Lovely Things

Cushions from John Lewis

I've been browsing the John Lewis site, looking at their lovely new season's soft furnishings. There are some really gorgeous cushions that have caught my eye, so here's a little round-up of some of the best...

This 'Tessica' floral cushion in chocolate brown is a great example of the trend for 'statement' cushions this season. It's 40 x 40 cms, the cover's a high-percentage wool mix and the 3D roses are felt, so soft enough to lie back on comfortably. It's £30 and also comes in red and a soft aqua blue.

Click the link below for more fabulous cushions...

Ebay Watch: Vintage-Style Christmas Cushion

How gorgeously kitsch is this cushion? It depicts little boys and girls decorating a Christmas tree and is really very sweet. Made from a 1950s inspired vintage-style cotton fabric it comes with a 40 x 40cm cushion pad included and the start price is £9.50. Be quick, the auction only has one more day to run.

'Galerie' Candle Holders

Here's an interesting idea - change the content of your home accessories with your mood. The 'Galerie' candle holder is essentially a hollow glass tube with a metal base and tealight candle slot. You can fill the tube with anything you like, from flowers to coloured water, pulses or nuts as these pictures show (though I'm sure you could come up with some slightly more inspired options). You can match the filling colour to anything you like to accent your colour scheme, and change it when the mood takes you. A set of two is £24.95 from WhereDidYouBuyThat.com.

Round Mirrors

Having mirrors around the house definitely helps to make spaces feel larger and brighter. But not all decors suit the traditional square mirror shapes. Round mirrors can give more of a portal effect, and can seem a little more unexpected in a room perhaps dominated by angular furniture.

This round carved wooden mirror from Laura Ashley has a lovely vintage style and comes in either cream or dark gold at £75.

For more mirrors, click the link below...

Frosted Leaf Candle from M&S

This frosted leaf candle from Marks & Spencer is so delicate in its pretty silver holder with a frosted leaf motif winding around it. It's £5, also comes in gold, and is just right for the coming Winter to give a lovely soft glow to your room when it's frosty and cold outside.

Zara Home Autumn/Winter Collection

Unfortunately, like the websites for their fashion stores, Zara Home doesn't show full details of their products, any individual product images or any sort of online shopping. So, we'll have to make do with their gorgeously-styled room shots. It looks like Autumn/Winter from Zara Home sees some differently styled lines. One, a more modern, slightly retro theme, and the other, a real feeling of decadence and crumbling opulence, with luxurious fabrics, mirrored furniture, lots of gold tones, embroidery and the flocked fabric style that I also saw a lot of at the Autumn Top Drawer show (seriously, everyone seems to be doing it). Here's a few favourite shots of the decadent style (click on the link to view)...

Stockholm Range from Ikea

Loads of high street retailers have launched premium collections and it seems that Ikea has decided to get in on the act. It's new Stockholm range offers 'super quality' at higher price points than much of their other merchandise. My picks are this beautifully-shaped easy chair in the bright BLAD fabric at £185 and the elegant coffee table in solid oak and veneer at £140.

Bedding from Dwell

  Now that the weather's getting colder, thoughts turn to snuggling up, and what better to cuddle up in than sumptuous bedding and blankets in warm Autumn colours. I'm a huge fan of brown, so naturally this chocolate quilted satin throw caught my eye. It will fit a double or a kingsize bed and costs £59. Also in brown tones with splashes of cream and bronze is this lovely satin stripe duvet cover set. For £39.95 you get the double duvet cover and two matching pillow cases. You'll have to be quick as there's only one left of these chunky knit throws in grey, on sale at £19.95 - great for curling up on the sofa with a hot chocolate. All items available from Dwell.

Graham & Green Winter Sale

Fabulous homewares and interiors store Graham & Green are moving to a new warehouse and we reap the benefits via their Winter warehouse sale. They're offering up to 70% off ex-display and sample furniture, mirrors, lighting, tableware, linen and accessories. To take advantage, get down to their warehouse near Olympia in London from today until 5th November.

Ikea 'Tripp' Kitchen Tins

Want a little whimsy in the kitchen? Check out these cute storage tins from Ikea with hand-drawn style designs. They come as a set of three for just £1.99 and can be nested inside one another when not in use to save space. I must say, I'm quite intrigued as to what the smallest is depicting - a teabag down a drainpipe? Anyone?