The floors in the cabin where we will be holding the workshops needed something - they were just rough boards with a half-hearted staining job and covered in splashes on paint. So we decided to contrast the dark wall and paint the floor in a pale shade of French grey. It has totally transformed the room to feel much bigger and brighter. Here was my inspiration.

One; two; three; four

Obviously I absolutely adore painted furniture, but lets be honest - an entire house of it can be complete overkill. For me, the idea is to introduce a select few pieces, a statement chest of drawers say, and a blanket box for example, and mix and match with other styles. One of my favourite ways to contrast painted furniture is with industrial pieces like these goodies from Danish brand, Bloomingville. It makes the look feel fresh, edgy and modern.

Rough Luxe is a hotel in central London, which is part of an international experience network of the same name. The Grade II listed home was transformed by internationally acclaimed designer Rabih Hage in 2008 and the owners describe it as “half rough, half luxury.”

“Our look is a mix of old and new, furniture and art; combining colours and beautiful fabrics with cheap materials and existing distressed original walls. Cheap materials are treated as precious items and preserved for their beauty and memory of the site.”

As the owners are opening up their home, guests are treated to a personal experience which helps to redefine the meaning of luxury. The philosophy of the Rough Luxe movement is to create a new way of looking at luxury "as a moment in time and not only part of an object of consumption.”

The Rough Luxe network includes hotels, bars, restaurants, shops and products that focus on the experience on appreciating the instrinsic value of objects, art, culture and people that exist in surroundings. An interesting concept, don’t you think? Find out more here.

Some images: Marcus Peel for Rough Luxe

I've been surprised to discover recently just how much white walls divide opinion. It seems for some they spell a light, airy space and blank canvas for detail, while for others they feel cold, sterile and boring. I'm firmly in the first camp and this lovely family home in the Netherlands demonstrates just how well a white palette can work to create a warm and cosy space.

The key is to remember that white comes in a variety of hues from warm to cool shades and the best white for your walls will depend on the direction of your home and the type of light it receives. North-facing homes that receive cool light may benefit from warm shades, with nuances of yellow or rose, for example, while south-facing rooms with warm light can be balanced with cooler hues with hints of blue or grey.

This beautiful home also shows how layering shades of white with difference textures such as sheepskins, knits, ceramics, paper and wood easily combat the risk of a clinical or one-dimensional space. It is a wonder how an all white home can be kept so pristine with two little scamps running around but for a space this calming and stylish, I reckon it is worth a try! And the surprise bit? There's heaps of stuff here from Ikea - via Ikea Family Live.

Other posts you might like:

Room envy // white bedroom bliss

Festive party decorating

Room Envy // Swedish pad of Elin Kling

Here in the UK the store Wickes has long had a blokey reputation - a fantastic source for tradesmen and DIY enthusiasts, but not so much for interior junkies like me. OK, so I know power tools, screws and wall plugs are needed to put up my pretty pictures, but they just don't excite me like moodboards and fabric samples do. What can I say, I'm a girlie girl!

Finally recognising that women tend to make the majority of decorating decisions in a relationship, Wickes have completely overhauled their approach to paint this year. Now you won't be surprised to hear that I get quite giddy about paint colours, but I have to say I'm particularly impressed by Wickes' latest range. Fashion-led brights coupled with beautiful neutrals in a stylish matt finish make up the new nine shade collection, with quality coverage and a great price to seriously rival the big names in paint.

Below is a selection of my fave shades and set styling - what do you think?

French Manicure

Artichoke

Mango

Seychelles

Driftwood

As interior style sees a resurgence in pared-back simplicity last seen following the recovery of the Wall Street Crash in 1947, industrial style lighting has become highly covetable. I've found it is not always easy to come by however, until I recently discovered fabulous Cornwall-based company - Skinflint Design. Specialists in reclaimed and salvage pieces - they are the place to go for original lighting from the 1920s to 1960s. Here's just a selection of my favourite pieces.

I was chatting to a friend recently about buying vintage for her home. She is yet to be converted to the joy of decorating with old second-hand stuff – she says it can too often make a home look like a junk shop. Now while I admit that there is a risk of timeworn elegance turning into a tatty mess if you go overboard and don’t choose carefully - I firmly believe that introducing vintage elements brings a certain charm and character to a space that you simply can’t achieve when everything is brand new.

So this post is the first in a series to convince my friend Laura and any other vintage-sceptics about the joy of second-hand treasures – first stop: the kitchen.

Three pieces jump out at me here – the construction sign, the enamel bread bin and the yellow painted chair – all of which look vintage and just perfect for this contemporary industrial style kitchen.

Lovers of modern minimal design may initially look upon decorating with vintage as not for them but I hope this image dispells that notion. The simple addition of this old picture ( I can’t tell if it’s a photograph or painting) gives life and style to what would otherwise be quite a stark and boring space. This shows how modern and vintage can fuse seamlessly and how often the smallest details are the most effective.

Beat-up old furniture, a repurposed butcher’s block and chipped enamelware are at play here to give personality to a plain white room. Few of us are lucky enough to have such a vast kitchen space, but with a lick of white paint each of these elements would easily transform the drabbest of rental kitchens.

A collection is a great start for your first foray into vintage – it gives shopping some focus, which is very useful when presented with heaps of stuff at markets and fairs. Displayed en masse, collections like clocks, mirrors, vases, even a certain type of art – portraiture or flowers for example, look truly stunning.

All images: Housetohome.co.uk

1. I’m saving up to buy this gorgeous peony picture from An angel at my table. I think it is the finishing touch that will really make our living room.

 2. The rooms at The Exchange hotel in Amsterdam are mind blowing -  there's a whole lot of style and creativity going on.

3. Oh how I dream of a calming bathroom like this beauty. Image from House Beautiful.

 4. We’re having friends over for dinner on Sunday and I’m considering making these curried smashed potatoes from White on Rice. Don’t they look delicious?

 5. When we get a bigger place, a bench is definitely on the list of new additions. I love this one featured in Skona Hem – the perfect place to put on shoes and throw your bag and keys.

6. I’m looking for a vintage glass pitcher to serve festive cocktails like this fine one from Etsy seller Pine and Main.

7. These garlic butter roasted mushrooms from Smitten Kitchen are a winter favourite of mine. They are so flavourful and meat, and super easy to make.

8. Black wall, ornate log burner and oversized letters… I want them all in my life! Via Bolig.

I adore Christmas. I know it’s not even December yet, but I can’t help get excited, especially as we’ve been thinking about the festive season in magazine and blogland for a couple of months already.

I love the excuse to dress up and party, spend time with friends and family, eat tasty food and of course, decorate the house. Don’t worry – I’ve not got the tree up just yet but I have been thinking about colour schemes for when it is acceptible to get the tinsel out.

We only have a few baubles and accessories wrapped up in the cellar from last year, so I’ll be adding to them this year and I like the idea of a natural alpine feel to create a cosy atmosphere. To glam things up a little I may add some hints of silver and gold – inspired by this feature I put together for the party issue of Fabulous magazine on Saturday.

How will you be decorating your pad for the party season?