Houseplants are great for health, productivity and positivity. They brighten a room, release oxygen into the air, remove toxins from the atmosphere and add character to your home or office. But they do tend to cost money. Here are some ways to still grow house plants, without the hefty price tag…
There’s nothing more festive than a real log fire burning in the grate of a fireplace. However, many homes have had their fireplaces removed over the years and no longer have that cosy Christmassy feel. So, if you fancy reinstating your fireplace this winter, here are some facts to consider…
Wallpaper is one of the easiest ways to bring a whole new look to your interior. Just a roll or two can make all the difference with a feature wall that brings impact and colour. Here are three of the hottest trends, and different ways to make them work in your home…
This Long Island home is packed full of mid-century pieces, vibrant colours and retro details so take a tour of Kate Pearce’s home with me to be inspired by her style…
Today’s blog post will help you to see the light – both metaphorically and literally – as your home’s lighting can be a key factor behind what atmosphere it generates. Here are a few particularly surprising ways in which you can take advantage of this…
Take a tour of Elle Collins’ mid-century style home, which became an indoor jungle after her houseplant collection thrived in the airy vaulted space. Here are before & after photos of her interior revamp plus lots of pics of her gorgeous cat Mia…
This gorgeous period property in Dublin belongs to Darran Heaney of Old Victorian New and he has kindly allowed me to share some snaps of his renovation project – from the before photos to the completed home tour. Let’s step inside…
If you’ve got old, faded and stained plastic chairs that are in need of a revamp, here’s a quick and easy way to renovate those vintage vinyl seats…
At this time of year I often start thinking about redecorating my home. With the darker days I like the idea of adding dark colours and feature walls, but I know that it won’t work for the rest of the year. So, how do you create an interior that looks seasonal but all works all year round?
Epic home tour of a stunning 19th Century swing-beam agricultural barn, packed full of rustic features and vintage collections, which was rescued and renovated by April and Andy Hershberger…
Get the most out of your existing by furniture by turning a simple coffee table into a two-in-one piece of furniture that converts into a comfy footstool and back again. Here’s how to upholster a padded topper for ANY coffee table…
Take a tour of Lana Rose Interior’s fresh & airy home to get inspiration for your own Scandi-style spring interior. Nicola’s genius upcycling projects will help you stick to your decorating budget while creating peaceful rooms with plenty of character…
If you’re working remotely or have got kids studying at home, you might want to DIY a desk to make home-working easier. Or you can use it as a console table to tidy up the keys, cash & post that accumulate in your entryway. Grab an old drawer & let’s DIY..!
I’ve created a DIY video to show you 3 no-sew ways to make a Christmas stocking without ever picking up a needle and thread! Check out how super-quick they are to make – they’ll be hanging on your fireplace in no time..!
As autumn approaches, there’s nothing better than feeling cosy & comfortable in your home. Textures add to that feeling, but I tend to focus colour on the most, which is why I’m exploring how my favourite mid-century colours create a feeling of cosiness…
Today I’m sharing some top tips from a Picquot Ware owner on how to clean and refurbish an original teapot, along with some photos of the original range and price list…
Our living spaces seem to get smaller during the cooler months, don’t they? I think it’s because we’re indoors more & can’t use our gardens as much if the weather is bad. Here’s some ideas to make your living room more cosy & liveable for autumn…
If you’ve got old plastic seating – whether desk chairs, garden loungers or old school seats – it IS possible to refresh the faded & stained plastic rather than taking them to the tip. Here’s how I got on when I gave my plastic swivel chairs a makeover…
After having the pleasure of writing about surface pattern designer & illustrator Rachael Taylor’s home, I just knew that her vibrant interior & gorgeous garden would inspire you to inject some colour into your own home. Check out this exciting house tour:
The iconic artichoke lamp was first showcased in 1958 and has been garnering praise for over 60 years. Danish architect Paul Henningsen created the classic design & here are 5 ways you can use it in your home…
There’s something really soothing about listening to an LP on a vintage record player. Likewise, I quite like the occasional crackle of an analogue radio tuned into my local station. Here’s why you should include retro music players in your home…
While it’s incredibly cool to have a gallery wall in your home, it’s also great when the images mean something to you. There are plenty of ways to include customised artworks in your home and here are a few options to help you fill your home with pieces you love…
Get inspiration for a happy, vibrant, mid-century interior from this apartment tour of interior designer & artist Melanie Mahrhold’s retro, boho home…
Technically, re-covering my Ercol studio couches was simply a case of sewing a couple of big cushion covers, right? So how hard could it be?? Here’s how I got on when I attempted sofa upholstery for the first time…
What do you do if you have a sofa but don’t like the colour of the fabric any more? Why, re-cover it, of course! Okay, okay, that’s a rather flippant way of looking at upholstery, but why not give it a go yourself? Especially if the alternative is just to get rid of the sofa and buy a brand new one. By attempting to revamp my sofa, I’ll not only save money, it’ll be keeping a bulky item out of landfill too. Let’s get aboard the upcycling train and try to make the most of what we’ve got, right?
