Interiors Inspiration

  Shades of Indigo  

Embracing the imperfect is something Mark and Sally of award winning homeware store Baileys Home, have developed impeccably. Their use of vintage fabrics and time worn colours, create beautifully unusual and modern interiors. 

Naturally derived colours also sit well with the hues found in industrial materials: This downstairs cloakroom has an original Victorian basin and taps. The towel warmer hanging on the ultramarine polished plaster walls, is made from old copper plumbing pipes.

Natural dyes are often mistakenly associated with a dull, washed out appearance. But plant derived indigo is a rich opulent shade of blue, that can transform an interior into an inky haze. Old utility and work clothes that have been battered and patched up over the year, make distinguished objects to display in any home. Try tie dying some old throws, or even kitchen cloths.

Stacking throws, and vintage textiles is a beautiful way of displaying pieces collected over the years. Here they have been laid out on an old patisserie stand.

This sofa and antique chair have been reupholstered in 1970s denim and backed with a bold 19th century stripe.

Antiques dealer Katherine Pole specialises in French textiles, a fact that is very clear on a visit to her North London home, which is packed with her fabric finds. Katherine says she was sold on the place the moment she saw the peeling wallpaper upstairs, which was half stripped away to reveal the mottled plaster beneath. The abundance of textiles, many of them patched and frayed, makes a significant contribution to the feeling of a well-lived-in home, adding warmth, colour, pattern and texture all in one go.

'Imperfect Home' by Mark and Sally Bailey is published by Ryland Peters and Small

Photographs: Debi Treloar

Get started at www.wealdenfairs.com for some inspiration!

February's Interior Inspiration...

Colour Blush

Here at the Wealden Times, we love using colour as it can brighten moods and transform an interior. But it can be tricky to incorporate it into your own home if you're not sure where to start or how much to use! So here are a few hints to inform and inspire...

Start small...

Adding the tiniest touches can make all the difference to the overall look of a room. If you haven't used a lot of colour before, or feel tentative about which ones to go for then try displaying colourful mugs or aprons in your kitchen. This way you can use things you already have for a decorative purpose as well as functional. Prints of images you like and collections of little objects on shelves are also great ways of increasing vibrancy in the home. 

Softly, softly...

Feeling a little braver? Then try out some bold and bright soft furnishings, or a fun printed wallpaper. Adding in cushions, rugs, bed spreads and curtains is a great idea if you love colour, but rent your home, so are limited to magnolia walls! WT's Helen uses vividly printed throws on her sofa to bring some new life to her living room. 

The Bold and Beautiful...

Upclycling is a huge trend at the moment. So give it a go! Dig out that old bed side table that's been neglected in the garage, get some paint and go wild! Charity shops, boot fairs and house clearances are all full of bureaus and dressers just screaming for some love. One piece of audacious furniture can totally transform anything from a bathroom to a hallway, creating focus and interest...that's if you can stick to one project!

Go the Whole Hog...

 You love colour, you're feeling inspired and are totally ready to be let loose in the house with a paint brush... But just hold on one second! Before making any major decisions, grab some swatch cards and sample paint pots and try out a few ideas first. Is it just one wall you want to be painted, or the entire room? Are you going to use contrasting, complimenting or matching colours when choosing your soft furnishings? Do you like print or block colour? There are lots of ideas to consider before getting messy, so experiment on a small scale and then get your overalls on!

Get started...

Here are a few gorgeous items to get you started that you can buy from www.wealdenfairs.com !

January's Interior Inspiration...

  5 top organising tips to refresh any home  

After the numerous parties, get togethers and gatherings of Christmas and New Year, it can leave our homes looking tired, in need of a little love, and dare I say it, untidy?! So here are a few hints to getting your abode back in tip top shape for the coming year.

1. Kitchen

                                                                

Use every tiny little bit of space. By keeping surfaces clear, it will give the impression of an ever tidy kitchen. The inside of cupboard doors is often wasted space, so by popping up a couple of small shelving units, smaller items can be stored easily. Even if your kitchen is small or an odd shape, shelves and hooks are so simple to use which means you have more space to prepare food!

2. Your Bedroom

Neat and tidy doesn't have to mean dull; hat boxes, trunks, suitcases are all great alternatives to using plastic storage containers to keep your bits and bobs tucked away and tidy, but still looking nice! You could buy them from an auction, junk shop or antiques fair and keep them looking rustic and battered. Or maybe give them a lick of paint, a bit of decoupage or a reupholster!

