This blog post was going to be about the ubiquitous washi tape.  But, as you will see, I’ve digressed and it’s more about tips on home styling but I will get to that later.  Washi tape is everywhere – stacked prettily on shelves in shops, endless designs on web shops, various craft how to’s on blogs – the list is too numerous!  So I thought there is something I am missing here I must give it a go.  Well after purchasing several rolls I am still missing something because I just don’t get it.  After adorning various objects with it I felt I had been in an art session with the kids.  The main use I have found for it is covering toothpaste dispenser pumps – don’t you just hate toothpaste dispenser pumps – surely in the twenty first century someone could come up with a prettier alternative to sit on the wash basin?  I do like my utilitarian objects to be visually appealing and tooth paste doesn’t cut it.  So that is my top tip for washi tape. Moving on swiftly, I am having a new bay window fitted today and I am so excited at the thought of another room being nearer completion.  I can finally decide on the colours to use and can start to visualise how it will pull together.  Whilst clearing out the sitting room for the big event today I started to have a play with objects and pictures to get a feel for the style I wanted.  Or should I say non-style because I don’t think I readily fit into any category except possibly eclectic, I like to have bits from everything and mix it up.  So I thought I’d offer a few tips on home styling whilst I was having a play.

 

Memories are the biggest draw for me so I do like to have a certain amount of photos and family heirlooms (not in the monetary sense, their only value is to me) mixed in with the new and vintage finds.  These white shelves in an alcove had a grouping of mostly off white objects along with sepia photos, and my much treasured Persephone books, but I felt I wanted to inject a bit more colour and drama for the winter months.   I like to link by colour mostly and then play on the juxtaposition of height and shape to give a pleasing overall effect. Above is my first vignette - such a lovely word, don’t you think?  The starting point was a lovely framed flower print that my daughters bought for me in Bruges, then I added a lovely shabby chic photo frame from Audenza that I had put a greeting card into and then, of course, my home grown blooms in a gorgeous charity shop vase.

This is another variation on the theme but with a lovely Vernon Ward print as the starting point which I bought at auction.  It was meant to be for Audenza but I’m afraid it was misappropriated, as I couldn’t bear to part with it!  Such a gorgeous frame, as well, don’t you think?  The style of these two is very much romantic country and I find it very pleasing.

Another vignette of the same shelves but with a warmer, richer feel to it.  The clock was left to me by my grandmother and is a treasured piece along with family photos and a gorgeous smelling candle from Emma Bridgwater’s lustre range.  Another great little home styling tip is to glue beads to the end of ordinary push pins and use them to pin up postcards, or old greetings cards.

More family photos grouped with a candle stick I bought from a charity shop.  I painted it that lovely 1930’s green and crackle glazed it to age it.  The bell jar is from Audenza and very much part of the new explorer look hitting the style trends.  It shows that you don’t need to buy into a complete look – just pick the pieces you like and mix them up.

I love the grey colour of this back drop and think it will be the colour of the walls in the sitting room, unfortunately it was a colour I mixed and I have no idea what from.  Old postcards can be put up on the wall (with washi tape) and changed as and when you feel like a revamp.  Isn’t the bunny lamp delicious, another beautiful piece from our quirky lighting range? Hope you have enjoyed my tips on home styling and maybe it will inspire you to have a change round.  If you have any tips of your own, I would love you to share them below! Audenza x By Jacqui Brooks