In a Homespun Spin!

  It seems these days if you're not knitting, crocheting, or at one with a tub of Copydex and some odd buttons, then you're not really with it.  Thanks to Kirstie Allsopp with her Homemade Home and books such as the gorgeous Homespun Style by Selina Lake, stores are becoming inundated with chunky knits, ditsy prints and clashing colours that will definitely not help in a hangover situation.

  Last week I assisted the very lovely Alison Nicholls on a shoot along this theme for Kitchens, Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine (a bit of a mouthful, so let's call it KBB from now on!)

The location for the shoot was the house of Homespun Style's photographer, Debi Treloar, a huge Edwardian semi near to Kensal Rise. It was easy to see why it was chosen for some of the pictures in the book and also as a backdrop for our very own take on the trend: 'shabby chic' is definitely the way to describe it. A glorious riot of colour and pattern in every room, from the patchwork wallpaper in the dining room to the fluorescent pink painted chairs around the kitchen table, it is a look that might not be to everyone's taste but certainly evokes feelings of fun and cheerfulness - even on a miserable Wednesday in October it was bright and happy.

  To shoot enough to fill eight pages in one day meant there was no time to lose and with a van load of fabulous products unpacked and de-bubblewrapped, Alison and photographer Gary Hamill set to work.

One too many?

The props table

  On a location shoot like this, as with an Indian takeaway, you always order far too much but  this allows for a stylist to mix and match products and try different combinations to see what works best. Not everything that we bring on a shoot gets used. At the end of the day, everything is meticulously repacked (as close to) the same way it arrived and labelled up to either be returned direct to the sender or taken back to KBB HQ. Delivery notes have to be kept to one side so that, when it comes to writing the copy for the article, the stylist knows exactly what pieces have been used, the company they came from and, of course, the retail price. Here's a little taster:

 Love this Snurk Granny bed linen, from £70, Heal's

How about this 'Macie' knitted lamp by Melanie Porter, £450, Notonthehighstreet

My favourite: 'Are You Sitting Comfortably?' cushion by Imogen Luddy,
£45, DesignersMakers

The trend for crafting has made itself very at home in our lives, the old 'make do and mend' mentality is a reflection of the hard economic times. However, the irony is not lost on me: buying something that is supposed to look homemade kind of defeats the object, doesn't it?  But with so many beautiful products to choose from, for those of us not blessed with the patience of a saint and a penchant for Prittstick, it could save an awful lot of time and anguish.

I'll leave the Blue Peter chic to Kirstie et al!

The full article as styled by Alison Nicholls and photographed by Gary Hamill (and ably assisted by yours truly!) can be seen in the January edition of Kitchens, Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine (out early December).

The case for home staging

Although to some it may look like I'm just browsing the internet or plumping some cushions I am actually working, whether it be research or hands-on styling (not just a manifestation of my OCD, honest!).

Last Friday I spent the day with Zoe Brewer of My Interior Stylist at a property in Southfields which she was staging for the rental market. The 3-bed flat had been left in a pretty grim state by the previous tenants and so the landlord (who, I believe, is one of the founders of the Mr & Mrs Smith boutique hotel website) needed Zoe to wave her magic styling wand and make it photo-ready for the agents.
It was a horrendous day weather-wise, but we succeeded in creating a bright and welcoming interior that should have prospective tenants queuing up. 

It always amazes me when I look at properties online at just how many people don't make even the slightest effort to show their home at it's best. The number of times I've seen pictures where there is washing hanging around the living room and clutter all over the floor is painful. I know you should be able to see past all that but sometimes seeing someone's pants on the radiator is really off-putting - especially when said pants are still there if you do actually make it to a viewing!

Home staging (also called house doctoring or property styling) is big news in the US and Australia, no-one would dare put their property on the market without it, yet, as a nation of proud homeowners, it is surprising that the same can't be said here. Yes, admittedly, it is a sellers' and landlords' market at the moment and with so few properties out there it could be argued that just putting your property up for sale/rent guarantees you a buyer/tenant. 
As I have argued extensively with Mr VKH, home staging is not a fanciful waste of money for the rich and/or lazy.  The old saying 'speculate to accumulate'  is particularly apt: for a small initial outlay (the recommended cost is approximately 1% of the value), having your home dressed by a stylist could mean the difference between accepting an offer and achieving the asking price, or even surpassing it. In this market the last thing one would want is for yours to be the one that even agents are embarrassed to show, languishing on their website while all the other shiny, sparkly places are being snapped up before you can say 'Phil and Kirstie'!

