Morning, an early one for me as I'm off to the store to check on a few last tweaks. Talking of the store the biggest, hugest thank you for all your kind words about the revamp. The feedback has been overwhelming and makes everything so worthwhile, cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.
Designing a space is an organic process I find, you can plot, draw out and plan to the tiniest degree but when the time actually comes for the install things always change. The exact same thing happened in the store last week, the flower shop was in the first half of the space, and we spent hours sorting it all out HOURS. Then I stood back and thought nope, hate hate hate it. So down it all came and now itâs positioned in the back of the store and I love it. That's the thing with design just when you think you've got it nailed, and you've got like a hundred million years of experience behind you, wham bam it slaps you across the face and makes you re evaluate. It keeps me on my toes and never ever allows me for one second to get bored.
So the point of today's post is that if something isnât working out initially,  lets say the paint colour looks flat, or the furniture isn't quite right or that picture on the wall looks lost, rather than starting again take a step back and think what can you do to improve it as opposed to paint it out a paler hue, or get rid of something.  Do you simply need to prop the painting up against a console rather than putting straight on a wall, or do you need to add more lighting to enliven the paint colour that kind thing. Maybe sling a throw or angle the furniture.  Something simple as turning one of my chairs into my fireplace as opposed to out towards the door revolutionised my studio I kid you not. Some rooms work initially and some don't. Just donât let it put you off.
Take my bedroom this half of the bedroom I love:
[caption id="attachment_4286" align="aligncenter" width="474"]
Photography Graham Atkins Hughes[/caption]
This half of the bedroom I hate.
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Photography Graham Atkins Hughes[/caption]
Its lacking in something and its just not good enought! Although I haven't found a replacement chair, a mirror above the mantle (that all takes time) its all on my to do list. Over Christmas I brought the amazing linen bedding that Merci in Paris sell except as soon as I put it on the bed it zapped the room of energy and now I have to decide bedding stays or rug gets re-located. Decisions, decisions - I think the rug will get relocated to the school room but then I need to find another darn rug for the bedroom, on and on we go, it never ever ends!
Patience is a virtue something I lack, big time, particularly when you embrace eclectic decorating, itâs the hardest look in the world to pull off!
Talking of the school by the way, a whole bunch of new dates on classes goes live tomorrow morning on our new website! Yippee yay
