Pablo Pink Parrot Print | Golden Feathers Shimmering Print | Gold Links Mirror Console | Lion Planter | Chevron Sienna Patterned Rug

For a simple but glamorous injection of colour the Pablo Pink Parrot print paired with the Golden Feathers Shimmering print makes a stunning duo.  These 2 beauties are going up on my spare bedroom wall.  It’s a gold and white oasis that just needs the finishing touch of some glamorous wall art.  The use of opalescent ink really makes the golden feathers print glow.

Princess Leopold Print | The Duke Print | Tropical Monkey Cushion | Empress Striped Vase | Ginkgo Leaf Table

Colour and quirky all in one go with The Duke and Princess Leopold print from Diedododa.  All her prints are taken from her original artwork. You don’t need to live in a castle to have ancestral portraits with these two, just a sense of humour.  They make a bold statement, and look particularly impressive as a pair.

Orange Zebra Wall Plate | Zebra Wall Vase | Queen of Diamonds Print | Snake Print | Princess Leopold Canvas | Flamingo Lamp

To add more drama and texture try hanging unusual objects next to your prints.  Amelia has hung a zebra vase and a zebra plate next to a Queen of Diamonds print on her sitting room wall.  She bought a simple wooden frame and painted a vibrant pink to pick up on the colours in the print and the rest of the room.  It also creates a real zing of colour next to the orange zebra plate.

Dionne Warwick Art Print | ‘What if you Fly’ Art Print | Green Leopard Print Cushion | Burnt Orange Velvet Armchair |  Bronze Embossed Planter

The Dionne Warwick Pink Art print and the ‘What if you Fly’ art print are softly coloured for a mellow vibe and make a great pair.  Hanging 2 different shaped prints together creates more interest, and could be the start of a gallery wall to include smaller prints.  The prints are by Florence Lee and are taken from her original paintings.  They have been hand signed by the artist.

Frida Kahlo Styled Framed Prints | Gold Round Drinks Trolley | Scalloped Velvet Chair | Leopard Print Goat Fur Cushion | Gold Beetle Wall Decor

For a real hit of colour, and the wow factor, these 2 Frida Kahlo style self-portraits stand out from the crowd.  Such an array of vibrant colours means they stand out, whether hung on a pale wall or against a dark and moody backdrop.  They are sold as a pair, but don’t think you have to hang them together.  They make an intense statement hung singly.

Frida Kahlo Styled Framed Prints | Gold Sitting Leopard | | Gold Links Mirror Console | ‘Flowers Not War’ Gun Vase | Dripping Gold Plant Pot

A good selection there to get you thinking on how to update your walls.  Affordable art can make all the difference to your interior style.  All these prints would look great as part of a gallery wall, but that’s a whole other subject for another day.  Just remember if you are hanging prints singly or in pairs, not to hang them too high, they should be at eye level for maximum impact.  If in doubt use washi tape to mark the places on the wall before you hang to see if the position looks right, before getting that hammer out.

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The owner and creative force behind Anatomy Boutique is Emily Evans, anatomist, medical artist, author, publisher and senior demonstrator of anatomy at Cambridge University. Phew! If that’s not enough to be going on with there is even more to her skills – check them out on, Emily Evans Illustration.

This is such an unusual path for a homewares designer, so we asked Emily a few questions about the inspiration for her designs and why she decided to go into the design side of things:

Anatomy of Digestion Collection

As you can see from this delightful table display the range of black and white china (all based on the digestive system) mix and match well, and are all made by hand and hand gilded in Stoke on Trent.  Who would imagine it was possible to be inspired by teeth and then come up with this?

Anatomy of Digestion Collection

What inspired you to take your anatomy illustrations out of the context of academia and into homewares?

