Choosing chalk paint

Customer service is key, well in my opinion anyway. Yesterday I was in the process of choosing paint for a client and aside from the quality of the product itself, it was the customer service I received from the company that helped me make my final choice.

The brief: source suitable paint for lime plastered walls

The contenders: lime wash paint vs. clay paint

The winner: Earthborn

Originally the builder responsible for the work on this project had suggested we go for lime wash paint, as this it traditionally works best on porous surfaces such as lime plaster and lime render. Despite it being an ancient paint made from limestone which has good breathability, anti-bacterial and insecticidal properties (woodworm and death-watch beetle hate it) and hence suited to older dwellings, I'm just not a fan of it. You see, when it's applied on porous surfaces, any dampness in the background material causes shading, which means the coverage obtained isn't uniform. The paint itself tends to be quite thin and over time can easily rub off. For a much more solid finish with better general coverage I would suggest chalk paint as an alternative.

It was at this point I had to make my choice between my two main contenders; Nutshell Natural Paints and Earthborn Paints. Both are fantastic natural eco paints that have won awards and have the highest of eco-friendly credentials. I spoke with both companies about the suitability of their paints on lime plastered walls and got all the gen about each of the brands.

So how did I make my choice? I love the mellow Earthborn claypaint colours as they perfectly suit this project, the paint itself is free from vinyl and oil but is still thick and creamy, hard wearing and breathable and the guy on the end of the phone was so helpful. He was totally clued up and forthcoming with technical information plus he was a genuinely nice seeming chap, all chatty with time to spend telling me all about the Earthborn brand and paints. I still like the Nutshell range and the colour matching service they offer and I have no doubt I will use them on future projects, however yesterday my thumbs up went to Earthborn and it will be their White clay paint and possibly Smidgen that will be covering some 16th century cottage walls in Devon very soon!

www.homerestyler.co.uk

Beautiful period style homeware with a dash of English nostalgia

Every so often a request hits the right spot and inspires me to blog about it and share the love. So today I'd very much like to let you into a secret. Ok, so not exactly a secret, because this fab online boutique has been building it reputation since it launched in late 2010, but it's just had a complete overhaul and relaunch and is crammed to the brim with a range of new products. So if you're looking for period style homeware and accessories for your modern period home this is where it's at.

Victorian style cast iron rim lock

Grace & Glory harks back to the past, with a feeling of English nostalgia but is constantly evolving to encompass new trends and materials. As such this beautiful online boutique offers products for classic period properties and more contemporary homes alike.  The collection includes a select range of indoor and outdoor lighting, kitchen and utility ware, ceramics and other beautiful home accessories.

colourful ceramic hat & coat hooks

What stands Grace & Glory out from the crowd is it's impressive range of period hardware. Whether you're looking for brass door knockers, nickel finger plates or rim locks and latches, you'll be sure to find them. What's more Grace & Glory offer a period homeware sourcing service, so if they don't stock what you're searching for, just ask, I'm sure they'll be able to track it down for you.

raw oak towel ladder

Brompton table lamp

Psst... if you find something you like on their website, click onto their newsletter here and you'll get 10% off your order. You can't say I never give you anything *wink*

www.homerestyler.co.uk

The trials of being a (self-employed) interior stylist.

Following a conversation with a client yesterday that felt like a personal attack, I felt taken for granted, taken advantage of and to top if off I got officially dumped by them. Like all of my projects, I had invested a lot of time, energy and emotion in it and felt totally destroyed by the words I was hearing from the other end of the phone line. So today I'm taking stock, reconsidering a few things and want to make a point. 

The Home Restyler ethos is all about affordable interior styling. I do everything I can to help clients create beautiful homes that work for them, that reflect their personalities and their lifestyles. I search tirelessly to source the perfect items for them and am always striving to find the best price I can. Whilst I am passionate about interiors and styling and live and breathe my work, I also need to earn a living and would very much appreciate it if that were respected. I'm not in it to make my millions, far from it, I just need to earn my crust. 

So today, in support of my fellow peers, friends who are freelance and run their own businesses and anyone else that would like to join in my cause, this is the point I would like to make:

via http://sweepmeup.tumblr.com

I hope that for any of you reading this, you will agree with the point I'm trying to communicate. We as individuals have our worth and we should all respect one another.

