Friday 31 October 2014

CYCLE

On Weds, I cycled at work for breast cancer. I can honestly say, it was horrendous. I begged IT to put my soundtrack on, as they were playing horrendous R&B and we all know I'm not a grinder, I'm more of an indie shuffler. So Jen and I cycled to Blur, No Doubt, Pulp, The Strokes, Heaven 17 and Placebo. God Reptilia has helped me through so much in my life.

After about 3 minutes I started to doubt whether I could do it, but then for the majority it was fine, then the last 2 or 3 minutes was agony again. Thank god for Nancy Boy.

When I stepped off the bike, my legs gave way, turned to jelly and I KO'd on the floor. Smooth. A few stretches, and about an hour later, I was fine to go home.

Thursday 30 October 2014

BREAKFAST

The other morning on instagram, I saw this Almond shake thing from Pret. It looked amazing. I like almonds, I like almond milk etc, this however, was the consistency of pineapple juice- a bit thicker than milk, and tasted rather bland in my opinion. The pretzel was lush though.

Wednesday 29 October 2014

FIONA

Hello and welcome to "Your Hjem." Peeking into the homes of people with inspirational interior style. All different styles!
This week I am joined with lovely new internet friend Fiona Burrage. Owner of a super stylish converted factory, up in the ever creative Norwich. She has a beyond gorgeous little boy Stanley, and runs the click design with her husband- a creative brand agency. All photos credit to Ricky-Joe Burrage.
 
 
Welcome Fiona. Thanks for the interview and inviting us into your home! First off, tell us, what is your favourite thing in your living room?
The light. We are very fortunate to have a sky light that runs the full length of the apartment. We are also blessed with double aspect windows that not only provide a wealth of natural light but they also provide a stunning view of Norwich's beautiful skyline (and the changing of the seasons).








 



 
Favourite thing in the kitchen? I must say I love your plumen's!
I'd probably agree with you. I love minimalism and simplicity. You can't get much more raw that an exposed bulb and, in particular, I love the form of the plumen. We've positioned them above the worktop and the black cable draws your eyes vertically reinforcing the height of the ceiling.



 

 
Your bedroom:
Eugh, nothing. This is very much a work in progress. We have designed and will be building custom fitted plywood cupboards, wardrobe and bed at Christmas and I can't wait. We bought the apartment just over a year ago and the bedroom was the very last thing on our agenda. We're looking forward to this becoming our sanctuary and having lots more storage. You know you're old when you're pleased about more space to store your bed-linen!







 
Stanley's bedroom:
His muji CD player. Bobby said it was a must and whilst it doesn't have the best base it's perfectly adequate for a one year old. He loves pulling the cord to play CD's. He's particularly fond of Calvin Harris at the moment.





 

Bathroom:
The bespoke built shelves. We wanted to give the bath a refresh (on a budget) so we bought the cheapest tiles just to give it a face lift. As the tiler was removing the old ones, the plasterboard fell away revealing a cavity. We utilised the cavity to make two custom built shelves that are great for storage. There I go again!





 

 
What are you inspired by when you shop for your home?
Clean lines. I look a lot to Japanese and Swiss design. I hate clutter and will often buy a new product if it does the job of two (selling the other two).

Any brands you'd like to claim your undying love for?
This is a toughie. I guess we are mostly furnished with Ikea and Hay, so it should probably be those. The first is superb value for money and the latter albeit expensive adds the finishing touches to a room.



 
Finally: what's on for wish list?
I have a very different wish list to Bobby's but you're not asking him! On mine would be an outdoor shower and tap. The roof terrace won't hold the weight of a hot tub and we don't really have the space so this would be a great compromise. I can imagine it being a scorching day next summer and we enjoy a quick shower to cool down. Also we're in the process of drawing up plans to remove/replace our stairs so we can have an upstairs shower, matt black fittings obviously! And then the decorating would almost be complete. Although I'm not sure what I'll do with myself once we're finished!
 
Thanks so much Fiona! Your home is truly beautiful, we would love to do a factory conversion one day! I will leave you with a few more shots of the incredible factory!
 
