NEW YEAR. NEW STATEMENT CHAIR with DFS (AD)


I'm usually that person who takes down the Christmas decorations in January and then despairs how bland and empty everything looks. Not this year though because just as all the decorations were packed away for another year, the chair of my dreams arrived filling that Christmas decor void.

You may remember I went on a press trip with DFS to see their new collaboration with Joules a few months back. I was thoroughly impressed with the whole range and also got to help upholster my own chair and design my own cushion. I was just a tad excited about this as you can imagine, if you missed it you can find the blog post here.

The timing couldn't have been more apt for the chair arriving. A new year. A new statement piece for our home.


I always get super nervous when introducing a new piece of furniture to our home. Kinda like bringing a new boyfriend home, will everyone approve? By everyone, I mean my other furniture. Obviously ;). What looks beautiful in the showroom or on the internet, might not necessarily fit or blend in well with the rest of the room when it arrives. It tends to take me time to fully like new pieces we add to our home.

Then there's the rare pieces that are love at first sight as soon as they arrive. The last time that happened was when our dining table and bench arrived, and now that accolade goes to this Joules Accent Chair. It's like someone delivered Spring to my door, and completed our kitchen space with one rip of the cellophane.


I've always felt our kitchen/living area was missing something, everything is fairly neutral in this area, even the patterned rug, that I think it needed a statement piece to bring it altogether. I worried about a potential clash with the rug and chair but I feel it's just about the right amount of clash. That's a thing, right?!


Also, from a practical point of view, we love watching the television in the kitchen and the small chair we had here originally wasn't the comfiest if you were settling down to a night of telly. Now we are all arguing over who gets to sit in the Joules chair, the chair I keep reminding everyone is my throne. Nobody seems to be listening though.


Did I mention she's velvet?! I know, this fact alone made me fall a little deeper in love. I did question whether I was raving mad picking velvet over cotton with having young boys. My aim has always been to make a beautiful but functional home, as I don't want to be constantly telling the boys to be careful or to mind their sticky fingers. That being said I also think it's good for children to respect their surroundings too, and that starts at home. So my velvet furniture love has finally been indulged!


Along with the chair arrived the cushion that I designed too. It's an embarrassing effort next to the chair itself, but put on our other couch it brings a pop of colour and the floral element too. It also serves as a reminder to what awesome experiences I had in 2017, and I hope this year follows suit.


I actually can't believe we're in 2018 already and the weeks are zooming by too. This year I want to be bolder in my choices, in all aspects of life. From my attitude and self-confidence, to my furniture and interior choices. 

You can find the whole DFS Joules collection here. If you want a truly stunning piece of furniture with exceptional attention to detail then look no further.

I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Wishing you the very best for 2018 and I cannot wait to share more on the blog with you this year.


* This post is proudly sponosored by DFS. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thursday, 11 January 2018 Comments: 4
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GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS with HOMESENSE (AD)


It used to be a long standing joke with my friends and I, that there was no point asking where my clothes were from as they would likely be a one off vintage find or from a charity shop. This was a huge exaggeration on their part, but I was once a huge fan of rummaging in charity shops. That was back in the days when charity shops were like treasure troves, unlike today, where fast fashion regrets mostly fill the rails.

As my style has evolved and I've moved away from vintage clothing, I feel my love of one off pieces, old and new, has now transferred to my home. I'm often asked over on my Instagram account where items from my home are from, and a frustrating reply (I know, as I've been on the receiving end of those responses myself!) is that the item is vintage, second hand, or a one off item from a store years ago. For me though it's those pieces that make a person's home. So, where can you shop to find those special but affordable pieces for your home?

For those that know me, you'll know I'm a huge fan of TK Maxx, my rug collection in my home is testament to that, and I've found so many treasures over the years for my home there. You can imagine my delight to find that, Homesense, is part of the TK Maxx group.

I was invited to explore all their Christmas offerings and I was not disappointed. Not only are they good for the everyday essentials but they totally tick the box when it comes to those special finds too. I feel like all those items I lust over on Instagram and Pinterest were just hiding behind the next aisle in, Homesense. Not only did I find the most beautiful items to make the boys' rooms all Christmassy, I also got lots of lovely gifts, beautiful gift wrap, and I've totally upped my Christmas game in the kitchen department now too.


I love items you find in shops that you can totally make your own, and as soon as I spotted this little wooden tree I knew it had to be mine, the fact it was only £3.99, was the icing on the cake. I then stumbled upon my favourite type of fairy lights...


I adore these delicate wire battery powered fairy lights, they're super pliable and can be hung anywhere around the home (I particularly love outlining window frames), or bunched together to make a lovely light feature. I've got quite a few sets of these already but this is the first time I've found ones with as many as 100 lights.


I thought the lights were perfect for the little tree and hung it in Caleb's room along with the colourful garlands. I like how these colourful garlands have a Christmas feel but I think in the right spot they could outlast Christmas too.


