A FEW NEW HOMEWARES

It's an exciting yet daunting prospect when trying to dress up a stark white room in a new home - how do you make it your own? How do you inject colour? How do you make it smell of cinnamon enough to feel cosy and autumnal all the time? Priorities I assure you.

My last room was a lilac grey which now I think of it, made the room feel homey a lot quicker than white, because you have that neutral colour there already, so although white is glorious in the morning, it's needed a serious injection of life to make me feel settled in better.

I already had a few prints from the previous place to get me started, but there's always just cause for a few extra homewares and purchases to spruce up a room right? That's what I'm telling my bank account anyway...

Something I'd had my eye on for a while was one of these lovely felt ball garlands from Nordic in Kent on Etsy; I believe I was searching for *cough* Christmas garlands *cough* when the shop came up recommended and I absolutely loved all the pre-made and customisable options. I loved that there were more grown up colours alongside natural muted tones and bold brights, and it did make picking my garland a bit difficult, however Heli who runs the store was great at offering advice (and patience) even creating some colour combinations she thought I'd like and it was so so helpful.

In the end I opted for a mix of turquoise, denim blue, white, and pink, all shades that are already present in my room for an extra pop. Because I don't ave any long surfaces, Heli was able to create two 1m garlands for me so I could spread them out and it really filled in a lot of the blank spaces and created a gorgeous homey touch.

As an extra plus, I have a 15% discount code (not spon just sharing) to use on the Etsy store until the end of the year, so if you need some colourful balls in your life, use the code IGOFFERNIK and get some colour on your walls!

Another Etsy buy were these vegan candles from Lindsay Lucas Candles, again found when searching for seasonal scents that would satisfy my picky tastes. I'm not a huge fan of overly sugary sweet scents or anything fruity, so I went in a bit blind with my selection and relied on the reviews and ingredients to make a choice.

I opted for Gingerbread and Pumpkin Pie, both very similar in ingredients with Gingerbread having more soft vanilla undertones and Pumpkin that kick of sugar. I'll admit on first sniff, I wasn't keen on Pumpkin Pie as it was very baked (imagine Yankee Candle Christmas Cookie) however after burning it I've found it not to be too overpowering but it does linger, so maybe don't burn it after a big meal or you might end up feeling it say hello again.

Gingerbread is gorgeous however, I love the warming notes and how it's subtle enough to scent a room but not overpower it (can you tell I've spent a fair bit of time in the aisles of Homesense smelling candles?) and it's really got me all settled into Autumn and cosiness and hot chocolates and can I start watching The Holiday yet and eat roast dinners every night?

One last item are some multi-coloured fairy lights from Matalan, an absolute bargain at £10 and they change colour from blue to green to yellow to pink, which you don't get a lot of nowadays unless you've got some 90s lights gathering dust in the attic. It feels very Stranger Things when all the lights are off bar these, but they're really fun and again have added some much needed fun and colour into my room - just watch out for Demogorgons and the like.

Other items I've moved across include a few vases from LSA and Amara Living, my White Company winter candle, and of course my prints from Posterlounge which have made my space just that bit easier to settle into, but there is a nice little online basket filled with some new posters and prints I think I might just have to purchase - spaces to fill and all ;)

x

Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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AN IKEA HOME HAUL

My name's Lauren and some way, some how, I bought a lot of pink things in IKEA last week.

Some would call this the perfect opportunity for a quick interiors update; well you'd be right! As of late I've slowly been allowing (allowing being the right word as I was SO adamant on having a blue wardrobe and nothing else last year) various shades of pink to seep into my life and you know what? I kinda like it; it's soft and pastel and I actually think I suit it now, which makes me a bit more of a chilled shopper and not a total blue ice queen, oops.

