So I ended up skipping out on my Something for the Weekend for December because I took a break between Christmas and New Year and I was planning on posting this last Friday but I was recovering from a bug on my sofa so that didn’t happen! But hey, better late than never, right? Every month, I do a little review of news and things that have been happening in my world that doesn’t warrant a post in and of itself but it just kind of keeps you up on what’s going on around here!

I also like to use these posts to just say thanks to websites that have featured me and it’s also an opportunity for me to share some of the blog posts I’ve been writing for my clients around the web too so if you are looking for inspiration, tips or advice, you can always find those in this monthly series too.

Something for the Weekend Jan 18

NEWS

January was really a transitional month for me, moving out of the slowdown of Christmas and getting back into the routine of a brand new year. I did want to mention that I was featured in the December edition of Reloved Magazine which was so so lovely but I missed out on buying the magazine when it was in the shops! Ack! However, I was able to download a copy of the magazine! It was my second time appearing in Reloved in 2017 (I was also in the September issue!) and it’s always such a thrill to see my home in the pages of a print magazine!

Reloved Issue 49 Dec 2017

I was also asked to contribute to a segment on BBC Radio Scotland talking about displaying books! Alas, the segment was cut really short and so I literally only got to talk for a very very short time but well, that’s how live radio goes sometimes! But still, it was rather exciting to be asked!

TRAVEL

Shrewsbury 1

Again, I didn’t really travel much in the course of the month. Part of that was because of the whole move situation but we did get to visit our new house again and we loved it just as much as when we saw it the first time. We have so many plans for the house and so seeing it again gave us the opportunity to just take some measurements and pictures so we can start the planning even before we move. I’m going to share more about why we decided to live in Shrewsbury in an upcoming post so stay tuned for that!

Tattu Manchester

Image via Tattu Manchester

While it’s not really ‘travel’ per se, it was also my birthday at the end of January and so we finally ventured to Tattu in Manchester, an amazing and beautiful Chinese restaurant in the heart of Spinningfields. It was absolutely beautiful and the food was gorgeous (although very expensive!). It’s a lovely place, however, if you are looking for somewhere special to eat – order the Dragon’s Egg for dessert – it was sensational!

FEATURES

Blogger Interview Kimberly Duran Swoon Worthy Vuelio

  • I was thrilled to have been interviewed by Vuelio for a feature last month as well. As you may recall from my November post, I was so privileged to win the Best DIY & Interior Design Blog in the 2017 Vuelio Blog Awards and so I had a chance to chat to them and talk a little bit about the blog, working as a full-time freelancer and what winning meant to me.
  • I also contributed to Rug Trader’s roundup of Interior Design Trends that we’ll be looking forward to in 2018. You can see all of the predictions from all of the experts in their post so do check that out!
  • Industville also kindly included Swoon Worthy in their roundup of 7 Inspiring Interior Design Blogs to Follow in 2018 which was such an honour. I’m in great company there so do check that out if you are looking for some new blogs for inspiration!
  • Decorating Your Small Space shared my DIY Glam Coaster tutorial along with a whole bunch of others in their roundup post – if you are looking for some inexpensive DIY coaster ideas, do have a look!
  • And finally, Novus Homes included my blog in their list of Top 100 Interior Design Bloggers – thank you for the inclusion!

WHAT ELSE I’VE BEEN WRITING

So this is the part of the post when I share where I’ve been chatting about interiors for various websites over the past month! I’m rounding them up to make it easy for you to have a look when you get some time this weekend and fancy a bit of light reading! Of course, I wouldn’t expect anyone to read ALL of these but if something catches your eye, then I’d love for you to have a little look. Each link opens in a new window so you can just click the ones you like the look of and go back to it later!

