If you’re like us and adore bold prints nestled against rich, jewel tones then you really need to take a peek at Melanie Jade Designs. Her house has a real boho, glam vibe going on and is brimming with dark walls and gorgeous trinkets. It really is an interior delight!

We’ve worked with Mel on a few occasions. The first being when she styled our Orson blue velvet wingback chair and again when styling our matching Lola blue velvet ottoman.

We admit, our eyes changed to little red hearts when we saw our beloved chair and ottoman sat proudly in her home. Mel expertly moved the blue duo around her beautiful house and really showcased how to utilise a chair and ottoman in different spaces. Who would’ve thought a chair could look so perfect under the stairs?

It’s always such a pleasure working with Mel. We become a little bit like kids in a sweetshop and are always so excited to see what she does with our products. So we thought we would ask Mel a few questions about her style and interior design inspiration.

How would you describe your interior style?

I would say that I don’t have any particular style as such, I just love beautiful things! But most of all, patterns, colour (mainly jeweled tones), prints, rich textures and plenty of plants!

What is your favourite room in your house?

I love our kitchen but my favourite room has to be our living room. There’s a lot going on in there, but I love the green, pink and blue tones (especially our velvet sofas and chair), the gallery wall and my infamous green wall that probably gets the most inquiries on my instagram feed.

Out of all the items in your home, which is the one you love just that little bit more than the rest?

It has to be my new Pink velvet sofa that sits comfortably next to my blue Orson velvet chair!You’ve got a very impressive Instagram following of interior enthusiasts. Which part of your house do they really love?

It’s hard to pick one really. I probably get the most questions about my dark green wall in my living room (what shade and make of paint), but I also get a lot of love for my kitchen, bathroom and most recently, my under stair shelving. It’s a simple idea but has got me the most likes ever on my Instagram feed when I first posted it!

Sitting in your home is our Orson blue velvet wingback chair and matching Lola ottoman. Tell us how you styled them.

The Orson chair sits in our bay window in the living room and I love it there. It normally has a patterned cushion and throw on it, but as it is right next to the window, is difficult to style into a photo! This is one of the reasons it constantly moves around my house. I absolutely love it in our hallway next to the under stair shelving but it’s a very narrow space so a bit impractical to leave there! It’s occasionally moved into my bedroom too!

Which current interior trends are you most excited about?

For me it’s got to be about Biophilic design and sustainability. I love biophilic as it’s all about where our designs and nature meet. Mainly natural textures such as wooden floors, stone, exposed brick work, plenty of plants and natural daylight. I am also trying to be more sustainable with my designs too, using things I already have, sourcing reclaimed materials and a lot of charity shop finds! All with a splash of colour!

Photo Credit Cottages & Gardens

If you want to pore over more photos from Mel take a little look at her instagram account.

Green has been favoured within the world of interior design for some time. And it’s easy to see the appeal. This design trend has spilled over into our homes and we’re seeing more and more emerald green velvet sofas, soft sage chairs and soothing hunter green tones being used in décor choices.

Looking back

The word green comes from the middle English and old English word ‘grene’. It has the same root as the word ‘grass’ and ‘grow’ which of course couldn’t be more apt!

In the middle ages and the renaissance, the colour of clothing depicted a person’s social and working rank. The colour red was reserved for royalty, brown and grey for peasants and green by merchants. If you look at da Vinci’s Mona Lisa (the wife of a wealthy silk merchant) she is wearing a green bodice.

We’re feeling this

The biggest draw for using green hues in the home is its strong association with nature. It symbolises life and growth and brings about a sense of calm. It evokes images of peaceful meadows, fresh forests and lush jungles brimming with wildlife. Green is also noted for its healing powers and ability to help relieve stress. This makes complete sense if you think about a performer appearing on a T.V. show, beforehand they wait in the ‘green room’.

 

Adding green to your home

Life is fast paced, cluttered and noisy. We live with the constant hum of the ever-present digital world all around us. Think about the amount of time spent with some form of screen nearby; a phone, laptop, T.V. and even a tiny screen on our wrist keeping us plugged in. It’s no wonder that when we need a little escapism and to unplug, we seek the peaceful, natural world outside. Green brings about a sense of calm to a chaotic world.