If you’re a big fan of house plants like me, here’s a quick and easy DIY plant nursery unit that you can make to keep all your cuttings, off-shoots and baby plants safe and cosy while they grow. You can choose a cabinet to suit the style of your home, and it looks pretty darn cool too! Here’s how to do it…
With Christmas only a few days away and everyone frantically preparing for the big day, I thought I would share some gorgeously styled photos of festive interiors to give you inspiration for your own decorations this year…
I’ve given my kitchen a 1950s makeover to match the period of our home so I’ve done my research on vintage Pyrex and have browsed countless original designs. Here are some of my favourites from an impressive collection…
I love listening to festive music at this time of year. In the car, on the radio and via YouTube playlists when I’m in the
No festive party should be without a cocktail cabinet, which is precisely why I’ve DIY’d one this month! Turning this writing bureau into a drinks bar is a relatively easy upcycle (no power tools required!) and it’ll be the hub of all your gatherings over the festive period, so read on to find out more…
Have you ever had a room where you just don’t know how to lay out the furniture? One with an unusual L-shape, or alcoves, or windows on two or more walls? In most rooms you can just ‘feel’ where the furniture should go and, in many modern homes, you can see exactly where the bed should go, because there are two plug sockets either side where your bedside lamps would plug in! But what if your room isn’t quote so ease to configure? Here’s what I learnt when tackling my own 1950s home…
Another day, another DIY! This time, it’s a classy coffee table that doubles up as handy storage. And would it even be a Cassie Fairy DIY if it didn’t include pallets?? The rustic-yet-cool chevron effect top is all refinished pallet wood – making this a money-saving project too. Read on to find out how to DIY a coffee table for yourself this autumn…
I’ve given my old teak display cabinet a bit of a makeover. Previously, all the messy items I was storing inside the unit were there for all to see – and you know how much I dislike clutter. So, what was the solution? Why, to paint the cabinet doors, of course! But the doors are made entirely of glass, so it’s not as easy as using a tin of paint and a roller (although I’ve never tried that – does it work?) so I’ve put together a little DIY video so guide you through the process…
If you’ve never bought from an auction house before it’s a fun, action-packed second-hand shopping experience that could save you ££s so here’s how to start buying at auctions without – & here’s the best bit – leaving the comfort of your own home…!
Ahh it’s September. No sooner had the 1st of the month hit than my Pinterest and Instagram feeds became awash with autumnal colours and pumpkins. It’s like the whole online world was just waiting for summer to be over so that they could begin the wind-down into the cosy season. Here’s how to merge your decor from summer to autumn with the addition of just a few low cost accessories that’ll get your home ready for the changing season…
For this month’s Reclaim magazine I wrote about Ercol for the mid-century modern Design Icon column. And my research led me to some surprising results…
All photos of Ju’s home by Alexandra Joseph If you’ve been hooked on the new BBC TV show Interior Design Masters since it started in
Timeless decor items will be different for every person, but once you find them it can give a sense of comfort and permanence to your house. Plus, I’m a firm believer in ‘buy well, buy once’ so it’s a good idea not to follow interiors trends with your bigger investment pieces, such as the sofa, storage, tables etc. You can, of course change up your style over the years using soft furnishings and paint colours, but having those classic pieces as the basis for your future designs will save you money throughout your lifetime. Here’s how to figure out your style before you invest…
I don’t know why hostess trolleys ever went out of fashion. They’re so handy for gathering everything you need together, and wheeling it right where you need it to be. So, when I spotted this old wooden trolley in a skip, I was keen to rescue it. Here’s how to upcycle a retro trolley into a vintage style bar cart for bank holiday parties…
Whether you’ve got a grey, beige, white (or even black) sofa those neutral hues can look a little bland, but they’re also a fantastic base upon which to create a variety of interior design themes. Here’s how you can style up one neutral sofa in six different ways to change the look of your interior for less…
You only have to open up the Pinterest home page to discover a multitude of ways to incorporate mid-century design into your home. It’s no longer about choosing a ’50s, ’60s or ’70s “theme” that you have to commit to, it’s about choosing sleek designs that fit into your 21st century home perfectly. Here’s how…
After decades of use and sun exposure in a conservatory many classic Lloyd Loom chairs are faded or damaged. While it’s still possible to buy the originals (I picked these up at a car boot sale) it’s likely that they’ll need a little care and attention to bring them back to life. Here’s some simple tricks to renovate vintage woven chairs and bring a touch of retro design onto your patio this summer…
From decorative foliage to exciting pops of colour the summer is all about bringing the light back into your home. Here’s how you can refresh your space using the 4 hottest interiors trends of the summer, and fall back in love with your home…
If you want to get a mid-century feel in your home but don’t want to compromise on the flexibility that contemporary design provides, choosing vintage furniture made by Remploy could be the answer…
