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}

English Romantic

I've been a fan of independent homeware and textile store Chocolate Creative for over a year now and love the graphic prints and bright colours they sell. However, when I took a look at the new English Romantic collection I was completely blown away. The collection, though small - only cushions and door knobs at the minute - is truly stunning. The products feature serene and typically English scenes such as woodlands and lakes, but still retain a modern feel. Here are a few images of the new pieces, I hope you like them as much as I do.

One of these cushions would look great scattered amongst lots of plain ones on a sofa. From left the designs are: Blue Lake, Red Lake, Vintage Beach and Woodlands. I love the colours in the Blue Lake design, so pretty!

Now for the door knobs.

Don't they look great against a dark charcoal background? Thank you Chocolate Creative, what a stunning collection!

{Images: Chocolate Creative}

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}

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}

ON TREND: Kilim

My, it has been a while since I was last here! Thank you all so much for sticking around, it's so nice to know you are all still here. The OH and I have been looking for our new home and it's taking up every free second that we have! Exhausting work, but hopefully it will all be worth it in the end and I'll be able to share our new pad with you! But back to business and today I want to share with you the latest trend in interior decoration, and one that I like a LOT: the kilim.

Kilims, pile-less woven rugs, have been used in households in the Middle East and southern Europe for centuries. Now, these beautiful textiles seem to be the latest 'must-have' in western interiors. Not only are they great for adding a splash of colour and texture to a room, they are also really versatile and can fit in almost any room in the house. The photo below is of Refinery29's office space.

The mixed-matched cushions look fantastic together don't they?

Kilims also look great in the home environment and this highly decorative rug below adds interest to a fairly plain room.

Again, in this hallway below, the kilim rug just completely makes the room. It's also a lovely neutral version compared to the red, burgundy and maroons ones we are used to seeing.

The kilim also works in the kitchen environment, an area that is normally a no-go area for rugs and textiles. This beautiful white, industrial-style kitchen instantly feels more homely with the addition of the rug. It brings a bit of softness to a harsh colour palette.

Kilims even work outside and can help create a cosy little snug in a conservatory or porch area, as seen in the photo on the left. Also, an original idea I came across on Design*Sponge this week was to use a beautiful rug as a tablecloth and this kilim looks GORGEOUS as a table-runner for a little al-fresco dining.

Owning an original kilim will set you back a good few hundred pounds and should be bought from specialists in this craft. However Anthropologie do a great selection of decorative rugs if you want the look for less.

1. Vilcanota rug, Anthropologie; 2. Agadir twist rug, Anthropologie.

Kilim cushions are more readily available than the rugs and this selection below, along with a whole lot more, can be found on Etsy.

1. Turkish kilim cushion cover, Etsy; 2. Handwoven cushion cover, Etsy; 3. Turkish Anadolu cushion cover, Etsy; 4. Handwoven cushion cover, Etsy.

{Images: Design*Sponge; Apartment Therapy; Pinterest: Poppytalk; Style Files; Design*Sponge, Anthropologie; Etsy}

Christmas Wish List No.4

Those of you who are regular readers will know I love a good cushion, so my Christmas Wish List would not be complete without one! This year it's this adorable bunny that has caught my eye.

Such a sweet and simple design. It would look as good sitting by itself on a favourite chair or as part of a selection on a sofa. It's from quirky on-line retailer Belle & Boo which you MUST check out- there are so many cute pieces available. It's £43 and is filled with luxurious duck feather. Mmm, cosy!

{Image: Belle & Boo}

Ferm Living Autumn/Winter 2011

Our favourite Scandi brand have finally unveiled their A/W collection, and it's LOVELY.

The Danish company photographed their products in the forest creating a beautiful and natural setting. Here's what they had to say about why they chose this location:
''The raw nature was the perfect backdrop for our universe of strong graphic lines and honest materials like wood, wool, organic cotton, leather, cork and paper.'' (Ferm Living 2011)

The collection has some new elements and some revamped classics. The signature harlequin print is back and it's darker tones make for some striking pieces. Look at that 'Spear' wallpaper below. It creates such a statement wall.

Their wall stickers are also back with some fun new designs. Although these always tread a fine line between cool and tacky for me, Ferm Living always seem to get it just right. The rain cloud is a lot of fun and children will love it. Best of all, you can just peel it off the wall when you are ready for a change again!