I had been a medical illustrator for about 12 years working from different shared creative spaces in London, and conversations with fellow ceramicists and interior designers in those spaces inspired me to try out some of my patterns and designs on homeware products. The histology plates began as an idea for an event that was just fun to do, I didn’t expect people to love them so much. I set up an online store pretty much to prove to my friends (after much encouragement from them) that no-one would be interested in this stuff… 4 years later, they’ve definitely proved me wrong! The response I gleaned from customers was so direct and rewarding compared to working for large publishers on anatomy books. The amount of interest in these pieces allowed me to educate people about anatomy through everyday objects – they seemed more accessible to people than academic texts. I teach the medical students anatomy at Cambridge University, and it’s often seen as quite elite. With my shop, I like the fact that my customers come from many different fields and backgrounds and what unites us is our interest in the beauty of anatomy.

Mexican Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Wallpaper- Emerald

Can you tell us a little bit more about the Mexican Day of the Dead Sugar Skull, and why you chose to feature it on your wallpaper?

About 5 years ago I went to Mexico for the first time and was blown away by their folkloric art and craft designs, though I felt frustrated that all the things I saw just wouldn’t work in my urban home, I wanted something elegant and luxurious. After obsessively drawing sugar skulls after I came back, a colleague in my work space asked what my designs were for, and I explained I had a dream of creating a teal and gold wallpaper after visiting Lord Leighton’s house and being intoxicated by the interior colour palate there. She was an interior designer for a Mexican bar chain, and she pitched the idea to them. They loved it and used the wallpaper for photo shoots for ELLE magazine in their bar. It ended up on social media and people were asking where can they get hold of it, so I decided to start manufacturing it. That summer, just by chance sugar skulls hit the UK and were everywhere. It remains our best selling product.

Mexican Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Wallpaper

Do you have any plans for further homewares collections?

We are launching a new wallpaper design incorporating the anatomical heart this autumn, and also a new china collection called ‘bruised but not broken’. I’m excited to see how people react to them as they’re quite emotive as designs. I think it’s important to be challenging with ideas, and push design forward, so I like using people’s preconceptions of anatomy to play with that line between beauty and awe to draw them in to another world – the interior world.

Anatomy of Digestion Plate- Arteries

I have to say I am in awe of Emily’s credentials , and then to be able to design such stunning homewares from scientific study is quite amazing. What do you think? Do teeth and arteries come to mind when you view this china?

Jacqui x

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Image Credit: Anatomy Boutique

Green and gold

Faux Zebra Grass House Plant | Gold Tripod Side Table | Brass Planter with Stand

We’ve gone for the full wall styling here just to show how a few faux house plants and a marble shelf can make a vibrant and exciting vignette of green and gold in your home.   The marble shelf contains a hammered gold tray propped up for lots of sparkle, with a gold plant pot filled with artificial trailing fern and a gorgeous gold pineapple candle holder standing on old books to give it height. So lots of gold for a really luxe look but softened with stacks of faux plants that are a dream for the non-green fingered amongst us. It couldn’t be easier!

Floral extravaganza 

Imperial Glass Bottle Vase | Jewel Glass Vase | Imperial Glass Vase

There are five glass vases on this shelf of varying heights and colour and they are filled, very simply, with whatever is growing in the garden. Branches of magnolia, weigela and lilac for height with flower heads of rhododendrons for the smaller vases. An artificial trailing fern completes the look and extends the vignette for more interest. This floral extravaganza is so easy to do any time of the year and doesn’t take any arranging, they really are just plonked in the vases – simple, quick and gorgeous.

Tropical

Artificial Forest Fern | Lush Fern Framed Print | Cheeky Monkey Plant Pot | Flamingo Salt & Pepper Shakers

A bit of tropical and a bit of whimsy all snuggled up together creates a white marble shelf that has the look of a Victorian collector’s display. Curios from around the world come together for a touch of the exotic, with a pink toucan money box, a cheeky monkey plant pot and some flamingos for a laugh. Lots of lush artificial greenery and faux gloriosa lily flowers completes the look.

Three different looks – all on a green theme, and all quick and easy to do – just grouping items together with a theme, and stacks of lots of greenery to soften and warm the look.

