Lovely Things

Zara Home Spring/Summer 2007

Our posts on Zara Home are some of the most popular of this blog, and the one showing images from the Zara Home catalogue for Autumn/Winter is still going strong. But as we've been enjoying quite a bit of sunshine lately, it's about time we take a look at the Spring/Summer 2007 pictures.

This season is all about white, though still retaining the shabby chic/crumbling opulence influence that we saw last season. Some of the images look a little more 'Winter white' than summery, but the overall effect is very glamorous and looks like it would keep you very cool on a hot summer's day.

There were so many lovely pages in the catalogue that I had real trouble choosing just a few to show you, so click on the link below to feast your eyes on quite a handful of drool-eliciting rooms...

Airline lounge cocktail sign

Fancy a retro cocktail hour? I think there's something very civilised, if a little Bondian, about getting dolled up for a fancy drink before dinner. To help you get into the spirit (see what I did there?), hang this cute pink metal airline lounge sign (Rex £3.95), and pretend you're about to embark on a glamorous trip filled with exotic intrigue.

Ideal Home editor responds

Thanks to Susan Rose, editor of Ideal Home for responding in her blog 'Sue's News' to an issue I raised last month about magazines being published early. I was perusing the January 2007 issue of the magazine and thought it interesting that, because most consumer mags publish a month earlier than their cover publication date, in order to respond to what readers want to see in December, their January issue is filled with great ideas for Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations.

Sue explains why magazines do it, and it's understandable: readers want to know about the latest, greatest ideas and trends as early as possible. And of course, each mag wants to give it to us before other publications do! While this wouldn't usually be a problem most months, when it gets to seasonal festivities with specific 'celebrate by' dates, editors have a tough time.

Naturally you want to read about the festive season in December, but does that mean you're getting the latest info by reading it in a magazine with a January publication date? Wouldn't the trends for January (being out early in December), mean you're getting a heads-up on what's new, rather than what's now? Certainly a tricky one...

Gift Guide: £20 and under

Ah Christmas shopping. It can be tricky finding an interesting gift without having to spend a lot of money, or a lot of time trawling websites and shops. And if you have a lot of people to buy for, the whole thing can really take it out of you. To give you a hand is our gift guide to lovely things for home and living, for £20 or less...

Art Canvas from ASOS

ASOS call this canvas print 'retro' but I think 'vintage style' would be more appropriate. In a gorgeous fuchsia pink and gold, it's mounted on a chunky wooden frame and measures 30 x 30 cms. It's just £15, so if your walls are already bright enough for your taste, it would make a lovely gift.

Alternative Christmas Decorations

Not a sparkly, tinselly type? If you'd like to inject a bit of retro personality into your festive decor, these recycled vintage vinyl decorations might be just the ticket. Made by New York artist Jeff Davis, the records come ready to hang as a set of three for $18. Given that Christmas is looming large in the calendar, UK readers might need to buy with an eye to next year's decorative scheme. If you're in the US, take advantage of express shipping to have these in your hot little hands this week.

[via Retro to Go]

Metallic Candle Plates from the Pier

I never seem to have enough candle holders (yes, I even surprise myself there). Let me rephrase that, I have candle holders, but it seems like each time I want to light a new candle, the holder is too small, or the wrong colour, or an awkward shape that works with only one particular sort of candle. To the rescue are these inexpensive 'Aysel' metallic candle plates from the Pier. On sale at just £1 for the small ones (14cm) and £3 for the larger ones (21cm), you can buy a load so you're ready for those candle emergencies. Perfect for your Christmas table, they come in copper, silver, gold and red.

Related: Skeem Candles from Heal's | Blue Christmas Decorations | Frosted Leaf Candle from M&S

Wallpaper from Next

Next is a bit of a surprise for home decoration, and their small collection of wallpapers has some lovely designs at a great price. Each roll is priced at just 14.99 for 10.5 metres, and all paper is sourced from sustainable forests. Go for the baroque look with the purple or silver 'damask' papers (above), a cooler silhouette with the duck egg blue 'ice' (below left), or 'ice mocha' for a neutral tone, or a subtle retro style with the grey 'stellar' (below right).

Get Flocked at ASOS

Homewares aren't what I first think of when I think ASOS as they're much better known for their celeb-inspired clothes, but the online-only store currently carries a lovely range of flocked home accessories. Being from ASOS, they're also pretty inexpensive, so a great way to try out the current enthusiasm for all things flocked without breaking your budget. The set of four coasters is just £5, the candlestick and cushion are both £10 each and the photo frame is £12.

Blue Christmas Decorations

Not a fan of the traditional red, green, gold and silver for your holiday decorations? Why not try blue this year. As elsewhere in the homewares and fashion worlds this season, blue is a really popular colour choice with lots of items available in gorgeous shades of teal and turquoise. Here's a few of my top picks...

Habitat is always a goldmine when looking for non-traditional decorations and this year they have a distinctly glamorous feel. Left to right: 'Dew' chandelier drop £2, 'Lux' sequinned bauble £3, 'Palace' onion-shaped bauble £2 (for the small size).