Dining room inspiration ...

Grant K Gibson

I was really drawn to this dining room ... especially loving the painted floor and the gorgeous light fixture ... and the pop of green from the chairs!

(personally, I'd paint the walls a deep inky blue)

Thank you to all who have responded to the 

'My Side of the Bed' photos, click HERE for more details.

If you'd like to send me photos of your side of the bed, please do by emailing me using the 

envelope on the top right hand corner.

wishing you all a fabulous weekend and a big welcome to my new readers!

xx

Livingetc house tour : Part 2

Following on from yesterdays blog, this is the house that I looked after on the Livingetc house tours.

This light and airy terrace remains true to its Victorian roots, allowing the owners to indulge in their passion for antiques, mid-century pieces and salvaged finds, which they applied with a modern twist

 This back area was opened up allowing plenty of light to come through the large skylight on the RHS (which you cant see in the photo) and the enormous bi-folding doors, which lead onto a decked courtyard

 master bedroom 

 The master bedroom had so much light streaming in and the clever use of the restored shop display cabinet (used as a wardrobe) actually made the room look larger than it was, especially since the mirrored back reflected the light! These cabinets can be found at D&A Binder.
There seemed to be a bit of a pattern, as most houses on the tour had a shop display cabinet somewhere in their spaces ... which I just loved!

this was another clever idea to display a shoe collection ... vintage apple crates

Even though this house was not as large as the previous one I showcased, it did have a distinctive eclectic edge!

One thing I took away from all these homes was that they were a representation of their owners and they showcased the things they loved.

They were not staged, but inviting and truly individual! 

{all images via Livingetc}

xx

Livingetc House Tour ...

Last Friday I volunteered to help out with looking after a house on the Livingetc house tours.

Living etc opened the doors to eight gorgeous homes in West London (around Notting Hill, Kilburn and the West End) to the public and its readers (there was also a tour of north London the previous week) 

This was not the house I looked after, but was one that was on the tour list and I was lucky enough to see ... and one of my favourites!

It belongs to the London stylist Marianne Cotterill

The amazing entryway of this five-storey 1880s Victorian mansion

Marianne and a friend painted the flowers on the wall of this room by hand ... it looked like vintage wallpaper with amazing texture

Marianne was on hand during the tour and generously answered any questions about her home ... and her two dogs slept on the floor or furniture as people walled through, undisturbed!

There was such an eclectic mix of wallpapers, furniture, artwork and amazing carpet on the stairway, plus a miss match of tiles on the kitchen floor - salvaged from a cafe closing down in Belgium,
but it all seemed to work!
It was definitely a mix of classic and kitsch!

If you would like to see more of Marianne's amazing work, click HERE

{all images from Livingetc}


xx

Bedrooms: My side of the bed ....

Ever wondered what people keep on their side of the bed?

I thought it would be fun to start a new series called 'My Side Of The Bed' showing images of your side (or your partners if you choose) of things you like to stack or display.

It would be interesting to see what people put on their side of the bed, don't you think? (keeping it clean, if you know what I mean ;) )

Do you have a bedside table? Or do you like to stack things on the floor?

What books do you like/ or are reading?

Do you like flowers or photographs?

Do you prefer artwork?

Are you messy or real tidy?

Candles or other scents?

This is my side of the bed ...

I'm currently reading The Thread by Victoria Hislop 

I love flowers, but don't always have them in the bedroom.

I adore candles and am currently burning diptyque figuier

I also have family photographs

A large pile of unread books

The print is actually a large postcard I picked up from The Affordable Art Show recently

called ' Season's of Missed Opportunities 1' 2008 by David Bray

... and a wireless telephone (which you cant see)

I should add ... it's not always this tidy.


If you'd like to participate, please send me by email some photos and a list of what you (or your partner)
keep or would like to have, on your side of the bed!

Don't be shy ... please send me your pics and I'll post them every Monday!

xx

{all images belong to Iced VoVos}

Azure blue ...

Wave by Maggi Hambling

Today I'm being inspired by images of summer

and the beautiful hues of blue ...

I am particularly drawn to the Wave, a large-scale painting by one of Britains most distinguished contemporary artists, Maggi Hambling, depicting the power and energy of the North Sea, off the Suffolk coast.

{Sources for other images visit my moodboards @ Pinterest}

... and to my gorgeous girl Gige

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

xx

Artist: Yayoi Kusama

Last Saturday I went to see the Louis Vuitton supported exhibition of Yayoi Kusama at the Tate Britan, London. This is the first large-scale museum retrospective of Kusama's career, seeking to show the full breadth of the artists extraordinary output throughout her lengthy and varied career.