Jacqui x

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Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Jacqui & Amelia Brooks

Mother and daughter team, Anna and Nathalie, started London Basin Company when Anna was looking for a ‘statement’ basin in one of her interior design projects and couldn’t find what she was looking for. They then decided to join together and fill an obvious gap in the market by creating these amazing basins. Anna is an interior designer and Nathalie works in advertising and marketing so they have a great combination of skills that enabled them to develop their company.

Lorelei £650

The basins are designed by the ladies themselves as they both share a passion for interiors, and they take their inspiration from holidays and travelling together, which has to be the best excuse ever for going on holiday.

Adriana £750

The basins are manufactured in China – where the best quality and most durable porcelain is manufactured. There are two main ways of applying the pattern, ‘under the glaze’ and ‘over the glaze’. In the ‘under the glaze’ technique the pattern is applied to the clay, then the basins are glazed and fired. In the ‘over the glaze’ technique, clay washbasins are glazed and fired, then the pattern is applied and the basins are fired twice again to ensure paint durability.

Yasmin £760

A limited range but diverse designs so there is something there for any taste and style if you are looking for a table top washbasin. So deliciously tactile and curvaceous they make a real statement in the bathroom.

Jacqui x

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Images from London Basin Company

Image credit: Audenza

For those of you who want to just add a touch of pattern and glam to your décor these zebra vases are perfect. Understated, but a great way to include animals to your décor without redoing the whole look. Whether you are a pastel lover or prefer the dark side these zebras work. Even empty they make a quirky addition to an eclectic home but fill with colourful flowers and they are dazzling.

1. Framed Flamingo Print / 2. Zebra Vase / 3. Floral Romance Four Drawer Cabinet / 4. Flamingo Salt & Pepper Shakers / 5. Zebra Jug / 6. Faux Wall Mounted Skull

Shop the full trend >>

Into the wild comes into its own with our new ‘Floral Romance’ furniture. The combination of dark floral and exotic animal prints is a veritable extravaganza of pattern and colour that gives an imaginative and surreal twist to interior décor that brims with whimsy and playfulness. Add as little or as much as you like depending on how joyful you want to be.

Image credit: A Shade Wilder

This wallpaper is from a A Shade Wilder and is not for the faint hearted but what a statement it makes. The black is called ‘Flamingo Beach After Dark’ and the orange is called ‘Flamingo Beach Calypso’ – even the names are exotic! Fabulous aren’t they but definitely only for the brazen.

Tips for styling animal interiors:

–    Take inspiration from the patterns/markings of animals – and remember, it doesn’t have to be literal.

–    Don’t be afraid to mix different patterns, like the floral cabinet above with zebra stripes. Mixing different patterns is key to an eclectic look; it helps to lift any scheme and give it some oomph!

–    Leopard print is quite a hard one to get right, so if you’re not sure, go for non-traditional colourways, which takes the look from potentially tacky to totally trendy.

–    Florals are a great contrast against animal interiors; for up to date florals, try using oversized or impressionistic prints in dark colourways, rather than traditional patterns.

–    As we mentioned in our ‘Nailing the Tropical Rainforest Vibe’ post, monkeys are having a real moment in interiors – they’re the new pineapple! Shop monkey décor.

–    As with any décor scheme, bringing in elements of texture will be key to make the look work. For this, think feathers, fur, wool and of course, velvet (always velvet!).

Us ladies at Audenza love the eclectic look, so ‘into the wild’ is the perfect combination of wild pattern and colour that we love. What do you think? Are you ready to join the wild side?

Jacqui x

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Well, we’ve always known that the way we style and photograph our products is a big part of what we do and we love helping our customers feel confident styling in their own home. But, we noticed that many of you were buying sets of items according to what other products they had been photographed with on the site. So… *drumroll* we’ve taken out the hard work and introduced a brand new range of styled vignettes!

