Milan Interior Highlights / Mater Design
Last week the design world was abuzz with news from the Salone del Mobile Milano, an international furniture fair held in Milan and the only place to be for aficionados. Those attending the show kept us on tenterhooks between gelatos and leisurely lunches over Instagram with snap shots from the most revered and celebrated designers all over the world. Whilst I couldn't make it (too busy washing my hair) I instead put together my own highlights from the show.Kicking off with Danish brand Mater Design founded in 2006 by Henrik Marstrand, this design house collaborates with fresh, up and coming designers producing simple, understated pieces with the environment at its core. Mater Design work with certified wood and sustainable materials, supporting people and local craft traditions, believing in the importance of leaving as little impact on the environment as possible.My eye was drawn to the muted tones and organic shapes, so simple yet hold their own as contemporary, stand out pieces. The styling made me want to reach out and touch everything, particularly the Tehor lamp (below) made from alder wood and blown glass, created by Finnish designer Maija Puoskari.Cloudy Chair
Sirka Sideboard
Terhor Lamp
Photography © Mater Design
Camerich Contemporary Sofas
Well designed contemporary sofas are not the easiest thing to come by on the high street. You might find something with clean lines and stylish looking fabric but they've forgotten the attention to detail in the legs, or the durability is lacking which we discovered after we bought ours. If I could take back our current sofa (a soft and shapeless corner group) and swap it for one of my picks from the Camerich collection, I'd do it in a heartbeat!What I love about this collection is that there's a large choice of styles to suit most spaces, giving the option to build your own design from several variations, be it two seater to a more substantial corner. Although I've got a soft spot for soft pink fabrics at the moment, I think the darker shades of grey are the best bet for upholstery; they're less likely to show wear or date over time and in my opinion suit the more minimal, contemporary interiors. That said, the collection boasts over 100 different fabrics including leather to choose from so if the darker colours don't appeal then it should be easy enough to find something to suit your own palette at home.The cushions are also down feather filled so they'll keep a sense of shape and support to them, unlike some of the foam only sofa designs which like ours was completely unsupportive after only a few weeks. No sofa should need more time spent plumping it than relaxing on it!My absolute favourite is the Alison Plus (above) in the black/blue for its clean lines and slim legs. The fact you can see the floor underneath will make your room feel more spacious too.The Crescent Corner 
The Jane Chaise Ottoman
Ultimately, any sofa you choose needs to stand up to the rigours of every day life and whilst some styles would leave me holding my breath for fear of marking them, the Camerich collection looks a solid contender for any home.Do you have a favourite?
**Written in collaboration with Camerich
Photography © Camerich
Still Life Study in Soft Pink
It's not often I get to play with still life compositions at home in my free time - mostly it's very focused under pressure for work so it was really freeing to just mess about - off-the-cuff moments like these can come together beautifully...if I do say so myself! Please excuse the recent radio silence, it's been a busy few weeks for shoots, school holidays and the blog is about to under-go a refurb. Quite a lot of plate juggling is going on here!I'd had it in mind to do some styling around soft pink and a clean palette of off-white, something natural and restful, you know? So last week I'd had a home shoot to work on and Thanda homeware very kindly loaned me some of their ceramics to style in the home owner's kitchen. I love the organic quality of these slightly wobbly bowls. They're hand thrown in South Africa made by ceramicists in townships and I was lucky enough to style these for their website last year. My local florist is also brilliant for finding some of the more obscure flowers and plants I manage to dig out from the depth of Pinterest and she managed to get hold of these Gossypium for me (cotton flower). Moral of the story? Make friends with your florist!I went with Petal Pink from the new Valspar Pantone collection, partly because the barely-there pink was just the right amount of subtle for me, and also because in my opinion Valspar kicks arse in the paint stakes. And I'm not even being paid to say that, it's just my opinion. Drawing from the sculptural shapes of the cotton flower, I brought in garlic heads and mushrooms to focus on their shapes and textures. What do you think? 
I really need to make more time for still life styling, it's actually really relaxing. Do you find your some of greatest ideas when you're able to play around more too?Ceramics - Thanda | Oatmeal Linen apron on table - Enrich & Endure | Paint - ValsparStyling & Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley
Hend Krichen / British Made Tableware
I make no apologies if it's looking like this blog is turning into a celebration of British ceramics right now. Because you need to see these. And because in my line of work, they're some of the most important pieces to invest in - wouldn't I love to add these to my collection!I recently discovered the work of London based, Tunisian born designer Hend Krichen who, inspired by the blending of her cultural heritage and Bauhaus shapes has just launched the British Made tableware collection.Manufactured here in the UK at the birthplace of the British ceramics industry, Stoke-on-Trent, the collection is cast produced using raw, natural materials and left unglazed on the outer surfaces to reflect their true texture. As a designer, Krichen feels she has an obligation to contribute towards the revival of the British craft industry, and I couldn't agree with her more.
With soft blush ceramics enjoying the limelight in the world of interior trends right now, Krichen draws from her Tunisian heritage with a contemporary edge, bringing in copper metallics from her Tunisia Made range of metal topped vases. These create a beautiful partnership in combination with her tableware, designed as a mix and match collection for simple, laid back entertaining.
"It visually illustrates a harmony between the pink blush terracotta and the ever so trendy copper detail, perfectly married to reflect a melange between the old and the new, traditional and modern."
