Brit Decor: Copper/ Subtle Accents Makeover

Gold with its traditional connotations of being the material of champions, has taken second place in my design palette this year. Albeit a very closely run race, I've most definitely been coveting copper as my favourite and winning metallic of 2015.

No surprise then that I have recently been scouring the shops for a copper pendant light for our living room at the cottage, until eventually I found this striking beaten copper shade from online retailer, Ocado - to my surprise! 

I love the fiery warm tones emitted by copper, which like gold, takes on a luxurious reflective light-emitting quality during these dark Winter evenings here in the UK, particularly magical when placed next to dancing candlelight.

I decided to draft in some copper-toned accents to compliment our new pendant and to help usher in some warmth. I began by printing off a photo I took of the dashingly rich terracotta-coloured Kew Palace, to introduce a graphic and more personal element. I then added some more select warm and earthy tones, including my favourite clay vase (see 'below'), and as runner-up, gold got a look-in too with a tiny candle holder and the luxe-detailing on my Gatsby linen cushion.

So with just a few simple styling elements I was able to create a mini-copper makeover - don't you just love interior styling?

All Images / Mike Ahern

Brit Decor: Retail Therapy/ A flying visit to HAY

You know when it's been one of those busy weeks  - all about work and very little play? Well I'm having one of those weeks and it's only Wednesday! In these extreme circumstances there's only one serious contender as an antidote to this relentless work ethic - yep you've guessed it - retail therapy.

One of the many benefits of living near Bath is that it is now home to the UK's first ever HAY store. In fact, there's been a recent influx of interiors stores opening their doors on this awesome city, with India Jane, Brissi and now OKA just a stones throw from HAY. Perusing this haven of Danish cool really is one of my favourite things to do, not least because I can pretend that it's 'research', when strictly speaking, it's not! 

Anyway, I merely wanted to share with you my little pick-me-up purchase - a waffle cotton guest towel - brand new to HAY. Being the minimalist that I am, I opted for this smokey grey colour, but this uber-soft towel also comes in blue and light grey. And what's not to like about the monochrome tote shopping bag!?  So now I am scanning the 2016 brochure for the next time I'm in need of some retail therapy...

Have you indulged in some interiors-related retail therapy recently? Do share!

Images / Mike Ahern

Brit Decor: Makes/ A #Marbleicious Desk Tidy

So marble has definitely rocked my world in 2015, but in the run-up to the season of festive frivolity and the giving of gifts, this boy finds himself watching the purse strings. Therefore, justifying an indulgent purchase of a real marble accessory would stretch even my creative thinking right now.

However, not one to concede defeat at the hands of boring budgets, I decided to play a creative hand at making my very own #Marbleicious desktop tidy. The costs were truly minimal, in part because I alway keep a handy supply of card in my crafting box at home, but even so, all of the materials used are inexpensive. 

A quick click of the mouse and my key design component had arrived from Amazon - some marble-effect self-adhesive paper. I used an old shoe box lid and some strips of card folded in half, as dividers, secured with double-sided sticky tape. Everything was then covered in the marble-effect paper and for that extra-luxe appeal, I added a square of metallic gold card.

This was great fun to make and I can now enjoy the marble-look which now adorns my desktop, and all at a fraction of the cost of real marble - result!

  

Images / copyright Mike Ahern