Light & Bright

Do you favour a light and neutral palette, or a bright and colourful one? I'm naturally drawn to colour and pattern, but also love an abundance of neutral texture.

A black wall adds weight to a neutral bedroom, and a splash of green sets the scene for a tropical bedroom.

It's hard to go wrong with a classic white kitchen, and a hint of wood or brass brings some warmth and texture. White cabinetry also looks amazing alongside some vivid colour.

A tan leather sofa works well with whites, creams and black; and a yellow velvet sofa sits happily in front of a colourful bookshelf full of fun.

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Made It My Own with Annie Sloan

Annie Sloan developed her unique Chalk Paint™ over 20 years ago, and she is now perhaps the world's most respected expert in decorative paint, colours and techniques. With Chalk Paint™ you get a velvety matt finish without the need for tiresome printing and sanding. The paint sticks to just about any surface... wood, concrete, metal, matt plastic, earthenware and more. Add Annie Sloan Soft Wax to achieve a subtle sheen as well as protection and durability.

The colours available and finishes you can achieve are just amazing, and you'll find a fabulous range of tips and techniques on the website. Try two-colour distressing, a smooth, modern finish, or how about the rustic, chippy look.

Everything you'll need for your painting projects can be found on the Annie Sloan website - paint, wax, brushes, stencils, even books and fragrances, and I'm pretty taken with their range of fabrics.

Get inspired by creations and transformations others have achieved with the help of the Annie Sloan range...

And when you're ready to start on your own project, you can share and show off your creative flair and up-cycling skills, as well the chance to win $100's of Annie Sloan prizes. Made It My Own with Annie Sloan is running until the end of September, so there's still time to be a part of it. To find out what's involved and how to enter click here.

Why It Works

Last year I did a blog post on different interiors I love and why they work. I fully intended to carry these posts on as a regular feature as I thought it could be useful to you, my awesome readers, to help you style and decorate your own homes. It's taken a while to continue the theme, but today I have chosen three quite different looks with my thoughts on "why they work".

First, my all-time hands-down favourite interior designer, Anna Spiro, is a master of colour and pattern. How does she mix so many patterns and have so much happening in this vignette without it looking out of control? To start with, having the wallpaper with a small print in black & white means it doesn't fight with the bolder colours in front. Anna has pulled colours from the Otomi picture on the right and repeated them throughout the collection which unites everything. Your eye is drawn to the bright orange vase first and moves up to the Otomi print, then naturally around the setting. Some solid blocks of colour, like the blue shade, the orange vase and the butterfly background give your eye a place to pause. Each item is grouped neatly - books are perfect to use in vignettes to add height to a piece and ground it.

If you are more of a neutral person, to keep your space from looking bland make sure you add lots of texture. This room photographed by Jeroen van der Spek uses subtle tones of white, cream, and soft brown to add dimension. The pattern introduced in the cushions is also subtle but helps to add interest. The stripes echo the panels on the wall behind.

If you want to add a touch more colour, take a leaf out of another of my favourite designer's books. Emily Henderson favours a colour palette of blues and greens, whites and greys, and adds warmth with the natural tones of wood, leather and brass. The painting here sets the palette for the rest of the room. A large neutral rug adds texture, warmth, and anchors the furniture. The round coffee table and poufs help to soften all the straight lines of the windows, fireplace, art etc.

Look out for more "why it works" posts in the near future, and let me know if there are any specific areas you would like me to address.