I've noticed handmade felt decorations are really making a comeback, and I love the assorted garlands, decorations and stockings, Homesense had to offer. They instantly give a cosy Christmassy feel and all ranged from £2.99 to £24.99.

Decorating our boys' rooms for Christmas has become a little tradition of ours, it gets them so excited for the season ahead and I like how you can really have fun when decorating children's rooms. Throughout the rest of our home our Christmas decorations are subtle tones, lots of whites and warm fairy lights. With the boys' rooms we go full out colour and they love it.

Tartan Blanket £16.99

No Christmas is complete without the yearly stress over what presents to buy. If you're after a quality item at the fraction of the price or something a little bit different then, Homesense, is definitely worth checking out. Especially for the people that you struggle to buy for each year. You know the person I'm talking about, the person with everything!

Their candle selection is amazing (coming from a lady with a slight candle addiction), and their stationary aisle makes the 12 year old stationary-loving girl in me giddy. Beautiful diaries, notebooks, yearly planners and stationary. Always be sure when visiting Homesense, to check out their prints and frames too. This time I found the most amazing Covent Garden sign.

Planners from £5.99 - £7.99
Large Candle £7.99
Sign £12.99

Of course with present buying comes present wrapping and Homesense has so many lovely options. I found the cutest mason jar with everything you need in it, tape, string and tags. If you find gift wrapping stressful or an overwhelming task with so many presents, I recommend wrapping a few presents each evening in the lead up to Christmas. I find it makes what can be a mammoth task much more enjoyable.


Christmas time means entertaining and hosting for many, and it's the one time of year that serving nibbles from our boys' breakfast bowls doesn't quite cut the mustard. I love all the stylish kitchenware without the hefty price tag that Homesense, has to offer. I actually took the dive and purchased real copper pans, I'd say lusting after copper pans for over ten years is a long enough time to wait.

Bowls £3.99 - £4.99
Copper Pans from £19.99 - £34.99
Two-pack tea towels £3.99
Stemless Crystal Wine Glasses £4.99
Christmas Hot Chocolate & Biscuit set £12.99

There you have all my wonderful, Homesense finds. I'm feeling well on the road now to being organised for Christmas, and I'm really looking forward to hosting over the festive period. Cooking just got a whole lot more exciting with my sexy copper pans. Never have I ever called pans sexy before in my life!! But come on, they are though, aren't they?! ;)

*this post is proudly sponsored by Homesense. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.



Sunday, 17 December 2017 Comments: 3
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A Day With DFS & Joules (AD)


One of my favourite things about blogging is I never quite know what emails I'm going to get from one day to the next.

Some days are spent sifting through all the junk mail and unsubscribing to mailing lists I've NEVER subscribed to, other days however, are when the real email gems come in. The emails that make you squeal with delight and then double check the name in case the person has sent it to the wrong Claire.

One such email came from the lovely folk at DFS, who contacted me to tell me all about their exciting collaboration with Joules Clothing. It didn't stop there. They wanted to invite me down to their design workshop, where not only would I have an exclusive peek of the entire collection, I'd get to help upholster my own DFS Joules Accent Chair and design a cushion to go along with it!! My bags were packed before I even finished reading the email.

What I particularly love about press trips is you get a real insight into the brands and learn facts you never knew. I'm a big fan of Joules, but I knew little about DFS, other than they sell sofas. I couldn't help but wonder would this collaboration be a good fit?

The answer is a loud, resounding, YES. It is in fact the perfect collaboration. On the trip I discovered every DFS sofa and chair they sell is made to order here in the UK. I don't know why I had the misconception that their sofas were massed produced and from overseas, as that is very much not the case. They pride themselves on hand-making every sofa to order in one of their three factories in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Having now met both the design teams from DFS and Joules, it was really lovely to see how truly excited they are about collaborating; and the proof is in the pudding.

The collection is STUNNING.

Joules are all about attention to detail and hand-drawn prints, and the DFS Joules collection does not disappoint. The prints and fabrics give every piece that Joules feel, and there are so many hidden little details. From prints under the seat covers, to glass pheasant buttons, to their iconic Joules pink hare on the chair legs, the list goes on. Everything has been painstakingly considered when it comes to the finer details, right down to the piping and the zip colours they've chosen. I really love how this has clearly been a labour of love for both DFS and Joules.


^ Windsor ^

^ Cambridge ^

^ Burnham ^

^ Ilkley ^

After viewing the collection we had a chance to go behind the scenes and see just how the pieces are made. I think there is nothing better than meeting people who are excellent at their craft and I was kindly shown how to upholster parts of my own Joules Accent Chair. The staple gun was pretty scary at first but once I got used to it I was in my element! I literally could have spent the rest of the day there with my staple gun and perspex glasses. A good look, I know!




