THRIFTY THURSDAY: HOUSE BY JOHN LEWIS TABLE

I have to admit, this week's thrifty thursday was a complete no brainer. I've actually been meaning to write a whole feature on the challenge of finding compact dining tables that don't swamp a small urban flat (there is definitely a huge market for them if anyone is looking for a business venture idea) but all hail House by John lewis for being one of the few retailers to come up with goods! This solid oak and MDF table has the scandinavian appeal down and only 120cm wide (just big enough to sit 6 people but still space saving). Best of all the price tag. Yup just £199...

House by John Lewis Lily Rectangular 6 Seater Dining Table £199

WISHFUL WEDNESDAY: IN THE WOODS

Ever since watching the BBC’s Top Of The Lake with it’s sprawling New Zealand scenery and woodland, I’ve had this romantic notion of one day having a little log cabin in the wilderness.

A small flat in North London is my own patch of escapism (I love it cause it’s ours) but without a garden it’s nice to bring a touch of the outside in to your home. I wouldn’t recommend slathering your flat in fur rugs and animal heads but a subtle nod to the wild (woody textures and animalistic prints) will serve as a gentle reminder of the great outdoors…

1. Woods Print by Dianna Heroine from $14 Society6

2. Large Wooden Cube £110 French Connection Home

3. Woodlands English Romantic Cushion £50 Chocolate Creative

4. Decorative Deer Antlers £55 Cox & Cox (available mid September)

5. Moose Print from $17 Society6

Note to self: just one or two of these items not all of them together!

MINUTE WITH THE MAKER: WANDERLUST LIFE JEWELLERY

I'm psyched to reveal my first 'Minute with the maker' post as Georgie Roberts, the lady behind Etsy store Wanderlust Life. Here on peg, I've only ever bleated on about items for the home but every now and then I poke my head out of the interiors cloud when I come across a nugget of beauty for little old moi. Recently this has been in the form of maker Georgie's free sprited jewellery. For me the lure of her pieces lies in the simplicity of the designs, typically with just one semi precious stone on a delicate thread with a gold plated fastening. There is an enchanting quality to Wanderlust Life jewels that draws out my 'inner nomad' (or should I saw wanderer)...

Georgie lives in North Devon but is a wanderer at heart, often fleeing seaside life during the harsher winter months for far-flung destinations. She kindly took some time out to answer peg's 'Minute with the maker' Q&A...

Talk us through the inspiration behind Wanderlust Life jewellery? 

Wanderlust means ‘a strong desire to travel’ – I’ve always been lucky enough to travel most winters, so the name of the brand is close to my heart. Gemstones have always fascinated me...

My Mum always had a crystal bible and collected semi precious gemstones and jewellery, I loved combing through her collections that had come from far away places. Faceted gemstones were always my favourite – I love the way they catch the light and sparkle. I like the idea of carrying a little jewel around your neck from a far away place – how magical is that.

 

What is your favourite thing about being a designer / maker?

Exploring new ideas, constantly creating! And that lovely buzz you get when you see someone walk past you on the street wearing one of your pieces. So nice!

 

Tell us about the materials that the Wanderlust Life jewellery is made from?

I use semi precious faceted stones, including rubies, amethyst, chalcedony, labradorite. Each stone is very different, and they all have their own meanings and properties.

 

Do you have a preferred time of day to make your creations?

I am working full time in a gallery at present, so any free moment really! I do need good daylight when I’m making though, it can be a fiddly process!

 

When you aren't making what are your 3 favourite things to do?

I’m lucky enough to live right my the sea... When I can, I love taking a walk down to the beach. I have some lovely buddies that own a shop (that stock Wanderlust Life) and a tea room right by the shore, so a chinwag and a good coffee is normally involved! And Peg blog – my new favourite place for ideas and inspiration. Being by the coast is lovely, but the shops are far and few between, so it’s great to find inspiration online.

You can purchase Georgie's beautiful creations from her Wanderlust Life Etsy shop here or contact her directly at georgie.roberts@live.co.uk 

SHOP DISCOVERY: FUTURE & FOUND

On Tuesday I made a mad dash from work to make it up to Future & Found in Tufnell Park before close time and I am so glad I got my brisk walk on, as it is everything I envisaged and more. I've been admiring their online shop for a while now, after spotting it on my friend Sophia's Pinterest boards. This  seamlessly well edited selection of modern meets reclamation interior and lifestyle objets is a North London gem. The shop's clean paired back approach to retail, with grey walls, white shelving and flashes of neon is a dream to browse. Friendly owner Andrea, set up the shop at the beginning of last year and is clearly a welcome addition to the ever evolving Tufnell Park. As if on cue a customer chirps on her departure "It's so lovely having such a great local gift shop". How sweet!