Seasonal

cup of coffee on marble coffee table with flowers

New Year 2018 Home Refresh Calendar (Oak Furniture Land)

Rethinking the January Blues (My Two Designers)

How to Set a Romantic Table for Two (Oak Furniture Land – US)

Trends

Pink boho glam home office

Paint Colours for Your Home Office (Oak Furniture Land – US)

Trend Watch: Terrazzo (Tile Mountain)

2018 Tile Trends: The Expert Predict What’s Next! (Tile Mountain)

How to Get the Apres Ski Look in Your Home (Tile Mountain)

Advice

boho glam bedroom with leopard print accessories

How to Refresh Your Home Without Spending a Fortune (Tile Mountain)

How to Declutter Your Home (Oak Furniture Land)

Quick & Easy Styling Tips for New Home Owners (Tile Mountain)

How to Create a Beautiful Organised Home Office (Avant)

Kitchen Design Mistakes to Avoid for a Happy Kitchen Space (Tile Mountain)

WHAT’S COMING UP IN FEBRUARY

anaglypta on ceiling

A very tiny sneaky peek of the new house – Not for everyone I know but I love the anaglypta on the ceiling!

Okay, so technically we are already a quarter of the way through February and I’ve been hoping against all hope that we’ll be moving this month! Whether that will still happen remains to be seen. I’ve been trying to keep my schedule quite open so that just in case we do finally get a move date, we can act quickly so that means I’m saying no to a lot of invitations at the moment sadly! I reckon we will start packing up the house properly, however, over the next month!

I’ve got some lovely collaborations that I’m looking forward to so I’m looking forward to sharing those with you and I’m hoping to do a little fun DIY as well. Stay tuned for that!

What are you excited about for February? Let me know!


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Swoon Worthy
Something for the Weekend Jan 18
Reloved Issue 49 Dec 2017
Shrewsbury 1
Tattu Manchester
Blogger Interview Kimberly Duran Swoon Worthy Vuelio
cup of coffee on marble coffee table with flowers
Pink boho glam home office
boho glam bedroom with leopard print accessories
anaglypta on ceiling
Meet Kimberly
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Amara IBA19 Winner Home Styling
Vuelio Top 10 2020
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Ad (Press Sample) There are few kitchen products that are considered absolute classics but there is one that I have lusted after for YEARS and that is the utterly iconic @lecreusetuk large casserole pot. 🤩

For nearly a century, Le Creuset has been trusted for its superior performance, lasting quality and iconic design and the enamelled cast iron allows incredible versatility - not only can you use it with just about any heat source (from induction, glass, electric etc), you can also do everything from stir-fry to slow cooking to baking a cake in it and more. 

So, imagine my delight when Le Creuset got in touch to ask if I'd like to shoot their brand new colourway 🍑 Pêche 🍑 in my kitchen. I mean, there couldn't be a more perfect colour match with that juicy coral shade which if you've followed my account for any length of time, you'll know is one of my all-time favourites (not to mention that beautiful soft gold knob! 😍). The matching petite casserole dish and mugs are the perfect companions but you could easily mix and match this colourway with Le Creuset's other designs (Might I suggest the Sea Salt, a soft blue-green which would be gorgeous with Pêche). This new juicy summer shade is currently available exclusively at Le Creuset Official. I'd love to know which colourway is your favourite in the range?

#lecreuset #kitchendesign #kitchenstyling #kitchinspo #victorianhome #englishhome
My little neglected makeup/dressing room has had a glow up 🥰

#swoonworthy #beforeandafter #dressingroom #makeupvanity #closetgoals
My new rug can't compete with that belly.

Rug is from @laredoute_uk (not an ad) not that anyone cares 😅

#kitchendesign
I've really loved making these pretty reusable Christmas crackers! I'm still in the process of finding cute bits for filling them but they'll definitely be a centrepiece for my table this year!🎄💕

Suggestions for what to fill them with coming soon!

