Alexandra Thomas's profile

Please share away! What super cool products have you seen recently?

I think wall stickers are fab and the designs available just seem to get better and better. Best of all if you really hate it once it’s up it won’t be as tricky or expensive to remove as wallpaper

Neighbours ay? Can’t live with them, can’t live without them! Especially when like mine they accept your parcels when you’re out. I think the tree issue can be resolved without dragging the council into to – a polite letter should do the trick.

You’re in luck! I’ve found these ones from online store Wysteria Lane http://www.wysterialane.co.uk/clothes-hanger-with_pearls.html

If you’ve got your heart set on dark furniture then I would suggest going for a neutral paint colour. You can still use wallpaper but either choose one that has a neutral theme or go for something really vibrant and only use it one wall. Good luck

There are lots of designers creating laser cut items but they may be loathed to share their contacts with you! Can anyone help Aubrey?

It’s a great way of revamping old furniture alternatively you could always stick it on eBay and buy a new set with your profits!

Grey is a great colour to use for a front door but you’re right sometimes they can feel not like a true grey and even look purple in some lights.

I love Farrow & Ball’s Down Pipe, Little Greene’s Dark Lead Colour and Pots of Paint Flaxen Grey.

The trick is to paint a A4 sheet using a tester pot and try hanging them on the front door to see which one you like.

Good luck!

As you don’t specify which colour ypu wanted to match here are some ideas.

Green – Olive Oil or Kitchen Green – The Little Greene Paint Company

The orangey-red – Firefly – The Little Greene Paint Company

The purple – Plush Velvet 5 – Dulux

Personally I would go for the green as it lighter and less oppressive than the other two.

Let us know how you get on.

Thanks

Alexandra

Plasti-kote is your best bet if you want to do this yourself. They have a range of paints that can be used on metals.

Here’s a link to the range. http://www.plasti-kote.co.uk/Search/scode—-5505/Go_suface—-GO

You may need to use a primer first, so make sure you check the instructions.

Hope that helps.

Alexandra

Wow you’ve got a massive job on your hands!!

I think a would burner would be great – but first things first, I would get rid of all the wood. Do you really need those shelves/seats? I think it makes it look very dated.

Next, and many would crucify me for this, I would paint the brickwork white to give it a more contemporary feel.

Ultimately though, and if you can structurally, I would knock the whole thing down! It is way too imposing in this room.

Hope that helps.

Alexandra

Despite your two windows, this room feels a little dark – probably because of the flooring and furniture. Your choice of wall colour is a little rich, so I would go for something a bit brighter such as an off white that doesn’t have too much cream in it.

The wallpapered wall looks great but again is a little dark and bold for this room so why not choose something lighter that will complement your new paint colour. Go for a smaller pattern too which will be less oppressive.

Lastly, if you don’t want to get rid of your sofas, I would suggest you lighten then a little with off white cushions – trying mixing different textures such as knits and silks.

Hope that helps.

Alexandra

Black might make the room feel a little stark even if you have the slats open during the day.

Why not opt for a warmer dark wood tone instead of black which won’t be so dark.

Let us know how you get on.

Why don’t you try window film? I’m assuming that is being a loft room you won’t be overlooked so this could be the perfect solution. Brume www.brume.co.uk has a wide range of designs to choose from.

Art work doesn’t have to be expensive. 55 Max has a wide range of prints and photos in a variety of sizes that come framed or on canvasses. Check out their page on Furnish here http://furnish.co.uk/brands/55max

Alternatively, why not have a favourite photo blown up and frame it in a simple frame to add impact to a plain wall.

The world is your oyster and you can do loads and loads with tiles. They’re really expensive but there’s nothing stopping you using Bisazza as inspiration for a mosaic design. Or try using patterned tiles with plain ones (have a look at Fired Earth for an amazing selection)

Another idea is to have white tiles everywhere and then use another colour for the shower and splashback areas.

Let us know how you get on.

