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.

ON TREND: Upcycling

All you green-goers out there, rejoice! The latest trend in interior decoration is upcycling and it's going down a treat. The term refers to re-inventing and updating tired objects or pieces of furniture and using it all over again. Companies such as The Old Cinema and Ghost Furniture update and re-sell vintage, retro or even scrap furniture and turn it turn it into something beautiful. Not only is it eco-friendly it also looks rather good. Here's a sample of what's on offer.

Upcycled chair and desk at Ghost Interiors

Peacock Sideboard upcycled at The Old Cinema

Shelving Unit made from US carriage seats at The Old Cinema

Also what's great about this trend is that you can have a go yourself. You can make cushion covers out of old rice sacks, create quirky shelving units out of fruit crates or upcycle old letterpress printer trays as display units. Here are a few pictures for inspiration.

Image credit: redonline.co.uk

Image credit: redonline.co.uk

Image credit: redonline.co.uk

If you fancy upcycling on a larger scale try D&A Binder for ex-medical and ex-museum cabinets that look amazing as wardrobes or sideboards. That's all for today guys, get creative and see you soon.

Oh, I do like to be beside the sea!

Imagine the scene: there's a log fire crackling away, you can hear the crashing of waves outside and the blustery wind is blowing through the beach hut; John Lewis have gone all nautical and I approve! The new collection for Spring showcases the best in rustic seaside charm and includes hurricane lanterns, glassware, anchor cushions, driftwood photo frames and lots of wicker accessories. My favourite pieces are the Bastille lamp, numbered glass jars and wooden utility draws, all of which give a nod to the trend without being gimmicky.

Head over to your nearest John Lewis store or check out their website for some sea-themed inspiration.

{Image: John Lewis}

ON LOCATION: Barcelona

With it being Valentines Day and my birthday last weekend I got to go to Barcelona for a good old city break. It must be said, the boyfriend is good to me! Whilst I was there I found Vinçon, a beautiful interiors shop specialising in quirky homewares with an industrial edge. The store is situated in Eixample, an area famed for its beautiful architecture, and this can certainly be seen from the outside.

Though on the more pricey side, especially on larger pieces of furniture, Vinçon has a great range of products from kitchenware, homeware, lighting, bedding, accessories and children's furniture as well as some novelty items. Here are some of the displays that caught my eye whilst wandering around.

Vinçon has only two stores, one in Barcelona and the other in Madrid.  Though the good news is that they ship to the UK. To see their full range head over to their website. Happy shopping!

{Images: Laura Blanksby, except image 1 from Vinçon}