Get The Look: Farmhouse Kitchen

   This is another of those styles that I really like, the mix of rustic features and some contemporary accents to create the perfect balance. What I also love is the fact you don't necessarily need to be surrounded by winding country lanes or fields full of flowers to recreate this style, you can easily create this look in a city kitchen for that added bit of cosyness. So whether you live in a townhouse in London, or a cottage in the Cotswolds, this one is for you.

TICK LIST

>Farmhouse Sink 

>Upcycling 

>Open Sheving 

>Bright and White 

FARMHOUSE SINK 

• This is something I have always wanted, and whenever I see one in a magazine or on Pinterest, I start to imagine where it would go in my dream kitchen. Something like this can be a staple of your kitchen, and can be easily mixed with some gorgeous antique pieces like a crockery display set or a more modern set of cupboards in a mint green or dusty blue to add a little contemporary touch. 
• These sinks are becoming hugely popular, and are popping up in every material you could think of. However, a porcelain sink in pure white is perhaps the best way of adding farmhouse style instantly to your home. 

UPCYCLING

• Reusing and upcycling materials is a key element of bringing that rustic feel to a kitchen. From old signs sanded down and hung on your walls, to reclaimed lighting hung above your island, it gives a homely feel with definite character. 
• Signs like the one in the picture above are easily sourced from antiques stores or markets, and with a bit of sanding and a lick of paint, they could be hung in pride of place above the door of your pantry or maybe even made into a kitchen island with some wooden palletts. 

OPEN SHELVING

• This is a clever way of bringing in a mixture of old and new, with modern white walls, and some beautiful rustic shelving. Chintz and vintage looking crockery can look fabulous on some floating shelves made from imperfect reclaimed stained wood, and these types of shelves look great in most spaces. 
• Another way of switching up your shelving is to add in some hanging storage alongside it. This is useful for freeing up space in your cupboards and can be a good contrast to the rustic, traditional style of a farmhouse kitchen and inject a bit of modernity to your space with jet black metal hanging space. 

BRIGHT AND WHITE 

• There's nothing quite like a bright, clean white space to really open up a space and provide some additional lighting to your kitchen. I really like this modern take on a rustic kitchen, and don't be afraid of it being too stark or clinical, pops of colours like a blue rug or flowers are an instant way of brightening things up and adding in a focal point. 
• Accent peices like a large pine island in the middle of your room or brass pendant lighting will help to break up a largely white room and give a standout focal point that goes seamlessly with your main colour palette. Something like exposed brickwork also really makes the colour white pop to give an inexpensive, countrified feel. 

What are your top tips for bringing the farmhouse look to your kitchen?

Everday Makeup Look

   I love experimenting with makeup, and creating a different look with my palettes and lip colours, trying something new and fresh, and maybe even a bit out there. And getting ready for the day is an integral part of helping feel put together and like I can take on anything my working day throws at me, which I feel is the case for a lot of people right now with working from home becoming the new way of working for a lot of us. So, with this in mind, I've put together my everday makeup routine, those tried and tested products I constantly reach for and that make me feel pretty fabulous. 

ALL BASES COVERED 

 
          IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream in Fair Light, £32.50- Cult Beauty

• Anyone who knows me knows I love to wear foundation, but some days, I like to give my skin a break and opt for something a little lighter- enter IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream. 
• This provides a gorgeous glow with a light coverage, meaning I can still cover any problem areas while not having that full on feeling of a foundation. Just blend in a couple of pumps with your fingers over your face or use a brush if you'd prefer, and your ready to go! 

ALL EYES ON YOU

Huda Beauty New Nudes Eyeshadow Palette £50, Feelunique.com

• This eyeshadow palette may be a little on the pricey side, but the quality really is worth the the hype and price. 
• The eyeshadows are less of a powder and more like a cream, and the nude shimmery shade is my absolute go-to for the daytime. Just a couple of swipes with my finger across my eyelid keeps this baby on all day, no smudging, no fallout. Just beautiful. Try out those glitter shades if you dare, I'm keeping those for the first post lockdown night out! 

BAMBI LASHES

Benefit BadGal Bang Mascara Volumising Mascara, £21.59 Feelunique.com

• I've tried my fair share of mascaras, and until I discovered this one, I didn't think anything could pip the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara to the top spot, but this has managed to overtake it. 
• The smaller wand makes it easier to get into those pesky corner lashes that seem to go into hiding whenever a mascara wand goes near them, and the depth of the colour really makes your lashes luscious and bambi like, which is the real aim here. 

LIP SERVICE

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Pillowtalk £25, Feelunique.com

• A staple in my makeup collection, this has been the perfect partner to many a makeup look I've created, and it's still going strong. It's a perfect mix of nude understated elegance and that little pop of colour that elevates your entire makeup look. 
• Just a couple of swipes of this creamy formula will leave your lips beautifully moisturised and hydrated for the whole day, expect maximum staying power- its sandwich proof, pasta proof and smooch proof. 

What's your go to make up look? 

Get The Look: Coastal Bathroom

   Welcome to a new series on the blog, my take on how to bring some of the most popular and well-known interior design styles into your home. From coastal bathrooms to Moroccan gardens, I'll give you an insight into how you can transform your space without it costing the earth. First up, coastal bathrooms, my favourite style for a bathroom. The whites and blues, the stripes and the stripped back raw materials make this style very nautical and perfect for creating images of days spent at the seaside in your mind. 

