{Birthday giveaway: Tommy desk lamp}

Image: Habitat

I've always enjoyed blogging about office interiors, both big and small and my regular feature, Office Inspiration has peeked into a diverse range of workspaces over the last twelve months. Some of my favourites include the colourful office of Orla Kiely, the gorgeous Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie headquarters in Philadelphia (proving big companies can encourage creativity) and the effortlessly cool yellow and black office of stylist Tim Neve.

This is why I'm delighted that the first birthday giveaway this week is a Habitat classic in the form of the Tommy desk lamp. Understated, yet ever so stylish this little fellow would add instant style to any workspace. Fancy a lovely new addition to your office? Leave a comment on this post about why the Tommy lamp would look great on your desk, and I'll randomly pick a winner from all comments by midnight tonight. Good luck!

T's & C's: I'm afraid this giveaway is open to UK residents only, due to Habitat's shipping policy. The winner will be decided by random.org when the competition closes at midnight on 8th March 2010. Only one entry per reader please. The lamp cannot be exchanged for cash or any other item.

{Birthday celebrations with Habitat}

Bright.Bazaar turns one year old this week! So, in order to celebrate with, and thank you - my lovely readers - for your support over the last year, I've teamed up with Habitat to giveaway a different product from their latest collection every day this week.

Colourful spaces are those that get me most excited, they are the homes that make me excited about the prospect of living in, they are hotels I would most like to visit... you name it - colour is essential to what I enjoy about interiors. Be it the soft hues of a grey and mauve restaurant to the colourful pop of zesty orange brights in my kitchen at home. I'm always looking at the colour of what surrounds me and enjoy calm and serene schemes just as much as bold and bright accents. That's one of the reasons why I've always liked Habitat; they produce collection after collection of accessible, affordable and super stylish homewares in a truly inspiring way.

The picnic image here is from the SS10 catalogue and screams high summer - pimms o'clock, barbecues and of course, plenty of bright, warming colours. These next two images are my favourite, though. Don't you think there is something so romantic about sharing an impromptu tapas lunch with someone special on a tiny balcony just like this one?

So, make sure you check back here for the chance to win a Habitat product in my daily birthday giveaways. Plus, I'm going to be sharing some extra special spaces with you this week. There will be an Office Inspiration post from one of the world's most inspiring designers, a gorgeous Canadian home tour (look out for the stunning kitchen) and a round up of my blogging highlights over the past year. Interiors rock! Who's with me?

{Blog love: The City Sage}

If you receive the Bright.Bazaar newsletter, then you will know that I'm loving The City Sage blog, so much so in fact, that I wanted to share more of this inspiring blog with you guys. From interiors to fashion, to baking and beyond, each post is lovingly crafted and allows for endless inspiration.

I love the photography at work here; the soft glow of the sunshine through the window is stunning. The bath reminds me of this one from the set of It's Complicated, and let's face it stand alone baths just ooze opulence.

This has a certain farmhouse charm to it, which is a style I always feel drawn to as the weather starts to get warmer. Want to get a similar look? Check out the latest collection from Pottery Barn, which includes these vintage chic table linens.

How could I not include this brightly coloured staircase?! Not only is it in on-trend spring brights, but it reminded me of the staircase in my blog header! If you're loving the trend for spring brights, check out my round up of all things bright. Or, if you want to get shopping straight away, then I'd suggest checking out Zara Home and Habitat for affordable and colourful buys.

Turquoise is starting to pop up all over the place in home interiors, and I'm surprising myself as I like the colour more and more. You can see from turquoise home pieces in this round up by the NY Times. What do you think of it? Turquoise or not, I'd love that typewriter!

Images (top to bottom): Bath and staircase - Canadian House and Home; Farmhouse table - Mary Gilliatt; Turquoise - see credits here; Tabletop - Tim Halberg

Further testament to Anne's great eye for design is this brilliant DIY table cloth that she featured on her blog recently. Anne posted it for Valentines day, but I think the bright orange is perfect for the coming season. Also, just how lovely is the styling?! We've got Kelly Oshiro to thank for that!

{Colour inspiration: yellow}

Yellow. It's hard not to like really. It's bold, confident, warming, uplifting... it's all-round wonderful. I'm having a serious love affair with this colour at the moment, no wait, I've fallen head over heels with it, which might explain yesterday's impulse purchase!

