How To Create A Colourful & Rustic Home Office

As I work from home, my office space is one of the most important rooms in the whole apartment. I need it to be colourful (OK, that was a given!), practical and energising for all those long hours in front of the laptop. So, when I happened upon this colourful and rustic home office, I knew I had to share it here on Bright.Bazaar. The scheme is an effortless mix of weathered, rustic materials like metal and bare wood. paired with brightly painted gloss pieces and rag-like textiles. It's these colourful additions that give this room it's heart and personality: the visual surprise of the two colourful chairs brings a new angle to what would otherwise be a generic, paint-by-numbers industrial meets rustic scheme. The two chairs also serve to soften the harder, rougher vibe that flows through the rest of the room. Laying the rag rug in the centre of the room makes good use of the free space to bright another hit of hue into the scheme. By opting for a rag-style rug, as opposed to a high pile wool rug, it means this key textile piece sits comfortably alongside the heavier industrial furniture. This is because it brings just enough comfort and tactile texture without being too much of a juxtaposition with the more rustic pieces; pushing this contrast further would compete with the statement already created between the gloss bright chairs and the metal and wooden desk.
// Hus&Hem | Photography by Carina Olander

10 Things I Learned & Loved This Weekend

1. My first attempt at making a gingerbread house had a rather amusing result...! Things I learned: I need to be quicker at pipping the icing so it doesn't start to set in the bag, becoming impossible to pipe; I should remeasure and resize the pieces once they cooked; when planning on photographing it, I need to leave enough time so that I'm not racing to finish it before the goes down!
2. I can't go into IKEA just for a rug and come out without a trolley full of fabulous and super affordable Christmas decorations!
3. I laid down my new rug in the living room; the underlay makes it feel really tactile underfoot.
4. The type on Merci's paper bags is fab.
5. How sweet is the entrance to this florist's shop?
6. I can't help but smile when I'm wearing stripes!
7. I'm truly, madly, deeply in love with this festive Paris print!
8. This year's seasonal decor calls for stylish paper decorations.
9. Love this colour block watch.
10. This is my kinda Christmas card - colourful and typographic.

Sunday's Bright Links No.99: Yellow Brights

Elsewhere

A very stylish wedding in New Zealand.

How lovely are these thyme-rimmed tealight candles?

Fun Thanksgiving printables and invites.

White, grey and pink.
A beautiful shot of sunset in Charleston.
Do you own an online store? Here's some great tips on how to style your products.
Looking for Thanksgiving ideas? I love these 10 Dishes with a Twist.

Bright.Bazaar

10 Things I Learned & Loved Last Weekend.

Take Your Pick: Karla Pruitt Wallpaper.

Market Picks: Habitat Brights.

Colour Palette: Rustic Kitchen Diner.

Sweet Paul: A Blue Christmas.

Mr. Bazaar Goes On A Little Interiors Adventure!

// Andrew Nakatone, via here | Omo Fyr

Happy Weekend: Black On Black

If you follow Bright.Bazaar on Instagram, you'll know that Mr. Bazaar went on a little adventure to IKEA yesterday. Let me explain the story: I've been trying to get hold of their Stockholm Rand rug for almost a year, and when I heard on Thursday that it had sold out Europe-wide, I thought it was never going to be. Then, yesterday, it transpired that there was one rug left in the Birmingham store. So, I jumped into my car and made the 220-mile, 4-hour round trip from London to Birmingham and back to pick up the rug! My heartmate was laughing saying at least it was a weekday so they didn't have to come along with me on a wild goose chase across the country for a rug! Well, I'm nothing if not determined (read: interiors crazy!). It was actually kinda fun to go a road trip: I had the radio blaring and 'sang' along at the top of my voice the whole way there and back. Have you ever taken any crazy, impromptu trips for an interiors piece?! I'd love to hear your stories. Have a great weekend, friends.
// All Hail The High Sea

