Statement lights by lampcommerce

When Lampcommerce got in touch I was immediately struck by the stunning designs featured on their site.  This one in particular from the Wireflow collection by Vibia caught my eye:

VIBIA WIREFLOW Photo credit: LampCommerce

It has a simple, classic but somehow futuristic feel to it. It's a tall light though with a drop of two metres and would need the right space to show it off to its best. Just imagine it in the perfect stairwell, it'd certainly create a stunning entry to any property. I'm not the only one that thinks that as it won the award for best hanging lamp of 2014 from Interior Design Magazine.

When I thought more about statement lights, the one at the V&A immediately sprung to mind. Their 'Rotunda Chandelier' sculpture hangs in a fantastic space, above the Information Desk as you enter the museum. And while it's a sculpture rather than a light, it's effect is similar.

For me  - the attraction to the wireflow light - is about the lines it creates. Just look at the ceiling in the image above - I know that if I were to be sitting in the hallway with that light, I'd be able to sit and lose hours just tracing and following the lines with my eyes. I guess that's a whole new way of being more mindful.

It does remind me of the lights I saw in the Gap House at the Ideal Home Show last April, and that proves to me that if you have a small space - the whole house was just three metres wide - then you can still be adventurous with lighting.

But finally having ruled it out for this house - we have a spiral staircase, so it wouldn't work for us I soon browsed the site further and discovered the Artemide Tolomeo range. 

ARTEMIDE TOLOMEO MEGA FLOOR LAMP Photo credit: LampCommerce

The possibilities for this range are endless - from floor lamps like the one above through to the mini desk lamps below, with sizes in between too.  They are, for me a design classic and I was surprised to learn that it was designed as recently as 1986, winning the Compasso d'Oro design prize in 1989.  I know that that's thirty years ago now, but well the eighties still seems relatively recent to me, it was the decade I started work, so that I think brings an extra touch of reality!

ARTEMIDE TOLOMEO MINI TABLE LAMP Photo credit: LampCommerce

If you're looking for something that's stylish and colourful, then the Tolomeo micro table lamps come in a range of fun colours - including metallics, such as bronze and rainbow colours - which would brighten any space, whatever the look you were after.

I think most homes in the eighties and beyond have owned a light similar to this - I know when we moved in here MOH moved in with a large black table lamp, which at the time we didn't have the space for. Now though, it's one of the things that would fit right into our current decor, so perhaps we should have hung onto it after all.  

...Or perhaps it's time to treat ourselves to a replacement!

This is a collaborative post but all opinions are my own

A paper Easter egg

Today I'm sharing another Easter craft, and another that I saw on Pinterest and fancied trying myself. Like the pom-pom bunnies and chicks I shared yesterday I looked at the original post and was inspired. So I decided to make a mini-version and you might have already spotted it in my Easter Tea Party post on Sunday.

I popped down to my local craft superstore in the hope that I'd be able to buy an egg-shaped die to use in my die-cutting machine, but it was not to be. But while I was there I did manage to pick up some pretty scrapbook paper, a craft knife, some Easter ribbon and a square die as consolation.  They're dangerous places, aren't they?

So armed with my new pretty paper, a pair of scissors and a 3 inch egg template I was ready to start.

1. The first step is easy enough and you fold your egg shapes in half.  This caused me some dilemmas as while most of the new pretty paper I'd chosen had a pattern on both sides, the hologram card that I wanted to use only had the pattern on one side. In the end I folded the single side patterned card with the plain side on the outside - this seems to have worked, but next time I think I'd use all double sided paper/card.

2. Then it's time to start sticking!

I started with the hologram card and added glue to the fold (on the plain side) and stuck these together to form the basis of my structure.  In reality this meant that I don't see much of the hologram card, but as it was the heavier grade I wanted that spaced equally throughout my egg.

3. Then you keep adding more of the folded egg shapes. Make sure you only glue the fold, or else you won't get the fan shape that looks so good.  The tip to stand your egg as you build it in the lid of the jar, is a good one - definitely do this, it makes it much easier!

4. It doesn't take long for the egg to take shape.  Looking back I'd add the layers more slowly once the glue had dried a little next time I make one, as I think that might make it easier and reduce the amount of pressing together needed.

5. Continue to add folded eggs wherever there are gaps, until you are happy - or bored of cutting egg shapes.  My egg had 34 egg shapes, I could probably have fitted some more in, and I think if I'd used a thinner paper I would definitely have needed more cut outs.

6. When you're happy with your egg, stick a ribbon bow onto the top of the egg using more craft glue and leave to dry. 

7. Once the egg is dry "fan" the leaves gently so you get the look you're after, and then use it for your Easter decorations or as an Easter gift.  

I'm happy with the egg I made and I'd make another and I think I'd also try a circular one too - they'd look great on a Christmas tree wouldn't they?

And before I go here's some more shots of my finished egg, isn't it pretty?

To see more of my Easter-inspired pins take a look at my Easter PInterest board: 

Follow Stephanie - Life at 139a's board Easter on Pinterest.

Let's talk TV Units

When AIF (or Adventures in Furniture) got in touch and asked me to preview their Living room furniture, I decided to take a look at their TV units and I make no apology for the sameness of items I've chosen from their site. AIF are a company that "specialise in contemporary designs that are crafted using solid materials and traditional techniques" which means their furniture is built to last, and I think that shows.

On their site there's a selection of TV units which I think are right and up to the job. You see, I have issues with the TV property shows that have TVs on a wall above a fireplace, I think the TVs are just too high.  

My rule of thumb is that the TV should be at eye-level , or lower when you're sitting on the sofa.  Often (but not always) having it above a mantelpiece means it's too high and therefore uncomfortable to watch. I also think it gives greater prominence than is necessary for a piece of electrical equipment which all too often we can plan our lives around.

For me, TV units should be at least twice the width of the TV itself and low-level. That means they aren't in your eye line as you watch the goggle box and therefore don't interfere with your viewing. Ideally, I'd have some open and closed space, because let's face it we could all do with the extra storage, and not all of it needs to be pretty!

So these are my picks from the Living Room section of their site:

TEAK LODGE TV CUPBOARDS FROM £1099
Photo credit: AIF

NORDIC OAK TV UNITS FROM £859

LOFT LOW SIDEBOARD / TV UNIT £826
Photo credit: AIF

LIGNA OAK TV UNITS FROM £979
Photo credit: AIF

So what do we have?

Well you'll not be surprised to learn we have a low-level unit, that's just about double the size of our television which is hung on the wall - at eye level from the sofa. I've had to compromise on the style of our TV unit. It's wood and is open shelved, which was the requirement for MOH's hifi - and as that's a big thing for him - and the only place it could go - there really was no choice. The bigger compromise for me is having his record player on top of the unit; I've countered that though with three terracotta plant pots with a pine cone in!

On the whole, it works for us - it's not exactly what I'd choose, but it's close enough and well, life's about compromise right?

This is a collaborative post but all opinions are my own.