Classy Halloween party ideas.....

Image from StylizimoBlog

Are you thinking of having a Halloween party next week?

Or do you think celebrating Halloween is a bit macabre and worry a party will be a bit brash?

Personally, I love Halloween, and in today's post I have curated some freakishly stylish ideas for holding a classy, grown up but fun Halloween party from the web...

I've put this post together as a guide to creating a gorgeously grown up Halloween Party....I've got it all covered: From printable invitations, classy decoration ideas, dressing up, partyfood, of course there is also something for the kids...and some gorgeous pumpkins...

Everything featured in this post is either free or cheap to make....AND with minimum effort!

Let's start at the beginning....You'll want to invite people to your party...How about these fun "bag-o-bones" invitations from Mr.Printables? Head to the website to download these printable invitations for FREE , and to see the instructions on how to make them...Easy!

Image from Mr.Printables

Next up, here's some simple ideas for setting the scene for your spookily classy Halloween party:

Image from Martha Stewart

First impressions count for a lot when it comes to setting the mood for your party, so let's start with your front door....

How about making this creepy snake wreath for the door? This is such an easy make, see how on the Martha Stewart website.

Image from Country living crafts

And why not welcome your guests with a spiderweb doormat, like this one? Again , very quick and easy to make! Find the full instructions here.

Pumpkins are undoubtedly THE symbol of Halloween, and a must-have for setting the scene, both indoors and out...

Image from BHG

Displaying some carved pumpkins at the front of your house for Halloween, not only helps set the scene for your party, but also works as a sign to Trick or treater's that there is treats to be had at your residence...
I love these simply carved ombre ones, pictured above, but you can find tonnes of carving ideas and patterns here

Image from Lil Blue Boo

If pumpkin carving is not your thing, how about simply decorating your pumpkins with paint and pens? There is a tutorial from Lil Blue Boo on how to make the beautiful Owl patterned ones pictured above...

Image from Oleander and Palm

Or how about these trendy tribal patterned ones from Oleander and Palm?

Image from CR decoration

If you are very short of time, simply just spray-painting your pumpkins white, then arranging them among a cluster of fairy lights looks really atmospheric...as seen in the image above...

Image from Sweet Paul Mag

And a couple of coats of matte black paint looks eerily spooky. You can some useful find tips on painting your pumpkins at Sweet Paul Mag

Image from Country living

If you have some time , and want something a little more unusual....a showstopper, then how about creating a spooky diorama inside your carved out pumpkin?

Find the full instructions how here

Creating the right atmosphere in your home for a sophisticated Halloween party is paramount!

Striking the right balance between classy and spooky is not as hard as it sounds...

Image from Martha Stewart

THE SHOWSTOPPER: Making these eerie ghostly figures to display in your home, is surprisingly easy. See the how to here

Image from Sweet Paul Mag

THE DETAILS: Make this embroidered wall art in an evening whilst watching a horror film, and display in distressed frames...Voila: Halloween decorations you can bring out year after year... See how here.

Image from Ella Claire inspired

Visit Ella Claire Inspired to download these free printable bats, print on black card and cut out....then cover your entire house with them if you'd like....or simply use then to decorate some twigs for a Creepy Halloween tree , like Ella did!

Image via HGTV

Another simple way to add some drama, is to display old vintage bottles with spooky witches potion labels. If you haven't got any vintage bottles, just spray-paint some wine bottles black for that spooky look! Looks great when used as candlesticks as well!!
You can find loads of spooky labels, free to download and print out here

Using candles is a surefire way to set the mood of any party...

Image from Country Living 

Try customising plain white candles by "wrapping" them in black lace for a more Halloweeny look...See how they made the ones above here

Image from Popsugar

Or make your candles "bleed" by dripping wax from a red candle onto a plain one....add some rusty nails or pins for an even more gore-ishly freaky look, like they did in this tutorial...

Image from Stylizimo Blog

Or for a totally sophisticated look....simply use plain black ones, like Lisa Holt from Stylizimo Blog has doe here, when she decked her dinner table for her Halloween Party.

Image via Happy Mundane

Using props ,like pumpkins and candles to set the table for your Halloween party...whether it's a spooky centerpiece or simple details, like the one's below,  will make your guests feel in the mood:

Image from Stylizimo blog

I also love how she's used small cut out paper bats to display in the forks...and I've created THIS TEMPLATE for you to download and print out to create similar for your party..