Thank you x

www.homerestyler.co.uk 

Inspiring ways to display your art & photographs

Sitting here ordering tiles for a client and eating a somewhat tasteless yogurt (well it is fat free, what's the point, next time it's full fat - full flavour baby!) got me in the summer mood. Why you might wonder, because the yogurt is coconut flavoured, you know that smell that whisks you off to the land of hot sun, white sandy beaches, fresh fruit juices, ice-creams and tropically warm seawater...mmm. Feeling all smiley and summery I thought I'd open the suitcase I shoved last years summer clothes in and get a load of washing going...and you know what happened? It started to hail. Yes hail. And don't let me forget to mention the gale force wind that is currently blowing out there. Heating on - check. Big hoodie on - check. Cup of tea - check. What the?!?

I digress. Someone recently asked me for some suggestions for displaying art around the home. None of this hang three frames on the same level in a row malarkey, no way... so to give ideas and inspiration I created a Pinterest board to accumulate fab ideas that can be shared with one and all. Hopefully it will turn the way we think about hanging art on its head. Loads of people have such unique and quirky ways of showing off photos and artwork so why not get creative too and see which of the ideas you'd love to try out in your own home. 

Uniform. Black frames. Colourful.

Trouser hanger hung prints.

All sorts of wonderful

Have you already got your own groovy gallery you're proud of and would like to share? Is so, we'd love to see it so send me a photo to katey@homerestyler.co.uk and I'll post them on the blog.

For loads more inspiration check out the Home Restyler 'Framing Art' board. Happy hanging!

www.homerestyler.co.uk

About time. The border is back. Hurrah!

Roundabout three and a half years ago, when we were in the midst of doing up our last house, I searched high and low for a funky, bright, statement border to add zing to my hall, stairs and landing. To give you the full story, it wasn't only because I yearned for something totally different to liven up this part of the house but also because I wanted to disguise an irreparably damaged wall surface thanks to a grotesque old dado, which we removed but couldn't afford to have the whole area replastered.

Well, you guessed it, I had no luck. I looked everywhere for something affordably modern and funky but all I found were hideous outmoded, cheap looking floral borders that formed unsightly rows in front of wallpapers in the likes of B&Q among other hardware stores. Instead I opted to leave all of the walls bare, except for the 4m high wall half way up the stairs, which I made a feature of with various sized fabric covered and embellished embroidery hoops.

Imagine my delight all this time later, when not only did I find one but only a couple of weeks later, two different new ranges of borders. Woo hoo. Ok, so it's not entirely helpful that I currently live in a rented cottage but I will definitely be using one if not more of these fab finds....

Jane Cumberbatch's Pure Style quince border

my kind of mustard

rose petal border

love hot pink

Jane Cumberbatch has brought back the border much to my delight and boy has she got the colour and style right. I just love them. The range consists of eight different colours and cost £30 per 10m roll. Boom!

I heard whispers that Earth Inke might launch a border or two as well, fingers crossed *smile*

www.homerestyler.co.uk

Some Spring interiors inspiration - Devon stylee

So it seems a fair few of us Devon based interiors-y folk are thinking along the same wavelength this Spring...

...pale wood, yellow + grey, geometrics & pastels... only difference is my slight obsession with a splash of fluoro *wink* 

If you want to know more, you can read all about it in Exeter Living magazine issue 138.

Don't forget, Home Restyler is all for  and about affordable interior design ;)

www.homerestyler.co.uk

Easy to make decorative Easter displays

This time last year my home was awash with bright spring colours, the living room filled with pretty paper decorations and all sorts of Easter decorations. This year however, my decorations are buried deep in a cellar, stowed away with the majority of my belongings, until we once again own our home, which will hopefully be larger than the current little 2 bed cottage we are so lucky to live in (lucky to have such a great view, not so lucky when it comes to parking / storage space / insulation!) To celebrate the beauty and joy of spring and to stick two fingers up to the rubbishy freezing temperatures that we are continuing to endure at the moment, here are some of my favourite ideas and photos of inspiring Easter decorations.

Source: sweetpaul.typepad.com viaHome on Pinterest

Source: frenchlarkspur.blogspot.com viaHome on Pinterest

Source: leukelintjes.blogspot.com viaHome on Pinterest

Source: lillelykke.blogspot.com viaHome on Pinterest

Source: livingathome.de viaHome on Pinterest

Source: yankeemagazine.com viaHome on Pinterest

Source: mittlivplandet.blogspot.sk viaHome on Pinterest

And I couldn't resists this ickle one...

Source: Home on Pinterest

for more inspiring images why not take a peek at my Easter Pinterest board.

Happy Easter, may the next few weeks be filled with gorgeous little egg-inspired decorative displays and delicious chocolatey treats *smile*

www.homerestyler.co.uk