Gems found abroad

Note to self: Best interiors purchases overseas in the last 2 years:

1. Loppis (or antique/junk furniture warehouses) Malmo, Sweden. Didn't buy anything as it wouldn't fit in my case, but the antique chandeliers topped with tiny, dusty lampshades almost squashed in there.

2. Aromatherapy candles in Bintan in Indonesia.

3. Mosaic tiled mirror in Marrakech, Morocco.

4. Mounted ram's skull, from Rome.

5. Llama wool throw and tiny water jug covered in jade coloured mosaic tiles, from Himalayan Nepal

Seaside bathroom

The bathroom in our flat is enormous. We've filled it with things washed up from St Ives - postcards of the seaside framed in white, an enormous anchor and a mirror made of rough, unsanded driftwood. I stumbled upon these St Ives handpainted tiles and love them. Shame they're £35 EACH!... (Un Peu Loufoque)

Also...

Art Deco pots for holding cotton wool balls, cold cream etc (The Orchard)

Where to buy nick-nacks for: Gardens

Ever since I moved into a teeny, wonky flat above a bacon sandwich shop earlier this year, I've desperately missed my old garden. (On the plus side, we're in the centre of London, but on the downside, we've lost our big patch of gravel).

After persuading Wills for four months to drill an old fishmonger's wooden box onto our window sill, as a makeshift herb garden, I've given up. Our flat is upstairs so anything balanced on the window would likely fall off and concuss someone. 

In homage to the garden I wish I could have, here are some garden beauties I've spotted on my online shopping. (That is, online shopping until my virtual e-basket is full, then Wills forcing me to log out)...

One day: 

The Flower Studio

Cooper Rowe Vintage Living

Posh Garden Furniture

Sorbet Living

Plants Delivered

Plantabox

The Oak and Rope Company

Uber Games

Velvet Ribbon

Barefoot Kitchen

The Gluttonous Gardener, (what a wonderful name for a shop).

Five sweet little cupboards

A selection of pretty and unusual small cabinets, cupboards and 'stuff that holds stuff'.

Idea Home Co. Problem is, the pretty, ditty wallpaper in the background means it would be a shame to put anything inside... One for the hall, perhaps. (Keys, purses, etc).

Ideally, I'd like to cut a great big hole in the top of this sturdy Idea Home Co cabinet, and use it as a ... sink base. Yes, really. There are mini side tables in the same line, that I'd use to stack folded, fresh white towels.

Notonthehighstreet

Love the aged, almost curled wallpaper in the background of these Rose & Grey shelves.

Woods Vintage Home Interiors

Art: the (financial) dilemma

My first ever piece of 'art' was an enormous white canvas with three pale grey pebbles on it. It's from IKEA and I bought it as an excited 16-year-old - excited that IKEA had come to Cardiff because I loved interiors and excited that I owned some art.

Today, on my rare trips to IKEA, I bypass that section. Like they were then, the prints are all mass produced, unimaginative and computer generated. In fact, art is hard to come by at all on a budget. Some great little art boutiques in Angel and Columbia Road, London, but unless you've £1,000+ to invest, not worth a trip. That's why these days, I mostly create my own art, or attempt to. (Check it out here).

But after a browse on Not On The High Street, and these caught my eye:

£270 from Sapele

£450 from Alila

Good, solid, unique picture frames are hard to come by these days too. I've had some made-to-order in St Ives using local whitewashed woods. Habitat isn't a bad option either, if you're after something XXL on a budget. But these are also cute:

Camel & Yack

Moa Designs

Silver lights

A few that caught my eye...

Rowen & Wren

idyllhome

Garden Trading

Out There Interiors

Ten of the best: Cushions

TOP TEN CUSHIONS 2012... 

I've spotted hundreds of gorgeous cushions with crazy patterns in most high street shops and boutiques. But these are some of my favourites. The patterns are a more sedate and muted, and the fabrics are unfailingly gorgeous. In no particular order:

Both Thornback and Peel. (Check out their aprons, tea towels and wallpaper too. Love!!)

Rustic Country Crafts

Mary Kilvert

Hand knitted, from s t r i k k handknits. (Also have it in lovely slate grey)

Welsh tweed. From Damson & Slate

WEFT Bespoke Design. (Not keen on the buttons but beautiful fabric. I have a suitcase of Manx Tweed under by bed from a recent trip to the Isle of Man!)

Ok, technically not a cushion. But it's beautiful raw linen, and all you need is a sewing machine and a cushion pad/stuffing. It's from Katie Mosa

Grey sheep throws. Not a cushion but does the same job. £80ea from the Glam Camping Company

This little fella is stuffed with lavender. From Whinberry & Antler