Laura Lea Design

#Eclecticcollective pop up shop

There is something quite exciting happening in the little premises just outside Leytonstone tube station in East London...

Filled with beautiful and unique textiles, art, furniture and quirky homeware, a little shop has emerged....

But this is so much more than that...

It is the beginning of a movement:  to encourage, support and enable talent to grow in a collective environment, sharing ideas and nurturing new talent...this is the Laura Lea Design boutique! 

Laura Lea is a curator and a self proclaimed collector of all things quirky and beautiful:

"I would honestly rather have art than food"

And she founded Laura Lea Design in the summer of 2014, out of a sense of wanting to collaborate with and support new and up-and-coming artists...to build a platform for emerging British artists and talents to grow in a collective environment, sharing ideas and support each other.

She has previously worked with a range of designers and artists , from emerging talents to the big names, curating and setting up exhibitions and art shows, and this is her second pop up store.

" I am trying to create a collective- a moving, revolving collective of artists and designers who are open to each other and want to connect and share. Who want to lift each other up."

I am lucky enough to be part of this #eclectivecollective movement that Laura is spearheading with her infectious enthusiasm, as through Laura's collaboration with An Artful Life's Kate Withfield, my gilded concrete bowls are available to buy at the Design boutique.

And of course I had the pleasure of going to the opening night of the store on Saturday:

It felt really amazing to be part of such a creative group of people and to meet some of the other designers and makers ....and if Laura has set out to create a community of like-minded design enthusiasts, she has definitely succeeded in creating a great vibe, with people milling around inside and outside the shop, drink in hand, chatting away to each other and perusing the work on display.

 The store is filled to the brim with beautifully unusual home-wares, art, cards and jewelry by an eclectic range of designers and artists , sourced and handpicked by Laura and her creative associates.

Laura Lea's creative vision is evident in the collection of stock displayed:

 This is not your usual home-ware shop

"some of it is quite raw and has a punk edge"

Featuring all aspects of art and design, the collective has come together in Laura Lea's design boutique to rethink the way makers and artists work together to tell their stories and connect with the customers.

Many of the products has been made exclusively for the pop up to provide an original collection showcasing emerging trends, and providing customers with the opportunity to discover the next generation of UK design talents.

Featuring work by artits such as Angharad Jefferson, Sophie Adamson, Lorna Syson, Augusta Akerman , Archie Proudfoot, Rebecca Mason and Anna Stiles....to mention a few(???), alongside products from An Artful Life, Edge of home, East Wick, Grain and Knot,  Geo Fleur, This Way To The Circus and Espergaerde.....I could go on....

It is an unique and eclectic mix of products by a stellar line up of up-and-coming talent, carefully curated by Laura Lea.

The shop looks amazing and all the uniquely crafted work is beautifully displayed:

 

From neon art to soy candles, handmade lampshades to greeting cards, Laura Lea has realized her vision of an eclectic collective community of art and design.

But this is so much more than just a shop: 

Laura wants to bring the artists even closer to the customers, by providing interactive experiences every weekend, when visiting artists and designers will be on hand to discuss their work live, making bespoke pieces in the shop and hosting workshops...

A lot of Laura's handpicked designers and makers are women, and Laura is on a mission to empower them through the collective, by uniting them and supporting them:

A community of sharing and collaborating, helping each other become more successful, stronger and better. 

Look out for Laura's self penned hashtag #wearethewomen on social media to get involved!

Laura Lea may be a relatively new name on the London art scene, but with her vision and determination, definitely one to watch!

The Laura Lea Design boutique pop up will be at 

No.1 Station Forecourt

Church Lane

Leytonstone

until 31st August.

Visit Laura's website for more information on visiting artists and designers and dates for the weekly in-house workshops!

{The Spare room}

Reveal

 So, finally I am in this post revealing my new look spare bedroom!

I feel like this post has been a long time coming, but as I finally put up that amazing customized wallpaper from wallpapered last week, and all the other elements are now in place I am now ready to show you all.

If you want to see the room as it was before, you can see it here, along with my concept board for the room design.

I must warn you, this is yet another of my picture heavy posts.

And before we start, I would like to thank wallpapered for working with me to create that amazing feature wall , Not on the high street for sponsoring me with that beautiful round brass mirror and last, but not least, Lighting Majestic for giving me that super cool floorlamp to finish off the look...

Pictures and reviews further down the post.

So the first thing I did was paint the room.

Gone is that uninspiring lilac color on the walls.

I opted for the same pale grey as I used in Mia's room, Crown seldom seen....partly because it seemed a good color match, if not a little lighter, to the top of the wallpaper, and partly because I had an almost full tin of paint leftover and I'm a cheapskate frugal sort of girl...

I used to find the old look room quite oppressing, so I wanted to make the space seem more bright and airy. 

To help achieve this I used an interior trick to blur the outlines of the room: 

I painted the walls and the woodwork AND the ceiling in the same color...

...and I think it has really worked: As the eye is travelling around the room, the boundary's of the space is not so apparent, making it seem larger.

Another thing I did to make the space seem lighter, was to paint those hideously yellowing floorboards white.

 I did a tutorial on how to paint previously waxed floorboards (the right way ) when I painted the master bedroom floor earlier in the year, if this is something you're considering doing.....and they are holding up beautifully!

Painting the floorboards white is great for lightening up a space, but I also find  them easier to keep clean.

Next up I turned my attention to lighting.

