The Narrow house is a beautiful renovation project by FORMstudio. The architects have converted a terrace building dating back to the late 19th century into a light calm oasis in the middle of the city.

London is getting extremely crowded, and the housing situation is becoming a very difficult problem to solve. Although I am not particularly in favour of converting old office/commercial properties into residential use, somehow we have to find a balance in this ever growing capital. Well, if you have the budget, projects like this are worth it. The conservation and renovation of an existing building is going to be always better than building a new one from scratch, specially in a city with such an amazing architectural heritage.

The space calls for simplicity over luxury, natural materials, neutral colours, unique art, handmade furniture and home wares…A good example would be the Folklore shop look, see below.

Wall hooks from my shop online 

Project by FORM studio | Photos by Bruce Hemming

CHOCOLATE CREATIVE WALL HOOKS – NOCHINTZ

At chocolate creative, we work alongside some very nice architect and design/interior firms. Over the years, we have created some bespoke orders for various nurseries, schools, hotels, and have worked closely with clients to make on demand colours and sizes wooden knobs for their kitchens.

We will be soon launching a wider bespoke service. I am developing together with Gassy some very nice big format wooden handles and knobs, to be used in wardrobes, fitted cabinets, etc…One of my favourites firms to work with is the creative studio, Nochintz, up in Manchester. They have been using our wooden wall hooks and knobs for different projects. I like their approach to design, using and supporting UK based independent designers/makers and keeping their interiors fresh, contemporary and functional.

Their portfolio is diverse and impressive, here are some images of the work they did for the Natural retreats company and a recent Hotel exhibition in London, on both you can see chocolate creative wall hooks being used in a very practical and creative way.

Photos supplied by NoChintz

DECORATING A BEACH HUT

SUN is out, and all I can think of is spending some time by the beach, either here in England or back home in Gran Canaria. I fancy the idea of having a beach hut, somewhere not far from London, with an easy commute, of course this is not going to happen any time soon, but since I am free to dream, I have put together some mood boards for my future beach hut.

Paper napkins from papermash | Chopping board from John Lewis | towels by Lindsey Lang for John Lewis | wooden colourful knobs by chocolate creative available at my shop online. 

I find the colourful beach huts of the English coastline very charming, (we don't have them in Canary islands), they are like a miniature house, with very little space, so you have to be very creative to create a cosy and comfortable mini home. I like the idea of translating the outside colours into the indoors theme, using the faded pastels or sometimes bright reds, blues and yellows as the colour palette to decorate the inside space. In my beach hut, I would part away from the most obvious coastal look, and I will try some bold, pretty and colourful homewares, I will find practical solutions, like modern plastic chairs for the outdoor, plenty of wall hooks for hanging towels, kitchen-ware, clothes, etc…cosy blankets, cushions, and small and functional furniture, with plenty of storage. Do you own a beach hut? if so, where about?

Picture frame from Decorator's notebook | Wall wooden hooks from my shop online  

yellow and blue cushion from Kate Clarke London, 

Rocky beach cushion and wall hooks by chocolate creative | Pink dyed table cloth by Hazel Stark  Black and white throw from The Future Kept | 4 leggs Pink Vase from Room39
Outdoors white chair from Atlantic Shopping | Wood tray by Roddy & Ginger 

Hand dyed linens by Hazel Stark 

Photos by me 

A YEAR OF SEW MUCH FUN – SELF PUBLISHING

My background is in graphics, so as well as running chocolate creative I do work on a freelance basis for some customers. Last year I had the opportunity to work on a very nice project, a book about sewing for entrepreneur Roz Davies. She wanted to self-published her first publication. She had a very clear idea about what she wanted to achieve in terms of content and projects/ideas, but in order to make the book happen she needed to gather a small group of professionals, in this case, Roz herself was incharge of the content/drawings, Emily Ross-Joannou was the editor, Piero Pierini took the photos and myself did all the styling, design/production of the book.

