Interiors

There is that wonderful jazz song that says to, accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative and don't mess with mister in-between. It was one of those weeks where it was necessary to remind yourself about perspective and what is important and to look for the positive. It started with a small operation that didn't happen, continued with a furniture delivery that wasn't possible and snowballed with various minor disappointments. We had organised a weekend to start some work on our Antibes French apartment which required some organisation and planning. As with all good plans,

We were about to embark on decorating our Antibes apartment pre-Covid and as I reword posts in a different French apartment, it seems like a life time away. The space has been renovated but left at a raw state with a soft grey putty paint colour and lots of light. We needed to think about style, colour and furniture! After using Feng Shui practices, we took a step back and decided that we still wanted an Art Deco feel with modern furniture and a welcoming atmosphere. For us, this means clean lines, soft curves and fun decor. The Entrance

As Autumn draws in and we lose natural light, our interior lighting becomes so important. We are seeking a cosy, soft and inviting light to counteract the grey outdoors. Check out a previous post https://interiorharmonyblog.com/2019/04/28/lights-a-wow-factor/ which outlines the different ways to light a space through practical fixtures and those that give a wow factor. There are so many choices which can be confusing and there is a chance you may revert to something straightforward instead of going for  a statement piece that adds style to a room. What Does the Light Do? There are three key kinds of lighting, general functional

Living in France a couple of times, I am asked if shabby chic is still OK to use for interior design. The answer is - let's drop the shabby and focus on the chic but it depends what your definition is of this trend. There seem to be a range of answers within this style and it continues to be updated. French greys, soft neutral pallets with linen as a feature and chalk-painted wooden furniture with a bit of a distressed look to add age and texture. Recycled furniture, preferably 40s or mid-century and painted in soft colours including

It spans a range of styles from classic Art Deco sharp, metallic brutalist squares to Art Nouveau floral arts and crafts and I am instantly attracted to its chic Parisian mode. My preference is for the short period that sits in between the hard lines and ornate curves which shouts luxury but doesn't overdo it. The style works with modern and old and is best with the soft curves of wooden panelled furniture. Art Deco was the start of the interest in Asian and Egyptian decor so don't ignore a Chinese cabinet you can update to look Belle Epoque.

An architect friend gave me a key piece of advice; think if you are about to buy or rent - can you live with the bathroom and the kitchen? These are the two most expensive rooms to renovate. If it requires plumbing or electricity and you don't have the money, walk away. These incur major labour costs and, more often than not, you will discover other issues behind such as a leaking sink - our current apartment -or a totally live electrical box in my first house! If you have an unlimited budget, lucky you but this post is

The famous British interior designer, William Morris, stated, “If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” I grew up in houses full of stuff. Having travelled and lived in different cultures, countries and cities, my parents amassed an adhoc collection of original African masks and beads, English china including Toby jugs and mixed it with other collections such as Italian ruby red glassware. And they continue to collect. My mother has a Welsh dresser absolutely full

Christian Dior stated that,"white is pure and simple and matches with everything'. There are apparently over 1000 different shades of white from what our French painter called 'l'hopital blanc' to warm ivory tones and various tints and hints of blue, grey and pink. White is generally seen as symbolising purity, cleanliness and serenity. However; it can add a sterile and cold feel to a space leaving it stark and depressing. The featured photograph is from Neptune, a wonderful interior supply store that uses a warm ivory white against soft beiges and taupes with great effect.   What Shade of

Like most people, I love the idea of a big house with lovely open space but we seem to fill it with more 'stuff'! A chic New York one-bedroom apartment for five years was the game-changer as they say in the US. We had to give away lovely furniture and decor to be able to accommodate what we had. Fast forward, and we bought a larger two-bedroom German apartment and for a while, loved the room to move. After two years, it felt as if we were rattling around the place and starting to fill it with things again.