I just can't get enough of those restful tones, can you?Photography © Hend Krichen
Compagnie de Provence / VERSION ORIGINALE
The latest skincare collection 'Version Originale' from France based Compagnie de Provence has just landed in my office and I couldn't be more in love with it. In fact, it's got me yearning more than ever for a bathroom stylish enough to do them justice! Until that time however, I've styled them in a dark and moody setting with my newest paint obsession - almost black dark green. Don't they look at home in that setting? With a range of liquid soaps, solid bars, hand and body balms and 100% vegetable wax candles, the three main fragrances of Anise and Patchouli, Incense Lavender and Black Jasmine are all organic and cruelty free. I want to steep myself in the Anise Patchouli which would make the perfect unisex fragrance with its subtle hint of warm spice. So Compagnie, if you're listening...Unlike its more colourful counterparts, the VO collection comes in smooth amber glass bottles inspired by sea softened sea glass and easy to carry in your bag tubes in equally gorgeous colour palettes. Oui, oui, oui.
Selection of toiletries - Compagnie de Provence (gifted) | Paint colour - Valley Forge, Valspar | Black vase - Lyngby Porcelain | Green vase - House Doctor
Styling & Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley
A Nina+Co Coffee Break
With busy work schedules between us and daily family life buzzing away we've both learned to grab the odd coffee break together during the week. Sometimes it's stood in the kitchen having a quick catch-up, others we might manage it at the table, but it's always stove top and in our favourite beakers. Learning to embrace slow living isn't about lounging around in bed all day (although hello, yes please...) it's about actively putting time aside to do the things you love. For us, that's making coffee, the ritual of grinding the beans (we buy small batches from Pact) building up the Stove Top, warming through the milk, drinking in the smell of the coffee as it pulls through. It's only a small thing, but it matters to us.Over the weekend, I baked us a batch of fresh cardamom buns and busted out our beautiful Nina+Co espresso cups from her new Breakfast Collection. Made in collaboration with designer-maker studio The Ceramicists, the collection which includes bowls, plates and larger mugs is designed in a gloriously tactile matte black ceramic, part glazed in white leaving a subtle contrast in texture. Very hard to put down. The shape of the handle is unusual too, don't you think?Nina is a multi-disciplinary designer, with a grounding in hotel and restaurant design, she also works on community based projects such as a new cafe due to open at Centrepoint, the charity for homelessness. Sustainability is high on her list of considerations using natural materials whether it's for a piece of furniture or a public space.
Ready to take your coffee break to the next level? I've put together a collection of accessories from my shop, from brewers to magazines. Enjoy...
Find Nina+Co ceramics to purchase direct here.
Photography & Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley
A Minimal Minute / Finding Minimalism
Well, if I've done nothing else this week, it's introduce new series and I'm really excited about this one, 'A Minimal Minute', as I've started it in collaboration with my good friend Ilaria Fatone. We met in Munich during the book launch last September (Ilaria's home is also featured) and we hit it off, discovering our common ground in minimalism and slow living and although we live miles apart (Ilaria is in France) we try and make the effort to catch up over Skype every couple of weeks. In fact, we're speaking together at The Hive conference in Dublin this April about our own experiences of minimalism and slow living, beyond interior style and aspirational Instagram photos, but actually in terms of how we live around it, how we practice it and how we want to inspire others to do the same. So we thought it'd be a great exercise to use this topic and share some of our insights on our blogs together, posting once a month. You can find out how you can get involved with us at the end of the post. It's a long one today-I'm not known for my shorts posts now, am I?So, starting at the beginning, this month's 'A Minimal Minute' is really an introduction to how we both found our way to minimalism...
Although I love the minimal aesthetic, I don't think I truly grasped the positive effect it can have on your state of mind until we moved in here from our much smaller home three years ago. It was a like a rabbit hutch, we'd outgrown it and, as I started packing I realised just how much "stuff" we had hiding away that we'd forgotten about. I won't go into it but the three boxes of back issues of Vogue magazine, seven years worth of old bank statements and random bits of broke jewellery were the tip of the iceberg! It made complete sense to have a really good purge before we moved into the new place and again as we unpacked and were really glad of it.
Moving In, Clearing Out
Suddenly we went from having no space and loads of "stuff" to more space and, in comparison, very few things. Our initial reaction was to make plans to fill up the space again - because that makes the most sense, right? But after spending a few months just enjoying the sense of space, the lack of furniture everywhere and shelving crammed full of things, we decided to continue living only with what we absolutely loved and made use of regularly. The impact it has on our daily lives, particularly as we both work from home has been enormous, to know that we have that physical and mental space, even though we struggle to stay on top of the ever-expanding number of toys the children have to play with. I think you just have to be realistic about how far you're willing to go with it. As much as the pristine, spacious Scandinavian style houses with barely a thing in each room are incredibly seductive for me, we are a family, so we're never going to be spotless. I need to make a creative mess whilst I'm working on client briefs too and usually that means piles of magazines and books on and around my desk, paper cuttings stuck to the walls in my office and if I'm shooting at home then entire rooms get turned upside down for a day or so in the interests of getting the job done. Everything returns to how it was eventually though, it's important to be able to feel that I can start a new project afresh.
