Light & Bright

Do you favour a light and neutral palette, or a bright and colourful one? I'm naturally drawn to colour and pattern, but also love an abundance of neutral texture.

A black wall adds weight to a neutral bedroom, and a splash of green sets the scene for a tropical bedroom.

It's hard to go wrong with a classic white kitchen, and a hint of wood or brass brings some warmth and texture. White cabinetry also looks amazing alongside some vivid colour.

A tan leather sofa works well with whites, creams and black; and a yellow velvet sofa sits happily in front of a colourful bookshelf full of fun.

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Why It Works

Last year I did a blog post on different interiors I love and why they work. I fully intended to carry these posts on as a regular feature as I thought it could be useful to you, my awesome readers, to help you style and decorate your own homes. It's taken a while to continue the theme, but today I have chosen three quite different looks with my thoughts on "why they work".

First, my all-time hands-down favourite interior designer, Anna Spiro, is a master of colour and pattern. How does she mix so many patterns and have so much happening in this vignette without it looking out of control? To start with, having the wallpaper with a small print in black & white means it doesn't fight with the bolder colours in front. Anna has pulled colours from the Otomi picture on the right and repeated them throughout the collection which unites everything. Your eye is drawn to the bright orange vase first and moves up to the Otomi print, then naturally around the setting. Some solid blocks of colour, like the blue shade, the orange vase and the butterfly background give your eye a place to pause. Each item is grouped neatly - books are perfect to use in vignettes to add height to a piece and ground it.

If you are more of a neutral person, to keep your space from looking bland make sure you add lots of texture. This room photographed by Jeroen van der Spek uses subtle tones of white, cream, and soft brown to add dimension. The pattern introduced in the cushions is also subtle but helps to add interest. The stripes echo the panels on the wall behind.

If you want to add a touch more colour, take a leaf out of another of my favourite designer's books. Emily Henderson favours a colour palette of blues and greens, whites and greys, and adds warmth with the natural tones of wood, leather and brass. The painting here sets the palette for the rest of the room. A large neutral rug adds texture, warmth, and anchors the furniture. The round coffee table and poufs help to soften all the straight lines of the windows, fireplace, art etc.

Look out for more "why it works" posts in the near future, and let me know if there are any specific areas you would like me to address.

Summer Cottage in the City

When you look at this beautiful home with it's recycled ceiling beams and white painted floors, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was somewhere in Scandinavia. In fact, it's in Brooklyn, New York! I know, you never would've guessed. Owners, Lyndsay Caleo and Fitzhugh Karol, both grew up in the country, and they designed the house to be an escape from the city. Their home was the first project they worked on together after graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design.

What is so impressive is the fact that much of the furniture was made by the couple using mostly salvaged materials. They built the dining room table together; the downstairs couch was made from recycled ceiling beams; the fireplace sculpture from wood scraps; Lyndsay made the mahogany shelves downstairs; Fitzhugh made the island top, the stools, the bed, the stairs, the coffee table, the desk and so much more.

Contemporary pieces have also been mixed in alongside pre-loved items like the 1920's cast iron sink, kitchen lights from an Indian ship, and the old Indian daybed. Lyndsay and Fitzhugh discovered these on their many treasure hunts on eBay, and in flea markets and farms across the Northeast.

This beautiful mix has created a very special home with plenty of soul. You can see why family and friends love to visit and stay. Lyndsay designed the loft bed above the kitchen for guests, but with so many friends wanting to stay, they also had to add a guest bedroom, the "Captain's Quarters", downstairs. The downstairs couch is also made up of two mattresses for more sleepover guests.

A base of Benjamin Moore Super White paint is layered with lots of wood, leather, marble, linen, and soft grey stone to create a beautiful oasis in one of the world' busiest cities. To see and read even more about this home, pop over to Apartment Therapy.