BEAUTIFUL SCANDINAVIAN STYLE FLOOR INSPIRATION

Now that exciting plans are afoot *pun intended* I am making many mental notes, taking pics and generally pinning like crazy beautiful Scandinavian floor inspiration. Think poured concrete, cool tiles and the lusted after wood floors that I've been dreaming off for oh so long now. Where people might coo and aah over plush furnishings, one of the first thing to get my heart racing is the floor beneath my feet and I can't wait to create a perfect space of our own.

BEAUTIFUL DIY CURTAIN TIES BACKS ON A BUDGET // INTERIOR INSPIRATION

Ever since I revealed my room makeover I've had some lovely emails and messages from you lovely lot *blushes and huge thanks!* and quite a few of you have been asking how I made my DIY curtain tie backs! Well as they only cost me the grand total of £10 for two, I thought I would share it on the blog with a little Make It tutorial. I really love the pale natural wood, especially against the grey, as I think it definitely adds a touch of Scandi style to the room. 

They are so super simple to make all you need is:

• 6ft of grey suede cord or string.

• 2 x 2ich diameter wood beads

• 8 x 1.5inch diameter wood beads

• 4 x 1 inch diameter wood beads

• 16 x 1/3 inch (or 1 cm roughly) diameter wood beads

• Scissors

Cut your cord in half and start to thread the beads on using the following pattern:

1 small bead (SB) / 1inch / 1 SB / 1.5inch bead / 1SB / 1.5inch bead / 1SB / 2inch bead / 1SB / 1.5inch bead / 1SB / 1.5inch bead / 1SB / 1inch / 1SB. 

Once you have created your repeated pattern then tie off the ends, making sure you leave a loop for your curtain tie backs to fit onto the hook on the wall. Cut of any excess cord or string and then admire your handy work! 

It really is that easy! It took me about five minute to make both and you can pick up the wooden beads in most craft shops – or Hobbycraft in the UK – and it gives a lovely finish to your curtains, creating beautiful wooden curtain tie backs on a budget!

 Have you got any DIY home hacks planned for your home?

A MINI BEDROOM MAKEOVER // STYLING THE SEASONS

Decluttering the bedroom seems like ongoing/endless task, but in an attempt to create a calm space with neutral tones to encourage sleep and relaxation, I thought a mini bedroom makeover would be fun project for this months styling the seasons. I'm forever pottering around, changing things up in the flat and taking on little DIY projects, but this one particular task has been niggling at me for while.

My folks passed this mirror onto me after I graduated university and it has hung on my walls ever since, keeping me company as I moved across the country, however it's never really fitted in with my style. So rather than ditch it, I decided to show it a bit of love with some Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

I have to admit I'm super late to the 'Annie' party, with friends raving about how good it is, but never late than never right?! I decided to use my Loaf Lazy Linen as the base colour for the room and matched it with Paloma, tying the colours in nicely with the grey marble fireplace and white shelving unit.

Once the mirror dried – suprisingly quickly – I decided to rehang it above the bed, leaving space on the mantle for my newly framed Fine Little Day UP poster *swoon* plus it looks great beside these garland lights.To bring in a bit of green into the room, I bought some fresh Hyacinth bulbs and carefully separated them out before potting them in these cute little ceramic planters, one by Atelier Stella and the other a marble effect mug I picked up in the H&M home sale. I've loved watching them bloom and F has been caring for them, whispering to them and giving them sips of water *all the heart eyes*, plus the pots really work well set againts the black frame.

I love how the mirror looks in its new spot and how effortlessly the colour flows from linen to wall, creating a calm vibe where I rest my head. Just by swapping around two small areas, the room has been given a facelift and keeps in with the style I love.  If I could only tackle the rest of the room and show it some love!

Are you thinking of giving a room a mini makeover? My top tip is to start by decluttering your chosen space by picking up five object and finding permanant homes for them, leaving your surface clear and you able to visualise your idea better.

To get involved with Styling the Seasons you need to do is share your photographs of your styled surface on any day this month – use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or your blog, if you have one. Please tag Katy and Charlotte and use the hashtag #StylingTheSeasons. You can also search the hashtag for styling inspiration from the other wonderful bloggers and creatives who are taking part.

CREATE A SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS AT HOME

It's official! I'm full of festive cheer, it's hard not to be when you have a kiddo referring to it six times a day. Each year we take care in unpacking the baubles and trinkets, ready to create a cosy haven at home, this month however, I've decided to create a different look, one of cool greys, touches of gold and the cosiness of home.This year I'm celebrating a Scandinavian Christmas with style. 

It's easy to get exhausted just thinking of everything December brings with packed crowds, heaving shops and endless choices. So when Not on the High Street asked me to take part in their #NotJustTinsel styling Christmas Campaign I was thrilled *hello dream collboration* to channel my inner Christmas calm by designing a Pinterest board inspired by their seasonal products, and to see if I could recreate my Scandinavian Christmas at home.

From stylish mantles, creative gift wrap, cosy kitchen moments to the main event, Not On The High Street has everything you need to bring Hygge into the home.

