Introducing Lisa Bengtsson

The last few months have seen my tastes in interiors alter quite dramatically. Ordinarily a vintage lover with lots of floral patterns, I have surprised myself as I have come to love contemporary interiors. Also, having found blogs such as A Merry Mishap and Weekday Carnival, I am beginning to love modern design more and more. So when I came across Swedish illustrator Lisa Bengtsson, I instantly fell in love with her work. Not only are her prints great statement pieces for your walls, they will also put a smile on your face too.

Below are my favourite pieces from her collection, Betty and Hugo - a pair of dachshunds in a bow and bow-tie! I know, so cool.

These are part of Lisa's 'Tillsammans' collection (Swedish for 'Together') which includes four other designs. You can buy these at Hus & Hem, a great on-line store selling Scandinavian gifts, textiles and furnishings.

{Images: Lisa Bengtsson via Hus & Hem}

Introducing OYOY

Hello, hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to NYE! I've had a great break, but must say I'm glad to be back blogging again :-)

Today I want to share with you a new Danish store called OYOY. The recently-established store has a wonderful mix of Scandinavian and Japanese-inspired homewares and I think you are going to love it.

The company takes its name from the letters OY which are written on every Danish aeroplane. These letters are well-known in Denmark to signify Danish nationality, which is why it was chosen. OYOY's vision is to create fun, innovative products that focus on form, function and colour. This philosophy can be seen in all their products, which includes textiles, storage and accessories. Here are a few of my favourite pieces from the collection.

I love the mix of natural beech with bright colour - especially in the Tippetop Candleholders above. Another favourite is the Honeycomb Bedlinen, an item that I will be buying in the new year. I've only shown a small selection of what's available, so if this has tickled your fancy, head over to their on-line site. There's more cushions, tea towels, storage boxes, placemats, hooks and even a cute Christmas Elf... Happy Shopping!

{Images: OYOY}

Pretty Pegs

In an ideal world I'm sure we'd all like to own designer or bespoke furniture. However, for most of the time, we have to make do with what the high street or Ikea has to offer. Don't get me wrong, I love Ikea - I think the way they offer great design for a reasonable price is fantastic - but sometimes it's nice to own something that no-one else has got. So when I came across Swedish accessories company Pretty Pegs who make add-on legs for Ikea sofas and beds, I was quite ecstatic. The little add-on legs add a nice bespoke feel to your existing furniture and can make a mass-produced piece feel a lot more you. They come in lots of different shapes and colours from natural ash to acid yellow so there's bound to be something that suits both you and your décor style.

Above is just a selection of the different shapes and colours on offer from the pink bobble 'Siri' (for the sofa) to the yellow-dipped 'Carl' (for beds). The pegs are predominantly made for Ikea furniture, but they can fit other brands, just check the product information on-line.

Here's how the 'Estelle', with brass tips, look on a simple bed. I like the mid-century feel the pegs create.

And here's the 'Dagmar' in black on a sofa.

I know these pegs aren't going to magically transform your Ektorp sofa into an Ercol studio couch, but they will make it make it feel a lot more unique and personal. What do you think?

{Images: Pretty Pegs}

Kaleido

I love these new Kaleido trays from Danish design store Hay. Brightly coloured and geometrically shaped, they are the perfect home accessory. I can see them as a centre piece on a coffee table, maybe filling them up with those bits and pieces that just end up as clutter - sweets, pens, loose change. What do you think?

There are five differently shaped trays in the collection, but they are all sold separately and come in lots of different colours so you can mix and match to suit your tastes. A great piece of design that's practical too.

{Images: Hay}

Nikki McWilliams

Scottish design seems to be undergoing a resurgence of late. Donna Wilson and Papa Stour are just two examples of how Scottish talent is becoming a major player in the design world. Designer-maker Nikki McWilliams is another name to add to that list. Based in Dundee, Nikki makes fun accessories for the home and body which all have a 'tea-time' theme. There is a fun range of cushions based on classic British biscuits, delicate art prints and cute brooches. I'm in love with the Jammy Heart cushion, not only because they were my favourite biscuits as a child, but also 'cos it's a cheery and bright design.

I've only featured the cushions on this post but here are the links if you want to view her brooches or her art prints.

{Images: Nikki McWilliams}

ON-TREND: Pink Ombré

Pink ombré is everywhere at the minute. The lovely design can be found on tablecloths, curtains, furniture, cushions, crockery and even cake! Yes, the graduated colour design has taken us by storm. Despite the intensity of the shocking-pink colour, this trend is actually very user-friendly and can be used quite subtly in a living space. I love this trend and can see it sticking around for a long time. A look that I really love, and one that is really simple to do yourself, is this wall hanging below.

I love how the simply dyed sheet looks like a piece of art. It's a very cheap to create and is easily changeable too. If you were after something a little subtler though, how about these accessories?

The storage container is from Varpunen, the wooden kitchen utensils are from Shelter Black, the cushion and curtains are from Esprit and the wicker planter is from Ikea.

What a gorgeous trend! The pretty pastel styling above is by Charlotte Love and you can see more images from this shoot on her blog. Her theme for the shoot was Pastel and Ice Cream and I think the images are LOVELY.

{Images: image one via my Pinterest boards; image three via Charlotte Love}

Fun Art

I've posted before about how much I like photographer Cassia Beck's work and these new prints only second that. There are lots of different art prints in her Society6 store, but the range that has caught my eye this time are these retro-style images with bright colour pops. 

Her work never fails to bring me joy in one way or another. Whether it be from humour (I mean, there's a bear in a party hat!) or on a more visually aesthetic level, with pretty pastel flowers swaying in the wind, I love it all.

