Interiors Archives - Style&Minimalism

Christian Watson Furniture

British furniture designer Christian Watson has been honing his trade for many years but it was only recently that he made the decision to launch his eponymous brand.

Christian spent two years studying under Marc Fish at Robinson House Studio in Sussex, there he learnt traditional furniture making with timber and veneer. Today, his carefully considered, stripped-back, contemporary style is dominated by the use of metal, its strength giving his pieces their simple elegance. I believe it’s his love of materials that has pushed him on and led him to create such contrasting pieces today. He still spends a lot of time researching, experimenting and playing with new materials. His current style is clearly defined but I can’t help but wonder what he will do in the future and whether it will have a direct connection to his style today or whether it will evolve once more.

Christian can draw a clear line between his work at Robinson House and his work today. Whilst at Robinson House Studio he “was taught that the relentless pursuit of perfection must be applied to the entire furniture-making process, from sourcing the highest-quality materials, to working with highly-skilled craftsmen. It is this holistic approach to design that defines the studio today”. He is meticulous in his research, almost to the point of obsession.

The Signature Collection combines powder-coated metal with sustainable Portuguese cork, vegetable tanned leather, British wool or glass. The pieces are handmade locally by talented craftsmen and women, everything is made in Britain (they are proud members of Made In Britain), keeping their company’s carbon footprint low and allowing each design to be made to order. The aim is that everything be made to last, developing its own patina with age that simply adds to its beauty. In those rare cases when an accident does occur, they will repair or replace the affected part.

The designs within the Signature Collection work beautifully together, with a cohesive design language. However, the strength of their individual designs allows them to comfortably sit independently or alongside furniture by other designers.

Alongside the Signature Collection is a tailored service which allows you to make alterations to the size, material and/or colour of a piece. This is done in a way that maintains the integrity of each design but allows you to fit them into your home seamlessly.

For those with an idea for a unique piece or a unique space, there’s a bespoke service. Christian is full of surprises and, in the short time that I’ve known him, I’ve found that our conversations are often unpredictable and inspiring. I can only imagine what a joy it is to work with him.

For further information, please visit christian-watson.com.

Olio by Barber Osgerby

My collection of ceramics has grown significantly in the last few years as I’ve come to understand that eating and drinking should always be an enjoyable ritual. It offers us all time to slow down, to make the most of our time with friends and family, or even just a moment to ourselves. The way in which we eat and how we see our food can greatly affect how we feel in the moment, and after. We all deserve to drink out of a beautifully-designed mug, pour a glass of water from an attractive jug and eat our food off plates and bowls that emphasise the beauty and quality of the ingredients we serve.

This Spring, Royal Doulton and Barber Osgerby have relaunched their Olio Collection; initially launched in 2015. The collection by London-designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby takes inspiration from our modern love of mix and match ceramics; no longer is it the norm to have a single set in which every plate and bowl are the exact same style. We have become ceramics collectors, picking out complimentary designs from various places. Olio means a miscellaneous collection of things, and also a highly spiced stew of various meats and vegetables originating from Spain and Portugal; so it’s quite an appropriate name for the eclectic collection.

“We design objects that are timeless, things that people want to keep forever.”
Edward Barber & Jay Ogersby

There are 14 pieces in the, predominantly ceramic, Olio Collection. It has been designed in such a way that you could choose just one piece to add to your current collection or create a complete set. In addition to ceramics there are sustainable wooden serveware and stainless steel cutlery. The collection combines porcelain and stoneware with both glazed and unglazed details in graphic black, timeless white and celadon blue. The sugar pot, jugs and serving bowls work equally well as decorative objects in the home.

Royal Doulton describe Olio as “a considered range with an honest, authentic and functional design sensibility”.

For further information, visit www.royaldoulton.com.

An Independent Shops Christmas Gift Guide

Christmas is not that far away, especially if you’re planning to order your gifts online. I’ve found that small independent shops offer more unique gifts than most. They are often handmade, have a story and sometimes give back to the community.

This year I’ve been thinking about what makes a good gift. Big statement presents may be suitable for growing children whose needs are constantly changing but for us adults I think it’s the everyday objects that elevate our experiences of the ordinary; items that bring comfort or a little luxury to our day-to-day. This year why not buy someone you love something they’ll use over and over again. It could be a beautiful handmade cup to enjoy their coffee or tea in throughout the day, a linen cushion or warm merino wool blanket for when they sit down and relax at the end of the day, or even a pair of socks that feel comfortable against their feet all day long.

Independent shop owners spend hours searching for the best makers and artisans. They have done the research for us and offer a curated selection of well-made items, often made here in the UK.

I’ve selected a few of my favourite independent shops (that I buy from) to highlight; sharing some of the incredible products they sell, that I believe could make someone very happy this Christmas.

Aerende

Aerende is an Olde-English word meaning ‘care’. It’s a great word for describing everything about this online shop. All their products are made by people in the UK who face social challenges. They are all beautiful ‘life-improving homewares’, that have been made to last.

Large Sycamore Chopping Board with Handle

Linen Lumbar Cushion, Grey and White Stripes

Natural Rapeseed Wax Pillar Candle, Ivory

Oggetto

Oggetto is an Italian word meaning ‘object’. Owners, Helen and Charlie Camm make and source the handmade pieces they sell, with a focus on quality, craftsmanship and longevity. They are keen to help keep traditional artisan skills alive, both for the benefit of the makers and the end users.

Olea Living

Olea Living was set-up by two mum’s with young families, looking to create adaptable, relaxed spaces in their homes. They source timeless, traditionally crafted products, made by small-scale manufacturers and artisans, with a focus on natural materials.

The Small Home

The Small Home seek out small, socially responsible artisans and makers, who produce useful and beautiful products that will stay with you for years to come. With their products they hope to celebrate simple, life-enhancing pleasures.

Indigo Hand Embroidered Cushion – Square

Sheepskin Moccasin Slippers Love Birds Pink*

Short Stubby – Pairs of 100% Pure Beeswax Candles

Workshop

Workshop are interested in helping us achieve more balance in our lives, with respect for what sustains and protects natural elements and materials. With the help of their well-curated goods, they hope to bring back an appreciation and connection to the value in the craft, technique, materials and history of a product.

Natural Candles For Dark Autumnal Evenings

The days are slowly getting shorter and the nights are growing longer. I’m embracing the change of season and looking for ways to make my home feel more cosy. Candlelight is a soothing way to help shift a busy mind into a calmer state; and with the help of some well-chosen essential oils it’s easy to relax and unwind. Before you strike a match, it’s important you know what’s in the candle you are about to burn; not all candles are made equally.

There is constant speculation about paraffin wax, and the possibility that when burnt it gives off carcinogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as acetone and benzene. Another VOC, toluene (which is irritating to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract) may also be given off. (It should be noted that VOCs occur in all fruit and vegetables, and are not all potentially hazardous.) There is no clear conclusion about paraffin but since it is a by-product of the petroleum industry, it isn’t a sustainable option. Paraffin wax is still a popular choice with candlemakers though. It burns quicker than other waxes but it gives a good scent throw (how well the scent is dispersed when the candle is burnt).

Some synthetic fragrances also contain irritating VOCs such as formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, limonene, alcohol and esters. These can trigger headaches, dizzy spells, asthma attacks and other breathing difficulties; some are known carcinogens.

There are lots of studies proving and disproving the effects of burning candles made with paraffin wax and synthetic fragrances. My approach is to only burn natural candles, those made with natural waxes and essential oils.

What Options Are There For Natural Candles?

Beeswax

Beeswax is a natural product, made by honey bees. They use the wax to form honeycomb cells. When honey is harvested from the combs, beeswax is a by-product. Bees are not harmed during the harvesting process but most vegans will avoid honey and beeswax since the harvesting of both takes away food from the hive. Each honey bee only produces around a twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. A large quantity of honey needs to be produced, in order to produce a small quantity of beeswax, making it one of the most expensive waxes for candlemakers to use.

Beeswax gives an even, slow, clean burn that is virtually smoke-free and soot-free, and does not drip; the scent throw is quite subtle though.

Soy Wax

Soy wax is one of the best bases for candles, as it burns slowly and cleanly, and is more affordable than beeswax. It is made when soybean oil is fully hydrogenated (i.e. treated with hydrogen gas to create saturated fatty acids with a higher melting point), creating a soft wax.

Some soy waxes are combined with paraffin wax to make them even more affordable. Unbelievably, even those described as 100% pure soy wax may contain a small percentage of paraffin wax. Transparency within the candle wax industry is (currently) minimal; with some producers choosing to keep their “recipe” a secret, even from the candlemakers they work with.

Deforestation (the clearing of land for crops) is a massive problem within the soy industry, especially in South America. Deforestation leads to a loss of bio-diversity within the ecosystem, it has a big impact on climate-change with fewer trees to remove carbon dioxide from the air and water, as well as the potential loss of some species.

