Sunday 25 January 2015

Summer Food

One of the things I love about summer is the opportunity to experiment more in the kitchen, there is just something about long hot days days makes me want to be a little more creative with the menu, light, fresh, healthy.

(Disclaimer; none of the photos below are mine, food normally doesn't last long enough to be photographed in my house)




















Prosciutto, Fig & Ricotta Salad with honey


















Watermelon, Pinenut & Feta Salad



















Traditional with a twist, Salmon Nicoise Salad.




















Jamie Olivers Carrot, Beetroot and feta salad.

How about you cooking up a storm? trying any new ideas? what are your go to's in the warmer months?

AAxx

Sunday 11 January 2015

New Year, New Style focus

Well, the Christmas tree is down and all of the decorations packed away, why do the decorations never fit back into the boxes they come out of?
So now is a good time to have a good look at our space and give it a little shake up, and I do mean little as the new house should be ready in the next couple of months. (Fingers crossed)

Here goes 5 trends old and new that I am going to try on for size in the coming months.

#1. Hang Art on a book case, 2014 was all about perfectly styled bookcases, with creative arrangements of books along with a unique mix of non book items which can really personalise a space but what if your like me and you need all the space on your book cases for actual books and said book cases take up a lot of wall space, (we really do have a lot of books) utilising the space and hanging large pieces of art over the shelves is a good option.

One Kings Lane 












#2. Abundant greenery indoors, I love the Urban Jungle concept, I started building my collection in 2014, so for 2015 I want to double down on what works for me and expand with a few bigger plants, maybe even indoor trees, although I do know that there will be a bit more trial and error after we move figuring out what works best in the new house. It's a simple concept really plants in the house make me happy and they help filter out crap from the air around me, it's all good all round.

Style by Emily Henderson 











#3. Colourful rugs with a Moroccan, Turkish,  type vibe. As much as I love my white and black Beni Ourain rug and my white flotiki which I will continue to use in the bedroom, I am feeling the need to incorporate a little more colour into the living spaces. The washed out colours of flat weave kilim, the more vibrant colours of moroccan boucherouite  or beautifully  faded vintage turkish rugs might just fit the bill.


sf girl by bay












#4. Switching things up a little with vertical string lights. The concept of utilising string lights in a variety of formats to highlight a bookcase, frame a doorway or just generally balance the light in a room has been around for ages. But normally they have been strung horizontally, I'm going to try seeing things in a new light (sorry I couldn't help myself) and hang them vertically.


Hannas Room 





















#5. Warm metallics, here we are looking at brass, gold and especially copper accents. I would love to add a brass or copper tray to the coffee table and during our work secret santa someone received a beautiful tea light holder, black on the outside and gold on the inside, it look all of my self control not to swap it for the book I ended up with while she wasn't looking. So I may have to settle for something like the accessories below.


Apartment Therapy

Apartment Therapy
Refinery29












So what about you, any changes in the new year? Home or work?

AA xx