{what you fancy}

shopping edit #1 ~ summer blues

El — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 13:15:56 +0000

Okay, this post was meant to happen about a year ago. But I think I just completely underestimated the effect that a small person has on your life. When Cam arrived last June, for the first few months it was all about him, naturally. And it was amazing and tiring and wonderful and overwhelming, in equal measures. Then, once we started to figure out what we were doing a bit more rather than – what felt like – feeling around in the dark, and he fitted into our lives rather than the other way around, we miraculously had some time to ourselves again outside of our working lives and, of course, Cam. And you know what? I didn’t want to be a #girlboss right that second. I didn’t want to hustle. I wanted to sit in a quiet room at the end of the day, spend time with Tom, and scroll aimlessly through Pinterest or watch reality shows. I’ve maybe done that a bit longer than I expected to, but I feel that fire again to blog, create and immerse myself in the community that I’ve grown to love so much.

So, I’m back. I don’t know how many times a week or month I’ll be blogging – I think a hard-and-fast schedule is probably a bad idea – but I want to share all the interiors gorgeousness that goes around my head day in day out, as well as the progress we’ve been making on our house. It may be a relatively unappealing 70s terraced house from the outside, but you shouldn’t judge a book etc etc. The bathroom, Cam’s nursery and the garden have been the main projects around here lately, and there’ll be before and after shots coming soon.

One of the frequent features I’ll be posting is shopping edits – basically I’ll spend hours trawling shopping sites, so you don’t have to. It’ll all be in one place under a particular theme, whether that’s the best bits from a certain retailer, or, say, ‘brass and marble’. Today, it’s all about summer blues. Enjoy.

Mykonos Pom Pom Shopper – £34 // My love of pom poms – on everything – shows no signs of abating. And this bargain of a bag from my current obsession, Yonder Living, is perfect for that trip to the beach or an impromptu picnic in the park.

Iris Tassel Earrings – £55 // One day I’ll be more of a grown-up and wear earrings, and when I do, I want a pair like this. Some of the seriously stylish ladies I follow on Insta – Erica Davies and Alex Stedman, for starters – have been hanging tassels off their lobes left, right and centre, and I want to join their gang.

Mudcloth Pillow Cover – £39.34 // These mudcloth prints have been adorning modern boho interiors for a while now and I still can’t get enough. You usually see this pattern in black and white, but this blue alternative is a fresher take on the trend.

Summer Days Rug – £125 // Give me a preppy stripe and I’m happy.

Kite Top With Bow Sleeves – £65 // The high street is awash with off-the-shoulder Bardot tops, but I like this slightly different spin on the style. Note the buttons down the back and the bows on the sleeves – so pretty.

Ribe Pendant Lamp – £125 // These Scandi-style pendants are just the kind of orbs I’d want hanging over an island or over a bedside table. And I love that their handmade nature means you can see small air bubbles in the glass.

Morning Noon Night Book – £30 // Following on from the coffee table staple, Eat Drink Nap, this stylish behind-the-scenes look at Soho Houses is another must-own.

Acapulco Chair – £67.50 // Tesco knows what’s up. And what’s up is the chair of the summer. I have two in my garden and not only do they look the business, they’re also ridiculously comfy.

Any favourite pieces?

thinking about nurseries…

El — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 21:18:19 +0000

This is a surreal post to be writing. Y’see, Tom and I are expecting a baby in the summer. The most wonderful and scary sentence to type out. So, that’s a pretty big change coming up… and me being me, I’ve decided it’s probably best not to get to get too stuck into the ‘oh-my-god-this-is-one-of-the-biggest-life-changes-you-can-do’ reality of it all – denial, my friends – and concentrate on interior decor. Obviously we’re thinking about all the other stuff too, but since this blog focuses largely on interiors, I’m not going to bore you with pregnancy gripes and travel system dilemmas (uh-huh, I know. Apparently kids don’t just ride around in pushchairs these days, they’re now called ‘travel systems’, and it’s a minefield.)