Feeling like you need to dash to your local DIY store to stock up on green paint and home furnishings? Yep us too. If you fancy dusting the rollers off, then how about considering Ambleside (304) by Little Green (the darker green pictured below.) This is the perfect shade of green to create a tranquil space.

This green hue is brought to life when paired with lots of natural fabrics. Think rattan, hessian, seagrass and linen type materials. These neutral shades are an ideal combination against this particular green. Our oatmeal coloured linen Eversley chair would look fabulous against this calming green.

If you’re feeling bold and a little daring why not update your kitchen with an intensely rich shade of green? This kitchen is jaw-on-the-floor gorgeous. From deVol, the cupboards are a cross between emerald and racing green. The dramatic, moody tone is set alight by the brass fixtures, aged wood and the swirling grey and white marble.

If you’ve well and truly caught the bug and quite literally want to welcome nature into your front room, then how about some lush leafy wallpaper? This bold print is from Graham & Brown. The vibrant design was inspired by the Yasuni National Park in Ecuador and it certainly does tickle our tropical tastebuds! When paired with a blush pink velvet sofa and sprinkled with foliage the end result is simply stunning.

If you’re not quite ready to transform your home into a complete forest of green, then how about considering just a few accents here and there? It’s certainly a cheaper and quicker alternative which can still pack an interior punch.

Our Wilton wingback chair is wrapped in a soft green velvet. It’s a bold shade of green and is fabulous if you want to add a touch of luxury using a sophisticated, traditional design.

Photo credit Claude Hooper Interiors

At the other end of the green spectrum is our sage green Evie cocktail chair. This little velvet number features beautiful stitching detail which is reminiscent of art deco design. So, whether you’re after rich tones or muted shades of green, both fare fantastically in either a neutral setting or alongside other vibrant hues.

 

This week we thought we’d talk about one of our favourite interior stylists Tamsyn Morgans. Creator of lifestyle blog and photo journal The Villa On Mount Pleasant, Tamsyn began sharing her love for all things vintage in 2013 as a hobby.

Since then she has been named the winner of the Best Use of Photography blog at the Amara Interior Blog Awards 2018. So, if you’re like us and relish spending a good few hours poring over pretty pictures, then Tamsyn’s blog is definitely worth a peek!

We first worked with Tamsyn back in 2017. Wayfair U.K. set the challenge of creating the perfect reading nook featuring our Eversley armchair in oatmeal linen. And we were thrilled with the results! Tamsyn combined touches of vintage eclectic flair with tranquil hues to create a beautiful setting. It’s safe to say that we have a little interior crush on Tamsyn’s style, so we thought we’d ask her to explain it a little.

How would you describe your interior style?

I would describe my home style as comfortable, vintage eclectic. I love pieces that have a history and patina, or pieces that are made beautifully with a vintage vibe.  It’s a very comfortable home!

What is your favourite room in your house?

That’s a tricky one!  I love my bedroom as I have a gorgeous bay window with a beautiful view, lots of natural light streams in all day.  I often sit and work there, or my daughter sits and reads there.

Out of all the items in your home, which is the one you love just that little bit more than the rest?

I have a vintage mint green storage cupboard in my dining room, which was an amazing find in a vintage furniture shop.

Sitting in your home is our Eversley armchair in oatmeal linen, tell us how you styled it.

The Eversley armchair is such a beautiful shape, which makes it so timeless.  I styled it really simply with a cushion and it sits in my bay window with a little table for books and a cup of tea.  It’s incredibly comfortable and it’s just right size for curling up in over the winter months.

When it comes to photography you have an extremely unique and beautiful style. How did you apply your creative flair when styling our Evie velvet cocktail chair?

Thank you so much!  The Evie cocktail chair is such a gorgeous design, so it’s all about finding a space to really show it off, then adding elements such as flowers and books.  I really wanted the rich colour of the velvets to stand out, so I kept the backdrops pale.  This is the perfect chair for any corner of your home!

