kwerkyhome

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A Glimpse into Cath Kidston Land

If there's anything I love more than Cath Kidston's patterns, it's her kwerky home. Complete with floral designs and simplistic colour schemes, it's full of character and warmth.

For me, the piece de resistance has to be this floral mural; a simplistic touch that adds colour and character to your walls.

If you wish to create a similar look, why not purchase a stencil like this one? Available from the Stencil Studio on Amazon for under £10.

Floral wall stickers are also a great way of capturing that Cath Kidston-esque vibe and you can find this and similar designs on Amazon for £10 and under.

Or even purchase a roll of Cath Kidston wallpaper and carefully cut and paste your floral mural to create a striking entrance. Available from Cath Kidston for £25.

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If Music be the Food of Love, Play On

Here are a few items designed to charm the souls of our music lovers.

If you or a friend is a big fan of all things retro, this record-inspired chopping board would be a great addition to your kitchen; perfect for mixing up a medley- of vegetables. Made of a strong glass with a protective layer, it's both sturdy and stylish- why not put a spin on your food preparation? Available from josephjoseph.com for £15 in a number of designs.

The caption for these music-themed salad servers is, "if music be the food of love, serve on". Shaped like guitars, they're perfect for anyone who's looking to strum a cord up at dinner. Available from Urban Outfitters for £15.

This avant-garde foam floor cushion from Woouf is designed in the style of the Beatles iconic Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band drum. Boasting bright colours and a classic, comfy design, it's sure to drum up some interest with your guests. Available from Urban Outfitters for £215.

This shower curtain is a unique way to showcase your vinyls and brighten up your bathroom with some (inexpensive) art. With 40 pockets it's ideal for holding postcards, records and even to keep-safe trinkets while you wash. However, I wouldn't recommend using your favourite items, as they are likely to get damp. Available £25 from Urban Outfitters.

These music note hooks feature a simple, yet classic design that is bound to catch any music lover hook, line and sinker. Made of wrought iron, the company boasts that they're "strong enough to hold an elephant (if your wall can hold one)", though I'd stick to hanging keys, kitchen utensils and other bits and bobs. Available from Music Room Direct for £59.

This vintage turntable clock is the result of upcycling salvaged material, beautifully handcrafted from an old deck found in France; the piece is a one-of-a-kind from Vyconic. Featuring bold, contrasting colours and an upcycled Beatles record, it will stand out and be the talking point of your room. However, it comes at a hefty price tag of £450 from NotontheHighStreet.com.

If you're thrifty and have nifty fingers, you may be able to recreate this stylish look with your own classic turntable!

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Haunted House

Halloween is nearly here and for anyone that's throwing a shindig, why not make it a spooky affair?

These black candelabra are ideal for giving your haunted house that touch of elegance and are perfect for adding a touch of elegance to your dinner table or fireplace. Available from Wilkinsons for £9 (normally £12) 

This tablecloth is great for any spooktacular gathering. With a lacy spider web pattern it's sure to send shivers up guest's spines and at £2 from Wilkinsons, it's not going to break the bank.

This Hanging Skeleton Garland from Tesco is great for injecting a little fun into your haunted house. The garland measures five feet long and costs £3.99 from Tesco.

With ten battery operated lights these little pumpkin lights are great for creating the spooky atmosphere for your Halloween bash. Available for £1 from Poundland!

What's creepier and crawlier than spiders? This web full of hatchling spiders is great for draping over mirrors and banisters to make your party the talk of the town. Available for £1 from Asda.

Why not add a touch of spooky elegance with these felt placemats. With a skull design they're perfect for your Halloween party. Available £1 each from Wilkinsons.

These cookie cutters are ideal for making your own treats! With three different designs, you can make spooktacular biscuits for all your guests. Available for £2.50 from Wilkinsons.

This cupcake holder is a fun and spooky way to present your treats! Designed to look like a spider, these are great to add the final touches to your dinner table. Available from Wilkinsons for £1 each.

Spooky Recipes!

Toffee Apples

Spooky Sausage Rolls

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Woodland Wonderland

These Woodland-themed items are a great way to escape into your own little wonderland.

Lights are great for brightening any dingy house and making it a home. These are a couple of great choices from dotcomgiftshop.com:

This cute little rabbit is great company on dark nights. Its luminescent glow is great for adding that warm touch to a child's bedroom or for any woodland-themed rooms and it hops into action with the flick of a button. Available for £4.95, the lamp comes with a range of other battery-operated, woodland friends.

