Processed versus fine mature cheese?

The other day someone kindly informed me that Tesco were offering chairs similar to ours.... So, of course I checked out the so-called competition and quickly recognised that there was no comparison whatsoever. There were two comments in the promotional blurb that made me wince, firstly that it stated 'this requires an adult to sign upon delivery' which instantly got me thinking about the typical buyer.... Do they have lots of kids trying to buy these?! And if so, what are they using them for?  Secondly, Tesco  highlights the fact that this chair is 'foam filled for comfort'. Yuk! Admitedly, there's a price discrepancy and Tesco offer something to park your bottom on for a third of our price. That said, our lavish fabrics are extremely high quality, our chairs are typically antique and we only use traditional upholstery methods using hand stitching and horse hair rather than a cheap and nasty density foam. And of course, we never create one chair exactly like any other.
To me, the anaology is simple. Why buy a synthetic cheese-like triangle when you could experience the body, texture and unique character of a fine mature cheese?

Some of our latest chairs...

 

 

And the foam filled chair from Tesco:

http://www.tesco.com/direct/patchwork-chair/580-9901.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=580-9901

Go on, ask yourself, is this really a comparison?! I don't think I'll be losing any sleep just yet over a mass produced chair sold through the country's biggest supermarket chain, but if you're looking for a budget bottom-parker, you'll need to find yourself a responsible adult and place an order.

Dark nights and Arabian allure?

We have some strange rules in our house. No drinking before 6pm and never put the heating on before October. Today, I devilishly did the rule-break combo. Wine was poured five minutes early (it's been a long week!) and the heating was cranked up. And the indulgence just rolled on....the Revels (obligatory family size bag) were opened soon after and I also lit one of our very own candles which further fused the mood. The new range of pure wax candles have been hand poured in The Cotswold, use unbleached wicks and use 7-9% perfume. My personal favourite we have named 'Marrakech Nights' which is an intense aroma of cracked black pepper and tamarind... Pure bliss. If you fancy some Arabian allure or rich African spice, our new range of Liberty Rose Interiors candles and diffusers are now available from The Packhouse in Farnham.

We all love a boutique hotel...

With a couple of small children it's not as easy as it used to be to get away and live it up in a posh hotel for a weekend... So, I was delighted to purchase a copy of the latest Design Hotels book which is packed with lavish glossy photos and pure indulgence which is ALMOST as good as the real thing.

Yeah right, who am I kidding? It doesn't come close, but it's a great way to check out the latest interiors of 220 stunning hotels, including 30 properties that are new to the latest edition.

 

The new edition of The Design Hotels™ Book provides insight into trends and developments in hospitality design. With its images of striking architecture and interior design, this opulent coffee table book brings the experience of staying in a Design Hotels™ property to life. Just as well eh!

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Swedish wallpaper dazzles at Decorex...

Swedish wallpaper manufacturer, Sandberg have launched an ethical new range of wallpapers which have been recreated from initial pen-and-paper sketches and then screenprinted at the company's factory in Sweden, using water-based, non-toxic inks.  What do you think?

Launched at Decorex show this week, the wide-ranging collection features 11 designs, with more than 51 colourways. I love the way that the designers span two centuries - from 18th century Sweden to 20th century New England, with stripes, checks and tweeds alongside elegant botanical motifs. I also like the simplicity of the range. Interior designers seem to be sliding off the walls with excitement over this latest collection, but why is that? Is the new-old the new buzz? Is it because the marketing campaign had all the bells and whistles that wooed the Chelsea Harbourites? Or is it that we're all just fed up with the big swirls, flocks and metalics that the High Street retailers have plastered everywhere over the last five years and this was a breath of fresh air? Good design is about being different and doing so with confidence.

Why do people love Cath Kidston?

Have you been wooed by Cath Kidston mania? I love the twee prints and coordinating floral patterns and if blended well can look stunning in any setting. Bowled over by enquiries for our hand sewn patchwork chair we decided to have some small sofa frames built which provided the perfect platform for this blue velvet loveseat featuring contrasting heavy weight cotton fabrics from the Cath Kidston collection. It was only finished today so this really is one HOT, love seat... It's a bit like Marmite - I think you either love it or hate it. What do you think?