We love working with Tamsyn and can’t wait for our next project together!

As Oscar Wilde eloquently said, ‘Mere colour can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways.’  Colours can influence our emotions and mental state. This is why companies invest huge amounts of time and money into selecting just the right colour for their branding. And maybe it shouldn’t be any different for our homes (well perhaps a scaled down version anyway!)

Just like your oldest friend or favourite relative, a new colour scheme is something you have to invite and welcome into your home. It’s something you have to live with day in, day out. It’s your new lodger. Whether you’re starting a complete décor overhaul or simply want to add a few pops of colour to your living room or bedroom, it’s a big decision to make.

Looking back

We’ve put together a blog series which looks at different colours, a snippet about their life in history and trends in the world of interior design. We’re kicking off by looking at blue.  Varying shades of blue have been used in art and interiors for thousands of years.

In ancient Egypt blue was held in very high regard.  The semi-precious stone lapis lazuli was used to make jewellery and ornaments and later, in the renaissance, to make the pigment ultramarine (sometimes known as ‘true blue’), the most expensive of all pigments.  It’s believed that Michelangelo left his painting The Entombment (1500-01) unfinished because he did not have the funds to buy ultramarine.  Thankfully for us it’s far more accessible today!

We’re feeling this

When used in the right space, blue is often associated with calmness, serenity and nature. Certain shades evoke images of the ocean and the night sky.  When selecting the right shade for your home, consider that it’s ideally placed in a room which benefits from lots of natural light.  It’s sometimes feared that blue can look cold and gloomy if it’s in a dull room. Featured below is our Orson Blue Wingback Chair which is bathed in sunlight against deep blue, moody walls. The contrasting accents of red and the foliage really lift the colour of the wall and the result is fabulous!

Adding it to your home

We decorated our living room in Sapphire Salute by Dulux.  I was initially concerned that as mentioned above, our décor choice could look cold and uninviting.  To prevent this we decided to paint two focus walls and the rest remained in Golden Jasmine. I placed a lighter linen armchair in front of the sapphire wall. To add some warmth to the living room I used our blush pink velvet Lola ottoman and velvet rose gold cushion. Adding contrasting, warmer fabrics and homewares is a great way to ensure your room won’t feel dark.

One of our favourite interior designers to work with is Melanie Jade Designs. She’s also embraced a blue feature wall in her bedroom and accentuated it using our Orson blue velvet wingback chair.  Paired with warming hues of blush pink and natural wood the result is amazing!

Interior trends

Blue has been a strong colour choice for interior designers for a while. And while more pastel tones and earthy hues are starting to take to the spotlight, it still remains a firm favourite.  This is certainly true of our blue Orson wingback, Ava cocktail chair and Lola and Margot footstools.  These are excellent choices if you just want to pack a punch without getting the dust sheets and rollers out.

Does your bedroom need to be bolder and your living room livelier? If so, consider brightening an unloved corner with a beautiful statement chair. It’s a fab way to freshen up a room without having to do a complete décor overhaul. Let’s be honest, who can cope with the mess and time it takes?!

The perfect statement chair can transform a space and add a real finishing touch. Especially when accessorized with a cute cushion or a stylish side table. As well as being an interior must-have, accent chairs are practical too. The extra seating for entertaining guests always comes in handy.

With a statement chair it’s good to consider the room that you’re buying for. If you’re not blessed with space a cute little cocktail chair works a dream. They instantly add vibrancy and character to a dreary corner. Check out our cute as a button Ava cocktail chair which is available in cerise pink, electric blue and storm grey. Wrapped in soft velvet and featuring brass capped legs, they add a sprinkle of glamour to any space. This little number really is a head-turner and was even used at the FOX Golden Globes After Party in Beverly Hills! That’ll certainly have your guests drooling with interior envy.

A wingback chair could be a better choice if you’re looking to add an air of sophistication and grandeur. It’s also a fabulous way to add some height to your room. We’ve updated our wingback chairs with a selection of gorgeous velvets in several colours. For instance, the Wilton wingback is available in a deep emerald green or a rich sapphire blue and bordered with brass studs. As well as being rather scrumptious to look at, they’re surprisingly very versatile. They add a splash of colour to neutral tones but we’ve seen them illuminate bold interiors and it looks stunning.