One of my favorite interior designers, Abigail Ahern stated earlier this year, when she came up with her design ometer, that every room should have at least 8 lighting sources to get a balanced look.

Now, this may, in my opinion, be slightly excessive in small spaces like my spare room, but never the less, the importance of good, level lighting is paramount to a good room design...

So when Majestic Lighting got in touch and asked if I wanted to pick out a light from their extensive range, I was thrilled, as I wanted another light in addition to the ones I already had.

I literally spent days perusing their huge selection of lights....When I came across the Blyton range by DAR , I fell in love, and the Blyton floor lamp  was the perfect choice for my new-look spare room: 

The pale wood, with the unusual tree-like design and the "old- fisherman's-metal-pendant-style" shades instantly struck a chord with me.

I love the little details, like the different shaped, powder coated enamel vintage-y style shades and the tree like wooden stem....it is unusual and striking, but in a subtle way.....and it perfectly compliments my room design and adds a Scandinavian flavor.

The old dresser had to stay, as this is where we store Mia's clothes, as her room is so small...

...but I've also added these Muuto"The dots" coat hooks I picked up on my recent trip to Copenhagen...and I am already thinking of adding some more, as not only do they provide useful storage, but they also look quite arty in an abstract way..

I dug out and dusted off this old wall light from the loft:

I'd actually forgotten I had this, but it fits in perfectly here in the new look spare room, don't you think?

Bought at Camden market more than 15 years ago, it is made out of pieces of broken, recycled glass, held together with wire...

...it is the perfect accompaniment to my big recycled bottles, filled with Mia's  wabi sabi-like collection of sticks and stones...

Of course I've also introduced some plants into the space as I believe they help liven up any interior and adds an interest and personal touch.

I love using baskets as plant pot covers, as I like the natural look and texture next to the greens of the plants...

If you like my DIY " I will survive" basket , below , you can find the "how to" and  download the stencil pattern for free in this post to make your own

Anywayyyyy: whilst I was waiting for that wallpaper I designed in collaboration with Wallpapered, I busied myself working out some of the subtle details I wanted to incorporate in the room.

I was after a simple, yet beautiful wall mirror for hanging above the fireplace, so

 I was thrilled when one of my favorite online shops , Not on the highstreet, got in touch and said I could pick something out from their extensive eclectic range for a product review:

I chose this simple , yet opulent brass round house doctor mirror:

I love it's simplicity, and the brass finish. 

The chain detail for hanging also adds to that easygoing vibe I'm going for in this room.

And it makes a perfect little porthole , through which you can spy my waves wallpaper on the opposite wall.

After much deliberation I decided to change the original layout of the room and moved the day bed underneath the window instead of having it along the wall, so as to not obscure that wonderful feature wall more than necessary.

I love this new layout as it has freed up a lot of floor space, and helps make the room seem even bigger.

I really wanted a string shelf in the corner space above the bed, but as my budget wouldn't stretch that far I got these wall shelving units from IKEA, and simply cut up a plank of wood from my local hardware store to make the shelves.

I am actually very happy with how these look, as the wooden shelves match the other little wooden touches in the room.

Such as the natural bamboo roller blinds. These were a bargain at just £6,50 from Wilko and adds to the casual and airy feel in here. 

The curtains are actually a couple of table runners from H&M , now on sale for just £3 ;)

I shopped my own home for the DIY watercolor splat cushions and the paper lamp on the shelves

And the concrete diamond paper weight is from my own collection of home accessories available from An Artful Life. The very cool wooden clock is from Dunelm Mills.

I love the way these shelves are so open and airy that they don't obscure that lovely custom wallpaper...

Up close the wallpaper looks like abstract art with those pixel squares in different shades of greens and greys...

But take a step back , or squint, and that wonderful image, originally shot by my photographer friend Kristine Scott on the coast of Norway, reveals itself....

That lovely little vintage stool from An Artful Life has finally found a nice spot in my home, functioning as a bedside table 

I think I am actually in love with my wallpaper!!

If you've got an amazing photograph you'd like to have made into wallpaper, you can do it here

And the DIY light shade I made from a bed sheet (??) also works perfectly in this space, in keeping with the lightness of the rest of the room..

It has that same warm glow that paper shades have when lit...which I love....

And it also adds some subtle texture into the room.

If you'd like to see how I made it check out my tutorial here.

Of course there are other textural elements in this room, such as the wood and powder-coated metal, present on both my new floor lamp and the old daybed....

As well as the soft furnishings, of course.

I have always wanted a shelf where I can display my ever growing collection of floor rugs and blankets, and now that I've converted that old boiler cabinet in the corner to open shelving, using cut to shape pieces of plywood. I've finally have somewhere I can store them with pride.

,,,along with a few bits and bobs....and of course a basket to keep odds and sods in. (I love a good basket!!)

I've even installed some strip lighting in the top shelving space, to add another light source to the room and illuminate that corner...

I have to admit: The daybed is a remnant from my shabby chic period (*hangs head in shame*) and although very handy when we have guests staying with us, it is NOT exactly my favorite piece of furniture....

But until it starts raining money around here, it'll have to do!

In my dreams I'd have something like this in here.

But the plus side of having something you don't really care for, is that it doesn't matter if your daughter decides to use it as a trampoline....LOL!

So that's it...

What do you think?

Do you like the effect of painting the walls and ceilings the same color?

Do you love that wallpaper as much as I do?

Would you consider using table runners for curtains?

I know I do....because I just did!! LOL

Until next week,