Monday 13 May 2013

Channel Gatsby with 20's Styling


Have you caught The Great Gatsby fever yet?  I feel like I've been waiting for years for this film to be released on to our big screens, but now here we are with the imminent debut on 16 May.  This film looks altogether stylish, from the interiors, the styling and oh the jewellery!  Apparently Carey Mulligan was wearing over $1 million worth of jewels commissioned by Tiffany during the making of the film.  I am like a magpie with anything sparkly and her oval engagement ring in the film is a thing of true beauty.    
  

Carey Mulligan's Vogue Shoot, March 2013

I'm sure that the film will create a resurgence of anything 'roaring 20's' this summer.    Prada's  decadent fashion choices in the film look incredible, and the luxurious decor is something to be truly admired...and replicated.  Here are some of my favourite 20's styling for a modern 2013 home.





              

Watch the trailer below and catch Gatsby Fever....



Saturday 11 May 2013

Competition: Win an iPad Mini

When bathrooms.com got in touch with Butterfly Lane HQ about their mission to make quality design affordable to everyone, we were pretty excited.  Not only because I am currently renovating a house so the words, qualitydesign and affordable are extremely enticing, but also because their products are stylish, chic and relevant too.  


They are currently running a very exciting competition for those who desire design inspiration.   So we thought this would be perfect for all of our lovely readers!

For your chance to win an iPad Mini, jam packed with the best design apps and a range of design books, simply nominate an object that you adore which represents 'affordable design'. 

All you have to do is click through to their Facebook page and fill in the form on the "Win iPad Mini".   You might even be able to find some objects that fit the bill perfectly at Butterfly Lane!

Our idea of 'Affordable Design' is this gorgeous Fish Vase from Butterfly Lane.  Chic, simple, classic...what more do you want!


Good luck everyone!

Friday 10 May 2013

Sponsored Post: 10 Accessories That Will Transform Your Kitchen



Alexandre Duval is a blogger for Simons, a company based in Quebec, Canada which sells home décor accessories.  Here they discuss how to jazz up your kitchen using the art of accessorising...


10 Accessories That Will Transform Your Kitchen

If you like cooking and having guests coming to your house, having a functional and practical kitchen space is absolutely essential. Otherwise, cooking could rapidly go from hobby to nightmare! Luckily, many companies have been launching evermore-interesting products that enhance both the well-designed character of your kitchen and its visual aspect. Here is a list of 10 must-have accessories that will transform your kitchen’s look and practical side.

1. Ceiling-mounted pan rack

Pan Racks
Making pans and saucers fit in cupboards or in the oven’s bottom drawer sometimes feels like playing Tetris. And it is annoying! If your kitchen space is big enough, investing in a ceiling-mounted pan rack will prove very handy as it will save you from having to bend over and have a good rummage in the cupboard every time you need to find the right pan: they all will be at hand, hanging from the ceiling just above the central cooking island. What’s more, racks made of stainless steel are very elegant and add a modern touch to your kitchen’s décor.











2. Glass cupboard doors

Glass Doors
Since the inside of kitchen cupboards and drawers often is messy, people prefer to hide their content behind wooden doors. Still, having one or two cupboards with glass doors gives your kitchen a classy look and creates the illusion that the kitchen’s space is deeper while allowing you to showcase your swankiest, most precious dining set pieces. Glass-doored cupboards are the perfect place to put your nicest glass wines, for instance.










3. Under cupboard lighting

Cupboards undoubtedly are a kitchen’s most obvious piece of furniture; if they look bad, chances are that your kitchen as a whole will look bad too. However, replacing cupboards is a very costly project and it may take some time before you feel like you are financially comfortable enough to undertake such renovations. Therefore, little improvements to your cupboards ought to be considered. One of them is under cupboard lighting: such an improvement will provide you with the option to dim the kitchen lighting at night, which can greatly enhance the atmosphere during a reception with guests… while keeping their attention away from the fact that your cupboards need to be replaced!

4. Kitchen wall tiles

Lovely Tiles
If they were looked down on until fairly recently due to their vintage look that was reminding people of the ugliest days of decoration in the 1960s and in the 1970s, kitchen wall tiles are back! Avoiding disgraceful patterns and shocking colors, today’s kitchen wall tiles are much more sober and simply add a touch of warmth and modernity to your kitchen décor. Putting them in place on the wall strip that lies between your counter and the bottom of your cupboards is neither hard nor costly and will totally change the general atmosphere of your cooking space… especially if you combine this improvement with under cupboard lighting!

5. Stainless steel salt and pepper mills

As sad as it may sound, salt and pepper shakers, no matter how original they are and no matter on which of your trips abroad they were bought, are not the best possible accessories when you are making dinner for your guests. They lack the elegance of salt and pepper mills and they do not provide your guests with the same feeling either: grinding your own salt grains and peppercorns is much more enjoyable! Moreover, modern stainless steel salt and pepper mills are real, stylish decoration accessories!