Sweet Paul: A Blue Christmas

Blue rocks. Period. I've always been a fan of this versatile hue; I've used it in my clothing and decor choices for years - even my car is blue! However, it wasn't until a few years ago when I discovered just how fantastic the colour can be when used as the anchor point for a festive decorating scheme. Each year my main tree (yes, Mr.B loves Christmas decorating so much that he has more than one tree...!) is now decorated with a Nordic blue colour scheme. So, I was delighted that the Holiday issue of Sweet Paul included a Christmas story based around the very same palette. Styled and photographed by Germany-based Dietlind Wolf, the spread inspired me to add some new elements to my own decorating scheme this year. I especially love how Dietlind combined ice blue and winter teal hues with frost and rust accents, which work really well to break up the palette. As well as this beautiful story, you can also see my market pages, a travel piece on Munich and my recurring Will's Picks feature, which gives hints, tips and inspiration for creating a Nordic White Christmas scheme. I always love working on Holiday issues (even if it is during summer!) but it's even better to enjoy reading the issue cover to cover once all the hard work is done. Now I can start to think about starting this year's seasonal decorating! Tell me, do you use any blue in your festive decor?
// Craft, styling & photography by Dietlind Wolf | Sweet Paul | Paint splash

Colour Palette: Rustic Kitchen Diner

If I ever need reminding of just how powerful colour can be in an interior space, then this would be the room to do it. Why? Well, take a moment to imagine this space without the weathered green factory pendant or the rustic blue stool and rug. Without them, I believe the space would be lifeless and seriously lacking in depth. The green pendant provides a visual break between the pale wooden dining furniture and the white cabinetry behind; this is important addition because it brings depth, while also drawing the eye down to the focal point of the room. Meanwhile, the texture and colour added through the blue Tolix stool and rug bring warmth to the milky white base palette. I love the subtle addition of purple through the blooms, too - green and purple are such a great combination! What do you like about this space?
// Skona Hem

Market Picks: Habitat Brights

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

What's the weather like with you, friends? I know, I know, it's so British of me to talk about the weather but we do it so well; in London it's grey, damp and overcast so I'm craving some full on brights. Thankfully, Habitat have more than enough colour to go around this season and, well, that makes Mr. Bazaar a happy interior camper! I'll pulled together some of my favourite pieces that would work well to introduce into your home right now as a quick colour update. Feeling a lack of warmth and colour in the bedroom? The Holbeck bedspread is for you. Needing a little more light in the dining room as the days grow shorter? The Saunders rubber pendant shade is what you need. My favourite idea is to combine different coloured Kilo tables - three in a row or four together as a square - to make a colour block coffee table. This is such a quick and relatively affordable way to bring customised colour into a living room. Which pieces do you like best?

Take Your Pick: Karla Pruitt Wallpaper

Let's add a little fun to Tuesday shall we, folks? I always love doing these Take Your Pick posts because it's so fun to read which colourway different readers like best and why. Today's choices come from surface designer and painter, Karla Pruitt, who works out of her Athens, Georgia based home studio, where she illustrates repeat patterns for both home and apparel. Karla's work is influenced by her surrounding neighbourhood in Athens, which is all about appreciating the old and embracing the new; her wallpapers are born from the idea of what happens when classic meets modern. I love how she has incorporated this approach into her new Biscayne Dot wallpaper, which updates the classic polka dot with hand drawn cross-hatching. I think the burgundy would be ideal for an entryway; the turquoise for a playroom; and the gold for a living room. Which colourway is your favourite?
// Hygge & West

10 Things I Learned & Loved This Weekend

1. A cheery pink front door is a quick fire way to brighten up a dark and damp Saturday morning walk through London.
2. I walked past Bonnie Gull and the interior looked as though it would be equally as charming as the exterior!
3. Enjoyed looking through these inspirational quote postcards that Fiona at Flourish kindly gave to me as a present.
4. These owl placemats from Hester and Cook would be lovely for a woodland themed Holiday table.
5. Habitat have a super fun and colourful display for their Christmas windows.
6. This green and white stripe awning is a true delight!
7. I love the packaging on this Hope and Greenwood sweetie packet.
8. Moa Hoff opened her online store and I instantly fell for her delightful circus poster.
9. Lindsay Sherbondy makes these rather lovely hand-lettered Holiday prints.
10. I think my wardrobe would like to date a polka dot jumper!