Minimal Budget
Out of necessity, as a family minimalism extends far beyond how we use our space and into how and where we spend our money. The daily grind as freelancers means we need to be more creative with our income - we don't go on holidays very often so we use our weekends to focus on quality family time on local days out, we buy only what we need and don't have debts to contend with which in itself is liberating. I just don't feel comfortable being a full-on "consumer" anymore in the way that I was in my student days where I would sign up for any card going. Wow. At the very least I need to know where what I'm buying has come from and if I'm supporting an industry in a positive way. At its very core, it's a stripped back way of life, focused more on finding meaning in every day experiences and we want our children to grow up with that understanding too.Gosh, I make it all sound very serious, but honestly, it's not! I wasn't always a minimalist (you'd laugh if you saw how I used to be) I'm certainly not obsessively tidy (I don't plan to read Marie Kondo's book either-who actually does that with their socks?) but I'm very glad of the perspective it has given us in moving here.
Join Us
How does minimalism make you feel? Are you considering exploring it further or perhaps already are? We'd love for you to get involved with our topic which you'll find out more about below. Make sure you hop over to read more about Ilaria's perspective too...Instagram Hashtag: 'A Minimal Minute' is about sharing honest moments of minimalism in our every day lives and we'd really like to extend this series out to you. If you're on Instagram and you find a moment at home or out and about during your day and find a quiet, minimal space, piece of design or a moment, tag it with #aminimalminute and we'll share our favourites on our blogs, picking the most inspiring to feature during our talk at The Hive. Find us: @curatedisplay @un23ilaria
Photography & Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley
Slow Living Weekend 01
I'm introducing the week with a new series - Slow Living Weekend to share some of the little moments from our weekends together. Even though we see a lot of each other every day when our house is both home and office, the weekends are extra special and we try and plan something so we can switch off and appreciate where we are. So here's the first.We drove out to the Isle of Grain on Sunday, us, the kids and my brother who was visiting. We walked along the sea wall, hunted for treasures on the shell beach and borrowed other peoples dogs for a minute or two as they stopped to bark and sniff us on their way past. This is about as far away from it all as you can get. Perfect clarity.
I'd like more moments like these this year, where my mind isn't always racing and thinking about what I've got to do next. I was talking about January with a friend of mine recently and how, even with the best of intentions, somehow it's really hard to get started after the buzz and excitement of the New Year celebrations. Logically for most of us it's when we turn our attentions to making new plans and, maybe through a prosecco fuelled haze it can seem like the year ahead is going to be one wonderful roller coaster. But, she said, what if we actually just used this month to quietly recover, hibernate, reflect and use it as an interlude to work out what it is that we need from ourselves, to be kinder to ourselves instead of beating ourselves up with resolutions. And I loved that.So this is my January. No pressure. No expectation. I don't have to be doing everything all at once, just one thing at a time with all my focus. Sounds a much better approach, don't you think?
Photos taken on my iphone.
The Chickenshed / Minimalist Holiday Home
When we go away we always do the self-catering thing so that we can pretend we live in the area while we're there; we like to do the every day things but in a different place and somehow that really does feel like a break, you know? And I'm picky as hell too when it comes to choosing somewhere to stay. I want to be wooed by an architectural home. I mean, I actually annoy myself when we're looking as, unless it's a serious minimalist holiday home I will end up rejecting a lot of places. Then I found The Chickenshed and sheeeeesh-it was like someone picked all the plus points out of my head and made it happen, in the Wye Valley, Monmouthshire.
Where do I start? Maybe the fact that it was once indeed a poultry shed and a derelict one at that, until owner Sue Peacock bought it at auction and transformed it into a holiday let with award winning architects Hall & Bednarczyk. Staying true to its agricultural roots, the space is largely open plan with high beamed ceilings using industrial materials such as concrete (polished) cedar wood cladding and a corrugated roof. Nothing so fancy for the chickens, but in its new form it has become a design lovers dream.
As you've probably noticed, its been lovingly furnished with pieces some of the major players in 'New Nordic' design - Hay, Muuto, Northern Lighting and combined with the work of local craftsmen such as the beautiful beds, dining table and additional furniture handmade by Barnby Design. The owners clearly have an eye for design and I love their carefully considered choices and how they've allowed each piece to breathe.Carefully zoned into living areas using furniture rather than walls, the main living space looks out onto the valley through a wall of glass doors from a cosy green sofa. Cleverly, the use of vibrant green picked out in the ceiling struts and furniture connect to the outdoors and the views beyond, so it feels much more a part of its surroundings. A sleek and stylish wood burner awaits for colder evenings and there's a spacious kitchen behind as the perfect backdrop for slow breakfasts each morning. Coffee and pancakes anyone?
The Chickenshed has room to sleep eight across four bedrooms and has all the comforts you need for a home away from home. You're booking already, aren't you?
Photography by Michael Sinclair
Instagram Highlights 2015
Today I wanted to share a few personal highlights from my year on Instagram. I know, I know, I'm really behind on all the yearly recap stuff and everyone's bored of it already, but I wanted to round things off before we forged ahead with 2016.How was your Christmas break? Mine was actually pretty stress free for once. And quiet. We went for family walks, the kids were happy to sit and do colouring at the table. I was allowed to potter around, bake, I actually picked up a book (and nearly finished it) and most importantly, I didn't really think too much about what might lie ahead, I stayed in the moment which, for me, is an achievement.
Guts Over Fear
2015 was a real milestone for my own personal development. Not to go into it too much, I went through a very tough time with my depression over the summer, which I wrote about here and reflected in my feed. The worst part came when we were away staying with family in France, and it didn't matter where I was, I just couldn't get inspired or find a happy moment. I did a lot of counselling over the following months which was intense but really helped me get through it; facing issues I tried hard to keep buried, how to be more present in the moment, let go of things I know I can't control and work towards the things I can. I can't recommend it enough, having the space to talk to someone impartial can give you the perspective you need. So it turned out that my phrase I'd chosen at start of the year, 'Guts Over Fear' was quite prophetic. Do you do that when you start a new year? I'm rubbish with resolutions, but I can keep a word or phrase in my mind to keep me on the straight and narrow.
