Our Festive Home

Well the decorations were put up last week, as those of you who follow us on Instagram will know! It felt early for me to have it all up, but after looking at gorgeous festive photos that everyone on ig was posting I gave in to the pressure! I was glad I did.... we had Christmas songs on and a bottle of prosecco on the go. Owen and Olivia decorsated their bedroom trees next to me while I hung the baubles on the main tree, and Lee..... well, he just looked on really after assembling the tree. I'm far to OCD when it comes to the tree to have him do anything! And yes, we have an artificial tree, I would love a real one, if only they came in white! We've had this colour scheme for 2 years now and I still can't bring myself to change it. Although it's not traditional, to me it feels just so Christmasy, ( not sure that's a word ) possibly because we don't have lots of colour in the house any other time of year, December is my time to bring it on! We're enjoying it while it lasts.... come the 27th it usually all comes down. I'm looking forward to that fresh clean feeling when everything's put away already!

Even the animals get into the holiday spirit!

Everyone has a favourite bauble, the glass pom pom one is mine.

Nearly every accessory gets packed away and replaced.

The hallway.... with a bit of modern retro... kitsch baubles in modern pink! Little tree decorated with our paper garlands.

A little more traditional in this room.... Red, white and silver.... And a bit of homemade thrown in too. These canvases were done a couple of years ago ( and I have to get round to sealing them this year ) the kids enjoyed making them, getting their hand and feet covered in paint, and they're a cute reminder every year of how big they're growing too! If you have children and a couple of canvases you need to break out the paint right now!!

The childrens rooms and landing are all done too. And although I enjoy how happy and cheery it all looks, I love escaping to the bedroom at night.... there isn't any glitter or festive cheer to be seen and it feels so peaceful. Bah Humbug!!

Chic Christmas decor....

I know it's only November but I'm getting excited already for Christmas. I'll definitely be making lists this week for presents not yet bought and the Christmas day menu. Apart from the day itself this is what gets me so excited, all the preparation! Deciding what we'll be eating & drinking on the day and the theme for this years wrapping.

 I'm making it easy on myself this year as we'll be keeping last years theme for the decorations and unusually for me I'm going for more or less the same table setting as last year because I loved it so much. It looked so colourful and festive that I can't wait to arrange it all again! Here's a peek at last years on Instagram.

There will be a couple of tweeks to it I imagine and as every year I'll buy some new add on decorations, after all, I decorate 5 rooms so there's always room for more, and that is a post in itself!

But just because I'm keeping the same as last year doesn't mean I've not been drooling over some amazing festive decor..... Here's a selection I'd be more than happy to live with over Christmas. ( All images from www.housetohome.co.uk

See the whole amazing room here 

 White and Silver in the hallway, perfect to set the mood for the rest of the house.

Brights, like mine, but I have to have a white tree!

Love the wall & window detailing 

Gold done the modern way

And just because we love a bit of pink! 

Are you planning your Christmas Day and decor yet? What are you being inspired by this year? We'd love to hear.

Candle re-purposing

After having lunch with my mother-in-law the other day, she ordered another of our gorgeous Fired Earth  Black Tea & Jasmine candle as she'd just finished her last one. I asked her what she'd done with her empty glass jar and she replied she'd thrown it in the bin! My sister-in-law and I were horrified, but I'm guessing lots of people throw them straight into the recycling. I can't even remember the last time I threw a candle jar into the bin. When your spending £20 or more on a candle and it comes in a beautiful glass vessel I find it such a waste to throw them. A good wash and they come up sparkling ready to be reused in so many ways. Here's how I use mine.

Kitchen storage.....

Heavy glass bottomed ones like these make perfect whiskey or Baileys glasses, 

Storage in the bathroom, who wants cheap plastic packaging on display?

Keep your desk tidy and looking stylish,

Make it cosy reusing them for tealights,

This Tom Dixon candle is on my Christmas list and I'm already dreaming about what I'll use it for afterwards!

So what do you do? If you throw them, hopefully next time you'll think twice before you drop them into the recycling bin, or if you have an inventive way of re-purposing them, let us know what it is.
And if your inspired, we've got some beautiful candles in the shop for you to enjoy long after they're burnt out.

Rough Luxe

I'm definitely a lover of the rough luxe look, It looks glamorous and yet not 'try hard'. I especially like this look in winter. it always brings to mind dark and moody but still cosy rooms. 

From one of my favorite interiors blog, Design to Inspire

Some of these rooms I'd give my right arm to relax in on a cold winters night

.

Image, Richard Powers via Man Make Home

See more of this amazing home here in Sweden's Elle Interiors

From Mark English Interiors

Although this look is laid back it's not the easiest to pull off. It's a delicate balance of worn elements mixed with newer more lavish pieces as well as the odd industrial element too. It was definitely an inspiration when we created our new Metallic candle holders.... We love that as they older they'll take on there own unique patina....

In our dream kitchen there would definitely be polished concrete worktops, molded handled gloss white cupboards, maybe a worn copper tap...... and bang up to date appliances mixed with a few old apothecary jars. 

What do you think of this eclectic look? I think its possibly like Marmite, you either love it or hate it and it's love for us!