Aspects of Love

I've been lucky enough to visit the home of Bridget and Maurice Cambridge on several occasions and have loved it each time. Two halves of a very talented and creative couple - Bridget is a professional photographer and Maurice is an orchestral manager, (though a professional musician prior to this) - together they have created something rather special.

They live in a penthouse apartment a stone's throw from the river Thames, with their 3 year old daughter Serena. Filled with light, offering great views and yet completely private, it's a beautiful space right in the heart of historic Wapping. From the outside, the building looks like a typical converted warehouse - built originally for the dockers who worked by the river, but once you step through their front door, the views hit you. 

And oh what incredible views they are. In fact they were the first thing that Maurice noticed when he moved in 22 years ago and they're still his favourite part of the flat today. 

When the flat was bought, Wapping was just being newly developed and a lot was being done to re-generate the area. The idea of being close to the river in a modern equipped apartment appealed to Maurice. It's also given him the chance to witness the changing London skyline - there was no Shard or Gherkin or Walkie-talkie when he moved in. No London Eye either. They've had prime place to spot changes.

The flat consists of 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, dining area and glorious open 15x30ft living room. Last year, they extended over their roof terrace to create a new indoor space for socialising and entertaining. Aptly named the 'Blue Heights Bar' due to the light underneath the bar which wraps around the edge of the extension. This blue light carries on into the kitchen and gives a glorious glow to the lead coloured units.

The old exterior of their converted warehouse building conceals a modern, up-to-date interior. On trend, with timeless quality and comfort. This is key for them both. They have sought to create a luxuriously modern home that is practical and functional, but also cosy and relaxed too.

For Bridget especially it was important to ensure the interiors were soft and comfortable. The leather sofas are supple and encase you as you sit down, where the deep pile rug is warm underfoot. Perfect for relaxing or soaking up the views with a glass of Prosecco!

Throughout the flat the colours chosen are fresh and light. Creams and greys complement each other with feature walls in deep purple and chocolate to add depth and interest. The majority of the walls are light, painted in Dulux Natural Hessian, but in the kitchen and living room areas there is one feature wall. The kitchen feature wall is a bespoke purple toned paint (Dulux Purple Sage is similar) and in the living room they used Dulux Espresso Shot. The darker walls help to anchor the spaces and in the living room it has the unique effect of hiding the TV, giving the impression that it is not really there at all. The storage units in the living room span the enitre length of one side, giving them plenty of room to stow away their possessions and ensuring clutter can be kept hidden away. The result is clean and sleek. The units themselves are similar in style to their choice of kitchen units and this creates a sense of cohesion between the two rooms.

What really brings out the warmth and personality of their home are the personal details. Bridget's photography adorns some of the walls, as do the prints of the muscials Maurice has worked on. I also love the soft arching floor lamp over the sofa in the living room and the pictures of the warehouse they live in as it was almost 200 years ago. 

This is a very sociable space and they often have people over. The new extension has given them a unique area for dining and entertaining, but during the day, it's also given Bridget a personal workspace. Whereas everywhere else is completely open to the view, the windows here are the only ones in the entire flat with blinds, necessary for when Bridget is doing portrait photography.

How did they decide on their decorating style? - "with a lot of arguing!" laughs Bridget with  a sparkle in her eye. But I think this process is fun for them both and it is through this compromise that they have created a unique home.

At first they seem to be completely opposite: Maurice would ideally choose white, minimalist practical. If he did decide on colour it would be bold and primary. Bridget on the other hand likes quirky, unique and a wider colour palette, especially rich purple and teal. Moving in 11 years ago, Bridget has smoothed over some of the harder edges of the flat and added more glamour. 

2 years ago they re-decorated their en-suite bathroom and kitted it out with the ultimate in relaxation, a jacuzzi bath. But key to getting the overall look right was the lighting. Maurice favoured something practical and functional, Bridget wanted to evoke hotel-chic with a chandelier. The result? Dazzling crystal down lights, which make the room sparkle... It seems that the best design is produced when these two don't agree!

This bathroom, as well as the family bathroom, are both decorated in a very calming grey stone. It's a large tile which has the effect of making the room seem bigger than it is. In the en-suite, they've created added interest around the door by using a darker contrasting grey mosaic tile. 

Both bedrooms are tastefully decorated and Serena's room is a gorgeous, creative sanctuary for a little girl.

