The 'Green Home Book': inspiration for plant lovers

One of the trends I love right now is 'urban jungle' or the idea of filling your home with plants. Greenery is said to have many positive benefits including providing cleaner air, boosting your mood and even enhancing concentration and memory (yes, really! I discovered many other benefits too here). But above all else, they do look lovely, don't they?! I mean, what would a home be without plants and flowers? That's why I was so happy to discover the 'Green Home Book'. The tome was created as result of a collaboration between Finnish creatives Riikka Kantinkoski (I once featured her beautiful home here) and Susanna Vento and includes beautiful photography taken in homes across Finland as well as simple tips on how to care for plants. Here's a sneak peek....

Photos from 'Green Home Book' by Riikka Kantinkoski and Susanna Vento.

Ah so inspiring. I must pick up a copy as soon as possible!

Doesn't it look lovely?

If you're a bit of a plant lover you'll also love these snapshots from the beautiful home of Jeska Hearne, the Brownstone of the owner of plant interior design company, and the bohemian home of a florist.

Oh, and I love this DIY idea - how fab? 

Have a lovely day!

PS I think the reason I'm thinking about books today is because I'm sitting at the library researching a new project (more to follow soon!). It's actually the perfect place to sit and work as it's super quiet and overlooks the park. The only problem is my typing is so LOUD!! I think I might need to sellotape cotton wool to my finger tips next time!

PPS I have such an exciting Swedish summer cottage to share with you tomorrow - it will have us all dreaming of balmy summer days!  

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Beautiful inspiration for plant lovers

Last week I shared a cosy garden shed make-over (how I'd love one of these!) - which was all about creating a little home to call your own at the end of the garden. Today, I thought we'd do the reverse - and take a look at how to create a lovely garden inside our homes - or at least bring a little greenery indoors! Not only are plants said to help boost health, clean the air, boost healing and help us work better (read more here!), they also look beautiful. This weekend I'll be taking inspiration from Jeska and Dean Hearne's lovely home - which Dean recently shot for a 'green-living' feature in Another Escape magazine. I hope you'll feel inspired too!

Credits: Dean Hearne

Time to create that urban jungle?!

Get the look with a few of my favourite planters: vintage terracotta pots, this and this garden pot, and for something a little quirky try Stella Baggott (cute!).

And for the plants - I'm loving some of these 'no fail' plants (said to be nearly impossible to kill  we like)...and the 9 best for air purifying.

For more home inspiration this weekend you might want to revisit the beautiful Melbourne home of a florist and a lovely boho home of a Swedish artist and florist.

And finally - 182 beautiful ideas of how to incorporate plants and flowers into your life. I guess we have no excuses!

And before I leave you to have a lovely 'green' weekend, there's good news all round, I've announced the winner of the Feliz bedding here - as well as a fantastic 20% off for everyone else - yay! Click here to get your discount code!

Have a wonderful weekend and see you Monday!

PS Could you live off the grid like this couple?

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The inspiring home and studio of Maaike Koster

I'm so excited to share the beautiful home and studio of Dutch graphic designer & interior designer Maaike Koster in Haarlem, The Netherlands today. Maaike has an inexhaustable passion for transforming ideas into inspiring concepts, beautiful designs and sophisticated spaces. And fortunately for us she frequently shares her family home, where she references much of her artwork (sold through 'My Deer Art shop') -on instagram (if you don't follow her, you definitely should!). Maaike's home is teeming with vintage pieces, the odd design classic, fabulous art and an abundance of greenery with an overall look which truly reflects her signature style - 'uncomplicated simplicity with a feminine touch'. Enjoy!

Photography / home owner Maaike Koster - My Deer Art Shop. Shared with kind permission.

What a charming home, don't you think?

Did you recognise it? I once featured Maaike's home here in 2013 - although I must say, it's gone through a pretty big transformation since then!

Get the look: All art from My Deer Art Shop. Sitting room - Eames lounge chair & ottoman, beni ourain rug, macrame plant holders and wall hanging. This antique apothocary chest is wonderful! Eames DCW chair. Children's room - source lovely vintage childrens desk and chair sets here. Studio - black work lamp, eames house bird.

See more beautiful Dutch homes here. 

And if you feel like getting a little creative after seeing Maaike's home, why not give one (or all) of these DIY projects a whirl:

Abstract modern art.

An easy leather strap shelf.

A wooden X shaped magazine holder.


The Icelandic Birch Cocktail- (this counts as DIY, right?). 

Have a lovely day! 

