Idyll Home

Walls

That quote, from American writer and humorist Helen Rowland, encapsulates much of what Idyll Home works towards – helping people to make their house a home. ”Walls” have been a common theme this week – embarking on a personal redecorating project on the one hand and posting to the Idyll Home Facebook page on the other.

Another American cultural heavyweight, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright once wrote, “Pictures deface walls oftener than they decorate them”. How to square the circle then? What other ways are there to beautify your wall spaces and build on the concept of “home” into the bargain? It set me thinking…

Wall Lights

However you choose to decorate and adorn your walls, you’ll want to light it well – and if the wall lights you find just happen to be gorgeous in their own right….well that’s worth a little smile isn’t it?

A little modern luxury from a stunning black and copper wall light, or a touch of traditional elegance in a plisse silk shade, and your wall’s starting to looking smarter already!

Wall Hangings

Whether or not you think Frank Lloyd Wright had a point, perhaps we can use our walls to create mental pictures themselves. An inspirational motto could be just the thing to spark the imagination, or a conversation:

and while you take that message on board – it could be time for a spot of reflection;

Wall Mirrors

“Mirror, mirror on the wall…” – which is the fairest of them all?

OK, for fear of sending you ‘up the wall’ with any more quotes, I’ll park my thoughts about walls and quickly tell you that in our next blog we’ll be looking at some lovely new items we’ve sourced from the Himalayas – but that’s all I can tell you for now, as you know what they say about walls and ears don’t you?!

Summer seems like a long way off with this never ending winter but there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon, it is meant to be warm this weekend… finally!! So in the hope that we will get the summer that we all long for here are a few of my favourite Indian block printed cushions and textiles to get us in the mood.

I love these new sarong towels, Ikat bags and lightweight robes perfect for summer holidays and lounging by the pool with a cocktail in hand – I can dream!!

Cushions, cushions, cushions!!

I have a slight obsession for hand printed cushions, especially anything by John Robshaw whose designs I just can’t get enough of and if I had my way I would have none left in the store room as they would be adorning my sofas and beds instead. These cushions are just so beautifully made with hand embroidered detail and edging and the designs are just stunning. It is good to know that they are made by local artisans in India, using traditional techniques that have been around for hundreds of years. Here are some of my favourite cushion designs for this season; I love the soft, muted colours of the Laal cushion and Lavender cushion – true beauties.

January is not usually my favourite time of the year but after visiting Top Drawer and Home this month I have found some lovely new discoveries, buying new things for the site is one thing that is sure to perk me up!

House Doctor & Bloomingville – Danish delights

My favourite Danish companies Bloomingville and House Doctor have also got some stunning new things which I can’t resist again.

Moon – British heritage

We will be flying the British flag with some new wool throws and alpaca throws from Moon which are still made in Leeds and have been for over 175 years.

Here’s a little taster of what’s to come.

What do your home accessories say about you?

An easy and effective way of making your home more comfortable, welcoming and personalised is by focusing on the mixture of home accessories – from cushions and throws to quilts and pillows; from retro teapots to elegant pendant lights, and from the imposingly large to the delicately small – that really say something about who you are.

With this in mind, we have selected a few of the stunning items from our store to take a look at and see how they could make an impact on your interior design. This time round we are going to focus on storage.

Storage ideas

Firstly, let’s take a look at our vintage looking decorative metal box that comes in two fantastic colours (cerise and purple).  This beautiful box is certain to add a more personal and stylish feel that will catch the eye of guests; however you choose to use it.

Storage is a great place to personalise (everybody needs to store various things in different parts of their homes yet few utilise this perfect opportunity to add a personal feel, many opting for bland plastic boxes), and our hand-made Moroccan trunk baskets are some of our favourite home accessories.  The hand-made nature of the baskets really does make itself felt, and would surely imbue a homely atmosphere wherever it’s kept.

From the big to the small –  take a look at our vintage desk organiser paper storage files.  The four designs that are available to choose from will liven up any office, as well as being very practical.  The details really do count, and these great designs are sure to impress.

Whilst on the subject of items that slip by unnoticed; coat hooks are often overlooked as home accessories.  Visit us to see our range of coat racks, and make a decision on which better suits your home and personality.  A combination of style and practicality is essential; after all, what good are coat hooks that cannot hold coats?!  Being one of the first things that guests will see when entering your home, coat racks can make quite an impression!

The products above are just a few of the wide range we currently have for sale – head over to our store to check out more of our home accessories.

It is the little touches people notice, like Hardy’s subtle thematic inclusion of the colour red in Tess of the d’Urbervilles, the expressions within a home are no different. Home accessories like stunning pendant lights can add a statement to any room and give each room a personality.