Make sure to check out her Society6 page where you can get these prints, as well as many others, framed or on iphone cases, laptop cases and greeting cards.

{Images: Cassia Beck via Society6}

Owls by Matt Pugh

I'm a big fan of 'lived-in' homes with lots of personality and character. For me, accessories go a long way to achieve this homely look, so when I discovered designer Matt Pugh and his colourful wooden owls, I knew I wanted one for my own space. They're lovely pieces of design and also add a bit of fun to a room. The cute wooden owls are available in either oak or walnut, and the colour detailing comes in either white, pink, gold, brown, red, blue or green.

Aren't they sweet? They would look lovely perched on a bookshelf. These owls below are made from oak.

And these ones are made from the slightly darker wood, walnut.

They're £30 each, which I think is very reasonable for a piece of design made here in the UK. If you like these you can find out more about Matt and his other designs over on his website.

{Images: Matt Pugh}

Mini Moderns

If you like mid-century design then you are going to love today's post. Mini Moderns are a British homeware brand that sell everything from wallpaper, ceramics, rugs and cushions all with a distinct mid-century feel. The most popular design in the collection is the Whitby range, shown below.

The Whitby design comes on wallpaper, cushions, fabric, tea-towels and porcelain (mugs, plates, cups and cake stands) and comes in a few different colours. Another favourite is the Festival range, inspired by the Festival of Britain in 1951 when the government organised a national festival celebrating everything from design, art and technology to help revive Britain in the aftermath of war.

The whole of the Festival crockery range is fantastic so if you like the pretty tea cups and saucers above then click here for the full collection. Finally, if like me you can't resist a floral, then have a look at the pretty Alice collection. Below is the wallpaper in mustard, though if yellow isn't your thing they do it in pale blue, grey and dark grey as well.

I quite like the idea of having this sunshine yellow wallpaper in a little nook in my future house. Maybe in the office so it can brighten up my working day? What do you think?

{Images: Mini Moderns}

Inspiring Interiors: Beautiful Blues

Hi  guys, happy Monday! What are you up to today? I'm currently sat indoors hiding away from the blistering heat we have here in Germany today (32 degrees!), it's just way too warm for me and my pale freckled skin! Therefore I'm spending my afternoon doing a bit of blogging and a bit of baking, yay!

The first post on High Street Home this week is a house tour of designer Fiona Douglas' home. Fiona is the founder of Scottish textile brand Bluebellgray who specialise in printed floral textiles. Her own work is on display in her home as well as lots of blue tones, Fiona's favourite colour.

I absolutely LOVE Fiona's kitchen. The pops of colour from the chairs and artwork work so well against the aqua walls.

Fiona has painted the names of her favourite shades of blue on the stairs which I think is a great idea. A lovely focal point with a personal touch.

A colourful comfy armchair adds a cosy element to the kitchen area.

The bedroom colour scheme has been paired down slightly with the addition of plain white walls, though there are still lots of colourful accessories dotted around.

I'm not usually a fan of the colour blue but Fiona has used the colour really really well. I love how there is a lot of colour around but the space still looks really elegant and grown up. What do you think?
Most of the floral designs in these images (light shades, cushions, upholstery) are by Fiona's company Bluebellgray so if you like them head over to her website.

{Images: David Cadzow}

Street Style

I'm in no way what you'd call a 'fashion person' but I admit I do like looking at street style photography. I often think the way we dress on a day-to-day basis is way more experimental and fun than when we 'dress up' for a night out. I regularly read The Sartorialist and Topshop's tumblr page for ideas when it comes to style as I find they offer a lot of inspiration, both from the people they photograph to what they're wearing. Below are some of my favourite snaps from the Topshop site for inspiration for the coming months. I love all the black accessories from clunky boots, leather bags and polka dot tights- all 'must-haves' for me for next season.

{Images: Topshop Tumblr}

Summer Pastels

At the back of my diary lives a list I call the BIG LIST. On it are things that I like but can't afford just yet. So there are things like a Falcon enamelware bake set, an Ercol studio couch and a set of Diptyque candles amongst other things. A good thing to have, you might think, never having to worry when someone asks what you want for your birthday/Christmas etc, except that the list grows almost on a weekly basis...eek! The latest addition to the list comes in the form of a pastel-hued satchel from leather specialists, The Cambridge Satchel Company.

These new pastel satchels are available in lemon, rose pink, lavender and duck egg blue but are strictly limited edition so you'd better make up your mind sharpish about which one you want! It's 100% the rose pink for me but I have a bit of a thing for lavender as well at the minute since buying this pretty Topshop nail polish. Click here to view the full pastel collection.

If you live around the Cambridge area, Cambridge Satchel Co. are having a Clearance Sale this Saturday and Sunday (11th & 12th August) at the Guild Hall so it might be worth popping down to grab a bargain. If not, the company are also offering free UK delivery on all satchels. For details just head over to their on-line site.

{Image: The Cambridge Satchel Co.}

Geometric Crush

The geometric trend is in full swing and I couldn't be happier. I love the pattern (and often colour) this trend brings into a living space. It really lifts a room! Below is an image I found on the fantastic blog, SF Girl By Bay, and while I adore everything about this room (the oil portrait, the mid-century-modern headboard, plump white pillows) it is the geometric throw that really gets me going. I just HAVE to have it!

However, a one-off piece like this may take years to find, so in the meantime I'm opting for one of these soft blankets from the Human Empire shop.

Don't they look just super cosy? The blankets are 100% wool and come in all the pretty colours shown above. You can find Human Empire on-line here where there are lots of other contemporary accessories for your home. Be sure to check out these coasters if the geometric bug has got you too!

{Images: SF Girl By Bay; Human Empire}