(By the way, I'm not a skilled seamstress so I'm sure my techniques can be improved but just sharing what worked for me 🤗😅)

Let me know if this is something you'd try? ❤️

#swoonworthy #christmasdecor #christmascraft #diychristmas #diycrafts #easysewingproject
On 22 October 2022, I married my best friend! I can't believe it's been a whole year (and one day) I've been calling @2nilup my husband 🥰 We've been together for 15 years now and I simply can't and wouldn't want to imagine my life without him ❤️ 

#youandmeagainsttheworld #2222 

Photography: @violajayphotography 
Flowers: @primroseavenuefloral 
Dress: @camillawithlove
DIY REFILLABLE CHRISTMAS CRACKERS 🎄🎉

I've been thinking about making refillable crackers for so many years now - I just hate the waste the disposal ones create! So I'm so excited I've finally gotten around to starting this project!

I will be sharing more details on how to make them as well as ideas for what to fill them with too so stay tuned for more but in the meantime, what do you think? 

#swoonworthy #diychristmas #christmasdecor #christmascraft #easysewingproject #sustainableliving #ecofriendlyliving
Just wanted to introduce my latest plant baby in my dining room 🪴

It's from @botanique_shrewsbury and it's a Peparomia (I am probably pronouncing it wrong, I keep wanting to say
GUEST BEDROOM REVEAL 🌟

I decided on a whim, 2 weeks before we were expecting visiting family, that our guest bedroom was in desperate need of a refresh.

Well there's nothing like an impending deadline to light a 🔥 under my 🍑 and I managed to clear out the clutter, repaint the woodwork, ceilings and walls and hang wallpaper as well as restyle the room in one week 😅 (Meisha was zero help 😼)

I'm calling it Boho Vintage Victorian Grandma 😆

This wasn't sponsored in any way but the wallpaper and bedding is from @lauraashleyuk and the paint is @earthbornpaints Peach Baby - everything else I already had!

What do you think of the new look? ❤️

#bedroombeforeandafter #guestroom
#bedroommakeover
#beforeandafter
#bedroomdecor #cottagecore #vintagestyle #victorianhouse #ihavethisthingwithpink #bengalsofinstagram
🔥JOIN US ROUND THE FIRE PIT! 🔥

ad | One of my favorite things to do in summer is sit around the fire pit in the evenings with a cold beer 🍻 There's just something incredibly relaxing watching those flames and embers crackle, warming yourself up and taking the edge off falling temperatures as the sun sets!

Thanks to @homefireuk they've made the whole process incredibly easy and enjoyable with their Handy Firepit Bundle which include 2 bags of kindling, 2 bags of natural firestarters and 3 large bags of kiln-dried logs 🪵 for a really great price! 

No more standing around waiting for things to light properly or billowing smoke from wet wood, everything burns beautifully! ☺️ We literally sat around this for hours as the logs last so long, long after the sun set, just chatting and enjoying ourselves! 🥰🍻🔥

Do you love a good firepit in the summer?

#homefire #readytoburn #smokelessbyhomefire #heartofyourhome #logsbyhomefire #summerideas #firepit #gardenideas
San Sebastian photo dump - just a tiny selection 😄

We have had such a fabulous holiday to Basque Country - our first 4 days spent in the beautiful city of San Sebastian, land of pintxos, stunning architecture and some damn good wine.

#sansebastian #travelgram #photodump
A little kitchen reshuffle today so I thought I'd share 🥰

It's been 4 years since we created this space and it's still one of my favourites ♥️

#kitchendesign #kitchendecor #kitcheninspiration #kitchenideas #openshelvingkitchen #kitchenstyling
Ad 🩷 Before and after Deck makeover! 🩷

This little decked patio was looking worse for wear after a wet winter but @frenchicpaint came to the rescue with their beautiful Dusty Blush Alfresco Paint, perfect for all your outdoor projects!

The deck has been a few colours over the past few years but this is definitely the most fun and gives the whole space such a tropical vibe - even in Shrewsbury! 🏝️ 🦩🍹😄

The paint has incredible coverage and was so nice to use - I loved the tools they provided too, especially the oval brush which got into all the nooks and crannies easily!

Let me know what you think of the new colour! 

