Urban Jungle Bloggers / Cosy & Green Bedroom

Hey, how's things? Work and home life have been pretty full on lately-I blinked and November was gone, which explains my tardy contribution to last month's Urban Jungle Bloggers topic, 'a cosy and green bedroom'. So today, I'm sharing a corner of our bedroom with you. In fact, I used this post as impetus to give the walls a refresh-they were Magnolia a couple of weeks ago. Just a simple lick of paint has given our room a lift and makes the most of the wonderful light we get throughout the day.I was thrilled when I saw that the topic was all about cosying our rooms for winter; this is my favourite time of year for snuggling under favourite blankets, layering up with jumpers and watching the world from a window.The wooden wall hooks are a recent DIY that I'll be sharing with you soon and the 'Kiss Kiss' banner looks quite at home there, don't you think?Bulbs have become my newest obsession-both plants and lights! I found the ombre blue rimmed pot in a charity shop for peanuts and love how it looks against that deep purple hyacinth bulb. I'm buying up more this week to put into clear jars-they don't need soil to grow in as they have everything they need inside the bulb. The spiky succulent on top of the books was a recent score from Ikea which sits well inside a soft green glazed terracotta bowl from Serax.The beautiful hanging bedside bulbs were a result of my pure hatred of the insipid ceiling light that we never use anyway, so we sourced the materials and made our own. The fabric cable is aptly named 'Old Grey Jumper'. Could I love it any more?!Hope you enjoyed my little tour and keep your eyes peeled on Wednesday when I share Christmas inspiration and how I'll be styling our home for the festive season.Do you have any rituals to ready your bedroom for winter? 

Styling & photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley 

The Cut #03 / Ceramics To Covet For Christmas

|1| Large 'Ash' coffee mug, Mazama |2| Flawed gold plated bowls, Studiomake at Gretel Home |3| Pyramid planter, LEIF |4| Bronze Glaze ceramic tea mug, Nôm Living |5| Mint porcelain tea light holder, Future and Found |6| Bamboo lidded storage jars, oh ho rachio! |7| Eclipse vessel, Takeawei Studio at Great.ly 

This week's 'The Cut' was a complete no-brainer. With a burgeoning collection of ceramics at home (most of them home to a variety of plants) it made sense to put together a Christmas gift guide of personal favourites. Not an easy task given the choice out there!I try to buy my pots and mugs from small, independent designer-makers; the materials and craftmanship are all together a much higher quality. I love the rough feel of a hand thrown, stoneware mug like this from Mazama and the perfectly imperfect gold edges of Studiomake's plated bowls-isn't that muted colour palette just to die for?!Find a little of the unexpected inside Nom Living's bronze glazed mug (imagine sipping a rich hot chocolate from that!) or a splash of fresh mint from Future and Found's porcelain tea light holders. A small succulent would look very at home in one of those too.Speaking of planters, how could anyone resist the bold patterned Pyramid planter, an exclusive from LEIF or the spotty Eclipse vessel from my Great.ly boutique? Throw out those plastic pots and give them something worth to growing into.I nearly tripped over my tongue when designer-maker Oh No Rachio! tweeted a photo of her new collection of bamboo lidded storage pots last week. So popular were the first batch that she sold out and had to order more in, so get in there quick if you want to be in time for Christmas! Choose from three designs; grid, confetti or constellation and then use them in your workspace to store all those runaway bits of stationery. My absolute must have from the whole lot.Are you a crazy ceramics nut like me? What's taken your fancy? 

Two Birthdays, Two Cakes, One Week

Wow. Is it really almost December now? You know, I've had these photos to share with you since the end of September, but I guess life gets in the way sometimes!I don't often share much of my home life here, I tend to use Instagram for that on the odd occasion, but I'd had it in mind to share a few photos from my children's birthdays. Although there's almost three years between them, there's only one week separating their celebrations and this year I had my first taste of what it was going to be like for the next...however many years. Let's say it's going be interesting!We decided on the no fuss approach this year, so I kept decor to a minimum with small balloons to kick around on the floor. I also made simple tissue paper tassel garlands and attached them to giant number balloons. Yes, they both had to have one, or else there'd be trouble!This is Miss Twitchit's first birthday cake, I loved baking the coloured layers, although I think I got more enjoyment out of it than they did! Found a couple of those sprinkles in my ear a few days later too...As requested-a Dolly Mixture cake with chocolate sponge for my grown up boy. Look at him with his crazy hair. I mixed sprinkles into the icing for a little crunch and he absolutely loved it. We all did.Goodness knows what I'll have to pull out of the bag next year. Joint parties will be the ultimate no-no until they're in their late teens, I'm sure. Honestly, what were we thinking?! ;)

