Design compromises

My bolder ideas tend to be vetoed before they even make it past the inspiration stage thanks to the traditional (read conservative) tastes of my husband, who is surprisingly opinionated about the strangest things. His input does have its advantages though - particularly when I'm procrastinating and deliberating over the perfect Farrow and Ball hue, or need a reality-check on just how much is acceptable to spend on a side table.

I guess it's a lot more about compromise than I thought it would be - I certainly can't remember my dad ever commenting on a fabric or paint colour my mum brought home - but it seems to be working so far!

As it’s a bit chilly tonight, I thought I’d share the first fruits of this compromise – a wood-burning-stove that hubby rushed my into buying when I thought it wasn’t quite right, but has in retrospect, turned out to be our best buy in the house to date. Very cosy!

White Bedding

For me, when it comes to bedding, it has to be white... (and the same with towels while we're on the subject) - white bedding just feels cleaner.

And the more luxurious the better too! Cotton is a bit more of a pain to iron, but it feels softer, and it's better for letting your skin breathe.  And for an extra luxurious touch, I use kingsize duvets on all the double beds in my house, so you get a lovely overhang, no duvet tug-of-war during the night, and teamed with white covers, you feel like you're literally sleeping in a cloud. zzz

Here are a few of my favourites:

Stripey White
I've got a Laura Ashley satin stripe set on my bed at the moment - simple vertical lines with no fuss, which I think creates a really crisp look - and stops my bed from looking too feminine. They have similar ones available in store. http://www.lauraashley.com/

Burlington Waffle Bed Linen from The White Company



All White

As the name suggests, The White Company is a haven for white bedding! The Burlington Waffle set is high on my wish-list at the moment. http://www.thewhitecompany.com/


Whiter Shade of Pale
I've also got quite a few John Lewis sets - some from my wedding list! Again, it's the stripes that have the appeal for me - anything with a straight line helps with creating a crisp, modern look - they have a few pleats/ pintuck options which tick all the boxes.

At the moment I'm also tempted to go so far as to think about adding a touch of colour - the Jigsaw Ticking Striped Duvet Set available at John Lewis has a more informal, but still traditional feel.
http://www.johnlewis.com/

The beginning

Having been obsessed with interior design for many years, a little cottage in Hertfordshire is my first chance to finally design the home I've always wanted. Very exciting, and actually... just a little bit daunting...

We've started a couple of the rooms already - more before and after shots on these to come - but the main project is due to start in 2 weeks time, when two thirds of the house will be knocked down and then re-built, leaving us without a kitchen for five months - eek!

Here's the house as it is now: