making the most of a small space

Isn't this fab? This rather gorgeous hallway is featured on http://emmas.blogg.se/
We live in the country now, but I spent my 20s in smaller flats in London, forever searching for ways of maximising the space that I owned. Clever designs like this one do just that, with a cool palette of neutrals, shiny floors and plenty of light.
Think out of the box and you will find lots of potential. Our foldaway Stockholm Wallchair is a great way of adding interest and utility to hallway or a dining are that is tight on space.

Or another space-saving hanging storage solution ... what about this wonderful ladder made from beautifully weathered, reclaimed wood collected from old Colonial and Indian houses. Hand painted in gentle, chalky paints it will complement any interior design scheme beautifully. It works particularly well in the bathroom for hanging towels.

my tea journey ...

Being a confirmed coffee drinker for many years (in fact, some would say coffee snob) I re-discovered the delights of tea at Chaikhana, a genuine teahouse in the heart of Stockholm's old town. I came home from my trip with two pouches of glorious, delicate leaves and have fallen in love with tea all over again.
I recently came across Postcard Teas in London and am learning all sorts of things from their wonderful website. Here's what Lucia van der Post of the Times says about the shop:
"Postcard Teas boasts an amazing list of teas, some of which you may never have heard of and some you know well. The website tells you more about tea than you ever knew and best of all sends you on an exploratory tour of its tea estates".
And so my tea journey re-commences ...

super sale weekend

We have just added lots of new products to our sale department to make way for some gorgeous new collections. With up to 50% off, grab yourself a bargain this weekend.

how many handbags does a girl need?

My answer to this is in the large cupboard in my daughter's room. Less than 100 but definitely more than 10.
The cupboard is stuffed full of handbag confectionery - from the heavy weights (Prada, Gucci, Mulberry) to the bantam weights (but just as much loved ... Gap, Boden, Whistles).
But still I needed another one. So last week I took my 6 year old 'stylish' to my new discovery Cocinelle, a wonderful Italian brand that was on my radar but not in my cupboard.
As I pfaffed and fussed around the beautiful bags on offer, trying this one and that one, my little girl sauntered up to a shelf and picked one that I missed - which happened to be their classic, bestselling handbag. The shop assistants were so impressed with her sense of style! And I loved it at first sight. Perhaps I have now found the perfect handbag? It is not too big, not too small; made of beautiful chestnut leather in just the right shade for summer and winter; it is not heavy; it has the essential studs on the bottom to protect the base; the handles are long enough to wear over the shoulder, yet short enough to carry on the arm; lovely metal hardware (but not too much); understated, chic, simple and wonderful.