Anyway, back to the fun stuff. Having a baby means decorating a nursery, and my secret ‘nursery inspiration’ Pinterest board that’s been lurking for months can finally come into play. The further I got into the design process, the more I realised that what I’m aiming for is basically just an extension of the light and bright aesthetic I have going on in the rest of the house. As in, light walls with furniture, artwork and accessories providing the interest and colour. We don’t know what we’re having, and we’re not planning on finding out before B-day, so it also has to be gender-neutral. Here are some of the pins that had my creative juices going…

{Yes, I realise there’s a lot of pink going on in these rooms – I tend to get drawn to it in interiors – but I can always rein that back if a boy comes along…}

And here’s a quick e-design to show you where I’m currently at. The room is pretty small – RIP home office/my junk room – so I didn’t want to overcrowd it with furniture. It’ll have a cot, a rocking chair and one of IKEA’s finest… the Kallax (does anyone design rooms anymore that don’t include a Kallax of some kind?!)There’ll be plenty of other bits and bobs that haven’t made my little collage, and I’m working on having the built-in cupboard turned into a wardrobe, but hopefully in a couple of months time it’ll be ready for the big reveal.

So, what do you think so far?

who are you wearing?

El — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 20:08:59 +0000

Last night it was the turn of the Screen Actors Guild Awards (with the amount of botox present, oh the irony of it being called the SAG Awards…) to come to Hollywood. Leo won again. Idris Elba made the UK very proud. And Nicole Kidman showed that she shouldn’t have the final say in which dress to wear – eesh. So, who earned their style stripes on the red carpet? Let’s take a look at my winners…

Alicia Vikander in Louis Vuitton
Can this girl do no wrong this awards season? Not only did she swipe the award for Best Supporting Actress, she looked incredible while doing it. Almost like a sparkly liquorice allsort, this look probably wouldn’t have worked on, well, most other people, but with the unfussy hair situation and that cool-but-not-arrogant way about her, she nailed it. Can’t wait to see her Oscars frock.

Helen Mirren in Jenny Packham
Another great British ambassador of the night. This is how you do it. Pure movie star.

Rachel McAdams in Elie Saab
Elie Saab is one of my very favourite designers, and this is a prime example of why. There’s a lot going on but it’s so very elegant… I especially love the top half and the little sleeves. I’m also a big fan of Rachel’s tousled hair and natural make-up.

Emilia Clarke in Dior
Fuchsia can often be way over the top and ‘Barbie goes to Prom’ (yes, Vergara, I’m talking to you), but in the right style of dress it can be killer. The hair, the jewellery, the deep V… Dragon Lady slayed it.

Did anyone stand out for you?

on my radar – suite one studio

El — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 19:47:19 +0000

When I saw these plates on Instagram, my eyes shot out on stalks. I mean, they’re ridiculously beautiful pieces of art. The primarily pink and blue colour palette may have initially swayed me, but on closer inspection I’m totally smitten by the gold touches, the uneven edges and the high-shine glazes. These swoon-worthy limited edition ceramics are created by Lindsay Emery out of her studio, Suite One Studio, in North Carolina – and the best news? She ships internationally! I don’t know about you, but I need some of these beauties in my life…

Who’s with me?

who are you wearing?

El — Mon, 11 Jan 2016 22:05:46 +0000

It’s award season! Life has meaning again! Through the apocalyptic-esque darkness of a Monday morning in early January came the Golden Globes red carpet run-downs. It really does make me so happy. Now, since I’m in an optimistic mood seemingly for the first time in 2016 (the sun came out today and everything) I’m only going to post my winning looks. Ladies, you’ve been spared the scathing remarks this time. Next time (Screen Actors Guild Awards, 30 Jan), you might not be so lucky… I’ll see what kind of mood I’m in.

Anywho, to the gowns! The list is short since Kate Hudson, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence et al just didn’t bring their A-game for me. I feel like I’ve seen it all before (especially Kate Winslet who needs to spring for a new stylist sharp-ish). But it’s okay, they have time. So, here are the stars who sartorially did the business…

Rosie Huntington Whiteley in Atelier Versace
Newly-engaged RHW won the red carpet. No contest. She’s basically been dipped in gold, rolled in unicorn sparkles and paraded in front of the paps to make every woman on the planet feel like even on the most attractive day of their life, they’ll probably reach about 5% of this level of hotness.

Kirsten Dunst in Valentino
The artist formally known as Drunkst slayed it in this ensemble. There’s a lot ‘up front’, granted, but the flawless make-up and the rest of the gown kept it classy. Solid effort.

Jaimie Alexander in Genny
Even more beautiful on camera than in pics – and I’m talking about Jaimie and the frock. Adore the colour, love that it’s a bit different, and the Lorraine Schwartz emerald earrings were an inspired choice. Ladies of reality TV, this is how you flash the flesh.

