Hello everybody, how is life out there? sometimes I wonder, as I don't tend to leave my house/studio or my local area, Peckham, for weeks. I Just wanted to share a few (bad photos, I am a rubbish photographer) of my space, after all I spend a lot of time in my house, as I work from here. I try to keep it tidy, clean and organised, otherwise I will easily go mental, well I am a tidy person by nature so it has to be that way anyway for me to feel comfortable and cosy. Sometimes I take random photos, specially if I am working on new designs, as I live with them before I decide to launch new products in my shop. New B&W print on the wall, (photo above).

Hunting down vintage treasures is another activity of mine, I use them to take photos of my own products, as I love the eclectic look of mixing old/vintage with contemporary, modern design pieces.

Flowers are a very important component of my daily life, I feel as if the living room – in special – is empty unless I have a bunch of greens or flowers going on. They don't have to be very expensive, I am happy with simple arrangements, but my favourites are peonies that I normally get from The Columbia flower Sunday market.

My garden is quite a disaster, the roses below, are one of the only survivors from previous years. One day when I have enough cash I will do my outside space, although that is not going to fix the fact that I am a totally NOT green fingers at all...maybe if I tried a bit harder, spent more time at it, and the rain decided to spare me a few good sunny weeks, I will managed to keep my flowers and plants alive, and perhaps grow some veggies...Anyone out here interested in teaching me about gardening? I will pay in home-wares goods.

I better get back to work on the new designs/products, that are taken me for ever to finish, news coming soon, Have a lovely and productive day!

Photos by me

BATHROOM MADNESS

Hello hello, December is here and I haven't done any decorations around the house yet, in fact my house looks and feels more like a building site that my dear cosy home. I am having the bathroom renovated right now. OMG I never thought that this process will bring me so much stress, but hey I guess you have to suffer before you enjoy...I have been wanted to change the bathroom from day 1 (nothing wrong with it, apart of having a cracked basin with a gold tab for cold and another for hot water, and English concept I don't particularly understand or like, ugly tiles, laminated floor, and ugly all over. I was very naive to think that I will do it in a couple of years, same with the kitchen, but the reality is that when you run your own business and you are at the starting stage of it, all the money that comes in, goes back into the company. I still work as a freelancer graphic designer for a company, that is how I can sustain my life between London and Gran Canaria, feed myself, a greedy cat, and keep growing the business.

This Summer I decided I had enough and that I was going to have a new bathroom that I really like, practical, modern, and a place to relax and enjoy, I know I have a problem, I admit it here, I can't live in a place I don't find comfortable and beautiful to my eyes, nothing to do with money but more with my style, I am equally happy with a cheap thing than I am with a £1,000 one. So after making the scary decision of spending all this money, (that suposse to be invested back in the business) I went ahead to tackle this new exciting project at times, and stressful and tiring at others...and here we are November and still going...finally after 5 work quotes, countless visits to bathroom stores, many many hours spent on Pinterest, (I have managed to gather a nice compilation of bathroom ideas), magazines, books, changes of ideas, tiles, pieces, etc...the bathroom work has finally started last Monday and is due to finish mid this week.

CURRENT BATHROOM AND WORK IN PROCESS

INSPIRATION 

My bathroom is small, and without a window, I had a small budget and limited space, so I have kept the design simple and monochrome. Initially I was going to use white metro tiles, but have decided to go for big matt white tiles for the walls and grey slate for the floor and front of the room. I will add some vintage pieces, my wooden hooks, old pictures, to give it mixed look, images below from my pinterest bathroom ideas folder.

THE NEW BATHROOM MATERIALS AND PIECES

I am so happy about the new bathroom, although right now I am not enjoying the process much, no toilet for a few days, not shower for 2 weeks, dust everywhere, mess all over, but I know that soon I will have my first hot bath in the new bathroom, and that will be my reward to this madness and hard work. If you are having renovations in your house I wish you luck, and by the way would love to see the photos, I will post the new bathroom ones as soon as it is finished!

Tiles ToppsTiles, bathroom Pieces Bathstore, work by Adema.

Rescuing old pieces and hunting down bargains

Who doesn't like to come across a good bargain? Well I certainly do. Let me tell you the story behind these photos. They were taken last year at my boyfriend's house back in Gran Canaria. Before we met, he would not think twice about a piece of furniture, or had any interest in interiors, furniture, decorating, vintage, etc...practical Ikea would do for him. But since being together, the poor man have learned about blogs, magazines, interiors, etc...and now wish he could have stayed in the dark or his luck of knowledge. 

When I first went to his town/house he showed me around their houses, garages etc...and I could not believe my luck when I saw, in a corner of a huge warehouse, the industrial desk, full of dust and forgotten about it. Soon after I told him the value of it and how lovely it was, the poor desk went to his new empty house, and now sits proudly in his living room. The same with the old pine table, that was left in a hut, the french light spot found in a dark room, the chair, etc...I just added some of my prints, a tree branch I found in the local beach and some of my personal belongings.

I am sure I will keep finding more treasures, I just hope he does not mind me bringing them home, well to his place really...

(photos Margarita)

Restoring old furniture

I am currently bidding on a Danish side board on Ebay, and trying to get al old chest of drawers from a local second hand shop, not that my house needs more furniture, but I can't help but start thinking when I see an old piece of furniture what I could with it, and how it is going to look in my small rather crowed house. The white table and 4 black chairs in my living room, cost me hardly anything, I painted them in my garden and gave them a new look and use. The table was quite ugly and the school chairs needed in new coat of paint. I love the lamp, it is an old original glass shade, that I had wondering around the house, so I bought some red cable and made it the new dining area lamp! 

I find restoring old furniture relaxing and exciting, not only I am recycling, but never know how and old piece is going to look like after many many hours of hard work. I needed a small piece to play with the knobs and take to the shows, so decided to transform the 2 old small side tables into something more neutral and modern to show off the new knobs.

(photos chocolate creative)

My home in Etsy Finds Decor column

I always check the 'Etsy Finds Decor column' in Etsy blog, as part of my search for inspiration which never ends...It is very interesting to see the houses of some of the designers on etsy, most of the time their homes are an extension of their craft, and in this occasion it is my home that is being featured in this space. Christine runs this great column, she has got a great eye for finding wonderful things in Etsy and I am impressed with the selection she has chosen to go with my home style, just as if I would have chosen them myself...I could not have done any better.

Etsy keeps surprising me all the time, and the talented people that is out there even more!!