The Cut #01 / 6 Must Have Prints For Christmas

Hello! I have a new series for you today called The Cut, where I feature the most desirable items of home ware and lifestyle that I come across on my travels. Sure, it's not a new concept, but I think you'll really love my picks and maybe even find a little inspiration for your own home.It's that time of year again where we're turning our thoughts to Christmas, compiling ideas and planning if we're ahead of the game, panicking if not! Have you started yet? I most definitely haven't, but I have at least done a little research to give me a head start. I find categorising gift guides to suit all types an impossible task, so this year I've focused only on decor for the home that I'd absolutely love to receive for mine.My 6 must-have prints are, I believe, some of the most perfect examples of graphic art just begging to be framed and displayed in pride of place...✚ Copenhagen based graphic designer Kristina Krogh's 2015 Calendar is a brilliant combination of dark green typography and embossed copper foil. Useful and beautiful. Drawn to cold and warm raw materials, her work often features marble, plywood and cork to produce fascinating, textural art.✚ I love the impact of geometric shapes within the home, particularly three-dimensional forms cast in marble and concrete; the hand-pulled Gold Octagon by Lane would compliment a grouping of these as a vignette leant on a shallow shelf, don't you think?✚ A popular design from my 'Artful Walls' Great.ly boutique is British designer Sketch .Inc's 'Ink'd Pink', using a bleed of black ink as its focal point-perfect for my workspace to pick out the black accessories.✚ Current key trend (not that I care to follow too much) copper is showing no signs of fading. I love what designers Kirsty and Pete of Tom Pigeon have created in their Anstruther print with the metallic foil circle, charcoal grey and spearmint colour combo. With the right balance of feminine and masculine elements, this is a his 'n' her's pleaser for sure.✚ Inspired by nature's offerings at this time of year, I'm desperate for the rose pink and black pine cone designed by Form Us With Love, particularly as I'm starting to bring in touches of soft pink into our living space to warm it up a little. The photographic print of the fir tree by BastisRIKE would look wonderful styled as part of a minimal Christmas setting too; I'm even considering a "naked" tree this year, save for maybe the lights, although I'm not sure my son would be so impressed!Keep your eyes peeled for my next instalment, I'm talking textiles! So tell me, which of these prints is calling out to you?

Love It | Ederle Lifestyle

And stretch. Good morning. I thought it would be a great way to wake up today with a beautiful new find of mine, online lifestyle store Ederle. Founded by designer Joanne Heckadon, the inaugural collection is inspired by deep blue waters and soft crystal sands, named after Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926. The styling is calm and thoughtful, don't you think?Frequently these days, I find myself editing out the clutter in our home in favour of a more simplistic, pared-back feel. I crave open space, room to think, room to breathe and to enjoy the pieces of decor that we've chosen carefully. This is very much Ederle's ethos; to design handcrafted pieces created from traditional methods and materials, made to treasure.The beauty is in the simplicity.

Photography © Ederle 2014

Urban Jungle Bloggers | Decorating With Plants

Wow, what a week. Having spent the majority of it in the grips of the worst virus known to man, sucking the life out of all but one of us (Tabby came out of it unscathed) I was so very grateful to have enough energy to spend time doing a little gentle planting and reviewing this beautiful book, 'Decorating With Plants' (The Art Of Using Plants To Transform Your Home) by Satoshi Kawamoto. I'm excited to share my first post as part of the Urban Jungle Bloggers community as well, although I've been a member for months, I always forget to take part! I was so excited when Igor and Judith launched the community as it coincided with the beginnings of my own little urban jungle which is ever multiplying and filling the house with lush, green life...Sometimes I pick up a book and feel the amount of love and attention that's gone into it, and this is such a book. Never mind that it's full to the brim of the most enviably beautiful houseplants, enough to give you a case of the green-eye (see what I did there?) it's styled to perfection without losing touch with reality. Sure, interior style books can make great coffee table decor but they're not always so easy to translate into our every day reality. Tokyo based garden and interior stylist Satoshi invites us into his incredible single-storey home and to feel inspired to rework some of his ideas into our own in a relaxed and lived-in way. He's not a fan of uniformity and every surface, corner and wall has been styled into a botanical wonderland.Taking us on a guided tour through each room in his home, he talks through the process of transforming each space, from the renovations, through to the finishing touches. I instantly fell in love with his dining room which houses a step ladder to display his antique pots and flea market finds and aged tin panels on the wall. His bathroom houses huge branches of dried eucalyptus which must smell incredible in a hot shower, and his bedroom has an old American feel to it, with bunting across the ceiling and an old iron framed bed. Satoshi has a real knack for finding beauty in the unexpected, his home is a treasure trove of the reclaimed and re-loved and plants are at the very heart of it.These wire cloches were a charity shop steal find that have sat waiting in my garage for months, so it was high time to put them to use and plant them up. I plan to hang them in my office window where they'll get plenty of gentle winter light. Whilst hanging plants inside is something I've yet to try, having seen Satoshi putting it into practice, I'm hoping these babies will happily grow through the grids and gently trail.Satoshi highlights work wear as an integral part of who he is and how it influences his style. He looks so cool in his work coat and apron (top tip: he makes his own from old linens as good work aprons are hard to find) and often combines one with a jacket for a night out.The real gem of the book though, is the wide variety of creative projects there are to try. From a wire succulent chandelier, how to style a corner of your home in three ways, working with dried flower displays, to table top styling, such as this cheese and wine party (above). It looks like something right out of Narnia, don't you think?The book reflects Satoshi's life's work wonderfully, he is clearly a man who embodies his calling for plants every day. He lives and breathes it and I urge you do to the same, however small you start out. Trust me, a life with plants is so rewarding.Thank you to Jacqui Small Publishing for sharing another beautiful book with me. The book was published on 16th October so go out, get a copy and be inspired to plant!

