Style Crush: blue velvet

At the moment, I am seriously crushing on blue velvet. Wingback chairs, Chesterfield sofas, headboards, dramatic curtains; I want them all! This may be a symptom of being slightly obsessed with the lovely and extremely talented Emily Henderson, but there's nothing wrong with that!

Source: cocokelley.blogspot.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

This is from Emily's house - a previous incarnation of her office, I believe. LOVE the velvet and the tufted button wingback chair.

Source: rachelswandesign.tumblr.com via Emily on Pinterest

Great headboard! Love how it adds bold colour and prevents the room from becoming so girly that the earthy religious icons would look out of place.

Source: roomfortuesday.tumblr.com via Ty Jones & Co. on Pinterest

Another take on blue velvet by Emily Henderson; I would not have thought to have the curtains hang from curtain rings, but it really seems to add something here (in addition to length!). I have actually just bought a pair of vintage blue velvet curtains from eBay and am hoping to hang them in the Master Bedroom for warmth and the much-needed blackout element, as my partner often works nights. If they're even a vague likeness of this I'll be happy! Another of my style crushes is also evident here: the Eames chairs. Ever since I saw them in the flesh at the BBC's new Media City, I've wanted one of my very own. We shall see.

I also love green velvet and as Pantone have named emerald as the colour of 2013 I would be remiss not to mention it. Sadly there just don't seem to be as many examples of it done right. Maybe I was just ruined by watching Scarlett turn those gorgeous drapes into this fabulous dress (which incidentally I got to see in person this year at the V&A in London - AMAZING!).....

Source: google.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Sources: eBay

I am a HUGE fan of eBay and I use it constantly. We have have found and purchased some serious bargains  for the flat recently and I am so pleased with what we've bought. I really don't think you can beat eBay for finding unusual vintage pieces at low prices; although if you really want to find the good pieces, you have to be committed. Here are a few of my eBay-sourced pieces::

This Chesterfield armchair is a find from two years ago and I still LOVE it. Seriously love it. Like, I would have its leathery blue babies, love it. AND it was £41. FORTY-ONE POUNDS! Amazing.

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

This is our new couch. I have loved tan leather for a while but had always balked at the prices for a couch with the lines I was looking for, until I found this baby. I think it'll work really well in the living room with the Chesterfield. Another incredible bargain: £63

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

This gorgeous piece is another new addition and was one of Matt's picks for the flat. We paid £39 for this and I think that's still a pretty good deal. It's in great condition and Matt's Grandad's initials are A.L. so that makes the piece special to us. I'm trying to figure out how to add a hidden frame to the bottom of it to enable us to add brass castors, so that it's the right height for a coffee table. I have a pretty good idea how but we'll see how it pans out!

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

Last but not least, we have a vintage deco china cabinet which is about to start a new incarnation as a Lego cabinet. That's right: Matt loves Lego and I love Matt, so I had to find a way for him to show his favourite Lego pieces without making my eyes bleed. Enter Mr Handsome Deco China Cabinet (gotta get that guy a nickname): he's made of gorgeous walnut and has great lines but as he's mostly glass and mirror, it means that Matt still gets to show his Legos. Hurrah indeed!

Source: ebay.co.uk via Gemma on Pinterest

What isn't so cheering is the snow which is piled up outside and preventing us from picking up Mr Handsome Cabinet, even though he's only a couple of miles away. Boooo! I guess I'll just have to sit here and wait for my other Mr Handsome to battle through the snow after his night shift :)

Inspiration: Living Room

We recently bought a tan leather couch at a disgustingly cheap price from eBay and I have been combing the internets and Pinterest for inspiration images, such as the following:

Source: inthewhiteroom.com via Gemma on Pinterest

Our couch is nothing like that shape, but I love the vibe of the room and the use of different textures and natural materials to warm up the white walls. Ikea sheepskins may well be in my future....

Source: Uploaded by user via Gemma on Pinterest

The lines of this couch are closer to ours and I love the modern feel of the room; although our room will be incorporating more deco styles than mid-century onwards. Again, it's light and bright and incorporates great design elements into a small area and I'd like to take this into our living area. Also: typography prints - yay!

Source: google.com via Gemma on Pinterest

This picture is probably the closest in terms of how I'd like the room to feel - eclectic but with some very strong and comforting vintage elements. I actually have a trunk which is almost identical to this one and we will be using it as a coffee table, once it's been modified slightly by adding brass castors for height and ease of movement. We have a dark blue Chesterfield armchair which will be the other comfy seating element in the room and good Lord, do I love me a vintage map or two!

Moorland Court

Our new flat is in a 1930s Mansion Block in a really gorgeous little area of Birmingham, but extremely handy for getting in and out of the city centre and to my work. The flat itself is on the 3rd floor and is flooded with light - alas, we only have these few, rather poor estate agent listing photos to illustrate and they fall short of how spacious and light it really is. Still, they're enough to set my heart fluttering!

Ever feel you're in the exact right place at the exact right time?

I find it funny (and sometimes terrifying!) how the internet remembers, even when you forget.... I came onto Blogger this evening to set up a new blog, having forgotten that 4 years ago I set up this blog; and proceeded to post twice: once in 2009 and once in 2010! 

My life has changed immeasurably since then; I now live in a new (but familiar) city with a new (but familiar) partner and I have a new (but familiar) job. I'm just about to move into a gorgeous flat with my amazing boyfriend and I simply cannot wait. Everything feels like it's finally falling into place. 

I've always had a passion for interior design and it feels like now is the right time to blog. To chronicle my obsessive stalking of interior design blogs, Pinterest and online design mags into something more cohesive than the odd Tumblr or Facebook post and my ridiculous collection of pins! So here I go......