I keep looking at photos of other paintings by artists that I like, but I don’t want to simply copy. I’ll probably never truly like my own work, but it’s cheaper than the alternative. Or at least that’s what I thought. There are lots of artists out there on places like Etsy these days, that can actually be quite affordable. Here are a few of my favourites.

Etsy

Lola Donoghue’s work was probably the first abstract painting that I fell in love with. I’ve had my eye on her painting “Turn Left at the Pitch” for years now, and apparently she only has a few prints left, so I may need to buy it quick. She tends towards recognisable shapes, in bright colours, with plenty of pink and teal. She’s almost always on people’s lists of affordable abstract art, and for good reason!

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I recently discovered Dan Hobday’s work and can’t believe how affordable his stuff is. I especially love that he does set that pair together well for diptychs and triptychs. There is a fair range of abstract styles, unlike many artists who tend to stick to their ‘look’.

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Camilo Matiz is another Etsy artist who does fairly colourful abstract paintings. They remind me a bit of Lola Donoghue’s work, with the colours and shapes.

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Minted

Like Etsy, Minted has been a great resource for affordable art. Not only do they sell prints for the home, but they also do plenty of cards and other personalized items. They sell individual prints, as well as whole gallery walls if you’re new to coordinating artwork.

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Artfully Walls

Artfully Walls is a great resource that I discovered a couple months ago. Like Minted, they have a range of artists selling photographs, paintings, etc. and have a few great abstract artists in their repertoire. They also have curated gallery walls, which are a great place to start if you’re unsure of how to group different artists together.

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*This post contains affiliate links*

Unless you’ve been asleep for the last 20 years or so, you’ve definitely heard of H&M. Their low-priced clothing and accessories have been a staple in many people’s wardrobes for the last few decades – as the second largest clothing retailer in the world, it has stores in 62 countries. You’ve probably been to one before, and mostly likely own a piece or two of their clothing. But did you know that they also sell home decor items?

I first heard about H&M Home a few years back but hadn’t seen any of their items until I moved to the UK. There are a few stores here that sell their home decor line, but otherwise, you can purchase it online. As with their clothing, the home decor items are current, on-trend, and cost-effective. Pretty much the perfect thing for someone like me, ha! Our flat still feels like it needs more finishing touches and accessories, yet I don’t have money to burn on frivolous things.

Most of the items that they sell are kitchen/table-based, as well as some pillows, picture frames, and other items. I wish they had furniture or lighting, but I still love the rest of the stuff they have. Wouldn’t it be awesome if they sold sofas and tables? I can only imagine how sleek, minimal, and functional they would be.

So, have you seen their stuff in stores? Do you like it as much as I do? Here are some of my favourite H&M Home items in stores now.

Textiles

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Baskets

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Storage Containers

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Decorative Accessories

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Kitchen Accessories

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*This post contains affiliate links*

So as I’ve been drafting up ideas for upholstering our bed, or making floor pouffes, I keep coming back to the idea of French seams.

Right now, I am thinking of making a sort of bed slipcover for our white MALM storage bed frame. Something that won’t involve taking the whole thing apart, but will make it look like I did. In the end it’ll look sort of like this bed but with French seams all along the edges.

Restoration Hardware bed frame

I figure I can add some plywood to make the headboard taller, then pad it with foam and batting. After that, I’ll make a bed skirt to cover the base and a fitted cover for the headboard. I may even make them all one piece, but I’m unsure as of yet. Does that make sense? The headboard will have seams all around like the one below.

french seam headboard inspiration

My original inspiration came from this bed’s headboard. Then when I was googling more inspiration, I came across some photos of headboards with simple bed skirts, and my idea was realized. It’ll be easier than trying to upholster each piece of the bed frame, and then put it all back together.

Nate Berkus French seam headboard

After that, I want to make a couple floor pouffes like the ones in Orlando Soria’s last apartment. They look super easy, I just have to find the right linen fabric.

So what do you think? Are you as into French seams as I am these days? What about these gorgeous ottomans and sofas?

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Gorgeous aged brick fireplace from Jacquelyn Clark

This past Christmas… the tree was decorated in the corner, glowing houses were on the credenza, and we had constant Christmas music and warm drinks on hand. But still, something didn’t feel right. It wasn’t quite cosy enough for Christmas, and I think I have put my finger on it. No, it’s not the lack of snow here in England… it’s the lack of a fireplace in this flat!

We have turned on the fireplace videos on Amazon Prime or YouTube, but it just isn’t the same. You need the crackling sounds, wavering light, and smell… oh the smell! Especially cedar! Just heaven!

Richard and I both miss having a fireplace, especially in this cold January season. It’s probably the one thing we wish for most in this flat, other than a second bedroom. We would probably rather have a working open fireplace than a dishwasher!! We can tell where a fireplace used to live in our flat, because of the vent down by the baseboard. Curse whoever ripped it out!!!

So, it’s only logical that I have fireplaces on the brain and their relevant accessories!

On a recent gift guide, Emily Henderson’s team listed this match striker + holder. I don’t know why, but I have always loved matches! It’s kind of a weird thing to love, but as a kid I remember my parents had this round matchbox with very long matches in it, and I loved it and always wanted to use them. Maybe it’s the pyro in me, but using matches is fun.

So when I saw this match striker, that doubles as a place to store your matches, it was love at first sight… until I saw the price tag! $50 for a wee-match striker! So I started searching for more match striker/holder things, and found some even more expensive! Who knew these were pricy designer items?!

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Here’s a list of my favourites, both expensive (in case you’re the type with oodles of cash to blow on silly things – lucky you ;)) and less so. It’s my new favourite thing to have on a mantle, which I don’t have… yet. Someday, we will buy a house and it WILL have a fireplace. Honestly, that’s non-negotiable for us.

built-in wood and blanket storage from Heather Bullard

But other than match strikers, I often find myself looking at wood storage. I love a good built-in storage option, but if that isn’t available, there are some really great containers. You can get racks that sort of mimic the built-in look or baskets… or even copper pots!

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But if we had our dream house, the fireplace would be brick. Quite frankly, if Richard could build a home, it would be red brick all over – he loves the stuff! And, if the house can’t be brick, well then the fireplace has to be! Like these beauties!

herringbone brick fireplace interior from Marcus Design Inc.

brick fireplace surrounded by teal from Little Green Shed

herringbone brick fireplace from Lonny

Although, if I somehow found a place with an antique fireplace like this beauty, I think I could live without the brick…

antique marble fireplace from Apartment Therapy

What about you? Do you have an open fireplace? Any must-have accessories?

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Richard and I have similar tastes in lots of areas, but we don’t agree on everything. Recently, we had a hard time agreeing on what kind of Christmas tree to buy. One thing that I have always loved is a flocked Christmas tree! I’m not talking about those all-white needle ones without any green, but the real trees that tree farms spray with faux snow… although you can also get artificial flocked trees. Do you know who isn’t down with flocked trees? Richard.

I get it. They’re kind of dated in a way, and obviously artificial (since when is there snow indoors?)… but they are so so beautiful! My favorite thing when it snows is how the snow-laden branches look, all thick and coated with white. And since there isn’t that much snow happening in London over Christmas, why not bring that look indoors? I’ve looked into it, and there are really good tutorials online that show you how to recreate the look at home. That being said, it seems to be a little harder to find the right flocking material over here in the UK, than in the US.

Buuut… despite my DIY suggestions, Richard would rather just stick to a classic tree. However, I’m still trying to get him to promise me that we can do one someday :). Now until that someday comes around (or he changes his mind), I’ll just have to look at all these beautiful pictures of flocked trees!

gorgeous flocked Christmas tree via comoorganizarlacasa

flocked gold Christmas tree via 11MagnloiaLane

flocked tree via Craftberry Bush

very white flocked tree via MonikaHibbs

Thoughts? (Aren’t they beautiful?!) Would you get a flocked tree this Christmas?

Okay, so I’m currently off work because of a recurring knee injury (I’m able to walk, but my job is pretty physical and I can’t quite carry 50kg of weight on this knee). It’s given me plenty of free time, and I’ll admit that I spend too much of it browsing sites on my phone, looking at things that I can’t buy.

There are a few things in particular that I’m eyeing – things that I’d love to get for our flat. Top of that list are new mugs (we have a bunch of mismatched mugs Richard has collected over the years, which aren’t really my style), decorative pillows for our bed, and artwork for the walls.

For the mugs, I’m really gravitating towards any ceramic pieces that look handmade. I’m completely in love with all things speckled and ‘imperfect’ looking. Sure, I’d love dinnerware or serving pieces to match, but for now would be easily satisfied with just a handful of mugs. These ones have really caught my eye.

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Aren’t those first mugs from Habitat great? And at only £25 for four mugs, they’re not too badly priced. So many places have crazy prices like £15 for just one mug. Richard and I keep looking for something like these ones, but every time it’s just too high of a price per mug. When you want to buy at least 4 of them, it adds up quickly.

And even though it’s not a mug, and a different style altogether, isn’t this jug amazing? I’m not sure why, but I’m really into having pretty jugs for dinner parties, etc. Not that I’ve hosted one in a while… need to get on that!

Photo Credit: uniqueandunity.co.uk

For the pillows on the bed, I’m still thinking of getting a long bolster pillow, possibly in some kind of African mudcloth print, or Turkish rug material. But just one pillow isn’t enough for me (although Richard really doesn’t want me to add a lot of pillows) and I’d like to add a couple larger ones behind the bolster. Ideally, they’d be something kind of neutral, like beige or grey, but have texture and interest. How about these?

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Finally, we have artwork. It probably should be higher up on the list, as it’s the one thing our place needs most. I find that most houses and flats never look quite “lived in” or have enough personality without anything on the walls. Right now we have a few baskets above the bed, and a juju hat in our front entry, but no pictures or artwork. Considering that we’ve been here for over a year, I’m feeling kind of guilty on that count. Our place is in dire need of personality.

I have a few ideas of places to put things, and even a few empty frames, but no art. I’d love to do a small grouping above our dining table – not a gallery per se, just like 5 or so pieces. It’ll probably be a mix of art and photos, as I’d like to keep things eclectic. As for art, there’s one new website that I discovered that I think might be a good source. Artfully Walls has tons of prints, and unlike some other websites, the prices aren’t too dear.

These are just some of the prints that I’ve been keeping my eye on. I love impressionistic and abstract art, with plenty of black. Not all of these prints go together, but they all caught my eye for some reason.

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So what do you think? Are any of those prints or pillows worth the plunge? I really like the blue dots print, and the one titled “Andrew” – but would it be weird to have up a print that is of some other guy than Richard? It kind of looks like him… but I doubt he’ll be into it. Oh well, back to the old drawing board.

So what new stuff are you guys into these days? Anything that you think I should be searching for?

While the kitchen progress is ticking along slowly, I can’t help but look ahead and think about accessories. All the white cabinets and pale walls have me craving warmth and texture. I’m thinking of a funky wood clock, a patterned faux Roman blind, and a vintage rug!

Okay, so the rug may not actually happen. See, Richard isn’t a fan of having a rug in our kitchen. He sees it as a place for crumbs and germs to live, while I see it as much-needed warmth, texture, and style in our all-white kitchen. I have been eyeing this rug on Etsy, but am worried it might be a bit too small for our space.

I’ve debated spraying a rug with some sort of repellant fabric spray, but am not sure if that would help (or convince Richard). For now, I would be content to vacuum it regularly. See, I have always lived with some sort of rug/mat under our kitchen sink areas, while Richard has not. My mom always had flat weave mats to stand on, and I loved the feel underfoot. All soft and cushy…

But enough about how they feel, look at them! Doesn’t a rug just add so much color and interest to these kitchens?

bright pink kilim in a tuxedo kitchen via laurengrant

dark kilim in a pale sage kitchen via Glitterinc

colorful rug in a dark green kitchen via wtf

red Persian rug in a white kitchen via home deco

So where do you stand? Rugs in the kitchen – yay or nay? Gross and crumby, or stylish and awesome?

However, Richard isn’t too keen on the idea. He likes the concept but doesn’t think it will work in our tiny windowless bathroom. His argument is that the bathroom is too small and it’ll be too dark. My counterargument is that the walls and ceiling will all be either white or slightly blue off-white. Everything else will be so bright that the room can handle the dark floor. Not only that, but the floor tile paint options out there aren’t exactly vast, but they do make black!

Here are a few more arguments in my favor, in the form of photos of pretty bathrooms with black/charcoal floor tiles. One of them is even a basement bathroom, which shows you can do this in a room with no windows!

black hexagon floor tiles via Crate and Barrel

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A post shared by Whitney (Clappe) Utesch (@carpendaughter)

windowless bathroom via Deuce Cities Henhouse

small bathroom via Houzz

charcoal grey tiles via Contemporist

So what do you think? Are you on Richard’s side of the discussion, and think the black floor will be too dark? Or are you with me, and think that those black tile floors will really make this room pop? I’m curious to know what you guys think as it’s a big step to make in such a small place.

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black marble sink via Savvy Home Blog

With the Easter holidays approaching (we’re both getting some time off together – yay!) we’ve started thinking about updating the kitchen. It’s been a project we have long discussed but haven’t had the time to accomplish. I’ll write a full post soon, with before photos and plans, I promise!

But for now, I want to explore some of the things I am being inspired by for the kitchen. One of the things I know for sure is that the cupboards will be white, and the tile too! It’ll mean that a good portion of the kitchen will be light and bright, and for that, I think it needs some contrast!