3. Living Room

If you're a book lover like WF's James, then why not make a feature of them? Invisible book shelves are a more interesting way of displaying your prized possessions, leaves you with more floor space and they're still easily accessible next time you want to snuggle up with a page turner, or a copy of Wealden Times! Under seat storage is particularly useful for larger, bulky items that aren't used all year round, like jumpers, quilts and spare linen. 

4. The Kids' Bedroom

Bunk beds are the perfect option if you have more than one child to a room. They're good fun and leave more floor space to play on. Having a higher bed with drawer space underneath is also a a great choice, especially if room for other pieces of furniture is limited. 

5. Bathroom

The space under the sink is often wasted, but can be used for storing cleaning products, or lotions and potions, which keeps window sills clear,  making it easier to clean! Small sets of drawers are incredibly useful for keeping small items in as well, such as hair grips, combs and make up. By rolling up towels, they can be squeezed into smaller spaces, and still grabbed easily when needed. 

 Photos David Merewether - Styling Lucy Fleming

WIN An Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Workshop Package Worth £250 Compliments Of Lilypie Cafe

Lilypie Café is an Annie Sloan Paint Stockist and Vintage Café in Chart Sutton, near Maidstone. Join the upcycling revolution by taking part in one of their Annie Sloan Workshops – an ideal opportunity to get creative and learn new skills. Four di erent workshops are on o er, either full or half days, hosted by trained Annie Sloan experts and including all materials required, plus a delicious lunch in the quirky café. You can also buy readymade upcycled, antiques and French-style furniture in the fabulous furniture showroom upstairs. From rich reds to soft greys, there’s a piece to suit every palette, along with a selection of Annie Sloan fabrics. Set within a beautiful Georgian house, Lilypie is bursting with style, and it’s not only furniture and paints that are on o er, you can also

browse a vast collection of pre-loved clothing and accessories. Make a day of your visit by booking a treatment at e Annexe hair, nail and beauty salon where the therapists use the latest products and

techniques to leave you looking and feeling a million dollars. Serving a wide selection of homemade sandwiches, salads and soups as well as daily specials board, Lilypie Café is well renowned for their divine Vintage Teas (booking essential) with beautifully presented cake stands brimming with finger sandwiches, scones, homemade cakes and clotted cream! Fizz is optional as they are fully licensed. 

Find out more at www.lilypiecafe.com or call 01622 844590.

For your chance to win 1 Full Day ‘Paint A Chair’ Workshop (including all materials plus chair), 1 Annie Sloan Starter Pack (1 paint, 1 clear wax, 1 tester, 1 small bristle brush) and 5 tins of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, valued at £250, from Lilypie Café in Chart Sutton, just answer this question:

‘What architectural style of house is Lilypie Café set within?’ Enter your answer with your contact details in the online form at www.wealdentimes. co.uk/competition, post to: Lilypie Café Competition, Wealden Times, 21 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HF by 16 January 2015, or comment on this blog post and use the link below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

December's Interior Inspiration

  Simple Paper Christmas Decorations  

Christmas is a busy and expensive time of year. We all want the perfectly decorated house, perfect food, perfect gifts, but it can be tricky to keep up with it all whilst staying level headed. So here are 3 simple, affordable and beautiful decoration tutorials to give you a helping hand...

1. Two Tone Origami Bauble

Start with two squares of paper, plain, patterned, coloured, whatever takes your fancy. We used pearled for a subtle festive feel. Fold the paper diagonally both ways and top to bottom both ways. Bring the corners into the centre. 

Fold the corners up to be in line with the centre crease. Do this to all the corners  and cut off the tops.

With the opening facing you, unfold one corner, open it up and flatten it out. Repeat this on the other sides.

With the opening still facing you, making sure there are an even amount of folds on either side of the triangle shape, fold up these little corners and repeat this all the way round, ensuring each fold is crisp.

Unfold it carefully and crease the corners so they end up facing inside. Repeat the whole process for your other piece of paper and glue them together.

2. Easy Peasy Pompom

Start with a few sheets of tissue paper. This can be as big or as small as you like. Go wild! Fold them together alternately, length ways to create a concertina, tie round the middle and trim off the edges into points or curves. 

Gently pull apart the layers of tissue paper and pop them on the tree!

3. Spiral Snowflake

With a square of card, a pencil and ruler, mark out lines, working towards the centre, about 1 cm apart. Using a craft knife, cut along your lines, leaving a gap at two opposing corners.

 

Gently curl the other two opposing corners to meet each other and fix with glue or tape. Repeat this process for each of the corners, alternating which side they meet. 

Voila!