The master bedroom has a wall of floor to ceiling windows and clever mirrored panels on the wardrobe doors, reflecting the stunning skyline and bathing the room in light. One of Bridget's treasured possessions is the glass-like purple fish painting above the bed.

If they were given the choice to live anywhere in the world, there would be no way that they'd ever leave. Their friends and family live close by and they feel lucky to have found a space they adore. "We love our home and have worked hard to make it our own, we couldn't imagine being anywhere else". It's not hard to see why.

If you'd like to source a similar look for your home, here's Maurice & Bridget's interior address book:

 - Kitchen units and living room storage unit: LWK Kitchens
 - Cream sofa in living room: Designer Sofas
 - Underfloor heating: Warmup
 - Nursery furniture: Boori
 - Plants: Columbia Road Flower Market
 - Bedroom fish painting: Atelier Galleries
 - Bathroom tiles: Olympus Tiles & Bathrooms
 - Curved living room floor lamp: John Lewis
 - Blue lights and crystal bathroom down lights: Mr Resistor
 - Bathroom suite: Villeroy & Boch
 - Jacuzzi bath: Pegasus Whirlpool

A journey around my room

Although it's April and we're officially into Spring, I'm not sure the weather has really caught up. I was kind of hoping for balmier days and longer spells of sunshine... This lack of warmth and the fact that I still need to wear a scarf when I leave the house, has turned my mind towards holidays. Are you already imaging yourself lying in the sand, enjoying some beach-themed drink in an overstuffed coconut shell? Good, so am I. Only one problem. It's April and we're in the UK... Summer holidays are about 3 months away. How will we cope with the wait? No need to despair yet as you don't even need to leave your sofa to inject a touch of holiday vibe into your surroundings.

All things exotic are making big waves in home stores. Think natural materials such as bamboo, rattan and cane. Imagine bold prints and bright colours. Look to inspiration from South America, India and the Orient. The result? Beautiful, unique home wares that will have you cancelling that far away trip in favour of a staycation in no time.

What kind of holiday will you choose?


1) Jungle Colour:

If you're an adventurous type who likes nothing more than the idea of trekking through the Amazon with a local tribe, hunting and foraging for food (perhaps with nothing more than a loin cloth to cover your modesty), then embrace a bit of jungle colour. 

Don't be shy in choosing bold, bright colours. Red, yellow, orange, green, pink and blue - be inspired by nature's rainbow. Put together with the neutral coloured chairs and adding a vibrant backdrop will make your space sing. These chairs could even have been hand-whittled on a beach as the fisherman's rope sides are supported by a eucalyptus tree frame. They blend in perfectly with their outdoor setting, or could easily be brought inside to bring the outdoor closer. Big and beautifully green palm-tree style plants will transport you to the middle of the jungle.


2) Orient Express:

Perhaps you'd prefer to travel in a bit more style? Old colonial glamour where you can enjoy your Turkish coffee or Indian chai relaxing in the comfort of something soft, the whirr of the ceiling fan giving a gentle breeze from overhead. And as night falls, there'll be gin, whisky and the chance to wear your finest silks to the socialise with others and re-live the sights and sounds of the day. Kick-back, indulge yourself and take a ride on the Orient Express. 

This look is achieved with a limited colour palette and dark woods. Highly polished surfaces and mirrored objects will help the room sparkle in the evening light. Black and white is always elegant and timeless, the curved, low seating accentuating the contrast. Be brave with your soft furnishings and a graphic print in the same colour scheme will tie the room together. Lighting is traditional but with a contemporary twist, note the glass bases of the table lamps and the chandelier style drops on the ceiling light. If you must go for colour, embrace dark blue or emerald green in sumptuous fabrics such as velvet. Glamour is the word.


3) Moroccan Magic:

But what if you want a bit more from your holiday, if you want to visit a place where you can soak up some of the culture? You'll want to walk through the souks, talk to the street vendors, taste the spices and smell the incence for yourself. It's time to experiece some Moroccan magic and immerse yourself wholeheartedly.

Choose rich, earthy colours such as deep red or yellow orche. Punctuate the intensity with a large wall hanging, like this big brass plate or a finely cut-out screen. Hang oriental lights in groups or go for one large light for maximum impact. Add a textured rug on the floor, picking out those deep shades. An unusual-shaped coffee table with circular shapes breaks up any hard edges and softens the look. Finish the room with cushions in patterned silks that shimmer.


 4) Spa Paradise: 

Or maybe you've been working hard in the office and what you really need is a holiday where you can relax and recharge. A spa on a desert island where massage, snorkling and yoga are all part of the package. There'll be rose petals in your bath and warm, secluded showers outside under the blue sky. Let yourself be pampered, heaven really is a place on earth.

