Year Of The Stag

Something about the long, cold winter nights seems to conjure up the need to embrace 'the wild' in our interiors in 2014.

And whether it's taking inspiration from the outdoors in general, or being playful with natural hues, there is one creature that has been popping up a lot in interiors blogs recently; the stag.

The stag has all the elements necessary for creating a bold impression; an iconic silhouette, rich colouring and the ability to be used in a surprising variety of circumstances.

The classic use of a stag, is (unfortunately for the stag), the use of wall-mounted stag skulls. This can conjure up impressions of stately homes and grand British interiors. However, a few alterations and a touch of imagination can circumvent the dangers of stuffy traditionalism and create a vibrant atmosphere.

http://cohabitationwithdesign.wordpress.com

If you're really scared about being too conventional, how about diamante-encrusted wall-mounted stag head? By combining the traditional with a bit of celebrity bling, this can make an eye-opening and humorous addition above any mantlepiece. Obviously not for the faint of heart though!

http://fleurdelee.co.uk/

The physicality of a stag's antlers also has an oh-so-tempting functionality. Here, a chic, wooden wall-mounted stag's head is used as a fun tea-towel holder, that can add a touch of humour to a workmanlike kitchen area. Above all, it's about using a traditional feature in new and surprising ways to let your creativity and individuality shine through.

http://www.sfgirlbybay.com

This room design illustrates the fun that can be had in using the traditional stag motif. So in contrast with a formal dining room setting, the bold purple stag wallpaper creates a humorous repeat-pattern effect that adds a playful touch, yet never overwhelms the well thought-out living space.

http://www.housetohome.co.uk

And this cushion uses the iconic stag silhouette with some clever screen-printed textures to give a very modern update to a very recognisable shape.

http://www.housetohome.co.uk

So if you're looking to bring a bit of the wonder of the great British wild into your home, without actually going out and getting wet, all you need is a little imagination and flair to transform your home into a luxurious rural hideaway.

With the above in mind we created this stag wall sticker which is 1.4m tall by 1.2m wide.

http://www.wallglamour.co.uk/products/stag-wall-stick

Our designers also took the design of the stag and filled it using tartan rather than the herringbone texture for a pretty majestic looking design piece.

http://www.wallglamour.co.uk/products/stag-tartan-wall-sticker

Love Love Love

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we thought we'd take a look at an instantly recognisable symbol of romance that can add a touch of love to any home; the heart.

A bit of internet research shows that there is a variety of conflicting opinions about where the heart symbol originated. Whether it be an ancient Roman fertility symbol or a representation of Cupid's arrowhead, the heart has blossomed into being a 'go-to' for many interior designers who want to give a room a little more love.

The most basic version of the heart, is the standard 'playing card' design and there are many different ways that this symbol can be used to brighten up an interior space.

This traditional living-room has been made much cosier by the use of a string of hearts being hung above the fireplace. The bunting effect really livens up the darkened area of the room by adding an element of light and humour.

housetohome.co.uk

Whereas this modern bathroom is swiftly given a romantic theme by the spare use of wall-hanging heart pendants and a cute multi-coloured mirror accessory.

housetohome.co.uk

This living room makes great use of the heart symbol in new and surprising ways. A wall feature comprising of a heart-shaped collage of photographs is fun way of displaying your favourite memories. And the soft and colourful heart pattern across the ceiling really adds a youthful and playful feel to what could otherwise be a featureless living room area.

emdesigninteriors.com

The love seat is a given a brand new twist in this bathroom. By using a wrought-iron frame to display two heart sillhouettes, the bathroom is transformed from a standard functional space and instead becomes a much friendlier, more indulgent area to soothe away the day's pains.

housetohome.co.uk

And finally, this white-washed kitchen cupboard again uses the heart symbol to elevate a strictly utilitarian item into being a great vintage-themed display case that capitalises on the chic teacups and eggcups held within.

coastalhome.co.uk

Some of our wall stickers along the theme:

2014 Interior Design Trends

To celebrate the return of our blog to blogger here is our first post in quite some time.