Photography & Styling by Tiffany Grant-Riley 

The Bicycle Florist & A Dalston Warehouse Home

Earlier this year I discovered Petalon, run by Dalston based florist Florence Kennedy alongside her urban bicycle manufacturer husband James of Kennedy City Bicycles. The Petalon premise is simple-each week she designs two bouquets depending on what she's drawn to at the flower market, sells each bunch for a flat £25 (£40 for a bigger bunch) and donates £1 of each sale to bee charity Capital Bee. Oh, and they deliver straight to you across the whole of London on just two wheels. Brilliant.Me being me, I jumped on her with plans to meet up and take some shots of her workspace as soon as was humanly possible, but with one thing and another (the couple getting married for one!) it took months for us to get our acts together, until one gloriously sunny afternoon in August I made it to a stunning former warehouse in Dalston. What  a space. Oh, and did I mention how absolutely fecking gorgeous they both are? I mean...We cross paths at the door and Florence invites me in as she packs the delivery bike with the last orders of the day; an explosion of purple country blooms wrapped in the signature Petalon black and white striped paper. Walking in from an anteroom filled with buckets of stems I find James at his desk finishing up the route for the afternoon's deliveries, surrounded by his custom bike frames, tires and tools of his trade. It took me back to visits to the bike shop as a kid, picking out my next ride and the smell of brand new rubber and leather.Florence comes back inside to see James off with a few instructions, and then we're on our own to chat whilst I snap away with my camera. My angle for the feature was to focus mainly on Petalon and Florence's passion for flowers, but as I look around I see there's a lot more to it than just a combined workspace-there's a small kitchen area, a comfy couch and collections of succulents thriving on the windowsill. This is their home too.The Kennedys are taking the idea of working from home and fully embracing it with their Great Dane and giant teddy bear, Huxley, who I meet dozing out in the courtyard garden. He's quite disinterested in me and the neighbours are about to begin a yoga class. Every inch of their warehouse unit is working hard to function as a duel purpose space. Just above James' workshop on a mezzanine floor is their bedroom where a leather lounge chair sits bathed in light from a full height metal framed window and the open-plan kitchen and living areas are zoned out with furniture as opposed to solid walls. The bare bones of this building are unabashedly on display; from the brick walls painted a bright white and original metal panelled windows to the concrete flooring. It is perfectly imperfect, rough around the edges and beautiful with it.Just a short time ago, Florence was feeling unfulfilled at a desk job. Coming home every evening to seeing how happy James was in following his passion for bikes, she decided she needed something to focus her attentions, a small scale project that she could manage. After a disappointing experience ordering flowers for a colleague she almost stumbled into floristry as she began to think up ways to make choosing and ordering flowers more enjoyable, with stylish, simpler choices. And thus, Petalon was born. With her freeform style and natural ability to select beautiful varieties and colour-ways, she's clearly found her calling in life.Have you spotted the ThoseWho-Petalon print I blogged a few months back? Mine is just waiting to go up in our living space now!We get on to talking about favourite flowers (hers are anemones-a girl after my own heart) floristry courses and future plans for an organic flower farm. I suggest she show me how to pull together a quick arrangement. Out come two metal buckets packed with wax flower, statice, flowering mint, thistle, anemone and giant chrysanthemum. She talks me through it... 1. Start by choosing a hero flower on which to build your bouquet-she picks out a deep, wine coloured chrysanthemum.2. Begin adding in texture; here she adds some flowering mint and eucalyptus leaves.3. Rotate the stems as you go, overlapping them in the direction you turn to allow a more even look.4. Add in some of the smaller blooms such as the anemones, wax flower and statice, always rotating as you go.When you're happy with it, hold it securely with one hand and wrap it with twine to hold it in shape, then it's ready to pop into a vase or give away.I love the home that Florence, James and Huxley have created for themselves here; from the little nick-nacks they've picked up on their travels, the Indian cookbooks and reclaimed vintage furniture to living amongst their working lives. It all flows.Thank you for having me. X

The SMUG Shelfie Blogger's Breakfast

Last Sunday I headed out nice and early to co-host a blogger's breakfast at SMUG in Islington's Camden Passage. Founded and lovingly run by interiors and graphic designer Lizzie Evans, this bright and quirky shop is home to some of the most beautifully designed pieces of homeware known to man. You have it on my authority. No mass produced copycats here, all of Lizzie's products have been created by independent designers, set in a space that feels like a home.With the recently opened SMUG Cafe downstairs, Lizzie was keen to get the word out, so earlier this summer we got together with Amy Silvester of RumourPR to hatch a plan to collaborate on an event. We left feeling excited about hosting a 'SMUG Shelfie Breakfast' in which we invited some of our favourite bloggers to enjoy the new cafe space and spend a morning styling up a shelf using their most coveted pieces in the shop. Complete with delicious pastries, fresh juice, coffee and vibrant flowers courtesy of HipHop & Bloom the scene was set. They came. They curated and, with me on hand to offer up some styling wisdom, they displayed (see what I did there?) Come, have a look around and see what we got up to...

Definition of 'Shelfie' -

A play on the word 'selfie', in which one takes a photographic portrait of oneself, in this instance, one creates a look using objects carefully displayed on a shelf and takes a photograph of it.

