let's get organised... storage solutions

Today's lets get organised post is about storage solutions. We all start January off with the idea that we want to get the house back into an organised and tidy state. Those cupboards and drawers that have been stuffed to capacity and barely closing for the last year are in desperate need of our attention! There's nothing worse than tipping the whole house upside down in an attempt to find something that we have plonked in the most unlikely of places months ago. So the beginning of the new year is a perfect time to get our homes back on track.

There are lots of ideas for every room, cupboard or drawer. There are practical and simplistic solutions for those items that we just want to be hidden from sight. Or stylish and beautiful ideas that make a nice addition to a room or decor, whilst also serving some functionality at the same time. We usually favour talking about the prettier items for homes, but sometimes we have to accept that looking after our home's is not just about pretty accessories, trends and colours but keeping on top of the basic and everyday tasks.

We have already started to have a January sort out in our own homes. Here are a few ideas that we have picked out that may help. Don't forget to follow our blog (just click the follow button on the right side just scroll down you can't miss it!) so you can keep up to date with all the exciting posts we have planned for this year!

Wall Organiser Dunelm £59.99 / Set of 2 Wire baskets Habitat £45 / Chest Ikea £65 / Set of 3 Wire House Shelves Next £14 / Flower Scarf Organiser Homebase £1.99 / Storage basket Wilkos £1.99 / 4 Drawer Stripe Unit George £18.00

Sarah and Holly

      

dasher, dancer, prancer...

... vixen, comet, cupid, donner, blitzen and not forgetting rudolf! (who else thought of jingle all the way as they read that!

Reindeers we believe are one of the most iconic symbols of Christmas. As children we always looked out of our bedroom windows on Christmas Eve, with the expectation of hopefully getting a glimpse of Father Christmas and his reindeer as they flew through the sky and listening out for the jingle of the sleigh! Now we are older we are glad to say we don't spend our Christmas Eve this way but we still love the idea of the reindeers! 

Sometimes shopping for Christmas decorations can be daunting! The shops are saturated with some many themes and styles (sometimes too much choice can be overwhelming!) and it can be difficult to select multiple items and imagine them all pieced together without it looking like a jumbled up mess or a mix and match! So often it can be easier to choose just one single element and roll with it! Luckily there are lots of different variations of reindeer out there! Realistic and wild, cute and adorable, simple and figurative or as part of a farisle print, it is easy to incorporate these creatures into your Christmas decorating. We think reindeers are a timeless, classic, familiar and simple choice that can be repeated and replicated Christmas after Christmas. The best part we think is that you can build up a vast and varied collection and pick up new pieces each year to add to it, so there is no need to rush out and buy everything you can find in your chosen theme! Collections take years to build up and that's the fun part! Here are few ideas to inspire!

Candle John Lewis £12.00 / Candle holder Ebay £19.99 / Heat changing mug Boots £9.00 / Pom Pom decoration Oliver Bonas £4.00 / Draught excluder M&Co £10.50 / Reindeer names print Not on the high street £9.10 / Metal Reindeer Habitat £45.00

Sarah and Holly

                 

      

christmas around the home

Another Christmas inspired post today (we hope you are enjoying them so far). By now most of us have decorated the tree (or trees) in our homes and hung our stockings by the fireplace. But what about adding that festive touch elsewhere in the home. Christmas is about indulgence and celebration so we think it's worth going all out and adding the christmas cheer around the whole house. Why limit Christmas to just one room or just have a tree? What about using a seasonal scent, a diffuser, air freshener or soap, so the house not only looks Christmassy but smells like it too. If you enjoy the festive season as much as we do then these ideas could really make this Christmas extra special in your home. 

We love finding something special each year to add to our collection of Christmas decor. Year on year when you open the boxes full of Christmas treasures and unpack those exciting items it adds something special to the whole occasion. From mugs to cushions to bedding or prints there is a massive range of products available. Disgard the boring tea towels and pick out something fun and festive, it is Christmas after all. 

Here are a few of our favourites.

Tea towel Not on the hightstreet £8.15 / Hand towel BHS £8.00 / Santa tea pot Next £12 / Oven gloves Asda £4.00 / Mug Emma Bridgewater £19.95 / Cinnamon diffuser Matalan£3.00 / Santa bedding M&S £13.65-£34.65

Sarah and Holly

                 

                                                              

it's a wrap!

