Love This #82: Splashing about in the birdbath

Like you do.

Or rather, like these playful frogs do, even though they’re frozen in time. The sculpture or birdbath just screams movement and fun to me, and it’s the last of the sculptures I’m sharing from the 2018 Chelsea Flower Show. This birdbath, and the others around it, are by Willie Wildlife Sculptures, who on their site have many more great birdbath designs which include birds, dragonflies and even trout.

They’re beautiful and I think I’d have a hard time choosing a favourite, especially now I’ve looked on the site. But as you’d expect for something so lovely, they’re not cheap - the price tag on this one at Chelsea was £2995 - gulp. But it is something that would look good year round and bring structural interest when the rest of the garden was bare, but then again, as MOH has just pointed out so would many things with a lower price tag - he’s ever the practical one. Or perhaps he’s just staking a claim so I don’t flex our credit card, who knows.

Garden Frogs birdbath sculpture at the Chelsea Flower Show

Just a final thought, wouldn’t the frogs look super cute with jumpers on!  I could probably crochet them some, well if I had the birdbath... 

The Loo Series meets the Lavatory Project

I couldn’t quite believe my eyes when I stumbled across this exhibit of smallest room room sets at Grand Designs Live at the Excel last May. I mean it was made for me to share with you but somehow I didn’t get around to editing the photos, until now, and I’m excited about them all over again.

There was a whole block of individual room sets, each different and each put together by different designers. I have a varying number of photos for each design, which all this time later gives more of an insight into my favourites, but you’ll discover that as I share the posts.

This first one is all about the glamour and it’s by Grace and Grey, who have plenty of quirky home accessories and furniture on their site, which is well worth a look. And who can resist a flamingo wallpaper?

The lavatory project at Grand Designs Live

The thing that struck me most about this room set was the large free standing-looking mirror - if you look carefully it’s secured, but designed to be at this angle - but it’s quite something isn’t? Despite the theme of glamour, it has a bold design that mixes pastels and geometrics, and does it well.

Modern geometric floor at Grand Designs Live

But there was one final surprise, and that was on the wall opposite the mirror. This beautiful oversized chevron tiled splashback, whose colours complement the pinks of the wallpaper. Splashback is probably doing it a complete injustice, tiled wall art is probably more accurate.

chevron pastel tiles in the grace & grey lavatory project

Isn’t it unusual, but effective?

I’m also a fan of the simple clean lines of the sink unit, and I’m a firm believer of having somewhere to put essential junk in a bathroom so I’m hoping that the left-hand side provides that. Overall this lavatory works for me, and demonstrates how chevrons and patterns, darks and pastels can work together well. I think often in our own homes we err on the side of caution in our decor, and need these reminders that it’s ok to be a bit braver.

What do you think?

PoCoLo

My 2018 in photos: July to December

Today I’m sharing the second half of my year in photos, featuring posts I enjoyed and which have sparked memories as I’ve looked back over the past year. I’ve also realised there’s many more posts that I haven’t shared, so that’s good news, as there’s plenty more to come - and plenty more lovely gardens to keep us entertained during the winter.

SEPTEMBER: A CROCHET UPDATE

SEPTEMBER: A CROCHET UPDATE

NOVEMBER: IN MY GARDEN

NOVEMBER: IN MY GARDEN

I think these photos, along with those in the first post are a good reflection of the best bits of my year. 2018 was in many ways a tricky year, but it wasn’t without its high points as I think my year in photos shows.