And here are a few of my favourites. I'd love to have included them all but as I've gone nuts with the photos you can find more from the #smugshelfie event on the Facebook page.Fabric of my life's Kate Baxter picked out a mouth-watering citrus inspired colour-way, featuring Rifle Co. stationery, Scholten and Baijings ceramics and Lenneke Wispelwey's Long John vase. I love to see plants used anywhere in the home, so the little cactus was a welcome addition.Decorenvy's Lucy Meek chose a look that reflected the style of her blog, with mint green and soft pinks. I love the use of Origami Est's star hanging from the ceiling (a SMUG exclusive for Christmas!) and the nod towards SMUG's guinea pig mascot in the form of a tea towel designed exclusively by queens of the animal motif, Thornback & Peel.It was a particularly special morning as I finally got to meet my virtual friend Sarah-Louise Kimmer of LapinBlu, although imagine my shame when I introduced myself to her and realised for that split second I didn't know who she was! I hope she'll forgive me though, because her 'Slow Sunday Morning' vignette really won over my heart. Using her favourite magazines Frankie and Kinfolk to add both height and a backdrop, Sarah built on her look with Thornback and Peel linens, and the beautiful geometric form of Lenneke Wispelwey's ceramic bowl in which sat one of Origami Est's Christmas origami baubles (a very clever connection in shape there). Like my own shelf which I styled for the invitation, she picked a subtle bird motif with Louise Wilkinson's bird side plate and added in the scent of a mint plant from one of the cafe tables out in the courtyard. A perfect setting for a lazy Sunday, don't you think?And here we all are for your viewing pleasure, a fabulous group of fresh faced, creative ladies at the end of our morning. Thank you so much for coming along, jumping in feet first and having some fun and to Manolya for plying us with freshly squeezed orange juice, flaky pastries and great coffee all morning!(Clockwise) Me, Lotts - Lotts & Lots, Lucy - Decorenvy, Kate - fabric of my life, Lori - Wild & Grizzly, Ruth (with the best sparkly collared top ever!) The Planned Adventure, Amy - RumourPR and Daisy Fay, Sammi - Made By Molu, Lizzie Evans - SMUG, Sarah Louise - LapinBlu and Josephine - Courage and Dash.Props to you all.If you're on Twitter or Instagram you can find more gorgeous photos from our morning using #smugshelfie. 

A Coffee Table Beauty / Modern Country

It's almost the weekend and this week, aside from recovering from a two day shoot, I've been busy reviewing a beautiful new title from Jacqui Small Publishing, my go-to guys for serious interior style books. This is one for the coffee table. 'Modern Country - Inspiring interiors for contemporary living' by journalist Caroline Clifton-Mogg is wholeheartedly a breath of fresh air. Finally someone has taken the outdated country look and shown me something I can get onboard with. No chintz or dodgy 90s pine. Nope. This is contemporary country style, and it's raw and sexy, focusing on pared back interiors highlighting the beauty of the materials used, from traditional exposed wood and stonework, to modern concrete, metals and glass. Modern country style encompasses the idea of exposing the raw materials used in the renovation process, like for example the concrete flooring in the shot above where the owner has painted on a patterned rug to anchor the table. The overall aesthetic is uncluttered and beautiful in its simplicity and I love that. In fact, I loved it so much, I made a video. Take a look...Caroline explores the look in four chapters; from Architectural Styles, Materials and Finishes, Country Locations and Country Living, with a liberal smattering of stunning images from French interiors publication Côté Sud, Côté Est and Côté Ouest. Each case study illustrates how the owner drew inspiration from their surroundings for the traditional aspect of country style, but also pulled elements from contemporary construction methods and materials, not directly associated with country living.I'm going to spend the weekend planning my imaginary Tuscan farmhouse. Polished concrete flooring? Yes please!So what did you think of my little video? If I've sparked your interest, you might want to take up on the reader offer too:

Reader Offer! To order Modern Country at the discounted price of £24.00 including p&p* (RRP£30.00), telephone 01903 828503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk and quote the offer code APG217.

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A Stylish Find / Future and Found, Tufnell Park

Future and Found is, if you'll excuse my dodgy pun, a seriously stylish find. A sweet discovery I made on a home shoot for LivingETC some months ago now (we had these deceptively delicate coffee pots on loan) I made it my mission to get to the shop in Tufnell Park and meet its founder Andrea Bates. Having recently moved, the shop is now settling in to its new location; a former factory complete with original metal framed windows, industrial brickwork and concrete flooring. Designed in a way that allows each carefully selected piece to shine without the feeling of clutter, the space is small and perfectly formed. I love that, by way of connecting with its name, you have to discover the shop for yourself, starting with a short walk through a covered walk through to a courtyard, where Andrea and her "right hand gal" Grace Poulter curate the space with outdoor decor, depending on the season.With a former career as a buyer for Heals and, more recently, Jamie Oliver, it's clear that Andrea's experience has influenced her choices in creating the Future and Found brand. Her Scandinavian aesthetic is crisp, clean and functional with a focus on hand-crafted, design-led pieces, grounded in a monochromatic scheme but given a lift with pops of neon. The shelving scheme was a custom design where the struts have been secured into the wall plaster-a stylish idea for open shelving in a kitchen or living space, don't you think?Amongst the future design classics from the likes of HAY, and Muuto are emerging British designers, including Kangan Arora, and ByAlex. With the London Design Festival now in full swing, Andrea and Grace will be on the look-out for new products from promising designers to bring back to the shop. She tells me that unlike large department stores where the time from sourcing and buying a product to getting them onto the shelves can take months, as a smaller set-up, Future and Found can discover pieces and make them available much faster, a freedom she very much enjoys.I couldn't take my eyes off these beautiful, handmade ceramics by Bel Art Creation based in Tunisia. Having recently re-styled our living space with a strong, monochromatic feel (more on that very soon!) it's a look I can't take my eyes off. Working with so much colour as I do, and wary of the trends that come and go, I feel more and more drawn to the simplicity of black and white.So many beautiful, covetable pieces for the home. Thanks for having me girls!