 






 

Tuesday 28 October 2014

TIME

Is it possible to feel jet lagged from the clocks going back!? I'm so out of whack! I went to bed at 21:30 last night, which is incredibly out of character!! I literally couldn't stay awake! I even fell asleep in Modern Family, which is when you know I am tired!

Here is our clock from IKEA, which we have in the hallway. There was great drama about where it should go. I was ADAMANT for it to go where it is, and Paul was worried we would drill into the electric and heating, as it is directly above thermostat and main electric board. My father in law, took no worry in this fact and just whacked the nail in there. And everything still works, thank goodness.

Sunday 26 October 2014

GREY

A few people have been enquiring about the progress of the grey, so here is a little update.
 
I am at about eyebrow level at the moment. I keep having moments of weakness, when I just want to dye it! Then Paul or other friends steer me back to the straight and narrow. There are some days it really doesn't bother me, and others when I think it looks like someone's dropped a bag of flour on my head. I think it looks best when tied up into a messy bun, as I can really see what it will look like! This keeps me going also. I think the main issue with growing out grey is seeing what the quality of the grey will be like. Mine appears to still be shiny and not wiry, so I will keep persevering! Elfin locks are on their way!
 

LEYTON BURGER

The search for project number two is well underway! We spent all Saturday on foot going from open house to open house. One thing's for sure, the profit margins have narrowed significantly, so maybe we need to change our game plan slightly. Maye stay in the next one for 18 months or so, and let the market move itself. The elections coming up will certainly have a huge impact on property, so we need to make sure we buy somewhere we would be happy staying if needs be! As we were strolling we came across Uptown Burger, on the corner of High Road Leyton and Vicarage Road. It's been open a couple of months, and I can vouch is absolutely wonderful!

I loved the interior, OSB board table tops, exposed brick work and metal chairs. They do a cracking lunch menu of £5.99 for burger, chips and a drink! No excuses! Go, go, go!

GARDEN

I love the stream at the bottom of our garden, it's so beautiful. Now autumn has arisen, it looks even more beautiful. The COLOURS, goodness, they are glorious. Fire reds, burnt oranges, dancing yellows and fading greens.

LIGHT

I love our edison lights. The beehive filament is so exciting to watch dance around. We have them all down the hallway and one in the living room. 
 
 
 

Thursday 23 October 2014

AUTUMN

Autumn is my favourite season. Still bright and fresh (for the most parts...) and still warm enough for what I call an "in between coat." But my main reason for my love of Autumn is the colours. The fire red and yellow leaves, and the last nod towards the greens of summer. Happy Autumn everyone

Wednesday 22 October 2014

DEBORAH

Hello and welcome... A new feature, "Your Hjem." Taking a look into the dwellings of people with inspirational interior style. All different styles!
 
I start this week with Deborah. I have known Deborah for ten years.
She works for a rather spectacular tea company up north in (not so) sunny Newcastle. She is mama to George, and wife to Kris. She has a knack of taking a playful spin on Scandinavian style, making it her own with no effort at all!
 
 
 
Let's start in the "heart of the home," the kitchen! I LOVE YOUR KITCHEN, and Kris makes the best tea I've ever had:
The kitchen was the first room we tackled. I was 6 months pregnant when we moved in so desperate have the most important room sorted. And clean! Originally a small, narrow kitchen and separate dining room, we knocked down the wall to make a large, dining kitchen. It's the darker side of the house so having two windows now really makes a difference. We also ripped out a downstairs toilet which had been built as part of an extension next to the kitchen and made this a utility room. It's ideal for hiding washing machine/tumble dryer/microwave etc and leaves us a lot more space for storage in the kitchen. My favourite part of this room is the exposed brick chimney breast, complete with £100 fire & surround from ebay! My favourite room in the house.


Meandering over to the living room:
This is the room we spend the most time in, yet have done the least to! In order to have it ready in time for George's arrival we just painted over the wallpaper. We did add another bargain fireplace (again, ebay) and replaced the original 70's psychedelic carpet. So the best part of this room would be our furniture, which will look even better against smooth, white walls eventually!
 