After reluctantly parting from the staple gun it was time to design my own cushion! This was the part of the day that I'd been most excited about when reading my email but once I was sat down to a blank page with the paints and brushes surrounding me, I froze. What on earth was I going to paint?! Except a big old mess.


This is when the Joules Art and Design team stepped in, inspiring us with real flowers, vintage floral prints, and to not over think it but to simply paint.

I, of course, did at first over think it, but as the time went on and I started to relax it became really enjoyable. My design (which you can see below) will be screen printed as a repeat onto a cushion. I'm so excited and nervous as to how it will turn out. I'll be sure to share it with you when it arrives.


And there you have my wonderful day with DFS and Joules. I'm excited to tell you the collection is now available and you can find it HERE.

If you want a truly stunning piece of furniture to grace your home than this collection is not to be missed. I'm really looking forward to receiving my Joules Cambridge Accent chair and I'll share how we will style it in our home once it's arrived. Here's hoping my cushion doesn't turn out a complete disaster ;)

* This post is proudly sponsored by DFS. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Monday, 4 December 2017 Comments: 12
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Ditching the Mum Guilt


Recently, I did something, that at the time, felt ridiculously self-indulgent.

Let me start by explaining myself. You see us mums need to do that when we do something purely for ourselves and not our children, now don't we?! ;)

It started with a few drinks and my friend Sam and I discussing how we missed holidaying together. We should book a few days up north, we said. Somewhere gorgeous with a lovely spa and nice walks, we said.

We then started to search for hotels and balked at the prices. How much for two days??! We might as well go abroad, we said.

And so we did!

As you can imagine this was somewhat fuelled by the aforementioned, 'few drinks', and as we pressed, 'BOOK', my excitement instantly turned into a sick feeling. Was this ridiculously selfish of me? Should I be spending that amount of money on myself? If I'm going on a little beach holiday should I not be taking my babies with me who absolutely adore the beach? All the mum guilt came crashing down. Predictable, I know.

I think this is an eternal struggle for parents who have young children, the inability to on occasion put our own needs first. It goes against the grain, doesn't it? We live for our little humans and take care of their every need, but as soon as that stops being the case 24/7, whether that's going back to work, an overnight stay, a weekend away, we can't help but let that guilt creep in.

For this very reason I pushed the fact I booked a holiday to the back of my mind and prayed that when it came around I would enjoy it and not be wracked with guilt the whole time.

Well I can tell you wholeheartedly I enjoyed every single minute. This holiday was a tonic that I really didn't realise how much I needed until I was away. I actually realised whilst laying on the beach, Sam calling my name to see if I wanted another drink, that my name had been said more in those few days than it had in years. I'd forgotten what it was like to be called, Claire, when my days are spent hearing, mum, mum, mum a trillion times, and the other variations, Caleb's mum. Archie's mum. It felt so good to be called, Claire.



Do you know what else I learnt on this trip too? To stop labelling myself as, 'too old'.  When we first saw this amazing deal to Marbella, my instant response was, we're too old, we couldn't possibly go, I mean, I love carbs for a start! Surely this is not the place for me.

Utter rubbish! We stayed in the lovely area of San Pedro which is mainly Spanish inhabitants, carbs were free flowing ;), and it has such a relaxed and friendly vibe. I don't know what I had in my head exactly, I think I've watched one too many episodes of TOWIE and Made In Chelsea, which says more about me than it does about Marbella!


We decided we couldn't visit Marbella and not partake in a beach club experience. We chose the world-renowned Nikki Beach, and I'll be honest, I was convinced we were way too old for this. I pictured a flurry of hot, young babes in thongs, meanwhile, I'd be there in my full-length kaftan wishing I was 16 years younger.


That wasn't the case at all, we chose the Friday to go, which is one of the days they don't have any specific events on. This was perfect for us, we got to sample all the luxuries of Nikki Beach with a more relaxed vibe. If you want to party, party though, definitely choose one of their event days.


 We chose a bed by the pool and it was the perfect spot to sip rose wine and enjoy one of their gorgeous mezze platters. Any thoughts of not belonging in a place like that, now I'm a mum, completely vanished and it was a day of luxury I didn't even realise I was craving. Be warned the price list is not for the fainthearted, but for us it was worth every penny. I've since concluded that I need more luxury in my life!!

No holiday is complete without finding a hidden gem to eat and drink, and this was Guayaba Beach for us. It was a no frills, friendly beach bar that just happened to serve the best seafood and sangria.


I came back home feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and guess what?! Three happy boys who had a blast while I was away, but also appreciated I was home. Nothing like absence to make the heart grow fonder ;)

So maybe your pondering a night away, a holiday with friends or your other half sans kids. Do it! Push that parental guilt aside. Book those tickets immediately. I can honestly tell you it will do you more good than you realise, and those little people in your life too.

Same time next year, Sam?!



Thursday, 9 November 2017 Comments: 4
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