Beautiful Details From The Home Of Charles Darwin

One of my favourite pastimes is getting lost within the old walls of an historical house or home, imagining the former owners going about their daily lives and, just for a few moments, imaging that I too lived there. I've been doing it since early childhood and we encourage our two children, about to turn one and four within two weeks of each other, to do the same. It's magical, don't you think?Last weekend we made a break for freedom with the kids to Down House, the home of Charles Darwin, not far from us in Kent. I love this house for the way that Darwin used it as an integral part of his life's work-from studying his own family, his years of relentless research and cataloguing in his beautiful study, to the gardens, greenhouse, fields and beyond. It was a house to be lived in. So I captured some of my favourite details from inside the house to share with you. I took so many of the gardens as well but thought I should keep it sweet for the purpose of your sanity. Ha!If you read my recent post about styling oil portraits in your home, you'll understand why I loved these two portly gentlemen hanging with an air of self importance in the dining room. And if I'd bothered to wander around like a numpty with an electronic guide in my ear I could've told you who they were. Sorry.The living room or parlour. Glorious wall to wall blue floral paper, dark wood furniture key to the Victorian era and touches of blue crockery and seating to tie it all in. I think the peacock feathers make it.Couldn't resist adding in this shot of the conservatory, with its wicker seating, lush tropical planting and mosaic tile flooring. Oh, and the coral pink window frames. I'd be content to potter around here once or twice a day, tending to my plants and soaking up the warm sun. Wouldn't you?

Organic Linens by Laura Thomas

As much as I love and see the importance of having colour in the home, when it comes to bedding the jury is still out. We've been settled here for over a year now and the bedroom is still one of the biggest question marks in my mind when it comes to what to do with it.  I don't think we've slept on anything but white sheets for the last five years-I find them cool and calming to sink into at the end of a long day. And on the odd occasion when I'm allowed a lay-in, they allow me the head space to think. So when Scottish designer Laura Thomas got in touch to tell me about her crisp, organic linens, I couldn't say no.Back in 2012, Laura was living out in New Zealand with her young family, where she found it difficult to source mid-range, well made bedding. Thus, she began her own company, sourcing high quality, fair trade cottons from India, Egypt and Vietnam. All of her collections are white with beautiful embroidered detailing and a high thread count.I'm a huge fan of Laura's ethos in being responsible and mindful of where and how her sheets are produced. And because they're organic, they're kinder on the environment too.And my favourites? Hands down the Stockholm Collection (above). I just love the simple, stylish pleating around the edges. Because style doesn't need to shout to make a statement, right?Thank you Laura for getting in touch and for sending me a pair beautiful pillow cases to sleep on. I'm imagining the cool side of the pillow already. Think I'll turn in now...

Charity Treasure / Scandi Style Circus Stool

So, Sunday afternoon I was knee deep in a gift finding mission for Reuben's pre-school teachers on the high street in Rochester and pulling nothing but blanks. As the daughter of a teacher myself, I'm all too familiar with the usual suspects that come home at the end of the academic year-smellies and chocolates, most of which we were more than happy to "share" with mum. But I didn't want to plump for the obvious, because, you know, I love to make work for myself, don't I? In my usual fashion I'd found umpteen things I'd like for myself, but what do you buy for someone you talk to almost every day and know so little about? So for a while, I gave up and went to rummage for props instead, because Rochester has a rich and abundant supply of antique and charity shops. Props are important you know.As we're steaming on ahead with operation "make this rental feel like ours", Reuben's bedroom is next on my list of attack. Having had yet again no response from our landlord 'Mr Malawi' as I call him (because he lives out there and the only form of communication is by mule to the local general store by fax) I've decided just to crack on and do it. I'm taking the walls from magnolia to white, it's hardly a big deal. Right? And in any case, this poor house is in desperate need of an update. And no, I won't be returning the walls back to magnolia when we leave. This isn't 1995. I digress.Walking past Oxfam, this little black and white stool sitting in the window caught my eye. Stripy legs with a scandi style, the face of a circus ringmaster...*sharp intake of breath* it was perfect for Reuben's room! Ten minutes later and £10 lighter I'd walked out with it and a very smug grin on my face. It'll need a little work doing, as you can see the wood has split a little at the side, but a little filler will sort that no problem. Isn't it utterly brilliant?!Next week I'm cracking open the tin of paint, dragging out the dust sheets and getting stuck in. Can't wait to show you the progress! Isn't it always the way though, that when you're not looking for something it has a way of just landing in your lap!?