Black, white and yellow. Not only is this scheme simple and chic, it's really easy to mix up when you feel like a change. How? Use the lemons for your evening cocktail and replace with some limes, then paint the wall bright green!

This room would be somewhat lack lustre without having shades of yellow as it's accent colour.

Because I'm still loving flowers following the florists I found in Paris a few months back. Plus, this bloom is beautiful, right?!

Not only is the Ella chair an item I've been lusting after for months, it looks great with yellow too!

CB2's spring collection is framed by this a hot yellow background. I'm loving how the graphic print is echoed in the cushion.

Images (from top): Guardian; bellemasion; bbf flickr stream; CB2; Apartment Therapy

{The brightest accessories}

Forget the weather forecasts, if we're to believe the new collections for SS10, then we're in for a scorcher come Summer! Everywhere I look for inspiration at the moment, I'm seeing stores positively bursting at the seems with brightly coloured, bold and in-your-face accessories, that could warm the coldest of interiors in an instant. Here's a pick of my favourites from the high street:

Above images: Habitat

Top to bottom: Balun vase, Regatta cushion, Tyler frame, Ivy hare decoration and Ivy owl decoration. All available from Habitat.

Above images: Rice

Top to bottom: Multi-coloured brooms, Thermo flasks. Both from Rice.

Above images: Heals

Top to bottom: Starburst orange silk cushion, Lsa Hula yellow vase, Diamantini & Domeniconi Arcoiris Stripe Cuckoo mantle clock. All from Heals.

My favourite is the Regatta cushion and the Ivy owl decoration from Habitat because I think they would remain stylish beyond one season. I can't get over how bright the stripe clock is from Heals - a statement piece for sure! Have you seen any bright accessories that you like recently?

{A bright white house: style steals}

In the past week or two I've kept returning to belle maison, meaning 'beautiful home' in French. Maybe it's my recent visit to Paris that's made me fall for this blog, but I think it's just because it's author, Julie Thigpen writes brilliantly and posts some beautiful home tours! Like this one, showing a house with an all white interior, with pops of brightly coloured accessories. I've never considered being able to live in an all white interior, but after seeing this, I think I may have to reassess! In fact, I was so inspired by this great home, that I've been on a hunt to 'get the look'. Amazingly, I found that this style can be achieved on a budget, look at what I found in Ikea...

You can get this amazing chandelier from Ikea. It's called the PS Maskros light and costs £85. Check it out here.

Find similar chairs in the Ektorp Tullsta range, £124. Which boasts removable and washable covers. See the different colours and options here.

There are many versions of the Kartell Bourgie table lamp by Ferruccio Laviani. Whilst I think the clear version looks understated and effortlessly stylish here, I might have gotten a little carried away and opted for this gold version.

There has been an explosion of companies stocking glossy, fitted kitchens such as these. Not normally my favourite style (they must be a nightmare to keep clean?!), yet somehow in this house, it works perfectly. Tesco have recently started stocking kitchen's, check out their offerings here, or play it safe with an Ikea kitchen.

Images: belle maison and Otthon Magazine

There is something so refreshing and awakening about this dining area, and to me, it doesn't even feel cold. Plus, how fabulous is that pink candle stick holder?! As always, pick up cheap candles from the Vaghult series at Ikea, but also check out the latest range from Habitat for super stylish and very colourful vases. My favourite is this yellow Balta vase, which I would team with a striking print by Paul Wearing to add personality and colour to the white interior.

{What's your Habitat?}

How's your Monday been? Pretty average? Well, if you happened to be perusing Regent Street this morning you would have been in for an interiors treat. Habitat, firm favourites of mine, caused a stir in Central London this morning by throwing caution to the wind: they let gorgeous model, Helena Christensen have free reins over their Regent Street store's window. It was all part of the launch for their latest campaign - This is my Habitat. Check out this video interview with the campaign photographer - i.e. best.job.ever. Sounds rather cool, hey? (Not that I'm biased at all, as regular readers will know that I don't have a soft spot for the rather amazing furniture company. No, not at all...!)