I am thrilled with the final result, a gorgeous book, filled with practical and easy to follow instructions about different sewing projects, suitable for all ages. The projects run across the 12 months of the year, going from Winter/Autumn to Spring/summer themes. You can find Roz, teaching her many classes from her shop at Primrose Hill’s Chalcot Road, or at the Lake District new shop/workshop space. 

Here are some snaps of the cover and inside spreads. Styling the photos was a great fun, and designing the book a great pleasure, specially working with such a good team of professionals, which I am very grateful to for making my job easier…

We are available for work, so if you need an editor, photographer and designer, we are around!!

Photos by Piero Pierini | Images and book copyright Roz Davies | Editorial by Emily Ross-Johannou

Design and styling by Margarita Lorenzo (ME)

NEW WOODEN SQUARE AND RECTANGULAR HOOKS AND KNOBS

Hello everybody, I hope you are all somehow getting back to work ok. I find January to be the hardest month of the year, specially after being in Gran Canaria for the past 3 weeks, but since my choice continues to be 'London', I should not complain much, but get on with work. Gassy and I are alway thinking of new products to add to the range he makes/I design, good team we make!! The NEW square/rectangular hooks and knobs are now available at my shop. They are perfect for mixing colours and shapes, use them to display your kitchenware, tea towels or vintage pots in a creative way. They are handmade by Gassy and his brother in their small studio back in Gran Canaria. We work alongside architects and interior designers, creating bespoke solutions to meet their commercial and residential project’s specifications, so if you have a request about a bespoke colours and size, please get in touch.

See the colour chart below, with all the colours we have in stock. Sometimes they sell very fast, but we make stock as we go. For sizes and materials information, please visit the shop. 

The colourful hooks provide a practical stylish storage solution for your clothes, hats, scarfs and bags. Be creative, they are perfect for adding some extra storage, specially in small places.

Photos by Piero Pierini

MINT – ELEMENTS OF CRAFT EXHIBITION – LDF

I guess one of the reasons why I am still living in London, despite having to pay so much money for housing, transport, bills, etc…is the fact that I can visit shops such as Mint, and attend interesting exhibitions and events, pretty much all year around. Last September, as part of the London Design Festival, Mint's team curated a show called "Elements of Craft", possibly one of the best I have seen so far in the shop, and focusing on the influence of craft in design. Where else could you see such a variety of work, coming from different designers, disciplines and countries, (oh yeah apart of the trade shows and many showrooms gathered around the city), but the space is so beautiful in itself, that makes the whole experience very special.

Lina Kanafani has got a very well trained eye when it comes to spotting new emerging designers, and putting together pieces that otherwise would look uneasy, such a mix of materials, shapes and colours, my breath was taken away by it all. I really enjoyed the work, the clever and innovative use of materials thrown in together, to produce unique pieces, oh yeah sure they cost a fortune, but that is what you pay for a handmade piece of work!!!

As my mother always says, how can you have such an expensive taste coming from such a modest background, and I always say to her, mama, appreciation for beauty and talent doesn't come from money it comes from the heart!!

Photos by Inge Clemente and me

INSPIRED BY SIMPLICITY AND STYLE

I spend a great part of my spare time looking at interiors magazines and books, leave alone Pinterest, blogs, etc... I love designing products, but equally enjoy putting together ideas and decorating spaces. My designs have always happened from a need, my first ever product was a cushion, why? because I needed a few for my sofa and bed, plus I love working with fabrics, whatever products came afterwards were defined by what I could produced within my skills, knowledge and budget and of course needed it in my own house, like the hooks and knobs, as I like renovating furniture.

I often get inspired by interior photos, it could be a colour scheme, a theme or I simply get ideas for photographing my products. Veronica posted this gorgeous photo (above) of her new house on Instagram, and I instantly got inspired by it, love the linen sofa by MADE, plus of course my English Romantic red lake cushion in it. Link to all the products on the mood board at the end of the post. Enjoy and get inspired by simplicity and style being achieved with well designed and quality products.

