Spoonflower design challenge

 Last week I joined the Spoonflower design challenge which was 'Hidden Whimsy Wallpaper'. My entry was this turquoise damask. From a distance it looks like a traditional damask print but look closer and you will see that it's made up of lots of little folk birds!

I coloured this damask print in the same colour palette that I used for the peacock print as I think they would make greta complimentary designs in the home.

It also matches this peacock scallop design.

This moodboard shows how all the designs could work together and I've included images of deep turquoise painted walls that add drama to the home as well as complimentary colour chips in navy and chartreuse which I see working as accents in accessories in velvet and boucle fabrics.

Check out my Spoonflower shop for more designs.

Charming Chinoiserie at Pitzhanger Manor

After a three year conservation and restoration project, Pitzhanger House is now open to the public and on Saturday I went along to check it out. The house was designed and built between 1800 and 1804 by Sir John Soane, one of Britain's most influential architects and he built it in then rural Ealing as a country retreat. He built it to showcase his skills as an architect and designed it around his eclectic and growing collection of art and antiquities. The house was also built as a place of entertainment to host dinners and large parties for clients and influential friends.

The restoration project has reinstated important structural features as well as design features, which include the dramatic marbling in the entrance hall and intricately painted ceiling in the dining room. My favourite room is the the Upper Drawing Room where they have recreated the hand-painted Chinese wallpaper.

Chinoiserie is an interior design trend once again and can be seen in many home dec magazines. The style works beautifully as a design on a statement wall.

I love the soft pink of the design below, seen in a recent copy of Living Etc.

Gucci's Resort 2019 collection was strongly influenced by Chinoiserie design.

And even Cheeky Leopard likes to use Chinoiserie-insired fabrics in its creations. This clutch bag uses a dramatic green satin fabric with a bamboo and blossom motif.

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The Decor Cafe

Last Friday I mentioned my trip to the lovely Strawberry Hill House. The main reason for going there was to visit a home decor show, hosted by the Decor Cafe. They are a collaborative community of independent home experts for home, garden, food and drink and each of its members had a stall there to showcase their wares and services. Needless to say, it was a very inspiring visit and I got lots of inspiration for my new flat. I thought I would showcase a few of my favourites here.

Lorna Syson is inspired by her memories of childhood and creates unique designs that represent a simplified beauty of the British outdoors. She creates beautiful printed homewares which are ready to buy from her website.

As well beautiful nature prints, she also has a fab collection of geometric abstract designs that you can see below. I'm thinking this would be perfect as curtains for my new sitting room or perhaps as cushions on my new charcoal grey sofa...

Laura Felicity is a designer who specialises in combining silk-screen printing with hand drawn patterns to create elegant handmade wallpapers and homewares.

I love Laura's Dotty Bird collection shown above and below that combines hand drawn images of birds and cages with a lovely random spot design. You can click on the You Tube link at the top right of her website to see how she creates some of her products.

The wonderfully named Inky Velvet is a new company that creates cushions and throws from designer fabrics at affordable prices. Check out the luscious autumnal colours below.

As a colour-lover, my eye was immediately drawn to Inky Velvet's Medina collection below which combines rich, decorative pints with clashing coloured velvets.

Frances Kiernan is a printmaker, book artist, typographer and designer who creates stunning paper products. I loved the graphic designs she used as well as the fresh, simple modern colour palettes.

I couldn't leave without purchasing one of her beautiful handmade note books.

Frances offers classes in book making and I'm very tempted to get a group together to do a one day class. Anyone up for it?!