As I’ve alluded to before (here and here), I love vintage items for the home… whether they’re antiques or were purposely made to look slightly weathered and “lived in”, I think they can make rooms look homely and far more interesting than if were decked out solely in brand new Ikea (no offence, Ikea, you have your uses). I recently discovered the shop of Ben Pentreath, situated next to his architectural and design company in London’s Bloomsbury, which typifies this notion. He runs it with the help of decorative artist and maker, Bridie Hall, and it’s full of the most beautiful products, including prints, furniture, stationery, books, as well as what they call ‘curiosities’. It’s like rummaging in a flea market or antiques fair, you never know what you’ll find.

{images via Ben Pentreath}
Not only is their shop filled with downright gorgeous items (see below for the pieces I’d love to swipe – the spotty cushion? I die), I also urge you to take a look at their inspiration blog which includes shots of Ben’s Dorset home. It’s like something out of a Jane Austen novel… major house envy, people. Enjoy.

{1. Tutti Frutti print – £50 / 2. Hobnail pitcher – £70 / 3. Dot cushion – £55 / 4. Lustreware cup & saucers – £45 / 5. John Derian plate – £38 / 6. Sense & Sensibility – £14.99 / 7. Preserving jars – from £3 / 8. Paris paperweight – £25 / 9. Alphabet rubber stamps – £20 / 10. Ikat silk cushion – £130}

Being hugely passionate about stylish (yet affordable) living, I love to follow the online “shelter” magazines such as Lonny and Rue. The newest kid on the block, High Gloss, is a particular favourite since it’s perhaps more of a ‘lifestyle’ magazine than the others which lean a little more towards just ‘interiors’. Yesterday they launched their third edition, entitled ‘L.A. Story’, and it was filled to the brim with themed inspiration and scrumptious décor. The bright California hues jumped out of the pages, and I wanted to share the following images with you that are pure eye candy:

{images via High Gloss: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7}

The sun is out for Friday! About time too after the ridiculous weather we’ve been having lately… but looks like our fortunes could be changing, as it’s set to hit 30 degrees in London on Monday (not so good news that the A/C in our office has conked out, but what can you do). I’m jealous of anyone heading to Wimbledon to watch the tennis – I’ve been a few times, having just queued up and watched whichever matches had free seats… it’s a great atmosphere and feels so wonderfully British with strawberries and Pimms, and everybody clinging to umbrellas waiting for the inevitable! This weekend will be lovely and quiet, sandwiched between weddings and hen do’s running into July. With the gorgeous weather expected I must drag myself away from the laptop screen for a portion of the 2 days at least, and take a walk in the sunshine and maybe have a meal on a pavement café whilst watching the world go by. Do you have any plans for this weekend?
I know, I know, I’m Kate Spade obsessed, but it’s really not my fault when every time I visit their ‘new in’ section, it makes me dribble all over the keyboard (apologies for over-share). I mean, take the mint satchel for example… so amazing that if it were a person I would happily marry it. Their colour of the month is gold, and they have some serious glittery goodness going on right now. Please take a look at their new arrivals and tell me that you share my fixation, so I know it’s not just me:

{all products available at Kate Spade}
H&M Home are having quite the party at the moment… picnics are their ‘theme du jour’, and I fell in love with this image of a colourful spread on a lazy summer afternoon. Oh, and look, there are trunks in there… what a coincidence! Doesn’t this make you want to pack up a cooler bag and head to a field (and when I say ‘field’, beach/park/back garden/festival all work equally well) with a bunch of friends and some kind of ball game?

{all products available at H&M Home}
Currently on my coffee table at home I have the most beautiful bunch of pink peonies in a vase, and whether they’re closed or in all their ruffled glory, there’s something about them that makes me so happy. I love the image of the ones in the mason jar especially, the colours complement each other perfectly:

{images via pinterest}
Again, I gotta say, my favourite look of the week wasn’t the easiest to find. The red carpet had another so-so week (apart from Rosie H-W who is having a whale of a time parading a variety of dresses slashed dangerously high and making us mere mortals step away from the Krispy Kremes), so it was a casual high-street look that caught my eye. Rochelle Wiseman, from the girl group The Saturdays, opted for a Topshop playsuit for a trip to the recording studios, and paired it with a skinny belt and trusty YSL Tributes. If she was looking to grab some column inches from her bandmate Mollie King, who has turned into a bit of a fashionista lately (also doesn’t hurt that she has David Gandy on her arm), then she may have just succeeded! Onto the room of the week, and check out the colour pairing of the moment, purple and orange (or ‘porange’ as renamed by Heat magazine), and some framed sketches to add interest… I really love how this bedroom has been styled:

{images via prphotos & Elle Decor}
I hope you have a superb weekend whatever you’re doing and wherever you may be…

Mi casa = my house (see? Spanish A-level totally paid off). Although my language skills may not be what they were when I was 18, thankfully you don’t have to be fluent to navigate your way through Mi Casa magazine’s website… I just followed the prettiness and came to the realisation that, ay dios mio, the Spanish know how to put a room together. Instead of showing you just one of their featured homes, I thought I’d pick and choose some of my favourite images from an assortment. Enjoy, amigos:

{images via Mi Casa}

Now, I understand that the ‘Keep Calm & Carry On’ prints may have had their time in the limelight. Saying that though, mine is still proudly on display in my kitchen (it continues to give me a daily boost), and you just have to glance across to the left for one of the alternative messages. Although one of my favourite online stores goes by the name ‘The Keep Calm Gallery’, it is so much more than variations on a theme. The site features a number of poster designs, greetings cards and tea towels, all adorned with nostalgic and heartfelt typography, as well as charmingly British illustrations. The brains behind this flourishing business are couple Lucas Lepola and Hayley Thwaites (recently married and currently on honeymoon – congrats!); their venture was launched in university halls and over three years later the combination of their design and business backgrounds and their immense dedication has proved to be a winning formula. Here are my favourite pieces in their collection:

{all products available at Keep Calm Gallery}
What do you think of KCG’s designs?