I’ve loved all things black lately, especially in contrast to white. It’s classic looking, and yet can also be quite modern. So for this kitchen, I am hoping to add lots of black accents for a little punch of style.

black window trim via Boston Globe

My jumping-off point was these black cabinet handles that were used on an episode of Fixer Upper (man, I miss that show – I can’t get it in the UK on any channel). I have tried really hard to find something just like it, but so far it has been coming up empty or wildly expensive. The closest I have come- in style are these handles from Etsy. They aren’t quite as sleek as the ones Joanna Gaines used but are less traditional than many on the market. I think they will probably be the ones I end up with.

the Fixer Upper cabinet handles via HGTV

To go with them (on the drawers we are hoping to add), I am thinking of using cabinet edge pulls. Something really simple like this! I don’t think it would look good to use the same handles horizontally, as it would be too busy, so I want something visually lighter. So far these ones are the only ones I have found, but I’m still on the hunt.

Now, in my dream kitchen I would add a black faucet to go with all this… wouldn’t that look sharp? But at the moment, replacing the faucet or sink is probably out of the budget. I have to keep reminding myself that this isn’t my forever home, so let’s not get too crazy with the unnecessary improvements.

black faucet via Becki Owens on Instagram

Okay, but enough of these tentative plans, I will save the proper ones for later, in their own post. For now, enjoy all these photos of kitchens that are looking sharp with all that white and black contrast.

Cool-toned kitchen with black accents via Remodelista

black accents in a laundry room via Instagram

iron shelf brackets via Jen Loves Ken

black sconces via Remodelista

Allotment garden inspiration | Hello Victoria

allotment inspiration via

A few months ago, Richard and I became the proud owners of an allotment! We had been trying to grow some things at his brother’s place but found that we rarely had the time to make the drive out there in order to tend to it.

After talking to a neighbor in our little building, he mentioned that he was part of an allotment garden just a 10-minute walk down the road and that he thought there might be spots available! Turns out the space right beside his was available, and so we put in our request. Unfortunately, by the time we did so, it had been claimed by another person. However, we found out that three more plots were becoming available by the end of the year, and we could come to take a look if we wanted.

allotment inspiration via

In this instance, not getting the plot we asked for turned out to be a blessing in disguise! One of the three plots was even better than the first! Our new little garden has not just one, but four fruit trees already established! (It also has one tree that we have no idea what it is. It could be fruiting, or ornamental, but we won’t know until spring/summer.)

The trees do mean we have less space for growing things, but it’ll be amazing to have our own apples (two kinds), plums, and cherries! I am so excited about summer baking! In addition to the fruit trees, there are some raspberry bushes, lavender plants, and a little grapevine on the allotment. Most of it we’ll take out because it’s all overgrown and taking up space, but we’ll give them to other people in our garden who would like them.

Before we can get to planting, there are a few projects we need to complete, as well as a lot (I mean, a lot!) of soil prep. We’re going to build a wee little shed on one corner for tool and seed storage, with a little patio area beside it. Hopefully, we’ll divide and plant some of the lavender as a border along the one edge beside our shed. While we both like lavender (the smell when a breeze hits, not to mention baking opportunities!) the current placements and size don’t work.

black shed inspiration via

I’m looking to paint the shed dark grey or black, after being inspired by all the black in Manhattan Nest blogger Daniel Kanter’s backyard. It really makes the green of the plants pop! If we get it up in time, I’m hoping to grow some clematis on a trellis along the one side, and then install a window box of nasturtium under the little shed window. Add some mason bee houses (shaped like honeycomb) and voila! Perfect little shed!

herringbone brick inspiration via

For our little patio area, we are thinking of using reclaimed brick, possibly laid out in a herringbone pattern. Lots of houses in our neighborhoods keep redoing their brick driveways and walls, and we’re hoping to score some free brick! We could also use it to make some cute brick pathways between the crops…

the small brick path via

The allotment will take a lot of work before we get to the fun stuff. We have to completely rip out all the weeds and till the soil… not to mention prune all the trees (not sure anyone ever did), remove the plants we don’t want, divide and replant the lavender, etc. Only then can we really plant new things.

We have lots of seeds already and will be growing plenty of unusual vegetables. I am of the opinion that yellow carrots, striped beets, and black or green tomatoes taste better than their normal counterparts. Below are some of the seeds we are hoping to grow!

rainbow chard via // green zebra tomato via // watermelon radish via // rainbow carrots via // striped beets via // sour gherkins via

Richard has also started growing some chili seeds from Nepal in our flat, that he wants to try and transplant into the allotment. Apparently, these chilis are very spicy, but don’t upset your stomach! Cool huh? We’ll just have to see if they work.

I’ll share our progress once it’s no longer snowing outside (say what?!), and we can get started on preparing the soil and shed area. But for now, I’ll simply dream of sunny days spent on our little patch of paradise.