Sneak Peek: Where I Blog From

Yesterday I guest posted over on Jane's wonderful blog Ill Seen, Ill Said, where I shared the little space from which I blog. If you wish, please do head on over to Jane's blog to hear my thoughts on why I decorated the space in the way I did. In the meantime, here's a peek into my workspace.

Images and layout | Bright.Bazaar

{Office Inspiration: A Stationery Studio}

What do Kate Spade, Linda and Harriet, Jonathan Adler and ABCD Designs all have in common? They each design awesome stationery that's what! I admire each and every part of their creative paper work because fine stationery is so lovely, and for me I treasure a card much more than a present. So why am I banging on about stationery? Well, Mr. Boddington is another fine stationery designer working out of New York City and his studio is enough to make the coolest card in the pack weak at the knees. Guys, check this place OUT! Such a delight from whatever angle you look at it. First up there's the desk, a lovely bureau-style piece (find similar at Three Potato Four and The Peanut Vendor) with a vintage typewriter and globe to complete the look. Plus, look closely and you'll spy copies of our favourite shelter mag. Anyone who drinks tea out of a bright orange tea cup and reads Domino is a dude! Later on there's more warm wood vintage finds, typewriters and a Keep Calm Gallery print that works well in this unusual space. Finally, that view? Yeah, I died a little bit too.

Brooklyn Bride | Mr. Boddington

{Office Inspiration: The Art Barn}

Maybe you work in a creative space everyday or perhaps you slog it in a cubicle doing the 9-5? Either way, I promise you this creative work space will make your jaw drop in awe. Let's take a peek inside the art barn of Alexis, Fern and Feather's author, who I discovered through luxe and lillies yesterday - it's a real treat!

Managed to stop squealing with delight yet?! (Yep, it took me a while to stop, too!) Ok then, let's see how we can recreate this creative, laid-back style...

Paint with Sexy Pink from Dulux

Add lighting with the Ridged Pendent from Pottery Barn

Accessorise with the Pink Splash bunting from Zigzag Bunting...

...then add character with these antique bottles from three potato four...

...and finally keep in with the barn-like look with a pile of these wooden trays

Images: 1. Luxe and Lillies; 2. Fern and Feather

{Bold and Functional Home Office}

This is such a simple and fun way to update an antique dresser, don't you think? Plus, it makes for a really practical home office solution with all that extra storage. The wallpaper may be bold, but somehow it feels sympathetic to the age of the dresser. Get the look with this clock, this lamp, these boxes and this wallpaper.

Image: HousetoHome

{Office Inspiration: Grey and Orange}

The reason I think this office is so great is because it's achieveable and accessible. Don't get me wrong, I love dreamy, OTT styling as much as the next slave to interiors, but every now and again it's lovely to think: I could easily achieve that look. Teaming the cool grey hues with vibrant orange accents was a good move, as they are clearly best friends. Plus, it would be easy to get the look with a lick of this paint, a couple of these units and this fantastic lamp. Sorted!

Image: Living Etc

{Office Inspiration: Parisian Office}

Like many I've always thought it would be lovely to have a Carrie Bradshaw style desk-by-the-window set up for a home office. This office space makes that ideal even more attractive. Great use of storage and plenty of natural light = a brilliant work space. The only problem? How would I get any work done with that view?!

Image: mividabonita via The Decorista

{Office Inspiration: Jonathan Adler's home office}

Ok, so I'm going to biased because I'm already a huge Jonathan Adler fan, but how could I resist blogging about his office when it has that delightful seahorse lamp? As soon as I saw the feature on Apartment Therapy I was itching to share my enthusiasm for his space. Jonathan may have filled his office with items from his own collections, but I don't see any problem in that; it's nice to see that he believes in his brand, in fact I'd go as far to say he lives and breathes it. His office space is an extension of his homewares and pottery business: it doesn't take itself too seriously, and it certainly doesn't look like your average home office.

For a start, the desk is in the centre of the room, which instantly creates a space that's much more informal and relaxed than many offices. Plus, the table is round, allowed for a softer feel compared to angular, more traditional rectangular shaped desks.

The Utopia Sun vase is one of Jonathan's favourite home items and it never leaves the table in his office. Sure, this is an expensive vase, but to me it would be one of those items I would save for and look forward to purchasing, treasuring it for many years once I owned it. The fact it looks as though it belongs in a Tim Burton film plays to my imaginative nature, only making me like it more.

Thanks to the open shelves and myriad of ornaments, vases and artifacts, there is quite an eclectic feel to this space. I see so many office environments that are modernist, stark and lifeless. It's nice to see a work space that can strike that balance between retaining some interest and personality, whilst not being too overbearing.