Playing with different colour contrasts can also instantly revitalize a room. I’ll be the first to admit that our living room was only decorated a year ago and I’d already started to get RRF (restless redecorating fingers – we’re sure this is a thing!). I decided to set myself a budget and accessorize with some updated colour combos. Working with deep petrol blue walls and dark wooden furniture I wanted to add some light and inject a little more colour. Luckily our Manhattan accent chair in natural was a perfect fit for this. It really pings against the vibrant walls. I teamed the chair with our rose pink metallic cushion (the pink on blue is a fabulous combo) and placed our pink candle holders on the mantelpiece nearby. It’s really updated a disused corner and the natural tones and pink hues help to lighten the room.

So big, small, bold or neutral, whatever your space there’s a statement chair that’s just perfect for you!

The inspiration for this chair came when we decided to combine our love for traditional, grand chair designs with a modern finish.

We picked a tried and tested wingback for its comfort and sophisticated feel and wrapped it in a soft velvet fabric. We chose a deep emerald green (The Wilton is also available in a rich sapphire blue) to create the ultimate statement chair. The finishing design feature was to add individual hand-studded brass nailheads. It’s fair to say that The Wilton certainly won’t wilt in the corner!

This chair is perfect when it comes to accentuating on trend materials like gold, brass and marble trinkets in your home. It’s very plush indeed.

We adore The Wilton so we thought it only fair to give it its turn in the interior world’s spotlight. There are so many ways to style this chair and we teamed up with Jess, award winning lifestyle blogger and owner of The Only Girl in the House, to see what her take was on this velvet dream. And we were so glad we did because we love what she’s done with it!

Jess writes about how her lounge was feeling a little unloved and abandoned from an interior design point of view. She wanted to create a beautiful corner designated to quiet, chill time. And The Wilton is the perfect accent chair for that!

She particularly loves the rich jewel green tone and soft velvet which adds warmth to her lounge. The brass studs create the perfect boho look along with a chunky mirror, an eclectic eye design cushion and a cosy sheepskin rug.

Jess has some brilliant photos to show off this chair, take a peek here.

View our Wilton in green also available in blue.

The Eversley is a chair that sings out to be sat on. The button back detail is well cushioned and the arms seem to elegantly spill over. The one word we always use to describe this armchair is plump.

We have the Eversley natural sat beautifully in our guest bedroom. The oatmeal colour really pings against the subtle feather flock grey walls. It’s a very versatile chair when it comes to pairing it with other homeware items.

But as we’re slightly obsessed with interior design and seeing our chairs placed in as many settings as possible, we reached out to blogger Alice, author of More Than Toast. Her lifestyle blog delves into life as a Mum, the latest fashion trends and homeware must-haves. Alice also has a column in The Telegraph and was interviewed by Jane Garvey on BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour.

Alice decided to style the Eversley armchair in grey to create a snug reading corner. A place where she could sit and work or just enjoy a nice mug of tea. To complete the look Alice included a cosy blanket, a small metal side table and a lamp (all available from Wayfair UK).

For some interior inspiration, read the full story here.

*Photo credit Alice from More than Toast*

To show The Eversley armchair in a different light we teamed up with Tamsyn, an interior stylist, photographer and author of The Villa on Mount Pleasant. In collaboration with online furniture retailer Wayfair UK, Tamsyn was set the interior styling challenge of creating a cosy reading nook, perfect for cooler months.

The Eversley armchair was the centre piece, after all, what’s the ideal reading corner without the perfect snuggle chair? Tamsyn paired our armchair with a vintage side table and shabby chic lamp. The natural oatmeal linen fabric and button back detail work fabulously in this setting. And not only is this chair a design dream but it is the epitome of comfort. There’s only one word to describe the Eversley; plump…plus we like saying that word.

Get the full style idea here and view The Eversley here.

Photo credit Tamsyn from The Villa on Mount Pleasant.