WISHFUL WEDNESDAY: Box Up!

In terms of being tidy, my mum is up there with the greats. My home when I was growing up was hailed the 'Show Home' for it's extreme tidyness. Sadly her tidy genes didn't quite come out in me but I have inherited her immense dislike for clutter. With a rapidly growing collection of handmade ceramics emerging in my home (with very few surfaces to cater for them) I'm feeling dangerously close to clutter territory *dismay*. Browsing Rigby & Mac's website New In section today, I may have spotted just the  solution - this set of 6 nesting boxes, which you have the flexibility of displaying as you wish (you may want to try separating them across rooms but I love them as a statement stack). It's a sure winner for displaying your china 'best', candles, maybe even a few beautifully patterned books...

1. Set of 6 square box shelves £175 Rigby & Mac

2. 34 Boulevard Saint Germain Diptyque Candle £50 Diptyque

3. Anna Milk Jug £18 Toast

4. Nordic Espresso Cup £3.95 Rigby & Mac

WEEKEND WONDERS: 27.10.13

Impeding gail force winds and a storm brewing ("worst in years" according to BBC- erk) in London was a fine excuse to hole up in the flat and do some DIY/ baking this weekend. Only after a Friday night slap up feast and a wee tipple on Friday night of course. Here are my weekend wonders...

1. My ercol for John Lewis Chiltern wardrobe arrived on Saturday - one of my most expensive splurges  on the flat so far so I was a teeny weeny bit excited / nervous about it's arrival. I can safely say I love it. I decided it was an investment piece that will stand the test of time, spacious and refined. Man points have to go to my fella for doing much of the DIY leg work 

(guys and drills eh).

2. Pretty posey from our friends Claire + Dan, setting off my 

new Cezanne print from the National Gallery (their gallery shop is amazing for prints from the greats).

3. On Friday night I abolished some rotisserie chicken from new restaurant Le Coq in Islington (all they serve is chicken but that is free-range, organic chicken from Sutton Hoo in Suffolk- uh yum). The pear, blue cheese and watercress starter was pretty sensational too.

4. Feeling suitably domesticated after an early night on Saturday, today I got my bake on, making Will from Bright Bazaar's apricot frangipane recipe. Dead easy and so moist! Best eaten with a dollop of créme fraiche. Loving Will's Bright Bakes series (check out his Spiderweb cupcake recipe for Halloween).

Fellow Londoners, go safe tonight (I can hear the storm coming as I type) x

WISHFUL WEDNESDAY: Naturally Speaking

As our living room décor starts to take shape, my thoughts are now wandering to the bedroom. I am a horrendously light sleeper and often take a while to switch off just before I go to sleep (when I seem to have all my ideas- although they never seem quite as genius when I wake up). I'm therefore hankering after a calming space, with natural soothing hues and texture (I've figured colour will just stimulate my thoughts more). On that note here is my wishful wednesday, naturally speaking...

1. Pallet Light Shade £30 from Decorator's Notebook

2. Cotton Crochet Throw £75 from Toast

3. Maiko Ivory Bowl (for my earrings / cotton wool buds) £10 Folklore 

4. Recycled Glass Vase £11 Garden Trading

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NEW YORK TOP INTERIORS SHOPS

I must have googled the title of this blog post more than 5 times before I headed stateside a few weeks ago. Using my NYC map from Liberty (recommended by my friend Liz as 'the only map you'll need to navigate Manhattan'- she was right) I started plotting the main hot spots and trust me it's a 

metropolis of design goodness.

 Using Broadway as the corridor of my quest, here are my favourite New York 

interior shops and why they rock...

1. ABC Carpet & Home

Having already visited ABC Carpet & Home when I last visited New York I was dying to get back to my interiors mecca. Only this time I took the lift up to all six floors of ethereal beauty. Ornate rugs suspended from the ceiling bask in glory, porcelain dinning ware looks almost too delicate to handle and the dining tables were fiercely boho luxe. I especially adored the Japanese ceramics and cutlery, which looked like they'd been hand dipped in gold.

ABC Home
2. Fishs Eddy
I have to admit Fishs Eddy isn't my typical style but it's a fine example of All American homeware. Think of it is as the 'cape cod' look, specialising in dinnerware, glassware and kitchenware. Fairly nautical (not too surprisingly) and brilliantly merchandised. I thought the random box of chintzy china in the cove at the back was also quite fun...

Fishs Eddy
3. Love Adorned. This isn't strictly an interiors shop as much as it is lifestyle. It's achingly cool. If Caleb Followill and Lily Aldridge were shopping in NYC this is where I'd imagine you'd bump into them. Think animal skin rugs, ceramics hanging from trees, crystals and trinkets. I was recommended to go there by a girl working on the jewellery counter in ABC on my last visit to NYC and it might just be my favourite shop on the globe. Big statement yes.