These battery-powered, LED lights are designed to look like fairytale mushrooms and are perfect for turning that old bedroom into a beautiful woodland glade . The string of lights stretches to approximately 175cm and runs off of 3xAA batteries, so they won't run up an electricity bill. £8.95 from dotcomgiftshop.com

This Ceramic Owl Lamp is a wonderfully decorative piece, ideal for any woodland wonderland! The pierce design is a great way to give a room a warm and cosy ambiance. He will be a great addition to any room, either perched on a bed side table or a book shelf as a reading aid. Available from Wilkinsons for £25.

What says woodland more than cute little critters? Anorak specializes in "creature comforts" and this kissing stag print is brilliant for anyone looking to add the final touches to their woodland wonderland. Available from £45.

Go nuts for this squirrel chalkboard. It's great for kitchens and bedrooms and is ideal for scribbling down little notes and reminders. From Urban Outfitters at £7

These Vintage Inspired Mini Owl cushions are fun for our woodland theme. They come in a range of colours and patterns and help to brighten up your room. Great for adding that homely touch to your room. Available at lisaangel.co.uk for £10.

These pretty little blue tits are ideal for adding the final flourish to your woodland wonderland. Simply clip them around your room, or even use it as a quirky, little hair clip- go wild! Available in two designs; wings outstretched or wings closed. Available from lisaangel.co.uk for £5.

This hedgehog inspired door stop is another great addition to our woodland wonderland. Perfect for propping your door open and beautifully decorated. Available from cloth-ears.co.uk £9.49

This fabric rose garland is a really pretty way of bringing nature into your home and would look great draped over a mirror or tangled around a headboard as pictured. Sized at approximately 185 cms, it comes in a number of colours and is available at £12.50 from notonthehighstreet.com

If you're feeling daring, why not spread your woodland theme to the kitchen with these adorable little salt and pepper shakers? Designed to look like squirrels, these quirky, little critters will be the talking point at any dinner. Available from hm.com for £7.99

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Work doesn't have to be dull!

Retro

These retro pieces are great for gamers and gadget-lovers alike. Fun and colourful, they're perfect for jazzing up your desk. 

The Rewind Desk Tidy is ideal for anyone looking for a retro vibe for their office. Taking the form of a cassette tape, the desk tidy comes completes with a tape dispenser, as well as plenty of space for all your stationary storing needs, including a shallower dish for pins and things. Available from Amazon for £16.50.

This Pacman stapler is great for any retro gamers. Shaped like the beloved yellow character, it's great to inject colour into the office. Available from Gamerabilia for £5.99.

The Tetris Desk Tidy Set is a fun way to brighten your office- each piece is shaped like a classic Tetris piece and the set comes at a value price of £15 from Play.com. The desk tidy features a Pencil Holder which contains five pencils, a sharpener and an eraser, a Memo Pad, a Tape Dispenser, a staple-free Stapler, a Double Highlighter Pen, a Desk Organiser with rubber bands and Tetris paper clips and a Stress Block. 

Woodland Worker

Why not bring a bit of the outdoors into your office? And I don't mean the mud on the bottom of your shoe. These items are great for injecting fun into your office.

The Bunny Desk Organiser is great for animal lovers looking to keep their workspace tidy! With a magnetic carrot to hold your paper clips and other bits and bobs and ears that double as scissors and with a matching cello-tape-wielding friend, it's a cute little novelty that could be hopping to a desk near you. Available for £14.99 from FindMeAGift.com

  This Rambling Rose Desk Tidy is perfect for anyone working with a budget and is available in a number of colours, patterns and designs. The flat-pack design means that you'll also have fun assembling the pieces of your new desk tidy. Available from £2.95 from DotComGiftShop.

Offices can be so impersonal, so why not add a personal touch by having a picture of a loved one on display? This white Giardino Frame from Paperchase is perfect for a woodland-themed desk space. It measures 8 x 12cm's and is priced at £10.

  Vintage-Inspired

These vintage-inspired pieces are great for adding a touch of class to your office. Light and airy, they optimise space while looking elegant.

  This white three tier drawer unit is great for storing all your bits and bobs, from pens to notepads. These floral patterned drawers are great to add a touch of elegance to your work space and at £9.99 it's an affordable solution for all your storage needs. Available from Dunelm Mill.

The Nostalgia collection by Wilkinsons is great to give your office that classy feel. This in-tray again features a similar floral design as the drawers and is great for organising all your documents and optimising your space. Available at £10 from Wilkinsons.

