The Must Have Home Accessory

So Christmas is over and thoughts turn to 2014 and what it holds for us. What we need to do in terms of self development, firming up holiday plans, or looking at projects for the home

No one enjoys a house project more than I do and the idea of the smell of new paint or finding the most gorgeous piece of furniture or stunning accessory is definitely what floats my boat. If you've got the finances available after Christmas and are not like me, stealing yourself for an expensive time with both children's birthdays just three days apart in January, you may be looking to bag a bargain in the sales.

I'm a sales sceptic but I must concede finding something you would have happily paid full price for now marked down by 50% is a joyous experience but, as my dad always says 'it's not a bargain if you didn't need it in the first place'. Now I am prepared to replace the word NEED with the word WANT but I must say if you wouldn't have paid full price for it then at least make sure it's the item itself and not the sale label that you've fallen in love with.

One of my New Years resolutions for 2014 is one of retail restraint. And it's going to be a toughie!  I want to be a more discerning purchaser, buying one item that I will love forever rather than several that won't last the test of time. I'm  going for quality rather than quantity from local independent stores. We are very fortunate to have excellent retailers in Lichfield such as the Kitchen shop (follow them on twitter@KitchenShopLich) and www.worthbrothers.co.uk wine merchants not to mention www.packingtonpork.co.uk all offering fabulous service and knowledge and a passion for their chosen field.

I consider myself very fortunate to live in  a lovely single track lane just outside the cathedral city of Lichfield and although interior styling is my passion it has come home to me that whilst I love the items we have in our home both inherited and new, junk shop and designer what really makes the house a perfect home for us isn't necessarily the stuff I put in it. The best accessory to our home is the sense of community there is. Yes, yes I know that all sounds a bit 'Little House on The Prairie' instead of my usual 'little house at the Priory' but its true. While we are townies dipping our toes into country life, safe in the knowledge that easy access to the  road infer structure  allows us to go about our daily office based jobs, many of our neighbours have gown up in the lane, some have been here for more than 60 years, suffering the Foot & Mouth crisis and nearly loosing lambs and ewes in last years late snow fall.  

And yet for our differences we have a great sense of community here, getting together over Christmas, enjoying our 'new' tradition of a yearly rounders tournament etc. At a recent post Christmas bash we all jumped at the chance of helping move a farmers flock of sheep in the coming months as, with his three lads away at university, he will be short of help. Whether he is so short of help he has to rely on the assistance of a family of suburbanites remains to be seen but I sincerely hope so. I'm thinking that something in a wool tweed would be an ideal outfit for sheep steering, perhaps paired with a medium height wedge!

So whether you're a townie cuckooing your way into a rural community like me, or a confirmed city dweller, I would urge you in 2014 to work at building a community.  It's 2014's must have accessory for every well dressed home!

Christmas Countdown

Well, we've reached the main run up to Christmas. It's funny that there are so many markers along the way on our journey to the big day. I've had my first mince pie today for instance. Not exactly earth shattering  but I miss all the markers I used to associate with the season, such as the carol service and of course the Nativity now my children are teenagers.

But whilst everyone has their own vague trigger points, such as suddenly feeling the urge to mix yourself a 'snowball' or buy a box of Dates, for the kids it's the advent calendar that finally sees them go from mildly excited to full on 'peel them off the ceiling' mode.

Is it rose tinted spectacles for days gone by or are advert calendars a little bit crap these days. All cheap chocolate  and Dr Who or One Direction. So this year I've taken the bold step, with the aid of the inimitable www.johnlewis.com to come up with my own countdown to Christmas.

These delightfully traditional looking boxes come in a pack of 25 all with hanging ribbon already attached and a ribbon to attached them to, to string them around the home, I've chosen to hang mine, along with a few baubles rather precariously on a slightly lopsided branch. I thought the lopsidedness would add to the charm, however I may have inadvertently invented the worlds first Advent Kerplunk. Now, knowing what makes my family tick, I've stuck to a chocolate theme for inside, but you could always put other little gifts into them or healthy treats or uplifting messages (yeah right) and the boxes can be reused again and again to become a family tradition. It's great to get the kids involved in assembling the boxes or to do it solo whilst taking in a glass of fizz.

I've decided that to add a little jeopardy to proceedings, other than the whole Kerplunk thing, and to substitute 25% of the contents for a  forfeit or  task. For example if your day to open a box on the advent tree is 20th December, you may find that instead of the Lindt Christmas Bear you were expecting, you have to promise to stuff the Turkey, or go for the world record of most sprout consumed in a singe sitting.

Christmas Kerplunk Countdown Commences - Snowball anyone?

Fashionista - Fashion Sister

In this weekly feature  I'll be sorting the Fashionista from the Fashion Sister.  Selected from Vogue's 'Best Dressed of the Week' we are talking 'A list' style royalty selected by THE top style magazine.

So where do I come in?  Well, even style high achievers can 'fall off the wagon'. Some people seem to make the grade looking anything but elegant or considered.

Included for who they are - despite style faux pas.  These are the fashion sisters.