Collaboration
If there was one thing missing from life that I'd realised during those unhappy times, it was a sense of belonging. Working as a freelancer can feel really isolating at times as you might know and even if, like me, you enjoy your own company, sometimes being a part of something bigger is important to take you out of your own bubble. So I took a deep breath and approached Annie from Style Juicer who like me works from home and has two kids almost the same age as mine. Over the coming months we talked (a lot) and in November co-founded and launched our very first Function+Form gathering; an offline community connecting like-minded design and interiors lovers together over food and handcrafted design. The event took place at the new Forge & Co cafe inside London's Heal's with the help of our brilliant sponsors (also mothers of two) AtMine and we spent the morning hearing the stories of makers Jono Smart and Enrich & Endure. And there will be more, in fact, we are in the early stages of planning our Spring and Summer events, so if you'd like to join us as a designer or member of our community, get in touch with us!
Travel
It was a year of firsts. Thanks to a brilliant friend, I had the opportunity to be published in a beautiful collaborative interiors book by Callwey and joined 14 other European interiors bloggers in Munich in September when the book was launched. A whirlwind two night trip, I met some wonderful new friends (some of whom I'm collaborating with this year) and explored some of the city of Munich. I'm more than ashamed to admit that as yet I still haven't featured the book here (what?!) although I covered our tour of the porcelain factory, the botanical gardens and our styling afternoon with By Lassen at Room To Dream. Hang in there though, I'll be featuring it this month and giving away a copy so that you can see it in the flesh. Even if you don't read German, the photos alone are inspiring.
Babies
My not-so babies have had an amazing year between the two of them - Reuben left nursery in July (he took in bunches of sweet stocks to his teachers) started at a small village school and turned five in September. Suddenly he's a proper little boy, learning to play the guitar with his dad, writing real words and finding a passion for Roald Dahl books. Although he definitely shares my...somewhat short temper...he's such a sweet and considerate boy, I hope he doesn't change too much.
I took this of Tabby the day she came home from her last appointment with the consultant in London. She developed Plageocephaly when she was four months old, a condition of the flattening of the head caused by sleeping in the same position while the bones in her skull were still soft, so while it didn't affect her developmentally, it did mean that her head was visibly out of shape. After months of deliberation we chose for the sake of her own self-confidence for her to wear a helmet to correct it while she grew for almost a year which she had on for 23 hours a day, including at night. It didn't bother her at all and she was so brilliant with it, even if it took us time to get used to people staring. All in all it made such a difference to her and when they took it off we went to buy hair clips to celebrate!
Work It
In spring I finally got my tiny workspace finished. Sure, there were no major changes and I still haven't enough room to swing Moe-Moe, but it made such an impact on the space on a very limited budget. It's bright, clean and feels a lot larger thanks to simple storage and a fresh lick of white paint. It has since been featured on Design Sponge, Brit+Co, MADE.COM and published in the book, and if you work from home, however small your space is I can't recommend enough taking a little time to give it a refresh. You don't need to get the paint out even, just the tiniest update can make all the difference to your overall mood and productivity. Trust me.And my phrase for 2016? Well, it's not so much a phrase this time, although I'm keeping 'Guts Over Fear' with me as it's helped to push my confidence, but this year I'm using 'Focus'. If 2015 was about working out what I wanted to achieve and developing both personally and professionally, then this year is about refining and focusing that journey, continuing to embrace slow living even if the day to day stuff gets crazy and trying not to look back anymore.What were your highlights in 2015? Do you have a word or phrase for this year too?
Shop Independent / Minor Goods
Well, December is well and truly here, bringing with it a new introduction! You may have noticed the shop as a new addition to Curate & Display? I wanted it to reflect understated, minimal style that is such an intrinsic part of this blog with a focus on handcrafted homeware. As you know, I'm very passionate about supporting independent design and makers so in the run up to Christmas I'm focusing on some of the people I've selected for the shop. 
Meet Minor Goods and its founder Zoe Hannam. Having worked in the textiles industry for 18 years with the likes of French Connection, All Saints and Reiss, she knows a thing or two about good design. A girl after my own heart with a love of simple living and a clean aesthetic, the inspiration for Minor Goods came during a buying trip to Porto, Portugal where on meeting so many skilled creatives she wanted to find a way to collaborate and bring their work to the forefront. Fast forward a year on, Zoe now supports these artisans and niche brands bringing the joy of the small, every day details into our homes.
With a mix of handcrafted pieces combined with clean vintage ceramics, these accessories make every day rituals feel that little bit more special. Things you want to use as part of your routine, tactile, each with a story, something to hand down. I have two of the Scotch wild cherry wood measuring scoops, part of a collaboration with Object Company which are smooth to the touch and are a beautiful addition to our kitchen. I'm (eh hem) waxing lyrical over the new range of kitchen candles too - made to Zoe's own beeswax and rapeseed wax recipe with cardamom and black pepper, I would happily fill my home with that scent. It brings back memories of making Indian sweetmeats in mum's kitchen.
So, while I'm shopping small this Christmas, I would encourage you to do the same and support the independent shops where you can. Here's my pick of the Minor Goods collection which you can shop here too, because I'm that helpful. Is anything calling to you?