#frenchicpaint #beforeandafter #deckmakeover #gardeninspiration #gardeninspo #outdoorproject
So on a whim I decided to paint the bedroom pink yesterday 😅🩷

This room has been neglected for so long as I've wanted to fully redecorate for about 3 years now but there are always other bigger priorities or a lack of time/energy/money so I keep putting it off 🙃🙃🙃 (tell me I'm not the only one) but happily this didn't cost a penny as I used what I already had although it did take me the best part of a day!

I went through my paint stash and found that I had extra @coatpaints Percy from when I did the living room early last year -- well I'm not one to let something this good go to waste (honestly this paint is absolutely wonderful to work with and has amazing coverage) and my goodness it's just so pretty in here 🥰 I also moved my pink curtains from my office into here and the whole room just glows!

I might actually be able to live with the mural a little longer until the room gets the attention it deserves! Let me know if you like the change ♥️

*For those who are wondering, it used to be white walls and I had grey curtains! 😅

#swoonworthy #bedroomdecor #bedroommakeover #bedroomdesign #pinkpinkpink #pinkinteriors
A little photo dump from my recent living room shoot because I still love to dig into the details of a still photo 😄💕

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #photodump
ad How to De-stress at Home in 6 Simple Steps 😊

April has been #stressawarenessmonth and so I've teamed up with the wonderful @frenchbedroom to share a few simple tips in creating a cosy sanctuary at home!

One of my favourite ways to add a feeling of comfort and relaxation is with glorious touchable textures and the stunning Mulberry Silk ruffled cushion from French Bedroom not only looks spectacular but feels incredible too! Pairing this with other feel-good fabrics will add depth to your design and will beg you to sink in and unwind 😍

French Bedroom are also now stocking my own home fragrance brand @swoonworthyscents candles, adding another element of calm with scent to your home. I chose No 02 Sunday Morning for my living room with rejuvenating Jasmine and refreshing pine and lemon notes 🥰

Check out my latest blog post for more tips on creating a relaxing sanctuary in your home via the link in my bio!

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #frenchbedroom #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #calming #aesthetic #cottagecoreaesthetic
Who needs pancakes when you can have Lemon Drizzle Cake with Lemoncello glaze?! 😉🍋

I've had such a craving for this cake for a while so figured I'd make it today! This is a recipe from @bbcgoodfood and it's rather gorgeous 🥰

#baking #lemondrizzle #lemoncake #bakewithlove #shrovetuesday
Are you lucky enough to be owned by a cat? 🐈🐾

#bengallove #bengalsofinstagram #bengalcat #bengal #catsofinstagram #catlife
Finally managed to get the gallery wall completed in our hallway!

I couldn't have been happier with @violajayphotography capturing our little intimate wedding in October and knew as soon as I saw the photos I had to print them for our home! I admit, I've never been one to hang photos but it's probably because all we ever had after 14 years together was selfies 😂🤷🏽‍♀️ I'm so pleased we finally have some lovely shots of us together 🥰

Do you have photos of you/your partner/your family up around your home?? 🤔

#gallerywall #autumnwedding #hallwaydesign #hallwayinspo
✨These little vintage copper pans needed some TLC! ✨

After searching for a while for vintage copper pans, I found these on eBay - they looked quite grim on the ad but I knew they could be shined up nicely! A little @barkeepersfriend later (not an ad!) and I'm loving how they look in my kitchen 🥰

Let me know if you like the new addition ❤️

#kitcheninspo #kitchendesign #vintagestyle #kitchenstyling
Oh hey living room, nice to have you back ☺️

I always feel very ready to remove the excess of Christmas decor pretty much as soon as the 26th arrives but I've been later than usual this Twixmas as we've both been unwell the last couple weeks 🤦🏽‍♀️ Nevertheless, I've managed to get things packed away and I styled this little faux arrangement today for my coffee table so ya know, small victories 😄🙌🏽

#livingroom #livingroominspo #fauxflowers #coffeetabledecor