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The winner of 5 beautiful Scandinaviaform vases from Blackthumb

Thank you so much to everyone for entering the May day spring bank holiday to win not one but five fab Scandinaviaform vases from Blackthumb (oh yes!). I'm excited to announce the winner as....Pét'a K. Wonderful if you can drop me a mail with your preferred vases / address so we can ship your prize to you.

As you can see I didn't keep the prize all to myself (as tempted as I was!), but I will be heading over to Blackthumb for a little shopping! See you there? You can also keep up to date with @blackthumb and @scandinavianform on instagram for a great dose of interior inspiration. And if you're heading to Pulse in a few weeks, make sure you swing by booth A30 to see these vases in action and say hi!

 1. Consilium Vases & Glasilium Vases 2. Chamber Vases 3. Consilium Vases 4. Glasilium Vases

This give-away is now closed.

Terms & Conditions

You must be age of majority in your country of residence. We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur. Only 1 entry per person. 

This post is sponsored by Blackthumb and Scandinaviaform.

Have a wonderful spring bank holiday!

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A magical artist's home full of the joys of spring!

Hello April! How wonderful to see you! It would be rude not to celebrate with an absolutely stunning artist's home that's full of the joys of spring! The house, featured on JJ Locations,  has been decorated throughout with accents of green - whether in the form of lush plants, furniture, textiles or accessories. Combine this with the fabulous architecture, light flooding through the windows, mix of designer and vintage finds and art for a truly magical oasis in the heart of Camberwell, South London. Enjoy!

JJ Locations - shared with kind permission. Initially found via Design Attractor with thanks.

Beautiful, don't you think?! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Get the look: Dining area:  Tulip table,  Eames chairs, source rattan chairs here and spray paint in shades of green.  Bedroom: Tom Dixon beat light, bertoia chair, rustic stool as a bedside table. Landing: This industrial pendant is similar, Beni Ourain rugs.

If you haven't discovered JJ locations before I can recommend pouring yourself a coffee and taking a look around their website this weekend.  Based in Shoreditch, the agency represents a select portfolio of professional photographic and film locations across London, the UK and abroad. See more pictures of this lovely home here.


Other homes with a splash of spring green include this Gothenburg home, and a Skåne home with a vintage touch.
 
More links from around the web to enjoy this weekend:

How to style a credenza.

What a lovely kitchen?!  I've got my eye on these wonderful industrial bar stools similar to the one seen.

I love this funky Finnish children's bedroom inspiration.

My latest Tumblr find.

If you do one thing this weekend - bring in some pretty cherry blossom to divide between vases.

Books stored with their pages facing outwards look lovely but aren't entirely practical. And then someone told me on instagram that this is exactly what they used to do in the national library to preserve the jackets. Could this be the excuse I needed?! Loving the 'casual pile' too!

I was sad to hear the news of architect Dame Zaha Hadid, the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize (2004). Here are the 10 magnificent 'curvy' buildings she will be remembered for.

And finally....the night and morning routines of successful women including Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Anna Wintour- and guess what? It doesn't say that much about getting up early (I read about an entrepreneur who gets up at 3am everyday - I mean, really?!).

So that's it from me. Have a wonderful, *sunny* and relaxing weekend! 

PS Oh and I'm holding a fab give-away this weekend so make sure you pop by to enter!

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Plants and mid-century pieces in a New York City brownstone

Hello weekend (almost!). The beauty of the Internet is that you can transport yourself anywhere in the world, anytime you like! I'm taking full advantage of this and whisking us to a Brownstone in Brooklyn. I was fortunate enough to visit this fab borough of New York City last summer while working on my book. It's so vibrant and celebrated for it's diverse people, restaurants and bars as well as it's art scene. Lisa Munoz, owner of Leaf and June - an interior plant design company and David Azzoni, a partner at Turntable Lab DJ shop recently moved to this lovely apartment in the Clinton Hill neighbourhood. The duo have furnished their pad using only their most treasured items which include salvaged, vintage and inherited pieces...and of course an abundance of plants. So inspiring!

Photography: Erica Gannett. Via Design Sponge with thanks. 

What a great space! I'm loving the mid-pieces and all the plants!

You can read more about this home and see a few more pics (captured by Erica Gannett) over at Design Sponge here. It's fascinating to read about why certain plants have been placed where.

Get the look: loving these fab hanging plant holders and stands. Source teak mid-century furniture here. For more plant and flower inspiration you might want to check out my archive (yes, I have an archive for everything!).

I'm writing this from a café inside the walls of beautiful Galle Fort here in the South of Sri Lanka. I have to say though it's scorching today so we've been camping out hiding from the heat!

Have a lovely day!

PS This home is filed under my 'International Homes archive' - not that I want to wile away a morning for you.....but just saying! 

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