Alicia Vikander in Louis Vuitton
A controversial choice, but huge props to Alicia for taking a chance, which 80% of the Globes line-up didn’t do. It feels quite ‘tennis chic’ to me, and it really pops against her tan and simple-but-chic hair. And give me a crisp pleat any day.

Olivia Palermo in Delpozo
It seems like the whole internet hates this look. Yet I loved it from the first time I saw it. I don’t know if it’s the preppy colour combo or the necklace or the way OP is just owning it, but it’s a winner for me. And the shoes. I’m dying over the shoes.

Jenna Dewan-Tatum in Zuhair Murad
After her turn on Lip Synch Battle with Channing, this broad can do no wrong. And she proved it once again in this exquisite dress. Midnight blue is always a favourite for me, but this was streets ahead of Winslet and Moore who went for the same hue.

Amber Heard in Gucci
Depp’s missus was born in the wrong era, she’s a 50s screen siren through and through. On anyone else, I’m not sure the foofy neckline and simples lines of this Gucci number would have worked. But I’m digging this look, a lot.

Lily James in Marchesa
She’s a funny one, Lily James. In photos she looks like a smouldering goddess, then in interviews she shows she’s just as much of a dork as the rest of us. This dress is beyond gorgeous. Yes, it’s a tad bridal, but it’s Marchesa, so it’s allowed to be.

Also, this happened. And the man-fancying population stood in unison and slow clapped those absurdly strong genes.

Tell me, what did you think of this year’s GG offerings?

the october edit

El — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 18:24:51 +0000

Autumn’s well and truly into its innings. Although, apart from the trees starting to turn, you wouldn’t know it… we’ve been treated to beaming sunshine and temperatures that keep our patio in business. But – and I don’t want to sound ungrateful – who’s secretly hoping it turns a bit chillier soon so we can dig out coats, boots and scarves? So, to celebrate the official cosy season, the return of decent telly and new collections in stores, here’s a round-up of everything I’m currently coveting…

Houndstooth chair // Oliver Bonas is really having an interiors moment. Seriously, they’re on fire when it comes to soft furnishings. This particular little number, called Le Cocktail Chair (mais, oui), would look so chic on a herringbone floor in a Parisian apartment in the Marais. Or, y’know, in a regular house.

Adventures pocket notebooks // BerinMade designed our wedding invitations (and my blog header!), so I love seeing Erin’s business go from strength to strength. If you’re a stationery fiend like me then I’d urge you to head over to her website for cards, notebooks and prints that nail every trend. I especially love the colours in these notebooks. They had me at navy.

Breton pompom blanket // Yonder Living is one of my favourite new online finds and I’ve been drooling over their blankets for months. Maybe now the mercury’s dropping, I’ll treat myself to this stripy pompom beauty. Call it an early Christmas present.

Cities sweatshirt // I honestly think Brits are happiest safely back inside a jumper. Well, I am anyway. And this one is definitely ticking all the boxes for me.

After You // I’m assuming you’ve read the first one, right? If not, please do so immediately, if not sooner. The sequel is sure to be just as heartbreakingly beautiful.

Drinks trolley // Gold, marble, metal. Oliver Bonas has come over all West Elm on us, and we ain’t complaining.

Origins serum // When winter hits, bitter winds and cranked-up heating does nothing for that glowy complexion we all try to maintain year round. Thankfully, the lovely people at Origins have created this new cult serum to stick two fingers up to dreary dry skin.

Horse print // As much as I’m a fan of abstract art, sometimes the crispness of black and white photography wins out. I adore this shot. I’ll always be a pony-mad teenager at heart.

Tell me, does anything here strike your fancy?

front roe view

El — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 16:56:50 +0000

Louise Roe – stylist, presenter and author extraordinaire – has worked hard for her career. She’s put in the hours, there’s been no “but I had no idea it was being released” scandal, and she always comes across as incredibly down-to-earth and just plain lovely. Total PLU territory. Since she also has impeccable dress sense (aside from a weird Oscars choice back in 2012), I had high hopes for her latest LA pad that she opened up to The Everygirl. And I wasn’t disappointed. It’s as tasteful as her Cali-girl-meets-ladylike-chic wardrobe, with a slew of neutral tones peppered with west coast pops of colour. Shall we take a peek?