Do it! Nothing ventured, nothing gained

I have trawled the internet too but have only been able to find traditional ones. You could buy one of these and paint it but why not try making your own? Get a local timber merchants to cut one to size and add a chrome hook then paint it in a bright colour.

Hope that helps.

I would go bold and choose a shocking pink or navy both which look fabulous with pale greys. Yellow will work well too although be careful to use it in small doses.

Here are some colour recommendations:

The Little Greene Paint Company – Sunlight

Fired Earth – Carbon Blue

Farrow & Ball – Drawing Room Blue

Alternatively, go for wallpaper to add colour and pattern, Miss Print’s Saplings in Sunflower Yellow would look great.

A lot of sofa covers are a bit naff to be honest as well as being expensive. Bemz ones are really cool but they are only designed to cover Ikea sofas.

I agree with Tony and think throws and cushions would do the trick however I agree they can look quite untidy.

If you’re handy with a sewing machine (or have a friend who is) you could try making your own covers.

Failing that, why not have a chat with your landlord, it might be they don’t like the sofas either and bought them as a stop gap. You could even offer to try and sell the existing ones on Gumtree or eBay and put the money towards some new ones.

I absolutely agree with Caroline, go for a paler purple and you room will seem much brighter and not as oppressive.

Keeping a small bathroom is really tricky, I should know – I’ve got one!

I’m assuming you don’t have a lot of floor space, so wall-hung storage is a must. Have a look at the range of racks and shelves available from The Holding Company here on Furnish.

Also, think about what you need to keep in your bathroom on a daily basis and what you don’t. For example, if you haven’t got room for stacks of towels, could you store them in a blanket box in the bedroom?

Hope this helps.

They are lots of ways to use mirror in your scheme that can make it feel much brighter and lighter.

I always think a wall of mirrors can look fabulous in any room. For example, use your largest, plainest wall in your living room and add five or six mirrors in a similar style but varying sizes and place them on the wall in a random fashion.

It might help if you lay the mirrors out on the floor first, that way you can work out what looks good.

Second hand shops offer an inexpensive way to create this effect.

Good luck.

They are lots of ways to use mirror in your scheme that can make it feel much brighter and lighter.

I always think a wall of mirrors can look fabulous in any room. For example, use your largest, plainest wall in your living room and add five or six mirrors in a similar style but varying sizes and place them on the wall in a random fashion.

It might help if you lay the mirrors out on the floor first, that way you can work out what looks good.

Second hand shops offer an inexpensive way to create this effect.

Good luck.

This is a bit tricky. You could either look for a retro shelving unit that complements your other furniture or buy inexpensive, wooden shelves and paint them the same colour as the wall.

That way they will blend into the wall and appear to float without being too intrusive on your scheme.

Let us know how you get on and don’t forget to post a picture!

Hi there,

How exciting that you’re about to embark on a new career – congratulations.

There are loads of courses about and I have heard really good things about the KLC one. Inchbald is another design school that has a very good reputation. I went to their graduate show a year or so ago and the standard was amazing, A lot of their graduates go onto design for hotels, restaurants etc.

What ever course you go for, I would hugely recommend trying to get work experience with an interior designer as what you learn “in the field” will be invaluable and only supplement your academic experience.

Good luck!

To be on the safe side, I would definitely use a fire retardant fabric. Your local fabric store or a department store with a good haberdashery department, such as John Lewis will be able to tell you what your options are. Good luck and don’t forget to post a picture when you’re done.

The trick is not to go for a laminate as dark as the furniture as this will make your room feel very dark.

I would go for a light walnut, something like Distressed Oak or Fired Medium Ash from Element 7.

With all that wood in your scheme, I’d also highly recommend using a colourful or textured rug to break the scheme up a bit and add a different dimension.

Wow, this is quite a tricky one to be honest BUT there are lots of great sofa companies out there who offer bespoke services. I would give Sofa.com or Pimpernel & Partners a call to see if they can help at all.

Wow, these type of stools are pretty hard to find! I have managed to track down a similar one from Homes in Heaven http://www.homesinheaven.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&product_id=56&flypage=flypage.tpl1&pop=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=96&lang=en

It is shown in here in painted white wood but if you click on the products section you will see you can have all their products finished in the colour of your choice.

Hope that helps.

Alex

It completely depends on what effect you’re after. If you want to be bold then a large scale pattern will work as well as a small design if you’re after a more subtle look.

What I would say is keep the colour light – small hallways don’t benefit from dark colour schemes, especially if there’s not a lot of natural light and will make the space feel smaller.

Metallic wallpapers (try Harlequin) in either large or small prints are a good idea as they will help reflect light around your hallway and staitcase.

Hope that helps.

Alex

I personally wouldn’t totally discount curtains as they can look fantastic when used in the right way. How about combining a plain pair with a gorgeous patterned blind from Marimekko? Plus on a practical note, having two window treatments helps stop the warmth escaping and keeps draughts at bay.

Have you thought about using some coloured flooring. Dalsouple makes really cool rubber flooring in a range of rainbow shades. That should stop your kitchen looking too stark.

My friend loved her open plan living space and then felt the same way as you so she installed those floor-to-ceiling room dividing panels between her dining and living areas. That way she can pull them open when she has a big party or have them closed to create a more intimate atmosphere it worked really well.

I would use a number of bookshelves or shelves across the widest wall in your largest room. That way you’ll have them in one place and the effect of all the different coloured spines will look pretty cool too.

Starting with the basics is essential really. I’m assuming they’ve taken away the cornicing, dado and picture rails? If so they’re really easy to replace, you just need to visit your local timber yard, tell them what you’re after and reinstall it. Then you’ve got a completely blank canvass but the basics in place.

You’re really lucky to have such a large entrance space when most people have dark and dingy halls. You can also use darker colours than most, so you could create a really opulent scheme using rich colours and possibly even a patterned wallpaper. To add a touch of glamour, why not add a huge vintage style chandelier?

You could try creating a really eclectic scheme by using different styles of dining chairs around the table. Mix and match modern brightly coloured ones with rustic country-style ones and you could even throw in a couple of retro designs. It will instantly give your table a new lease of life.

I’d check with your landlord first but pictures and wall hangings can make the world of difference to a plain room. A cheap way of doing this is to print out some of your favourite snaps in black and white and create a montage in a huge frame or lots of different size and style frames and hang them in a random pattern.

Have you considered using shutters? They’re a more permanent solution to curtains and blinds but I think they really amazing. Loads of companies are doing them now so it pays to shop around for a good deal. The New England Shutter Company is a good choice but I’d go on recommendations from friends, colleagues and family who’ve had them fitted because I’ve heard some nightmare stories regarding less professional companies. Good luck and let is see how they look.

Have you thought about using striped flooring? Crucial Trading designs really lovely collection of striped floorings. I love their Audrey which uses bold stripes in four colour ways. You can use it as “wallpaper” for the floors and use it to build your scheme around. If bold isn’t for you then take a look at their other stripe collections, Mississippi and Tiffany which will add subtle pattern to your room.

Mid-Century furniture does tend to be really expensive and even more so in recent years as its popularity has grown. You shouldn’t afraid to bargain with dealers at these fairs as they expect you to! However, if your negotiating skills aren’t that hot or if stuff is still out of your price range you could try eBay or other auction sites. They do tend to be a bit cheaper and there’s lots of 1960s and 1970s G Plan knocking around. Good luck.

I’d definitely keep it in case the wallpaper on your walls gets damaged and then you can easily replace it. However, if you want to use it straight away then there are several options. You could try papering a bookcase in it, or using it to cover wardrobe doors or you could even try jazzing up some boring storage boxes by covering them. Let us know how you get on.

I’d start by scrapping off all the old paint or varnish so you have a new surface to work with. Then you need to decide how to finish it. You could try re varnishing to give it a classic look or for a more contemporary feel why not paint it in a dark matt paint such as a midnight blue or steel grey. Another good idea is to paint the top with chalkboard paint so you can scribble notes to yourself while you work.

