Fifties Style

Earlier this summer I worked with Kiera Buckley Jones on the Midcentury modern living room at the Royal Festival Hall.  Kiera's a big fan of the fifties and had pitched an idea to BBC Homes and Antiques to style a 1950's inspired home story, mixing vintage with modern in a period setting.  So early June we decamped to a gorgeous airy property in Elephant and Castle to set up and shoot for 3 days.

I love mixing old and new pieces, but balancing the proportions of the light fifties furniture in georgian rooms with very high ceilings, proved quite challenging.  Kiera, as always, worked her magic but its definitely something to consider when furnishing a large or for that matter small room. 

The full article is out now in August's issue of BBC Homes and Antiques but here are a few snaps I grabbed from the behind the scenes of the shoot and some tips on how to incorporate vintage pieces into your home: 

Display pretty vintage scarves in simple frames.  These ones are from Ikea, cheap as chips.

Mix old and new. This cute retro poodle lamp from Abigail Ahern sits happily alongside the yellow and brown tones of this vintage rose painting.

Vintage book covers and posters can be a great source of inspiration for design and decorating palettes.  These soft pastel shades are very fifties.

Its all in the mix.  Combining florals like this blind with bold retro print cushions keeps the look fresh and fun. Love the little woven chair.  

And not forgetting this little fella. Does anything says fifties more than a flamingo figurine? (Can an animal be a figurine...who knows?)  Actually he's a modern piece from Dwell, so he's more retro than vintage. What are your favourite elements of the 1950's and how do you mix new and old? 

Picnic lunch alfresco

Now that the weather is picking up I am looking forward to lunching alfresco. On a sunny day it really is one of life's little pleasures to take time out from busy routines and snaffle a few home made sarnies sprawled out on the grass.

If the sun shines for long enough I might even risk a little dip in the water! These shots were from a BBC Homes and Antiques shoot by the riverside in Henley with Charis White. I styled the hamper and braved the cold (it wasn't as warm as it looks) to pose in the last shot!

Pretty potting shed

I'm longing for a garden of my own. If I had a little potting shed as pretty as this I could happily while away many an afternoon nurturing seedlings, and pootling about. This gorgeous garden house, styled by Charis White for BBC Homes & Antiques, is far too lovely to be called a shed. Bedecked with breezy swallow print curtains using Up in the Air from Vanessa Arbuthnott's Sky collection.  The chest of drawers was covered in fabric too by local company, Kitsch-en-sync. Purty!

Swedish Style

I have been off working on a shoot for BBC Home & Antiques this week, with the lovely Charis White. This time the story is Scandinavian Reds and Whites. When we arrive the location house is a beautiful blank canvas, with fabulous period details, great shuttered windows, and twin fireplaces in nearly every room. Typically these location houses are all white with decent floorboards and features, just ready and waiting to be transformed.

Couriers arrive bearing gifts (well, boxes and boxes of props) and are left to hoist heavy pieces of furniture up several flights of stairs. I'm amazed at how they manage to negotiate stairs and awkward antique furniture without ffing and blinding, but they do. I'm disappointed that I don't hear them saying "To me" "To you", so I quietly mouth it to myself and chuckle.

Jude, our handyman/set builder for the day gets cracking on the walls creating a slightly aged effect on a fine red border to be used for one room set. Its a simple and effective idea that you could try at home with the help of a spirit level and a bit of dry brush work. I couldn't resist sneaking a picture of Jude's lovely paint splattered brushes.

Once the paint was dry and goodies unwrapped we were ready to set up the first shots and get furniture and props in place. These are just a few piccies of some of the beautiful items sourced by Charis, who always manages to combine new and old, high end and high street. She can be relied upon to come up with interesting pieces and novel little finishing touches like the gingham and mini baskets, which were to be used for a table dressing idea.

Look out for the finished article in October's Issue of BBC Homes and Antiques