With all styling the aim is to create an aspirational lifestyle that makes someone think, 'yes, this is what I want!'  You wouldn't sell your car without giving it a valet and a polish so why would you not do the equivalent when selling the most expensive thing you'll probably ever own? 
Make your home work for you right up until the very last second and you could reap the benefits all the way up the property ladder.


If you have a property to let or sell and would like some help to maximise your gain, VeryKerryH offers a property styling service. Contact for more details.

Gingham Style!

I've just been introduced to the delights of the latest You Tube sensation, Gangnam Style. I'm a bit behind on what's keeping da kidz entertained these days so it was with all sincerity that I questioned what on earth was so amazing about Gingham Style.

My faux pas, as well as providing Mr VKH with an embarrassing little anecdote for the boys (as if I wasn't uncool enough already), actually got me thinking about gingham and the fact that, for me, it always conjures up images of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and jars of homemade jam eaten with scones and clotted cream during a picnic in a soft focus meadow - you know the sort of thing.

Surely there are more modern ways to bring gingham in to one's home, I thought. And, sure enough, there are.  I have found some gorgeous images that just go to show it is not just for summer. Or 8-year-old girls.

By using a palette of grey-blue, white and black and accessorised with lots of dark wood and natural materials, this scheme would suit a cottage or a townhouse. 

In this bedroom, designed by Tommy Smythe, a similar colour palette works as a complementary backdrop to this beautiful sleigh bed with the gingham throw adding pattern:

Both these schemes have a slightly masculine feel so for something a bit more feminine but with a more Scandi minimalist feel, try this:

This range of bedlinen was designed by Bedeck for the V&A Spring/Summer '12 line.

So you see, gingham is not the reserve of the country house or confined to a few short months of the year. Used in moderation and by sticking to a tonal palette, it can actually be quite stylish.  Don't be PSYched out by it, do it Gingham Style this winter!

Fun Friday!

What a lovely relaxing day I've had! After the madness of the epic Summer of Sport I have finally been able to get in to town to check out the latest trends in store. 

I'm loving the rich and glamorous art deco 'theatre' style that is appearing in anticipation of  Baz Luhrmann's interpretation of The Great Gatsby (probably my favourite read ever by one of my favourite directors, I can't wait! Watch the trailer here: http://youtu.be/rARN6agiW7o ).

The Home Comforts theme continues and in contrast, but also a reflection of these recession-hit times, pared down Scandi is a sure-fire winner.  

I have at last got round to buying a lamp shade for the spare room/office, not exactly an exciting purchase but one necessary to complete my cosy 'reading corner'. This little part of our flat gets the most sun and is a lovely spot for a cuppa and a daydream.

I also bagged a bargain in the Lombok sale and have finally found a replacement for my 20 year old jewellery box which has literally fallen to pieces.  I'm very sad to have to let the old one go as it was a birthday present from my dad, this beautiful box will hold all my trinkets and is perfect for the Indian style I'm creating in the bedroom:

And on that note, that is exactly where I'm heading (once I've made Mr VKH his cocoa, of course!) Goodnight!

Welcome!

Hi, and welcome to my blog.

It's taken me two years of um-ing and ah-ing but I have bitten the bullet and started this blog as an outlet for sharing my passion for all things interior and property related. For I am obsessed. Or so says my husband, the poor long-suffering lovely who has had to put up with my ramblings about £75 cushions and the difference between Apple White and White Apple (they are definitely not the same thing!) for the last I don't know how long. 
So, in order to stop those divorce papers from being pushed through the letterbox (chrome, traditional Victorian style) and slapping on to the door mat (£2.99, Ikea),  here I go.  I have no idea what I will write about or where this will go but if it saves me from sitting alone in a pristine flat with only 6 cats and old editions of Living Etc to keep me company then it has to be a good thing.

Enjoy!