July, 2024 - Shag Interior

25 July 202425 July 2024

Sophie’s Small Business-Made, Must-Have Decor!

Hello, hello and welcome back to my interiors blog! This week is all about championing small businesses and bringing you the coolest, chicest and downright maddest homewares selected by me especially for various interior styles. Here are my must-have decor top 8!

I absolutely love discovering new homeware brands and will always buy from small businesses where I can for not just my own home but for my clients too.

Please feel free to leave me a comment tagging your favourite small brands as I’d love to discover more and connect with other amazing business owners.

Right, let’s dive in!

Naturally we’ll start with one for the maximalists.

Cush is the planet-loving, fancy homeware brand from up North. This lovely little company is making big waves across the interior design world having already been featured in Country Living, Home & Garden and Interior Design Masters! 😻

Must-have decor — Cush ‘The Trip’ decorative cushion, £75

My top pick is this gorgeous, psychedelic design with a funky green trim, aptly named ‘The Trip’. This cushion will look right at home amongst rich colours, cosy lighting and stacks of artwork, so if that sounds like your gaff, grab it here

Next up I’ve picked out a real treat for the whimsical homes out there. Over to our friends at Nuthatch Grey, surface pattern designers from rural Staffordshire who take inspiration from the natural world and combine it with imagination and an unrivalled talent for creating the most beautiful colour palettes.

Must-have decor selected by Sophie! Need some inspiration? Check out this list of stylish homewares to suit every home! — Nuthatch Grey Dodo Lampshade, £60

It was difficult to choose one piece from their collection as all their designs are so beautiful but I just love this powder pink Dodo lampshade with brushed gold inner, giving a dreamy glow from within this eye-catching piece.

Shop this stunner here

And if you like this then you can also purchase an exclusive Nuthatch Grey x Shag Interior Sicilian Snake print here !

We move on to one for the rockstars!

The Rolling & The Stoned: indulge in the essence of rebellious luxury! I have followed this relatively new brand from it’s initial entry to the interiors world and I am absolutely obsessed with them. In an increasingly health-conscious world it takes balls to make and market obscene ashtrays and teacups with ceramic cigarette butts in them and I just bloody love it.

As much as I adore their espresso cup and saucers I have to give the spotlight to this hand-thrown ceramic ‘Champagne and Ciggy’s’ ashtray. It’s crass, it’s naughty, it’s a conversation piece; and whether you’ll actually use it to smoke away into whilst chatting away at one of your parties or enjoy it as an art piece this is something that you definitely won’t find in an ordinary home…this brand is for the extraordinary.

Shop ‘Champagne and Ciggy’s’ here

All that talk of champagne and cigs brings me nicely on to the next item: home fragrance.

Personally I adore good home fragrances and I have candles, incense and diffusers in my home (not all in the same room, that would be chaos). I’m shamelessly self-promoting an item from my online shop now but I have to tell you about these incredible incense sticks!

Made by a small brand called Muse, choose from either Ylang-Ylang or Frankincense, this cute box of 30 sticks is easy to store, looks pretty and best of all they smell divine! I also offer both as a bundle which makes the perfect gift (or drop me a message and I’ll wrap them separately so you can keep one box yourself wink wink).

Shop the bundle here (you can find links to the individual boxes underneath the listing).

Boho abodes take note! We’re stay in the hippie lane for a little longer as we turn our attention to October Crochet. A small business based in Stone that will crochet anything from scrunchies to blankets. Aside from smaller items all of their work is currently made to order, so you are able to totally customise your item with your choice of pattern, style and colours.

This blanket was one of their most recent commissions and when I saw this picture I immediately wanted to add it to my 70s inspired living room. Bespoke blankets like this start from around £180 from October Crochet depending on size and how many colours you want. A worth-while investment to be able to have something totally unique AND super cosy. Personally I would roll my up and have it poking out of a little basket which can be placed beside the sofa or even put outside for guests to use the next time you have an evening BBQ!

Enquire about bespoke throws and blankets here

Modern/Minimalists, I haven’t left you out…

Imagin London is a beautiful, high-end lighting company whose sleek designs and elegant fixtures will enhance and transform your space into a stylish haven. Boasting a collection of table lamps, floor lamps, ceiling lights and impressive chandeliers, Imagin are a one stop shop for both residential and commercial property.

My must-have is this unusual table lamp which you can order here

Also available in a floor lamp version.

I was walking my dog across Cannock Chase the other week when I happened to find a deer skull cap with the antlers still in tact, I took it home, gave it a bleach bath and will shortly be mounting it to display on the wall. Such a cool find and ethically sourced!

