Pippa Jameson Interiors: Blog, Hints, tips, trends and advice for the home » Favourite shops

Shabby Chic Furniture

Carrie Graham-Clarke — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:00:42 +0000

The consumer practice of throw-away buying and not caring about the origin of a product has drastically changed in the last few years. We’ve grown increasingly interested in learning about where our food is from, is it ethically sourced, is it organic, is it healthy, were the animals properly cared for? Our habits of recycling are also improving – we don’t want to waste, we want to buy responsibly and we want to buy items that will last. It’s these traits, this new mentality for intelligent purchasing that is spreading to all aspects of our life and affecting our buying habits; especially when buying interior products. There is one particular interiors trend that follows the ethical ethos.. shabby chic.

The trend for all things shabby chic has been around for a while now, and is showing no signs of leaving. With the recent revival for choosing up-cycled over reproduction furniture, it’s clear that consumer buying habits are changing. We are going back to vintage roots by thrifting and creating, with a make-do-and-mend attitude. I think the reason shabby chic furniture has been so successful is down to its transferrable nature – blending in to most interiors seamlessly. This is due to the variety of shapes, styles, colours and differing degrees of furniture painting techniques used. Every item of shabby chic furniture looks different and any style of furniture can be up-cycled. Many of the high street chains cottoned on to the trend over the years and have decreated mass produced reproduction shabby chic furniture which I am not a fan of; it all looks the same, devoid of any character. The paint is flat, the wood is cheap MDF and the style is unimaginative. I believe that shabby chic furniture should be up-cycled from antiques or pre-used furniture – you can see the grain of the wood, it distresses authentically and more often than not the furniture is imperfect. It is these imperfections that make great shabby chic furniture – the dents, scratches and uneven surfaces, they all add to the character and individual nature of the piece. For these reasons, I buy from independent suppliers who up-cycle the furniture in-store and by hand. Below is a selection of the best shabby chic up-cyclers!

The following antiques dealers also offer a great selection of beautifully painted, French shabby chic furniture: The French House, A & L Antiques, Maison Artefacts, Belle Epoque, Jensen and Ballantine and for the occasional piece MADE.

Our favourite independent shops

Pippa Jameson — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 05:00:25 +0000

With the credit crunch still looming and interior giants such as Habitat closing down, it’s now more than ever that we need to support our independent stores. The pros of shopping for homewares from independent retailers are endless, and the proof is in the pudding when you see the gorgeous variety of products on offer. You can find several brilliant guides to England’s best independent shops through websites such as Independent London and Unchained Online Guide. Below is a our selection of the best independent shops that specialize in homeware!

An Angel at my Table is a family-run company {6 people and 1 dog} who will ‘bend over backwards to offer something different’ to their customers. They offer quirky and individual products with an definite artisanal quality, all selected for their originality rather than perfection. Whether it’s English or French furniture, fripperies and petites folies, An Angel at my Table have a beautiful and cleverly thought out collection.

Lily & Lime is the brainchild of busy working mother, Kristen Bridge, in reaction to the age old dilemma of selecting the perfect gift. The philosophy of Lily & Lime is to provide unusual, stylish and perfectly present gifts for all.

Baileys Home & Garden sell a heady mix of vintage and new from a variety of different sources, all sharing the qualities integral to their philosophy – ‘repair, reuse and rethink.’ The family run business loves to reuse unloved items and give them a new lease of life. When not reusing and recycling; Baileys design simple and useful products with a subtle sense of humour.

Camel & Yak is a young business specializing in beautiful and delicate French & Scandinavian lifestyle products, thriving from a loyal customer base. The vast selection of home wares are charming, colourful and would be complementary to any style or decor.

Cox & Cox is a treasure trove of decorative home accessories which are both beautiful and practical. The product range taking influence from all around the globe, taking note from childhood memories but often adding a contemporary twist. The team behind Cox & Cox have a strong design background which shines through in their choice of products.

‘Cabin living’ inspired design

Meghan Plowman — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:47:23 +0000

Below are some of my favourite ‘cabin living’ inspired accessories and interiors of the moment. I know this trend has been around for a while now, but I love it!

