10 Of The Best Garden Sets

It’s official - garden season is well and truly upon us. Now more than ever we are appreciating our gardens, patios, courtyards and balconies as extensions of our homes - so I have rounded up my top 10 picks out there at the moment.

1. Swara 4 seater Round Dining Set by Made

I love this whole collection from Made as it’s a contemporary take on traditional rattan furniture. It combines the trend of cane-weave with a rich warm tone which is something you don’t tend to see in rattan furniture. These pieces can be bought as a set or as individual pieces starting from £149. Click here to see more.

Made.com Swara Outdoor Living Furniture.

2. Dunelm’s Ibiza Corner Sofa Set

Dunelm’s Ibiza set has got me dreaming of cocktails by the pool with a Cafe Del Mar playlist in the background. It’s £579 and looks really comfy and classy for any garden party. It doesn’t look like it’s been released yet on their website but I imagine it can’t be long before it’s able to be purchased so keep checking back.

Dunelm’s Ibiza Sofa set.

3. Habitat - Maui lounger with arms

Habitat’s whole SS20 collection is all about colour and playfulness. These deckchairs are in such gorgeous colours and patterns I want them all. Deckchairs have a hint of retro Victorian beach holidays but they are also really good space savers for smaller gardens or balconies. Just fold them up and store away when not needed. The good news is you can buy the fabric for £10 each to change them up whenever you feel like!

Habitat SS20 collection.

4. Argos 6 Seater Wooden Corner Sofa Set

So this one is close to my heart as it’s the set I bought 2 years ago for our garden decking area. I love this set so much - it was the best upgrade from bistro chairs! I have left mine out to the elements so as you can see the colour has faded but I quite like the weathered look. I bring the cushions in when there’s heavy rain and throughout winter, and I would also suggest buying a cover for the set if you want it to stay in pristine condition. This is one of the cheapest sets I’ve found online at only £360 and it comes with my stamp of approval!

5.  Indoor/Outdoor Albany Dining by Cox & Cox

Cox & Cox - Albany Indoor/outdoor dining set.

I love this one because it reminds me of our dining table. The industrial style legs and bench seating make it perfect for al fresco dinners with friends and family. It would also be perfect in a dining room setting so you could purchase it and then drag it outside as soon as the sun shines. It’s higher in price than some of the other sets at £995 but something which could last you forever.

6. Next Bali Range

The Next Bali range is another really trendy collection that is a combination of rope and weathered teak wood which come in individual pieces as well as sets. I particularly love the snuggler piece which would be perfect for sundown drinks on the decking. Also check out the side table - it’s a piece which can double up as indoor and outdoor.

7. John Lewis - Alora Garden Modular 4-Seater

For the rattan devotees out there, this set has a contemporary feel because of the darker grey cushions. It still has all the benefits of rattan modular sets - it can be stacked away into smaller components and is weatherproof but it also looks sleeker than the standard sets. Styled with some contemporary outdoor cushions, this can still be a stylish option for bigger gardens.

8. Desert Lounge Chair by Ferm Living

Ferm Living always creates the most lustful collections and this year is no different. The Desert Lounge chair feels like a statement piece that will never go out of fashion. Ferm Living describe it as “a Modernist chair with a graceful profile” and I couldn’t have put it better myself! At 255 euros, it’s not cheap but it will be seen more as a design piece which therefore deserves the higher price tag.

Ferm Living Desert lounge chair.

9. Tikamoon Keywood Bistro Items

Keywood Bistro Furniture - Tikamoon

For a bistro set with a difference, I was drawn to this set of items by Tikamoon. The Keywood armchair and coffee table are sold separately which means you can choose the items best suited to your space. The unusual design is attention grabbing even for the smallest of balconies and brings a sense of style other bistro sets are lacking.

10. Resin Wicker and Solid Acacia Garden Armchair - Maison Du Monde

Last but not least is the Nairobi Wicker Armchair. It screams Scandi Boho vibes and I would use it everywhere in the house, not just the garden. It fits with almost every piece of furniture so can be added as a stylish addition to an outdoor setting. Style with wicker baskets, dried grasses and fringed blankets just like this image and be the envy of all the neighbours.

Garden Armchair - Maison Du Monde

So that concludes my top 10 garden sets at the minute. I hope you love them as much as I do. Let me know your favourites in the comments below!

*All images from relevant retailers website and PR imagery*

Best Places to Buy Frames Online

Recently I put a call out on my Instagram stories for some photo frame recommendations. I didn’t get many responses answering the question but I did get a lot of people asking me to share the answers! So I thought I would do some of my own research into the best places to get frames online because we all need more gallery walls in our lives!