I tend to minimise my intake of soy products anyway, due to a lack of clarity around whether they are genetically modified (GM); it’s one of the few GM foods that can be imported into the UK. Globally, a huge percentage of soy grown is GM. I prefer not to support the production of GM foods, so I look for organic soy products whenever I use them.

Palm Wax

Palm wax has a high melt point (higher than paraffin and soy wax), throws scent well and is a hard wax (making it ideal for taller candles). Palm wax is made when palm oil is hydrogenated. It would be the best option for candles were it not for the sheer devastation that growing oil palm trees continues to cause the planet.

Oil palm trees are native to West Africa, Central and South America. They were brought to South-East Asia as an ornamental tree crop around one hundred years ago. Fast-forward to today and Indonesia and Malaysia are producing around 85% of the global supply. In order to keep up with demand peat swamp forests (which store huge amounts of carbon) are being cleared and drained, releasing millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. At the same time, the native habitats of endangered species (orangutans, pygmy elephants, sun bears, Sumatran rhinos and tigers) are being destroyed.

The Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) have attempted to bring more transparency to the palm oil industry but it’s a little hopeless at the moment, as they have been unable to certify that their members are producing oil sustainably.

Coconut Wax

Coconut wax burns cleanly and for longer than many other waxes but its low melt-point makes it hard to use for candles. It has an excellent scent throw.

Coconut wax is made from refined coconut oil, which goes through a hydrogenation process. When the oil is refined the scent is removed and after it is hydrogenated it becomes a creamy white wax with a fairly low melt-point. This means it is usually blended with soy wax or other vegetable waxes to give it a higher melt-point, to ensure it is a wax and not an oil at room temperature.

Coconuts are a high-yield, sustainable crop but traceability is difficult. Mostly, they are grown on tropical islands such as those of the Philippines, which each have their own, unique ecosystem. Growing any single crop in a high volume is going to have a negative impact on the native ecosystem.

Rapeseed Wax

Rapeseed wax is a fairly new wax to be used in the candle industry but is quickly being viewed in Europe as a good alternative to soy wax, since it’s grown locally. It has a good scent throw, burns cleanly and slowly, with a soot-free burn.

Rapeseed wax is made when rapeseed oil is hydrogenated. A creamy white wax is produced that can be used in a variety of ways, depending on the hydrogenation process. It works equally well for tapered and pillar candles, as scented candles.

It’s another one of the few GM foods that can be imported into the UK; however, it is widely produced in both the UK and in Europe, where it’s illegal to grow GM crops. If sourced from the UK or Europe it is one of the most eco-friendly options. It can be completely traceable and renewable, with a small carbon footprint.

Waste Vegetable Oil

Taking waste vegetable oil and turning it into candle wax is one of the most ethical options I’ve found. It helps to form a circular economy within the vegetable oil industry. Waste vegetable oil is taken from restaurants and cafés, filtered and hydrogenated to form a clean wax. The wax can then be made into candles.

Essential Oils

Plant-based, all-natural essential oils give candles a beautiful scent that will fragrance your room. These candles also have aromatherapy benefits. A well-chosen candle can have a positive effect on our mental health. Oils like lavender, bergamot and rose can help calm a busy mind; whilst those from lemon, rosemary and peppermint can help invigorate the mind.

Essential oils are concentrated hydrophobic liquids, extracted from the flowers, berries, leaves, wood, bark, resin, roots, peel and/or seeds of a plant. Essential, in this case, means the ‘essence of’, rather than it being vital.

VOCs occur naturally in essential oils; some contain acetaldehyde, acetone, and ethanol; none of which are classified as carcinogenic. Toluene can also be found in many essential oils. Undiluted they can be an irritant to the skin and cause allergic reactions. For this reason, I think it’s important to only burn candles for short periods of time, in a well-ventilated space.

Wicks

There are hundreds of different types and styles of candle wick. The type of wick used usually depends on the type of wax used. Look for candles with wicks that are lead and metal-free; and made with a natural, clean-burning material like wood, paper, cotton or hemp that has been sourced sustainably.

UK-Made Natural Candles

Here are a few of the best natural candles I’ve found, all made here in the UK. I’ve chosen the scents most likely to evoke a sense of hygge at home. However, each brand makes other scents if you prefer something different.

FIND YOUR CALM, Find*
100% soy wax.
Lavender, patchouli and frankincense essential oils.
Cotton & brown paper wicks with a thin paraffin wax coating.
Burn time: approx. 30 hours.
The scent is like a warming nectar, mixed with the gentle smell of fresh lavender warmed by a day in the sun. It’s an easy scent that’s calming and warming.
EDITION 01: DUSK, Phena London*
Waste sunflower oil wax.
Lavender, clary sage, chamomile, geranium and bergamot essential oils.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wooden wicks.
Burn time: approx. 45 hours.
The scent is a mix of fresh herbs with a light floral bouquet from the lavender and geranium, the bergamot is subtle but brings an added zingy freshness to it. The wooden wick brings an extra element of interest; it’s nice to lie in the bath listening to the crackle whilst watching the flame flicker.

CEDARWOOD + SPICES, Holistic*
100% soy wax.
Cedarwood, cinnamon, vanilla and orange essential oils.
Cotton wicks.
Burn time: approx. 40 hours.
The vanilla and orange give this candle a nice balance of sweet and citrus, the spice of cinnamon is subtle and the cedarwood helps ground the fragrance.
CINNAMON + MANDARIN, SVAR:ØG*
100% soy wax.
Fennel, frankincense and star anise essential oils.
Eco-cotton wicks.
Burn time: approx. 35-40 hours.
The scent of citrusy mandarin and aromatic frankincense combine beautifully with the aniseed of the fennel and the slightly more fruity scent of star anise.

Further Reading
‘Frequent use of certain candles produces unwanted chemicals‘ , South Carolina University – August 24th, 2009
‘The Other Oil Spill‘, The Economist – June 24th, 2010
‘The Soy Story‘, WWF – October, 2019
‘8 Things To Know About Palm Oil‘, WWF – January 17th, 2020
‘Used in everything from biofuels to food, the impact of palm oil on global emissions‘, The Independent – January 29th, 2020
‘Why coconut oil may be worse than palm oil for the environment‘, The Independent – July 8th, 2020
‘Volatile chemical emissions from essential oils‘, Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health – August 8th, 2018

Further Watching
‘Kiss The Ground‘, Netflix – 2020
‘David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet‘, Netflix – 2020

Create A City Oasis

With our gardens, balconies and window sills having become so much more important to us lately (whilst we are asked to stay home), I thought I’d share some of my favourite designs to help you spruce them up. I’ve tried to consider products that work for every situation and give suggestions for different size spaces – I appreciate that not everyone who lives in a big city has a private outdoor space. Try to make the most of what you do have and be creative.

If you have the space (and make the most of it) it can feel like you have an extra room, or two. If you have a big family, it can make a small house feel so much larger and give you all an area to spend time alone. Just having a small area to sit, surrounded by plants can be transformative to your health and well being. If you’re able to get in the sun, you’ll also benefit from the vitamin D your body produces in response to its rays.

Whatever size space you have there’s always something you can do to make it feel special; from growing herbs in beautiful pots on a bright window sill (to give your summer salads a boost), to creating an inviting dining area in the garden (to sit and enjoy a barbecue on warm summer evenings). It’s your space so choose what makes you happy.

Reading

Whenever I can, I like to read outside. I’m less distracted by the chores that need doing in the house and can lose myself for at least half an hour. It’s a lovely form of meditation that’s transformed by a comfy chair and a cosy blanket on chillier days.

You don’t need a lot of space, just enough to squeeze in a chair, a small table to rest your morning coffee on or even just a tray on the ground. What’s most important is that it offers you the chance to sit and relax.

Below you’ll find some of my favourite outdoor chairs, as well as a few stools and accessories that will offer you some added comfort.

**ferm LIVING** Desert Lounge Chair & Plant Box

**Skagerak** Tradition Corner Module & Table

**Skagerak** Virkelyst 3-Seater with Cushions in Sea Blue Stripes

Dining

For some reason eating outside always feels more exciting than indoors. Perhaps it’s the change of scene, warm air, and the chance to slow down and enjoy your food. There’s no rush and little distraction; except for maybe some good company.

I love the relaxed vibe of eating al fresco, piling the table high with sharing plates of fish, meats and salads. It’s a great excuse for mixing up a fresh pitcher of your favourite cocktail and clinking glasses until well after the sun has set. With the right lighting, a log burner and a few blankets there’s no need to go inside when the temperature and light drop.

Whether you’re perched on a small balcony or spread across a large terrace, I have found some beautiful designs for your outdoor dining area. All are incredibly well made, built to last but also look good. I’ve included a few accessories that will make serving a spectacle in itself.

**Skagerak** Lilium Lounge Chair & Table

**Muuto** Linear Steel Table & Bench in Off-White

**Skagerak** Nordic Bowl & Plate and Fulla Salad Servers

**Skagerak** Hammer Decanter & Cutter Bench

**MENU** LAB Bottle Grinder & Plinth Table

**HAY** Palissade Dining Bench & Chair in Anthracite

Growing & Gardening

There’s little more satisfying than eating something you’ve grown and nurtured from seed; without question, it tastes better. In my own garden, I began with herbs, these are the easiest to grow and always useful. I cook with them daily and often sip on a mint tea at the end of day.

Several pots in different sizes, clustered together look great sprouting with bright green basil, pale sage, dense thyme and sprigs of fragrant rosemary. You can use them in your cooking, fresh throughout the summer and if dried they can be used long after the plants have lost all their leaves. Fruit and vegetables take a lot of care and attention but, if you enjoy the process, will reward you in more ways than by simply providing you with something to eat. They can be grown in some highly creative ways, make use of balcony boxes if you have a small space.

For the more ambitious among you, a propagator or greenhouse might be necessary to kick things off. I’ve found some elegant options for various size spaces, that you won’t mind showing off.

If you’re happier getting your herbs, fruits and vegetables delivered to your door then why not surround yourself with fresh green foliage and flowers in your favourite shades to create a little haven.

**Skagerak** Spira Green House & Growth Table

**Kent & Stowe** Transplanting Trowel via **ARKET**

**Skagerak** Edge Indoor Pots in Light Grey

**HAY** Plant Pot with Saucer in XL, Black

For organic seeds you could try Vital Seeds or Tamar Organics.

Books

*Grow Fruit & Vegetables In Pots: Planting Advice & Recipes From Great Dixter* (Phaidon)

*House of Plants: Living with succulents, air plants & cacti* (Frances Lincoln)

All that’s left to say now is, enjoy the weather and stay safe, stay home.

All images are courtesy of the brands featured.

Isabelle’s Bedroom

It took far longer than I expected to get Isabelle’s nursery looking and feeling the way I wanted it. It’s continued to evolve since she was born, fitting her ever-changing needs. However, it remains a warm, welcoming space, where she feels calm and happy, as well as somewhere I know she’s safe. It’s a room with multiple uses: most often for changing, sleeping and playing. I’ve kept to a predominately minimal colour palette, adding colour with books and toys. I want it to inspire her but not be too stimulating, as she needs to be able to relax for naps and bedtime. There’s lots of storage so it’s easy to keep tidy, with baskets for her toys that I throw everything in at the end of the day.

**Sofa Workshop** Miss Firefly Armchair*

We decided not to find out if we were having a boy or girl when I was pregnant with Isabelle. We wanted a surprise (and it was, I thought she was going to be a boy), so the nursery is fairly gender-neutral. I don’t believe that pink is for girls and blue is for boys so there are touches of both throughout. The colour palette is predominantly white, grey and beige (similar to the rest of our house).

Since minimal Scandinavian-inspired interiors are now fairly popular in the UK, it was easy to source all the soft furnishings and decorations without paying extortionate fees to have them shipped here. I sourced a lot of pieces from Scandibørn and used their gift list registry for our baby shower. They kindly gifted me a few pieces for Isabelle’s bedroom but I’ve also bought a lot of things from them, and continue to do so most months.

**Sofa Workshop** Miss Firefly Armchair* | **Wood/Grey** Striped Pom Pom Cushion* | **La cerise sur le gâteau** Eva Plaid Towel/Blanket in Biscuit*

**Liewood** Alma Rabbit Music Mobile | **Iris Hantverk** Rack with 7 Hooks | **Baby Mori** Clever Sleeping Bag in Blush Stripe

*“Owl Babies”* by Martin Waddell & Patrick Benson | *“Little Bunny Goes To The Moon”* by Amelia Gatacre (no longer available) | *“The Magic Bunny”* by Paddy Comyn & Barry Sheehan | *“Luis Llama and his Lion Drama”* by Ross Williams & Gavin Scott | *“The Very Brave Lion”* by Wendy Ravenhill & Cee Biscoe | *“Elephants Can’t Fly”* by Charlotte Christie & Cee Biscoe

Safety in our house isn’t something I had previously given a lot of consideration to (beyond the obvious) but I’ve learnt how important it is since becoming a mum. Being responsible for a little person makes you look at things quite differently. I’ve found it helps to get down low so I can see things from Isabelle’s perspective.

The most important piece of furniture in her room is her cot, it has to keep her safe whilst she sleeps. I had a lot of anxieties about moving Isabelle into a separate room so I didn’t want her cot to cause any more. I did my research and found that Boori share a lot of my values. For their cots they use sustainable, FSC-sourced solid wood and their paint finishes are Greenguard GOLD certified, meaning they’re low-chemical emitting. I chose a natural pocket sprung mattress with a 100% cotton cover and 100% pure British Herdwick sheep wool padding, a natural temperature regulator. It’s a solid cot that was easy to build. We moved her into her own room at about six and a half months, at that point the base of the cot was in a raised position. We lowered it when she could sit-up. When she’s ready we’ll remove one side, lower the other and turn it into a toddler bed with a guard panel, and eventually we’ll remove the guard panel. Meaning, we won’t have to worry about a new bed for quite a while.

Initially, I had a cot bumper but after reading about them I was put off using it. There’s a lot of advice that says you shouldn’t, since they’re a suffocation and strangulation risk; the thought of either upsets me beyond belief. It’s also suggested that they trap heat, a big no-no since overheating increases a baby’s risk of cot death.

*“Guess How Much I Love You”* by Sam McBratney & Anita Jeram

**MENU x Note Design Studio** Traditional Houses Nesting Storage Boxes* | **MENU** x **JWDA** Concrete Lamp*| **Gro** Egg 2 Baby Thermometer and Night Light | **Umbra** Casa Tissue Box Cover | **AVANTEK** Sleep White Noise Machine | **MENU** x **Form us with Love** Cage Table

**Muuto** Large Dot in Petroleum | (Inherited) Vintage Nightdress | Children’s Wooden Hangers

**Cam Cam Copenhagen** Baby Blanket in Sashiko Mint

**Sarah & Bendrix** Montgomery Pull Along Wooden Dog with Xylophone

The other major piece of furniture was our armchair from Sofa Workshop. It was designed and made here in Britain. I’m so pleased that they support British craftsmanship and that their furniture doesn’t travel halfway around the world before it gets to you. Our armchair is covered in British wool from the Moon Melton Wools Collection. I visited the Sofa Workshop showroom in Wandsworth to look at fabric swatches. There was a huge range but I eventually chose a pale grey (Silver) for its versatility. The same skilled upholsterer worked on my chair from start to finish, it wasn’t made conveyor-belt style. It’s a piece of furniture I hope will remain with us for many years. We have a second in our bedroom and one day will reunite them when we have the space.

Having somewhere comfortable to sit that offers support for your back and arms when you’re nursing is a game-changer. Isabelle recently turned one and I stopped breastfeeding her just over three weeks ago. We still use the armchair every day for stories before her naps and bed time.

**L’Amour Fou** Digital Safari Animal Prints via **Etsy** | **Habitat** Ontario A4 White Picture Frames

Dan and I have read to Isabelle since she was about three months old. She surprised us both when she quickly learned to turn the pages. She has a good attention span for her age and I think that comes down to her love of books. We have so many already. I bought a few that were in excellent condition from FARA Kids and would recommend a visit if you live near one. Book Trust have a great website with age-based recommendations if you’re not sure where to start. Isabelle also has a library card and we get a few books out every couple of weeks. It’s a great way to gauge what she likes and is ready for.

Some of her books are on picture ledges that she can see when we’re changing her. When I pick her up she usually wants to look at one of them afterwards. We rotate them quite often so she doesn’t see the same ones day after day.

**Flensted** Black Grey Elephant Party Mobile

**Jellycat** Bonbon Flamingo | **MENU** x **Afteroom** Teddy in Dark Grey*

**John Lewis & Partners** GOTS Organic Cotton Fitted Cotbed Sheets

**Konges Slojd** Moon & Stars Mobile c/o **Scandibørn*** | **Munks + Me** Print via **Trouva** | **Moebe** Frame via **Trouva** | **Neal’s Yard** Pillow Mist | *“Orange Pear Apple Bear”* by Emily Garrett | *“Where’s Mr Dog?”* by Ingela P Arrhenius | **Blossom & Bloom** x **Eric Carle** Very Hungry Caterpillar Baby Pillow Spray* & Baby Moisturiser*

We have bought and were given quite a few bits from Liewood. It’s a Danish children’s brand that has a strong ethos of sustainability. Not only is their style minimal and Scandinavian but functional. They use ethical materials; including GOTS-certified organic cotton, bamboo, Oeko-Tex fabrics and BPA-free silicone. Isabelle’s Liewood sleeping pod* and nursing pillow were in almost constant use for the first six months. We have everything from silicone plates to music mobiles. I’ve also just ordered some swimwear and jelly sandals for Isabelle for our holiday. It’s an amazing brand and quite reasonably priced, I buy most things through Scandibørn.