It appears that creatives around the globe have opened their doors to the friends of the forest, with looks featuring cute woodland critters such as owls, deer and rabbits and earthy timbers in warm tones. I love how this style can be both fun and elegant, whilst inviting the outside in! I especially like the white ceramic animals from Have You Met Miss Jones…

Vintage Posters availabe from Etsy.com

Interior of The Cabin restaurant in Perth, Western Australia

Image courtesy of Velocity

Chocolate Creative at My Deco

Pippa Jameson — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:55:35 +0000

I was invited to My Deco bloggers meet up last week where the lovely Margarita Lorenzo from Chocolate Creative was showing her beautiful home accessories. It was a really interesting night; as well as getting the chance to meet some fellow bloggers, My Deco talked to us all about some great tools that will make the whole blogging process much easier. I will keep you posted about when they become available…

Margarita also took the time to talk to us about her lovely designs and below are a few examples of her work, see her full collection at Chocolate Creative or visit her lovely blog.

29th July – 12th August 2011

Beautiful homeware from Marimekko

Meghan Plowman — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 01:09:28 +0000

I must admit I have a slight obsession with Scandinavian design at the moment! I recently stumbled across the work of Finnish design company ‘Marimekko’ after some research into my Nanna’s beloved dining set that I have coveted since about the age of 10! Little did I know that this well established design company has been producing a wide range of items for the home since 1951 including bedding, fabrics, dining, wallpaper and more – all beautifully original and timeless in their design.

If you are a fan of these pieces, you will be pleased to hear that all discontinued items are now on sale through distributor finnstyle.com

Christmas gift guide

Elizabeth Danon — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 12:53:12 +0000

This year I am genuinely confused as to which way to go with Christmas colours, materials and interiors in general. I have a love for all things old and natural, but am also loving the contrast of the slightly tacky sparkly stuff. Therefore I have handpicked my absolute favourites from a variety of suppliers, which will hopefully help you to decide if you are having a simular dilema to me! I have decided to go for a mixture, although I do like themes, I think the contrast between different styles is always exciting and alot more interesting and challenging.

These pine cones are super cute on their red ribbons, you could probably make them but they are very cheap I think.

Habitat pack of 12 pine cone decoration: £4.50

This means you can kiss under the tree at any time.

Liberty mistletoe bauble: £3.95

I adore these simple and rustic cowbells, even the box could be re-usable.

Toast cowbell decorations: £25

Light up your house in a special way with these fir tree candles that come in a variety of colours.

John Lewis tree candle: £6-£10

An interesting holder for your tea lights that can be used all year round.

Habitat fairy tea light: £4.00

Simple yet very effective, I love this candle from toast and you could use the jar afterwards.

Toast candle: £22

sparkly snowflakes to decorate your porch.

John Lewis snowflake candle holder: £5

I have a few of these Lily Flame candles and I must admit that they smell divine, infact the best!

John Lewis Lily flame candle: £8

I love the gold splash effect on this glass, perfect to have by your bed for Christmas hangovers.

Habitat jug with glass: £9.60

A special addition to the Christmas table and a nice touch.

Habitat acorn napkin ring: £16

Who needs funky disco balls when you can have a pine one?

Heals large pine cone ball: £35

I adore the simple elegance of this wreath, it’s very homely and welcoming; perfect for your front door.

John Lewis holly and pine wreath: £25

I realise I have an obsession with antlers, but aren’t these cute?

John Lewis set of two deer decorations: £6

Ok, one more set, these will look brilliant on your living room wall or in the hallway to dazzle your guests.

Habitat mirror antlers: £22

Another pine cone special from Heals.

Heals pine cone wreath: £22

Snuggle up with this furry creature.

Habitat lapland hot water bottle: £8

A huge stocking for many prezzies.

Habitat stocking: £8

Now, don’t these look comfy?

Habitat lapland slippers: £12

A great natural addition to the mantlepiece.

John Lewis Noel block letters: £15

Everyone needs a champagne saucer or two, for toasting the new year.

Heals LSA single champagne saucer: £10

now here’s the slightly tacky bit, but teamed with some candles this stag will sparkle proudly.

Heals stag: £12

Sorry Rudolf, but you are too soft and we want you on our floor.

Toast reindeer rug: £145

Happy shopping everyone and a very merry Christmas!