These Paisley Park Sticky Memo Pads are perfect for any busy-body looking to organise their life and are available in a number of different designs. The set features seven different memo-pads, designed to be peeled off and written on and placed in the pages of your notebook. With a pad for shopping lists and timetables, it's ideal for students. Available from DotComGiftShop at £4.95.

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Creative Ceramics

Teacup Clock

This limited edition teacup clock from Umbra has been the inspiration behind many DIY projects and priced at $400 dollars, I can understand why. The clock requires twelve cups and saucers, of any colour or design, to represent each hour. These are glued together using any strong adhesive, although a ceramic glue would be more practical. Once this glue has set, you can then mount these onto a backboard, possibly plywood, as it's light and durable and easy to mount. Of course, as plywood is very thin, you will have to glue a number of sheets together in order to accomplish the right thickness. Establish a centre-point and using a pencil attached to a piece of string, draw a circle and cut it out. Once you're done sanding off the rough edges, you can then paint it. The hands and mechanism can be purchased in most hobby stores, or even Amazon. To ensure your clock sits flat against the wall, it is probably best to make a small groove into the back for your mechanism. When complete, simply screw to a wall (preferably using hanging hooks) and enjoy.

Teacup Vases

These vases have a Wonderland-esque feel to them and are all the range in kwerky interiors, but there is an easy way to avoid those nasty price-tags by doing it yourself. Simply choose your favourite teapots, teacups and saucers that will make up your very own vase and align them to your liking- these can be found cheaply at charity shops or car-boot sales. It's best not to use brand new or items with sentiment, as you will be drilling them and it's possible they may break. This process will require patience, a steady hand and a jug of water to keep your drill bit cool (make sure not to pour water on top of any objects that hold water). Try to drill parallel into the centre of your cup, keeping the drill steady. The hole will need to be bigger if you're making a vase. It's important NOT to put too much pressure on your porcelain, as it will break, just let the drill do its job. Once you have drilled through the base of your items, you can then glue them into place. Et voilà! One Teacup Vase!

Teacup Lamp

For the lamp follow the instructions above. You will need a threaded rod and lamp kit which can be purchased from any good hobby store- the holes in the bases of your ceramics will only need to be large enough for the threaded rod. Drill another hole into the side of your base (make sure you use something sturdy with a large surface area so it will not fall over easily when the lamp shade is on- the lamp weight will help with this) for the wire to thread through. Insert the threaded rod through the hole you've drilled in the base of your ceramics, then thread the wire through the rod until it pops out of the top. Make sure all your ceramics are tall enough to hold the weight tightly in place or your lovely new lamp could end up cracked- if it's loose, use a rubber washer to tighten it. Attach the harp holder and then the light socket- you can add the shade later. You can then follow the instructions in your lamp kit to assemble the wiring.

REJOICE AT YOUR NEW LAMP!

  Teacup Chandelier

If you're looking for a kwerky light fixture, look no further! Introducing the Teacup Chandelier. There are many styles on the market, but this pendant chandelier is by far my favourite. Firstly, you will need a ceiling pendant lamp kit with a chain support, as the chandelier will most likely be very heavy and you don't want it falling on anybody and breaking. You will also need lighting cable- as it will be on show, I recommend a decorative braided light flex, which comes in a number of colours, including gold and silver. Depending on how many pendants you would like on your chandelier, you will need an equal amount of harp holders, light sockets and spring clips. 

As with the vase, you will need to drill through the base of each item, ensuring that you're keeping the ceramic wet so that the drill bit doesn't overheat. If you're going to use a platter in your chandelier as in this image, you will need to drill more than once depending on how many pendants you intend to have. Once you have drilled the holes in the centre of both the teacup and saucer, you can glue the two together and thread the flex through the hole once dry. Before assembling your light socket, be sure to add on the spring clip to hold the tea cup in place. When you have done this with all your pendants, thread the flex through your platter (if you've used one) and up through your teapot and connect to the light fixture- make sure you switch off the electricity before doing this or you may be in for a shock. 

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Bohemian Rhapsody

The word Bohemian comes from the French word, Bohémien, which when translated means Gypsy. Gypsy fashion is all about colours and texture and this has been adapted into Bohemian interiors.

  The Marrakech Swing comes at a hefty price of £200 from Urban Outfitters and is made from recycled cotton and bamboo, it’s both durable and eco-friendly and looks as if it belongs in an eco- tree house. It’s the perfect edition to any bohemian-themed house and would look lovely on the porch or simply hanging from the corner of your living room.

