This past weekend, Richard and I decided that we just had to get out and do something. Too often when we have a day together, we waste it by relaxing around the flat all day. Now, I say wasted loosely here, as a day spent sleeping in, eating brunch, and watching a movie on the sofa is not a wasted day per se. It’s just that we often look back at months at a time, and feel like we haven’t really done anything.

I always seem to take photos of Richard on trains – he hates it. I’m thinking of starting a series… or a coffee table book.

So we considered our options and settled on visiting the market at Brick Lane! We had both been to Brick Lane on different occasions, but never on the weekend, when their markets were open.

To be honest, I was a bit disappointed. It was kind of small despite how much space there actually was. We’re both more into antiques than handmade stuff, and the market seemed full of screen-printed clothing, or similar items. Not quite what we were looking for.

What they didn’t have in terms of stuff to buy, however, they made up for in stuff to eat! Nowhere near the options at Camden or Borough Markets, but they had momos! After living in Nepal, Richard has quite the affinity for those little Tibetan dumplings… so to say that he was ‘chuffed’ to see that stall would be an understatement. And of course, we had to share a sampling! We tried all the varieties except for vegetarian and enjoyed them all. The spicy dip had quite the kick!

Now, sharing a few dumplings isn’t quite enough for a full meal. There were some other amazing options available in the Brick Lane market, but we had another lunch in mind… salt beef bagels!

I had heard about the bagels here at Beigel Bake, as being the best salt beef in London. I’m a huge fan of spicy mustard and pickles… so these seemed right up my alley! But, if I’m being honest, I think the ones at Borough Market are better (controversial, I know). Maybe it’s the better pickles, but a lot of it is probably due to the fact that Beigel Bake cranks out a bazillion of them each day, and they sort of just slap them together. Seriously, the lines there for bagels are mental. I like a bit more care with my food.

So after our salty lunch, we wanted to find a good place to sit down and have a coffee. And not only did we find great coffee… but cats as well!

that sign suited this sleepy kitty purrfectly…

I’d heard a while back that there were a couple of cat cafes in London, but we hadn’t checked them out yet. Richard and I both love cats (and dogs) and wish we could have one. However, Richard’s job, traveling, and our possibility of moving in the next couple of years have kept us away from the adoption centers. We’re both such suckers that if we ever went, we’d 100% come back with a cat. Or two.

So for a couple of cat-starved crazies, the idea of getting to spend an hour stroking a bunch of furry companions was the ultimate draw! We checked out the website for This Is a Coffee Shop (with cats) and thought that the food/drinks looked good enough to be a draw even without the cats.

As with the Brick Lane market, there was a bit of a letdown in terms of our expectations vs. reality. The coffee shop had undertaken a transformation from a cat café, to a coffee shop (with cats), and one of the biggest changes was that you couldn’t touch the cats unless they came up to you. It makes complete sense, as the cats can get quite stressed from constantly being picked up and stroked by strangers all day.

We knew this going in (as they explicitly mention it on their website), and both support the idea as it’s kinder to the cats. However, we ended up being sat next to a couple of cats who after saying hello, promptly fell asleep ha.

The saving grace of the experience was the food and drinks. I had looked on their website and Instagram before we decided to go and thought that the menu was worth going. My perspective was that the coffee options, food, and atmosphere, would have been enough to draw me in – the cats are just a bonus!

I ended up having their flower latte with hibiscus and rose (yum!) and Richard got out of his comfort zone with the turmeric latte. Both were nice and flavorful and oh-so-pretty! We shared a berry cake (very sweet) and just sat there trying to mentally encourage the various sleeping cats around us to come and say hi. If only they knew how much love and attention we would have provided!

the sole curious cat who came to say hello

I’d be tempted to go back another day, perhaps during a weekday when it’s quieter, and see if I can’t get some cat time. Who knows? But if not, then I’m perfectly content to enjoy another pink latte and read a book… it might not be my favorite color, but it tastes awesome!