{Big fan of the contrasting seat and back cushions on the sofa}

{Gallery walls – much like SEO and chivalry – aren’t dead. Especially when they feature Slim Aarons’ photography}

{Tufted headboard, abstract art and antique furniture. A combo that’ll rarely fail}

{Personally I’d swap out that rug for a jute or a Persian, but I love the see-through IKEA chairs – yep, IKEA!}

{Mirrored picture frames, and more blue and white loveliness}

{Pineapple, marble and hydrangeas – this lady knows her interior trends}

:photography by Monica Wang:

Want to get the laid-back Los Angeles look? Here’s how…

{Alexandra Nazari photography / pineapple jewellery box / Tobias chair / Chinese barrel seat / London map / Vogue book / lattice cushion / ethnic side table / Emily Jeffords art}

what i did in la…

El — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 20:02:09 +0000

Spent some time with these two.
When the Ant to your Dec lives an 11-hour plane ride away, it sucks. A lot. But on the flip side, you get to casually drop into conversations that, “Yeah, my best friend lives in LA. No big deal.” then casually swan off to see her, while reminding people that your best friend lives in LA. Because it is a big deal. Vicki worked ridiculously hard to get there and she works ridiculously hard now she’s there, and has über-important meetings with big-wigs at Fox and Universal and Paramount, and sometimes I’m so proud of what she’s achieved, I could burst. I also got to hang out with my 2yo goddaughter, who is quite simply the coolest. She’s a one-woman stand-up show, and is going to grow up to become Amy Poehler. I also loved that she kept forgetting my name (‘Auntie El’) and instead opted for ‘Teacher’.

Checked out Venice.
I’d been to LA once before but hadn’t got as far as Venice, so that needed to be put right, stat. We walked the length of Abbot Kinney (which, to style bloggers, is retail cat-nip), meandering in and out of shops, and chattering away nineteen to the dozen. We strolled through the canals, drooled over the gorgeous cottages and wondered out loud how these people got so rich. Turns out a lot of the places on the canals are passed down through generations, so it’s not so much making money as getting lucky in the family lottery. Gah.

Went to Shutters on the Beach.
New England decor is my jam, so Vicki knew I’d fall in love with this hotel. My ‘just going to the bathroom’ visit turned into a full-on stalking of the place… and one day… one day… we’ll stump up the obscene per-night cost and stay in one the rooms, which I’m sure are just as dreamy.

Sat on the Friends couch.
Vicki and I aren’t just Friends fans. We’re the Friends fans. As in 17/17 on this quiz without breaking a sweat. It’s also our comfort blanket – stick on a Friends episode when we’re feeling blue and it cures all. So, getting to sit on the actual couch in actual Central Perk was a major highlight in our lives. We also saw Phoebe’s guitar, the guys’ foosball table and Monica’s see-through shirt from when she sung karaoke. Our 15yo selves’ heads exploded that day.

Ate an In-N-Out burger.
Okay, so Shake Shack and Five Guys may have taken their sweet time and finally come over to British shores, but we still don’t have In-N-Out. I just pray to the burger gods that some day we will. It’s mind-blowingly good… so good, in fact, that there was a queue of about 20 cars in the drive-thru but no one inside the restaurant at the counter. I asked Vicki why, and she just shrugged, “People don’t like getting out of their cars.” What can I say? I get it.

Dined at Nobu Malibu.
To those who don’t live in LA, and who read celeb magazine on a weekly basis, the city is a bit like a safari. You want to see the Big Five (movie star, TV star, reality star, sports star, singer), and if you don’t see at least one, you’re disappointed. Since the last time Vicki went to Nobu, she saw Kourtney Kardashian, Lord Disick, Adam Sandler and Miley Cyrus, she promised me that the odds were in our favour. We ate our sushi and sipped our drinks (both phenomenal) at a snail’s pace in the hopes that Taylor Swift was on her way. Sadly, it wasn’t to be, but with a view like this (on left), who cares*? We also went to The Castaway restaurant, near her house in Burbank, and it was perfect. With festoon lights, a view of the sprawling city and a wedge salad that I’d happily eat for every meal ever, I’d definitely recommend a visit.

*okay, slightly, but hey, on my flight to NY the next day I saw everyone’s favourite Z-listers, Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan (non-Brits, don’t even bother Googling). And Gael García Bernal, who is far more talented, so let’s just focus on him instead.

instagram feed you need to follow

El — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 20:24:14 +0000

Here’s the thing. I have this thing with floors. And so do the masses, apparently, hence the appeal of this tile-filled Instagram account. No longer something you merely tromp over, the floor is the star attraction in this IG feed, from the sublime to the ridiculously intricate. Folks with often-stylish shoes are aiming down and snapping everything from monochrome hexagons to multi-coloured mosaics, and the Instagram community are going wild for it. Let’s face it, the goal is to one day be regrammed on this account, so I’ll just keep hunting for the kind of detail that will elicit sighs of joy. Who’s with me?