Photography © Yeshen Venema
The Scandinavian Christmas Table
At this time of year I love to indulge my romantic side-there's just something about snuggling up inside with family that brings it out in me - the smell of spiced cookies wafting from the kitchen, a warming boozy beverage in hand and candles throwing soft light up the walls. Table styling is absolutely my bag and I could spend all day playing with different combinations.Whilst I'm not keen on fuss and frills, I do like to focus on the small details which I'm sharing with you in my Scandinavian inspired Christmas table post today. In part two of my collaboration with Not On The High Street, I'm igniting your creative juices with three variations on a look to bring your Christmas table decor to life in sweet, subtle style. The palette is soft, muted and very romantic...
When you've got a last minute gathering of friends planned and you don't have time (or inclination) to go all out on the decor, here's a way to make it look like you put a whole heap of effort in with very little input. It'll take a little preparation on your part to gather your kit but will save you heaps of time in the long run.
- A linen table cloth lends your table an instant feeling of occasion. I hate ironing and don't bother pressing mine as I love the deep creases (my Grandma is probably horrified) but it's all part of the charm.
- Eclectic tableware-put out a mixture of cutlery and plates for a more informal look. I use our every day plates in a mint green mixed with white and pink and gold cutlery for a touch of luxury.
- Glassware. Nothing says "party" like vintage champagne coupes and decanters - if you're offering sparkling drinks they're a win (not so much for beer, mind!) You can usually find these in charity shops if you keep your eyes peeled and they look stunning in candle light.
- Use one large arrangement as a focal point. You could use gathered branches from the woods and hang a handful of small glass baubles from them or, as I've done display tall stems of pink or white waxflower-you'll find them easily at your local florists at this time of year.
- String up garland lighting above your table and introduce small tapered candles displayed in old bottles for some soft mood lighting. This instantly changes the atmosphere in your space and gives it a sense of intimacy.
Advent DIY
I created a quick advent candle DIY with this square brass design by House Doctor DK. Bringing in a statement colour in the teal blue which really sets off the brass, I've tied a set of printed number tags to each corner (also House Doctor), tucked in a sprig of black ivy berries from the garden and loosely filled the centre with moss. Because I can't get enough of moss. Ever. Not my usual colour palette, but I'm enjoying some of the rich blues at the moment and it sits well with the velvet cushion in my last post. I could see this working as a focal point on the Christmas table or even as a feature on our coffee table to watch flickering away in the evenings. There's something very mesmerising about fire and flame, isn't there?
Wreaths & Garlands
Once I've neatly trimmed our tree into its corner I'm always left with a bag full of off-cuttings which I use to turn into a wreath. Because we don't get our tree until closer to the 20th though, I'll go out and find some fir trees to take clippings from instead if I want to put some up earlier. Have you seen some of the more minimal wreath styles coming out on Pinterest lately? They're not completely covered, which I really like - less is more of course. So I built mine using small bunches of fir tree, tied with florists tape and attached to a medium sized embroidery hoop with copper tape. That combination of pale wood and sweet smelling pine needles is spot on and if you want to keep your table decor low-key this year then consider hanging one of these low down on your wall near your table instead.
If you love the soft, blushing pink garland in this post, it's actually a DIY avocado dyed garland I created last year. Somehow, it looks a dream against that grey linen cloth, like the calm before the chaos and excitement on Christmas morning. Oh for a quite coffee moment like this...
Are you trying something new with your table top this year? Maybe I've inspired you? I'd love to hear your plans...
Shop The Look
Green glass vase, Brighton Beautiful | Mini Taper Candles, Rowen & Wren | White handcrafted beaker, Rowen & Wren | Brass square candle stand, Brighton Beautiful | White Lovatt candlestick, Henry & Future
Photography & Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley
*This post is in collaboration with Not On The High Street.
A Natural Look For Christmas
Natural All The Way
Tonally speaking, I prefer to keep a soft and neutral palette. Whilst we have a dark and moody black wall at one of our living space, the rest is clean and white. Monochrome interiors can come across a little stark, so to warm it up a little choose your decor as natural as it comes - plenty of greenery, a jute rug, pale untreated wooden decorations, cotton and linen cushions (mine are soft pink and grey), and brown paper wrapping for gifts under the tree.
Ramp Up The Texture
It goes without saying that introducing a variety of textures into your homes helps to give your space depth and interest, but at this time of year it's like you're being given permission to go crazy. I'm doing just that with extreme chunky knits (give me all the wool) an incredibly luxurious and tactile throw designed by Lauren Aston who hand knits all her own designs, using knitting needles so enormous she had to make her own as they didn't exist to do the Merino yarn she knits with enough justice. Heavenly, don't you think? I've combined it with a mix of blankets in cream and grey and picked given it a little more depth with a navy blue velvet cushion which plays off well against the soft pink canvas cushions I brought in last year.Although I don't do shouty decor, I will always have a soft spot for metallics, so I'm mixing brass (this year's fore runner in the trend stakes) and copper to lift the look and reflect all the candles and warm lighting in the evening.
Cosy Lighting
Bust out the candles in all shapes and sizes - church candles en-masse, thin tapers, or standard sticks in soft tones (I'm using a mixture of pale pink, grey and teal this year). I'm also a real fan of 100% beeswax which purify the air as they burn and have a longer burn time than other candles, so not only do they look great, but they're better for the environment too.Small fairy and garland lights are standard too at this time of year-goes without saying, right?