I needed some time out last week so we headed to IKEA for a seasonal Spring visit, and all in all I was quite restraint - funnily enough, we spent more time in the restaurant eating veggie balls and couscous alongside over-ordered portions of chips and peas (seriously underestimated how filling the couscous would be, also how large the potions of peas would be. And we had two).

Aside from a few photography props, I mainly picked up new cushion covers like the proper adult I am; replacing my plain rectangle cushions are these fab blue and blush patterned covers which eases the pink in nicely I find, and I'm a sucker for graphic, bold patterns! I love how they're also reversible so you can a more striking black and white pattern one way or punchy colours the other.

To tie everything all together and break up the patterns of my many, many bed pillows, I picked up two basic pillowcases - a renweable cotton baby blush pink cover for layering and a Chenille blush cover for texture and contrast, which I absolutely love staggering against the other new cushions to brighten up the bed. Also, can I give a big high 5 to the person who put all the zips on the bottom on the covers and not weirdly across the middle so it makes changing covers hard? I like you, thank you for making life easier.

Other items I picked up:
• Baby blue and pink candlesticks - they were too cute not to buy.
• Fake monstera leaf - essential propage.
• Pink wicker ball...things....for props. The look better than they sound.

Have you been updating your space for Spring, or clearing it out even? I'm feeling another decluttering session coming on soon, especially with the prospect of warmer weather soon - let me know in the comments below what you think of my new purchases, and have a good Monday loves!

x

Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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DECORATING THE CHRISTMAS TREE

One of the first things I get done on my 'Christmas is here list' is putting up the tree - it's always December 1st, 3rd at a push - and whilst this year was a bit of a rush, it's been good to finally get the main tree standing and decorated. It makes me sit downstairs more often, makes cosy movie evenings even cosier and festive, and it also puts my symmetry neat-freak into full mode because certains colours and styles can't be too close okay?!

Instead of just showing you the tree complete (partially because this weekend has been spent me perfecting it rather than photographing it oops) I wanted to focus on the individual decorations that make up the main theme - there's already the small tree in the kitchen which is decked in blues, whites and silvers (very frozen, very me) so it still feels 'on brand' but there's something about Christmas I've said before that makes me go all traditional; I do love the blues and greens, eucalyptus and golds, but heck I've been cracking out the reds and it just feel right.

Decorating for me symbolises that Christmas is here and is just levels of festivity I can't compute; despite being very blue orientated, I do quite like the traditional feel - it's evolved from full on green, red and gold with very 90's edge, to gold and deep purples, and finally the dispute of silver and pewter with blue vs reds, silvers and a bit of gold. Luckily this year, we've managed to do both - in the kitchen is more of a blue and silver theme (unintentionally Frozen) which works so well with the snow tipped tree (an artificial 7ft pencil tree with snow from Homebase), and is adorned with decorations from Homesense (obvs), Homesense and M&S which you can see here and are hopefully still available!

We've also chosen a real tree for the second year in a row now, and I've been converted to the smell and look of them including the whole buying process - this year we tried to dig up our own but opted for a pre-cut one because fussy with tree shapes, ours has a big Kim-K butt which is v nice.

As you can see in the flatlays, we're really rocking the red, white, silver and slightly creamy gold vibe - the white helps to brighten and lift the tree especially at night, when against the lights they reflect each twinkle a little more (saving having to turn more lights on). Despite being quite traditional however, I think the design of the baubles is a mix of rustic, country, opulent and jazzy which shouldn't work but strangely does, and you know what? I bloomin' love it!

Now all the tree needs now is a few piles of presents to open ;) ....

x


Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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DRESSING TABLE UPDATES

It's been a while since I've shown parts of the house and after lots (and I mean lots) of reshuffling and new additions, I thought it was only fair to give you a few peeks into my space across the blog and YouTube channel.

A few months ago I switched around my bedroom dressing table and drawers, which let in much more light and made my walls feel a lot less 'furniture heavy' - it's now easier to see my face in the morning for makeup and I can put up some nice frames for decoration too.