Maison du Monde has an amazing Bohemian-inspired collection, featuring bright colours and bold patterns. This pouffe is just one of the Guruji range and would be great to add a touch of colour to any Bohemian-themed home, with it's floral patchwork top and decorative pom-poms to give the item texture. Available for £49.90

The Corsage set from Very is great for any Boho junkies home. Hand-crocheted roses in wool make up the heavy and textured surface and add a touch of colour to your room. The set comes in a pouffe, rug and cushion. Prices range from £22-£249.

The Vintage Salon Pendant Light from Urban Outfitters is a kwerky way of lighting your room and perfect for the Bohemian-theme. The mixture of the nine coloured lampshades in a faux silk material helps to add colour and texture to your room. But at a price tag of £275, it might be worth commissioning an electrician. 

Patchwork quilts are a great way to get the Boho look. This Floral Patchwork Quilted Double Bedspread from Dotcomgiftshop.com uses a clash of colours and patterns to brighten up your room and would look great draped over any bed or sofa. Available at £90.

Of course, no Bohemian house is complete without brightly coloured artwork. This Etched Florals Canvas is simple yet great for adding a dash of colour to your walls. Available at £20 from Argos.

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A Home Away From Home

With summer here and festival season in full swing, I thought a piece on homes away from home would be appropriate. While some of us are lucky enough to own a house on the beach, not all of us are and these kwerky little portable properties are ideal if you're looking to get away for the weekend.

If you're prepared to pay a premium price for your home away from home, Field Candy has a range of kwerky two-man tents as pictured above. This tent entitled, Out Of A Suitcase, is available for £495 and is sure to be the envy of fellow campers and festival goers.

For a fraction of the price, the Country Cottage Ridge tent is available from Cath Kidston for £120. It fits two people and comes the charm of a cottage with the added bonus that it's portable!

For the VW super fans that want the look but not the price, this campervan tent is ideal. With a built in ground sheet, it's relatively hassle free and great for that retro feel. Available at £299 in a selection of colours to suit any taste from firebox.com

This floral meadow tent by Eurohike fits an astounding 10 people, whilst being utterly delightful to look at. It's also the best value for money at only £300 from Millets. Unlike our other entries, this teepee comes with enough room to stand and is said to be easily pitched and is ideal for large groups.

Writing a piece on tents without the hassle-free pop-up tent is practically blasphemy, so without further ado, here's the Gelert Quickpitch Polka Dot Tent. The pop-up tent is perfect for any festival goer who wants to focus on fun, whilst everyone else is pitching their tent. The tent can fit two men and has a simplistic design and colour scheme. Available for £60 from Argos.

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Sea-Worthy

If you like to be beside the seaside and wish you could bring a piece of it back with you, then here are a few items you won't want to miss.

This set of 3 wooden bookshelves are great for any seaside shack or bathroom. They're ideal for storing books, knick-knacks or toiletries and come in shades of pastel blue and white to brighten up any room. They're available from DorsetGifts.co.uk for £99.

  These Beach House Hooks from Matalan are perfect if you're looking to bring the seaside into your home. The over-the-door-hooks are ideal if you're looking for minimal hassle for maximum impact. With three hooks, it's great for storage. Whether hanging towels at your very own beach house, or simply in your bathroom, these hooks will bring a breath of sea air into your home. £6 from Matalan.co.uk

My next item is this doorstop designed to look like a sailors knot. You can find similar in many other stores but this one is a bargain at £6 from Matalan.co.uk

This shell heart decoration is great for showing your room some love. The heart is crafted using a number of shells threaded together using fishing wire and shaped using wire. It comes in medium and large sizes from John Lewis from £15, but could easily be handmade if you have nimble fingers.

This "BATHROOM" sign is in-keeping with the maritime theme with the classic navy and white colour scheme. The perfect finishing touch to any nautical bathroom. Available from Dotcomgiftshop.com for £3.95.

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City-Scaping!

If you're looking for a contemporary theme, why not take a bit of inspiration from the world's most famous architecture and cities?

This monochrome wallpaper, designed by Graham & Brown, is inspired by the monuments of London city and is appropriately named Londinium Wallpaper. The black and white print features the likes of Big Ben, The London Eye and St. Paul's Cathedral. Available from Wilko.com

  Continuing with London-inspired pieces, this BB Bus and Soldiers cushion is ideal to add a little fun to your room. It uses a bold block print in red and black on an patterned, ivory, cotton case. Available at £7 from Tesco.com

    You'll never get lost on the tube, because now you can revise it while you sleep! This bedding from Living features a detailed map of London's famous Underground, while the underside is simplistically patterned with coloured stripes, meaning that you can chop and change depending on your mood! Available from Argos or similar from Asda.