Artist Emily Jeffords & A Dreamy Print Giveaway

Happy July 4th to all my readers "across the pond"!I have a beautiful interview and giveaway to inspire you today from an American fine artist I greatly admire and whose work I covet so very much. Her name is Emily Jeffords and she paints in oils out of the White Whale Studios in Greenville, SC.  Her art, for me, is like free falling into the sweetest, fluffiest skies you could imagine, or watching cloud forms, lying on a blanket in a grassy meadow. She creates the most delicious colour palettes full of texture and motion. Yes, she really is that good. In this interview, Emily shares her thoughts on creativity, finding inspiration and holding onto it and balancing life and her business...• How do you stay inspired and what do you do when you hit a creative wall?Sometimes inspiration seems illusive, and yet other times uncontrollably active. I find that flux depends so much on my personal energy. More than finding new places, discovering hidden gems, rest, or relaxation: excitement is key. Feeling even a hint of passion and really focusing on that feeling, allowing it to grow and develop in your mind… that is the golden trick.And along with that, being aware of new ideas and seeing the world with renewed eyes is endlessly valuable to instilling that curiosity and passion inside of you.• Do you have a ritual that you follow or certain conditions that have to be just right before you paint?Well I have two little girls who come to the studio with me every day, so rituals are fairly simple. Good (strong) coffee, music (I arrange my playlists by colour – because I am a total colour nerd) and incense. Then I’m good to start creating!• Which artists, contemporary or otherwise, inspire or have influenced you?Growing up I was fortunate to have a grandmother who really loved the artist. She would gift me giant books of impressionistic masters (Monet, Renoir, Cézanne…) full of brush-stroky fields, graceful figures, and pastel colors.  I soaked them up!  In high school I became very interested in work with more contrast, less romance.  I love(d) Edward Hopper and Van Gogh and Andrew Wyeth to name a couple.• You have two beautiful daughters-how do you balance life as a working artist with motherhood / how do you combine the two? (I ask this one because I have a 3 yr old son who is always desperate to make things with me when I’m crafting or styling, but because this is my work I’m reluctant to let him get involved. I’d love to know how you manage it. Geez, I sound like a bad mum!)  -- no you do not!!!!So you understand my strangely organized days a little better, here is a mini-schedule.8:30-11:00: Get ready to leave for the studio, make lunches, reply to emails, do laundry, dress the girls, garden a bit…  all while my girls run around upstairs playing and getting out as much energy as possible.12:00: Go to the studio where we all eat lunch.  Then the girls do school work, watercolour paint, colour, play…and I paint in total quiet bliss (ha!! I wish).6:00: Go home, make dinner, go out for a walk or relax together.  9:00: Girls in bed.  10:00pm -2am: Work, work, work (with coffee, ice cream, TV, and my man).I’m learning (the hard way) that life as a full time artist / full time mother is all about communication and sharing. I have to share my time, art supplies, physical space, and mental space (sanity at times) and in return, they share their time and space with me. Feeling like they belong helps them respect my space as well. And knowing that they have my attention when needed helps them to not “act out” (as often.)Talking to my girls like adults – telling them our plans, asking for their input, listening… allows them to cooperate and to feel valued in my daily life.• Are there any particular colour palettes or combinations that you’re absolutely obsessed with or can’t move away from right now?I do many, many commissions and people really love teal, grey, and green (and so do I!!)  but I am also loving this lovely shade of purple-cream-crimson that I sneak in as often as possible. Which is totally weird for me as I usually shy away from purples altogether.• What advice would you give to someone who is looking to buy or collect art for their home? The beautiful thing about artwork is that it is not only valuable but it enhances any space more than any other decoration. I would strongly recommend buying an original piece of artwork from an artist you enjoy rather than a reproduction, budget allowing of course. The impact that an original piece of artwork has in a space cannot be matched by a print.Look at a lot of art – in person if possible! And find a piece of artwork that really speaks to you and that you will enjoy living with in your space.I love the idea that the evolution – the life – of the painting lives on as the collector lives with it, spending their days with it and spending time thinking about it.Look for a painting that not only matches your home and your style, but one that will enamour your imagination.

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|1| 'Make My Getaway |2| 'To The Stillness' |3| 'From The Valley'

Emily has very kindly offered three of her 5x7 prints as a giveaway for three lucky winners! Each piece is printed onto fine art quality printing canvas, which feels like the real thing and would look beautiful framed anywhere in the house, especially as part of a gallery wall collection. Have you fallen in love with them yet?To Enter Via Twitter: Tweet '@TiffGrantRiley & @Emily_Jeffords and say hello with the hashtag #emilyjeffordsgiveaway'To Enter Via Instagram: Regram the Emily Jeffords image on my IG (tiff_grant_riley) with the hashtag #emilyjeffordsgiveawayYou can tweet or IG as many times as you wish to increase your chances (only once a day though please!)Entry closes at midnight on July 18th 2014.Good Luck! And if you can't wait that long, I also stock her in the 'Curated Art' section of my Curate & Display Great.ly boutique. What's your favourite?