Another striking difference from traditional offices is the tactile experience that Jonathan's home office offers. There are no uncomfortable or hideous swivel chairs in sight. Instead, there's a comfy armchair, over sized rug and plenty of soft textiles and funky cushions. Somehow, though, the space still retains the feel that it is an office and a space for working. Jonathan, in the unlikely event that you're reading this, please do share how you manage to do this!

Images: Ellen Morton, Apartment Therapy

{Office Inspiration: Tim Neve}

So we've made it to Monday afternoon, I think we all deserve five minutes break, right?! As promised, here's the gorgeous home office of Tim Neve. It's totally different to the understated, soft hues he used to style the apartment featured in Real Living magazine, but I love it! Personally, I have never considered painting a home office black, but with those wild pops of yellow, high ceilings and white furniture, it's a scheme that definitely works. Check out Tim's blog to see more of his great work.

Image: bijou kaleidoscope

{Wow, this desk rocks...}

Image: The Hansen Family

...Don't you think? For me, it's the subtlety of the different colours in each compartment that grabs my attention, but then it could be the typewriter print above the desk because that's super cool, too. Check out The Hansen Family website for more Swiss brilliance.

{Office Inspiration - A storage special}

Angela Carr is an architect who has a great eye for design and, unsurprisingly, those all important practical details. To round off my storage special week on Bright.Bazaar, I caught up with Angela to chat through her home office, where she runs her business living:room. Right then, let's get straight to it, as it turns out Angela's office holds memories behind every corner...

The office is downstairs at the back of my Victorian terraced house in Dublin - it's a split level house known locally as a 'Dublin Villa', which sounds much to grand! When I first viewed the house this was my favourite room - south facing and overlooking the garden - it's perfectly proportioned and filled with light. I'm a big believer in multiple uses for rooms to maximize their value, so this is not only my office for architectural work but it's also where I write, draw and it even serves as a yoga studio. I like to see my office as a hub for creative endeavour, which sounds so much nicer than work!

Ironically though, it was the last room to be put to use and my beloved books lingered in boxes for the first couple of years after the move. One of the things I love most about this room is having all my books about me - I've been obsessed with reading since I was a child. The shelves are an Ikea range with lots of accessories so I was able to put together a system that works for me - books on show and all the other messy stuff hidden away. Although this is a work space, it is my home first and foremost, so I didn't want 'officey' type things dominating the room.

Every room in the house has a chimney and most still have the original Victorian cast iron fireplaces - though I've never used this one. The picture over the fireplace is one of my own from when I was at school. I came across it when I was clearing out the room to create the office. I like having it there because it reminds me that before I knew about anything, I knew how to do that - to always trust in my creative instincts.

All my bits and bobs for working, drawing and filing live near my main desk - the white board is a great way of trying out sketch ideas quickly. The shelf is solid pine (Ikea) painted with Farrow and Ball's Borrowed Light - I try to buy solid wood where I can (and when the budget allows!) because it's longer lasting and more adaptable. I recycle old glass jars and use them to store stationary for easy access.

I keep a box of file cards beside the desk to help keep track of ideas and information, both my own and those I find - it's full of quotes and ideas for the business, for writing projects, for blog articles - the lot. Whenever I'm stuck I have a little delve in there and always find something to inspire - I use old cards and postcards to organise them.

These shelves are from a bathroom range that Habitat stocked years ago - I love the grain of the wood but being solid wood they weren't exactly bargains! To squeeze some additional value out of them, I separated the drawer from the invisibly mounted casing and fit them between the casings instead of inside them. This creates alternate open shelves and closed drawers, doubling the storage space - I've added small timber strips to the underside of the external casing to act as runners for the drawers.

I have a set of four chairs that belonged to my parents' first dining set when they got married, which makes them of mid-6o's vintage. They have a classic modern shape and I've been refurbishing them to match various rooms since I was fifteen years old. This time I reupholstered them with a printed sailcloth material by a San Francisco retro textile designer 'Melinamade'. I love mid century textile designs like Lucienne Day's classic Calyx print for Heals and picked this as it as similar feel to that period. The chair back was then painted in Farrow and Ball's Downpipe to match.

The desk was another basic Ikea buy - I like the neutrality of Ikea's basic white melamine finish (even if it is a devil to keep clean!), it's well behaved and can mix with most styles of interior. The files are organised in an old letter rack and the mug is handmade from a pottery in Cromarty. The sketches are from a recent article I did for 'Decorate and Improve Your Home'.

I love my office space, as it works on so many different levels, but for me the best thing about working from home is sitting down every morning to look out onto greenery, rooftops, Victorian chimney pots, flowers, fruit tress, birds, butterflies and the neighbour's cat.