The main street is the kind of place to head if you’re in the market for a cheap pair of sunglasses or a phone case. But it’s the market itself that draws me in! Part food market, with open-air stalls, and part handmade/antique sellers hawking scarves, jewellery, and the like. In the fall, it’s the perfect place to find a new scarf or toque, and in the summer it’s a great place to find a new pair of sunnies or a new bag! But in my case, it was the perfect excuse to try a fancy hot chocolate I had heard about.

I first visited Camden Market waaay back in August 2015 when I came over for a few days to see Richard. It was a quick whirlwind trip, where he tried to show me London as much as the limited days allowed, Camden included. He knew I would enjoy wandering the indoor market full of antique clothing and accessories, but my favourite thing had to be Chin Chin Labs. They are an ice cream shop that specializes in liquid nitrogen frozen ice cream! They make it to order, and it looks all sciency and cool! But this time of the year, and especially the recent weather, meant that even a diehard ice cream fan like myself was tempted by something a little warmer. (But honestly, ice cream is always a good idea, no matter the temperature!)

The hot chocolate at Chin Chin comes either plain or with a toasted marshmallow topping. I decided to try it with the topping, despite not being that into marshmallow frosting, as it was voted the best hot chocolate in London. They gave me my cup in a bowl, which I thought was confusing until I tried to actually drink it! That marshmallow doesn’t come off easily! Anytime I tried to scoop some off, it ended up spilling cocoa all over the bowl. Quite a messy drink!

The hot chocolate itself was nice and rich, but I found the frosting too sweet (and too much). It kind of feels like you don’t get enough of the hot chocolate to make room for aaaaall that sugar. If I had it again, I would definitely forgo the frosting in favour of more of what I came there for – the drink itself. Or maybe I’ll just get ice cream instead

After that sugar intake, I wandered the antique stalls for a bit and considered trying on some hats, before realizing that I had to run for the subway, as they were closing Camden station early that day. Much as I enjoy the market, I didn’t want to get stuck there or have to walk to the nearest tube station to get home.

So if you’re in the neighbourhood, or find yourself on the Northern line, why not visit Camden Market? I’d especially recommend it on a sunny day when you can enjoy ice cream outside, or eat along the side of Camden Lock… but then again, those days are the busiest!!

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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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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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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So if you’re in the market for antiques, go on Thursdays, but the other days are interesting too! Spitalfields has a number of food trucks and stalls, and even just completed a new food hub, dubbed the Kitchens, in the middle of the market. If you’re in the neighbourhood, it’s a great place to grab lunch! When Richard and I stopped by recently, we were on our way to another part of London for dinner and just wanted a snack. He had some prawn dumplings from Dumpling Shack, and I got a lamb shawarma from Berber and Q. As he put it “I won” the afternoon snack competition, because my food was way better value for the money, and looked awesome!

I had seen someone else receive their shawarma and thought, that looked good! Nothing beats melt-in-your-mouth meat, tahini, chilli sauce, and pickled jalapenos!

But food isn’t all Spitalfields Market has on offer! Around their new kitchen hub, the market has begun constructing scandi style stalls for their traders. It used to be more fold-out tables and white fabric, but now each vendor gets a little wooden booth.

During the Trader’s Market, you can find plenty of handmade and local clothing, accessories, and jewellery. I got a lovely necklace from Richard last year, from trader Littlesmith – a custom bar pendant with the GPS coordinates of where we met. (I know – he’s a keeper!) I would say that more than half the stalls cater to women, with scarves, purses, dresses, and jewellery taking up more than their fair share. However, you can find leather jackets, funny silk-screened shirts, antique maps, and artwork. A little something for everyone.

Not only is the market a pretty great place to stop by, but the surrounding shops are pretty great too. Anthropologie, All Saints, Lululemon, Dr. Martens, Jigsaw, etc. etc. If you’re in the area, you really should stop by!

Spitalfields Market is just a quick walk from Liverpool Street Station, Shoreditch Street Station, and Moorgate Station. Why not visit the next time you’re in the area?