Sunday's Bright Links No. 98: A Winter Frost

Elsewhere

My mum shared her Laura Ashley favourites of past and present on their blog.

Behind the scenes of shooting a book cover.

Jeanette took these beautiful snaps of a winter frost.

A stunning wedding in Santorini.

Speaking of weddings, can you spot Mr. Bazaar in this wedding video?!

The perfect tomato bruschetta.

How make a mini marquee sign with lights.

Bright.Bazaar

10 Things I Learned & Loved Last Weekend.

Country Road's Colourful New Collection.

Three Ways To Add Colour To Your Living Room.

Market Picks: Hush Hush Brights.

A Sneak Peek At The New Look Bright.Bazaar!

A Look Back At Mr. Bazaar's Week.

// Photography by By Fryd

A Look Back On Mr. Bazaar's Week

Do you ever have those weeks when you move so fast from one thing to another that you don't have time to take stock of it all? Well, I just had one of those weeks: in amongst a whirlwind of Spring/Summer 2013 press shows, I somehow managed to film a special video for Laura Ashley, interview the super talented Holly Becker as part of her Decorate Workshop book launch in Anthroplogie, and give a talk on blogging at Easyart's UK headquarters. Phew! As Bright.Bazaar heads into a new era (did you see the sneak peek of the new site design yesterday?!) I'm feeling so grateful for the genuine friendships I've been graced with and the creative projects that I've been able to work on. I truly love writing this blog everyday; it's such a pleasure to share my colourful view on the world with you all. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for following along on my blogging adventures. A big 'high five' to all my blogging pals!
// 1. Will Taylor | 2. Tina Bernstein | 3. Holly Becker | 4. Yvonne Eijkenduijn | Paint splash | Tape stripes

Mr. Bazaar Has Been Busy...!

... working on a brand new look for Bright.Bazaar! Yes, I've had my virtual paint brushes out to refresh Mr. Bazaar's online home. I've teamed up with the very talented freelance designer Amanda Jane Jones, who also designs Kinfolk magazine, to build a new site that's due to launch soon. I really hope the new site will make for a better browsing experience for you all. In the meantime, why not head over to what will soon be the new home of Bright.Bazaar and sign up to the RSS feed? If you follow by Google Friend Connect and wish to keep reading Bright.Bazaar you'll need to subscribe to the RSS feed here. If you have a link to Bright.Bazaar on your blog, please could you change it to: www.brightbazaarblog.com? Thank you! I hope you like this little peek at the new look? Change is always a scary thing but I think it's important to evolve. Let me know what you think, friends!

Market Picks: Hush Hush Brights

In the next few days a new interiors shopping site called Hush Hush will launch and I'm excited to see what colourful goodies they have in store for us. The team behind the launch kindly sent me these preview snaps of their first collection, including pretty floral print notebooks by Liberty Stationery and boldly patterned textiles from Evans Linchfield. But it was when I saw the brightly coloured Zatchels that I became most excited as they reminded me of a fantastic home tour I posted recently; I love it when people use their fashion choices to add a dash of colour to their homes, don't you? Wonderful!
// Product images by Hush Hush | Interior lifestyle by Hus & Hem; photography by Anna Leena Karlsson