Told you - interesting stuff, huh?! Anyhow, please do check out Angela's blog as it makes for a great read. It covers many aspects of her work, which focuses on showing people the value of good design and how small, cost-effective changes can make a real difference to our homes - increasing their value and improving the experience of living in them. Does your home need a new year rescue remedy? If so, then living:room's two hour Design Consultation Service with Angela, could be just what your house needs.

Thanks for stopping by; have a great weekend folks and I'll see you next week.

{Craft/friends/thank you}

Thanks to all Bright.Bazaar followers over on Twitter, who have congratulated me on being the guest crafter for the Guardian's Making Time website. I really appreciate all your kind comments and generous words. After all, without all your inspiring blogs and tweets I would be without so much fantastic inspiration.

So, as a little thank you, here are some extra shots from my dining table photo shoot...

Images: Will Taylor

An extra special thank you must go to my lovely friend, Perri Lewis. Perri used to be my Editor back in our student newspaper days and the person who first inspired me to get involved in writing and journalism. She now writes regularly for the Guardian and has her own craft blog, which you should check out for a great mix of accessible and quirky craft stories/projects/pictures and more!

{Office Inspiration - Tree Fall Design Studio}

Office inspiration this week comes from somewhere closer to come, Leeds in fact. This creative space was made by Manda McGrory who runs Tree Fall Design. Her studio is light and airy, displaying a fantastic use of limited space. It just goes to show that whilst vast office spaces like the Urban Outfitters' HQ can be hugely inspiring, so too can small spaces and Manda's studio is living proof of this.

The space is clearly productive, with Manda running a successful online Etsy store selling handmade goods, using lots of recycled fabrics, many of which you can see in the photos here. Her online shop sells handmade quilts, soft toys, tote bags and many more delightful finds. Look how she has used left over fabric imaginatively to liven up often forgotten parts of a room, such as the panels in the door below.

The studio even manages to look stylish through storage. Check out the extensive range of fabrics Manda has stored, it must take her all day just to choose one for her next design!

Images: Manda McGrory, Tree Fall Design

Do you have a creative space or a home office that you would like to share? Please get in touch in the comments below or find Bright.Bazaar over on twitter - 'Will_UK'.

{Urban Outfitters HQ - office inspiration}

Last week's office inspiration showed the intimate and colourful workspace of Orla Kiely. This week it's all about inspiring corporate spaces and the Urban Outfitter's Headquarters in Philadelphia is the focus - what an inspiring and seductive place to work. I first read about this fantastic office space on decor8 a while back, and it's lovely to be able to feature it on my own blog. Most of us spend our life working in offices so let's celebrate how lovely they can be when a bit of colour, personality and expression are thrown into the mix.

I think it's admirable for an employer to provide such a creative and informal place for their staff to work amongst and I'm sure Urban Outfitters reap the benefits for doing so. The vast height of the main office space is bound to create an airy and fresh feeling, almost as if the space was designed to provide more head space for workers to keep their creativity from being crushed. The huge windows shown below let light flood into the different areas of the office, keeping even the smaller spaces feeling breathable. Although for many of us this kind of office space is a mere dream, there are still small elements from which inspiration can be taken. For example, hanging a favourite item of clothing or arranging different sculptures on a shelf can provide the same effect as the picture below, just on a smaller scale. I would love to see some of your own office spaces and feature them on Bright.Bazaar, so please let me know in the comments below if you wish to share the space in which you work.

Images: From decor8.com, originally by Lara Swimmer, Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd

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{Orla Kiely - office inspiration}

Orla's Office. Image: Rachael Smith, guardian.co.uk

Office spaces are all too often considered work-only places and therefore end up becoming dumping grounds for paperwork and various other uninspiring paraphernalia. Over at Bright.Bazaar we love to see an office space that's not only practical, but also effortlessly inspiring. Orla Kiely's  office (shown above) is proof that offices can be creative and yet functional at the same time. Kiely's colourful personality shines through here, just as it does in her gorgeous fabric designs. The industrial bright green sideboard works so well to offset the feminine prints and designs that fill her office.

Cushion covered in Orla Kiely's Multi Stem print. Image, Orla Kiely.com

Based in a purpose built, three-storey building in Clapham, South London, the design business is a haven for creativity, where down-to-earth boss Orla likes to work at the same level as her staff. "There are six of us based here and we do everything on the design side, from coming up with initial concepts to creating finished products, including clothes, accessories and homeware. We're a team so even though I'm in charge, I didn't want a grand, hierarchical desk," Kiely explained in a recent interview with The Observer's Charlotte Abrahams. Bright.Bazaar loves this philosophy and thinks it's high time we invested in some colourful new Orla Kiely bits...just in time for summer! Here's what we've got our eye on:

Car Park pillowcase covers from Orla Kiely. Image, Orla Kiely.com