White ceramics, monochrome geo print cushions and accents of neon orange and 

pink immediately catch the eye.

I bought this concrete vase for my friend Hazel's birthday. Perfect 

for displaying just one simple flower stem.

Clashing neon tea towels- almost too nice to use on the dishes.

Note to self: Buy a big bunch of neon pencils to display in my office area. So fun.

Homemade ceramics and pinch pots offer a handmade dimension to the store. 

Ceramics displayed in wooden crates nailed to the walls are used to house china, whilst reclaimed wooden cartons (painted white) have been transformed into a makeshift display table.

Andrea kindly informed me that the new season AW13 collections are arriving instore imminently. Keep your eyes peeled to their twitter feed for updates.

THRIFTY THURSDAY: FRENCH CONNECTION HOME

Since French Connection launched their homeware range in April of last year, I've been a regular admirer. Hats off to Homeware Buyer Lorraine Brennan (previously from the Conran shop) for launching such a stylish (largely white and grey) collection of serene interior staples, from leaning shelves to woodland inspired lamp bases and side tables. Best of all it is entirely affordable, despite appearing more premium than other high street homeware offerings. Although I'd like to start raving about the latest AW13 range (I'll bombard you with that later), firstly pop on over to their Sale section online, where I clocked this Conical Shade (Pendant light) rendered in white washed spun steel. I can see this week's 'thrifty thursday' lending itself to a whole host of bedroom schemes. Adding that subtle 'worn' feel. I couldn't find an image of the shade in situ so layered it over another French Connection lifestyle image. I hope my limited photoshop skills help you get the picture...

Conical Shade Now £38.50 (Was £55) from French Connection Home

WISHFUL WEDNESDAY 04.09

This wishful wednesday I am looking to inject texture in to the home; twine, marble prints, glass and tiling...

1. Laine Jute Pendant Light £45 from Habitat

2. Brown Hexagon Print £60 from Holly's House

3. Quarter Circle Tiles £7 by Smink Things

4. Smoke bottle vase £20 (Was £29) from Ebury Home & Garden. I thought I was getting a snip when I bought my bottle green bottle vase up at an Alexander Palace 

Antiques fair for £30 but this is even more of steal. 

WEEKEND WONDERS

1. Finally got round to experimenting with my blender and made a homemade blueberry smoothie, resulting in a healthy liquid lunch (that was post a bacon sarnie breakfast of course). So easy to make: Handful of oats, few big spoonfuls of natural yoghurt, prolonged squeeze of honey, frozen blueberries and milk. Enjoyed over Liberty's new Autumn / Winter magazine- you should see the latest high tops they've collaborated with Nike on again next season.  

2. Saturday lunch at Monocle Café- Monocole Magazine recently extended it's portfolio in London with a stylish lifestyle cafe (just off Marylebone High Street). Based on the original Tokyo concept (where the café originated) it is drenched in tasteful interior design. The friendly café staff inform me it's a mecca for architects and designers alike. I can see why. Favourite bits? Choosing my lunch from the photographs of dishes framed on the wall (typical of Asian restaurants but somehow they've made it unique and cool), fine wooden Scandi meets Japanese furniture, Uton noodles, minty water on tap, hipster branding and the Japanese toilet (with a multitude of space age functions- my toilet seat was heated!).

3. Feather installation at Anthropologie on Regent Street. A bed surrounded by 3589 floating feathers. Imagine waking up to that!

4. New book Rethink: The Way You Live by Amanda Talbot - also spotted in Anthropologie. Essentially it is about embracing old age methods of living, being more resourceful, reusing and recycling. My coffee table needs this.

5. Booked John Salt in Islington for dinner with girlfriends on Friday night. Despite my reluctance to dine in what is essentially a busy bar, we loved it! The venue on Upper Street (which used to be Keston Lodge) is a far cry from it's cheesy predecessor. And bravo to chef Neil Rankin (from Pitt Cue Co) for his posh dude food - the smoked shortrib cheeseburger I had was epic. Sadly I was having so much fun I forgot to take a picture of my dish but here is one off John Salt's twitter page.

6. Fake grass- my brother recently landscaped his garden using fake grass. Pricier than the natural stuff but looks perfect and and you never have to mow the lawn again. Not sure how 'green' I feel about artificial grass though?

Get up to anything fun this weekend?

Peg x