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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Every Monday the Apple and Jubilee markets at Covent Garden make way for antiques! Once home to fruit and vegetable sellers back in the day, these markets are usually home to stalls selling handmade wares and lots of touristy kitsch. The antiques you find on Mondays are a refreshing reprieve from what you find the rest of the week. They tend to set up a bit later than most markets, so if you end up there too early, just wait until closer to 11 or 12. I thought that being there around 10:30 would be late, but half the sellers were still setting up their wares.

Most of the sellers are peddling jewellery, silver cutlery and other tableware. You can find the odd stall with some artwork, or other housewares, but it’s almost all the same stuff. I almost bought some vintage Kuba cloth fabrics but was unable to get a hold of Richard before heading home. Maybe they’ll still be there next time? £20 (asking price, which means there’s room to reduce) for Kuba cloth isn’t too bad! Now I just need to find someone selling mali indigo fabrics and I’ll be sorted!

So if you happen to find yourself in the heart of London on a Monday, and wish to look at something other than brand names, why not stop by? Even if you’re not too into antiques, you can still peruse the fancy perfume and tea shops located in the market, or listen to the music! There’s always a musical quartet or some such, playing in the East Collonade of the market. When I first arrived a woman was singing opera! She was amazing!

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?

I figured that since I’m not going to buy any of these items anytime soon, perhaps I should share them with the world, and someone else might give them a good home.

First up we have Anthropologie – oh how I love thee! I can’t help but stop in their stores every chance I get. Great stuff and such inspiring window displays!

spoon rest // barside bowl // textured indira cushions

I haven’t been looking much at their clothing lately, but that wood spoon rest would be amazing. We still don’t have one in the kitchen yet, and I like the warmth that wood brings. The marble bowl could be used for food or organization, and those textured pillows would be so fun on our bed (along with some indigo accents)! However, I doubt Richard would be a fan of the tassel-y bits.

textured cement planters // alpaca planters // textured table runner

I’m trying to increase the number of plants in our home, which means I am constantly looking for pots. I love quirky-looking vintage ones, and stuff that looks handmade. (To that end, we’re even looking into doing a ceramic course here in Kent!) While those cement planters would be perfect, I kind of have a soft spot for alpacas… they’re just so fluffy!! As for the table runner, I think Richard would hate it – but I love all the texture.

Next up, ASOS – so glad I got their premier shipping for a year! Wouldn’t it be amazing if they started carrying home stuff?!

green button skirt // striped beach dress // gingham skirt

I’m really hoping to find some nice skirts and dresses for the spring/summer this year, and am love that gingham one!

tall mac // wrap coat // waterfall trench

I have always loved classic Mac trench coats, and feel like living in rainy London makes it even more likely that I would use it. Doesn’t that wrap coat look cozy? And on sale!

black wrap sandals // chambray beach tunic // bunny flats

Those bunny flats just make me smile (doubt I could keep them clean enough), but I love the other two for summer!

Rose and Grey was a shop I stumbled across, and then fell in love with so many things! A lot of their furniture is above my price point, but their accessories aren’t too much of a sticker shock to the system. I still haven’t explored their whole inventory, but am already in love with these items.

cut glass tumblers // blue ceramic mug // green vintage plant pot

Right now we only have some mugs from Richard’s work, and I would love something larger (I could drink so much tea and coffee…) as well as prettier. I am also super into cut glass highballs and tumblers these days – my parents had some crystal glasses that were rarely used when we were kids, and it’s made me want some fancy everyday glasses. As with our silver cutlery, we like the idea of using what would have only been for special occasions, every day!

Finally, we have Oliver Bonas. I stumbled upon this shop walking around the city one day with Richard and fell in love with all of their marble jewelry stands (as well as their dainty jewelry). I’m planning on getting one for the bedroom as I currently have nothing to store jewelry on. I also love that denim tunic that they just put online (would it fit a tall girl without being too short?).

brass + marble jewelry stand // denim tunic dress

Anyways, that’s just a snapshot of what I love these days. If you see something you think I’ll like, let me know!

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