To soothe those tired muscles and rejuvenate your mind, choose an all white bathroom suite and then add touches of grey marble or stone, such as these sink counter tops. Bring that colour into the rest of the room with a mosaic-edged mirror. Add more natural elements with slate coloured towels and plants. Marble floors will shine and are also a practical choice for easy cleaning. Soft lighting will make you want to linger longer, so you'll come away relaxed and refreshed.

What a great holiday! But why not bring some of that feeling back into your own homes? You'll then be able to wallow in it for much longer than 2 weeks a year...

(One hundred and) fifty shades of grey...

We have a love affair with grey. And it doesn't show signs of abating. It's been coined the colour of the decade and its not hard to see why. Everything from fashion to lingerie to office wear and sports attire has been given the grey wash. Interior design has followed suit and due to demand, many paint companies are increasing their range of grey shades. Dulux now offers 557 shades of grey in its paint range and of the 132 Farrow & Ball paint shades, at least 20 could be classified as greys - a 10% increase, according to the company, in the past 7 years. There's even a beautiful new book dedicated to the subject: "Shades of Grey" by Kate Watson-Smyth. 


But why the grey obsession? What is it that makes the colour so appealing? 


Grey has had a mixed history. It was originally the colour of undyed wool and so not really considered a colour at all. In 19th Century Paris it was worn by women working in factories - those who had little status and who would not stand out in a crowd. However, in art during the Renaissance, grey was used as a the perfect background colour to emphasise gold and skin tones and was used to highlight the faces and costumes of the sitters in the paintings. 


It's this quality which makes it so appealing in interiors. Grey as a colour is neither black nor white, it is 'absent' of colour and so sits well when other colours are placed next to it. Grey as a backdrop allows the other colours and elements in a room to shine: 'Grey goes with everything and everything looks good against it. It's also much easier to change the furniture in a grey room because so many colours go with it', said David Mottershead, Managing Director of Little Greene. Interior designer Abigail Ahern – whose house has been featured in countless interiors magazines since she painted it in varies shaes of inky grey over 6 years ago believes she will never go back to white. "Anything set against grey looks more beautiful, more grand," she says. "It cocoons you and turns the room into a space you really want to hunker down into. It feels intriguing and sophisticated and glamorous."

Here are some photos to inspire from her East London flat:

These rooms look good because the grey colours are carefully chosen. They are then balanced with lots of natural light, texture, other colours in the room and even plants. 

It's important to get the right shade for your room. And it's important to work out what kind of grey you can live with, as there are many shades to choose from. You'll notice that there are some greys which seem softer and warmer, whilst others are a lot cooler and sharper. Warm greys tend to have yellow or brown undertones, whilst cooler greys will have a black or blue base. To see the difference, have a look at this:

I appreciate this might be easier to see here than when you've got a colour card in front of you! Don't be shy in asking for help at the paint shop, most companies will help you identify which of their greys are on the cooler or warmer end of the spectrum. 

And it's worth the headache as choosing the right grey will give you a stunning effect. What do you think of these below?

'Blackened' - Farrow & Ball

'Polished Pebble' - Dulux

'Cornforth White' - Farrow & Ball

'Chic Shadow' - Dulux

'French Grey' and 'Dark Lead' units - Little Greene

If you like the way a grey room scheme looks, but are unsure how to start, the first thing to think about is the natural light coming into your room. Painting a dark, north facing room grey will accentuate the lack of light and might not create as welcoming or liveable a room. Our UK light tends to also be 'cooler', intensifying any cold tones! If you have a light-filled room or a more west or south-facing room, this would be an ideal place to paint grey and would make a gorgeous room scheme. 


The second thing to consider, as with any room, is adding texture. By this I mean the other materials and soft furnishings in the room. Don't skimp on the texture! Wooden furniture, rugs, sofas, chairs, book cases, pictures, curtains/blinds, cushions - all of these add up to the overall effect.