Well I couldn't make it there in person, but trusty Bright.Bazaar sources (this is all getting a bit Gossip Girl) were there and they sent me these fantastic pictures. Check out Helena relaxing in her Habitat.

Images: Shinyred

Inspired to find out more about their latest collection? Well you can check out my round up of the best Habitat products for your home this A/W here. What's your Habitat?...

{Habitat A/W09 preview}

Oh, how we adore this store. Lucky enough to lay our hands on some preview images of Habitat's new Autumn/Winter collection, we decided to put them straight up on Bright.Bazaar. This collection looks set to continue the current trend for bright, block colours. The Umi table, shown below, screams personality and vibrancy - especially in that gorgeous red, which is offset by the buttercup yellow Bobby floor lamp.

What products do you like? Are you a fan of the current trend for bright, block colours?

Images: Habitat

{There's no place like home}

We've heard the saying many a time before, but for Catherine Colebrook there really is no place like home. A busy mum of two, Catherine not only looks after her children but also runs a lovely interiors and gifts website - all from home! The new website features photography styled by Selina Lake and relaunches as her home appears in the September issue of Ideal Home Magazine. We don't know about you, but all this strikes us as pretty impressive, especially considering how gorgeous the products are on her site. From retro pictures, to handmade cushions and cards, the site offers a real mix of great buys.

"I caught the sewing bug from my Mum and Grandma," says Catherine, "I was absolutely fascinated by how clothes could be constructed from a length of fabric and the love affair began." Fifteen years later - not forgetting a stint appearing on the BBC's Casualty - and Catherine has achieved her original dream. With commissions from Bright.Bazaar favourites - we're talking the likes of Habitat and Laura Ashley - Catherine Colebrook is a must-visit interiors site.

All products from Catherineccolebrook.co.uk.

Images: Catherinecolebrook.co.uk and Selina Lake

{*Scream* Habitat's Christmas collection}

Yesterday was the press launch of Habitat's Christmas 2009 collection. Held in a mirrored room littered with bright, twinkling lights, amongst neon celling hangings and brightly coloured wreaths; it sounds like 'Bright Lights - Big City' is going to be quite a collection. We promise to bring all the pictures very soon.

Yikes, we've just gone against our promise not to mention the C word for a few months. In the name of interiors journalism; are we forgiven?!

Christmas collection teaser from Habitat

Image: Habitat.co.uk

{New season excitement}

There's a buzz of excitement over at Bright.Bazaar towers. Why? Well, it's one of our favourite times of year - the start of the Autumn/Winter season. Soon all the main stores will be unveiling their new collections for the coming season.

Often, with the new season, comes a whole host of stunning catalogues: a modern, slick and inspiring offering from Habitat; a bumper issue from Ikea; and more recently, great value homeware offerings from most of the supermarkets. All these, along with countless other lifestyle stores, are soon to be bursting at their autumnal seems. Full of items perfect for making our homes cosy and relaxing; preparing us for the colder times ahead, the A/W collections are always our favourite. We're wondering if the new collections will borrow from the catwalks. Often crossing over in their trends, the interiors and fashion world tend to mirror one another's key looks. These Vogue pictures suggest we should expect glossy, velvet, jewel-like colours. The fashion mag advises sticking to teal, berry and Sapphire colours to obtain the freshest look for our wardrobe. Well, if anyone should know what looks good, they should! We think these colour's look great, so here's hoping for a similar theme in interiors this season.

From top: Christopher Kane, Bottega Veneta.

Images: Vogue.co.uk

{A sale to end all sales!}

The Bright.Bazaar team has been away for a couple of weeks on a lovely summer holiday, but now we're back, with batteries recharged and cylinders ready to go. Landing back into drizzle at London Heathrow was a touch uninspiring, but when greeted by the news of homeware sales at Next, John Lewis and Habitat we were all soon beaming with glee once again!

Our pick of the summer sales has to be from high street retailer, Habitat. Their 70% off sale not only covers an extensive range but there's also a further 20% off all sale prices in store now. Bright.Bazaar hot-footed straight down to the local store and here are our favourite finds...

OMK Dining Chair, £23.76

Bailey large borosilicate candleholder, £8.40

Kilo long low table, £7.20

Photographic floor lamp, £30.96

Daisy De Villeneuv rug, £83.44

All images, habiat.co.uk