What can I say some weeks just come & bite you on the bum - It's been a stylish week all round with celebs pulling out all the stops and looking fabulous.  Drat & double drat!

Fashionista: Taylor Swift showing that style transcends age with a Reem Acra SS14 gown that is simply stunning and very grown up 

Fashionista: I think this must be as dressed down as Miranda Kerr gets. Jeans, boots, black shirt & coat simple right? - If only!

Fashionista - Fashion Sister

In this weekly feature  I'll be sorting the Fashionista from the Fashion Sister.  Selected from Vogue's 'Best Dressed of the Week' we are talking 'A list' style royalty selected by THE top style magazine.

So where do I come in?  Well, even style high achievers can 'fall off the wagon'. Some people seem to make the grade looking anything but elegant or considered.

Included for who they are - despite style faux pas.  These are the fashion sisters.

Fashionista: Bella Thorne showed her Hunger Games colleague how to do sheer

Fashion Sister: Alas fashionista last week, but Jennifer  Lawrence shows you can't be complacent. Wearing Dior yet again this outfit doesn't do this A lister or the Couturier any favours. 

Fashionista - Fashion Sister

In this weekly feature  I'll be sorting the Fashionista from the Fashion Sister.  Selected from Vogue's 'Best Dressed of the Week' we are talking 'A list' style royalty selected by THE top style magazine.

So where do I come in?  Well, even style high achievers can 'fall off the wagon'. Some people seem to make the grade looking anything but elegant or considered.

Included for who they are - despite style faux pas.  These are the fashion sisters.

Fashionista: Jennifer Lawrence is the woman of the week & had many fabulous outfits this week to promote the Hunger Games but she seems most at ease in this gorgeous Dior coat dress.

Fashion Sister: You would think someone would tell Jessica Biel that she's accidentally tucked her Giambattista Valli skirt into her knickers!

Walls Have Ears

Well ears, angels wings, flamingos, pretty much anything that ' floats your boat'.

The vast array of paint colours and finishes, wallpapers, wall stickers and made to order wall art can be mind boggling but get it right and that colour, or image can change your room from the ordinary to the extraordinary from the weak to the chic, the fine to the devine. Well you get my drift!

Farrow & Ball Hague Blue used on alternate walls 

With paint my advice is this, there are so many paint companies now from www.dulux.co.uk to www.firedearth.co.uk, www.littlepaintcompany.co.uk  even www.MrandMrsSmith.com, the boutique hotel sight has just launched a range, but I think you do get what you pay for in terms of pigment and paint quality especially if you are going for a dark, rich colour. The days of the one colour featured wall has been superseded with people being bolder and painting an entire room or painting to a fixed point. I've recently updated the much loved Dulux Night Jewels 2 in the kitchen with a rich www.farrowandball.co.uk Hague Blue which has a wonderful depth to it. I've also painted alternate walls, mad I hear you cry, but it really works, adding length to the room.  And what's the worst that can happen - be brave people it's only a tin of paint.

Faux wood wallpaper at Rockett St George

Faux effects wall paper is really hot right now. www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk have some of the best. Think distressed wood and metal. www.andrewmartin.co.uk also have some real beauties.  Again it pays to buy the best you can afford as the more expensive ones have a larger repeat - so giving a more realistic appearance which is what you're after and a better image depth and resolution. Choose your wall carefully. Ideally you want this on the opposite wall to the room entrance. That way it creates most impact and you view it from the furthest point. If it's behind you as you enter you already know it's not really a set of library shelves or a busy London street resplendent with double decker bus.

www.surfaceview.co.uk are one of the most forward thinking companies printing almost any image to fit your size of wall, from a classic painting to a classic car, a herd of elephants to the dyeing  swan in Swan Lake and anything in between. Even your own family photos. Just be careful of the resolution when super sizing your own images.

Panelling in our hall

I've been busy convincing Mr H-at-Home that panelling would look good up the stairs. He protested, and then having realised the error of his ways, got on with it. He's not done a bad job - although obviously I am the genius at work here!

Another one of the tasks my other half was issued with was to line the wall of the cloakroom in penny pieces. Yes my fabulous idea once again. Beautiful shades of bronze shimmer in the light as part of a dark and moody WC.

So people go forward with angels wings, wilder beast, pennies, panelling and even ears.

After all if walls really do have ears it seems only right to let them  do the talking!

Fashionista - Fashion Sister

In this weekly feature  I'll be sorting the Fashionista from the Fashion Sister.  Selected from Vogue's 'Best Dressed of the Week' we are talking 'A list' style royalty selected by THE top style magazine.

So where do I come in?  Well, even style high achievers can 'fall off the wagon'. Some people seem to make the grade looking anything but elegant or considered.

Included for who they are - despite style faux pas.  These are the fashion sisters.

Fashionista: Kate Hudson wearing Gucci. A master class in how to show off 'to die for abs' without looking like a school girl or that you've come straight from the gym.

Fashion Sister: Sarah Jessica Parker's stance says it all. What on earth!!