Showing posts with label decor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decor. Show all posts

Wednesday, 17 October 2012

Home Comforts

Home Best Buys...


When Robbie and I first moved into our home, every shop I visited warranted a purchase for my new abode! However, almost 800 days later, I have grown to know and love my staple purchases that no cosy home should be without!

Candles

With a two year old Great Dane to contend with, we need as much help as possible when it comes to keeping bad odours out and good odours in! 

Boycey Mac taking up resident spot on the rug!

Not only do these Jo Malone candles look the part, but they smell divine and last for ages! My personal choice is the classic Lime, Basil and Mandarin, but pretty much all of their flavours give off an amazing scent that will have your guests oo-ing and mmm-ing all night! Buy yours online here.

Even the packaging is sumptuous!


Photo Albums

I can't remember the last time I took a film to be developed or even saw a disposable camera! With so many of us now using digital cameras and sharing picture through social media, I think fewer and fewer of us have hard copies of our memories. There's something quite special about sitting on the couch and laughing with friends over a glass of wine as you remind yourselves of terrible haircuts and outfits that shouldn't have ever been designed... ever!

I can't stand clutter, but a couple of albums grouped together like these Anna Bilton Crocodile Embossed Leather Photo Albums offer an ideal way to showcase your treasured pictures and decorate your coffee table with a chic edge.

 

Cushions

No couch, bed or chair is complete without a pile of decorative cushions added to it! I love Catherine Tough's Creature Cushions that come with appliqued chicks, sausage dogs or owl designs!

Too cute to resist!

 

Elemis Bath Milk


If you like to drown yourself in luxury then look no further then Elemis Milk Bath. Pouring a few drops of this heavenly scent into a hot bath will have you relaxed and smelling gorgeous in no time. You can also apply it directly to the skin - it's great if you suffer from dry skin and is also said to help eczema and psoriasis.


Elemis marked their 20th anniversary with this rather sumptuous limited edition glass decanter. Being a fan of the product I had to have this large bottle adorning my bathroom shelf, and now I just top up the decanter with the bath milk as and when it runs out. If you're a fan grab one here before they're all gone!

 

Fleecy Blanket


When it's cold outside and you're snuggled up indoors with the dog and Channing Tatum or Ashton Kutcher on your screen, every girl (and most men - not that they'd admit to it!) needs a cosy throw to balance one's chocolate on and tuck in one's tootsies. I love this Biba one that even has a leather carrier should it require transporting to a friend's house!



 

Flowers

I love having flowers in the house, and really think they add a freshness that no amount of Febreeze or wide open windows could add up to.

Changing flowers every week started off as being a fun element to the weekly shop, but chucking out endless amounts of dead tulips and washing dirty vases soon became pretty arduous - not to mention pretty expensive!

I found some fantastic artificial flowers in Selfridges, and these rather handsome Hydrangeas adorn my dining table week in week out! And the only attention they require is a little dusting every now and again!

At almost £18 each they're not exactly cheap - but they won't be dying on you anytime soon!
Of course nothing beats the real thing, but now I save my real flower purchases for when I've got people over, and that means I can get something much more special!


Monday, 8 October 2012

Duck & Waffle - Breakfast with a View

Not recommended for those with a fear of heights!


So Sunday just gone consisted of heading into London with husband-to-be, Mother and Mother-in-Law, to view the Queen's Chapel (our wedding-venue-to-be) following its recent refurbishment works.

Of course one can never start such a task without devouring an enormous fried breakfast, and it seemed like the perfect excuse... I mean opportunity... to test the new Duck and Waffle at the Heron Tower.

This quirky new restaurant is on the 40th floor of the tower, which is somewhere near the top of this...

Thankfully there was a lift!

On flying up to the 40th floor at a rate of knots in a glass, OUTER FACING lift, we were greeted with a breathtaking view of London just as the 9am haze was clearing:



We were first in the restaurant and had a choice of table, so opted for one by the window. The menu was as equally pleasing as the view, and it was a difficult choice between the full English or the chocolatey waffles!


As you can see, I went for the take-no-prisoners-fry-up, and boasting a giant mushroom, black pudding and plenty of crispy bacon it didn't disappoint! 



 Those watching their waistlines opted for something on the healthy side, but which looked equally as tasty


After gaining a few more pounds, and the restaurant had rapidly filled up, we had another quick wander admiring the decor before making our descent!

The bar area - pretty sure this vast collection would include your favourite tipple!

Light feature


Great view of the Gherkin

Viewing point



Not wanting to put any budding visitors off, but have a look at the video below to see just how quickly you descent from floor 40 to ground... the flickering isn't poor video quality, its the metal frame flying past us as we continue downwards!



The Duck and Waffle is also open for lunch and dinner.



Duck & Waffle on Urbanspoon