I do love white walls! Now, your bedroom...
Our bedroom is the brightest room in the house with a lovely outlook on to the garden. We have kept it light and airy, with white walls and minimal furniture so I love how the turquoise shelf above the bed stands out.


Bathroom:
The smallest room in the house took the most work. After two years of living with a bath with a door and questionable peach tiles, we recently finished it and finally have a bathroom to be proud of. Yes, the door still hits off the toilet (it really is the words smallest bathroom) but it is clean and simple and NEW! The best part being a roll top bath, which was totally worth paying a bit more for. We kept everything else pretty subtle, sticking to white and grey, adding colour with accessories.

 

Thanks Deborah! I love how cosy your home feels! I love the bathroom colour pops too!

Tuesday 21 October 2014

BRUTAL


As you already know, I am a huge fan of Brutalist architecture. An acquired taste? Maybe. I find lots of people perplexed by my love for tower blocks. Maybe it is what they represent, or what they remind people of?
 
I remember as a child, people gathering around in Newcastle to watch demolition of the "god awful eye sores." They reminded people of terrible living conditions, damp walls, walking up thousands of flights of stairs, as the lifts were never working, not to mention the gangs that would congregate around them like a moat, resulting in people terrified to leave or to enter.
 
But let's get back to basics, and look at the actual structures. Often, they are, in themselves a work of art. Could it just be the habitants that occupy them resulting in a fear and hatred by association, rather than a dislike for the building itself?
 
The first tower block was built in 1951, in Essex- "The Lawn." It is now a listed building. They were cheap to build and a quick fix for everyone's problems, as well as replacing bombed out buildings from the war. The improved views, and large open spaces, as well as bigger rooms were met with excitement and positivity. However, as the buildings themselves started to deteriorate, their reputation became notorious for crime and undesirables.
 
I used to drive past the Heygate estate, in Elephant and Castle, perhaps one of the most "feared" estates in South London, and to me it was as beautiful as any derelict mansion block. It was however, petrifying. Built in the 1970's, it was demolished earlier this year. There was a pang of sadness in me, that felt for the building. I can't help but wonder, if it had a different past, different residents, and if its story could have been a different one. We only have to look at The Barbican and the Trellick tower, The National Theater, and the Balfron Tower, to see that these buildings can be cared for, appreciated and admired. Yet, seldomly, would we hear "Oh wow, look at the Heygate buildings... How incredible..." But if you look closer, they actually are. Well, in my opinion anyway! Or the WERE rather, they've now been pulled down as part of regenerating Elephant and Castle. A sorry, but probably neceessary loss. A crying shame.
 
Anyway, this is the Charecroft Estate, in Shepherd's Bush, snapped on a sunny Sunday late afternoon, after my second weekend of yoga school.

 
 

GARLIC


Winter has begun. As the cold approaches, many people are sniffling, and coughing. The threat of flu, and the disbelief from colleagues that I am not getting the jab (!?) has begun. I believe our bodies are perfectly capable of fighting of nasties all by themselves. What's the point in disabling our bodies, against something is can fight off by itself?
 
Introducing... GARLIC. You may have heard that garlic can cure the common cold. This is not an old wives tale, it is 100% scientifically true! A cold cannot exhist in the body, when raw garlic is present.
 
Garlic is a complex compound, constantly chopping and changing, confusing bugs and infections, so they just cannot get around it. It is a potent anti viral, anti bacterical and anti fungal. The garlic itself, needs to be crushed or chopped to stimulate the alliinase, which produces into allicin. Allicin in turn rapidly breaks down to form a number of different compounds. So to “activate” garlic’s medicinal properties, CRUSH CRUSH CRUSH or CHOP CHOP CHOP.
 
The above is true for all year round, but with the winter season and all the bugs and baddies floating around you may want to spice up your life a bit. (Sorry for the spice girls reference!?) I like to slice it on hot buttered toast, and eat fresh! Any other suggestions welcome! 
 

ALMOND

I have long been searching for the "perfect" dairy free milk. I've never quite found it. Until now. Rude Health do the BEST almond milk. It has a little bit of rice in there to, which is what I think gives it the added extra something!