  We go across the seas to Paris now for this Eiffel Tower inspired clock from Maison Du Mondes. The clock is crafted from metal to give it an industrious feel, meaning that it's highly endurable and can be hung or propped up against the wall. 

  This lamp also takes its inspiration from France's most famous monument. It takes a different approach using white ceramic to replicate the tower, which helps to give the room a fresh vibe. The lamp shade maintains the simplistic design and would be a great contrast against bright colours. Available from Tesco.com at £35.

These skyline bookends from John Lewis are great for towering over your books. The skyscrapers capture the glamour of the city in a minimalistic way, using a simplistic white colour scheme. They're perfect for keeping your bookshelves neat and tidy. Available for £39.95.

This New York inspired bedding is perfect for anyone looking to inject colour and fun into their room. The design employs the primary colours and features a simplistic line drawing of New York City, including its famous yellow cabs. Perfect for any minimalists. Available from BHS from £30.

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Cushy with Cushions

In most men's opinions, the cushion is a waste of space and to quote one of my favourite TV series, Coupling, "What are they? Pets for chairs?" But in my opinion, they are brilliant for making your house a home. They can be used to inject colour into any room and come in a range of sizes and of course a range of prices.

Here are some of my favourite cushions:

Patterned 

  Anorak has a rang of simple animal prints that are easy to match with any interior and come in a range of bright colours. This particular cushion is called "Kissing Rabbits", and features bright orange rabbits on a light blue fabric. The cushion measures at 42x42cm and comes with a feather filled inner at the price of £37. The outer is machine washable, with a zip to remove the inner.

If like me, you want the look without the price, this cushion from Tesco.com (also "Kissing Rabbits") is only a fraction of the price at £7. The fabric is much more subtle than the previous, with yellow rabbits printed at intervals to add a splash of colour. This cushion is also machine washable and is much the same size at 43x43cm, although it does not come with an inner. Although it is not the boutique option, I think the cheaper version is the best choice. The subtle colours make it easier to match with most interiors and the print is more detailed and therefore more charming.

Patchwork is by far my favourite style, because it incorporates so many different patterns, colours and fabrics into one item.  This particular cushion is from BHS and comes in a number of shades, from pastel to dark to this brightly coloured number. The cushion is scallop-edged to give it a unique look and has a white floral back.  It measures at 58x58cms and is currently only £15 from BHS.co.uk

  Inspired

Penguin has inspired a range of kwerky items, from notebooks to mugs to deck chairs to this cushion. Fashioned after the signature Penguin covers, it is a brilliant edition to any book-lovers home. The cushion is an upcycled tea-towel, made by Hunted and Stuffed and available from £69 on notonthehighstreet.com.  Alternatively, you could buy a tea-towel and create your own for much less.

Here is a cushion inspired by Hasbro's Scrabble. They're available in letters from A-Z, can be used to spell out words and can even be personalised with a message on the back. So don't just say it- say it with cushions! These would look brilliant stacked up on a bright sofa, or between plain-coloured cushions- ideal for any wordsmiths. The cushions come with an inner, are 40x40cm and priced at £19.95 (£5.95 with personalisation) available from theletterroom.com

Shapes

There are many different shapes and sizes to cushions, whether rounded, square, cylindrical or even custom-shaped to look like an owl.

This is a bolster cushion from lovefromrosie.co.uk. The shape is good for supporting backs to improve posture or simply breaking up the traditional square cushions. This vintage inspired cushion comes in a contrasting pink and blue floral pattern with pompom trim to inject fun and colour into your room. It makes a pretty finishing touch to any chair, bed or sofa. The cushion measures 40cm and comes with a sewn-in inner and retails at £16.95

I don't think I could consider publishing any cushion-related post without including PIP Studio. Their range of items will certainly brighten your home- in fact, you might need sunglasses. This rounded cushion comes in the Birds of Paradise design, in a contrasting cyan and pink with coloured stripes on it's sides and pleated edging. The cushion comes ready-filled, with a diameter of 45cm and is available at £22.50 from daisypark.co.uk

This rectangular cushion is available from H&M, they have a great range of inexpensive homeware, so if you're looking for something a little unique without the price, I'd suggest you check it out. This book-inspired cushion  cover comes in a black cotton canvas, with a photographic print. The 30x40cm cover has a concealed zip which makes it easy to wash and is available at £6.99 from hm.com