{clockwise from top left: @cntraveler, @creativekipi, @kellouhar, @kseniajasvina, @dimitrisbairabas, @carolinarandolph, @lucylaucht, @studiomatsalla, @lodarling, @strizheus}

spinning: a beginner’s guide

El — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 20:32:21 +0000

I first encountered spinning when watching Romy and Michele’s* High School Reunion in 1997. Phoebe Buffay and Mira Sorvino were basically doing rising trot on an exercise bike, and I was intrigued.

Then I promptly forgot about it for 10 years until SoulCycle was born, and the world and his kale-eating wife were making beelines for pitch-black, musty-smelling rooms at the gym, with a mid-noughties club soundtrack thrumming out of them. Making everyone else in the gym feel guilty they weren’t astride a bike in the dark.

But I stood strong. I resisted. It’ll all blow over before you can say ‘kettleball swing’, I told myself.

Well, it didn’t, did it? The more I planked outside the spinning studio, the more intrigued I became. I also heard that you can burn an inordinate amount of calories peddling away in front of someone shouting orders at you down a Britney-esque microphone. Plus, Brooklyn Beckham is totally into it and he looks like he’s got life sussed. I wanted in.

After signing up and resisting the urge to call and cancel, like, 48 times, I sauntered into the studio 15 minutes early. Y’know, to show I wasn’t afraid (exercise bikes are like horses – they can smell fear). I saw someone else draping their towel across a seat to bagsy it, so I casually followed suit… plumping for a bike on the back row, just to be safe. The room soon filled up with people of all ages, shapes and sizes – and I figured if they’d come back for more punishment after their first class, it can’t be that bad.

Our instructor was very friendly but she was definitely of the ‘I’ve got a body like Jennifer Lopez under here’ ilk. I told her I was a first-timer, so she fiddled with my bike seat and gave me a quick Spinning 101: Stand up on the pedals when I tell you to, pedal faster when I tell you to, and change gears when I tell you to. The gears were an innocent-looking dial on the bike frame – I just needed to twizzle it. Easy. She asked if I’d ridden a road bike recently. I nodded confidently. I just didn’t tell her it was circa 1994. In Center Parcs.

Feeling a little bit like I was in a kids’ roller-disco (flashing lights, pumping music, but minus the Slush Puppies and slouch socks) I started peddling. I don’t know if I was doing it right, but no one else in the class gave me a ‘what on earth are you doing, you eejit?’ look, so I carried on. We all happily peddled along to a weird club version of Eminem… so far so simple. Although at one point my little legs were peddling so fast J-Lo singled me out and told me to calm down and change up a few gears to make it harder. Ah. It did seem a bit effortless. I just thought it was my ex-horse-rider’s thighs making light work of it all.

We then started an uphill climb. This is when, in real life, I would probably opt to get off the bike and push it, perhaps stopping off at a pub halfway up for a G&T and some honey-roasted peanuts. Sadly, dismounting and roadside refreshments weren’t an option… so instead I put my back in to it. For motivation, I conjured up images of my fitness instructor of choice, Jillian Michaels, yelling at me that, “I want you to feel like you’re going to die.” I puffed, I wheezed, and I sang along to the Rihanna song in my head – hopefully not out loud, but I can’t be sure, it was very loud in there – as we made the epic climb. It may have been a gentle hill for all I know, but it felt like I was winding round the Pyrenees.

Finally, J-Lo released us from our standing position and I lowered myself back onto the sweet seat of comfort. Well, ‘comfort’ in the ‘it’s all relative’ sense of the word. We chugged back water, caught our breath, and I wondered how many club-style Eminem songs they could possibly play in one class.

After a couple more mountains/hills/gentle inclines, the clock on the wall told me I’d made it through a whole spinning class without collapsing. Joy. Rapture. Exhaustion. Oh, and a sore behind (I might take a sheepskin saddle cover next time – that’s a thing, right?). But, man, did I feel self-righteous.

So, if you’ve been eschewing spinning classes for years – as I have – I say go for it. I now go every week and am even considering signing up for a second weekly class. I know! I’m practically Gwyneth! Let’s just not mention the fact I often reward myself with a double cheese burger, sweet potato fries and a frozen margarita on the way home. Paltrow wouldn’t approve.

*No, that’s not a typo. Yes, it made me cross, too. Still… great film.