The dressing table itself is a West Elm Mid-Century Mini Desk which I got via John Lewis and modified with handles I picked up in Homesense. It's a lovely desk albeit expensive but felt it was a long-term investment in furniture (although being white it marks easily so not one for foundation) and matches quite well with the IKEA Hemnes series!

As you'll have seen in this week's video, I keep all my current makeup in the dresser and it's feeling a bit more organised - the A/W pieces have moved over to my white wooden drawers and now I've got more than a fair selection of lipsticks, plus a few shadows and palettes I'm trying to use more, but generally the dresser drawer is a great size to hold my most used makeup, brushes and few nail bits too.

Now I'm a fan of a few knick-knacks and having some styling going on, so I mixed up an LSA Vase with some fake Wilko flowers (ikr, but I can't be trusted to keep real ones alive, plus hayfever) and a few staples - a cute grey L coaster from Anthropologie which holds lip balm, hand cream and a refreshing spritz for my no-makeup days, a bowl for 'things I'm just throwing in' bits from Homesense, and a room spray from 58 Lifestyle which has a really nice refreshing zing of coriander and Green Mandarin balanced with Ylang Ylang. A blue injection is always needed and I picked up the large blue tile from Homesense, whilst the small coaster is one of four from a pack I found at Jaba Yard in Brighton (the dreamiest place!) You can't say no to pretty things ;)

Whilst it's not my dressing table, I thought I may as well show you the top of my drawers now that there is room for decoration - you'll have seen my wall prints in this post, and they really add life and colour to the space along with the various pots and candles I've kept out - there are plenty more candles where those came from - and I really love the mix of blues, turquoise and *shock* pinks running through this side of the wall.

As my room catches a lot of light in the afternoon, the walls and reflective surfaces really help illuminate the space more and it's a really relaxing place to unwind and paint my nails of an evening, and I'm so happy with how it's looking now! As I said, more home updates are coming so keep your eyes peeled.... ;)

Are you a home interiors addict? What do you think of my dressing table setup? Where shall I show you next?

Lots of Love,
Lauren x


Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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NEW ART PRINTS + GIVEAWAY

A new season and trip abroad has given me a real itch to re-jig my personal space, give it new life and inject some lighter and more curated aspects to my rooms. Cue two days of frustrated furniture moving, de-cluttering and running to Wilko and back for frames, and I think I've just about got my new layout down.

I wanted a simple, minimalist theme to my room that still captured my personality, and despite my honed blue aesthetic I've really been feeling greens and pinks as the summer has crept in. I've always admired (re:dreamed of) Kate's collection of prints in her home, and wanted a similar vibe in my room and office to add life and a bit of 'adulting' because having prints means you're making a house a home right?

In total, I've picked up 6 new prints and silver frames to match (which were an amazing bargain at Wilko, cheaper to have silver frames than clips!) via Posterlounge which has a fabulous range of original artists and licensed prints that you can purchase at an affordable price. Even buying the cheapest option, the finish was glossy and high quality whilst being a great statement size on my drawers.

Currently the Watercolour Palm Leaf and Watercolour Magnolias are taking pride of place in my room, I'm still deciding where and how to stage the remaining four prints but with an office re-jig in order, they'll be popping up soon (note, most are blue so we are maintaining balance ;) )

It feels so nice and zen in my room now, so if you'd like an updated room tour either here or on my channel let me know - maybe we can stretch this with individual zone updates, but if you'd like more interior inspo I'm here at you disposal.

Saying that, I am going to treat one of you lovely lot to a £20 gift voucher to pick up some prints yourself! All you need to do is enter the Rafflecopter below (UK only) and complete all mandatory entries by the 23rd to have a chance at winning - simples, and you'll get some beautiful home enhancing prints whilst you're at it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So what do you think of my new prints? Have you entered the giveaway? What style of print would you select?

