FIVE DESIGN CHAIRS FOR YOUR HOME

Yes it's about time your derriere got the love it deserves and you treat your home to some eye candy. It's easy to side step the chair, instead choosing to sink into the softness of a sofa, but these beauties have caught my eye and have me thinking about a statement chair in our space, so I thought I'd share my must have five design chairs for your home.

1. I've had my eye on these gorgeous rattan chairs for a month now and I had to show you! Designed with a nod to the 1950's, these beautifully designed chairs and stools will look simple and stylish in any home. The strong iron legs are perfectly paired with the natural shades of the rattan and don;t you love the winged edges! How about a sheepskin throw to create a cosy corner? 

2. These beautiful ash wood dining chairs stir feelings of nostalgia and childhood days for me and I love the clean minimalist and functional design. They are available in two styles, red for those who enjoy a pop of colour and fun, or a more neutral grey for an understated slick look, either way I think these are fab and would look great with a chunky knit blanket draped over the top, sat by a window with a pile of magazines ready to read ;)

3. This gorgeous new kid on the block is the brain child of Berlin based furniture company, EJAY. The Beam Chair, inspired and designed around the steel T beams of the Golden Gate Bridge has proved to be a hot topic amongst the design industry this year and although you can buy direct from their site, you have to enquire how much this little piece of San Fran will set you back *eek*. For me this is pure design at its best and they would look fab in any home. 

4. Another design chair that has caught my eye is the work of Norwegian designer, Andreas Engesvik, with this beautiful blush over sized cushioned Bollo chair. Looking like it has been plucked from the set of a Wes Anderson film, there is something quite feminine and inviting about this design, the contrast of the striking slim line legs with the welcoming padded fabric that wraps around the whole chair creates a statement piece and is available in a range of colours. The Bollo chair is available from stockist of Fogia, and if you fancy some eye candy head over and take a peek at their look book *swoon*.

5. Ah one of my favourite retailers have pulled another winner out of the bag with this beautifully crafted and sophisticated design, which pulls inspiration from the infamous and talented Harry Bertoia and his mid-century iconic wire framed chairs. The Hamburger chair in Linen is gorgeous and a fab twist on a design classic, both timeless and affordable for your home. 

What do you think? Do you have a favourite chair at home or is it all about the sofa love? I honestly don't know which is my favourite, but I could easily house any of these beauties in our flat and sit awhile ;)

*This is not a sponsored post, just sharing the love. 

DANISH DESIGN FOR KIDS // INTERIOR INSPIRATION

As you probably know by now I love design and interiors, especially when it comes to my home. I always have my eye out for products that are not only functional but also well designed and fit in with my interior style, so it's no surprise I've been crushing on Danish design for a while now.

You might remember my post about Why I Heart Copenhagen featuring a very mini F *sigh* as we headed over to Copenhagen on our first trip abroad to meet the 'real' Father Christmas and generally hang out. We spent our time visiting galleries, museums, eating pastries and checking out the wealth of cool kids shops, filled to the brim with design goodies, which is where I first set my eyes on the Danish design company, Sebra Interiors and this stylish I-Sit Metal kids Chair.



I love Danish design for kids and after being lured into a children's lifestyle store, Paul we agreed that taking a chair on the plane as hand luggage probably wasn't the best idea and flew home empty handed. So with styling a cool space for F in mind, I've collected various pieces over the years to give his room a contemporary, fun, creative space that he enjoys spending time in.

Fast forward a few years and I've had lots of creating a space that is both stimulating and aesthetically pleasing, and although I am super happy with my Eames kids Table and Chair I've never forgotten the metal chair that I swooned over all that time ago. So when I received the I-Sit Sebra chair c/o Houseology I was thrilled at the new addition to F's room. and finally ticking it off my wish list. This kid's chair shouts cool Scandi interior with its urban feel and contemporary design, plus it's sculpted from a durable metal mesh that is lightweight, allowing it to be moved by little hands *Big thumbs up from F.*

This got me thinking as to what makes a good creative design space for kids? So here are my top five rules I stick to when decorating F's bedroom.

1. Have a Theme
I'm talking about aesthetics. Love monochrome? Retro? Colour? Minimalist? Eclectic? Always think how a new piece of furniture will look with the rest of the room. If you have too many themes going on it can make the room look cluttered, overbearing and confusing. Imagine contemporary design pieces sitting with floral vintage furniture againts a monochrome colour scheme and that's my recioe for a headache right there.

2. Hide the Clutter
Storage is everything. Your kiddo might have lots of toys so think of a cool way to store all the plastic for playtime. Keep it clutter free and organised while choosing some of your child's favourite toys or books to put out on display. We use a combination of tubs with lids for his cars, dinosaurs, animals, and musical instruments, grouping similar toys together which makes it easy to pull out and tidy away. We also use storage baskets with handles and lids for the larger items such as his Octonauts, superheroes and Lego, which stops everything spilling onto the floor and helps keep the room tidy.

3. Have a Dedicated Kids Desk and Chair Corner
This is something that I set up in F's room from the word go. At first it was soft cushions and blankets  to lie on as a baby and as he's got older he's progressed to his own table and chairs. I find he uses this space to draw, look at books and generally do his own things without help. This is not to say that he doesn't enjoy colouring and reading in other parts of the house, but having a kid size space dedicated just to him seems to give him his own bit of independence and autonomy, and made him feel grown up.

4. Choose Interesting Prints and Artwork
I love prints and we have them all around our home, I feel that they add personality and are an easy way to add colour to plain walls and create interesting focal points. I love choosing prints for F's room and tend to focus on quirky illustrations, positive messages and good design. Prints can complete an overall look and can also help them learn by choosing cool maps, animal posters, and typographic alphabet prints.

5. Choose Products That Are Stylish AND Practical
So you've found the stylish piece for your child's room, you love it – like fallen head over heels – great, but if the practical side is nowhere to be seen then give it a miss. There's no point investing in a stunning table and chair if it's uncomfortable for your child to use, or the they can't reach the shelves of their toy cabinet as they are too high, or the drawers are super hard to pull out. I always aim to create a space that's both stylish and practical allowing F to enjoy the things in his room and encourage independence.

Now that he's started school I'm slowly changing things round a little and adding a few new things here and there, to give it a slightly different feel.  For more ideas why not take a peek at my Kids Spaces Pinterest Board



How do you choose furniture for your child's room? I'd love to hear what your favourite kid's piece is?

* This is a collaborative post.