Yes, it’s summer – sort of. But get your embroidered slippers off that metallic pouffe, put down your mint tea, snuff out the candle in your fretwork lantern. Aren’t you bored of Morrocan style yet? No? Well, may I humbly suggest you will be. Round my way we’re already embracing Uzbeki homewares instead.

A friend pointed out Niki Jones’ website to me today. Her stuff is stocked in Heal’s but it was news to me. Anyway, I was delighted by the bright embroidered rugs and cushions in her, yes, I told you, Uzbek range. Behold.

I always like to research these things a little, so as to not look too shallow, and it seems the embroidered cushions reference Uzbek Suzani, a style of decorative tribal textile, traditionally made by Central Asian brides for their dowry. But who has time for that these days, sigh? Best just to order online.

Wish I was there

I’ve got the holiday blues. Just returned from an all-over-the-shop road trip that started with a wedding in the Ribble Valley via a few days in the Peak District, then moved onto an Alpine-fresh mini break in Austria and finally Munich to stay with my brother and his girlfriend. They just moved there, it’s lovely. […]

My first favourite room

The other day at work we were talking about whether we’d been obsessed with houses even as kids, and the answer, it seems, was a universal Yes. We all remembered a fascination with the Brambly Hedge books, kind of twee animal books full of cross sections of elaborate mouse houses in tree trunks. But the […]

Hitting the (unpainted) wall

I’ve been in my new flat two months now, and I feel like some kind of alarm is about to go off. When people came round in the first weeks and told me how delightful it was, they were forgiving of the step ladder blocking the hall, and saw beyond the peach walls to what […]

Little Haven

Someone else’s lovely pictures today – from the website and blog of Haven. Cassandra collects, adapts and makes beautiful interiors objects, as well as teaching quilting workshops and project work. She’s also celebrating being stocked by Liberty. I love the little rustic vases…