Well, it wouldn't be a High Street Home post if I didn't mention the cushions would it? And these new pieces are just lovely with the subtle mixture of graphic prints. I can see them lazily scattered on a bed. Overall, what a lovely collection. The mauves, deep pinks and greys create a moody atmosphere, perfect for the approaching season. Makes me want to reach for my blanket and Ovaltine.

{All images: Ferm Living}

9 of the Best... Cushions

Being spurred on from winning three Laura Ashley cushions today (I know, how exciting!), I have put together my picks of the best cushions around at the minute. Those of you who are regular readers of my blog will know that I love a good cushion so it has taken me a very long time to whittle it down to just nine, so I hope you like my selections! If not, I'm sure a cushion or two may feature in future posts!

1. Lemon cushion, Jonathan Adler
2. Sanderson 150th Anniversary Advert cushion, John Lewis
3. Vintage Floral cushion, Marks & Spencer
4. Owl cushion by Donna Wilson for John Lewis
5. Pink Seaweed cushion, Natural History
6. Poivre Noir cushion, H & M
7. Skull and Crossbones, John Lewis
8. Bad Egg cushion by Craig Fellows for Not on the High Street
9. Sunlight Through Leaves cushion, Ella Doran

Wow, that took a LOT of condensing; I could have easily featured about 50 cushions here! Though I must admit I had a lot of fun researching!
I do think cushions are a great tool for updating your space, at such a low cost and low effort too. They can completely alter the feel of a room. They can add humour, add femininity, add warmth or create a certain edgy-ness to your space. For example the skull and crossbones may look a bit severe on its own, but pared with a white sofa and maybe a pale pink throw it adds a much needed darker feel. And vise-versa, a floral cushion will look great in a minimalist room.

For those of you who are interested in which Laura Ashley cushions I won today, click here. I won them through the blog Style Made Simple, which is running another competition soon so keep checking for updates!

I do hope you like my top picks, would love to know if you have any favourites!

Mothers' Day

Eeek! Mothers' day is just around the corner, how did that happen? If you haven't got time to hit the shops before Sunday 3rd April, read on as I've done all the hard work for you! Here are some gift ideas that hopefully she'll love.

Trusty Emma Bridgewater have some lovely mugs on offer.

Elsewhere, here's my pick of the best gifts available on the high street and on-line. Ranging from cute, low-cost tote bags to luxury scented candles.

You can find the lovely lettered bags here, along with the rest of their collection. Keep an eye out for their vintage-style clasp purses too. Try your Smythson store for the latest diaries and notepads or at their website here. Cath Kidston's Stitch! can be found on her website, or at Amazon. The Diptyque candles (which smell divine by the way, you'll have to try one to see what I mean!) can be found here. And finally the pretty Orla Kiely cushions are available on their website here- take a quick look if you have a spare few minutes as they've got some new kitchenware which is fantastic.

If you're still stumped for ideas (or have missed the last postage date!), why not bake a cake? Cath Kidston have some lovely cake tins you could put it in too. Happy shopping guys!

Emily Peacock Cushions

Hands up who loved Kirstie's Homemade Home? I know I did! A real highpoint of the series for me was discovering textile designer Emily Peacock and her beautifully ornate cushion range. Emily sells her ware as needlework kits which you stitch yourself at home. The kits cost £54.99 for the small size and come with everything you need to guide you through the process, with the end result being a beautiful cushion you made all by yourself (well, sort of). Be warned though the kits only contain the materials needed for the front design-you'll need to buy the cushion padding, backing fabric and pom pom trim yourself.

If cross stitch isn't your cup of tea, I've just discovered these similar cushions launched in Marks and Spencer's Vintage Floral range. No needles required! These cushions are great pick-me-ups for a tired sofa or bed, and are less than £30 each.

Home Cushion £25 from Marks and Spencer

Love Cushion £29.50 from Marks and Spencer

Whilst browsing Emily's website I also uncovered these lovely circus-inspired lettered cushions which I just had to show you as they are just so COOL. What do you reckon?

Check out Emily Peacock's full textile range here which will take you to her website. On here you'll also see work from her recent collaboration with artist Rob Ryan.