**Olli & Ella** Reva Changing Basket | **Olli & Ella** Liner in White | **Molly & Moo** ‘Little Bundle’ Organic Swaddle in Grey* | **Kit & Kin** Eco-Friendly Nappies | **Bonds** Zip Wondersuits | **IKEA** MALM Drawers

**The Celebrations House** “Oh Baby” Baby Shower Wooden Blocks via **Etsy** | **Jellycat** Little Poppet Honey Bunny | **Ostheimer** Small Elephant | **ferm Living** The Round Dorm Shelf

When you walk in Isabelle’s room it’s hard not to notice the beautiful felt animal heads that are hanging on the opposite wall. They are from Fiona Walker, a great British brand. Their team helped me source the exact heads I wanted; a couple of them are older styles that I had seen on Pinterest but couldn’t track down. They’ve since relaunched their website and you can now buy directly from them.

Often when I get Isabelle up from her naps, she wants to pat the animal heads. They’ve helped us teach her about a few animals, along with the prints on the opposite wall.

Each of the heads is ethically hand-crafted from organic lambs wool, using traditional methods. The all-female workforce are able to take their work home so they can continue to look after their children without losing out on an income.

I mentioned in my last post that getting Isabelle sleeping well wasn’t easy. What I didn’t mention is the advice we were given about her bedroom. We keep it as dark as possible when she sleeps, we have a blackout blind and curtains. In the day we switch off her lamp but at night we have it on the lowest setting. We keep her room as cool as we can; babies like a pleasant 18°C. In the really warm weather we’ve had recently, she’s slept in a Bonds Zip Wondersuit (which have a double zipper), or just a nappy and vest when it’s been in the 30s. Otherwise, we use a Baby Mori Clever Sleeping Bag. They go down to 0.5 togs and are made with a bamboo and organic cotton mix fabric. They have a double zipper and and an opening for car seats which is very useful if you need to travel in the evening and transport them straight to bed.

**MENU** Knobs in Black | **Olivier London** Liberty Chamomile Blue Pandora Romper via **Rosie & Lula**

Overall, I think I’ve created a room that works for her now but will easily grow with her. It’s a space she clearly enjoys spending time in and I do, too.

There are lots of little items that I haven’t mentioned but have tried to link to below each of the photos. If you have any questions about any of them please leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram.

Good Sleep Is Important For Everyone

From my late teens through to my early-thirties (like so many others) I slept badly; not that I knew it, at the time. I probably averaged about six to seven hours most nights. Sleep is important to the function and maintenance of our minds and bodies. We need about eight hours, although that can vary from one person to another. Without it our immune systems are severely impaired, shortening our life-span. We’re more than twice as likely to have to fight cancer, more susceptible to obesity and Alzheimer’s disease; the list goes on…

It wasn’t until my mid-thirties that I started to understand and appreciate the importance of sleep, and began to average at least eight hours a night. This carried on til Isabelle was born, last summer. Since then I’ve been trying to get as much of it as I can but it hasn’t always been easy.

According to a study by the University of Warwick, new parents face up to six years of sleep deprivation¹. It’s no wonder that some people appear to age overnight as soon as they have children; I’m sure I have. We struggled with sleep deprivation early on, then thought we were winning when Isabelle began sleeping through the night when she was four months old. It was short lived, however. Parties almost every weekend in the recently-rented house next door woke her constantly, and stressed us out immensely. It got so bad some nights that we had to pack up and leave our home, once on a Sunday. Even when there were no parties I remained anxious that one would start at any moment. I’m sure Isabelle picked up on this, babies are remarkably perceptive.

Sleep is important for all of us but especially children as they develop both physically and mentally.

Isabelle’s sleep deteriorated to the point that she would go to sleep in her cot at 8pm and by midnight would be tucked up next to me in our bed. We tried everything we could but it was the only way we found to calm her down. For the rest of the night she would wake every 1-3 hours. After several weeks of little-to-no sleep (including during our “holiday”), we were irritable zombies. Dan decided it was time to speak to a professional. I was sceptical about what anyone could tell me that I hadn’t already read. Fortunately, on this occasion, Dan didn’t wait for me to come around to the idea. He found Leigh, a lovely, positive and experienced sleep consultant. Dan explained our situation and quickly got her onboard to help us help Isabelle. Within three days Isabelle was back sleeping through the night and has continued to do so ever since.

Dan and I both feel a little more human now and far more capable as parents. There’s nothing worse than wanting to be a good parent and feeling you’re letting your child down simply because you are so tired.

It was about six weeks before Isabelle started to nap easily in her cot, twice a day. Her naps still vary in length but she always has two which gives me the peace of mind that we’re giving her the opportunity to sleep when she needs to. Anyone struggling with a baby or child that doesn’t sleep well, I would highly recommend speaking to a sleep consultant, Leigh helped us immensely.

Since getting our nights back I have made a few changes to our bed so that we can make the most of those precious hours. We needed some new bedding and I had spotted Bedfolk on Instagram a little while back (their images are beautiful). They have a wonderful ethos that resonates with me, ‘ethically made and honestly priced‘. Bedfolk have managed to create incredibly good quality bed linen without compromising on the welfare of the people in their supply chain or charging a fortune for it.

They start with long-staple cotton; the long staple (length of the fibre) means that the finished material is much smoother, stronger and more durable than other cottons. The resulting fabric is incredibly soft and light but will last many years. There are no harmful chemicals or synthetics used in the making of the fabric, it’s OEKO-Tex certified. This is very important since it means that the workers in the supply chain aren’t exposed unnecessarily to harmful chemicals and neither are you. Have you ever considered what chemicals might be rubbing up against your skin due to the fabrics you wear and the bedding you sleep in?

Bedfolk work with one of the world’s best mills, in the beautiful UNESCO world heritage site of Guimaraes, in Northern Portugal (once Portugal’s capital city). It’s an area that has specialised in the making of textiles for hundreds of years. The mill is third-generation family run.

**Bedfolk** Relaxed Bedding Bundle in Rose & Snow* | **Soak & Sleep** Hungarian Goose-Down Pillows | *‘Well Being: Recipes and rituals to realign the body and mind’* by Danielle Copperman

Bedfolk have kept things simple and this has allowed them to keep their prices down. They sell direct to consumer (i.e. you), you’ll only ever find them online. They offer three styles, in three colours – Classic, Luxe and Relaxed in Dove, Rose and Snow. You can mix and match the colours like I have, it’s easy since their website is so straight-forward.

I believe they are one of the best bedding brands we have here in the UK and I wish my cupboard had several sets to choose from. However, I believe in using things til they eventually fall apart, so I have a couple of older sets to use first but when the time comes it’s Bedfolk I’ll buy; they are the best in my experience. If you’re in need of new bedding, please take a look at their website and consider them. They’ve very kindly offered me a promotional code to share, that will give you £20 off your first bedding bundle. The code is: STYLE&MINIMALISM.

With our bedding organised, I got rid of our old, flat pillows and bought some new Hungarian goose-down pillows from Soak & Sleep. They’re good value and they have a decent animal welfare policy. The medium/firm ones are very firm, not great for sleep but perfect for propping yourself up to read or drink a cup of tea. I’ve found that the soft/medium ones are the best for sleeping.

Lavender is well-known for it’s ability to help you relax and unwind. We have some growing in the garden. I like to take Isabelle out and we pick a few heads to place in a bowl next to the bed. The scent of the fresh flowers isn’t the same scent you might associate with grandmas!

I’ve also been using Susanne Kaufmann’s Pillow Spray. I’ve mentioned this product before and still love to use it as I get into bed.

If you’re interested in understanding more about sleep you should have a read or listen to ‘Why We Sleep – The New Science of Sleep and Dreams’ by Matthew Walker; it’s fascinating and will give you a much greater understanding of and insight into the importance of sleep. There’s also ‘The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time’ by Arianna Huffington.

Wishing you all a good night’s sleep!

¹https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/feb/26/parenthood-sleep-deprivation-after-birth-mothers-hit-hardest-research

A Calming Minimal Home Workspace

A while back I started gathering inspiration for a Scandinavian-inspired home office, you might remember my post. With Isabelle on the way, I had to rethink the location, moving it from our back bedroom to a small alcove in our open-plan living/dining room. The style is unchanged, it’s still very minimal and Scandinavian-inspired, I just had a much smaller space to work with.

Finding a suitable desk was my first, essential task; it needed to be less than 1m wide so that it would fit within the alcove of our living area that I had designated. I found this quite limiting with the style I had in mind and I had to be a bit more creative, opting for a console table rather than a desk in the end. My favourite design for quite some time has been the Skagerak Georg Desk (named after the son of its designer, Chris Liljenberg Halstrøm). I love its rounded edges and soft oak finish. Unfortunately, it was too wide and too deep for the space, so I chose the Skagerak Georg Console – a smaller version of the desk that comes without a drawer. It’s a lovely solid oak table made with FSC-certified wood. It’s just deep enough for my laptop and a few essentials. If you prefer a paler look you could try their Cura Oil in White, which preserves the wood whilst giving it a lighter, whiter finish.