Three Ways To Add Colour To Your Living Room

Today I wanted to look at three different ways to add colour to living rooms because I've seen so many fantastic spaces packed with colour. The first scheme, Candy Colour, is the ultimate fun loving space and is easy to achieve with a statement armchair and vibrant textiles. The red thread that ties all the elements together? The stripe pattern across each element of the space. I love it! The second idea, Pastel Pretty, is the perfect scheme for those who like their colours to play a central role in their schemes, just in a more subdued manner. This look is achieved by layering in sorbet-like hues upon a calm and neutral palette. My top tip is to stick to one key hue, then mix in shades from within the same colour family; complete the space with no more than two accent colours to prevent the look from feeling too 'busy'. The final scheme, Painterly, is a fine example of how to use colour to create a striking statement without loosing femininity. This is because soft brush strokes of colour, as opposed to the harder lines like those in the Candy Stripe scheme, bring a delicate feel to the space that suits the blue and violet colour palette. Which look gets your vote, friends?
// 1. & 2. Country Homes & Interiors; photography by Jeremy Baile and Jon Day | 3. House to Home; photography by Dominic Blackmore

Country Road's Colourful New Collection

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Oh, Country Road, how I love thee! I look forward to your collections like a toddler looks forward to Christmas morning. Whilst many of us north of the Equator begin to endure the long slog through winter, you've so kindly brought us warmth and sunshine via your cheerful and bright new collection for the Australian Spring Summer season. As always, I'm enamoured by your colourful offering, and feel like I've fallen especially hard this time around. You just had to throw in some striped bistro tableware to push me over the line into Interiors Shop Obsession, didn't you? If only I could be cross with you, but somehow each time I see your yellow stripe linens and graphic pillows, I can't help but smile and forgive you for burning a hole in my wallet!

// Country Road

10 Things I Learned & Loved This Weekend

1. Old buildings with vibrant yellow doors look fantastic.
2. Seeing an old fashioned post box on a country lane means I screech the car to a halt to take a picture...!
3. This wrapping paper is very well designed.
4. Bark votives make rainy afternoons indoors very cosy.
5. Remember my School House Electric clock that arrived recently? Well, I finally put it up on the wall.
6. Visiting my Gran's thatched cottage always makes me smile because I have so many great childhood memories from time spent there.
7. I think this woodcut print is beautiful.
8. These tea cups have a lovely shape.
9. The red hue of this storm lantern gives me flutters of excitement for forthcoming festivities.
10. I discovered this rug - yet more evidence that yellow and pink are best buds!

Sunday's Bright Links No.97: Winter Warmers

Elsewhere

Mr. Bazaar popped up in Laura Ashley's film of their first blogging party!

I love that Bartsch have just released their first set of wallpapers.

How stunning are these bark-wrapped candle votives?

My friends Rachie and Jon both launched cracking new blog designs this week.

Beautiful photographs of a fall hike.

From sun room to boot room - what a makeover!

I thought the Halloween editorial in the new Rue was top notch.

I really need to try Fig Bruschetta.

If ever there was an outfit for a Greek island, this is it!

I would have loved to have attended this photography workshop.

A tour of The White House gardens.

Bright.Bazaar

10 Things I Learned & Loved Last Weekend.

Colour Palette: A Stylish Teenage Bedroom.

How To Add Character To A Kitchen.

Three Ways To Make A Striking Statement With Tiles.

Market Picks: Homebase Winter Blues.

// Bartsch | Luluto

Happy Weekend: Anna Emilia's Prints

Bike Caravan | Blossom Sailing | Under Ice | Forest Cuckoo | Winter Is Ending

This week I discovered these beautiful art prints by illustrator and painter Anna Emila - aren't they so sweet?! Anna was born in Leppävirta, a small town in Finland that had strawberry fields, lakes and pine forests. She I love how she explains on her website that she used to built huts out of branches with friends and her brother and played by cutting and gluing paper. One summer she found Melancholy thistle flowers which she then used as painting brushes and she hasn't looked back since. Well, I'm pleased she didn't because her work is such a treat! There's an air of whimsy and delicacy to Anna's work that I really like, especially her Forest Cuckoo illustration. Do you have a favourite? I'm off to take my granny out for her birthday today. Do you have any fun weekend plans, friends?
// Art prints by Anna Emilia