‘Gilded Soiree Vignette’ £285

Which means that we have already collated and styled a collection of items for you and with one click of an ‘Add to Basket’ button you can buy them as a complete set. Which is pretty excellent news for those of you who need a little helping hand and might not be feeling too confident about what to put with what. We think styling is the fun bit, but we’ve had a fair bit of practise and we know it can be confusing when there are so many products out there, and so many different looks you can achieve.

So the aim of these vignettes is to give you a basis to work from – we’re not suggesting you should style them exactly as we have done (but if you want to, then that’s great too!), but rather as a guide. So you can feel confident knowing all of those items go together and you can play around with the styling yourself, but safe in the knowledge that those items work as a look. We’ve styled a few different vignettes so whether you’re looking to add some copper, or want a touch of distressed antiquity for a feeling of calm and peace, there is plenty of choice. Plus we’ll be adding to these as the year goes on.

‘Copper Earth Vignette‘ £88

The ‘Copper Earth Vignette’ is a great way to add some copper blush to your décor with a few simple pieces that can easily be rearranged elsewhere when you fancy a change. The copper tray does double duty, as a tray and as a backdrop to highlight other pieces, and the plant pots and photo frame are a great way to add some glow to other pieces.

‘Classical Serenity Vignette’ £192

If you want a calm and neutral vignette, then the ‘Classical Serenity Vignette’ is perfect with two pieces of wall art and three plant pots that look fab on their own but could also be the inspiration to start a collection.

‘Tropical Storm Vignette’ £842

You can start with a small windowsill or mantelpiece vignette and then move on with confidence to create your own style and have fun some fun moving pieces about to see what inspires you most.  The vignettes range from a windowsill grouping at £42 for the ‘Ebony Noir Vignette’, to a styled room set with furniture at £842 for the ‘Tropical Storm Vignette’.

We’re pretty excited by this new idea, but of course, it’s your opinion that matters! So, what do you think? Do let us know in the comments below.

Jacqui x

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Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Jacqui & Amelia Brooks

These little gold desk dishes are fab and tie in so well with our blog on covering lever arch files in marble effect sticky back plastic. Why have a boring, uninteresting desk when, for very little effort and money, you can have a glamorous and inspiring desk that actually gives pleasure, plus it’s so satisfying to have done it yourself. I love to transform something that is essentially a utilitarian object into a thing of beauty to be admired instead of hidden away.

Do take a look at Amy’s blog and be inspired to have a go yourself. Amy makes it sound easy, and it actually is, as long as you follow her instructions. Before you know it your desk will be feeling the gold and marble love!

Jacqui x

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Images from Homey Oh My!

“We’re loving Audenza’s seriously sexy new gold kitchen utensils” Livingetc

Suffice to say, as soon as we saw this new range of gold kitchenware, we just knew you’d love them as much as us. Often practicality has to come at the price of beauty, but not anymore! You know it’s our mission to banish ugly, functional objects from the home… a mission you guys have told us you wholeheartedly agree with and these kitchen utensils hit the nail on the functional head. They’re already attracting a fair bit of press too. Livingetc, The Sunday Express, The Sunday Times Style Magazine and Swoon Worthy blog have all been rather taken by the new range. ST Style shared this on Instagram:

January diet a little bit dull? Your kitchen doesn’t have to be with these brilliant brass utensils, from£19 at @miafleur_home ✨✨✨ #interiors #kitchen #brass #utensils

A photo posted by TheSTStyle (@theststyle) on Jan 13, 2016 at 7:10am PST

Let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to bake, cook, sieve, and grate with these and they look amazing mixed up with copper and brass for a real hit of trendy warm metals.

“Gold serving spoons, whisks, sieves, ladles and slotted spatulas – the things my kitchen dreams are made of.” Kimberly Duran, Swoon Worthy Blog

Now I’m not much of a cook, bar casseroles and soups, in fact anything that goes into one pot and doesn’t want constant attention is fine by me but if I’m going to be chained to the kitchen for any length of time I want everything to be visually appealing and, with the trend for warm metals in everything in dining ware from glasses to table mats to cutlery, these gold utensils are perfect for giving your dining table and kitchen a glamorous edge.