Introduce The Outdoors
I have a real thing for mini fir trees at this time of year - they're ideal if you're short of space but still want the look and smell of a real tree. I picked up a beautiful Norfolk Island pine with vibrant, frondy branches to decorate with some simple wooden beads and displayed it inside a natural woven belly basket - I love that it looks barely touched. If I'm honest, if I had my own way, I'd only have a few lights on our tree and leave it at that...but then I'd probably ruin Christmas for the kids who love getting involved with decorating it!You don't need to spend a fortune on flowers and such either-at this time of year I park at the road side and pick seed heads and berries, any touches from the countryside that are fine to take. Don't forget to think about scent as another dimension to your styling too. Hanging small bunches of herbs like rosemary from the walls or your ceiling over your table not only look gorgeous but smell so too and for some reason, the "fresh from the garden", free-form look feels far more homely. Display bulbs like hyacinths in small vases of water to show the exposed roots or make a feature from one inside a cloche sitting on a bed of moss as I've done here. You can pick them up for peanuts (I bought three in a pot from my local florist for around £2.50) and they grow and flower really quickly over the Christmas season with a strong, heady scent.
So those are my tips for a natural look this Christmas, just a few easy to do touches to give your space a subtle festive feel. Next week I'm sharing part two with a few simple ideas for informal table decorations (that's my jam).How will you be styling your home for the festive season this year?
Shop The Look
Woolacombe Super Chunky Knit throw, Lauren Aston | White Dipped Belly Basket, Olli Ella | Royal Navy Velvet cushion, Posh Totty Designs Interiors | Beech Based Glass Dome, Rowen & Wren | Ceramic Bell Garland, Rowen & Wren | Side Table, Peastyle
This post is in collaboration with Not On The High Street
Photography & Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley
Made.com / Instagram Competition
I felt like ending this week on a high with a creative Instagram competition with one of my favourite interiors brands Made.com. You up for that?A couple of weeks back I had a good excuse to give my workspace a spruce up ready to be featured on Made.com's blog as part of a workspace tour and interview. Not a great deal has changed since I finished the room earlier this year which I guess is a good sign that it's doing its job and continuing to inspire me in my work. It got me thinking about what makes a certain space inspiring to us individually. It's not going to be the same formula for everyone, but there has to be some common ground - maybe it's the atmosphere, a certain combination of colours, something that kick starts the senses? We thought it would make for a really interesting topic to explore on Instagram so we put our heads together and came up with something pretty darn perfect.The CompetitionHow would you like the chance to win an oh-so handsome white and light oak Cohen table lamp, just like the one I have on my desk? And he really is gorgeous-tall, slender, well formed and adjustable-what more could you ask for in a man lamp? He'd fit in perfectly inside a home workspace, or maybe shine as a subtle feature in your living room?
To Enter:
- Take a shot of a space that inspires you. It could be your local coffee house, a museum, the woods you take your morning walk in. Anywhere that sparks your inspiration.
- Upload it to your Instagram account. Tag it with #MADEinspiredspaces, follow the @madedotcom account and tag me @curatedisplay.
Along with the Made.com team, I'll choose the most visually inspiring winner and have the Cohen lamp sent out to you (please check the small print for T&Cs).In the meantime, check out my updated tour and find out more about my approach to putting a workspace space together along with some little gems of advice for your own home projects. Happy snapping!
• Open to residents in the UK & Ireland only • Competition closes at MIDNIGHT on 30.11.15 • Winner will be notified by email by 04.12.15 • There are no cash prize alternatives and prizes are non-refundable or transferable • Made.com reserves the right to replace prizes with prizes of the equivalent value • Made.com will send the lamp directly to you • There is currently an 6-8 week wait for delivery •
This Was Function+Form 01
Last Saturday we celebrated the launch of Function+Form with our first gathering - a relaxed brunch with like-minded others at Forge & Co along with our sponsors AtMine. The location couldn't have been more fitting as an introduction to what we're about, nestled inside Heal's, a British brand who has always held the support of independent designers at its heart. The new cafe/co-working space, with its modern industrial interior, exposed brick, deep blue walls and wide warehouse windows created the feeling of warmth and hibernation - a nod towards our styling for this November morning.
Welcoming our guest speakers potter Jono Smart and linen apron designer Sarah Quinn of Enrich & Endure, we settled down on sofas and chairs to listen avidly to their creative journeys, delve into their own processes and consider what resonated from both designers; to find what you love, to simplify and live at a slower, more considered pace. It was wonderful to experience their pieces first hand, hold them and wear them.
After, we shared a hearty breakfast of pancakes, fruit and bagels and enjoyed the work of our partners Concrete Jungles and 31 Chapel Lane whose linen napkins and concrete planters looked beautiful styled on our table. Keeping it simple and cosy, we worked in potted rosemary and tall stems of eucalyptus for scent, dry seed heads picked from the roadside and soft moss and figs. The deep blue wall at one end of the table really set off the whole look and brought out the grain in our long wooden table. And the chairs. Did I mention the chairs? Check out those Kartell Masters...
It was a real "pinch me" moment to see all our plans come together and such a fantastic group of people around the table enjoying themselves, making new connections. Yes to more of those moments. We have so enjoyed the journey thus far and are already making plans for Function+Form02 in Spring 2016.
Thanks to our guests who turned out to support us on an early Saturday morning and to our brilliant partners for lending their designs to our stylings:31 Chapel LaneConcrete JunglesHole & Corner magazineJono SmartEnrich & EndureAnd to our sponsors AtMine for their support.If you'd like to join our growing community, be it through attending future gatherings, speaking as a designer/maker or perhaps as a partner or sponsor, you can get in touch with me and Annie here. We'd love to talk more with you.Follow #WeAreFunctionAndForm to see more from our community and to keep up with the latest news.
Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley
Swoon Editions / The Winner
Well, well well. It would seem you really took to the Swoon Editions moodboard competition? We'd had a very difficult yet inspiring time looking through all your fantastic entries to design your ideal room and win a piece from my edit of the Swoon collection. We had moon inspired lofts, a warm, bohemian living space with a beautiful rhyming description...believe me, the struggle was real when it came to choosing. But, we have a winner.This industrial New York apartment with a combination of raw textures; from exposed brickwork, concrete and metal with warm wood flooring and floor to ceiling windows caught my eye. I loved the introduction of the woven throws and tall green planting to make it feel more like home, peppered with a few large pieces of abstract art to break up those exposed walls. There are personal touches here, a nod to the winner's love of music which is king in our house (Rob's guitars are taking over!) I could imagine relaxing here on a weekend morning, a stack of records waiting for a spin whilst coffee brewed in that open plan kitchen. Heaven.Congratulations Michael Jobbins!Please contact me with your choice from the edit and we'll get it sent out to you.
Thanks to everyone who took part and keep your eyes peeled for another coming up soon...
Function+Form Meet Jono Smart
I strongly believe in feeling an emotional connection when it comes to choosing what you have in your home. If I fall in love with something and can't stop thinking about it, then it needs to be mine. When I stumbled upon the Instagram feed of British potter Jono Smart, I had that kind of reaction, the "oh my *********** how ridiculously beautiful are they?!" kind. So it's no surprise that our second speaker for our first Function+Form gathering this Saturday is this very man. Not only is he a complete natural at the potters wheel despite only recently discovering this talent (he used to be a professional garden designer) but he's just the loveliest man to boot. His designs are clean and raw, playing to the simple beauty of natural clay with a matt finish and muted tones...
"I work with a palette of gentle colours and tones. I feel like they give a stronger presence to each piece than decoration would. If the form doesn't stand by itself then it's the form that's wrong."
Jono's studio space can be found inside a converted Medieval barn on a large farm in rural Berkshire, where over time he has developed his own style and organically grown a business from what was initially a hobby. Are you in love yet?
"My work is for daily life. Leaving the exterior raw means that the pieces will change slowly over time, showing the marks of day to day life."
Seeing work like this makes me so, so happy. We can't wait to meet Jono in person and share his quietly brilliant work with our guests where they'll feature as part of our styling for the brunch.
To follow our morning at Forge & Co, join us on Instagram on Saturday morning with #WeAreFunctionAndForm.
Photography © Jono Smart.
Function+Form Meet Enrich & Endure
Can you believe it? We're just one week away now from our first Function+Form gathering at Forge & Co and I'm introducing the first of our two speakers who will be sharing their journey and design process with us. Supporting independent makers has slowly become a part of my work as a stylist and an important aspect of this blog, so in launching Function+Form, along with Annie we're bringing that side of our lives into a tangible being and can't wait to provide a platform for designers that we love.
Meet Sarah Quinn, one half of Enrich & Endure, a brother-sister team and designer/makers of linen aprons. Now, you know how much I love a family story, particularly when it's at the heart of handcrafted design. Based in Northern Ireland, an area rich in heritage for its linen production, Sarah and Lorcan are supporting and reviving the local industry through their beautifully made aprons, producing workwear, or "The Maker's Uniform" for many types of trades and the hospitality industry. Their ethos is simple with the combination of high quality materials, local craftsmanship and longevity using 100% Irish linen which softens and endures with time.
I've had the pleasure of spending a little time wearing one around the house and I had a hard time taking it off-it looks so strong with a crisp white shirt...Of course, they're made to be used and each design is tailored in collaboration with a cafe or craftsman in mind based on their individual needs. Some are more pocket heavy than others with each beautifully stitched in contrasting colours, solid and sturdy, finished with an embroidered Linnet bird.
We're both ridiculously happy that Sarah could join us at our gathering next week and can't wait to delve deeper into her family story, their design journey and see how much our guests warm to them as much as we have...Photography © Enrich & Endure.
Table Styling Challenge With Falcon Enamelware
Are you familiar with AtMine's #StyleAtMine challenges? Each month, along with a blogger or IGer they introduce a new topic to inspire their community to get involved with, styling vignettes in their own homes to share with the AtMine community or on Instagram and a winner is chosen to receive a prize. November's challenge is 'table setting styling' I'm particularly excited to introduce this alongside AtMine (also our sponsors for the our inaugural Function+Form gathering next month) and Joy Jaynes from Mornings Like These over in the US.
Want To Get Involved? Here's How...
In collaboration with the iconic Falcon Enamelware, we want you to share with us your creative vision for styling your own table settings. Upload your shots on your AtMine profile to the 'Table Setting' category using #StyleAtMine in the comments section or on Instagram to enter (use both to double your chances!) following @atmine and @falconenamel. At the end of the month, the winner will receive their choice from the Falcon Enamelware collection and two runners up will receive a pie dishes and tea towel gift set in Pillarbox red. You can enter worldwide, so there's no excuses-get involved!
A Warming Pumpkin Pie For A Cold Winter Day
I don't often cover recipes or food styling here, and there's a good reason for it. Although I'm an avid "foodie" outside of my work, I prefer to leave working with food in the same category as working with children and animals in that it can in some cases be a little unpredictable-or best left alone! My pumpkin pie recipe today is a prime example - I'd had it in the oven for 30 minutes before I realised our oven had stopped working! Queue a mad panic before I called up a friend across town who kindly put her oven on for me whilst my sister drove me to her house at gone 7pm with it sitting unset on my lap. There are a lot of steep hills here, so it was a challenge to keep it from spilling everywhere! I'd say it was a sure-fire sign not work with food. Ever again...This is my mother's recipe, one that we grew up with, looking forward to every year from our tiny little terraced house in Bridge Street - the pumpkins carved and waiting for Halloween and the smell of winter spices and rich pastry warming in the oven. Now it's becoming something I share with my own children who, after I shot this piece wolfed it down with a great deal of enthusiasm. Doesn't it look great in those black and white enamel plates?For The Pastry:
- 175g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1tbsp brown sugar
- 1tsp baking powder
- 75g unsalted butter
- 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 tbsp double cream
For The Filling:
- 450g pumpkin pulp
- 2 large eggs
- 75g soft brown sugar
- 4tbsp golden syrup
- 225ml whipping cream
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves.
For The Filling:
- Bake the pumpkin pieces skin side up on a baking sheet for 45 minutes at 180 degrees until tender. Allow to cool.
- Remove the pulp from the shell and blitz in a blender until smooth.
- Mix in the rest of the ingredients and set aside.
For The Pastry:
- Sift in the flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until you reach an oatmeal consistency.
- Blend the egg yolk and cream together and stir into the flour with a fork until you have a dough.
- Turn the dough onto a cool surface and kneed into a ball being careful not to over-work it.
- Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grease a 10" pie tin with a loose bottom, then roll the dough out to fit the tin and fill it with crumpled greaseproof paper weighed with rice or baking weights.
- Chill again for 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
- Blind bake your pastry for 10 minutes - 5 minutes with the weighted greaseproof paper and 5 again without.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool on a rack.
- Pour the filling into the case and bake at 180 degrees for 40 minutes until the filling sets, placing it onto a hot baking tray once out of the oven.
Serve with cream!
Thank you to Meggy for driving me across town, Rob for holding the fort while we were gone and to Marcela for her warm oven, wine on arrival and wonderful hospitality. I'm sorry I had to take the pie away...xx
Product for styling includes:
• Coal black beakers • Coal black deep plates • Pigeon grey tea towel - all Falcon Enamelware.
Photography & Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley
DIY Wooden Bead Chandelier
Winter is well and truly on its way, so let's cosy up and talk ways to warm up your home with lighting, shall we? I've even gone one step further and created a DIY wooden bead chandelier for you to drool over with the help of the brilliant Out There Interiors. You are most welcome. You can completely make or break a room based on the kind of lighting you choose and understanding how it can work for your space is important. This is a pretty in-depth subject to go into in any detail, so in this instance, I'm focusing on accent lighting as a way to add a mood or atmosphere. It's also a great way to draw attention to a certain area in your room.If like me you hate to use your main lights in your living space and prefer a softer, more intimate light, then you might like to consider introducing festoon (or garland) lighting. Years ago, it was virtually impossible to find these at a reasonable price to buy (and I had to hire them for client events) with the only option otherwise available being fairy lights. All very well, but the quality of light they gave was limited and whilst they're great at Christmas using them for the rest of the year just didn't feel right after I was no longer a student. Know what I mean? Thankfully now, they're easy to come by and although I don't like to follow trends, they're a popular accessory that's showing no signs of dropping out just yet. I love them for their versatility-whether you swag them across your ceiling or wall or choose to gather them up and hang them down the side of the wall from a statement wall hook, they just work.Layer a set or two of these up with a combination of table lamps and candles and you're on your way to a well-lit, cosy night.
If you've seen and loved the luxe wooden bead chandeliers, then this DIY is a compromise. As you know, I believe simple is best, so I've not gone crazy, but when you see how many beads goes into making this grouping of five, you'll get the idea why! The wire shades are a great blank canvas for building on to if you wanted to give them something extra-I've seen them wrapped in scraps of fabric before which looked gorgeous. I've chosen pale, untreated beads here to connect with the neutral tones in the rest of our living space and have worked in natural textures and elements as part of the styling-dried seed heads foraged from the roadside, bunches of lavender leaves and sage for subtle scent, warm cork and brown glass bottles to hold my candles. Oh, and wax flower. Because at this time of year, if I see it, I buy it.
You Will Need:
- X5 Wire lampshades - I've used white tulip shaped Paralumi by Seletti
- 10mm pale wood beads - I used close to 1,000 with X20 in each section.
- White cotton thread.
- Needle.
- Scissors.
- Festoon/garland lights.
Step One: Cut a length of thread long enough so that when you double it over it will easily run the length from the top to bottom of your shade with excess for tying off. Thread your needle with the loose ends first.Step Two: Loop your thread over the top bar of your shade, pull the needle through and tighten. Thread your beads on until you fill up the space - this took x20 for each section.Step Three: Tie off and knot the thread thoroughly and trim the ends. Continue all the way around the shade until complete.Step Four: Repeat for remaining shades, attach to your string lights and group together in a cluster. Alternatively, hang them out straight across the ceiling.
How do you work lighting into your home over winter? Are you a fan of mood lighting, or prefer a brighter feel? Got any lighting related questions you'd like to ask, feel free and I'll do my best to answer them for you...Photography & Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley*This post is in collaboration with Out There Interiors.