New year, new trends. We've been scouring the internet trying to gauge the style forecasts for how our interiors are going to look in 2014.

As usual, there are a host of wildly conflicting opinions, so we've whittled them down to a top five of what will be happening this year.

1. Blue Is The Colour

(Photograph from Elle Decor)

We have un-moved our blog back to here.

After a good time away on our website we have decided to move our blog back to blogger.

Wall Stickers designed and made in the UK

One of the things we haven't really pushed is the fact that we design and manufacture all our products in Yorkshire. We have a cool little studio on an estate in rural North Yorkshire over-looking a field and trees, soon to be built on though :( we have a few friends of Wall Glamour that produce designs for us and most of them are in Yorkshire too. Our packaging and printing is produced in the UK and we kind of forgot to celebrate this fact.

We have been working ever so hard recently to produce more designs and a more varied product range only to find that the one thing that people love buying are our wall stickers. Whilst we still love designing other bits and pieces like, canvas prints, framed prints, mirrors and photo blocks the thing we love most are the stickers. We recently visited a trade show for Nursery suppliers and again the response and interested was in our wall stickers which is nice to hear. We have started producing some smaller sticker packs that we are selling into retailers along with our larger wall stickers, so hopefully we'll be in a store near you soon.

Let there be light!

So, to follow on from the last blog post, I thought I would do some research into accessories for your child's room, like lighting for example!

However, as I started looking around at the different options, I was amazed at the variety and so this has kind of turned into a blog dedicated to lighting!! From night lights to wall lights, ceiling lights to lamps the choices out there seem endless. I could have spent many hours looking through various shop websites, but I have kept it down to just 3 sites and have tried to show you a wide range of what is available, you never know, it might be just what you were looking for!
So if your little one has trouble sleeping in the dark, then check out some of these night lights for that extra bit of comfort...

Changes...

The news that there will soon be the patter of tiny feet in your world, can send your mind into over-drive! Making sure you have all the equipment you need, clothes, toys, nappies and wipes, to last what seems like forever, can be stressful enough and of course, you have to decide how to decorate that all important nursery?! So, when you are considering colours, furniture, accessories and everything else needed to make the new addition to your family feel welcomed in their new home, it is important to think about the changes you might want to make in the not-too-distant future.

The phrase, 'They grow up so quickly', often said by distant relatives during family visits, is all too true and soon enough your tiny baby, who was fairly impartial to the décor of the room, will suddenly have their own character, interests, likes and dislikes and a voice to tell you about them!
So how do you make the changes to your child's bedroom, without spending too much money every couple of years?

Simplicity is the key to keeping a room completely versatile. Using white furniture and white paint might seem a bit too plain, but when you add in the baby's toys, books, wall hangings and other accessories, the room can still look stylish and homely. It also leaves you with a completely blank canvas when your little one gets a bit bigger.

Or if you want to add a bit of colour to your nursery, choose gender neutral colours, such as this soft yellow and compliment it with adaptable furniture, such as this white wardrobe and rocking chair. Choosing just one wall to paint with a brighter colour, will save you a lot of time when it comes to updating the room, and the furniture will be able to grow into whatever themes you require.

Starting with these simple ideas will leave you with plenty of space to develop the room to suit your child as they grow up.

As your baby becomes a toddler and the toys begin to multiply, there shouldn't be any reason to change these simple designs straight away, just let the toys become part of the décor! Then as your child grows and develops their own hobbies and favourite things, you can add to the room just by changing the curtains, the bedding and adding in a few cushions. Such a simple change could transform your nursery/playroom into a perfect seaside haven.

Using this neutral base will ensure that you will always have a blank canvas to work with each time your child grows out of one thing and into another. You will be able to change the look of the room regularly, at no great expense, keeping it fresh and most importantly, giving your child a room they will grow up to love and love to grow up in!

Ems :)