Yayoi Kusama is the most prominent Japanese female artist of our time, now in her 8o's she still continues to produce work at an astonishing rate. The exhibition looks across more than six decades of her work, with some of my favourites being the large installations with mirrored interiors and polka dots and her phalli sculptures representing her philosophy of 'self- obliteration', whereby its the artist's own attempt to surrender herself to her art.

Exhibition is on at Tate Modern, London 

until 5 June 2012

xx

{all images belong to Iced VoVos}

Pretty hues ...

some lovely hues inspiring me today

xx

{ images 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 }

Happy Mothers Day in the UK ...

a snippet of my weekend ...

it's mothers day here in the UK and I was a little spoilt today,

starting with breakfast in bed, made by my gorgeous girls

a beautiful diptique candle and a huge bunch of tulips,

followed by a gourmet lunch, prepared by my husband

Yesterday we went to a fantastic exhibition by the Japanese artist

Yayoi Kusama @ the Tate Modern London

Thank you to my beautiful family for a fabulous weekend!

xx

for more snippets
follow me on instagram

{all images belong to Iced VoVos}

Inspirational Friday

Dior Haute Couture SS'08

Dior Haute Couture SS'48

 Photographs by Patrick Demarchelier © Patrick Demarchelier

a very busy week, hence the lack of posts.

I could look at these images all day!

I hope you're having an inspirational Friday

and an even better weekend.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog ....

xx

Pink & Brown

I'm head over heals in love with this Jil Sander Fall 2012 coat!

What do you think of the pink and brown pairing?

{all images from Pinterest}

St Martins Lane Hotel

How was your weekend?

Some snippets of dinner at the cool Asia de Cuba restaurant

@ St Martins Lane Hotel, London

With a wonderful Asian and Cuban infusion of food and

the jaw dropping Phillipe Starck designed interior ...

... a great way to spend a Saturday night!

{all photos belong to Iced VoVos}

xx

Three Classicists ...

{image and video from here}

The three classicists are three designers who work in the classical style and have been friends for many years. 

They are Ben Pentreath, George Sumarez Smith and Francis Terry.

This collaborative drawing was created on 10th May 2010 and was started around 10am and finished around 6pm.

I'm so inspired by this video, please watch it and enjoy.

wishing you a wonderful weekend ...

xx

What's inspiring me today ....

... these beautiful spring images 

(I love the styling by Lara Hutton)

{from Country Style Australia via Dustjacket}

ps. i can hear the birds chirping as i type this

xx

Eclectic house in Marseille ...

this house belongs to designer Fabienne Marselle Collombel, 

it is filled with travel souvenirs

enjoy ...

colourful, bright and eclectic

right up my alley ...

hope your week is off to a great start

xx

{images: marie claire maison}

High Style with gloss

The high gloss finishes, sumptuous velvets and wonderful textures that Jackie Astier uses in her Upper East End Manhattan apartment has me gasping...

Drooling over these beautiful turquoise upholstered 40's French dining chairs and the 10 coats of custom lacquer painted wall

 Amazing 11foot Dunbar sofa and 1970s brass Mastercraft cocktail table (found on ebay) with a Damien Hirst etching ... wow!

 in love with the Vladimir Kagan sofas paired with Karl Springer cocktail tables and skins

 my favourite items in this room are the pair of circa-1940 William Haines chairs and the watercolours inspired by André Le Nôtre

 loving the Calacatta marble floor in the kitchen and the vintage industrial light fixture

 isn't the tufted velvet bed head amazing? Paired with the 1960s Danish settee 

high gloss shine, from the brass and lacquer  Mastercraft cabinet and floors!

I love to show interesting interiors on this blog ... but this one has just wow-ed me!

This apartment has brightened this very dull grey Tuesday morning ...

{photography eric piasecki for elle decor}

xx

A Tutor Manor House

Butlers Court is a typical 16th century Cotswold manor house built c. 1550. It was extended several times over subsequent centuries and one time played host to Charles 1.

Recently it has undergone a stunning 21st century revival. It is the home of interior designer Pippa Paton.

Pippa opened up a series of small rooms to give plenty of light, with a flowing living kitchen and dining space

Embracing the lack of light in the formal sitting room, Pippa painted it black, deciding it would become their evening room, making it a very atmospheric place to be at night

Pippa uses large, unexpected and unusual things in spaces to get "a better effect"

Changing careers to an Interior Designer (she was previously a Group Finance Director for an advertising agency in London), Pippa opened her own company in 2005. Within the grounds of Butler Court was an old coach house which now houses her design studio
...

A light bright design studio, with whitewashed walls and bleached floorboards for creativity

Butlers Court has transitioned from a post- medieval house to a modern marvel.

The backdrop of smooth plaster, mighty oak beams and exposed stonework all work alongside antique and vintage finds with Italian designer accessories and contrasting textures and colours.

{all images from the white book essential interiors Dec 2011}

xx