Spaces
Wallpaper makes the perfect backdrop for every room in the modern home
Make your space distinctively your own with wallpapers designed for every room in the house from the bedroom to the living room to the bathroom.
(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
Timorous Beasties
Nothing scaredy cat about these designs… Scaredy cats? Not these Timorous Beasties… We got together with Paul Simmons from Timorous Beasties to explore the roots of their wonderful creations. WD How did you and Ali McAuley decide to work together? PS We met and studied together at Glasgow School of Art 1984-1988, then from 1988-1990 … Read more
Christmas colour splash
Poinsettia display points to a perfect Christmas Poinsettias paint a perfect Christmas Leaden skies may loom over lovely Lewes, but the window of No. 1 Lewes (remarkable antiques shop and stylist’s wonderland) features a heavenly poinsettia display that’s the perfect antidote to Winter. The Santa’s coat, deep scarlet flowers and undiluted green foliage make the … Read more
Warming up Winter gardens with Marston & Langinger
An interview with the master joiners and paint makers Winter gardens with Marston & Langinger This week the designerpaint team had a chat with MD Phil James about his company’s paints, and found out they know an awful lot about what goes under that lovely paint too… DP So how did Marston & Langinger begin … Read more
It’s a jungle out there!
I’m a celebrity. Decorate my house. It’s a jungle out there! It’s been a rough week in I’m a Celebrity. Maybe you lap it up. Maybe it turns your stomach – but the hugely popular celebrity competition to be crowned king or queen of the jungle is certainly not for the faint-hearted. There’s no way … Read more
Thoroughly Modern Minis
A sneak peek at Mini Moderns new paint collection Thoroughly Modern Minis We’ve been treated to a sneaky peek at Mini Moderns’ coming collection, and we’re very excited! Mini Moderns Hinterland wallpaper collection is inspired by the history and culture of the Cinque Ports towns of Kent and Sussex. We can’t show you the papers … 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
Timorous Beasties
Nothing scaredy cat about these designs… Scaredy cats? Not these Timorous Beasties… We got together with Paul Simmons from Timorous Beasties to explore the roots of their wonderful creations. WD How did you and Ali McAuley decide to work together? PS We met and studied together at Glasgow School of Art 1984-1988, then from 1988-1990 … Read more
Christmas colour splash
Poinsettia display points to a perfect Christmas Poinsettias paint a perfect Christmas Leaden skies may loom over lovely Lewes, but the window of No. 1 Lewes (remarkable antiques shop and stylist’s wonderland) features a heavenly poinsettia display that’s the perfect antidote to Winter. The Santa’s coat, deep scarlet flowers and undiluted green foliage make the … Read more
Warming up Winter gardens with Marston & Langinger
An interview with the master joiners and paint makers Winter gardens with Marston & Langinger This week the designerpaint team had a chat with MD Phil James about his company’s paints, and found out they know an awful lot about what goes under that lovely paint too… DP So how did Marston & Langinger begin … Read more
It’s a jungle out there!
I’m a celebrity. Decorate my house. It’s a jungle out there! It’s been a rough week in I’m a Celebrity. Maybe you lap it up. Maybe it turns your stomach – but the hugely popular celebrity competition to be crowned king or queen of the jungle is certainly not for the faint-hearted. There’s no way … Read more
Thoroughly Modern Minis
A sneak peek at Mini Moderns new paint collection Thoroughly Modern Minis We’ve been treated to a sneaky peek at Mini Moderns’ coming collection, and we’re very excited! Mini Moderns Hinterland wallpaper collection is inspired by the history and culture of the Cinque Ports towns of Kent and Sussex. We can’t show you the papers … Read more