For years I’ve had issues with my neck, shoulders and back. Slumping over computers is nothing new to me and for too long my posture was appalling. I’d get so caught up in what I was doing that I didn’t notice how close I was getting to the screen or how locked up my shoulder was getting. A good chair has always made a world of difference to how I sit at a desk and how comfortable I am. It’s not always been easy as a freelancer to make a fuss over a desk set-ups but since working from home it’s down to me to create a set-up that works in terms of comfort and inspiration.

I wanted a chair with armrests that would still slide neatly under my desk. I wanted a design that’s simple, elegant and minimal but it also had to function. I tested out a few for comfort before deciding on the MENU Harbour Chair. MENU are one of my all time favourite brands, they work with some incredible designers, including Norm Architects who are the designers behind the Harbour Chair. It was originally created for MENU Space, MENU’s new creative destination in Copenhagen’s Nordhavn Harbour. The injection moulded, ergonomic shell is upholstered in a Kvadrat wool-mix fabric called Remix 2, in a soft beige colour-way known as 223 and is lined with soft foam for added comfort. The gently tapered legs and base are made of natural oak (which coordinate perfectly with my desk).

Being such a small desk it would be easy for it to get covered up quite quickly so I’ve tried to keep to my bare essentials. A statement lamp (also from MENU) and my laptop take up most of the space. In addition there are just a few small bits: my notebook (an old one from Bamford), a pen, candle, plant, timer, hand-cream, coaster, clips and a few inspirational postcards I’ve collected over the last year.

How To Stay Focused When Working From Home

I’ve been working from home for quite a while, so I feel pretty qualified to share some tips on how I manage to stay focused and get my work done.

Get up, shower, get dressed and do your hair and make-up as if you are leaving home. You don’t need to be meeting-ready but just enough to feel ready for the day.
Before you sit down get any distracting household chores out of the way; put the washing on, wash-up, empty the dishwasher and have a quick general tidy-up.
Working from your dining room table is okay but I would recommend having a dedicated space in your home. It helps to have everything ready to go where you left off the day before. You won’t waste time setting things up or clearing them away each day. It also helps put you in the right frame of mind to work.
Make yourself a cup of tea, coffee or preferred drink before you sit down.
Make a list of jobs for the day; be realistic about what you can get through (save less urgent jobs for another day). There are two ways I approach my list, depending on my mood. If I’m feeling productive I’ll tackle the most important job first; if not, I’ll tackle a few small easy jobs to get things moving.

Christmas Gift Guide 2018

As I’m a little short on blogging time these days I thought it best to combine my Christmas gift lists into one big Christmas gift guide this year, covering all the family. It’s much easier for me and, hopefully, easier for you if you’re able to see everything in one place.

I prefer to order online as I’m not a fan of crowds or wet weather, and if you can have something delivered to your door then why wouldn’t you. I just hope that my orders arrive in minimal, recyclable packaging; nothing worse than a huge box with a tiny one inside, such a waste.

My preference is towards more unique gifts that are harder to find but worth trawling for. I love to support small shops and brands, so I hope you’ll find something unexpected and special in my Christmas gift ideas. You’ll also find a few well-made, timeless classics; good investment items that everyone can appreciate.

1. Study 34 Crew Neck Baby Alpaca Jumper in Grey | 2. Cox & Cox Drip Glazed Table Lamp | 3. Wood & Meadow Japanese Sentei Garden Scissors (use code welcome10 for 10% off) | 4. Architectmade BIRD | 5. Price & Kensington Teapot 1100ml in Grey | 6. Grainger & Jameson Children’s Bunny Stool (website closed)| 7. Tilly Sveas Small Gold T-Bar On Fine Gold Belcher Chain (sign-up to their newsletter for 10% off) | 8. Susanne Kaufmann Best of Body Limited Edition | 9. Allbirds Wool Runners in Kotare Jo | 10. Sunspel Woven Cashmere Scarf in Navy | 11. uki.be Toothbrush & Spoon | 12. Beatrice Felicki Nordic Light Print | 13. House Doctor Atmospheric Matter Wall Hanging Mobile | 14. Jono Smart Low Bowl in Textured Grey | 15. Laura Lombardi Curve Hoops | 16. Chemex 3-6 Cup Filter Drip Coffee Maker

I won’t go into detail about everything in my guide but I wanted to highlight a few of the brands so you understand a little more about why I’ve chosen to include them.

Study 34 is a wonderful, sustainable brand that uses baby alpaca in their knitwear; it’s very warm and incredibly soft. Everything is designed in Newcastle and made in Peru.

Allbirds are an environmentally-friendly footwear brand that use natural materials like merino wool, eucalyptus tree fibre and sugar cane to make their comfy, machine washable trainers.

uki.be specialise in teethers for babies that are BPA-free and made from food-grade rubber. They don’t look like your standard teethers either.

Beatrice Felicki‘s beautiful monochrome prints are atmospheric and eerily beautiful. (Thanks for the introduction Abi.)

Jono Smart makes his minimal ceramics in a studio in Glasgow. His timeless pottery always sells out fast so be quick. (Also check out his partner, Emily’s wood turned creations.)

Time To Slow Down with C.P. Hart

This post was created in collaboration with C.P. Hart.

**The White Company** Wooden Bath Tidy | **Iris Hantverk** Bath Brush | **Meraki** Sponge | **Ex Nihilo** Ultra Rose Candle*

**C.P. Hart** Winchester Freestanding Cast Iron Bath

The latest addition to our house is a new roll top bath from C.P. Hart. We finally have a bath, it’s only taken us 7 years!

At the beginning of the year I wrote a post about my New Year Intentions, one of which was to slow down. Learning when to slow down (especially when you live in a city like London) is an important skill to hone, and one that often takes time to acquire. I’ve lived in London for around 12 years and it’s only now that I truly appreciate the need. Life can pass you by in a flash, so it’s important to take your time to appreciate the simple things. Whether that’s reading a book/magazine/newspaper whilst sitting in a favourite café and sipping on a freshly made coffee. Or taking a walk in a local park/favourite part of town/the countryside and enjoying taking everything in without an alternative agenda. Or (for me) slipping into a deep bath scented with my favourite bath oil (currently Olverum) whilst listening to calming music.

**House Doctor** Large Rustic Bowl | **House Doctor** Pure Nature Stool | **Iris Hantverk** Body Brush | **Meraki** Nail Brush* | **Meraki** Pumice Stone* | **Pai Skincare** Rosehip BioRegenerate Rapid Radiance Mask* | **Olverum** Bath Oil

Pregnancy really forced me to slow down, I would get tired after the least taxing of activities and, as the months wore on, I got more and more achey as my ligaments softened. Getting our new bath from C.P. Hart was an absolute game-changer. Barely a day went by when I was pregnant that I didn’t take a dip in it, whether that was to soothe my aches and pains or to chill out from the insane heatwave. There’s nowhere I felt more relaxed and would happily wallow away an hour.

There’s not a lot of time for me to wallow these days but I still grab a bath whenever I can, the pregnancy aches have been replaced by back and shoulder aches from carrying my gorgeous little girl around (she’s now 6.5kg). Little Isabelle, on the other hand, uses it daily as part of her bedtime routine.

**Balance Me** Super Moisturising Body Wash* | **Immunocologie** Cleansing Lotion* | **Immunocologie** Exfoliator Lotion* | **Susanne Kaufmann** Witch Hazel Bath

You might be wondering why it took us 7 years to get a bath. When we bought our house we completely gutted the kitchen and bathroom, removing the floor in-between and the ceiling above. This hadn’t been our plan but that’s what you get when you buy an old Victorian cottage with character. This, sadly, used up our budget and we just couldn’t afford the dreamy cast iron roll top bath I had planned for. Fast-forward 7 years and it’s been worth the wait, I couldn’t be happier with our beautiful bath, it’s just the right size and fits in perfectly, bringing together the old character of our Victorian house with my minimal style.

Just before the bump got too big I was on my hands and knees priming and painting the bath, a week later and the bump was too big and I wouldn’t have been able to. I used Johnstone’s Anti-Rust Metal Primer in Red Oxide and Farrow & Ball Estate Eggshell in Off-Black No.57. I used two coats of the primer and then two coats of the top coat. The 750ml pots of each were more than enough.

C.P. Hart were the obvious choice for me, they’ve been around for over 75 years, are well known for producing high quality products and work with some incredible designers (including Alessi and Philippe Starck). I can’t fault them on quality, our bath has been very well made and will be here for many years, long after we’ve moved on. It’s given our bathroom a stunning focal-point and finally it feels complete.