TICK LIST

< Raw materials 

<Nautical accessories 

< Modern accents

RAW MATERIALS 

• This is one of my favourite parts of this style, the raw, rough wooden panelling is super characterful and reminds me of beach huts along the coast. To recreate this style in your own bathroom, all you need to do is buy yourself some wooden panels, give them a good sand down and paint them either grey or white, then just hang them all over. 
• A plush wooden white washed cabinet for storing bathroom accessories is a cute modern touch that would look right at home in a coastal bathroom. Add on black handles and match with a mirror to complete the look. 

NAUTICAL ACCESSORIES

• This is the kind of theme where you can go all out with accessories and make it really unique to you and your tastes. Go bold with stripes, make a pop of colour with blue, or add in enough themed accents for a gift shop by the beach- the coastal accessory world is your oyster. 
• I love things like anchor shaped towel holders and themed pieces like soap holders and toothbrush holders in the shape of shells or starfish to add a fun touch. You can also take plain glass or plastic jars and glue on shells and bits of rope to create a 'message in a bottle' theme for things like cotton buds or cotton balls ready and easy to find for when you take your makeup off at the end of the day. 

MODERN ACCENTS

• The beauty of this theme is you can make it how you want it to be, it can be as raw and characterful as you like, or it can be a bit more modern, it's up to you. I personally like a mix between the two, some rougher wooden pieces like bathroom cabinets, and some modern accents like the white wood in the photo above and minimal accessories. 
• There are of course a few accessories, but they are incredibly subtle and go perfectly with this theme. The leafed plants and glass shell tumbler is a great way of bringing the seaside into your home without it being overpowering, Something I love as well, is a round window like a porthole on a ship to create the feeling of laying in the bath in your own cruise cabin. Lush. 

What are your top tips for achieving the nautical bathroom look?

Have you got a coastal bathroom? How have you styled your space?

 

What I'm Reading- January

   Books are always a great present idea, and if you're bookworm like me, they're even better. I was lucky enough to be gifted several books this Christmas, and can't wait to get stuck into reading them after a long day at work to really help me switch off.  If you're looking for some new reading material to add to your bookshelf, or one of your New Years Resolutions was to read more or maybe even take up a new hobby, then this list could be just the inspiration you need!

THE WEDDING PACT BY ISLA GORDON

• I hadn't ever read anything by this author, but loved the sound of the synopsis and can say it was a fabulously fun read! August is desperate to move into the house of her dreams, one that she's admired for years, but the landlord will only lease it to a stable, married couple- enter Flynn. Having just arrived back to the UK after spending two years in Japan, he's also desperate to find somewhere to call home. What could possibly go wrong when two people pretend to be married?
• This was a light hearted fun read, perfect for those who are looking for a few hours of escapism from everyday life, so sit back with a cuppa and enjoy! 

BEGINNING WATERCOLOUR BY MAURY AASENG 

• As you may have seen from one of my previous posts, I was looking to get back into my art and pick up a paintbrush again, so was really pleased when I received this book as a present on Christmas day. It's chock full of different areas from nature to the human body and even a guide on painting clothing, so whatever you might be interested in learning how to paint, this is for you. 
• I also love how the author adds in little tips and tricks to make things easier for you, and breaks everything down into steps so that you can absorb and learn as you paint away. Don't forget to take a look at the introductory section at the beginning for a guide on what tools you need and how to get started. 

MEET ME AT THE CUPCAKE CAFÉ BY JENNY COLGAN

• This book was full of laughter and love, and who doesn't love reading about delicious cakes? Issy Randall is made redundant from her rather dull but safe city job, and this prompts her to finally go for her dream and armed with recipes from her Grampa's bakery, The Cupcake Cafe opens its doors. It soon becomes apparent though that Issy has no clue what she's let herself in for, and she's soon facing a potential disaster that will need more than cake to solve it...
• I love books about starting over and grabbing life with both hands so this was perfect for me. Issy is a fabulous heroine and proves its never too late to go after your dreams! 

THE COUNTRY ESCAPE BY JANE LOVERING 

• This book, while a little shorter than the others, was just as enjoyable as those above! When Katie and her teenage daughter pack up their London lives and head to the gorgeous Dorset coast to live in their very own ramshackle cottage, Katie is left with the slow and rather expensive job of bringing it back to life. So when a film crew ask to use it as a location, she jumps at the chance, and with the potential for a new romance on the horizon things could be looking up. But is country life really for Katie? And is Katie really up to country life?
• I loved this cosy read set against the backdrop of gorgeous Dorset which really made me feel as if I was on holiday. The book was packed full of romance and really captured my attention from the first page, keeping me engaged right until the end. If you love a seaside read, then this is the one for you!

What've you been reading this month?

Put your recommendations in the comments below!

My top 5: Blushers

   I have to admit, I wasn't that into blusher a few years back, in fact it was the one kind of makeup I used to shy away from, until I found these heroes and my mind was changed! Blusher is definitely something you can have fun and experiment with as there really is something to for everyone- from liquid blushes that are super easy to blend out, to the good old staple powder blusher that goes on with a sweep of a brush. Below is my top 5 blushers that I wouldn't be without in my makeup collection!

1) ICONIC LONDON SHEER BLUSH IN CHEEKY CORAL 

£18, iconiclondon.com

• I love the creamy formula of this blusher, it gives the perfect glow without looking too over the top, and is a great choice for both summer days and the colder months to give your skin that extra warmth. 
• Just dab a couple of drops onto your skin and gently pat into the skin with your ring finger. Or alternatively you could use a small eyeshadow brush with soft bristles to blend it in seamlessly. 
• Whilst £18 is a little on the expensive side for a blusher, a creamy formula like this is going to see you through this winter and into spring and summer and beyond. The handy formula means it can easily be thrown into your handbag for on the go touch ups and quick makeup fixes-win win!

2)