BBC Olympic Studio sofa looks like a shoe...

Is it me or does the BBC Olympic studio chair look like a black shoe with a cork wedge? It's spacious and it needs to be to fit on all those stunning GB medal winners. The piece was created by Après Furniture in Yorkshire. It's a great British design and was apparently built in nine sections and actually lifted by crane into the studio. I'd like to have seen all the athletes sign the sofa after their interviews and then perhaps the piece could have been auctioned off for a charity.
http://www.apresfurniture.co.uk/Blog/index.php/apres-news/bbc-olympic-sofa-made-by-apres-furniture?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bbc-olympic-sofa-made-by-apres-furniture

Stunning contemporary chair in stainless steel

Nella Vetrina - Onda S: Giancarlo Pretazzoli's Onda S chaise for Lamberti Decor in stainless steel ...

Nella Vetrina - Onda S's Lamberti Decor is a stunning piece of design which I can't resist. I'm not a fan of foam hence at Liberty Rose Interiors we always try to use traditional methods including horse hair, but this sleek piece absolutely works and the smooth lines in stainless steel add something really different. I love it...

STOP your teenagers eating on the sofa...

A couple bought their sofa from Heals shortly after they got married and were thrilled with it back in the day. It’s had copious amounts of red wine spilt on it, kittens delivered on it and plenty of passion – more so in the early days! But after a few decades, the seat was rough, the arms went saggy and the original foam base was certainly past its best...

They asked Liberty Rose Interiors to work some magic and so the sofa was stripped back to the frame for a total refurb. Choosing the right material for a sofa can be hard but in the end the couple opted for poppy red heavy linen which some complimentary cushions filled with duck feathers to set it off.  The sofa has been totally transformed. And that’s not the only thing that has changed. Interestingly, the new lease of life permeates through other elements of family life. Before the transformation, the two teenagers would eat, snort and sniff in the lounge so there were plenty of unidentified spills, dribbles and stains... There is now a new rule in the house. NOBODY IS ALLOWED TO TAKE ANY FOOD INTO THE SITTING ROOM. As a consequence, everyone now eats together around the dining table.  Wahay – a revival of the great family tea!

Check out these before and after shots for some recent sofa transformations from Liberty Rose Interiors.http://www.libertyroseinteriors.co.uk/transformations.html

Decorate: 1000 Professional Design Ideas for Every Room in the House

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Decorate-Professional-Design-Ideas-Every/dp/1906417504/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343470965&sr=1-2
Just finished reviewing this book and bursting with interior inspiration. The section on ‘Setting Your Style’ reveals an extensive range of different interior concepts, from Natural and Fleamarket Style to Modern Glamour and Eclectic. ‘Room By Room’ focuses on design ideas and showcases some heart melting ideas. It tells you what you need to know to transform any area of your home. Being a (self-confessed) shopaholic, my favourite part of the book was ‘Attention to Detail’  which shows you how to create a sensation by integrating smaller elements that can utterly transform a space, without affecting the architecture or structure of a building. And of course, this book doesn’t disappoint with lashings of glorious photos of hot houses of the moment. Typically, there’s not a dirty cereal bowl or toddler-coloured wall in sight! Surely real people have the same kind of lived in ambience that my home boasts...

Hand stitched patchwork chair

I love this chair. It's been hand stitched and uses heavy weight cotton from the Cath Kidston range of fabrics. Carefully patchworked it's a charming statement to any boudoir, hall or sitting room. Every piece is bespoke so Liberty Rose Interiors can create something unique to suit your existing decor or perhaps you'll dare to go for a bolder, statement piece...

Liberty Rose Interiors

Liberty Rose Interiors Ltd was established by husband and wife team Jim and Sally Tickner. Jim began life in the upholstery industry over 20 years ago and has been passionately revitalising furniture by hand ever since. Jim brings together retro fabrics, clean lines and vivacious curves, adding sweeps of colour in a totally bespoke way. Sally is a self confessed spendaholic and like most women, enjoys beautiful things and opening up to new influences and styles. Together, they source, design and create stunning pieces to suit the contemporary home. Sally does the back office stuff, hangs out at auctions and looks after the marketing side of the business. For more information, visit www.libertyroseinteriors.co.uk