Congratulations on the decision to scrap the beige! I suggest you steer clear of bright and bold colours until you get a bit more confident and start off by incorporating some of the so-called new neutrals such as greys, taupes and off-whites. These can help create a stunning scheme but are also extremely useable. They also offer the perfect opportunity of add some pattern through fabric and wallpaper into your scheme.

If you’re not going to use it as it is I don’t see you have anything to lose by giving it a go! You will need to use a specialist wood paint in order to get a really professional finish. I think the best way to do this is to use a spray paint so you don’t end up with brush marks. Check out the range at Plasti-kote (www.plastikote.co.uk) they’ve got loads of colours in a range of finishes.
You’ll probably need to use some sort of primer first and I’d recommend doing it outside – you don’t want to get overwhelmed by paint fumes! They also sell a paint called Crackle Touch which is a topcoat and could be ideal for you to fit in with your shabby chic scheme. Good luck!

Jme which is a new home ware collection available from Jamie Oliver (you can see it online at www.jamieoliver.com/jme) has some which might be just what you’re after and they’re available in three different sizes.

Do you mean The Midas Touch cutlery by Seletti? If so, it’s gorgeous and I love it and bought it from Bloomsbury Store (www.bloomsburystore.com) a while back – I’ve just checked and they still stock it so you’re in luck!

Twenty Twenty One (www.twentytwentyone.com) has a really good selection of their furniture. You can buy online or they have two stores in London.

MARK Product has a really contemporary design; it’s called Horizon slat screen and would be perfect. Alternatively, you could try the Folding Screen from The Lollipop Shoppe. They’re both here on furnish! I think both would work well in a modern setting. Good luck!

You have two options really: One is you could use glass tiles (Original Style www.originalstyle.com have a good selection) and use these as a splashback instead but an even cheaper way is to make one yourself. Simply paint the area you want to use as your splashback in your chosen colour then get a glazier to cut you a piece of glass to size (make sure they drill holes in each corner) and then you can screw the glass sheet over the painted wall. Good luck.

Congratulations on opening your B&B! My first thought was The White Company but I think that’s going to work out too pricey. Another place you could try is a company called King of Cotton (www.kingofcotton.co.uk) a friend recommended them to me ages ago and the good news is they have really good bed linen at wholesale prices. Their 400 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets start at £12.75 which is a bargain. They’ve got a wide range on offer and their bed linen goes from 200-1000 thread count in a wide choice of styles and sizes so I think you’d better get ordering!

The good news is there are lots available on the market. The Little Greene Paint Company (www.littlegreene.com) has an excellent choice of eco-friendly paints in a wide range of really good shades and finishes.

Their paints are virtually VOC free and the tins use 50% recycled steel and can be recycled again.

It all depends if you’ve upholstered furniture before. If you haven’t then I’d say a course is definitely in order as it can be a rather tricky process, particularly as you’ll be using lots of pieces of fabric. There are loads of courses on offer (have a look at Hot Courses www.hotcourses.com for one near you) but there’s no reason you wouldn’t be able to do it after doing one of these. Good luck and make sure you let us know how you get on.

Do you really want office furniture? Or are you just plugging your business? :)

Have you seen the selection on offer at Garden Trading (www.gardentrading.co.uk)? They’ve got a really good choice in a variety of colours. I like the Belfast Lamp which is available in Cream, Coffee Bean and Clay.

Also, Garden Trading products will be listed on furnish.co.uk very soon, so that should make it even easier to find this sort of thing!

You could try a row of really sturdy, attractive hooks – Holloways of Ludlow have a good choice of both contemporary and classic designs or if you want something a little more out there, how about Seletti’s Hamlet? It’s the top of a traditional coat stand which is wall-mountable and one of my favourite designs ever.