I love styling my mantle to suit the season, especially when creating a Scandinavian inspired space. Forget the tinsel, instead try this beautiful Courage Dear Heart print with these stunning outdoor LED light garland that offers a striking alternative to fairy lights. The metallic print works perfectly with this delicate Gold Leaf Dish, keeping all my jewellery safe in style and if you want to add a bit of green or a touch of red to your display, this Clear Glass Carboy Vase is perfect and makes a great table centre piece too.


While thinking of ways to style my mantle, I headed out and stocked up on some Christmas treats and used this chic scandi grey shopper to keep the plastic at bay. Also I love this super quick plum pastry recipe – post on that soon – tasty and easy to make, served on this Hexagonal Chop & Serve board and pink geometric tea towel it's great for sharing with friends.

If you want to avoid the garish wrap under the tree, then why not swap them with the soft greys and natural tones loved by our Swedish neighbours, to create a pretty parcel to pass from under the tree or swap over dinner with friends. You can use these hand carved stamps to design your own Christmas paper. This traditional wrapping set is a great way to take the stress out of getting present ready.

Sitting around the table with friends and family is the best way to spend the holidays and I love entertaining! I really wanted to create a Scandinavian Christmas at home and what better way then to make a beautiful table using the soft greys, gold and beautiful ceramics. These cute festive cookies make great place settings and are tasty too.  

I love all the elements that make this table work: the candles, the ceramics, the greys, the geometric prints and wooden touches. You can shop the look here: Glass and Copper Carafe, Scandi Block House Candle Holder, Ori Folded Ceramic Vase, Personalised Ceramic Plate, Gold Plated Cutlery Set, Hexagon Shaped Brass Candle Holder, Spatter Ceramic Plate, Gold Star Tray.

As well as pulling together my dream Scandinavian Christmas at home, I've also created a Pinterest board full of further inspiration. I love the cool tones and I can't wait to get my DIY on and try my hand at a star garland for December. 

Do you love decorating the house for Christmas? What's your favourite style?

*This post is written in collaboration with Not On The High Street. All words, images and thoughts are my own.

SCANDINAVIAN STYLE INTERIOR INSPIRATION & HOUSEOLOGY GIVEAWAY

Often when I think of Scandi-style interiors I envisage calm clean spaces with lots of white or monochrome coming into play, and although my home has pops of colour I do like the simplicity of our Scandinavian neighbours. Often forward thinking in their design and approach, I'm naturally drawn to simple stylish pieces that will outlive any seasonal trends and can be easily mixed with other interior styles.

As seasons change and I say hello to autumn and prepare for the C word – dare I mention Christmas yet? – our home becomes a bustle of colour filled with presents, lights and all things Kris Kringle related and so I often find myself searching for neutral pieces which create cosy corners and give tasteful focal points to the room. So I've teamed up with fabulous Houseology to curate a style selection from their mid-season sale focusing on stunning designs and simple style, and many of these pieces are now reduced by 50%.

I may have accidently on purpose popped some these into my shopping basket *shhh as I love this colour palette with greys, whites and creams. You can shop these beautiful picks from my style selection but be quick as I don't think they'll last long!

1. It's About RoMi Hollywood Floor Lamp

2. Bloomingville Grey/Cream Vase Set

3. Nick Wood Square Lantern

4. Cambridge Throw Antra

5. By Nord Bed Linen Incl. Pillowcase Stone

6. OH Maison Santiago Cushion

7. LSA Lotta Carafe Small

8. Tonfisk Warm Gift Set

9. Sabre Number 1 Dinner Plate

Being the lovely bunch they are, Houseology are giving away a Bloomingville Grey/Cream Vase Set to one lucky reader. I love the complimentary tones of these pale vases, they would look stylish in any home and the perfect centrepiece to any table. All you need to do is enter via the options below for your chance to win. Good luck! 

T&C Giveaway will run for two weeks and the winner will be drawn by random using rafflecopter on the 29th October. All entries will be verified. Prize will include one Bloomingville Vase set from Houseology. This is non refundable or exchangeable. By entering you are signing up to the Wild & Grizzly E-newsletter. Open worldwide. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*This post is written in collboration with Houseology

CALM BEDROOM MAKEOVER // INTERIOR INSPIRATION

Our bedroom A.K.A the dumping ground has always been a tricky space in our flat and has been on my makeover list for a while now, but being the biggest room and the place where most things go to be forgotten, it's hard to tackle the constant flow of clutter. I've often dreamed of a space that is light and calm during the day and cosy at night but with bundles of coats bursting from behind the door, my workspace which is *ahem* never always tidy, shelves bursting with DVDs and prints stacked on the floor, I never know where to start.

So when Homebase invited me to head in store and pick up a few pieces to change how I see my home – giving the bedroom the kick in the pants it needed – I knew exactly what to do. Unlike some of the other rooms in the house, the bedroom has no real theme and is a mish mash of furniture, colours and clutter which drives me nuts. So I decided to spend a weekend tackling some of the problem areas that adds to the overall mess and pick out a few things that would set the tone for the makeover.