Lots of Love,
Lauren x


Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

Website | Flickr | Tumblr | Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest

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UPDATED SPRING INTERIORS

Updating my interiors when a new season rolls round is one of my favourite things to do; lighter colours, new pieces to add personality and also more pillows which tbh I always need more pillows - staging and all, the perfect bedspread to sink into each evening.

I have been picking up pieces over the last few months, but on a recent trip to Homesense I just had to get those last few touches to make my place feel ready for the warmer months and guess what - not all of it was blue. I know, shocker. It seems lately that I've been liking other colours and prints so I've been incorporating the right pieces into my blue-based life to add a bit of WOW in my minimalistic bedroom, and it looks pretty fabulous.

Firstly these Cream and Duck Egg Floral Pillows were just too eye-catching not to pick up, and I love easily layered they are with one another. The embroidery on the cream pillow stands out more to me with the deep blues woven in, and any of the tones pick up perfectly in the remaining pillows, and I'm still debating whether to put them on the sofa or leave them on my bed for extra comfort, but my dream scenario is a grey/pale blue sofa with these strewn across for comfort and a hint of character. Dreamy.

As I said, my plan is to layer, and this dusty, mint green Geometric Pillow is the perfect tie-in and balance between all the pillows I picked up; you always need something plain in colour to break up the craziness, and this one is by means plain in texture - it's soft and has a dynamic print that won't overwhelm too much, but is still a great focus piece wherever placed. So far, I've been keeping it with this last pillow, something very much out of my ordinary style - a slate blue Oriental inspired floral cushion with flecks of green and pinks. It's not something I'd normally pick but when you know, you know - the colours were just eye-catching and complimented the more mint and soft blue shades in my room and purchases, and with the warmer months coming it's nice to have a statement piece to break up the calmer tones (it'll also look fabulous against the silver and greys of my winter homeware, so double points for this beauty).

I haven't actually mentioned this on the blog but you can see me talking about them on my channel - I upgraded my bedding to something a lot more Lauren and spring with a Striped Light Blue and White Duvet (as seen under the pillows); it's soft and waffled but not too heavy, it really makes the room feel light and cosy plus it contrasts well with some, ahem, other pillows I picked up - a Royal Blue and White Rectangle with a velvet touch, really picking out the blues in my usual pillows on display. Totally gorgeous and always makes the room feel clean and bright.

Finally, this Blue Turkish Tile was a real find on the shelf as it was my kind of pattern and colour, and you always need a good flatlay prop or base for your mirror that adds a sneaky bit of colour to a minimal dressing table. It's a great size and was a total bargain too, anything for a bit of blue.

Now, someone please stop me buying any more pillows before we class this as a problem - but keep on sending me blue homewares and Homesense bargains, I love that....


Have you updated your room or home for Spring? Will you be shopping at Homesense? Do you like any of these purchases?

Lots of Love,
Lauren x


Post in collaboration with Homesense, all pillow affections my own.


Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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THE ALTERNATIVE VALENTINES INTERIORS

I've not really done much for Valentine's Day since...maybe ever? Sure, it's a fab day to get chocolate and tell someone you love them but hey, every day should be like that - or is that something a 'single girl for six years' would typically say?

Either way, the day usually passes me by but this year I'm making more effort to show some love to the things I enjoy, including myself - because you gotta show some affection to the real #1. Homewares and food have become even more prominent in my life since moving, I enjoy decorating the house and cooking really delicious seasonal meals and generally indulging in all the food. Seeing as Spring is round the corner, I wanted to add more blue inspired pieces to add light and life into the kitchen and office, and thankfully Amara has a huge range of pieces to spruce up your home from all various brands!

Typically, nothing I bought was seasonal 'Valentine's Red' but hey, blue is my thing and the way to my heart is to present me with something blue - unless it's MAC Russian Red because that is the only red to rock my world.