Image from My Biscoto

Image from Buzzfeed

Here's another cool idea for a Halloween party dinner table setting...rubber toy bats: spray-painted white for a chic look...

Serving up a few seasonal dishes at your sophisticated Halloween party is a must!

Image from My Biscoto

And if you've gone to the trouble of carving a pumpkin or two for your decoration, why not make use of the flesh and create some tasty Pumpkin party food, like the Bruschetta with roasted pumpkin, cottage cheese and arugula, pictured above. Go to My Biscoto for the recipe

Image from Simply delicious Food

And what screams Halloween more than some Poison Toffee Apples?
Moodily beautiful ...find the recipe at Simply delicious food

Image from Sugar and Cloth

And serve some freakishly delicious drinks , like these Ghoul's guts ice cream shots by Sugar and cloths to get people in the party spirit...

So...You've sent out the invitations, decorated your home, set the table and made the party food....now all that remains is to dress up, put on some Halloween Party music and let loose:

Image via Buzzfeed

How about dressing up as Wednesday Addams...just wear black and scowl...

Image from Say Yes 

Or theme up with your partner in crime: Throw on a bretan striped top, a woolly hat and make your own robber mask using THIS free download.

Image from Martha Stewart

Or how about simply accessorizing your LBD with these DIY Creepy crawley inkjet tattoos...Get the free download and see how here

Finally...Let's not forget the little ones...
You may be planning a Sophisticated grown up Halloween Party, but maybe there's a few little ones that'll tag along?

Image from My Poppet

How about making them an easy Bat cape to dance around in? This tutorial from My Poppet  shows you how you can whip one up in next to no time....

Image from Armommy

And visit Armummy  to download the free pattern, to use to stencil up a plain pillowcase to make this super cool trick or treat bag....sure to be a hit for years to come...

Image from bloom designs online

And dont forget to prepare some sweets for all those little trick or treaters knocking on your door this Halloween... Get some paper bags,fill with sweets, then download and print out these free tags from Bloom Designs and attach....

....You don't want to risk getting your sophisticated Halloween party ruined by some little brats egging your house because you did't have any treats in the house....now do you??

George Clarke's Amazing Spaces GIVEAWAY

I love watching telly.....I like watching late night murder mysteries, Scandinavian Noir's and silly comedy's...but most of all I love watching programs about interiors and design...go figure!!

I've really enjoyed watching the last season of George Clarke's Amazing spaces....seeing how creative people can be with the teeniest and most unusual spaces, making them into little retreats, workshops or actual homes...

So when George Clarke's publishers got in touch about writing a review of his book from the series, it was a no brainer! Of course I wanted to see all those amazing spaces in print!!

And even better...they've given me an extra copy that YOU could win!!

More details on the giveaway further down the post...

So...George Clarke's Amazing Spaces series has mesmerized me with the wide array of small scale builds, from the quaint and quirky to the avant-guard and ambitious... The creativity and ingenuity of peoples visions, often achieved on very limited budgets and timescales are most impressive....and inspiring... 

The book , illustrated beautifully with pictures from the various projects featured, goes further in depth of each build, and showcases the ideas, the plans and the trial and tribulations overcome to achieve the finished results...

I love that there is little text boxes headlined "Lessons learnt" alongside each amazing space showcased, so that we, the readers , get a feel for the amount of planning, work and thought that has gone into each build... and it is inspiring to see that although it may not have been all plain sailing...the results are still impressive, and sometimes it is the compromises that's had to be made along the way that makes it a success...

Some of the most ingenious solutions for small space living is also explained in depth throughout the book, and serves as true inspiration, a reminder that where there's a will there is a way....nothing is impossible...

With beautifully illustrated floor plans accompanied by gorgeous images of the finished spaces, shows peoples visions come to life...

And of course some of these Amazing spaces makes you dream of that simple life, in rural settings with nothing but the bare essentials...

...Or a space-age modern , urban retreat, where the design is so well thought out that it'll leave you free to just relax....

As with the series, this book  is a true inspiration, and makes you want to create your very own Amazing space...

With plenty of tips and lessons from people who've already taken the plunge....ordinary people, like you and me, who have achieved their dream, by having a vision, hard graft and determination...

IF THEY CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU....AND I!!