CUSHION | PRINT | SOFA | HOOKS | TABLE | BASKET | CUPS

CHARLENE MULLEN NEW SHOP

Welcome Monday, I hope you all had a good weekend and are feeling ready to take on another week!! 

For me, it has been quite an stressful and eventful weekend, but I have now returned to normality. 

A few weeks ago I went to visit designer Charlene Mullen's NEW shop in London, located at 7 Calbert Street, Shoreditch. I met Charlene back in 2008 at 100% design, and since them have followed her career and success. The more I get to know her, the more I respect and admire her hard work and determination, of course it helps that she is lovely. Not every designer out there, has the desire to open a shop, but I think that for us, it is very important to have a showroom where people can come in to appreciate the products and talk to us face to face.

Some of us work from home (me), some others have studios/workshops, but opening a shop, is altogether a different responsibility and big risk that at some point in our business, we may decide to take on, knowing that we will have to face the shop keeping as well as carrying on with the designing and running of the business. For all these reasons are more, I send you, Charlene, my congratulations, for making your gorgeous shop happening, long life to it young lady!! 

One of the her latest products, is a collaboration with Royal Doulton, a striking B&W new tableware range of ceramics, now available at her shop, and other retailers. I have my eye set on the dinner plates!! 

What to find in her new shop, her signature cushions, lampshades, cute cats and a selected range of other interior's products from some of the best British designers and artists. 

Photos by me

HEAL'S NEW RANGE OF DESIGNER'S PIECES

Hello everybody, so far it continues to be hot and sunny in London, so all good, considering how bad our last Summer was. I am planning to get away at some point soon, I need to be by the seaside and get a break from work and London, as much as I enjoy my job and this city, I need to recharge batteries away from the big buzz...

A few weeks ago, I went to HEAL's launch of their AW2014 designer's pieces collections. It was a sunny and lovely day, so I was not in the mood for Winter colours or fabrics, etc…but for my surprise I was presented with a fresh and natural collection of furniture pieces, which included lots of light colour wood in the form of chairs, sofas and gorgeous tables, such as the JAC side table above by Gavin Coyle, together with very interesting lighting and accessories designs. I really enjoyed the different materials, and shapes, and most important the fact that these pieces didn't fit a Winter trend as we will all expect. 

I am not into trends, or seasons, my work does't reflect trends, but my own ideas and very personal taste, whether or not they fit into an specific trend is all together a different matter, of course we all look at the same things and end up getting inspired by what is around us.

That is why I found HEAL's furniture preview very refreshing and in tune with nature and  craftsman-ship. They support somehow the work of designers, and that, I value very much, whether or not it is profitable for us, independent designers to to work alongside big stores, that I keep for myself...

Photos via HEAL'S

MY FRIEND'S HOUSES – KATE CLARKE LONDON

Hello Monday and everybody!! It is still very warm and sunny in London, so not complaining, although a trip to the beach wouldn't hurt with these temperatures...Since I am not having holidays this Summer, I am trying to take work easy and spend some days not doing much, but as much as I like the idea, I don't seem to manage to slow down, but to the contrary, keep working and working...When you run your own business, there are always things to do, plan for, etc...but there is time for meeting with friends, naps, going to the park, long walks, ballet, etc...too.

We recently had an afternoon tea at My dear friend Kate's cute flat, that she shares with boyfriend illustrator Nikalas. Apart from stuffing my face with different cakes, biscuits, and wash it all with plenty of tea, I took some photos of their colourful and cosy flat.

They both love children's books, graphics, colours, design, patterns, cute ceramics, etc...They got a great eye for mixing colours, with patterns and vintage pieces with more modern ones.

You can normally tell by someone's work how their home may be decorated, and that is the case with Kate's home-ware line, (pictured below). her work is full of colour, and gorgeous shapes, very Scandinavian and fresh, just like her home!

Photos by me