Gardening Trends from GROWLondon

Over the weekend I was lucky enough to be invited to the brand new GROWLondon Contemporary Garden Fair by my new friends at Beefayre (you might remember that I used their beautiful soaps as favours here).The fair approached gardening as the name suggests from a contemporary angle, being much more design led than stalwarts like Chelsea, turning new gardeners on to the idea of nurturing a space of their own-be it a pot on the windowsill or a couple of acres. Aptly based on Hampstead Heath and very much a boutique experience with a fantastic collection of exhibitors, I took my mum along for the experience. Take a look at some of the trends I discovered as well as a few personal favourites...An Exotic Wilderness at Burford Garden CompanyBurford Garden Company based in the Cotswolds brought down their sweet little vintage Citroen as the centrepiece of their vibrantly wild display of planting. Using a scheme predominantly of white hydrangeas, garden roses and lush ferns, interspersed with hot yellows, and purple lavender, they created an exotic wilderness.In one corner, a Moroccan riad awaited you, the walls adorned with handwoven textiles and maps, weathered metal lanterns, the greenest of succulents and miniature citrus trees (I had to bring one home with me!)Verdant Houseplants by Judy Green's Garden StoreLocal Hampstead garden boutique Judy Green's Garden Store focused on succulents and had the best selection of pots to show them off in. I loved these sweet little glass tube vases and the delicate ceramic bowls with colourful glazes.Buzzing About BeefayreThe most fragrant stand by far was organic beauty and home brand, Beefayre. Champion for the bees, nurturing hives on their own specially cultivated land, the team produce organic products made from beeswax and essentials oils. Artist and founder Sharon Jervis creates all the botanical artwork for their branding and packaging and her son Sam is a beekeeper and fountain of knowledge on bees -check out his credentials, they're impressive!TIP: Plant flowers in purples and mauves to attract bees, these colours are also of the most nutritional value.The strongest trend I saw in full effect was the abundance of free and relaxed planting schemes and insect friendly wildflowers. No room for stuffy 70s style local council gardening here. Any container can become a space to plant and any space can be worthy of a small garden. Which brings me on to the sexy succulent...Contemporary Terrariums for Succulents & Air PlantsAs my quest continues to build my urban jungle, I was so pleased to see succulents, air plants and terrariums holding their own. Yes! You can find beautifully made terrariums by specialists in the UK now!I got talking to Tom of The Urban Botanist, a new company he started up with his sister after she discovered the exciting new world of terrariums whilst out in Canada. There are several terrarium collections to choose from in various sizes with the Skyline bauble being the most versatile in that you can hang it-perfect for space saving. The black rimmed geometric Aztec designs really caught my attention though. I'd love to have one somewhere I could guarantee little fingers wouldn't break it. One day...I found these air plants utterly fascinating-they have no root system and take their nutrients from the air and a spritz of water once every few weeks, so you can sit them anywhere!Samson & Fox My final favourite caused me to practically leap across the room to get to it. The FlatJack Chair by Samson and Fox. Just look at it. Machined from a single sheet of Baltic birch plywood and stained and lacquered-see how it folds flat and can adjust reclining angles? It's a modern interpretation on a classic design and a thing of beauty. The multifunctional seat also becomes a table when you place a piece of ply across the top. It's too perfect. I have to have them.A huge congratulations to the GROWLondon team for a brilliant first year, I hope the next will be just as successful! And thank you to the Beefayre team for inviting me along to meet you.I'll finish with a very fitting quote I heard at a talk from garden and landscape designer, James Alexander-Sinclair who said:"The thing about gardening is there are no rules. The point of it is to make you happy." I couldn't agree more...

Outdoor Living / Summer Blue Accessories

Good morning! I'm slightly reluctant to peek through the curtains today given that the sun has been a little shy these past few days, but seeing as this month is all about outdoor living, I'm pushing ahead and being optimistic!This summer we're seeing a strong presence of beautiful, Mediterranean blues in tableware - a trend I'm really happy to see. On a balmy summer evening, what could be better than to invite our friends for a picnic in the garden and transform ourselves to the French Riviera...

 |1| Indigo platter | M&S |2| Ikat bread plate | Zara Home  |3| Jessica Lantern | John Lewis  |4| & |5| Hand-blown glasses | Howkapow  |6| Tribal Stripe Navy napkins | Great.ly  |7| Waves napkin set | LEIF |8| Blue Wick Weave blanket | Zara Home

Combine tones of blue, from deep cobalt to rich azure with interesting textures-woven throws, thick cottons and smooth glazes. My latest obsession is the humble napkin. Such a small touch makes a huge different to a tablescape and I've just started stocking Hallie Gray's striking Tribal Stripes in my Great.ly store. Aren't they stylish?

The beauty of this look is that nothing is too matchy and try-hard. It's an effortless style, don't you think? Now, pass me the mezze platter...