Courtesy of Truedor , I have a spare copy of George Clarke's Amazing spaces to give away

So if you'd like to get inspired and see more of the fantastically creative builds featured, simply comment below this post to win a copy of George Clarke's book...just make sure you leave your e-mail address or other means of contact...

The winner will be announced at the end of the month!

Amazing spaces is truly Amazing, and a lovely book to chill out with this autumn, whilst dreaming of that simple life!

design junction 2015

Over two weeks ago, one of the most innovative and creative design shows in the world, Design junction took place in central London. A specially curated design platform that exhibits commercial and cultural design within the unusual and industrial spaces of the old Central Saint Martins college of Art and Design and Victoria House.

With "26,000 visitors through the doors over 5 days during the London Design Festival. With more than 180 cutting-edge brands and shops, a host of striking installations, 10 mouth-watering eateries and flash factories across two Central London locations, design junction 2015 was the most ambitious, challenging and successful edition to date."*

Of course I was there....albeit on a flying visit before heading off to Norway for the WHAT WILL THE WORLD DO NOW charity event...I mean: I had to, not only did I have my own concrete home wares exhibited there (more on that next week) but, with it's reputation for displaying the most innovative of design, I was curious to see what it was all about!

It seems like a lifetime ago now, but better late than never...right? So I am finally sharing the bits and pieces that caught my eye....and maybe some of these will be THE next big thing??

From the wonderfully bizarre sculptural lighting by award winning Arturo-Alvarez, that makes bespoke, handmade lighting ,using handcraft techniques to create a new language with innovative materials....

To the more retro, industrial lighting, so fitting for the old college building by British home ware store  Dyke and Dean...I love that their own brand products encourage British manufacturing and small creative based industry...

Then there was the super modern and super stylish furniture from French label La Chance

La Chance’s ambitious purpose is to provide a contemporary interpretation of the French ornamental and decorative furniture tradition. And I loved how the modern design juxtaposed with the industrial settings....

One of my favourite displays in the old college was the String Shelving....Swedish company String has built its brand around an ingenious but simple modular shelving concept that has long been top of my lust list for the home...

...And of course it helped that the String display was styled by one of my favourite interior stylists of all time, Swedish  Lotta Agaton...

Fun an quirky, and most definitely different from anything else, I also loved the colourful collaboration between UK doodle artist Jon Burgerman and modern textile brand Kirkby Design  for the contemporary design company Ligne Roset....Known for its 

collaborations with the foremost talents in contemporary design, 

Ligne Roset is a creative and innovative brand after my own heart...and wouldn't these cool designs look great in a teenage bedroom??

Over at the Victoria House location of this years Design Junction, where more than 80 independent retailers and designers was exhibiting , there was also a lot of inspiration to be had...

...Of course I have to briefly mention T&Shop, a lifestyle concept shop based in Newington Green, who also happens to be a stockist of my own Concrete home ware range..

I adore founder, Emily Grace Wright's functional and minimalistic aesthetically curated products...but more on that next week....

There was plenty of things to catch my eye, and the geometric handcrafted wooden home ware designs by Another studio, was definitely one of my favourites, displaying just the sort of quirky creativeness that I adore...

I've been a fan of UK based home ware company HAM's cute rabbit and pig illustrations for some time...and was pleased to see their range exhibited at DJ.

It wasn't all home wares and furniture at DJ's market hall in Victoria House...and I fell head over heals with Tom Pigeon's simple and geometric jewelry designs (I also adore his prints)...

And these graphic, mixed media necklaces by Nylon Sky.

My love for the Danish brand HAY is no secret , and I just had to share this super-cool tool caddy  I spotted at Nest, who's entire collection would fit nicely in my dream home ....

Lastly, I wanted to show you these ingenious ceramic planters from London based home ware shop On and On...aren't they just the coolest?? On and On curates products like ceramics, glassware, contemporary furniture, modern lighting and bespoke commissions, among others. But they also strive to find new ways to promote design and  are passionate about introducing new creative talents to brands, the retail industry, interior architects and culture initiatives, providing support for creatives through exhibitions, presentations, sponsored events and publications... A company after my own heart!

There was so much stuff at Design junction that I loved, and would've loved to feature here, but for now, this was my highlights...

I have discovered new brands and shops, makers and designers, found loads of inspiration and got to know some people I just know is going to be the next big thing...

Visiting Design Junction is now a definite MUST for next year!!

*Extract from the website