Gallery Wall Ideas

First up it was harder than I thought - A LOT of places are either not open or are out of stock. In “normal” times I’m a big fan of popping into places like Wilko’s for the simple black frames or the Range for more quirky colours and designs. These options are both still available but they didn’t have any of the sizes I wanted in stock.

I found a couple of options on Ikea’s website including the LERBODA frames which are new in. They weren’t available for delivery when I last looked but now they are! Priced at £4 and £6 they are an absolute bargain so go go go! I also love the new RAMSBORG frames which will add a classy feel to any space, these are more expensive but you can definitely tell.

After much deliberation and lots of virtual shopping baskets, I went with these Dunelm Oversized Mount Frames in both black and white, because I was drawn to the art gallery feel of the big white mounts. These were £6 each and I’m really pleased with how they look. I need to add that the delivery took a while though which is understandable in this times - just wanted to point it out in case you’re in a rush!

Dunelm Black & White Oversized Mount Frames

A favourite thing of mine to do is just prop frames up against walls on the floor and on furniture, partly because I am running out of wall space but mainly because I love how it fills otherwise uninspiring spaces in rooms. Obviously I appreciate this maybe an issue with small children and animals so do this with caution!

Desenio is another great place to not only get cheap prints but also really nice frames. I worked with Desenio a few years ago and ordered some prints and frames as part of a collaboration, and their offering has gotten so much better since then. They do everything from your standard black frame, to metallics, to these gorgeous wooden options. I have linked each picture so if any take your fancy you can click straight through. Some of the frames aren’t real glass, as I found from previous experience, which will obviously be reflected in the price so make sure you read the descriptions if you’re after the real deal.

Lastly I teamed up with Inkifi to showcase a few of their different frames which are perfect for getting those photos off your phone and onto the walls. Full disclosure these items for gifted but I am giving an honest review and would never recommend anything I wouldn’t use in my own home.

I’d been eyeing up the Moments Frame for a while now and at £119 I appreciate it’s quite expensive. The quality is outstanding though and you get 52 images in one frame. If you added up 52 of the Dunelm £6 frames then this is a lot cheaper. It’s also neatly contained so if you don’t have a lot of wall space it can create an impact all on it’s own. It also can be propped up rather than hung if you’re not allowed to drill into walls etc. I chose to upload 52 of my favourite images from our honeymoon as a memory to keep forever and I know I will take it with me everywhere I live.

Inkifi Moments Frame - Honeymoon Edition

If the Moments Frame isn’t the one for you, Inkifi also do loads of other products. From photo-strips (I have bought so many of these in the past) to Polaroid style prints (also bought many of these before) there will be something for everyone.

I was also sent the Photo Tiles to try out and review. These are stick-able frames which are a great alternative to hanging photos with nails - there are A LOT of holes in our walls. Inkifi say they “Can be stuck and removed with no wall damage to wall paper or paint.” I haven’t tried removing mine yet to test if this is true but I will let you know!

Photo Tiles from Inkifi that can be stuck on - great alternative to nails.

I went for personal prints here too, to mix in amongst the various wall art around the house. 2019 was such a special year for me and in light of everything that’s happening in the world right now I just want to be surrounded by lovely memories and familiar faces. The great thing about the photo tiles are you can literally stick them anywhere. I’ve spread them out all over my house but they also look good in a more formatted way together too.

Another lovely thing Inkifi are doing at the moment is offering free “Thinking of You” cards to send to someone you miss in lockdown. This is a lovely gesture and guaranteed to put a smile on someone’s face. Click here to send your free card today.

Hallway Gallery Wall Inspiration

So I hope that has helped a little with sourcing frames in lockdown and beyond. Happy shopping!

Isolation Trends - Ways to Update Your Home Without Breaking The Bank

Hello! How are you? It’s been a while since I wrote anything here. First up I want to say I hope you and your family are as safe and well as can be in these times.

I’ve been thinking of what to write about during Isolation and how anyone can be interested in Interiors. But our homes are our sanctuaries at the moment and more than ever we need them to feel calming, nurturing and safe. And also places we want to be and hang out in.

So I have teamed up with a few fellow Insta pals to show you ways you can update your living spaces without breaking the bank and adding to the “non essential” shopping list. Hopefully this will inspire you to get creative - some are really easy, some require a bit of DIY and others might just leave you admiring them from the comfort of your sofa.

Hope you enjoy!