6. Jars

Jars
Brown sugar. Flour. Sugar. Why do you store them in plastic bags in the cupboards? Don’t you use them often enough to justify putting them directly on the counter? Of course, if you decide to do that, you ought to let go of the plastic bags. But this is what jars are for! Buying three or four stylish jars, whether they are made of ceramic, wood or steel, will not only keep essential ingredients at hand, but it will also force you to keep your kitchen counter free of superficial accessories as you will want to proudly showcase your beautiful jars.

7. Two-in-one coffee machine

Although I personally am an unconditional fan of espresso, I do understand that some people prefer drip coffee. For that very reason, it is important to bear in mind that some of your guests may not like espresso and therefore would enjoy being served a mug full of drip coffee. In order to avoid owning two machines and have them take half of your counter space, you ought to consider purchasing a two-in-one coffee machine: some models have a very nice design and make both quality espresso and drip coffee!

8. Olive oil jar or bottle

Just like it is the case for sugar and flour, keeping olive oil on your kitchen counter is not only practical: it is also beautiful! In effect, olive oil reminds us of warm climates located all around the Mediterranean Sea; showcasing that noble matter in an elegant glass jar that is sealed with a cork lid, for instance, adds an exotic touch to your kitchen. Leave tin containers and price tags in the recycling bin!

9. Carafe
Gorgeous Carafe available from Butterfly Lane

Here is another must-have accessory! A carafe of wine is absolutely essential in any kitchen, especially those where receptions and dinners are often held with. Not only is this accessory completely chic, but it is also the best way to bring out the wine’s rich aromas. Indeed, a carafe lets the liquid breathe for some time before it is actually served to your guests. This is definitely one of those accessories you should store in your glass-doored cupboards…

10. Coffee cup hangers

If you own nice coffee mugs and cups, whether it is for espresso or drip coffee, why not show them? If it is the case, you should definitely consider buying and installing coffee cup hangers under your cupboards or on your wall. Those made of wood will provide your kitchen with a warm atmosphere that will remind you of a cottage while those made of stainless steel will give you the impression that your kitchen is a trendy downtown restaurant. In any case, you will love getting up in the morning and seeing those mugs that have been waiting just for you all night…

Thank you Alexandre for some top tips!  

Friday 3 May 2013

Bathroom Inspiration in Association with Mira Showers


The renovation project continues to the bathroom stage at Beech House, where our main priority is to have an amazing shower.  If you were ever unfortunate enough to use our current shower you would understand our excitement...it's currently feels like very light tropical rain falling down on you, and with having long hair which takes an age to rinse you can understand the issue!

Therefore we thought it would be a great opportunity to join forces with Mira, the UK's leading shower specialist to keep all of our lovely readers up-to-date with their new offerings.  Here is what they had to say...
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The idea of completely renovating a bathroom is exciting but the prospect can also seem a little daunting. Rather than completely remodeling your bathroom, why not just renovate your shower experience?

You can experience a truly unique showering sensation with the 360 showerhead by Mira Showers, which is ideal for anyone, and great fun for children.

This showerhead has a brilliant flip feature, each time you flip the showerhead, you can change the water spray. You get a choice of Rain, Burst, Storm and Cloud, so you’ll be able to find something to give you the ultimate shower experience.

You can buy the 360 showerhead on its own, and it works on any mixer shower or system, so you can easily use it to give your bathroom a more fun and modern feel to it. If you have kids, they’ll be sure to love the different sprays, and it’ll be sure to make it a bit easier if you are trying to get them into the shower for a hair wash!

The 360 showerhead is featured on a range on mixer showers, including the Mira Minibelle and the Mira Infuse, for those of you who want to have a bit more of a bathroom remodel.  Bathroom remodels don’t have to involve completely changing everything, which can be a bit of a scary thought, but changing one thing, like your shower, is ideal for giving your bathroom a stylish upgrade, and of course, you’ll soon feel the benefits of a new 360 showerhead or a Mira power shower!

If you are just choosing a new showerhead, or even a new shower, if doesn’t really matter what colour scheme your bathroom is, as the elegant designs come in neutral colours such as white, black and chrome, so you’ll be able to give your bathroom a lovely contemporary feel to it, without worrying about clashing colours! These showerheads have a very minimal design, which is usually ideal, especially if you don’t want your bathroom and shower to look too overcrowded.

Enjoying a lovely hot shower is one of the best ways to wake yourself up in the morning, and is great to help wash away the day before you go to bed. 

This was a sponsored link by Mira Showers for Butterfly Lane