As you know, I'm an absolute sucker for anything blue and for my 21st a friend bought me a LSA vase which I absolutely love, so decided to pick up the Blue Matte Ombre Glasses after spying them a while ago; the ombre effect makes everything from cordial to water look fun, plus they're very aesthetically pleasing for any blue fanatic.

Another thing I've had to restrain from recently is buying vases or 'things to hold pens/brushes/various possible things in', however when I spotted this Pomax Madoura Blue Wave Vase I knew it needed to be mine and would really standout in my little ornament sections around the house. It's so cute and dinky but really stands out due to the print, and I can't help but think that I'm becoming super adult now after getting excited over vases...

It's become quite clear since having visitors that everyone loves home interiors and even more how the house has progressed so let me know if you'd like more updated or focused interiors posts, but more importantly what are you doing for Valentine's Day? Are you a fan of the red decoration or do you follow your own colour? Do home interiors make your heart jump?

Lots of Love,
Lauren x

Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

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INTERIOR INSPIRATION #2: BAKING + GIVEAWAY

Baking is one of those things I leave for free time, but it's something I love nonetheless; my Sweet Potato Brownies are always a yummy treat to whip up, and whilst I don't force myself to make every pudding on the planet healthy or vegan friendly, I still like the enjoyment of flipping through my baking books, throwing everything in the Kitchen Aid and making a real treat every once in a while.

You'd be forgiven for thinking these images were taken in the midst of Spring what with all the pale blues and daffodils, however what was a mild winter became a snowy Sunday on the day of shooting which I find very amusing considering how the table is set, but I digress, because as much as I look forward to spring blues, I love winter baking and I've been picking up a few homewares recently to pick up the pace (and add to my love of blue)...

I've really been getting into Asian culture and designs - first beauty, now homeware, maybe a holiday next... - and Waitrose had some really cute little dishes and bowls in the sale which are perfect to hold spices, salt or rest essential baking utensils (plus they're blue and stripy, what isn't to love?) These can also double up as a dish for rings or small jewellery if you're not a baking fan so a perfect sale pick-up!

Also along the Japanese theme, JOY sent me some little housewarming gifts including these little Salt and Pepper shakers - too cute beyond words - which I'm more half tempted to put caster or icing sugar in so they get more use during bakes, but either way they are a much more aesthetically pleasing condiment that you're regular salt and pepper shaker which makes cooking and baking all the more fun - if you can have fun with your baking, you most certainly can have fun with your utensils and packaging.

Finally, one of the most essential pieces of kit in baking is your measuring scales, and with years of using digital scales which sometimes like to jump up or down an extra 5 ounces depending on the surface or their mood (I strongly believe my old scales had a fluctuating mood every new ingredient, the swine) I've started using the vintage inspired Mason Cash Bake My Day Scales* which look so nice on the countertops of the kitchen. You can easily adjust the measurements, wind back the needle if you're adding in extra ingredients to those already in the bowl, and it's just a lovely piece of homeware to make your kitchen feel more homely that I'd have been mad not to pick it up.

With all the excitement around baking and sharing these interior inspirations, NuCasa are offering one of you lovely lot a £20 voucher to pick up some new homewares for the upcoming season! With ranges including Mason Cash, Kilner and Typhoon, there's loads to choose from including kitchenwear and home decor, so make sure you get entering below as the giveaway is open for ONE WEEK ONLY! All you need to do is enter the Rafflecopter below, complete the mandatory entries and keep your fingers crossed for some awesome new homewear (UK entries only, closes 27th January)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now they say home is where the heart is, and my heart is definitely in the mood for some food right now...

Are you a fan of homewares? Have you bought anything from Mason Cash before? What is your favourite bake?

Lots of Love,
Lauren x

Some products in this post may have been sent for review or gifted, and will be marked with a * or c/o. All opinions are mine are not influenced by brands or companies. Please see my full disclaimer for more.

Website | Flickr | Tumblr | Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest

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