Bright Space

The White Company's Sleep cushion

2013-04-24T08:39:13Z

Today I'm taking a breather from my regular blogging routine of late at Phoenix & Fox to come here and talk cushions.

The White Company is a British home accessories brand that, like many a home lover, I'm fully aware of but I confess I have never purchased any of their items. I think I've overlooked them because their range is mainly white (the clue is in the name!) and if you know me well enough by now, I generally gravitate toward shots of solid colour, rather than opting for the pale, minimalist look.

I love my bedlinen to be cosy, squashy with a good feather duvet and plenty laden with throws and cushions and because I'm in the process of redecorating my bedroom (that grey wall is staying), I'm currently on the look out for some top quality natural linen sheets. Coloured or plain white, I'm undecided but it was with impeccable timing that The White Company asked if they could send me one of their linen cushions; I jumped on the opportunity to see, feel and experience their products for myself.

They sent me their stylish 'Sleep' monogrammed version of their lovely pure linen scatter cushion. With 'Dream' and 'Love' monogrammed options available too, the linen is really fine quality, smooth and delicate feeling. I've a bit of a penchant for personalisation and it's smart classy look and I think it would be nice to go a stage further with these cushions and perhaps have the monogramming in a contrasting coloured thread - dark grey or midnight blue would be beautiful, don't you think ?

So here I've styled it on the bed of course. I love the contrast of the crisp pale linen against the black reflective sequin cushion. May be white linen bed linen is the way forward for my newly decorated bedroom.

Here's another option, looking just as good on my bedroom chair:

At £22, The Sleep cushion is really good value, it is 100% linen and according to the label instructions, is machine washable. Although I've not tried it so cannot confirm how it performs.

The other thing worth mentioning is that The White Company do packaging very well. Their parcels are really smart, their black and white branding carried through to the tissue paper, labels and grosgrain ribbon packaging. It's that added bonus for a great shopping experience and perfect for a gift.

Dimensions - L50cm x W30cm
Available on The White Company Website here
You can read more about their brand, values and history here

Creating a collection to be proud of

2013-03-21T11:20:48Z

Having a first stab at creating a collection is exciting yet nervy stuff. It's a bit like dipping your toes into a freshly run bath, you know that it's probably going to be a bit uncomfortable at first, but when fully immersed, the experience is going to be throughly enjoyable and rewarding.

You can read more about the process Kelly and I have worked through here.

Creating your own canvas art

2013-03-06T10:44:12Z

It can be a bit of a challenge, finding great artwork that doesn't break the bank. I had a go at creating my own a couple of weeks ago and although I'm no Picasso, was pretty happy with the result. Come over and have a read...

Love is in the air

2013-02-14T08:48:34Z

I received this really sweet message in my inbox this morning from Mr. L.

Plus, it is such a great shot, I wanted to share it with you all on this romantic day.

Happy Valentines Day x

Pastels for Grown Ups

2013-02-06T12:56:31Z

I've written about just how good the pastels trend is this year, you can read more at Phoenix & Fox...

A note on Maison + Objet 2013

2013-02-01T19:32:00Z

You know that tight, tingling ball of nervousness and anticipation you get in the depth of your stomach when you do something new and unknown? I got that right before I headed out to Maison + Object 2013. You can read more about the experience here.

Say Hello to Phoenix and Fox ...

2013-01-30T17:49:57Z

There's something that's been occuping my time and my mind lately, and today I'm really excited and proud to be able to put it out there for you all to see.

The lovely Kelly and I have hatched a wonderful plan to enter into the world of online retailing (a bricks and mortar store would have been just as cool, but a little cost prohibitive... for the time being anyway). We are stepping out by blogging about our plans initially while we work behind the scenes, building our collection of quirky, fun and individual interior accessories which will launch online in a few weeks time.

I will be spending most of my online time posting at our new home, so please do follow along with us and leave us a comment there, we could really do with your wonderful support as we venture on this new journey together.

Here's to a bright new chapter.

Bright beginnings

2013-01-28T10:47:23Z

Happy Monday folks.

Question: How beautiful is this image?

Image credit

Posting a photograph of a bushy tailed fox may seem a little random but all will become clear in the coming days. And that's all I can say about it... for now.

Eeeeekkkk!

Go Visit : Kicking back at St Andrews

2013-01-03T08:54:55Z

With the world seemingly taking time off, I think the festive two week break really is the only time of the year when falling off the radar feels completely deserving, satisfying and totally guilt free.

And we really did make the most of the 'us' time - travelling and exploring new places (me anyway, thanks hubby), indulging in some pampering and fine food consumption, celebrating with family and losing ourselves in quiet contemplation of all we've experienced this year.

First up and a special pre-Christmas treat courtesy of Mr. L, a mini break at Old St Andrews, the award winning country retreat spa hotel that overlooks the ferocious North Sea and the birthplace of Golf - the famous Old Course at St Andrews. It's about an hours drive north of Edinburgh and the landscape en-route, the course and the town of St Andrews are beautiful and dramatic, even in the heavy permeating rain that's synonymous with Scotland.