The health benefits of almond milk are never ending. It helps with weight management, as well as keeping your heart healthy, as there is no cholosterol or saturated fat in almond milk. It's also low in sodium and high in omega fatty acids, which helps to prevent high blood pressure and heart disease.

Alot of people's argument against "alternative milks" is the calcium worry, well fear not, almond milk does contain calcium as well as 25% of your RDA of Vitamin D, these two nutrients work together to reduce the risk of osteoperosis and arthritis, providing healthy bones and teeth!

All this and it is healthy for the skin, due to the high levels of vitamin E and it contributes to muscle strength and repair, and if you find the right one, it tastes great!!

So what are you waiting for? Go try it, I recommend Rude Health, stocked in Abel and Cole, Waitrose, and Sainsbury's.


Almond Milk: Rude Health

Thursday 16 October 2014

FOR SALE


So here they are. The final shots of the flat. I chose my favourites to share with you! White, white, white!
 


 

GYSOPHILA

Our new shelf in the bedroom got a little makeover for the photographers, including new fave flower gypsophila!

EUCALYPTUS

Sorry for the radio silence. It's been a wonderful whirlwind of a week! I wasn't feeling well at the end of last week, so was garlic-ing myself up!

Then, of course, as you know, we have the flat on the market, so have had a lot of viewings happening!

We also took a few days of work for a staycation, my Mum came to visit and we did some culture too. So I haven't been on the computer for a while...

Here is a small detail of the kitchen. Eucalyptus is one of my favourite smells. We had alot of it at the wedding. The larger board is from h&m home, the smaller board was a gift from a friend in Berlin. Pestle and mortar, again a gift, the bottle was picked up for £1 at a flea market and the slate is left over from the tiling of the walls in the kitchen!

Tuesday 7 October 2014

PHOTO

The photographer from the estate agents came the other day to photograph the flat. They were here for three hours, so at least we know the photos will be good!

Let the viewings commence.

RYE

I've said it once, and will say it again, H&M homeware is the bees knees. I got this bread board and linen napkin there on my most recent trip.

 

Sunday 5 October 2014

SHELFIE

Here is the latest shelfie from the second bedroom. It's these last two weekends that have really pulled the place together. Putting up frames/ light fittings/ shelves/ plants when the property comes to life. Styling and dressing the flat has made me excited again! It's the home straight before putting her on the market, and I'm constantly faffing. We did a final evalutation of all the rooms, to make sure we have maximised space and features.

 
This shelf is currently sporting from L to R:
 
Postcard of bare trees picked up from a New York flea market.
Raf Simons print
Ari Marcopoulos print
B is for Bauhaus, Penguin book
Genevrier candle, Diptyque

93

Number 93 is ready! Our first project is finished. It's been a good ten months together, but now we are ready to put her on the market, and hopefully for someone to make a lovely home here.

Saturday was a hectic one. We had the window cleaners in at 7.00, and then the carpet fitters at 9.00. Followed by the estate agents at 12.00, and finally the carpenter at 16.00. We spent the rest of the weekend sprucing the place up ready for the photographer coming on Monday. Tiles will be washed before then!!

Friday 3 October 2014

CARROTS

In this week's Abel and Cole box, I got some purple carrots. Purple's carrot are rich in anthocyanins, which is wha gives blueberries their amazing colour! Studies show that these blue and purple pigments can improve memory, enhance vision, protect against heart attacks, act as anti-inflammatories, and even help control weight! All of this, along with the original benefits of normal carrots! What's not to love?!


Thursday 2 October 2014

DINE

So the dining area is EVENTUALLY finished! Paul's parents came over last Saturday and helped us put smoe frames and shelves up. The bay tree has moved home to next to the dining area window. Feels wonderful to have this area finished!
 
 
Chairs: Were a gift from Paul's old work.
Table: made.comhttp://www.made.com/
Bay tree: Vauxhall Flower Market
Light fitting: eBay
Posters: PK Copenhagen
 

Wednesday 1 October 2014

HOME

I bought an Ari Marcopoulos fanzine in 2008 in New York, and it has sat in the plastic protective sheet until now. I've just framed the centrefold and it is sitting in our hallway, above the stairs, so we see it whenever we leave the flat.