Design inspirations
We help you find inspiration for your interiors in the most unexpected places
Find out how sunshine in Soho Square, reflections in an evening puddle, a 1970s children’s book, and the most gorgeous holidays can inspire your decorating.
Pretty pastel palettes
Delicate pinks, peaches, mints and skies Pretty pastel palettes Delicate pink cherry blossoms are bursting out against powder blue spring skies carrying fluffy whisps of cloud. Baby rabbits frisk in the fields as little lambs gambol and play under the new evening sun… And we found this remarkable nest in the wallpaperdirect garden. It looks … Read more
Tulips from Amsterdam from the air
Fantastic patchwork colours in photos of a flight over the Dutch tulip fields Colour fields This week we’re waxing lyrical over Tulips from Amsterdam (or nearby anyway) and we’re sharing this fantastic album on Flickr by Normann Szkpop showing unbelievable photographs of tulip fields from the air. Each tulip colour is planted in its own … Read more
Vintage vibes
Sanderson Vintage 2 fabrics and wallpapers A very vintage vibe Retro fabrics and wallpapers are everywhere. Echoing the graphic, modernist styles of the 1950s and 60s, they conjure up a period feel in a modern design. Meanwhile, Sanderson take a different approach. They can trawl their remarkable archive to bring us truly authentic prints from … Read more
London Design Week 2015
We take a trip to Chelsea Harbour to check out all that’s lovely in home decor for 2015 London Design Week 2015 Our lucky team went to Chelsea Harbour Design Centre for the trade preview of London Design Week. Alice and Richard were treated to a feast of fabulous fabrics and a wealth of wonderful … Read more
Walls of joy
Fun and fabulous papers bring joy to your walls Walls of joy We’re happy. It’s Friday, it’s sunny and the weather forecast is good for the weekend. So our featured papers this week are adventurous and bright to fill your walls with fun. Cole & Son Whimsical is best described as err… whimsical! Bright orange … Read more
(Academy) award winning colour
Exploring the colourful corridors of the Grand Budapest hotel (Academy) Award-winning colour Last week’s Academy Awards saw Wes Anderson’s exquisite film The Grand Budapest Hotel seize the Oscars for best production design and best costume design. And the design is top to toe gorgeous. Immaculate colour floods every impeccably-framed scene from beginning to end, from … Read more
Light (&) relief
Exploring texture with Lincrusta Light (and) relief Just back from half-term holiday. Dragging the family through the blandness of baggage reclaim at Heathrow, I felt just a tad flat. My holiday reading, on the other hand, had transported me to more flamboyant decorative eras, exploring plasterwork and mouldings from New York to Brussels. Thus inspired, … Read more
Wolf Hall …and stairs? …and living room?
Decorating with the tudors Wolf Hall …and stairs? …and living room? I’m spending Wednesday evenings on the sofa with the BBC’s fantastic adaptation of Wolf Hall. Will Anne Boleyn manage to keep her head if she re-decorates Hampton Court? The precious light in those cold, candlelit rooms gives us vignettes of vibrant colour and opulent … Read more
All the fun of the Frankfurt fair
We take a flying visit to Heimtextil to see the very latest in European home decor All the fun of the Frankfurt fair Last week we decamped (along with thousands of others from the industry) to Frankfurt to visit Heimtextil – a huge complex of eleven airplane hanger-sized exhibition halls, full to the brim with … Read more
Showtime!
A visit to Top Drawer/Home Showtime! The trade shows have started in earnest so it’s an exciting time for our team searching out the latest trends for our lovely customers. We love the shows, which is just as well as we’ll be schlepping around miles of exhibition spaces. Comfy (and naturally, fashionable) shoes are a … Read more
Shedding the seasonal clutter
Shed the season’s clutter As much as I love Christmas with all the razzle dazzle it entails, I’m happy in the new year to declutter, detox and revive my seasonally over-stretched home with a pared down style and quiet soothing patterns, natural fabrics and calming colours. So this weekend why not join me in putting … Read more
Everybody ready for Christmas?
