Colour Palette: Yellow & Grey Breakfast Nook

Apartment Therapy | Photography by Leela Cyd Ross

What is it about small spaces? They are just so inspiring. This dining area in a recent home tour on Apartment Therapy is no different. The tried and tested grey and yellow colour palette is punctured with glossy black hues and rustic wooden textures which ground the scheme. I find we so often see dining spaces with tables to fit twelve plus, so it's refreshing to see the perfect little table for four. Tolix chairs echo the industrial, factory-style pendant above the table, whilst yellow accessories upon it nod to the splash of colour in the curtains. Plus, notice how the green plant and blue mug lift the palette, preventing it from feeling flat? I just love those little touches! What's inspiring you about this palette? Have you decorated with these hues? What are your top tips?

Store Tour: Union Jacks, London

Interior design by Black Sheep | Photography by Gareth Gardner | Products: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Following the success of his Jamie's Italian restaurant chain in the UK, Jamie Oliver is rolling out a new restaurant brand, Union Jacks. Designed by Black Sheep the restaurant uses the elements of service, food, theatre and ambiance to create a unique dining experience. Personally I love the subtle nod to yesteryear and references to post-war nostalgia, including beralware-inspired plates (that read "stop looking at my bottom" when you turn them over!). Another standout feature of the design is the graphic neon multicoloured 'Union Jacks' sign that sits above a large vintage cinema style menu board. The colour palette combines muted blue, brown, grey and pink with primary brights and pastel hues. These colours are broken by graph paper printed on counter tables, which are accompanied by school chairs. In the downstairs area there antique TV screens that link to cameras in the kitchen so that diners can see the chefs at work - how fab! A mix of colourful and nostalgic elements make this restaurant design a hit in my book. What's inspiring you about the space?

Paris: Mr. Bazaar in the City of Light

Photography by Will Taylor

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to visit Paris and as always the city provided a beautiful and inspiring experience. The moment you step off the Eurostar train it's hard not to get whipped up in the grandeur and beauty of the French capital that surrounds you. I spent most of the trip walking, camera in hand (pastry in the other!) soaking up the sights and sounds of this magical place. I visited lots of my usual haunts, from shopping in lifestyle store Merci and Le Petit Atelier Paris to cocktails in Georges at the top of Centre Pompidou (the Instagram snap of the Eiffel Tower at night was taken from up there). You just can't tire of Parisian architecture whether it's by day or night, can you?! After being closed on previous visits, I finally took a visit to the Musee d'Orsay where the Impressionist art was divine, as was the building itself. I also dined at Grazie, a new pizza house and cocktail bar, which is an offshoot of Merci and run by Julien Cohen. Dark and moody inside, the decor is perfectly in line with the current industrial trend; one that is echoed in subway tiles, school chairs and exposed bulbs in abundance. Affordable, lively and fun, this restaurant was one of my favourite new finds from the trip. Have you been to Paris? What do you love about the City of Light?