That got me thinking I need to include some antlers in this post, so here we have genuine Swedish reindeer antlers with skull cap, cleaned up and mounted by our friend Raven at Second Life Taxidermy. This has been legally imported from Sweden and is a show-stopper piece suitable for pride of place on a chimney breast or above a bed.

Shop the antlers here (and they are an absolute BARGAIN too).

Finally let’s take a look at this stunning, 100% Icelandic Sheepskin Rug. Produced by Wildash London, these sustainable skins are perfect for adding texture and warmth to any home. They are all either natural colours or eco-dyed and I personally LOVE this colour combo.

As they are all unique this is the only one of this style available, so go grab it quick before it goes! Buy here

I’ll leave it there but I will definitely do another one of these in the future as I love promoting small businesses!

Which one from this list is your favourite? And which other brands should be on the list? Tag them below so I can check them out!

18 July 202418 July 2024

What happens when you hire an interior design consultant?

(And what an interior design consultant actually does!)

Okay, I’m writing this as an interior design consultant so I have included testimonials from clients to back up my claims! Interior design consultancy is so much more than someone making a pretty mood board and picking out a few pieces of furniture..

What design consultants are really offering you (as well as a kick-ass vision) is the chance to buy time.

Yes, DIY is awesome and brings a real sense of achievement but if you are short on time, impatient, prone to power cut-inducing arguments with your other half within 5 minutes of being inside an IKEA, or just simply don’t want the hassle then hiring a design consultant is definitely the way forward.

But, like, what exactly is a design consultant?

Let me explain!

First we’ll cover the design element.. paint samples, wallpaper/fabric swatches, hardware options.. this is all covered in the planning stages. I tend to start by preparing a few different concept examples to see if any resonate with you the first time we meet. If something jumps out at you we can then explore that concept/similar concepts in more detail. If you have your own ideas already and want to share your Pinterest boards with me ahead of the consultation this will help me get a good sense of what you like. If you don’t like anything you see that’s okay too! This first meeting gives me the chance to find out more about you, your household and what you love. I’ll then go away and put together a more considered set of options.

Then, we’ll talk about layout, what’s working, what isn’t, pain points and any general issues you might have with a particular space. I’ll go away and work out some solutions. At this point we’ll have a really good idea of the design style we like and what changes need to be made to maximise the space. We can then start talking about furniture and I will then prepare to source the items required.

Next, let’s talk about the big time-saver, the bit that really provides the value, the project-management.

Of course I start with a consultation and move on to producing pretty mood boards before nailing a concept; but I also take care of all aspects of design – big or small – so you only have to deal with one person – me!

Let’s say you are looking to revamp your guest bedroom, maybe you haven’t even touched it since you moved in to the property.. there could be electrical work that needs doing – new sockets, light fixtures that need moving.. there could then be dated, fitted wardrobes that need ripping out.. of course there’ll then be plastering and flooring and decorating and maybe even new joinery.. that’s now at least 5 people you have got to find, talk to, book in, pay and manage.

By hiring a consultant like me you will only need to deal with one person. I will project manage the whole lot. I have trusted tradesmen that I can recommend but I am more than happy to provide you with multiple quotes so you can rest assured that you are getting quality work for the best price. Throughout the process I will manage the diary and ensure the work is being done to the tightest schedule possible, as we all know home improvement work can be dusty, so I’ll make sure this is only for the shortest period time allows.

I’ll also manage payments so you are able to seamlessly pay invoices in one place instead of having to remember where you put that folded up piece of paper from the chippie 😉

All the while I’m sourcing that furniture and decor for you. Sending you links to pieces I think will work, hunting in shops to suit your style and budget – this can be anything from flea markets to antique shops to The Range! I’m happy to go wherever your design takes me!

So now we have our design concept in place, the contractors have all done their bits, the decorating is finished, the key items have been sourced and purchased at your own pace.. what now? Well the final part of the package is the styling.

I completely understand that renovating is not cheap. It requires budgeting and, more often than not, saving. I allow my consultancy fee to paid in three monthly payments, making it easier for you to afford the other financial aspects (contractors, furniture). You can go at your own pace when it comes to purchasing the furniture and decor, and when you’re done I will come round and style the space for you. It doesn’t matter if this is 6 months after we started. I will pop round, re-arrange, style and photograph the space for you so it is exactly how we imagined it in the concept production stage.

And that, is what I do!

How much do you charge for this life-changing, mind-bending, out-of-this-world service I hear you ask?

