Shade in the Urban Environment

Shade in the urban environment as provided by trees, buildings, and infrastructure is sadly lacking in most of our newer towns and villages and it’s causing us increasing levels of discomfort as we face the reality of hotter summers due to climate change. Trees cast the most natural of shade in our environments; urban or rural – and it seems the almost quintessential picture of … Continue reading Shade in the Urban Environment

Linen tablecloths from MagicLinen

Linen Tablecloths are on-trend for rustic comfort

Linen is a wonderful material that we gravitate back to every year as the summer days approach and the light pours through the windows and onto our tablecloths and curtains. There is something comforting about linen as a fabric – something that shows us the high quality of the material along with a nostalgia for the linen shirts of our holidays and the linen tablecloths … Continue reading Linen Tablecloths are on-trend for rustic comfort

linen tea-towels from Charvet Editions

Linen Tea-towels escape from the chateau to our kitchen

Linen tea-towels conjure up an image of high tea in the gardens of a French chateau, or the wedding guests waving their linen napkins in celebration as the newlyweds enter the wedding reception as a married couple for the first time. Since 1866, TRP Charvet has been producing linen tea-towels and other product to the highest standards and exporting the French linen all over the … Continue reading Linen Tea-towels escape from the chateau to our kitchen

FRAC (Lacaton & Vassal), Nord pas de Calais by William Veerbeek (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Pritzker Prize celebrates reduce, reuse, recycle

The Pritzker Prize has gone to an architectural practice that prefers to understand and reimagine buildings rather than bring in the demolition team and wipe away the past – and the results have been beautiful and successful for the communities involved. Often architects, as do consultants of all industries, come into a space and want to start from new; they want to demolish what’s there, … Continue reading Pritzker Prize celebrates reduce, reuse, recycle

Colour of the Year 2021

Colour of the Year 2021: Grey & Yellow team up

Every year we excitedly lookout for the Pantone Colour of the Year – and although it’s not normally a surprise, it still helps us focus on what colour or colours are trending worldwide in terms of design and home interiors popularity. Previously we’ve had Living Coral giving us a pink outlook for the year, but as we usher in 2021 – regardless of lockdown and … Continue reading Colour of the Year 2021: Grey & Yellow team up

Transform your outside space

How to transform your balcony into a relaxing retreat

Even the tiniest sliver of balcony space can become a welcoming garden oasis — all it takes is a bit of creativity. Here, Nick Acaster, Managing Director of Rugs Direct, shares his tips for transforming your balcony and designing an inviting summer balcony.  Now that the summer is here, many of us will be hoping to spend as much time as possible out soaking up the … Continue reading How to transform your balcony into a relaxing retreat