An accent piece needs to stand out in an interior and the stylish Bibendum chair is a versatile piece furniture to use as an feature piece in room. It goes beyond mere functionality and you can play around with colour, texture, and location in the room. Here’s a rundown of five among many ways you can use the Eileen Gray Bibendum chair as an accent piece in your interior:
If you’ve got some Hornsea pottery or simply like the mid-century style of their designs, here’s how you can identify the pottery as original pieces, and some suggestions for using the designs to style your modern home with a touch of mid-century pattern…
Today, I’m putting an old side table to good use by upcycling it with paint, sticky vinyl and acrylic to create a multi-purpose piece of furniture that serves as both a handy coffee table AND a games table! Want to make one for yourself? Here’s the project…
If this chair feels familiar to you, you may have seen it somewhere before. In a film perhaps? Was a certain secret agent sitting in it with a glass of martini (shaken, not stirred) in his hand? Read on to find out more about the iconic Leo Chair by Robin Day…
If you’re planning a party for New Year’s Eve, why not make it a retro one? Step back in time to the 70s and recreate the cocktail cabinet that all mid-century housewives wished they had. We’ve styled up this G Plan Fresco cabinet with vintage barware and snacks so here’s how you can do the same…
If you’re planning to entertain over Christmas and New Year, it’s a great idea to have a cocktail cabinet ass a place to serve delicious drinks to your guests. Here’s how to make your own DIY retro bar from an old display cabinet…
If you love iconic mid-century design as much as I do, this month’s Reclaim magazine is for you! My Design Icon feature is all about Stag furniture and, in particular, John and Sylvia Reid’s designs. I also got the chance to visit the beautiful Badger Cottage to write an interiors feature so it’s well worth a read…
Are you feeling autumnal? Has the new season hit you yet? If you’re already putting the thick duvet on the bed and adding blankets to the sofa, this interior styling post is for you! Here’s how to get that cosy autumnal feeling in your own home, taking inspiration from Irish, Danish and American interiors…
I love a good retro clock. Along with lamps, they’re one of the few household items that I seem to collect. I just can’t resist an interesting clock face, an iconic number style (can I refer to it as a typeface or font when talking about numbers?) or a fun frame. So it’s no wonder that I decided to write about mid-century clocks for my latest Design Icon feature in Reclaim magazine.
Macramé is everywhere these days, isn’t it? I can barely open up Pinterest without pinning countless designs for plant hangers and knotted wall art. Today I’m sharing a step-by-step guide to making your own macramé daybed – it’s a rather impressive project but it’s one that you definitely can make at home.
They always say ‘write what you know’ don’t they? So, I couldn’t ignore my instinct to talk about this British brand with as many people as possible. I sat at my laptop and blurted out all the knowledge I’d gained over the years and then carefully spent many hours refining my excited ramblings. The piece has been published in Issue 30 and it’s on sale now! I just hope Reclaim’s readers enjoy the piece as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Have you noticed that wood marquetry is making a comeback? I’ve spotted countless mid-century pieces with a variety of shapes and patterns adorning the wood. If you’d like to recreate this look in your own home without spending a fortune, you can upcycle your furniture yourself and here’s how…
If you want to keep the sunshine in your home all year round, here are some interior design tricks and gorgeous homewares that’ll help you
Are you an LP enthusiast? Have you always been a collector, or are you new to the world of vinyl? If you need somewhere to
Today I’m sharing an easy project to make a DIY wheeled coffee table. My husband made this within an hour, while I was painting another
Today I’ve got some tips from ScandiKitchen’s Brontë Aurell on how to make your home instantly feel much more Scandinavian, along with some gorgeous photos
Do you have a lovely Christmas jumper that you’ve shrunk in the wash? Did the moths nibble their way through your favourite festive pullover? Don’t
I’ve finally started to plan out my living room. To tell you the truth, I’ve been avoiding decorating it for a few months now. Even
Buoyed by finishing off our art nouveau guest room makeover, I’m now getting ready to tackle another space: the hallway. The wheels are in motion;
Parquet flooring is the new vinyl records. Making a surprising comeback, parquet has exploded back into the flooring scene and is ever increasingly becoming one
What do you think of when I say ‘carpet tiles’? Grey office buildings? School hallways? The budget option that your mum made you have in
Ever since I visited FriendsFest last year I’ve been desperate to write an interior design blog post about Monica’s apartment. One of the main attractions of FriendsFest is a
I’ve recently laid laminate flooring in two rooms of my home and I can honestly say that it was a really easy process. I thought
Hurrah! We finally have some new bedding for our new bedroom. After weeks spent stripping off wallpaper, days painting layers and layers of while emulsion
There’s a lovely big window in our living room. It lets in so much natural daylight and offers a lovely view over the garden. In fact,
Today’s blog post is rather photo-heavy, but I wanted to share some snaps I took while touring Norman Foster’s famous Willis Building. My husband and
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