We spent a few hours taking the 300+ DVDs that line our freestanding shelving unit, out of their cases – keeping the covers separately – and organising the discs into two small wallets that can be easily stored in our wardrobe, before driving to the local recycling centre to ditch the cases creating an abundance of space on the shelves.

I created the above mini mood board with the colours, tones and prints I envisage for the bedroom to give me a clear idea of what to look for when going into Homebase. I love soft colours, natural fabrics, and a Scandi feel for this room and was excited to pick up a few key pieces to set the process in motion. First I chose this statement ceiling light that gives off a soft glow adding a cosy feel, plus I love the raw bamboo and structured shape of the light.

Next I picked up this Neta glass wide vase from the Habitat concession in Homebase, it's so great having a place in Bristol that sells Habitat products as I've always been a fan of their patterns and I love the cool smoky colour of this glass. I can imagine filling this with freshly cut flowers, although it's quite beautiful without.

To finish off I picked up some plants and ceramic pots to add a bit of green into the room. I think Ferns work really well as they look great and are easy to look after and I always love the idea that plants recycle the air naturally while you sleep. I then reorganised the shelves using it to display my photography and design books, vinyl, vintage film projector and framed pictures making it a display area rather than a dumping space.
I now feel energised to tackle the rest of the room and create a space that reflects my personality and captures the wonderful light that pores in through the windows. With a new mattress on the way I'm looking at various beds like the Silentnight Hamilton King size bed from Homebase to help bring the feel of the room together and my next job is to tackle the slightly dilapidated chest of drawers!I can't wait to share both bedroom makeovers on the blog in the next few months!

I HAVE THIS THINGS WITH FLOORS // LAMINATE FLOORING

If you're a long time reader of my little corner of the internet you'll know that I have this thing with floors. Whenever I'm out and about you'll always find me snapping pics of interesting patterns, tiles and flooring that I find down by my feet. I'm also a huge fan of the scandinavian interiors, especially the pale coloured floors that appear in glossy magazines and fill up my pinterest feed.

Our flat is carpeted throughout, with the exception of lino in the kitchen, and as I've been eager to spruce up our lounge for a while now I excitedly pulled back the carpet to reveal our floorboards. My heart sank a little as I realised that it would take quite a lot of work and money to get them into a decent condition and have them on show. So when I saw these shots of lovely light flooring I decided to research a little further and saw that Laminate flooring might be an option.

I'm not sure why this hadn't crossed my mind before! There are so many different styles and colours to choose from, plus it's cost effective and easy to lay. I think I might have found a solution to my sea of carpet, I can just imagine this Kensington Loft White in our lounge which looks exactly like the flooring in our Airbnb flat in Copenhagen. Just think of all the beautiful rugs you could choose to create a cool interior *swoon*.

I'd love to hear what flooring floats your boat?

*This is a collaborative post.

DRESS YOUR TABLE FOR CHRISTMAS

As you probably know I love interiors and good design, and while I've only hosted Christmas dinner once I love throwing a good party, whether it's the wild ones from my younger years or a more civilised sit down affair, so getting into the festive spirit I decided to dress my table for Christmas and have a few friends over for some feasting.

So whenever I'm out I love to keep my eye open for pieces that would work well on a table and oftern buying the odd thing here or there. After a trip to Copenhagen I fell in love with this mug which I was served coffee in at the Kunst Museum, when I got home I tracked it down and promptly shipped some over. 

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BEAUTIFUL FLOOR INSPIRATION

I have this thing about floors, where people might coo and aah over plush furnishings one of the first thing my eyes dart to is the floor beneath my feet. No matter where I am I can find beauty in the flooring below, whether it's a poured concrete floor on a staircase, parquet flooring in a hallway, tiles in a cafe, I love taking pics, pinning pics and making a mental notes of what looks good for future reference and when the day comes for me to lay my own.

In my previous flat I had old tattered floorboards with nail heads poking up and gaps between the boards, I longed for the comfort of a carpet, with a crawling babe it was what I craved the most and as much as I tried to cover the boards in rugs, F found a way to pour the contents of my purse through a crack or scrape his knee on a misplaced nail. So we moved to a flat with a sea of carpet, beige as far as the eye could see. F loved his new crawling space and the cosy underfoot in winter but to be honest I'm looking back at those floorboards with rose tinted glasses, the spills and pen scribbles of a toddler are a constant reminder as to why beige carpets are not the best idea.

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THE COMFORT OF HOME // HOUSE TOUR

As much as I love travelling, exploring new places, meeting new people and the feeling of wanderlust running through my veins, theres nothing quite like coming back to the simple comforts of home. Those small things you don't realise you miss, so incase you missed my post over at HIBS100 I thought I'd share some of the small corners that make me smile.

This is a little pic heavy so click to read more.

WHITE WALLS FOR CHRISTMAS

Images via Pinterest

As our flat is rented we are always slightly restricted in terms of what we can do with the walls, so I tend to make my stamp by hanging various prints, however our lovely landlord & lady have kindly offered to have the walls freshened up and we can choose the colour within reason! Cue me spending hours on Pinterest and drooling over beautifully styled rooms, mixes of rich blue walls and hanging coper pendents and minimalist scandinavian inspired wood houses.