Right now I’m offering a special rate of £625+ VAT. This covers up to THREE rooms. That’s right. Unbelievable value for money. This rate is only available if you book before 1st September 2024.

I’m Sophie from Shag Interior and I specialise is maximalism design for both residential and commercial property. I’m based in Cannock but I cover the surrounding areas as far as Stoke. To find out more, book a consultation or find painting/decorating availability call me on 07811 379900 or email sophie@shaginterior.co.uk

Find out more about design consultancy and decorating services here

11 July 202418 July 2024

Interiors Trends Predictions

Interiors Trends for Q3 – Shag Interior’s Predictions

Welcome welcome welcome interiors-lovers!

SO, this is the first blog post I’ve done with my trend predictions but I will try to post one as we approach each quarter because they are fun to see if I was right!

I’m going to dive straight in here and start with:

Plum/Mulberry

My spidey-senses are tingling and lately every time I look at a room or sit down to create a palette I am drawn to this gorgeous mulberry colour. I can see this being a bit interiors trend in the coming months, particularly as we head out of Summer.

Paired with dark stained wood and brass fixtures this is an eye-catching but sophisticated way to revamp any room.

Rustoleum mulberry paint — Source: https://rustoleumcolours.co.uk/

Rustoleum have this colour in a tile paint which I’m tempted to try out in my kitchen.. you can grab it here

Not ready to paint the whole room? Try some bed linen against a gorgeous creamy wall colour & a wooden bedframe. Or for a super cosy, moody feel try a dark olive green on the walls and use polished brass decor to give it an ‘old-money’ feel.

TOP TIP: If you want to go all-in and colour drench a room in this colour I would recommend using matt for the walls and ceiling and satin or gloss for the wood and metal work – trust me, this will instantly add a luxe, high-end feel to any room.

Extreme Gloss

It was actually a client of mine who first brought this to my attention but over in the States we are seeing a huge surge in super-high gloss walls and ceilings. So shiny you can see your reflection! Particularly great for larger, period properties to really hit that grandeur. The name that keeps coming up in articles I see about this paint style is Paints of Europe, who, ironically, only sell their products in the US and Canada. But if you’re interested in a high-gloss/lacquer finish please drop me an email as I may be able to help! sophie@shaginterior.co.uk

Image: House and Garden — Source: https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/gloss-paint

TOP TIP: A lot of lacquer paints are not compliant with UK legislation as they can be harmful to the air quality so before you buy any old product from Amazon do your research and consult a professional’s advice.

Dopamine Decorating

I LOVE that colour is finally getting it’s 5 minutes after an endless age of greige and minimalism. Playful pops of serotonin-inducing tones are appearing more and more ,and Instagram fave @thishousewemade and @walbirchmansion really show us how it’s done here.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/thishousewemade

Source: https://www.instagram.com/walbirchmansion

If you’re not feeling this ambitious but want to introduce some colour into your home you could first try painting a piece of furniture, or introduce a new colour to a room by painting the skirting and/or doors. Small but deliberate colour placement can really put together a room (think ‘the unexpected red theory), and can draw the eye to otherwise un-noticed furniture that can sometimes make a room look dull.

But how do we find colours that compliment but are interesting together? Play around on tools like https://coolors.co/ or take some inspo from my favourite combinations below:

TOP TIP: There’s tons of painting tutorials on Youtube and TikTok to perfect specialist painting such as colour blocking and stripes, but if you’re pressed for time or just cack-handed then it’s worth getting a professional in. If you live between Stoke and Cannock or just outside at either end then I am available to hire for all your painting and decorating needs! Get in touch today – by calling Sophie on +44 7811 379900

Cafe-Core

This is definitely a trend happening and I would normally steer clients away from trends; BUT if you have the right home for it and enjoy this Parisian inspired style anyway it’s a good one to sink your teeth into as it will always look timeless.

Stacked spice jars, cafe curtains, bistro style furniture and dim lighting creates a cool, laid-back but grown-up home without being too theatrical. Kitchens obviously lend themselves well to this style and you can really amp it up by adding shelves filled with odds and sods like milk jugs, dried pasta in jars and cute butter dishes.

Cafecore kitchen — Source: civiljungle.com

If you live in a flat or terraced house with a narrow kitchen you can still achieve this look with a small bistro set and gallery walls. Extra points for a low hanging art-deco light fitting.

TOP TIP: A scented candle placed in the window or on the breakfast bar will instantly add a nice feel to your kitchen.

That’s my roundup of trend predictions for the next few months. What do you guys think we will be seeing more of? Anything you want to add to the list? Let me know in the comments!

Month: July 2024