New build London flat

When one of my readers described my interiors style as taking a trip to Scandinavia via an English car boot sale, I could not have been more flattered. So when The Spaces contacted me about featuring a collection of new build London flats, not far from my own home, that have Japanese and Scandinavian influences with an English twist, I scheduled it in immediately.

Having bought two new build flats in the last ten years, based on affordability and location, and having viewed a million more, I know the soulless white box syndrome well. However, the architects of the New Cross Lofts (for sale, btw) have done something amazing with the space and design of these flats; their use of colour, texture, wall and floor finishes, windows and outside space make these new builds more characterful and interesting than anything I have ever seen in this price bracket (all relative, I know – but in central(ish) London you’re doing well if anything is under a million these days). I also love how peaceful and serene the interior is; perfect for busy, hectic city living.

Stunning London flat | Minimalist style | Stylish new build | Apartment Apothecary

Stunning London flat | Minimalist style | Stylish new build | Apartment Apothecary

Stunning London flat | Minimalist style | Stylish new build | Apartment Apothecary

Stunning London flat | Minimalist style | Stylish new build | Apartment Apothecary

Stunning London flat | Minimalist style | Stylish new build | Apartment Apothecary

Personally, I love the light, space and clever design of these flats that make them so much more than a generic new build (like my own!!). You can see more of both flats and the sales details over on The Spaces.

Would you ever consider living in a new build?

Katy x

*New Cross Lofts designed by Chan & Eayrs – all images by Rosella Degori for The Spaces.

Eclectic homewares

When we ripped up our carpets last year that had been destroyed by Otto as a puppy (I lost count of the number of times I found myself on my knees scrubbing that carpet clean) I was really excited about choosing a rug once we had painted the floor. I have always been really keen on unique one-off rugs and I trawled through the internet looking for something a bit different that would soften the edges of a hard, stark floor. Ever since I have always had one eye on picking up more unique pieces to add to the eclectic style we have in our flat. Liking a lot of white, as I do, it is also a really good way of adding a few bursts of colours and/or texture to a room.

I know it can be tough to find the time to wade through sites looking for one-off homewares and I remember at the time I bought my rug, which I got shipped from Turkey, lots of people asked me where they could buy one from. Therefore, I have put together a little collection of some of my favourite pieces from some great shops that have done all the hard work for you and sourced these beautiful pieces from around the world…

1. Fair-trade Ghanaian Bolga basket, Potch. 2. Kantha gown, Toast 3. Beni Ourain rug, Maud Interiors 4. Kilim Pouf, Maud Interiors 5. Injiri-Khadi cushion cover, Addition Store 6. Moroccan leather slippers, Decorator’s Notebook 7. Aonla rug, Urbanara 8. Moroccan pom pom blanket, Maud Interiors.

You know I love a basket or three and I picked up one of the Ghanaian baskets in Brixton market the other day and it’s perfect for winter blankets or magazines next to the sofa. The gorgeous pouf from Maud Interiors is not only a handy extra seat or ottoman but there is something so warm and welcoming about the colours and pattern of kilim textiles (and they hide sneaky red wine spillages a treat!). I have been lusting after a Moroccan pom pom blankets for too long and I think it could be a real showstopper in any room. Add to that the Moroccan leather slippers (perfect gift for any man this Xmas) and the delicious kantha gown made from recycled Indian saris, what more could you need? Well, maybe that beautiful vintage Beni Ourain rug – swoon!

Photograph of my sitting room by Katharine Peachey.

I hope you like some of my choices. Do explore the shops I have picked out because they all have some really beautiful, unique pieces that you won’t see anywhere else. Don’t be afraid to mix and match in your home – I wrote a post last year about combining different styles so take a look for a bit of inspiration and guidance.

Katy x

 

*This post was written in collaboration with Maud Interiors.

 

Shop what i love

Let me tell you a bit more about how you can buy homewares and gifts directly from my blog. I am always asked where bits and pieces in my home are from either here or on Instagram; no one has the time to trawl through shop after shop and some people don’t even like shopping (ha – if only that were true of me!). To help solve this problem I have brought together a collection of items from some of my favourite shops that you can buy right here, without the need to head off to several different shop sites. You can see the full collection here (and in future, remember there is a shop category in my blog header on the far right hand side).

