home decor

Local Creatives… my visit to Wild Thing botanics store

All this warmer weather of late has got me out into the fresh air, tidying up the garden, but it has also sent my houseplants and succulents into overdrive, as they lap up the new warmth to the air and push out those tentative first green shoots.

The only problem is, if you’re anything like me, you will have a small army of houseplants to care for and it’s not always straightforward tending to their different needs! Well, last week I had the pleasure of meeting the expert on all things leafy and green, Karen McCullough, who runs local botanical store Wild Thing, situated in the bustling little seaside town of Donaghadee. Karen opened her new store just last autumn, however it is fast becoming known as the go-to place for interior and plant enthusiasts, so naturally I thought it the perfect creative business to feature in the second instalment of my ‘Local Creatives‘ blog series.

Over a freshly brewed coffee, I chatted to Karen about her business and how she is successfully carving a career out of her passion for plants…

Welcome to the Jungle!

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IKEA celebrates ten years in Northern Ireland!

This year marks the 10th anniversary of IKEA opening its very first store on the island of Ireland, based here in Belfast. To help celebrate the very successful past ten years of IKEA in Northern Ireland, I was delighted to be invited along to a media breakfast morning, which included a short tour of the store and a celebratory birthday breakfast (Scandi-style, with plenty of coffee and pastries, of course!)

During our store walkabout, we were introduced to some of the interior design team and product specialists who make up the 330-strong team of co-workers based at IKEA Belfast. They revealed the top selling products that have demonstrated how IKEA has had its part in ensuring we live a better everyday life here in NI, as well as a really fascinating insight into how life has evolved dramatically over the past ten years, with developments in technology, the rise in open plan living and a general move towards city-dwelling very much dictating how we live our daily lives at home.

Read on to find out what I learned about the shopping habits of IKEA Belfast customers!

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For the Love of Wood

We live in a decor age whereby wooden furniture has been loved and almost loathed in equal measures, some preferring it in its natural, raw state, whilst others will chalk paint or gloss everything in their path. I suppose when it comes to 1980s orange pine I don’t really blame them, however I do think there are some beautiful woods out there that should be left as they are to shine out as a statement piece in their own right. A perfect example is the walnut and glass china cabinet I have at home that originally belonged to my Great-Grandmother which I simply adore for the way it is. Ms Annie Sloan ain’t getting her hands on that baby!!

Essentially, the choice as to whether you paint a piece of furniture or not mostly boils down to your personal style preference; if you love the French country look then an oversized armoire painted in a dusky hue of Paris Grey will undoubtedly look the part in your home, just as a set of mismatched dining chairs painted in pretty pastel shades or an old china cabinet in a slick of bright green paint will guarantee a vintage style lover that quirky, eclectic look she’s after. Personally, I love wood for the warmth and character that it imbues, but painted pieces can add individuality and a sense of fun, too. And as I’ve shown before now, sometimes there’s a fine line between a trip to the dump and a gorgeously upcycled piece of furniture you can feel a little bit proud of!

For the purpose of this post, it’s all about renewing our love for wood, be it teak, walnut, mahogany or, dare I say it, pine… check out these awesome interiors for ways to work that wood baby…

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A Rainy Day Make: Circle Bunting

I was recently inspired by a rather cute little product spotted on the lovely Rainbeaubelle blog, which was a circle bunting garland made from coloured and glitter card. It would be perfect to hang up for a birthday party or simply to add a bit of pizazz to an otherwise bare space of wall in the home.

As Julia suggests on her blog, it costs around £13 per garland, however it could be quickly and pretty easily made at home, too. This got me thinking, until one day recently, when I was shopping in my local Sainsbury’s store and found myself dandering down the stationery aisle (is it just me?!), I came across some little gift tags that I thought would make for the sweetest circle garland!

I immediately got to work with a selection of the gift tags, a few rolls of washi tape and a length of string. Find out how I did it here…

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My Kitchen Makeover Update #1: Weighing up wall paint, window coverings & what to sit on

Before we had even moved into our new house, one of the things I had decided I would tackle first was the open plan kitchen/living space. We are now three months in and I’ve finally made some firm decisions on the decor, including what colour to paint the 1990s oak kitchen cabinets (I think this colour will be perfect to bounce some light around), as well as what shade to use for the surrounding walls (I’m loving this new colour from Farrow & Ball which looks great alongside the cabinet colour choice).

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A 1970s G plan unit brought up to date

When asked, I often describe my interior style preference as Scandi with a bit of vintage mixed in and it’s funny how when you look back at your Pinterest boards, there is inevitably a visual link between your pinned images that defines your style. If you look at my own Pinterest feed, there’s plenty of old mixed with new, clean lines and varied textures, muted walls with pops of monochrome, a hint of the industrial softened with a vase of flowers or soft wool. Definite Scandinavian influences there, but with a lived in, vintage vibe, too.

