in a place like that"? Of course you have: that's why companies pay so much to have their products featured in films. I think a lot of people assume this Product Placement is mainly used by companies like Coke Cola and Pepsi, where the main character is seen sipping from a cup with a giant logo plastered across it and strategically placed facing the camera. But often I find myself drawn to the background, the scenery and the home accessories. So, I've decided to explore some films and really try to locate the products so you can try to recreate them in your own home. I decide to go firstly with the chick flicks; Sex and The City 1 & 2.

SEX & THE CITY… it's all about designer

Considering the series focused so much on designer clothing, it's not surprising that when they decided to bring it to the Big Screen, they thought to revamp the (let's admit it) drab interiors. And, no surprise at all that they decided instead to clad every surface in designer wares. Fortunately, the world of interior design has nowhere near as many designer brands and items as the world of fashion, so finding the exact items isn't too difficult… affording them is a little harder!

 

CARRIES "GROWN UP" APARTMENT

• Rug – Overleaf by Marni, available from The Rug Company
• Wallhanging – LOVE TOO by Paul Smith, also available from the Rug Company
• Sofa Upholstery – Wolf Home
• Sofa – hmmm, maybe Wychwood Furniture for a good replica
• Headboard – Bath Headboard by Graham & Green
• Media Centre – SMA
• Chair – Bluesuntree
• Wall Pictures – Graham and Green
• Wall colour – Cooks Blue by Farrow and Ball
• Side Tables - Lacquered by Area ID

Onto Sex and the City 2 (which is dire – seriously, don't bother watching this as it has absolutely no plot whatsoever) we see Carrie and Big in their marital home and instead get a design fusion of Carrie's Fashionista flair and Big's New York Banker style. Again, throw in multiple designer labels, vintage pieces and a price-tag that'll give you a heart attack, and BOOM, you've got it. I particularly like this colour palette I have to say – the masculine taupe with splashes of a feminine pink and blue really appeals to me.

 

CARRIE AND BIG'S APARTMENT

• Rug – Candyflower by Marni, available from The Rug Company
• Cushions – Birdie Blossom by Paul Smith, also available from the Rug Company
• Chairs – Vintage design by T H Robjohn Gibbings, available at Bergdorf Goodman
• Sofa – Woodframe by Montauk
• Chandelier – Discs by Property
• Hallway Wallpaper – Oiseau Chocolate by Katie Ridder
• Bedroom Wallpaper – Rococco by Cole & Son
• Headboard Fabric – Velvet Gate by Kravet

If I had to pick one, I think I'd opt for Carrie's apartment from the first film. I love the bold splash of colour and even though it's deemed the "grown up" version of Carrie's apartment, it's still young and fresh. Their marital home is very adult, and as much as I do like it, I certainly couldn't live in it as it's far too conservative for my tastes.

 

HOTEL BEDROOM TOURS: the Covent Garden Hotel

Following on from the first bedroom tour of the Charlotte Street Hotel bedroom, I have decided to explore another of Kit Kemp's creations: the Covent Garden Hotel of London. Here, Kit has used a combination of her winning "English Country" style alongside local suppliers to the Hotel and a few trusted favourites from accross the pond. Though we can't all go trotting off to New York in search of the perfect bedside cabinet, I have included some of the actual suppliers for really specific pieces and alternatives in other cases, should you wish to recreate the style in your own home.

 

Top Scheme Items:

• Headboard: Just Headboards
• Headboard & Cushion Fabric: Galbraith & Paul, Citrus Maize Linen
• Wallpaper: Prestigious, Mystery
• Bedsides & Chest of Drawers: Blanc D'Ivoire
• Bedside Light: Graham & Green, Hector lamp
• Table Light: Andrew Martin
• Mirror: Graham and Green
• Desk Chair: Morgan Furniture, Diva Chair

 

This scheme is much simpler than the Charlotte, with fewer patterns and a fresher palette. I do like the simple geometric employed on the headboard and especially like the French inspired furniture. Were you to create this in your own abode, you could do so easily as the colours and patterns are those which you could find on the highstreet for less than those listed above. I think the items which I wouldn't deviate too far from are the headboard style (tall, fluted) as this really helps achieve the desired hotel look, and the Bedsides which are nicely detailed but could easily be revamped old pieces picked up from a car boot (if you're lucky enough to find such treasures!)
Next stop? You decide! Please leave a comment recommending a Hotel which you'd like exploring :D

Nifty Fifties

I've been getting an inkling lately that a revival is on the horizon: stand back Shabby Chic, the Nifty Fifties are making a come back.

I'm a HUGE fan of 50's design, so in part I'm trying to lay the seeds for this design revival and in part, I think the Industry is leading that way. (Please note, when I refer to classic 1950's design, I am NOT endorsing the overused 50's American Diner style which has been peddled since the 1980's)

There are already a few wallpapers, fabrics and furniture items out there that are heavily influenced by this fabulous Design Era, and quite a few items which never went away.

For anybody with any learning in Interior design, you will invariably be familiar with Charles and Ray Eames furniture designs: The Eames Lounger; the Eifel Chair. These classic 1950s designs have been so successful, that they have never left the fashionistas' must-have list and remain as popular today as they were when first released. I might even say that these iconic designs which laid way for all modern furniture are unparalleled. And I think that it is their undeniable popularity that has encouraged some manufacturers to reinvent the 50's vibe. So, if you're interested in recreating the 1950's in your own home, why not check out these items?





Utility Design is one of many suppliers of classic furniture, including the designs of Charles and Ray Eames. And if your budget doesn't stretch to the authentic, then there are some excellent copies on the market, such as those available from Blue Sun Tree for a snippet of the price. And there are some new designs out there too: Morgan Furniture have a gorgeous new range which would fit nicely into any Nuclear Family lounge.

Sanderson Wallpaper has a whole 1950's range new to their books. As stated on their website:

"This is a bold and iconic collection of wallpapers that celebrate a decade of design which transformed the boundaries of interior decoration. The Sanderson 50's collection combines original 1950's designs from the Sanderson archive with designs from contemporary artists who have taken great inspiration from this era."