My favourite pieces? Ceramic tusks hand painted with quotes. Oh and my dream ring - I casually asked to try a black stoned blingy (musing how much it matched my bracelet) - yeah turns out I picked out one of the most expensive pieces in the shop, a black diamond (18ct gold). Turns out I have expensive taste. *quickly hands ring back to shop assistant who looks strangely like Julie Stone*

Love Adorned
4. Crate & Barrel
Crate & Barrel isn't big news in the States, being a bit like Habitat is to us here in the UK. However, I think its high time we had a Crate & Barrel in London because it's full of classic good quality staple items for the home, which are cleverly thought through. They've thought of practically everything including stacks of driftwood (I've been looking for driftwood) and whole walls just dedicated to placemats.

I bought these woodland inspired coasters from Crate & Barrel- just $5

Crate & Barrel
5. Haus Interior
Stepping into Haus Interior has the warm cosy feeling you might get visiting a friend's homely log cabin (not that I have a friend who owns a logo cabin) laiden with interior gems. There was even an adorable husky pup to greet me on arrival. The manager was hugely welcoming, talking through the boutique's gorgeous new scented candles, textured + natural wood home accessories and irresistible aztec textiles...

Haus Interior

6. West Elm
I'm a huge fan of West Elm (which I browse endlessly online) so I was super excited to see all their beautiful homeware up close in their store in DUMBO, Brooklyn. I have heard whispers they are opening in the UK (Tottenham Court Road) before the end of the year... eep. Contemplated purchasing these plates below but feared for their safety on flight home (now on Christmas wish list)

West Elm, DUMBO

I'm sure I've missed a whole host of other amazing interior stores. Excuse for another trip perhaps?! If you have any tips I'd love to hear them below...

URBAN JUNGLE: BUTCHER'S DAUGHTER NYC

Just over a month ago Igor of the brilliant Happy Interior Blog kindly invited me to join the 'Urban Jungle Bloggers' crew, following a chat on twitter about our mutual fondness for succulents! The 'Urban Jungle Bloggers' series is a joint initiative by the lovely Igor, Judith (Joelix.com) and Jocelyn (The Little Room Of Style), encouraging us all in some small way to go green. Last month, we got a privy look at Igor, Judith and Jocelyn's very own urban jungles and this month we're shining the light on some other cool green spaces. Mine emerged from the urban landscape of New York city....

I did ponder to myself- can a café / grocery store really be classed as an urban jungle? My conclusion: yes of course it can, what epitomises urban more than a bustling city café and what says jungle more than a eatery full of incredible vegetation? As you may well know from instagram, I've just returned from the most amazing time in NYC, visiting my bro. Whilst exploring Lower Manhattan last Thursday (with camera poised at every street corner) I stumbled across The Butcher's Daughter, brimming with greenery and fauna. Succulents, potted plants and hanging industrial baskets of herbs were at the heart of this trendy eatery come mini indoor 'farmers mart' laid back green aesthetic.

The Butcher's Daughter 'market' with scented candles, potted plants and organic veg to take-away

Did I mention I love terracotta potted plants. If I had been in London I'd have left with one of these...

True to their ethos 'we treat fruits and vegetables as a butcher would meat', their 'go green' surroundings are a reflection of their 100% vegetation and gluten free menu, all sourced from local farms in Upstate New York and Connecticut. This is truly the good life meets the concrete jungle of Lower Manhattan.

Behind the design of The Butcher's Daughter is founder Heather Tierney who 'loved the dichtomy of using industrial elements (concrete floors, steel meat hooks, heavy iron butcher rails) against softer earthy materials like beached raw wood, white tile and brick and greenery growing out of old chicken coop'. There is heaps of green display inspiration; succulents and cactus displayed on old vintage weighing scales, dried flowers placed in ceramic milk bottles, vegetables growing from old wooden wheelie carts, hanging rope tiered flower pots and grapes / herbs 

suspended across the stretch of the bar. 

Did I mention the juices and smoothies? Designed by Head Juiceologist Brandi Kowalski, together with founder Heather, expect some stomping smoothies, boasting the ultimate in exotic health ingredients from evening primrose oil, fennel and echinacea to goji berries, kale and avocado. Not in that order of course!

The Butcher's Daughter Juice Bar & Café, 19 Kenmare Street (corner of Elizabeth Street), New York.

Thank you again to the Urban Jungle bloggers for involving me in their initiative. For more urban jungle inspiration head over to Joelix to discover The Garden of Migration in South of France, Happy Interior Blog for a community garden in Vancouver and The Little Room of Style for Planten un Blomen in Hamburg. I hope you have enjoyed hearing about my latest urban jungle find. 

Do you have an urban jungle discovery of your own?

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NYC YO!

Just a quick drop-in to let you know that peg will be taking a little hiatus this week whilst I stomp around New York city, soaking up heaps of interior shops, hipster hangouts, killer sized burgers, shakes, urban greenery and some modern art. Having been in the apple last year for a friends' wedding in Battery Park (third time in NYC) I've got the touristy thing covered (hence token Empire State snap below) so looking forward to exploring LES (Lower East Side) and Brooklyn (only discovered Williamsburg on my last day last time and its frickin cool).  Feel free to follow my stateside whereabouts over on my instagram Thursday - Friday... Ta ra x

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