We changed up the obligatory car journey game of 'I Spy' for 'Pronounce the Scottish Village', which Scots-bred Mr. L found hilarious if a bit frustrating. Go on, you have a go - Auchtermuchty - Freuchie - Kirkcaldy.

The sun made one appearance, so out came the camera. This is the view of the 18th hole from our room.

On day two, the stormy weather ripped up the wind to a point when you could hardly stand upright. The tough freezing conditions didn't seem to put the hardened golfers off. The sea was just as fierce and the waves were breaking far out from the shore. Amazingly, there were guys crazy enough to go surfing in it... brrrrrr. Byron Bay it aint!

It's fun and very satisfying to brace yourself for a wild, wintry walk along the coast and to come back into the warmth and comfort of the hotel, with it's twinkling festive lights and roaring log fires.

We relaxed from the moment we entered the place. It's one of those hard to find hotels that's slick and professionally managed for a large resort hotel and actually still feels like a home from home. There was nothing uptight about it at all, a very comfortable relaxed vibe, traditional touches of decor, cosy luxury rooms and friendly welcoming staff that could not do enough for us, we were totally spoilt.

We were welcomed by a pretty Christmas tree and a wee man in a kilt (not this man!).

Decorative features included Stag antler lighting, antique glass chandeliers, leather seating and wood panelled walls.

Mr. L got to do a bit of childhood reminiscing and indulged daily in a traditional hearty Scottish breakfast of the regular bacon and eggs, but including stomach churning haggis, black pudding and potato scones.

The Kohler Spa was perfect for recovering from a busy year. With a few lengths (30 for me) of the swimming pool done, the hydrotherapy pool and Japanese steam room tested, we snuggled up in fluffy robes and read a book. I've had my eye on this one since it published a couple of months back and the stumbleupon and purchase at the local Waterstones was made sweeter when we discovered it was a signed copy (and their one and only). How cool is that? thanks Darcey. If you love dance, and ballet especially, you'll fall in love with this beautiful book of images shot by a few famous photographer friends.

We both indulged in a Kohler signature facial and massage and I had their signature manicure, just in time for the Christmas festivities that were about to happen back in Edinburgh.

I can count on both hands the number of spas I've visited in my time and this one has just topped my list of favourites for its great vibe, wonderful staff, top class amenities and amazing treatments. It was pure bliss.

All it leaves now is for me to say Happy 2013 lovely people. It's only day 3 but I'm hoping it's all going to plan for you. It feels good to be back.

Christmas table arrangements

2012-12-21T09:46:44Z

Wednesday evening, I escaped the Christmas shopping hubub and got stuck into some festive flower and foliage arranging at The Covent Garden Academy of Flowers. You may remember the first time I was invited to take a course with them in May, I had an amazing evening with a group of friendly flower enthusiasts and tonnes of fragrant blooms so I knew I was in for a pretty fabulous time. I actually felt like a bit of an old veteran upon stepping back into their florid store, made over in a stylish and colourful yuletide theme, especially for this time of year.

The Christmas table arrangement clas s, expertly tutored by Madeleine and her assistant Robyn is a 3 hour delve into creating a capacious centre piece for your Christmas dinner table using swathes of lush green scented foliage, vibrant blooms, seasonal festive ornaments and a candle of choice, a pillar for me but other members of the group chose tapered ones.

After receiving expert tips on oasis soaking, snipping stems for optimum water take-up, wiring foliage and assembling the skeleton of the arrangement, we moved on to the fun bit, the technique of selecting then building up our chosen foliage around the oasis to get a full and even spread.

Adding flowers and ornaments is the most creative bit of the process. We all had the same items to choose from yet we all were able to produce something very individual. And there was quite a selection to choose from - flowers, pine cones, cinnamon sticks, glitter twirls and dried apple and orange slices.

It's amazing how much you can learn in just a short space of time and the sense of achievement is palpable as us students initially felt quite out of our depth but ended up producing something quite spectacular. With only a maximum of 10 to a class, there's plenty of hands-on assistance and table space to spread yourself out. There's an easy going, steady pace to the lesson, suitable for novice and more experienced flower arrangers alike. The class is very good value at £98 and I now feel very confident about re-creating this piece again at home in the future and even adapting it for another celebration or event.

The courses would make a fabulous birthday or Christmas present for a mother or friend and perhaps be something you could do together. Talking of presents, The Covent Garden Flower Academy also have an online store where you can buy a place on a class but also purchase gifts from a selection of their signature home accessories - scented candles and soaps as well as other homewares and textiles and of course their beautiful handmade bouquets. You can visit their online store here.

Merry Christmas everyone. If today, like me you are closing up for a bit of much needed rest, relaxation and fun with the family for a few days, have a wonderful holiday.

Sam x