Pendant lights – get the look you like

Overhead lights come in a variety of styles that can provide the perfect unique touch to a room or living space. The design a pendant light can provide is perfect for anyone looking for a statement piece or to compliment a particular style such as a vintage or retro look.

Pendant lights – get the use you need

A pendant light is perhaps amongst the most important of home accessories in a room. Position one well and it can provide perfect lighting for the ideal reading nook to curl up with a book on a rainy day. Ceiling lights can add warmth and style to any room.

A pendant light is not just for those looking to relax though. Hanging lighting can be a great alternative for people who want to free up space taken up by a desk lamp. Position pendant lights above a kitchen table or island unit for that wow factor which can really make a kitchen.

Pendant lights – get the feel you want

We know utilisation is not the only thing to be considered when choosing your lighting. Set out with a rustic design in mind and we have some great ceiling lights for you; if you want to be more industrial with a modern feel then we have you covered there too.

The right light can make the space. The right light can create comfort. The right light can give people an insight into your personality without being too overstated. Find the right light for you here at Idyll Home.

Looking for stylish ways to redecorate? Enthusiastic makeovers, even with the best of intentions, can leave you with too many items and clashing colours… less is often more when it comes to home accessories.

Home Accessories – a relaxed feel

The contemporary trend for understated chic in home accessories doesn’t have to mean a cold or minimalist look. Soft, natural shades are inspired by natural materials such as bamboo, rustic wood and organic fabrics. These are all key to creating a relaxed feel that gives the impression you might have just thrown it together!

Laid-back storage solutions

It’s about a laid-back look that doesn’t reflect the effort which might have gone into it. So think about storage solutions that allow you to tuck paperwork and laundry away. Boxes and baskets like our trunk storage basket in rustic materials and muted tones maintain a stylish look while making household clutter disappear.

Ceiling lights, wall lamps and desk lamps

Lighting can make a great difference when decorating a room, it’s possible to make a neutral space shine with pendant lights in brushed metal or simple glass. Alternatively, soften the edges with wall lights and dimmers or include a single note of character with a vintage free-standing lamp.

Ethical accessories – handmade quality

A real bonus with this natural trend in home accessories is the use of recycled and eco-friendly resources, recycled wood furniture and soft furnishing products such as wool throws and blankets. Cushion covers like our John Robshaw cushions are hand block printed using natural dyes. Ethical and Fairtrade purchases not only keep the conscience clean, but often have more to offer in terms of their handmade qualities.

Home accessories can bring your personality into a room. In today’s eco-conscious world, finishes such as reclaimed wood grain and natural fibres can help you to create that simple rustic look.

Pendant lights – what’s your style?

We have some fantastic new pendant lights which arrived last week, from sweet vintage ceiling light designs to iron industrial overhead pieces – great for loft style living spaces.

Whether you are looking for vintage style lighting or something more industrial or rustic, we have an eclectic selection to suit all tastes, here at Idyll Home.

Pendant styles – from left: “Industrial”, “Vintage Chrome”, “Rust and Gold”, and, “Taupe Pendant Light”.

Home accessories at Idyll Home

We have some gorgeous unique home accessories in stock now.

Unique cushions

I especially love the new fringe velvet cushions from Tine K in a subtle soft grey mixed with the silver lurex pompom cushion, just beautiful. I am still flying the flag for New York designer John Robshaw here in the UK with the new Savannah and Bunting cushions (I want these in my house) but so far I have resisted!

Storage ideas

Continuing with the new home accessories we have some lovely new decorative accessories that look great but have their uses too for storage. The trunk storage baskets look so simple and stylish but are perfect for a multitude of uses from blanket storage to shoes and toy storage. We have lots of lovely new baskets too that can be used as log baskets or laundry baskets.

Bloomingville – simply modern

We have just added some beautiful new things from Bloomingville, our favourite new company based in Denmark. We love the simple clean lines mixed with rustic touches and a dash of vibrant colour. We love the simple modern feel that Bloomingville do so well.

Tine K – pure and simple

Tine K is another of our favourite companies from Denmark. Pure simple living again with a more laid back vibe, luxurious fabrics and beautiful silk lamp shades, just beautiful!

Hello and welcome to Idyll Home. I need to blog more, or so I have been told… so here goes!

Idyll Home favourites

I thought I’d share a few of my favourite things from Idyll Home, which is not an easy thing to do when I like everything we sell. I love our new Ikat polymats,  Mistral planters and luxurious Velvet throws, all of which I have my eye on but really just can’t justify taking more things from the store room!

Fair Trade at Idyll Home

I also love some of our mango wood products which are all FSC approved and hand crafted in India. These products are all Fair Trade items too ensuring the artisans who make them are fairly rewarded for their skills. The natural grain of the wood is just beautiful.

Let me know what are your favourite things at Idyll Home…Claire x

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