Oh jeez this is such a tricky one. You don’t want to fall out with your neighbours but at the same time, you don’t want to live in the dark! According to the CAB, by law you’re allowed to cut down branches that are hanging over your garden as long as you return them to your neighbour. You’re not however allowed to enter their property without permission – this is trespassing. I’d make a joke out of it to avoid any bad feeling and just cut the ones in your garden down.

I love them too!

Bathstore.com is a good bet as they have loads of cloakroom and space saving basins. I really like their Soho model which has the tap on the side so the basin doesn’t need to protrude from the wall.

You may be interested to know that furnish.co.uk will be listing all Selina Rose products very soon!

Tee hee! Well, I’m not exactly collecting, but I’m saving (this involves me not eating or going out etc!!) for the Frey armoire from Pinch – it’s so beautiful and you can have the interior custom made to your needs. Actually, everything from Pinch would be nice.

Have you tried The Futon Company? Their ones seem to look really sturdy and they have a range of mattresses to choose from. You took me back mentioning futons; I had one when I was a student and it was SO uncomfortable!

For a successful scheme, you need to try and include a range of light sources. It really depends on how large your room is but start with a pendant light for the centre of the room and complement it with table lamps and perhaps a floor lamp. If you have the space, wall lights look good too; remember to use dimmer switches which will allow you to control the brightness of your lighting to create different atmospheres.

Why not have a look at the stuff Black + Blum design. Their salad serves which are designed to look like leaves and are stored in a pot are really cool and their potato masher is certainly more exciting than your average one!

You can find everything from Black + Blum here on furnish!

Also, Skandium stock their collection and they also have a store on Regent Street in London.

Hi Jenny

If you’re looking for something really different for your kitchen floor why not try rubber?
It’s super easy to keep clean and is slip-proof too. Dalsouple (www.dalsouple.com; 01278 7277 33) manufacture a wide range of colours and textures.

Alternatively, you could add some pattern to your scheme by using floor tiles from Harvey Maria (www.harveymaria.co.uk; 0845 680 1231) and lastly, if you’re on a budget, why not try painting your existing floor.

You could try a row of really sturdy, attractive hooks – Holloways of Ludlow have a good choice of both contemporary and classic designs or if you want something a little more out there, how about Seletti’s Hamlet? It’s the top of a traditional coat stand which is wall-mountable and one of my favourite designs ever.

You have three choices! One you could try using a radiator cover (Jali has a good range) which you can then paint to match your walls or you can just paint the radiators themselves to make them blend in (use a specialist paint such as Plasti-Kote’s Radiator spray paint) or you could invest in some designer radiators (try Radiating Style) and make a real feature of them.

Sheer Home! (And we recently did a fab find about them!) They have loads of designs – padded, buttoned, plain upholstered etc – including really dramatic Perspex designs too.

Swedish company Bemz stock a wide range of covers for all Ikea sofas and chairs. The design their own as well as using Marimekko fabric and have a huge choice of plain and patterned covers. They’ll even send you samples of their fabrics so you can see if it works in your scheme.

A jet black will look fairly harsh so I think you’re right in wanting to use an “off” black. Farrow & Ball paints have several shades that might fit the bill.

Their Black Blue (as the name suggests) has an almost navy look to it and their Off Black feels slightly more like a charcoal. Their paint is really nice to work with as well albeit slightly more expensive than other brands.

Original BTC is a great lighting company and I got mine from there. I think its called Cobb Rise and Fall and it looks great in my kitchen.

So that was Summer then by all accounts. I’ve been hitting the AW09 press shows like a mad person – promise to bring you all the latest trends and news soon. What does everyone want for Autumn. I’ve got my eye on some really sumptuous cushions from Habitat.

Ooh, I love her stuff – so pleased she’s doing some more stuff for them – makes it a little bit more accessible and affordable!

Will see what we can do about Habitat on the site…!

Is he registered with anyone? You could do a search for him on The Painting & Decorating Association and if he’s on there make a complaint. I’m thinking he’s probably not seeing though he did such a bad job.

I had a similar experience so used The Little Greene Paint Company’s ULTIMATT emulsion which seemed to do the job. Plus you can wash it if it gets a little bit grubby too.