Minimal Hooks For The Home

We’ve been on a mission to get the house as finished and baby-friendly as possible over the last few months, me being pregnant was the kick up the backside we both needed. One area of the house that needed some attention was our bathroom. The paint had started to flake, we still didn’t have a bath and it just felt a bit unloved even though we’d invested so much in it when we first moved in. We’ve since had the walls micro-cemented and a stunning roll-top bath from C.P. Hart has been installed. It’s now need to think about the smaller details, like hooks and shelves. I’m currently looking for the perfect minimal hooks to hang our towels on. There are so many great designs out there, so I’ve rounded up a selection of my favourites.

1. **HEM** Punched Metal Hook Large in Grey by Julien Renault | 2. **Skagerak** Regn Hook Large | 3. **Utology** Wooden Wall Hook in Ash & Scorched Black Wood | 4. **Muuto** The Dots in Black by Lars Tornøe | 5. **HAY** Volet Hooks in Black | 6. **HAY** Hook in Natural Ash | 7. **Skagerak** Reflect Hook Double | 8. **MENU** Knobs in Black | 9. **HAY** Iso Hook in Light Grey | 10. **MENU** Afteroom Coat Hanger in Small | 11. **ferm LIVING** Hook in Brass in Small | 12. **ferm LIVING** Hook in Brass in Large | 13. **ferm LIVING** Hook in Black Brass in Large | 14. **HEM** Peg Hook in Varnished Natural Ash by Jonah Takagi

Nordic Afternoon Tea with Kähler Design

This post was created in collaboration with Kähler Design and A Riot of Colour.

Afternoon tea is traditionally a very British affair, with crustless cucumber sandwiches, scones slathered in strawberry jam and clotted cream (preferably Cornish), a large pot of tea and (if you’re lucky) a glass of champagne. I love a classic afternoon tea and if it didn’t involve so many calories would probably indulge in it daily.

**Kähler Design** Hammershøi Vase in White* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Vase in Rose* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Plate* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Cake Fork* | **ARKET** Linen Napkin in Grey*

**Kähler Design** Hammershøi Platter in Anthracite* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Cake Fork* | **ARKET** Linen Napkin in Grey* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Plate* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Dish On Stand in White*

**Kähler Design** Hammershøi Vase in White* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Vase in Rose* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Platter in White* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Jug in White* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Drinking Glass* | **ARKET** Linen Napkin in Grey*

Being more than a little bit interested in the Nordic culture, I thought I’d try creating a Nordic style afternoon tea. Trust me when I say that my love for cinnamon buns knows no bounds. If I’m passing Nordic Bakery, Fabrique or Bageriet in London I will always stop to grab one. I’ve made cinnamon buns once before, for a Christmas party many years ago, so I thought it was about time I had another go. This time I followed a recipe from Nordic Bakery’s Miisa Mink (I also used her recipe for the apple tart) as I wanted to make everything in the most authentic way. You can find both recipes in the Nordic Bakery Cookbook. The pastry for the apple tart was quite different from any I’ve made before, it starts off as a wet paste that turns into a biscuity crumb once baked. This isn’t mentioned in the recipe and completely threw me at the time but it turned out just fine.

**Kähler Design** Hammershøi Vase in Rose* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Plate* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Drinking Glass* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Cake Fork* | **ARKET** Linen Napkin in Grey*

**Kähler Design** Hammershøi Platter in Anthracite* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Cake Fork* | **ARKET** Linen Napkin in Grey*

**Kähler Design** Hammershøi Vase in White* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Vase in Rose | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Dish On Stand in White* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Cake Slice* | **ARKET** Linen Napkin in Grey*

I’ve partnered with Danish ceramics brand Kähler Design for this post. They recently added new pieces to their much-loved Hammershøi collection and I thought they would be perfect for giving my afternoon tea a truly Nordic look and feel. Kähler Design have been making ceramics in Næstved, Denmark for 175 years and each piece is still made by hand. The collection was designed by Norwegian Industrial Designer Hans-Christian Bauer and is a modern interpretation of the works of Svend Hammershøi, an early ceramicist for Kähler Design who heavily influenced their ceramic style. He was especially well known for his voluminous vases with beautiful patterns and deep grooves. It’s these historic grooves that have been made into a contemporary feature by Bauer.

**Kähler Design** Hammershøi Dish On Stand in White* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Cake Slice* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Plate* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Cake Fork* | **ARKET** Linen Napkin in Grey*

**Kähler Design** Hammershøi Plate* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Cake Fork* | **ARKET** Linen Napkin in Grey* | **Kähler Design** Hammershøi Drinking Glass*

I also got the chance to work with hugely talented florist Dominique from A Riot of Colour. Her stunning creations have been wowing me on Instagram for quite some time. A Riot of Colour is based in Clapham (just up the road from me) and when the opportunity came up to get Dominique involved in this shoot I reached out to her. I’m no florist, I love flowers but don’t have the skills to put together anything close to Dominique’s stunning arrangements, I’m utterly in awe of her talent. She created both of the bouquets using homegrown flowers including stunning dahlias and garden roses, these have a stronger fragrance than the Dutch alternatives and travel far less miles.

Totême Design Studio, Stockholm

I have quite a thing for what I’ve been personally referring to as rustic minimalism. It’s a softer side of minimalism with rattan, bamboo and jute furniture and baskets, as well as textiles in neutral colours bringing a little warmth to more stark minimal pieces. I think Totême have created a strong example of how rustic minimalism can work, in their Stockholm showroom. All the neutral shades give it a gentle, feminine feel whilst retaining the sharp angles and masculinity provided by the Mid-Century style Scandinavian furniture. Many of the pieces were designed and made by Christian Halleröd exclusively for the showroom (he also designed the minimal interiors of the Axel Arigato store in London).

Rattan is such a huge trend at the moment. If you’re keen to introduce a little into your home or garden I would suggest looking in charity shops for older pieces or for new ones try Tine K, Cox & Cox and IKEA. I recently bought IKEA’s Stockholm 2017 Armchair for our bedroom and have had my eye on these Rattan Dome Pendants from Cox & Cox to give our dining room table a much needed refresh.

Inside Menu’s London Show Flat

Well Watering Can by Anderssen & Voll | Troll Vase Smoke by Anderssen & Voll

Septembre Coffee Table, Marble by Theresa Arns | Échasse Bowl by Theresa Arns

Globe Bulb | Socket Occasional Lamp by Norm Architects

No No Table by Norm Architects & Note Design Studio

Godot Sofa by Iskos Berlin | Zet Shelves, Black-Black by Kaschkasch

Tailor Sofa by Rui Alves | Wire Base by Norm Architects | Wire Pot by Norm Architects

Conic Table Lamp by Thomas Bentzen | Plinth, Cubic by Norm Architects

How stunning is the MENU Show Flat in London? I had a walk around it last month and was tempted to cancel the rest of my day just so I could hang out in this beautiful space, surrounded by some of my favourite contemporary designs. I was having such a good time chatting to Line (MENU’s PR Manager), Tim Rundle (designer of the TR Bulb) and MENU resident, Casper. Tim and I got into a rather geeky chat about materials and how each of us has been influenced by them in our work life. It was only because the other two meetings I had planned for the rest of the day were also exciting ones that I thanked the team and headed off.

If you’ve got this far and are wondering who MENU actually are, you may have spotted their amazing designs in some of my Interiors posts. They’re a Danish design brand that collaborate with some incredibly talented people – including Norm Architects, who I featured in my last Interiors post . Their products are visually minimal whilst being highly functional and very beautiful. They often have a timeless quality to them, you could easily mistake a piece for something made last century but equally yesterday. This is one of the reasons I think they’re so great at what they do and who they choose to work with. I feel you could buy a piece of furniture from them and have it in your home for a decade without anyone pinpointing when it exactly it was made.

Norm Architects Sabi Leaves Prints

Last year Norm Architects released this stunningly simple collection of leaf prints in collaboration with Paper Collective. The four prints in the Sabi Leaf collection were designed to celebrate the beauty of decay in nature, architecture and design, and how those imperfections (gained over time) can be what makes something especially beautiful. The name may seem familiar to you, it references the Japanese aesthetic Wabi-Sabi; common characteristics of which include intimacy, asymmetry, roughness and the appreciation of natural processes.

How were they made?

To get the incredible detail, the leaves were shot on glass sheets using the Phase One XF 100MP camera. To put that into perspective, my Olympus Pen is a 16.1MP camera. They were then printed on uncoated FSC certified paper in Denmark.

Who are Norm Architects?

Norm Architects are a Danish multi-disciplinary creative studio working across industrial design, residential architecture, commercial interiors, photography and art direction. Their projects are conceived with restraint and refinement, balance is key.

Who are Paper Collective?

Paper Collective are a Danish brand that create iconic design posters. They collaborate with a curated selection of artists, designers and illustrators from around the world to create unique limited edition prints. On their website you’ll find these and many more beautiful prints.

