Buttons!!

For as long as I can remember, I've always collected buttons!  They come in a multitude of sizes, colours, fancy designs, shiny ones, sparkly ones...and you just never know when they will come in useful or what you might want to use them for....

 I've got jars of buttons waiting for just the job...

Sparkly clips, sequins and fastenings...

 Laying out for a button monogram....

...on a lovely fabric background, awaiting stitching on.  For a one piece of personal artwork.

 ...a dangly end on a Roman blind chord, lovely detail

Great for mix & matching fastenings on envelope cushions...

To name but a few.... Dig out your buttons, get creative or give me a call!

lovely colours in shades of rust...

I've always loved the colours in this picture; the greys of a hazy sea mist, stony blues of the stormy skies and rich oranges in those rusty rocks.  It's actually a holiday snap of mine taken in Portugal a few years ago, but I've filed it for inspiration knowing that I'll want to use it sometime.

Even if I don't have a project in mind or room to design a scheme for, the creative in me is always putting ideas together, rummaging through magazines, collecting images, sourcing fabrics.  From my holiday snap to the beginnings of a scheme idea...

...the fabric above is a gorgeous twist on a damask by Zoffany and this collection shot, as well as having some beautiful shapes and textures encapsulates all the colours in my photo.  Just lovely.

Hope I've offered a little Monday inspiration, have a good week.  

  

Monday's thought is Mid Century

Inspired by these gorgeous chunky knit cushions by Pretty Dandy I'm in the mood for Mid Century colour, design and style...in fact all that evokes a bit of optimism and fun, needed in it's time then and certainly needed now.

When I think of a colour palette to describe this time, I do think bold and rich, but also slightly 'sludgy', certainly not like some of the acid brights and fresh colours we have today.  But I like that slightly mucky edge to the colours and I think it gives them even strength of character.   I've pulled together some of those colours  here...

I've pulled these together from Dulux Tailor Made Colour but another great ready made palette which has been created with the help of Kevin McCloud can be found at Fired Earth.

Furniture and upholstery in keeping with this era is becoming more and more readily available and desirable.  Retro style furniture has such an appeal, with it's familiar curved edges in bentwood and teak.  These days, you can use it in almost any interior, coupled with more modern fabrics this style can be a lovely addition to most rooms.  This is one from a collection PF 50's Collection, a great supplier who can make up in any fabric of your choice.

Hope I've got your creative juices going and offered some inspiration, remember if you want some help and advice in creating this look at home then please contact me, I love this look so I'd be happy to advise!

   

New Year - fresh, new ideas...

A week has passed and I've not yet wished a Happy New Year to everyone, I'm hoping you all enjoyed your Christmas and fun and frolics were had by all!  It has to be said, we've had fun...and seen a lot of the M1 by day and by night.  But more importantly, we met my new little niece, Rose yesterday on one such trip up and down said motorway so all is worthwhile!!

With a half hearted 1st week back on it really, I am now whole heartedly looking forward to next week when I shall get properly stuck back into work, designing, new ideas, new projects, new marketing ideas and all that comes along.  Already, I've been having a look at new blogs and new colours, and as informed by Dulux Colour Trends their colour of the month is Sunflower Symphony 3 - a rich and vibrant yellow to see us through January!

 

...and with this in mind, check out this gorgeous apartment which I found whilst looking through images this morning.  I found this on Freshome and it has really put a spring in my step!

Right, just a short edit today...as I'm off to tick off some more jobs.  Don't forget...for those of you feeling inspired to inject some newness into your room, home, office, downstairs loo...contact me.  I'd love to help.

Tree's up!...

Hello again!


Well, that's another Christmas job ticked off - the tree is up and the wreath for the door is made and hanging!

But, what I really wanted to show you was some great new wallpaper from Muraspec They are doing some really great bold and quirky designs at the moment and this new one is no exception.

'Chrysanthemum' is a huge scale photographic quality fabric backed wallpaper, in a wide width.  This is great for commercial interior design schemes, great for a fashion boutique...but also at home, if you want to create something really striking...that hot pink on a bedroom wall - I'd love it!

Anyway, just wanted to give you a sneak at this great new design, there are others, so have a look at Muraspec's website and get inspired for the new year.  Contact me if there's anything taking your fancy.

Making my blogspot debut.....

So, I started thinking I'll have a go at creating my very own Plump Cushion blog seeing as, every morning I sit with my cup of tea and read through blogs that I have on my dashboard, I'd do my own too. 


Well, here it starts...I have no idea how this might appear so you'll have to bear with and I'll tweak and 'joojsh' (a word created by me and my visual merchandising team at Selfridges to describe some of what we did as well as Plump Cushions - I might add!) as I go along.

One thing I must do this week is get my Christmas cards written and posted, not done yet...but it's on my list.  Instead, today I've been thinking about Springtime, images, colours...holidays.  I remembered a picture that I took earlier in the year at Shingle Street in Suffolk, remembering how bright the colours were and I set to thinking about how this would be a great colour palette for a big family kitchen... Checks and stripes, wooden worktops, fabric lined baskets, pans hanging on racks...that kind of look.


But, at least I have made my Christmas cards...they do however, just need writing.