Rifle Paper Co.

If you follow me on Instagram you'll know that I recently bought some prints from one of my all-time favourite shops, Rifle Paper Co., and it was while I was happily browsing their site that I noticed they now do wallpaper.

The collection includes paper printed with pineapples, zebras, fluro peonies and famous city landmarks among other things, so it definitely gets the thumbs up from me! Take a peek and let me know which is your fave. (You probably won't be surprised to find out that the pineapple paper is mine!)

Pineapple in Sorbet

Pineapple in Sorbet

City Toile in Parchment and Robin's Egg

Rosa in Indigo

Safari in Hunter and Blush

Peonies in Yellow

There's four colour combos for each print and you can buy 8.5" x 11" samples for $5 each - but, be warned, shipping to the UK is not cheap.

Shop the full collection at Rifle Paper Co.

[Images: Rifle Paper Co.]

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}

Happy New Year!

Just a quick post to wish you all a Happy New Year! Thank you all for your support over the past twelve months - it really does mean a lot to me. Here's to a great year ahead!

P.S I found this image on the Remain Simple tumblr page - my latest on-line obsession. It's a mix of interiors, fashion, food, art and architecture, all wonderfully curated by blogger Kathryn - have a look when you have a spare five minutes as I think you'll love it too!

{Image: Remain Simple}

Love Builds a Happy Home

Hi guys, just a quick post today as I'm about to rush off to a local car boot here in Munich - hopefully I will uncover some last-minute treasures before I return to the UK on Monday! But before I go, I want to share with you a piece of art I recently came across on the Minted website. I've been looking for a piece of art for my flat for a very long time but have been struggling to decide on the perfect piece. It's got to be something I love but also something that I can live with day-in and day-out! That's why I was so pleased when I came across this lovely yellow typography print by Wondercloud Design. Not only is yellow my current favourite colour (it's so happy and bright!) but also the message is sweet. I won't lie, it's very pricey for a print, but art is such an important (and noticeable!) part of a room that investing in something you love will be worth it in the end.

The 'Love Builds a Happy Home' print is available in yellow, ivory and duck-egg blue and comes in seven different sizes from 7''x5'' to 44''x60''. If you haven't checked out Minted before do have a pop over as they are a great place to discover new art and they feature hundreds of independent designers. Hope you all have a fab weekend and hope to see you on Monday!

{Image: Wondercloud Design via Minted}

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}

Etsy Find: Holli

It seems I have a thing for illustration. I didn't know this before I started my blog, but most of my Etsy Finds seem to be shops specialising in beautiful illustration work, and I can't get enough of it. Today I came across Holli, a little shop ran by Paola Zakimi from Argentina. Paola loves painting in watercolour and has a passion for dolls, something that is referenced regularly in her work. She has over 500 pieces for sale, so why not grab a cuppa and have a look through her site, I'm sure there will be something that inspires you today.

Isn't her work just stunning? So ethereal. I love the emotion Paola captures in her work through the fixed gaze of the subjects. The sketchy, almost unfinished style emphasizes this. Paola has lots of different styles to her artwork: playful (as seen in her animal illustrations here), whimsical and ethereal (above) and dark and melancholic, which you can see from the more sombre illustrations below.

Which are your favourites? The animal illustrations are just so cute they would look perfect in a nursery. I like the ethereal illustrations the most I think, though it's hard to choose. I think they would look lovely framed and sat on a hallway side table. Hope you've enjoyed my Etsy Find as much as I have, let me know what you think!

{All images: Holli via Etsy}

Papillons

No, I'm not talking about a breed of dog! 'Papillon' the French word for 'butterfly'. To see what I'm talking about and where to buy this gorgeous poster, check out my latest post for Natural History.

http://naturalhistory.typepad.com/blog/2011/07/beautiful-butterflies.html 

  

Creative Displays

Hi guys, happy Friday! Hope you are all well? Today I wanted to share with you some images I have been collecting over the last few months on creative displays. I am currently re-decorating my flat and have been influenced by all the beautiful blogs, magazines and shops out there and I want to show you some things which have inspired my own decorating projects. All of the rooms below have great creative spirit and imagination and show how to make a feature in your home with pretty much anything!

First up: Ceramic plate displays.
One of the great things about using plates as artwork is the versatility of them. For example, in the kitchen on the left, bold, bright, modern plates have been used to create a fresh, vibrant display which works well with the contemporary oak dining table and colourful storage pots. However on the right, antique china plates have been used to create a vintage, delicate feel which sit perfectly with the distressed wall and old chair.

Images: Apartment Therapy and Andrew Wood

Plate displays also work outside, which can be seen below. Here, the owner has used floral and botanical printed plates to match the outside setting in which they are placed. Wouldn't you just love to own this back-garden? It's so relaxed with it's peeling green bench and casual scattered cushions and would be perfect for lazy summer evenings.

Image: Creative Walls

Second: Ways to display artwork.
Everyday coat-hangers have been used in this sitting room below to create a striking visual display of the owners collection of posters and art. I think this look great: original, personal and fun. You can also change the posters regularly to update it with the decor or your moods. Note, they have also made great use of the limited wall space where the stairs cut into the room.

Images: Apartment Therapy

Next up: Ways to display your bits and pieces!
The pictures below are really just a hodgepodge of things I've seen in the past couple of weeks that have really got my creative juices going. They don't have an over-riding theme as such, just prettily displayed objects that I love. The image on the left is a beautiful office space which has utilised the back wall for displaying both trinkets, clippings and pictures that the owner may need at hand whilst working. The image on the right shows a wooden crate being used to store china, an idea which I LOVE. Everything looks so pretty, but is so practical at the same time. The bottom left shows an image I found whilst browsing Decor8. Using pegs to hang photographs and flowers looks quirky and the pegs themselves become part of the artwork. I might use this idea to hang dried lavender in my bedroom. The bottom right shows how to integrate a vintage mirror collection into a wall display. I think the mirrors add an unusual element to the display and give the room a vintage feel.

Images: 1. Elle Decor via Natural History; 2&4. Design*Sponge; 3. Decor8

There's so much inspiration around at the minute that I keep changing my mind for what I want for my own flat! But I will definitely be using some ideas from here, especially the pegs to hang pictures and flowers and the wooden crates for storage. I would love to know if these images have inspired you in any way or if you have a decorating project on the go too?

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend whatever you get up to!

Spineless Classics: Alice in Wonderland

Hi guys, just a quick post today as I want to show you a piece of artwork that I've recently discovered.

It's by a company called Spineless Classics who condense a whole book into one gorgeous poster which, with the artfully placed spaces, creates an image relating to the novel. They have a great range including Romeo and Juliet, Gulliver's Travels and Pride and Prejudice, just click on the link to view them. I've also just heard that Spineless Classics will be at the Ideal Home Show this year. I cannot wait to see what new products they have!

{Image: Spineless Classics}