Even if you have the biggest, brightest kitchen in the world, I personally think an all black one is going to look too dark. A wood worktop could look really stunning with a black kitchen (try The Natural Wood Floor Co) or if you really want to be bold, how about one of the bright colours from Corian? A light coloured granite or marble would look good too as it will add texture to your scheme. Try Naturally Bespoke for a wide choice of colours and finishes.

I’ve seen too many to mention! One that really sticks in my mind though is a house I went to shoot. The entire living room looked like a page from Laura Ashley (fair dues not hideous) but it lacked individual style and looked like a show home.

Oh god what a dilemma! I agree with Mollie though – you can’t really dictate what colour your neighbours paint their house!

That sounds like the perfect solution Sophie. Sarah, if you live in London – there are loads of shops that will take furniture like that off your hands for a good price on the Holloway Road. Why not take some pics in first and see what they have to say?

Have you ever had any decorating mishaps? (That you can laugh about afterwards!)

I’m a bit of a neutral freak too but dark colours can look great as well. Make sure you use white or another light colour on the woodwork and ceiling. High ceilings and lots of natural light are essential when using dark shades and make sure you’re happy with the colour by painting it on to large sheets of paper and pinning them around your room before committing paint to wall.

Have you seen the range Lombok sell? I really love the Lovina one, which would be perfect for a contemporary bedroom.

There’s a wide range of products to stop her getting into all your nooks and crannies. Start with some BabyDan multi locks (available from Baby Security) they can be used on fridges, freezers and cupboards to stop little ones getting into where they shouldn’t. Electricity is also a worry too so cover up sockets with Dreambaby Socket Covers (also available at Baby Security)

What’s your favourite interiors purchase to date?

Curtains can be an expensive purchase and it’s often the extras (such as lining, headings etc) that bump up the price. The Natural Curtain Company is an excellent website which guides you through the process of putting your curtains together from choosing the fabric (they can send you samples before you commit) to the lining to the heading before you finally put in your measurements. The price is totted up as you go along, so you know exactly what you’re paying and what each element is costing you before you buy.

If you’re looking for a long lasting solution, I would say re-tile and perhaps just live with your tiles a little longer until you can afford new ones. Having said that, I did paint my kitchen tiles using International’s One Coat Tile Paint – the overall effect was good and I did get a fairly professional look but it was a fiddly and smelly job.

Bombay Duck has a great selection of glass doors which can look really striking and provide the perfect finishing touch to doors. They’re available in clear, black, fuchsia and turquoise.

Here’s the link: http://www.bombayduck.co.uk/

Getting really excited about 100% Design and TENT even though it’s ages away. Without a doubt one of my favourite designers exhibiting last year was Karimoku – I really fell for their gorgeous retro designs.

To carry off a carpet like this, you’re going to need to have fairly neutral walls.

I would go for a cream, similar to the one in the carpet to pull the look together. If this is a bit boring or too neutral for you, you could try using another one of the colours from the carpet and painting one wall in this colour.

To be honest, the carpet doesn’t sound too hideous and stripes are great for making a room seem larger than it actually is.

How about Frames wallpaper from Graham & Brown? It’s actually designed to be coloured in, which means hopefully she won’t scribble on the “grown-ups” wallpaper! Alternatively, you could try Mini Moderns and their sweet but not too cute Six of One wallpaper which features hens and eggs.

Hope this helps!

Lovers Lounge has some really stunning mirrors that would be perfect for your bedroom. Choose the Ornate Silver Mirror to create a dramatic effect on your wall or alternatively, their Valona Cheval Mirror is perfect for creating a French-style boudoir

I want some custom-built cupboards made for my living room. Can anyone suggest a carpenter that works in South London?

Mine has got to be Charles & Ray Eames – almost alone for being responsible for the Eames lounger and ottoman but also because they designed so much beautifully simple furniture. They’d definitely be on my dream dinner party guest list. Who is yours?