Seasons in Colour

After the incredible success of deVOL’s Bum Stool, deVOL are very happy to share a brand new addition to their collection, introducing The Bum Chair. Made right here in England from high quality British elm and oak, this chair has the same uber-comfy seat pan as the Bum Stool, a truly distinctive feature that saw both pieces awarded with a very prestigious Design Guild Mark for excellence in British Design. This chair is not only beautiful, but promises to be the most comfort

If there is one thing we love showing you here at Seasons in Colour, it's beautifully colourful homes of course. Showroom-quality homes always look great but it's the homes that look actually lived in that always makes us * sigh *. And for a home to be full of character and have the lived-in factor, you need some vintage stuff (we don't say old) as well as new. It's the eclectic mix of old and new, of pattern and colour, light and shade that can turn a great looking home into

There is no better way to celebrate the beginning of Fall than with a feast for the whole family to enjoy, full of fall flavours - you know, comfort food that should include a stew to warm you up. Perfect for the colder days, slow cooked food is king in our household and is served with pride and in style. It brings back memories of cooking next to my nan, and fills the house with that perfect home-made food smell. Above: slow cooked pork stew served with sweetened onions and

Some of us are not born green fingered it seems (or maybe I should be speaking of myself only?), but that all changed when our lives were introduced to the world of succulents and cacti. Nearly indestructible (although, ahem, i am still known to have still killed a few), these little (and sometimes not so little) plants don't need much water or sun and will happily spend time anywhere in your home. Looking their best in groups, here are my favourite pots to showcase real or f

Every time I return to ZARA Home, there are always 10 things I could buy on the spot. I literally have to restrain myself from venturing in their shop over in Bluewater. Here's what caught my eye this week. 1/ Double border mirror, £39.99, this is large enough to put one on either side of your bed, a little higher that your bedside table. And at that price it is an absolute bargain. 2/ Multicoloured painted vase, £39.99 - Blue is making up a big part of the colour spectrum fo

You know I spend a lot of my time looking high and low for beautiful products for my home (and be extension, yours too). This month, while the light is still warm, I am totally inspired by bold colours and so this is a happy round up of the most colourful - right in your face products - I could come up with. My favourite shops, their most deliciously coloured products, right here for you. TRAVEL IN STYLE July and August are the months of travelling so with my passport in hand

The weekend draws to an end and I have just finished watching season 3 of Mad Men. Slowly catching up with the mischievous Don Draper and the rest of the crew, I am drawn to the series less for the story behind it and more for the interiors - not that this will come as a surprise to any of you. Mad Men is full of mid century eye candy. And it covers an era where entertaining (at home and outside it) was big. The furniture in the series is not all vintage but the sets are inde

It's been a good two years since I entered the Amara Interior Blog Awards for the first time, having published very few posts at the time but having a great big idea about where I wanted to take the blog. Since then, I had the opportunity to work with a variety of brands that helped me unleash my creativity, which in turn has been very rewarding for me emotionally. My legal background and work in the City of London for over 13 years now, has instilled in me a fantastic work e

With the rise of the online shops, offering quick access to almost everything that interiors afficionados could wish for, I often find myself craving a visit to a brick and mortars shop. Nothing beats a friendly chat with store owners, plus you get to see products up close, which helps avoid any disappointment when you order online ("it's much smaller/bigger than I thought/it looked). Some time ago I wrote a piece about Holloways of Ludlow's new lifestyle shop in Brasted, Ken

There is nothing better than brand new designs and brands for us to obsess over. I know it goes without saying that it's best to invest in one good piece, once, but seriously, that would be boring. So if you are looking for a change in your decor, you are in just the right place and at the right time I might add. Because I have all the new trends for April and I am happy to share these with you. So last week you've seen everyone tweeting about Milan Design Week. So many beaut

Oh, the elusive side table. You have searched the internet so many times and still have not made up your mind about one. You need it in the living room or in the bedroom. It's meant to tick the following boxes: it needs to have on trend materials and by that I mean gold/brass; it needs to be big enough to carry more than just a lamp; and ideally, it needs to provide some storage space, so a second shelf would be handy for books or boxes. Oh, and it needs to look really, REALL

Because Seasons in Colour is interested in both new products and colour, here is what caught my eye this month. Some products are already available to buy and for some you have to wait just a little bit longer. From pinks to greys to Pantone's 'Greenery' it's all here. 'GREENERY' HITS TEXTILES Pantone's colour of the year "Greenery" is not for the faint hearted and while you may steer away from painting a whole wall with it, it is definitely an easy colour to use in small dos

It's one thing seeing a new collection launched by a company that champions great design and another altogether when it's associated with someone you actually know. So imagine my surprise when scrolling through my Twitter feed I came across this picture. Before I even looked at what was written, I recognised the wild hair do with the signature tie back in the middle. "Wait, isn't that Kate... Watson-Smyth. Yes indeed. The top interior design blogger behind Mad About the House

We're getting closer to Christmas people! You can't visit a shop and not go straight for the seasonal decorations; and if I am honest, I just bought a few candles this week, all perfect for the months ahead. Cranberry, cinnamon, spruce, I have it all. And I am already organising the colour themes for our Christmas trees (yes, that's right, there are two of them again this year). You simply cannot get into the Christmas spirit without the proper songs! For me, Michael Buble's

Continuing its journey into designer furniture, John Lewis has enlisted the help of acclaimed London-based designers Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien for a new collection that will push design boundaries for the British department store. The 13-piece collection called Open Home is to be officially launched in February 2017. The British home is definitely evolving and so the Scandinavian influences of this latest collection will help changes the way you think about modern living

Luxury lifestyle online retailer AMARA Living has launched its first in-house inspired own collection with four key looks for AW16: Fantasy, Heritage, Graphic and Luxe. With distinctive design and meticulous detailing, each look embraces the luxury living ethos that the brand is renowned for. The launch brings together some of the world’s most renowned home accessory brands and manufacturers and combines them with the valuable knowledge of the Amara expert team to create this

With a crazy packed daily schedule it's easy to forget that your mind and body need some time-off, so I am going to give you a big tip. If you're a blogger or entrepreneur you'll probably think I am crazy but hear me out ok? This advice will not change your life and it's probably not something you have not heard before but here it is: WEEKENDS SHOULD BE SOCIAL MEDIA-FREE ZONES I repeat (clearer this time): weekends* should be time dedicated to you and your family (if you have

A few months ago I covered the launch of the Britannia, a limited edition collection by DFS in collaboration with TeamGB. I was very excited to cover this launch which gave me the chance to research DFS more extensively, learn about where the products were made and even have a few online chats on camera with their Sales Team. Talking to DFS was like a deja-vu. And then I realised: ALL MY SOFAS HAVE BEEN FROM DFS Sofas are expensive to buy and you spend a lot of time looking o

One of the positive things about being subscribed to a number of magazines is that you get to find out very quickly about trends and upcoming collaborations. There's been a certain hype in the interiors world about John Lewis launching a new range - a sub-brand - and, as we neared September, anticipation was reaching fever high. The products, which were launched last week, are focused on every day use and the quality in craftsmanship that has helped John Lewis stay positively

When we bought our flat in Fulham in 2007, just before the property market kind of crashed, we turned to DFS to purchase our sofa because our savings were eaten up by deposits and stamp duties and we wanted to break the cost - something a lot of online retailers just don't offer even if their products can run your bill into the thousands. The process of setting up this credit line was quick and easy in store and we received our sofa a few weeks later. We also chose DFS becaus