In particular, I’m drawn to a bit of Danish midcentury style and love old pieces brought back up to date. I have a pair of Ercol carver chairs that are patiently waiting to be transformed with a length of wool fabric, possibly a soft heather grey herringbone weave or navy blue edged with a striking yellow. I can’t decide which, but their time will come…

It follows then, that when a couple of weeks ago one of my lovely neighbours contacted me to say she thought she had a piece of furniture I’d be interested in, I couldn’t resist popping over for a peek (despite the fact that eldest daughter was imminently heading off to her Spring school concert and we were in the middle of a rather rushed tea – you know that situation when stress levels are kind of high?! – however, some things have to give when it comes to potential new decor finds!!)

For those that know me, I’m never one to turn down a preloved piece of furniture that has every potential to be made loveable once again and this piece was no exception, in fact it was perfect! When I arrived at my neighbour’s house, I was delighted to discover the piece of furniture she was looking rid of was an authentic G plan teak sideboard/wall unit dating back to the 1970s. I just had to take it! Needless to say, my other half immediately deemed it ugly and dated, however thanks to my addiction to the aforementioned Pinterest, I had other ideas…

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Get the Look – Blush Pink & Copper

I probably don’t have to tell you that Pinterest is a fabulous resource for getting inspiration for everything from kitchen cabinet colours to what to eat for tea tonight, but it’s also a great place to suss out what’s trending at the moment in the interiors world in particular. With this in mind, I thought it would be fun and informative to take a look at some key looks and design trends that are pretty hot right now and show you where you can source similar pieces. With Spring being the most popular time of year to turn our attention to home decorating projects, I’m hoping these Pinterest inspired posts will help you along your way. (See, I’m doing all the hard work for you!!)

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Blooming Lovely Spring Accessories for the Home!

Nothing signifies the end of a long, cold winter better than a bunch of freshly picked Spring blooms from the garden, so it’s no surprise that many of the High Street homeware brands are heralding the beginnings of Spring with colourful new collections featuring all kinds of fresh, floral prints, from tiny scattered blossoms to oversized painted blooms. It’s the definite trend of the moment!

Introducing a few floral accessories into your home is a fantastic and economical way to bring a breath of fresh air into your interior decor, whether it’s plump new cushions for the couch or a pretty set of tea towels in the kitchen.

However you decide to freshen things up, one thing’s for sure: it’s time to pack away those stag ornaments and chunky knitted throws and drag your home out of hibernation. Spring has sprung and with these gorgeous floral finds, you can make your home just blooming lovely…

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A little time out to settle in… and some kitchen thoughts

For those of you who follow the blog regularly, I must apologise for being a little quiet of late. With the house move last month and all the unpacking and general sorting out of life that goes with it, I made a conscious decision to focus on the family and savour our first weeks together in our new home, getting to know some of the neighbours and making endless cups of tea for all the lovely friends and family who have popped around to see us and get ‘the tour’, as is the norm. It has been a lovely first few weeks and I have been enjoying posting a few snippets on Instagram (please have a nosey @dekkobird) of some of the little things I’m enjoying along the way.

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Home Decor Trends 2016: The Mismatched Kitchen

It’s no surprise that the way we live in and use our homes not only has an impact on the design and layout of them, but it affects the decor trends that come and go over the years, too. 2016 is no exception to this rule, with several trends developing or emerging this year that are expected to make a big impact on interior design and decoration.

I plan to look at some of these trends in more detail over the next few weeks, but for this particular post, I’m looking at the kitchen. With social change and modern design making cooking and entertaining an altogether more relaxed affair, the once small and draughty kitchen at the back of the house has evolved into what it is today: an open plan, multi-functional space at the heart of the home. It’s the focal point of our homes and where we all spend most of our time, so we want it to look and feel right for our needs.

Two major trends have been around for a while now in kitchen design: firstly, the hand-painted kitchen in cool shades of grey, green and off-white has become very popular due to its classic, yet modern look, but there is also evidence of a more industrial vibe in kitchen design, with rustic materials, pared back simplicity and a mélange of textures and finishes being key factors. This is possibly why the latest idea of ‘mismatching’ your kitchen cabinets has become a fast growing trend – it allows us the freedom of a more informal, edgy look, but one that is built upon a base of good quality, solid cabinetry and materials.

Confused or perhaps not convinced? Then take a look at these kitchens that exemplify the trend and prepare to be wowed…

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