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AUGUST POSTCARDS: Clever ways with paint

Taking this moment to reshare some of the painting ideas for Italy as there have been a couple of updates since I posted this. I will be sharing the full journey so far on Wednesday for those who haven't seen what has been going on. And, all things being well, by the time the blog
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AUGUST POSTCARDS: The Househunter in Bath

This beautiful house belonging to the Interior Design Studio Berdoulat sparked a conversation about how to get your partner to agree to your interior plans as well as providing a tour round a fabulous building. Have a look if you missed it the first time round and if you saw it then well welcome back.
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Home: The Way We Live Now

Home: The Way We Live Now small home, work from home, rented home by Kate Watson-Smyth
I was looking for a post on my new book and realised that I have shared only a preview and as part of a review of other books. So, in an exception to the postcards I'm going to do a round up of the book. I wanted to write about the three issues that affect
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AUGUST POSTCARDS: Beautiful Rooms planning a colour scheme

design by Nicola Harding (one of House & Garden top 100 interior designers)
This post started off with a lighting plan for the house in Italy and ended up being about planning colour schemes. A perennial subject and one that is always useful so whether you're currently poring over paint chips or just want some inspiration I hope you will enjoy this look back over some beautiful rooms
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AUGUST POSTCARDS: The Househunter – A Station House

This week we're heading to the north east of England to this pretty stationmaster's house which is still on the market although it turns out I posted it towards the end of last year. But it's had a price reduction since then and you might even be able to make a cheeky offer given the
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AUGUST POSTCARDS: What to buy when you rent

A perennial subject but one that feels particularly apposite for August as my younger son is flat-hunting for his second year of university  - not that there will be money left over for furniture mind you, but given that most of us start (and these days may finish) in rented accommodation it's worth knowing a
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AUGUST POSTCARDS: Beautiful Rooms

We're already in the middle of August - how does that happen? For today's postcard we're going back to the beautiful rooms of June and a room with a stripe that we all loved. I am definitely holding on to this idea for the house in Italy. designed by gulmen interiors  To see the other
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AUGUST POSTCARDS: Househunter – a former watch shop

I loved this house when it came on the market back in March. We all agreed that the £1.1m price tag was optimistic but given that it has now vanished from the website one can only assume that they got what they wanted or needed for it. But let's have another look as it was
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AUGUST POSTCARDS: Hidden Costs in Renovations

devol kitchen hobbs at shoot factory
Budget is one of the most complicated factors when it comes to renovating. You might think you've got it all sewn up and then there's an unexpected leak, or a rotten joist. This is why all the advice is that you need a contingency fund of around 10 per cent your budget to cover emergencies.
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AUGUST POSTCARDS: Sustainable Luxury in Central London

I'm so excited to share this project again for anyone who didn't see it the first time around. I was asked by Obbard to consult on this historic building and came up with the concept, colour scheme and look and feel for the five apartments. Come and look around and rediscover the details you might
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AUGUST POSTCARDS: A Palace in Peckham

Not literally a palace but it's a big house and it was a great example of using bold colour so I thought it would be interesting to revisit for our fantasy Friday househunting where, for those who are new, we ignore the price and look into the design and layout of a real house that is
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AUGUST POSTCARDS: Tips for Small Space Living

the ember locke in Kensington opens in July
And so to August when I take a small break and you get to look back at some of the best posts from the year which you might have missed in the hurly burly of life. Today we are going to start with some tips for small space living. My sons are currently having to
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Beautiful Rooms: Earthy Tones

I may have mentioned (once or twice!) that I recently completed the fastest zip wire in the world on a press trip to visit The Little Greene Paint factory in north Wales. What I didn't tell you was that we were given the choice between the zip wire or forest bathing. Now I am not
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The Househunter: Colour Drenching

A gorgeous colour-drenched house for you this week but one where we are very definitely not looking at the price unless some of you are much richer than you have been letting on. This last one before the annual summer break when the housing market goes very quiet (and this year that might be even
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BOOK EXTRACT: Thoughts on Renting

Katherine Ormerod has made over her rented kitchen using vinyl, paint and new shelving.
As the 19yo tries to find a student flat to rent in north London for the next year of his degree, our thoughts have turned to that sector of housing and I thought I would share an extract from the book today.   Home: The Way We Live Now small home, work from home, rented home
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Quirky Bloom: A Carpet By Mad About The House

Something a little different for you today as instead of the usual beautiful rooms post I have a beautiful product to show you. This has been the result of months of work and meetings and I’m so happy to finally reveal to you Quirky Bloom, a carpet I have designed in collaboration with Alternative Flooring,
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The Househunter: A six bedroom House in York

This six bedroom house in York belongs to the author, content creator and social media influencer Lisa Dawson who will be familiar to many of you from instagram. So this is part househunter and part house tour. And for that reason I'm using mostly her pictures rather than the estate agent's but you can, of
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Postcard from the podcast – Henry Holland

There’s no doubt that lockdown changed many of us but for British fashion designer Henry Holland, it led him towards a whole new career. Turning away from his iconic graphic fashion brand in search of a slower pace Henry has pivoted to pots. Every piece is handmade in the London studio and mainly made to
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Monday Inspiration: Beautiful Rooms

bathroom by @craft_of_interior
Well what a week last week was. I travelled to North Wales to visit The Little Greene Paint Factory and see a preview of the new colours coming in September. Then, as anyone who dropped in on Friday, will remember there was the zip wire. Reader I did it. I really thought I might not
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The Househunter

Dashing past and leaving you this lovely sunshine doorway this week. It's been a week of choosing paint colours and tiles for the house in Italy, arranging plumbing positions and, as you read this I may very well be hurtling along a zip wire over one of the largest quarries in Wales as part of
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