As Livingetc says “These utensils are far too good to stash away in a drawer – hang them up above the cooker or dot them around your kitchen counters for a warming hit of glitz.”

The sieves are so beautiful that Kimberly from Swoon Worthy has hung hers up on the wall as decorative items in their own right and I think that’s a fab idea for us non bakers. Read Kimberly’s blog post here and while you are there check out her neat little note pad block that she has covered in marble and gold sticky back paper, another fab idea!

Amelia is the baker in our family and she loves using her sieves but I gave up baking when the kids were old enough to bake their own cakes and even The Great British Bake Off can’t persuade me to attempt that again – I prefer to just eat the proceeds!

We’re also running a competition with Eating Covent Garden blog, to win a set of three utensils. Find out more info here.

Jacqui x

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Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Jacqui & Amelia Brooks

Tip 1: If You’re Unsure, Start small

If you are new to brass and the warm metals trend start small by introducing accessories in brass to give your home an instant update. Plant pots, vases, candle holders and of course kitchen utensils are an easy way to do this without splashing too much cash and it gives you a feel for the look. If you want to step up your game vintage pieces from every era are being reimagined in brass by today’s designers for the contemporary home. Think of a drinks trolley or side table with marble shelves for jazz age glamour, a Victorian plant stand in pared down brass or table lamps in brass with concrete or glass. There is a whole new world of brass out there to explore so get started.

Tip 2: Brass goes with any colour scheme

Cherished Gold is the Dulux paint colour for 2016 following on from Copper Blush for 2015. So warm metals are the way to go for interiors from paint colours to furniture to accessories, and we love it. Pantone have chosen two colours for 2016 – Rose Quartz and Serenity – baby pink and baby blue to you and me. Now I’m not a pastel kind of person but there is serenity in these colours and with a hit of brass they instantly become more grown up and vibrant. Dark and moody kind of person? Well brass instantly adds light and shimmer to what could be cold and dark. Love shades of green and red – my favourite colour combo? Then brass brings vitality and warmth to what are essentially outdoor colours. In other words brass adds radiance to your interior décor and we all need a bit of radiance!

Tip 3: Brass doesn’t have to be 80’s bling

Brass was considered to be bling and ostentatious but the new era brass is a softer subtler version that adds light and warmth without stealing the show. Bathroom and kitchen hardware like taps and door handles are now available in brass and it creates a soft glow rather than the shiny hard gold of the past. Add textures like velvet and wool and plenty of house plants for a softer more vintage feel or if you want a contemporary vibe pair with marble and concrete. Brass looks fabulous in an industrial setting as a contrast to black and rough surfaces such as wood and brick. Create the look you want by picking the right complementary accents.  Brass adds light to strong colours and warmth to neutrals so there really is no excuse for missing out on the fab brass trend.

Shop brass homewares >>

Jacqui x

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Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Jacqui & Amelia Brooks

These cute plastic toys came in an assorted bag full from Amazon for the princely sum of £8.99.

5 minutes outside with a tin of gold spray paint and we now have a gold creature each for our desks. Can you guess who was allocated which creature? Amelia made the decision for us – crab for Hollie (snap, snap) lobster for Amelia (no suntan possible, just a delightful shade of red) and I get the turtle because apparently I’m placid. Well I’ve always likened myself to Henry Kissinger. Being the mother of five hones those peace keeping skills!

I’ve saved the dolphin, seal and whale for my impeding grandson’s bath time as I thought a small gold seal would look a bit odd on the desk and they didn’t have the same meaning for us.  Now, despite this being rather quick to do, you might not have the time or the inclination to do it yourself (Hollie certainly wouldn’t!), so we’ve sourced our very own gold grasshopper and gold ants for the less crafty among us.

Jacqui x

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Photography: Amelia Brooks/ Styling: Amelia and Jacqui Brooks

‘The Easiest and Cheapest Home Accessory, EVER….?!’ written by Jacqui Brooks