SHOP THE PRINTS

House A by Walter&Walter

If you could live in any kind of house what would it look like? I ask myself this from time to time, the truth is I like so many different styles of architecture and I feel different buildings suit different landscapes. So, for me, it would really depend on where in the world I was living. If it was Australia then it would have to be a building that was modern and minimal.

If I didn’t already know that House A by Walter&Walter was situated in Melbourne there’s something about the architecture that definitely suggests it. Perhaps it’s the rough sawn timber cladding, maybe it’s the single story build or the minimal box-like structure. Modern Australian architecture has certainly embraced minimalism.

Inside House A there’s a strong Japanese influence to the design. There’s the use of large glass window panes at the back of the property that bring the outside in and flood the building with light. There’s also the enclosed garden a popular feature in many Japanese homes and the bold use of beautiful timber throughout. The staircase is a masterpiece with its graphic lines and tonal mix of wood. The whole property is a homage to this versatile material. Even though it might appear quite an open house it is actually quite private, the front is predominantly timber clad, except for the entrance, and the back is largely glass windows and doors leading onto the garden.

House A was designed by award-winning architect Andrew Walter, the firm received an award for the architecture in the 2017 Victorian Architecture Awards for Residential Architecture.

A Gift Box That’s Anything But Ordinary

Gifts can seem a bit frivolous to me at times, with so many I’ve received having been redistributed (to put it politely). They rarely hit the mark and I hate to think of people wasting their money on me or anyone else. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner (as well as many a birthday and thank you opportunity) I have found something a little bit special that will put a smile on any minimalist home lover’s lips, well actually anyone that appreciates well-made little luxuries.

If you’ve ever struggled with finding the perfect gift for someone, I’m going to let you in on a little secret, One&Twenty. They are a London-based gift box company that carefully curate the most beautifully presented gift boxes. All the brands they work with have been selected for the quality and design of their products. There are no fillers, everything is desirable from both a functional and a visual perspective.

Chloe, One&Twenty’s founder, sent me The One ‘FOR HOME’ Gift Box*, a wonderful collection of small items for the home that will brighten anyone’s day. It includes two lovely natural linen napkins and two small hand-thrown ceramic cups by Sue Ure, a British ceramist that now resides in the South of France. They’re perfect for sipping your morning espresso from or a green tea later in the day. And speaking of tea, there’s a packet of my all-time favourite tea, Créme Earl Grey by London Tea Club (now closed). I promise you that if you’re an Earl Grey fan (or just a tea fan) you won’t have tasted one like this one, it’s delicious! Be aware that a little goes a long way. There’s also a pot of ‘Moon’ pot pourri from Evermore London. This was the one item in the box I wasn’t 100% sure about receiving; I grew up in an era when everyone had pot pourri in their homes and they were usually potent, unnatural smelling and brightly coloured. I can assure you that this is something else entirely. It’s full of the scents of a British garden in summer, there’s lavender, rose and sage, all sourced from UK farms. Last but by no means least, there is an organic coconut oil soap from Sevin London. You can choose from three different soap/scrub options, I received ‘White Porcelain’ a pretty soap bar scented with amber and white jasmine.

I loved opening this gift box. Who wouldn’t appreciate opening something so beautifully wrapped? When someone goes to the trouble of making a gift look this nice, you know they’ve put as much thought into the contents. I would highly recommend One&Twenty’s gift boxes if you’re looking for something special and original. There are currently four large boxes and three little ones, starting from £45.

Scandinavian Home Office Essentials

I’m still working on plans for my home office, which is more likely going to be a home office corner rather than a whole room but I’m happy with that. I’ve been looking at some of my favourite interior design brands and have come up with this wish list of products for my perfect Scandinavian home office. You can see the inspiration for these pieces here in this post which I shared a couple of weeks ago. My idea is to create a space with just enough storage to keep things neat and tidy but not so much that it will encourage me to keep more than I need. I’d like it to feel clean and calm so I can stay focused, as I’m easily distracted by clutter and always feel the need to clear things away before I can begin on a piece of work.

I always like to have artwork around me and this print I’ve selected by Tom Shaw has this beautiful light and earthy moodiness, it’s the sort of photograph I can escape into in moments of chaos. I also like to have flowers or foliage on my desk, it’s another way to bring nature inside and has a calming effect on me. I recently discovered Flowerbx in London, they have a really nice selection of flowers and foliage (including eucalyptus) that can be delivered to your door.

Comfort is majorly important to me and is the reason I selected this particular chair by HAY. I’ve been testing out my favourite designs whenever I’ve had the opportunity over the last few months and this one came out on top for me. I haven’t managed to find it online but it is available in COS’s Kensington High Street store (sorry if you’re not based in London, it may be worth contacting HAY to find your local stockist).

I’ve been obsessed with this Skagerak desk for ages and ages! It’s called the Georg, named after designer Chris Liljenberg Halstrøm’s son. There are more pieces in the Georg series, all equally as beautiful in design, with a softness to each of them, thanks to their smooth rounded edges. The desk is a fairly standard size but if you’re looking for something slightly smaller, the Console Table is a little narrower and shallower.

Scandinavian Home Office

I’ve been dreaming of a proper home office for months. I usually work from our dining table or curled up on the sofa with my laptop. Both are perfectly fine but it would be really nice to have a dedicated space. I’d love one spot to keep everything instead of spreading out across various rooms in the house. I also want somewhere that I feel mentally set to work. Having a dedicated space would help me to stay focused, it would stop me from trying to multi-task in the house throughout the day (I’m always putting on the washing and tidying up). I’ve also read that it will help me see my work as a business rather than a hobby. And a decent office chair might also save my back and all those chiropractor bills.

I love clean Scandinavian design and it seems particularly appropriate for a workspace. In order to maintain the minimal look it needs to be well organised, perfect for a productive working environment. I find a light, bright space motivating, it helps me to stay awake and focused. A tidy space also helps avoid too many distractions, I find there are enough already with all the emails I receive and the tabs I have open (I do tend to close my Mail and use OneTab to minimise the number of open tabs, in an attempt to reduce the distractions when I’m working on a post or project).

Skagerak, HAY and Melo make great office furniture and accessories. I’ll be sharing my perfect home office pieces in a couple of weeks.

I use Pinterest to create mood boards for each of the rooms in my house, for further home office inspiration please take a look at my Working From Home board.

All photography found on Pinterest.

Inside Frama’s Studio Store

There were so many amazing places I wanted to visit when I was in Copenhagen; and high on my list was the Frama Studio Store. As the name suggests, it is a studio-cum-store, a space for Frama to showcase and sell all their wonderful designs. It’s such a beautiful space, very calming, and filled with designs I would love to see in my own home. Brittany, Hannah and I arrived in the rain and were immediately invited to sit down for a coffee and a chat with Johanne from Frama; it was super relaxed, as I’ve come to realise is the norm everywhere but London.

The 250m² space was at one time St. Pauls Apotek (an apothecary), then in 2013 it was sympathetically renovated by Frama. It now blends old with new in an unexpected way. I’m all for mixing classic with contemporary design, as it brings character and depth to the clean modern design that I love but it takes a lot of practise to make it work this seamlessly. As you enter the space you’re greeted with the original pharmaceutical cabinets that line two full walls. The rooms are light and airy, and there’s this feeling that you’re walking through someone’s home, only they keep it as perfectly ordered and curated as a gallery. I found each room so inspirational and came away with a long wish list for our home.

Frama Studio Store, Fredericiagade 57, 1310 Copenhagen

COS x The Gentlewoman Architectural Tour of London

Whilst I was away in Croatia I received an exciting invitation, COS and The Gentlewoman were getting together for an architectural tour of London entitled Glimpses of The Future, and they had invited me to go with them. Years ago I had considered studying architecture but in the end chose design and art direction; I’ve never lost my interest in architecture though. (On a side note: For those of you that are leaving school and still don’t know what you want to do, don’t worry, give it time and go experience as much as you can.)

We were lucky to have the very knowledgeable, lecturer, Joe Kerr as our guide for the day. He led us around London on an old 1965 Routemaster bus, divulging the history of some of the capital’s most iconic housing projects. All were conceived by architects that were looking to create a better future and living experience for its inhabitants, hence the title of the tour, Glimpses of The Future.

The Boundary Estate, Boundary Street, London E2

Architect(s): London County Council Architects
Completed: 1900

A collection of 23 housing blocks built in the Arts & Crafts style. It was designed to replace one of the worst slums in London (one in four children died before their first birthday) but sadly most of those displaced by the earliest social housing scheme didn’t get to live there, as it was considered too good for them and that they would lack the motivation to work living in such wonderful surroundings. William Morris, a forerunner in the Arts & Crafts movement, believed that beauty should be accessible to all. In the end only ten of the slum’s over five and a half thousand tenants were housed in The Boundary Estate. It was built to accommodate 5,524 people in 1,069 tenements, each with two or three bedrooms. In the centre of the estate is Arnold Circus, a large mound formed from the earth leftover from excavating the foundations for the site. On it sits a beautiful Japanese-inspired bandstand. Many of the buildings (including the bandstand) are Grade II listed.