I have lots of the items myself or they are on my wish list, so if you like my home there’s a good chance you’ll like the items too. Here are a few examples from my bedroom and home office (if you like any of the items just click on them to view more details and then you can add them to your basket right here)…

Shop what I love | Bedroom | Vintage bedside table | Apartment Apothecary
Shot what i love

Shop what I love | Bedroom | Vintage bedside table | Apartment Apothecary Shot what i love

 

Shop what I love | Home office | Workspace | Apartment Apothecary

Shot what i love

After a few busy weeks I finally have a bit of time to sit down and start thinking ahead…to Christmas! I unashamedly love this time of year and the sooner we get celebrating the better in my book. I would love to do lots of lovely crafty bits in the lead up, a few decorations and some homemade gifts – hopefully it will give you all a bit of inspiration.

Another thing I would like to do, to take a bit of pressure off you, is add lots more products to my ‘shop‘ that will be perfect for Christmas presents so make sure you check back and watch out for my weekly gift guides that will pop up from next week. And if you’re not keen on Christmas or presents, why not just treat yourself?!

Katy x

 

Printing with Zeena and Papermash at the Town Hall Hotel

Last week was insanely busy both during the days and the evenings; add to that not having been at home for four weekends in a row and I feel like a bit of a hectic crazy lady (and if only you could see how much laundry I need to do). However, there was one afternoon, tucked away in the folds of the mania, that was a little pocket of heaven. The gorgeous Zeena Shah and Lynne from Papermash invited a little group of us to try out one of the printing technique’s from Zeena’s brilliant new book How to Print Fabric. They had laid out the most beautiful table for us at the Town Hall Hotel‘s corner room (you know the one with all the cool lights that crops up on Instragram all the time) surrounded by gorgeous seasonal props. We spent a dreamy afternoon printing napkins, chatting, drinking tea, laughing and then styling an Autumn themed dining table together.

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Luggage labels from Papermash.

Jeska and I styled up this table together and being the kindest person in the whole wide world, she sent me over these beautiful photographs that she took as I was hopelessly disorganised with no camera. It was totally pitch black outside by then and I quite love the tone and colours of the room that work so well with the Autumn leaves, flowers and table setting.

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I find printing to be such a relaxing craft and we used fallen leaves as the template for lino cutting. We stamped onto linen napkins and then set the perfect November table. I’m not usually a fan of Autumn colours but our styling has inspired me to embrace them. I have made an Autumnal collection of products from some of my favourite shops (including The Future Kept that Jeska runs with her husband, Dean) that you can buy directly from my blog – beautiful golds, russets and copper…

IMG_5312

It really was a gorgeous, cosy afternoon and so great to hang out with Jeska, Teri, Lucy, Kat and Charley. Thank you so much to Zeena, Lynne and the Town Hall Hotel. Have you got an Autumnal crafts planned?

Katy x

P.S. You can buy Zeena’s book here – I would definitely recommend it if you need some craft inspiration. All photos (except the header, which I took on my iPhone) taken by Jeska of Lobster and Swan.

 

Blogger tour of Leipzig

I was invited to Leipzig last weekend, a city in the east of Germany, to join a small group of bloggers to explore the city and the Designers’ Open. The region of Saxony has been undergoing a process of renewal over the last twenty five years, since the fall of the Berlin Wall, and I was honoured to be asked to come and experience it for myself. Having been a history teacher for many years and knowing so much about the German Democratic Republic it was fascinating to not only see this part of Germany but to find out more about its movement and progress. It’s almost unthinkable that twenty five years ago I wouldn’t have been able to enter the city, let alone leave. However, Leipzig has always been a centre of culture, a city of books and fairs with a mix of striking architecture seeped in history – so much to see and do!

I joined Carole, a fellow blogger from London, and Mia, who lives in Leipzig and is the editor of a very successful blogzine, Alabaster Maedchen. We spent our time meeting designers, seeing their work and discovering what lies at the heart of this vibrant cultural hub.