Frolicking On Whitstable Beach

At the weekend we took the bull by the horns, chucked the kids in the back of the car and spent a glorious day at the beach in Whitstable. The last time I'd visited was some 4 years ago now, seven months pregnant with Reuben and working on a shoot in the blazing sun, so it was so good to be back again with our little family. This was to be Tabby's first beach experience and I couldn't wait to see how she took to it.Arriving into the town and spotting the coast from the top of the hill always fills us with a sense of excitement and anticipation for fresh fish and chips, ice cream and the cool water lapping at our toes.There's just something about seaside towns isn't there? We've toyed with the idea that we'd live happily in one (don't we all when the sun is shining?) and before we landed here in Rochester we were seriously considering it, but the right house never materialised. Not to say that it won't, but for now, we're happy just being tourists. And oh my, the beach houses, the beach houses. Wouldn't you love to have a little nose inside?I loved this chic extension-the grey blue door frames and weatherboarding with a courtyard backing onto it, complete with sea views and leafy plants in the garden.The children were in their element-Reuben, fascinated by the different types of seaweed we found and Tabby with the pebbles (she really didn't enjoy the water at all!) With a section of beach completely to ourselves we were free to paddle and relax on our own-such bliss.Famous for its oysters, you're never short of finding them here. Outside The Whitstable Oyster Company was mound upon mound of empty shells. We of course had to bring some home for Reuben's collection of found treasures.As we made our way back to the car, two children sleepy from the sea air, ice cream around their mouths, we came across a mobile garden organised by the Whitstable In Bloom action group who paraded past with wheelbarrows, bicycles and trollies filled with the most beautiful miniature gardens for everyone to enjoy. Just goes to show that you don't need a huge plot of land to enjoy gardening.I hope you enjoyed our little jaunt to the sea. Do you have any plans to visit the coast soon or maybe you live by it-what's it like?

A Stylish Find / Fabrique Swedish Bakery, Hoxton

I have a gorgeous new find for you today. Absolute heaven. I walked through the door and inwardly squealed - does anyone else do that?!Fabrique is a Swedish stone oven bakery newly opened just two weeks ago originating from Stockholm, specialising in sourdough breads and other traditional Swedish delights. Everything here is lovingly baked by hand using traditional methods to give their customers insight into what "real bread" should taste like when allowed to develop in its own time, away from accelerated methods used by supermarkets.The bakery is subtly tucked away inside a railway arch just yards from Hoxton station (it's sign-posted directly outside the station at the back of the Geffrye Museum). Once inside, you're hit with the smell of warm, sweet spices-cinnamon and cardamom and of course the sourdough loaves of which an abundance awaits to greet you on display.The overall space has a light and airy feel in true Swedish fashion. It's furnished deliberately sparsely making a feature from the industrial surroundings of exposed brick walls, corrugated iron roofing and concrete flooring. I loved the delicate little touches that softened the hard, industrial edge too-soft pink and lilac plates and cut glass beakers. Beautiful. It's all about the bread here, and hot damn it's good. Love the Fabrique look as much as I do? I've pulled together four items to inspire you to recreate your own industrial bakery in the kitchen. Look for organic materials-iron, steel and untreated wood and combine with soft pinks, charcoal grey and bright white. It's fresh, on trend and creates a statement without clutter and fuss.

1. Sula Reclaimed Stool | Nkuku
2. Spun reflector | Davey Lighting
3. Solid pink organic shaped lunch plate | Rice
4. Koda Tumbler | Zara Home

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A Bloomin' Beautiful Workshop At West Elm!

I'm taking more of a less-chat-more-visual tact today seeing as it's Friday and I wanted to share with you some snaps from my drop-in workshop I held at West Elm London a couple of weekends ago. With a hectic week in the run up spent cutting templates, petals and stamens I thought I might actually drown under a mountain of crepe, but I couldn't wait to see what my "students" would pull out of the bag...Armed with my kit full of beautiful paper and all the necessary accoutrements I spent a relaxed day teaching a fantastic group of mostly women (bar Hugh the barista who was rather gifted with his paper skills) the basics of crafting and creating flowers. We worked with a stock of sculptural florist's crepe and the slightly more delicate doublette paper which gives a beautiful, real look. Excuse the photos-they're all straight off my iPhone with no editing but the bright lighting in the store made the colours pop, and I liked that!So, with a cup of coffee in hand, we set to work stretching, twisting, binding, fringing and cupping our papers, working them to life in an explosion of gorgeous colour. You could also paint your petals or add in a smattering of glitter...Even the most timid of participants found their confidence and, with a little practice had the basics down in no time and everyone went home with something they'd made themselves. I hope they were inspired to go out and make some of their own later on too! Thank you to everyone who took the time to learn something new and show their support, especially Jeska Herne at Lobster & Swan (and my star pupil, her good friend Judith!) Julieta Lucca, a few very good friends and...my mum who came to surprise me-see what she made in the photo above.Oh, and the team at West Elm of course-you are the perfect hosts, as always!I'm thinking of running another one a little later in the year-I have plenty of left over paper! Do you think you'd like to come along if I did?.

Paper Flower Workshop With West Elm!

So...are you free on Saturday 12th of April? I'm hosting a free paper flower making workshop with the West Elm London team. Fancy learning how to make your own? You do?! Great!It'll be a relaxed afternoon in the Market Place (where you can grab a coffee or two at the same time) and I'll show you the basics of flower making with a simple five petal bloom for you to customise. You'll come away knowing all about crepe paper, how to sculpt it, gather and wrap your petals and stems as well as how to style and put your own personal touches on them.They're on trend for weddings and party decor, make gorgeous little accessories to wear and make perfect keep-forever gifts. Stop by between 11am and 4pm and make as many as you like.The Details:When? Saturday 12th April 2014, 11am-4pmWhere? West Elm, 209 Tottenham Court Rd, London, W1T 7PNRSVP: The West Elm Facebook page.See you there! x.