Fab Four Retro Buys

My knee boots are on again and seventies styles are all over the high street. What is it about Retro that never goes out of fashion? Here's my all time fab four:

The iconic Roberts radio is my most used kitchen appliance so no wonder I'm already swooning after the newly launched mini version (above).  It's like the cute little sister you don't want your boyfriend to meet - all the good looks, in a tidier package. £130 from www.robertsradio.co.uk

I love clean lined modernism as a rule, but whenever I go through a retro phase, this Smeg fridge is never far away from my thoughts. I couldn't get away with baby pink in my place, but I sure would love a coke float in this pimped up kitchen. For under £1K you can get yours here: www.coopelectricalshop.co.uk

I google AGAs for fun. Big, warm and beautiful, this white one has been on my wish list for years. It's going to take me a while to save up for one of these babies but who knows, by then I just might have learnt how to cook. www.agaliving.com

My Kitchen Aid is the business and makes baking bliss. I've got the white one, but this mint version is, well, mint. There's a whole rainbow of colour choices available from www.johnlewis.com

So that's my House Candy hip parade. Love and Peace pop pickers.

Make love, not dough

What have these three images got in common? And what the hell has bread got to do with interiors. Read on for my new found recipe for interiors zen.

Yesterday I had just the best day. It was a trip out with my hippy friend; so it was all about fresh air, thrift shopping and, well, carbs actually. The very thing I spend most of my week avoiding. And guess what, it was deliciously inspirational.

Hippy Friend took me to the The Handmade Bakery in Slaithwaite, near Huddersfield. This is a not-for-profit community supported artisan bakery. It turns out gorgeous, wholesome, oven fresh loaves and pastries for the sheer love of it. Almost as a by product, it also provides us visitors with a vey cool place to hang out, chat and chow down on some unbeievably gorgeous products.

You see, I have discovered that when you do something just for the love of it, amazing things happen.

It's the same in interiors.  When your home is filled with stuff you love there is an unspoken coherence that oozes personality and connects each room. That kind of style works better than any cleverly contrived colour scheme.

Take my newly arranged kitchen shelves. (See the last post) I love fashion and I love interiors so inevitably in my house, those two worlds collide. This week I delighted in pulling out all my candy coloured kitchen accessories and indulging them in my own little fashion moment. It's an interiors statement that won't suit everyone, but it sums up my current mood perfectly and as a result, I have created a room that I love to be in.

Back in Slaithwaite (pronounced Sla-wit you ought to know) there are a couple of exciting vintage shops just over t'bridge from t'bakery. Here I picked up the two prints above that will now forever
remind me of my wholly satisfying day. When I learnt that success happens when you focus on craft, rather than profit making. That out of the love, comes the amazing. And guess what fashionistas, they only blooming well match my newly styled kitchen ;-) Coincidence or Karma? I know what my Hippy Friend will say.

Improve Your Shelf Life

It's February and romance is in the air. 

The catwalks are awash with cute candy colours, which means it's time for me to spread some sweet love at home. 

This week I'm getting deep down and flirty between the shelves thanks to some new kitchen accessories  - like this fab Flamingo print (above) from www.made.com  It's brought out the love birds in all of us.

Davina fans look away now. 

With January's diet ditched, I decanted the last of the Christmas choccies into this homemade sweetie jar with more than a bit of the Willy Wonkas about it.

 The Kilner jar keeps sneaky little fingers at bay, but Oh what I can get the boys to do for a delve in my treat-ie jar. Can I tidy my room Mummy? Oh go on then.

I found these vinyl stickers from a fab little seller on ebay. Choose your own size, font style and colour for a cheap and simple way to update storage jars and make cool gifts for sweetie lovers. 

J'adore these pretty china mugs from Tesco. Perfect for that afternoon sugar dip. Also on the weekly shop, I couldn't help adding a few of these cheery tumblers into the trolley. A pound a pop as we say in Yorkshire - They certainly add a colour pop here.

Wit-woo cute looking kitchen. Sweet as a Valentines smooch. And way better than a bunch of roses.

Fancy a nibble?