Some last minute prep with Mel and Maisie Everybody ready for Christmas? This year, as ever, it’s a huge family Christmas at ours. Of course it’s not always easy entertaining in a veritable palace of decorating glamour, but after a couple of festive sherries I’ll be able to laugh in the face of gravy on … Read more
Pretty pastel palettes
Delicate pinks, peaches, mints and skies Pretty pastel palettes Delicate pink cherry blossoms are bursting out against powder blue spring skies carrying fluffy whisps of cloud. Baby rabbits frisk in the fields as little lambs gambol and play under the new evening sun… And we found this remarkable nest in the wallpaperdirect garden. It looks … Read more
Tulips from Amsterdam from the air
Fantastic patchwork colours in photos of a flight over the Dutch tulip fields Colour fields This week we’re waxing lyrical over Tulips from Amsterdam (or nearby anyway) and we’re sharing this fantastic album on Flickr by Normann Szkpop showing unbelievable photographs of tulip fields from the air. Each tulip colour is planted in its own … Read more
Vintage vibes
Sanderson Vintage 2 fabrics and wallpapers A very vintage vibe Retro fabrics and wallpapers are everywhere. Echoing the graphic, modernist styles of the 1950s and 60s, they conjure up a period feel in a modern design. Meanwhile, Sanderson take a different approach. They can trawl their remarkable archive to bring us truly authentic prints from … Read more
London Design Week 2015
We take a trip to Chelsea Harbour to check out all that’s lovely in home decor for 2015 London Design Week 2015 Our lucky team went to Chelsea Harbour Design Centre for the trade preview of London Design Week. Alice and Richard were treated to a feast of fabulous fabrics and a wealth of wonderful … Read more
Walls of joy
Fun and fabulous papers bring joy to your walls Walls of joy We’re happy. It’s Friday, it’s sunny and the weather forecast is good for the weekend. So our featured papers this week are adventurous and bright to fill your walls with fun. Cole & Son Whimsical is best described as err… whimsical! Bright orange … Read more
(Academy) award winning colour
Exploring the colourful corridors of the Grand Budapest hotel (Academy) Award-winning colour Last week’s Academy Awards saw Wes Anderson’s exquisite film The Grand Budapest Hotel seize the Oscars for best production design and best costume design. And the design is top to toe gorgeous. Immaculate colour floods every impeccably-framed scene from beginning to end, from … Read more
Light (&) relief
Exploring texture with Lincrusta Light (and) relief Just back from half-term holiday. Dragging the family through the blandness of baggage reclaim at Heathrow, I felt just a tad flat. My holiday reading, on the other hand, had transported me to more flamboyant decorative eras, exploring plasterwork and mouldings from New York to Brussels. Thus inspired, … Read more
Wolf Hall …and stairs? …and living room?
Decorating with the tudors Wolf Hall …and stairs? …and living room? I’m spending Wednesday evenings on the sofa with the BBC’s fantastic adaptation of Wolf Hall. Will Anne Boleyn manage to keep her head if she re-decorates Hampton Court? The precious light in those cold, candlelit rooms gives us vignettes of vibrant colour and opulent … Read more
All the fun of the Frankfurt fair
We take a flying visit to Heimtextil to see the very latest in European home decor All the fun of the Frankfurt fair Last week we decamped (along with thousands of others from the industry) to Frankfurt to visit Heimtextil – a huge complex of eleven airplane hanger-sized exhibition halls, full to the brim with … Read more
Showtime!
A visit to Top Drawer/Home Showtime! The trade shows have started in earnest so it’s an exciting time for our team searching out the latest trends for our lovely customers. We love the shows, which is just as well as we’ll be schlepping around miles of exhibition spaces. Comfy (and naturally, fashionable) shoes are a … Read more
Shedding the seasonal clutter
Shed the season’s clutter As much as I love Christmas with all the razzle dazzle it entails, I’m happy in the new year to declutter, detox and revive my seasonally over-stretched home with a pared down style and quiet soothing patterns, natural fabrics and calming colours. So this weekend why not join me in putting … Read more
Everybody ready for Christmas?
Some last minute prep with Mel and Maisie Everybody ready for Christmas? This year, as ever, it’s a huge family Christmas at ours. Of course it’s not always easy entertaining in a veritable palace of decorating glamour, but after a couple of festive sherries I’ll be able to laugh in the face of gravy on … Read more