What a fabulous Spring Launch for Chelsea Harbour Design centre.  I spent two days there this week and still didn’t see everything.  The show is open until Friday evening, for two whole days for the general public to have the same opportunity. So if you are really keen on interiors head to Chelsea.  Just be aware that you can’t actually buy whilst in the showrooms but they will steer you to the stockist nearest to your address.

We can see all of these items in catalogues and pattern books,  but seeing them in real life is so much better.

I thought I would post just a few of the items I found – it may be just what you are looking for. All are available through us at Whitemore and Thwaytes. Call in to see our showroom.

Colour is everywhere, pinks and blues are very dominant with a dash of lime or turquoise.

For Emma Bridgewater fans – Emma has designed a new range of fabrics and wallpapers for Sanderson. This range is so new that it isn’t on their website yet but their site is http://www.sanderson-uk.com

Look at these stunning cushions from Colony – what a great way of using small amounts of expensive fabric – I loved the lovely long bolsters – two on a king size bed would be perfect.

This curtain would make a perfect door curtains using heavy fabrics in a really interesting way

Zimmer and Rohde, as always have exquisite new fabrics. Embroidered linens and silks, appliquéd wool – certainly high in the price range, but a small amount perhaps for a roman blind or two cushions would transform a room and be a real focus of attention.

http://www.zimmer-rohde.com

And finally – some exquisite door furniture from Baxters Architectural hardware,

http://www.sabaxter.com

and some beautiful wall lights which are bathroom rated – so they can be a real feature as well as being functional.

http://www.portaromana.co.uk

Home and Interiors Exhibition

First of all thank you to Phil Rigby for taking my new profile picture for Cumbria life as well as the room shots of our house. He is just so easy to work with and even manages to relax me enough to look at least a little bit chilled. We were so thrilled with our feature in the January issue – which came out in December and for them to repeat it in the new style Carlisle living was an enormous bonus.
The icing on the cake of course is that I am now writing a column each month in this wonderful magazine, it is such an honour. It is full of interesting features and information to suit everyone and never fails to introduce me to new places to go, things to do and people to meet. There are so many talented people in our county.

It is that time of the year again, we have been working on three hotels one of them being the lovely  Lakeside Hotel at Newby Bridge here in Cumbria.It is right on the lakeshore at the bottom edge of Windermere.  I would like to thank Jonathan Robb for putting some fairly unflattering pictures of me at work on Facebook ! Each year they refurbish a number of bedrooms as well as a rolling programme for the public rooms. It is very beautiful.  Have a look a their website www.lakesidehotel.co.uk

Those of you who are in the trade will instantly relate  to the pictures below. Carrying in all those heavy curtains, bedspreads, pelmets, bed valances etc – then the nail biting begins in earnest.  Even after 46 years of  designing and fitting, I still have that little anxiety as I start to hang the curtains.  Will this be the occasion I have measured everything wrong?

On another fitting this week it was suggested that as we are so busy would it not be a good idea to have someone else do the fitting for me. I hasten to add there is usually one of my workroom “girls” to help me. My response was although it is quite heavy work I couldn’t possibly miss out on the best part of all.  Seeing the whole scheme come together, it still gives me a thrill every time.

In this scheme, the printed fabric is by Nina Campbell, the remainder of the fabrics are by Osborne and Little and the wallpaper is by Abbott and Boyd.

Below is the start of a beautiful suite – pictures to follow when completed.

My thanks to the staff at Lakeside particularly Geoff and Sheena and to the owners for asking me back to do their work for another winter.

www.lakesidehotel.co.uk

Now for total luxury, just so sad that you can’t feel these amazing samples.
Mohair rugs from Zoffany made to order in sizes to a maximum 4.3 x 9 metre. Incredibly soft spun from the wool of the angora goat which naturally grows with a very long fleece – mainly on the chest. these are just a few of the 29 colours available. You will never want to wear slippers again with these rugs in the house!

I love the wonderful antique look of Zoffany’s Curzon velvet. The fabric comes in a newly launched 18 colours to add to the existing 6 colours and has lots of beautiful soft neutrals in the range as well as stunning bright shades such as peony pink, coral and aqua.

This is a perfect example of a come-and-sit-in-me sofa.  The fabric is hard wearing and can be used for any style of furniture  from a modern sofa to an antique piece

I am so excited by a new range of hand made lampshades we hope to be stocking in the next few weeks.  The shades are made in many sizes and a whole array of beautiful colours and designs.The small shades vary from £20 – £30, the wall light fittings from £40 – £60 and the lamp bases from £50 – £60 for Nickel and £35 – £40 for the painted metal.

I visited the House & Garden Spirit of Christmas Fair at Olympia in London  www.spiritofchristmasfair.co.uk at the weekend and what a beautiful show! I only wish I had had more time to spend at the show and will certainly make it a priority when it comes around next year.

Not only was I able to tick off a few early Christmas presents I also met some fabulous new companies, many of which I will be able to write about in the blog over the next few weeks.  I am sure many of you will sympathise with my current plight, my iPhone decided to break, so not only am I feeling completely lost without it, all the photographs that I took at the show have disappeared into the same electronic black hole as the iPhone!

I was able to get a free ticket with my longstanding House & Garden subscription www.houseandgarden.co.uk ………always a good Christmas present for the man or woman that appears to have everything!