1. Rejigging Shelves

I probably sound like a broken record but one of the easiest things you can do to give a room a “fresh” feel is by rejigging your shelves, wall art, furniture arrangement. Anyone else used to constantly switch their bedrooms up as a child? I think that’s the sign of an Interior Stylist right there! Seriously though,rejigging a shelving unit can instantly change things up.

Start by stripping back all the objects and giving it a good clean. Then slowly start adding the items back on, change up the positioning and maybe try adding some new bits from elsewhere in the house. Take some things away or just simply mix up the order of the shelves. It will all help to trick the eye and the brain into believing it’s brand new and fresh.

I’ve included examples of my shelving units over the year and how certain things have stayed put, some bits were added in and others were just mixed up.

2. Create Your Own Artwork

Take inspiration from Jessica at The Middle Terrace who has rediscovered her love of painting art. She used leftover paint from the hallway revamp to create a gorgeous “red thread” linking the hallway to the dining room. Mixed in with other “shop bought” prints and photos, you could create something truly unique to your home. I’m definitely going to give it a go as soon as I can get my hands on some paper.

3. Support Your Local Artists or Frame Cards

There are some many local artists on Instagram and Etsy, selling handmade prints for really reasonable prices and some will even design bespoke ones for you. Another fab idea which I’ve written about before is framing cards. I love doing this - see the “Merci Beaucoup” card I bought especially to frame. I recently had a birthday and got many “topical” cards that I’m definitely going to frame to remind me of these times. I wrote a blog a few years ago with other cheap and easy ways to personalise your gallery walls which you can read about here.

Framing cards is the best way to update your gallery walls cheaply!

4. Paint Your Kitchen Cupboards

I recently had a kitchen revamp but I used a professional, partly because I’m lazy and partly because I’m no expert, but the lovely Kate from @copper.and.me has just completed it herself and it looks AMAZING! She used Lick Paints which are the newest paint company in town. Kate was particularly impressed with the handle and screw lid and the fact that it is self priming! It meant she only used 1/2 of a tin to cover the whole kitchen! It’s the perfect, cost effective way to switch up your kitchen! Head over to her feed to see more of how she did it here.

5. Plant, Plant, Plant

Looking after my plants is providing the perfect distraction when I get a bit anxious. I am definitely not green fingered so if I can keep them alive then so can you. Sunflower seeds, for example, are so easy to grow and can be kept on a sunny window even in the smallest of flats. Mine is currently thriving, having grown 10cm in 2 weeks. I was also gifted this cute little basil seedling by my Father-in-law for my birthday and I’m making it my mission to keep it going into a fully fledged plant. If you have more than enough then why not gift some to neighbours or those self isolating? I promise you it will cheer someone up.

6. DIY In Your Garden

Create a haven in your garden

It’s typical that as soon as lockdown hits we get the best weather of the year so far, but I have to admit it is making it much easier for me. I am enjoying working on my tan with a book in the garden most afternoons.

Alice from Simply The Nest however is the Queen of DIY and lockdown is no exception. She has just recently made her own outdoor seating area from items she already had in the house. Having thought about an L-shaped seating area for around 4 years, lockdown has given her the time to finally see the plans comes to life. Using a couple of old doors that were taking up space in the cellar, screws, paint and joist wood that were also left over from previous projects, she has created a zero-cost furniture item. Alice is fab at showing exactly how she completes DIY so head over to her page to see if anything else floats your boat!

7. Use Leftover Paint

We’ve all probably got tins and tins of leftover paint from old projects sitting in sheds, garages, or in my case - under the stairs. This is such a good time to dig them out and give some furniture pieces a revamp. That old wooden chair? The chest of drawers in the spare room? Or even plant pots. Anything’s fair game as long as you’ve got a paint brush. I painted this ikea step stool a while back and I still love it! Currently eyeing up my fireplace and some ikea shelves in the living room so I will report back!

Using left over paint to paint furniture items.

8. And Finally…If In Doubt…Bake!

Because we’ve not seen enough baking pictures and stories ;) Even the least skilled baker can make banana bread - trust me I’ve tried. And because of the flour shortage I uploaded my expertly made chocolate nest cakes that a five year old could probably do a better job of. But they filled my heart with joy and reminded me of my childhood so give it a go - you won’t regret eating them I promise!

Baking in isolation - Easter Nest Cakes

So there we have it! 8 ways to update your home in Isolation. Hopefully that has inspired you to get the paint brush, the drill or the duster out. Failing that, I hope it’s passed ten mins of boredom! I would love to see some of the bits you create so tag me in them! And also go check out all my lovely Insta pals, big thank you to them for allowing me to use their pictures!

Stay safe!