The reason why these room schemes work is because they think about the room as a whole. Look at this living room below:

The overall room looks elegant, inviting, comfortable. Why? Firstly, you'll notice a limited colour palette was used: grey(s), cream, white, touch of blue. Even the photographs on the wall are limited to black and white, but placed all together in a structured way, they look great. It's light and bright without the lights being on, so there must be lots of natural light coming into the room. The main element which really brings the scheme together though is the use of texture. There are 3 different types of cushion on the sofa - one plain (but in a luxurious fabric), two patterned grey and two white with hints of blue and shimmer. There are also two throws, one grey, one check. All together, the sofa looks soft, warm and cosy because these furnishings break up the cream of the sofa and the complimentary colours and patterns tie in with the whole colour scheme. The white lampshade really stands out against the grey walls, as do the side tables, with their criss-cross pattern. These echo the cushions on the sofa. The upholstered coffee table, flowers, candles help soften the grey colour and bring warm to the room.  This use of texture to add warmth is important here, as the grey used on the walls is quite cool, so all the furnishings in the room bring a softness to the overall look. Lovely!

Are you planning a grey makeover? I'd love to see your finished rooms! 

Focus on: Window styling

Windows naturally draw your eye as you enter a room. How much (or how little) light they let in can completely alter the look and feel of a room. But I know from my own experience that if you're doing a lot of work on your home, decorating fatigue can set in... Window styling can be yet another difficult decision on the list! Ugh!

Windows are our gateways onto the world and are similarly the neighbours' gateways into ours..! It's important to strike the right balance between privacy and letting in the maximum amount of light during the day. Similarly, the balance of wanting to enjoy any views, but also wanting to create a feeling of cosiness, particularly in the evening. The problem is that there are so many choices: Curtains, roller blinds, roman blinds, shutters, top-down/bottom-up shades.... If you have curtains but want a change, how do you know what might look nice without having to buy first? Are there any rules to help guide decisions? Or at least a way of narrowing down the choices?

The main point to ask yourself is if light or privacy is important to you or do you need both?

Curtains, Roller blinds or Roman blinds?
This is the big debate. Curtains are felt to be cosier and the fabric choice can add depth to a colour scheme. They also allow you to play with perspective because if you hang them higher than the windows, they can make the room look bigger. Roller blinds have cleaner lines and could be better suited to a more modern home. They also take up less space than either curtains or roman blinds. Roman blinds have pleated fabric which is always on show at the top so they are a good mix of curtains and roller blinds. They are a soft addition to a room and the colours don't tend to fade in the sunlight like some curtains could do. 

But there's no rule to say you can't use two styles at the same time. If you want cosiness, privacy and light, it might be worth considering a roller blind in a thin fabric which can let light in and at the same time ensure privacy and then hang curtains to pull across in the evenings. 

Curtains:

Roller blinds:

Roman blinds:

All 3 choices can be fitted with a black out blind backing, a particular must for children's bedrooms!

However, the choice doesn't stop here, there are many other ways to make your windows work for you. Here are more options below:

1) Semi-sheer shades
Great for dining or living rooms, where privacy isn't critical but you do want to always have a little light coming through.

2) Window film
Similar to semi-sheer shades, but especially good for town living and period properties where there is a natural 'break' in the window design. Window film will mean that you get all the benefits of light coming in through the top half of the window, but no-one will see you walking through the rooms as eye level is covered. The great thing about this is that you can get plain, patterned or even coloured film. Be daring!

3) Stained glass
If you have a door with window around it or within it, stained glass is a great way to get light and privacy. The colours will be beautiful in your hallway! But don't feel you can only use stained glass in doors, it would also look lovely in windows or as an edging to windows. A great tip to decrease the expense is to use stained glass window film... 

4) Shutters
Great for bedrooms, shutters look pretty, are good at keeping out unwanted light and give privacy too. They are economically efficient and keep the heat in during winter and the heat out during summer. Shutters can also be painted and bring charm to a room. Though you will need space either side of the window for when you want them completely open.

5) Specialist drapes
Bedrooms on the first floor usually need more privacy than bedrooms on the second floor, but both still require natural light. These very contemporary floor-to-ceiling drapes offer light as well as privacy. When closed, they become an entire wall of fabric which still allows light in.

6) Top-down/bottom-up shades
Similar to window film but not such a permanent feature, these shades are ideal for rooms where you might want more control over the light coming in. They give you maximum flexibility and allow you to lower the blind from the top or raise it up from the bottom so you can best determine how much light and privacy you'd like at any given time of the day. As well as another option for living rooms, it's good for bathrooms or offices and conservatories. The honeycomb design on some ranges are especially good at keeping the cold out and the heat in.

Hopefully this will help you decode some of the window styling options out there! The main thing to remember is how much light and privacy you'd like and then it's just going with your instincts about whatever you think looks the best within your decorating scheme.