Festive Inspirations: Mr. Bazaar in Munich!

Photography by Will Taylor & Igor Josifovic | Film strip graphic

A few weekends back I was lucky enough to go and stay in Munich with my friend Igor. We met for the first time back in March here in London, so it was a real treat to head over to Germany to see his stomping ground! We had such a jolly old time and Igor was a great host taking me to see all the sights of the city, off the beaten track cafes and restaurants, as well as the famous Christmas markets. I've heard many people say that Munich is the prettiest city in Germany, and although it's the only one I've visited, I'm not surprised by the reputation. Fairytale like turrets feature heavily in the architecture, especially in the old town which sits inside the three gates of the now demolished medieval city wall. We went up Alter Peter (Old Peter) to take in an aerial view of the city: I love how it looks like a miniature toy town from above. The candy coloured hues of the facades just made me beam from ear to ear!

As well as taking in the architectural highlights, we hopped in and out of galleries, talking to the owners and savouring hot drinks. In the Ponyhof gallery we escaped the cold and our larking about led to a major fit of giggles! If you're in the city, be sure to visit this great space and chat to Ben, the lovely chap who runs the gallery. Another cultural highlight of the visit was a trip to the Brandhorst Museum (which could easily be Bright.Bazaar's HQ with its colourful facade!) as I loved seeing the Damien Hirst 'Pill' exhibit. Of course, a weekend break wouldn't have been complete without a healthy dose of shopping for us interior-loving chaps. So, naturally we spent many hours walking the city, weaving in and out of the Christmas market stalls, sipping Gluhwein to the sound of brass bands playing festive tunes and soaking up the atmosphere. Picking out handmade wooden decorations, sometimes for ourselves but often for one another, by the end of the second day I had quite a sizeable loot to haul back to the UK! It was a fantastic trip, not just because I was fortunate enough to take in this beautiful city but because I made a great new friend. Head over to the Happy Interior Blog for more snaps from the trip! What's inspiring you about these pictures of Munich? Have you ever been?

Happy Weekend: Create A Wrapping Station

TWC

Phew, it's been a busy week, friends! Sorry if I've not been around as much, I've crammed in four flights, three cities and a whole lotta queuing into the past seven days. I started in London, flew to Munich and then back to London, then up to Edinburgh and now back to London! I'm looking forward to sharing my snaps from the trips with you next week but first, with only two weekends left until Christmas, I need to start wrapping some presents. I like the idea of creating a wrapping station, where rolls of paper, ribbons and festive embellishments are all within reach, to make the process a little smoother. So, before my friends arrive for a mini pre-Christmas celebration, I have the following plan: Love Actually on the DVD player; mulled wine bubbling on the stove and a comfy chair from which to view my favourite Christmas film while I wrap. What's on your weekend agenda, folks?

Three Ways To Festoon Your Living Room

Styling by Will Taylor for Rue | Photography by Matt Cant

Last year I styled one room in three different Christmas schemes to demonstrate how one space can feel unique to your decorating preferences by switching up your accessories. I thought these three looks would be perfect for my Three Ways series, so let's get to it! First up is a Technicolour Christmas, for which I styled the space in a bright, primary colour palette with festive reds, blues, pinks and greens mixed in alongside shimmering garlands that I hung with abandon from the walls. It's a fun and playful scheme perfect for family homes. The second scheme, Whimsical Woodland, details rustic, textured details with lots of bare wood, knitted ornaments and organic elements such as pine cones and twigs. This look is full of tactile elements; a juxtaposition of rough and smooth surfaces. The third look, Noir Glamour, is a modern monochrome take on Christmas decorating. High gloss black hues, a collection of paper snowflakes and a photographic standard lamp help create a dramatic feel to the space - perfect for any Hollywood superstars amongst us! Which scheme do you like best?

Mr. Bazaar's West Elm Gift Picks & Interview

Last week the friendly folks over at West Elm invited Mr. Bazaar to share his gift picks for the holidays from their store. Of course, given my slight addiction to browsing (and often shopping!) home accessory and furniture stores, I was more than happy to dive in head first and choose my favourites. Want to know what I'd buy my auntie? Or perhaps you're after the perfect hostess-meets-housewarming gift? Read my ideas for these gifts and a whole bunch of others over here. Plus, if you'd like to read about my route to starting Bright.Bazaar, where I discovered my love for prop styling, my inspirations and much more, then you can read this interview on West Elm's new blog. Do you have your eye on anything from West Elm at the moment?

Home Tour: A Festive Scandi Home

Home | Photography by Federikke Heiberg | Market Picks: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Oh, boy! This home is SUCH a festive treat! Owned by couple Mille and Christine, who holiday there with their two girls, the home shows how simple, organic elements can make for a charming, sophisticated and understated Christmas decorating scheme; this quite ironic given the home was originally built as a summer house! The couple decorate with vintage ornaments and family pieces handed down from generations before them, which gives the space a personal and welcoming feel. Despite extending the home, I like how the couple have maintained the building's original character, such as the light wood floors, adding colour through the barn red doors inside and the black doors outside. As for that natural festive tablescape: isn't it just beautiful? What do you like about this wonderfully festive home?

Sneak Peek: Holiday with Matthew Mead

I've expressed before how much I love reading the special Holiday issues published by magazine brands, so I was delighted when the folks over at Holiday with Matthew Mead offered to share a peek inside their 2011 Holiday issue. Packed full of craft ideas and cookie recipes from foodie bloggers, the magazine also provides inspiration for a variety of Christmas decorating schemes. With colour palettes from pinks and whites through to traditional red and green, I was impressed at the breadth of the styles and taste points covered in the issue's 144 pages. (Pssst! You can see even more from the magazine this video preview!) I really like the all-white space that has used paper stars and layered textiles to add interest but the moss wreath-cum-candle surround was my top tear from the issue. What's inspiring you from this peek inside Holiday with Matthew Mead?

BHG: A Woodland-Inspired Blue Christmas

Better Homes & Gardens Dec 2011 | Kelly Ryan Kegans | Photography Dana Gallagher | Styling Paul Lowe

Do you ever happen upon an editorial that you literally wish you could step into the page and live in it? Well, this happened for me when I read Paul Lowe's recent feature in the December issue of Better Homes & Gardens. Beautifully shot by Dana Gallagher the story centred around a blue-hued woodland scheme created with crafty makes and natural, organic elements. Last year, my tree was decorated with ice blue and teal baubles, so I was really inspired to see how the colour scheme could translate to a tabletop. My favourite elements of Paul's Christmas decor are the pine cones hung from the back of each chair, the DIY votives and the potted branch sideboard tree. What inspires you about this holiday scheme?