Bevin Court, Cruikshank St, London WC1

Architect(s): Berthold Lubetkin
Completed: 1954

Moving towards Modernism (my favourite era for architecture) we stopped to take a look at Bevin Court, built post-war on the bomb site of Holford Square. Originally it was proposed to call the building Lenin Court after the revolutionary who had lived in a building on the site from 1902-3, while in exile from Russia. There was already a memorial (designed by Lubetkin) on the site which was to be incorporated into the build but British Fascists repeatedly vandalised it. With the Cold War, Britain’s relations with Russia waned and it was decided by Finsbury Council that the memorial was not appropriate and suggested a change of name. The memorial was buried in the foundations of the staircase and the building was renamed Bevin Court after Britain’s anti-communist foreign secretary Ernest Bevin. The Constructivist communal staircase is the building’s showpiece, with each spiral upwards it offers different views of the city.

Royal College of Physicians, St. Andrews Place, London NW1

Architect(s): Sir Denys Lasdun
Completed: 1964

Architect Sir Denys Lasdun (who also designed the Royal National Theatre) was asked by the Royal College of Physicians to design a new building for them that would blend in to its surroundings. It sits on the edge of Regent’s Park surrounded by the Regency architecture of John Nash, though subtle I’m not sure it exactly blends in. The Grade I listed Brutalist building is one of the more attractive of its era, with its mosaic-clad concrete boxes and curved blue engineered brick wall which conceals a peaceful medicinal garden. The influence of Le Corbusier can be seen in the way the upper level appears to float, this was made possible with some very clever engineering. Lasdun observed the way the college’s previous building was used and designed the new college to work well for its needs, then and well into the future.

Alexandra & Ainsworth Estate

Architect(s): Neave Brown, Camden Council’s Architects Department
Completed: 1978

Famously known as the longest housing terrace in London, the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate in Camden is quite an unusual sight. It is made up of three parallel crescent-shaped blocks with a public park between two of the blocks. On the one side, it resembles a football stadium, deflecting the noise of the West Coast Main Line train tracks that run alongside it. From the other, it’s a quiet pedestrianised residential street. The unpainted reinforced concrete was built on-site using wooden forms, you can still see the board marks if you look closely. Each of the 520 two-storey maisonettes, built in a ziggurat format, have a private garden or balcony, meaning all that live here have some private outside space, unlike the tall tower blocks nearby.

Isokon Building, Lawn Road, NW3

Architect(s): Wells Coates
Completed: 1934

Our final stop, and my favourite of the tour, was the Isokon building in Hampstead. Built for Molly and Jack Pritchard, it’s an elegant concrete block of 36 apartments; each with a living room, kitchenette, built-in storage, facilities for a bed and a place to wash. They were originally serviced flats with the option of included meals, shoe cleaning and bed making. Its inhabitants have included Bauhaus émigrés Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer, and László Moholy-Nagy; architects Egon Riss and Arthur Korn; and writer Agatha Christie. It was Breuer who designed much of the bent ply Isokon Furniture collection. Moholy-Nagy designed the identity for Isokon and Riss designed the Isokon Donkey Mark I. It became quite a hub for intellectual life in North London. In 1972 the building was sold to Camden London Borough Council and gradually deteriorated until the 1990s when it was completely abandoned. In 2003 Avanti Architects were employed by Notting Hill Housing Association to sympathetically refurbish the building. It is now Grade I listed and its current inhabitants include Magnus Englund, one of the founders of Skandium.

If you are interested in taking part in The Gentlewoman events sign-up to The Gentlewoman Club. There’s a guide for the London tour we took in the latest issue of The Gentlewoman.

Stockholm Design Apartment with A View

Good design should be at the heart of every interior design project, and the whole of this Stockholm apartment lives and breathes it. Living here would be just so easy. Not to mention, there’s a hotel attached that offers cleaning and laundry services, room service, a rooftop bar and a gym. The apartment is on the 16th floor of a block in the Norrmalm district of Stockholm, with stunning views over the city.

It’s the slick well-considered design that I’m most impressed with. Good quality materials have been used throughout. Industrial glass walls allow light to travel through the apartment, creating a bright space. The beautiful Carrara marble in the bathroom is one of my favourite materials and has been used to great effect. The lovely wooden floors have been finished seamlessly. The built-in storage has a Mid-Century feel which compliments the collection of assorted contemporary furniture designs. There’s also a great selection of artwork, books, decorative details, textiles and lighting throughout that give the potentially cold space a relaxed, lived-in feel; including all those gorgeous Louis Poulsen lamps.

I love open-plan living as it creates a sociable space, you can be cooking in the kitchen and still chat with your guests. The glass walls cleverly partition each area without building barriers. Although I’m not too sure how I would feel having my bedroom on display to my guests whilst entertaining, maybe with all that storage it would be presentable.

I found this beautiful apartment for sale on ESNY.

Why Minimalist Interiors Might Be Good For You

This post was created in collaboration with Nest.co.uk.

**HAY** DLM Side Table in Grey* | **Normann Copenhagen** Moon Tray in Black* | **HAY** Tray* | **HAY** Paper Porcelain Coffee Cup* | **Wood/Grey** Striped Pom Pom Cushion* | **Happy + Co** Bondi Cushion* | **Muuto** Restore Storage Basket*

It’s really important to me to feel relaxed when I step through the door to my home. I love London but it’s a chaotic city that (most of the time) is far from chilled, it’s fun and inspiring but rarely chilled. When I get home I want to quickly and easily let go of the tension and stress that I often feel after a day spent in the city. Whether that’s due to taking the tube during rush hour, navigating tourists or just avoiding those annoying people that stare at their phone whilst wiggling/walking down the street. (Yes, I’m guilty too but I like to think I’m a little more aware of what’s going on around me.) Luckily I can avoid a lot of these stress inducing situations most of the time, a huge benefit of working for myself but it still happens as I have regular meetings to get to throughout the week.

We know it’s important to eat well and exercise regularly but how often do you consider how your environment affects wellness?

Stress affects us all in one way or another and although new studies show that it’s your approach to stress that determines whether it’s detrimental to your health or not, I try to reduce it in my life where possible. We’ve all become far more aware of the need for wellness than ever before. It’s mentioned daily in the press, their are blogs dedicated to it and new businesses popping up daily. We know it’s important to eat well and exercise regularly but how often do you consider how your environment affects wellness? A simple space with easy, neutral colours can help calm a busy mind. Whilst cluttered spaces give the eye so much to take in and can excite the mind.

A home should be somewhere you feel happy, somewhere you want to invite and entertain your friends and family. It should inspire you and help you to relax, in equal measures. The way you decorate your home can have the biggest affect on the way you feel in it. It’s important to decorate it in a way that creates a positive space for you to live in. For me that’s a fairly stripped back but comfortable environment. I’m drawn to Scandinavian design; I find the combination of clean spaces, neutral colours and soft textures relaxing. The Scandinavians will often bring the outside in, connecting themselves to nature, bringing them closer to the quiet countryside whilst living in a busy city. It’s this balance that I crave and one of the many reasons why I’m (not so secretly) a Scandiphile. I have lots of plants, wool rugs and throws, and real wood floors and furniture around me. To keep it feeling clean and minimal and not too country I mix in contemporary designs from Scandinavian designers like Normann Copenhagen, HAY and Muuto.

I know it’s easier said than done to keep your place decluttered. Try giving yourself 10 minutes every day to go through anything that stacks up. Also, be clever with your storage, having a home for everything will make it so much easier to keep your place tidy.

The Home of The Owners of Artilleriet, Sweden

Every now and again I come across a house that’s been so beautifully designed that I want to move in immediately; this is definitely one of them. Unfortunately, it’s in Sweden and is already inhabited by the owners of Artilleriet, Christian and Bjorn. Artilleriet is an incredibly well curated homeware website with two shops in Gothenburg. Like their shops, their home is an eclectic mix of classic design, both old and new, blended to create a warm, welcoming space. It’s exactly how I see my own home in years to come. The palette is neutral which I’ve found really helps when it comes to combining old and new design. Everything seems to have its place but it doesn’t feel so contrived that if you pick something up you’ll disrupt the whole look; it’s all very liveable.

Although we don’t have nearly as much space as these guys there are a lot of similarities between their house and ours. They’re both old buildings which have been lovingly taken care of and we have a lot of similar pieces of furniture and decorative homewares. I wish we had their bathroom though, how incredible is the wooden sink stand that looks like it was once a regular sideboard? We don’t have such a large collection of chopping boards but we’re definitely headed that way. And that bowl on their dining room table looks remarkably like our fruit bowl. There are lots of things that I could point out but I’m sure in time you’ll be able to spot things as I share more of my home. If, one day, our home looks like this I’ll be very happy.

Styling by Lotta Agaton