My highlight of the trip was the tour of the Spinnerei: an old cotton factory dating back to 1884 that is now filled with exhibition space and makers’ workshops. The buildings themselves were perfect examples of industrial architecture and as the door opened on studios, workshops and pieces of art I could feel the exciting energy of this special place. The workshop of Saxony Ducks was my dream workspace and their creations in the softest wool were stunning and I couldn’t resist an advent calendar based on the tales of the Brothers Grimm from graphic designer Katja Zwirnmann. The buildings have been beautifully restored to maintain all of the character of the original cotton factory, yet allow the artists to exhibit, make, develop and inspire: such an important project and reflective of the progress and creativity of the city.

Discovering Leipzig | Simply Saxony | Designers' Open 2015 | Spinnerei

Leipzig’s Spinnerei

Discovering Leipzig | Simply Saxony | Designers' Open 2015 | Handmade ceramics

The space that captured my imagination most was Claudia Biehne’s porcelain studio. Paper-thin porcelain bowls, vases and sculptures whose beauty lay in their fragility and each so unique in its shape and form. Claudia explained the design process, which just added to how precious each creation was. I absolutely love seeing the workspace of creatives so this was such a treat.

Discovering Leipzig | Simply Saxony | Designers' Open 2015 | Handmade ceramics

Porcelain pieces by Claudi Biehne

Discovering Leipzig | Simply Saxony | Designers' Open 2015 | Spinnerei

Discovering Leipzig | Simply Saxony | Designers' Open 2015 | Spinnerei

We spent all of Friday at the Designers’ Open, a great chance to explore and talk to designers to find out more about the concepts behind their designs. The exhibition space was filled with hand made ceramics, furniture, lighting, fashion and graphic design: a stage for new trends and a market place for new designs. I found a few products, including a kitchen unit that I’m still dreaming about, that I would have snapped up there and then if I didn’t have a teeny weeny baggage allowance.

Discovering Leipzig | Simply Saxony | Designers' Open 2015 | Concrete furniture

Concrete furniture and homewares by Betoniu

Discovering Leipzig | Simply Saxony | Designers' Open 2015

I loved these lamps made of concrete and coloured twine, handmade over several days by Oliver Schilf in his living room. I’d want three of these hanging in my kitchen!

I immediately fell for these stacking bowls painted with a traditional Japanese blue. Aren’t they beautiful in their simplicity?

Discovering Leipzig | Simply Saxony | Designers' Open 2015

The clever and sleek design of these milk jugs with a small sugar bowl stacked on top is brilliant.

Discovering Leipzig | Simply Saxony | Designers' Open 2015 | Blogger tour

We saw more designers around the city at a number of design ‘spots’. The Grassimuseum in the centre of the city hosted several projects by university students and more inspiration.

We were incredibly lucky to be shown the city by the lovely Mia, Alex and Anja – there’s nothing better than a bit of insider knowledge when discovering a new place and great to get an insight into daily life in the city. They took us to see the lakes, just a ten minute bike ride from the city centre, that is a popular spot in the summer but incredibly beautiful at this time of the year with the Autumnal colours of the woods that surround the water.

Discovering Leipzig | Simply Saxony | Designers' Open 2015

It was so wonderful to spend the weekend with such great people. Mia is one of the most interesting and generous people I have met in a long time and she and her partner, Alex, looked after us so well, taking us to good restaurants (we ate so well), to must-see spots and introduced us to some other local bloggers. Mia and Alex, you must come to London soon! Claudius and Anja were both so warm and went to great lengths to make sure we had the best possible experience. It was also really great to spend time with Carole and we had so much fun together – I can’t wait to come round for dinner, Carole! We also stayed in a hotel that I would highly recommend called Arcona Living Bach 14.

This is a place on the move, an ever-changing scene rich in culture and ready to change people’s perception of this part of the world. I loved meeting such generous people, discovering new designers and absorbing as much of the city as possible; I’m pretty sure it won’t stay the same for long and I look forward to seeing what its future holds.

Katy x

 

*This post was written in collaboration with Simply Saxony.