Once the christmas shopping list is ticked off and complete its time to start thinking about how to thoughtfully wrap those important gifts. Just as much thought is needed in wrapping a gift as well as buying it, thats part of the fun of giving. Lets face it, buying the presents is the easy part but starting the mammoth task of wrapping all those presents is not one we look forward to. So why not get creative and enjoy it! There is a huge choice of paper, tapes, bows, tissue paper, string and tags, so you can get as creative as you like. You could stick to traditional colours and imagery or pick on trend designs that use hints of luxurious coppers and metallics. Character based designs, typography, there really is a massive range out there. 

If you are feeling really ambitious what about creating your own paper designs or crafting home made gift tags. If you are not as ambitious as that Sarah & Bendrix did a blog post about their printable designs, check the post out by clicking on the link. You could even incorporate small gifts into your wrapping. Tying a christmas decoration to a bow adds a thoughtful and sentimental touch to a gift. 

We have picked out some of our gift wrapping favourites below. 

Washi Tape Hobbycraft £5.00 / 2M Wrap pack Next £6.00  / 

Large gift bag Paperchase £4.00 / Red film bow John Lewis £2.00 / Personalised gift stamp Not on the high street £17.50 / Sticker Roll Wilkos £1.00

Sarah and Holly

                                                             

a scottish adventure

This weeks post is very different for us. We thought that it would be nice to share the things that we do and enjoy to make our blog that little more personal and varied. So last week we both took some well deserved time off work. Myself (Holly) decided to book a little break away to Edinburgh. I had never visited Scotland and I wanted to go somewhere new and exciting. I thought Edinburgh would be a good city to explore and I was not disappointed. 

We visited art galleries, museums, (which had free admission) the zoo, the castle and explored the shops and high street. Whilst exploring the historic castle it even snowed (the first snow of the year for me). We stopped for countless hot chocolates as the weather was very wintery and had to buy ourselves a woolly hat to keep warm. But I think visiting during the Autumn months adds something more magical and special to the whole experience (probably because the shops were adorned with Christmas decorations.)

I defiantly want to go back and explore more of Scotland's heritage and beautiful landscapes (maybe next year). I hope you like the photos. 

 

Holly

                                 

      

say it with words

Lets face it, our homes are one of the most personal and intimate spaces. They reflect who we and our families are. Its only right that we decorate and adorn them with things that are specific and relevant to us. So we thought for this weeks blog post that we would focus on prints, but specifically quotes. Quotes are a perfect way to incorporate that individual touch to a room and home. There are quotes that are specific to every room, and they can be taken form all different places and inspirations. You could select a favourite song, a film, a book, poetry, an artist or even use a quote that is personal to you, that may have a symbolic or sentimental memory attached. Quotes help to keep us motivated and inspired, so why not have one or two dotted around the home as a subtle reminder (we all need a little help now and then).

Typographic prints are one of our favourites and there are a huge range of fonts and styles to choose from. The right font really does help enhance and compliment a quote, bringing the message and meaning behind it to life. You can keep it graphic and minimalistic with just simple black and white or pick prints that incorporate both type and imagery. Metallic foils add a touch of luxury and add a little more style and uniqueness. 

With Christmas looming these could make a really personal and thoughtful gift.
There really is a huge range of prints available, you can even have your own prints made to order. Here are just a few that we have picked out.

Be bold Print Society Six $19 / All you need is love Wall Art Debenhams £18 / Wild at heart Print Not on the high street £30 / Tille Print Next £30 / Willy Wonka Print Etsy £8.08 / Dreams Canvas House of Fraser £30 / Sisters Print Not on the high street £14 / Life doesn't have to be perfect Print Not on the high street £16.50

Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

feathered friends

Its another animal inspired blog post this week (these are our favourite to write). So, this week's post is a homage to owl inspired homeware, as it seems to have a strong presence on the high street and online. With the winter months finally here and woodland/nature inspired trends influencing homeware, these feathered friends are a prefect addition to a room. Animal inspired pieces seem to stand the test of time and it seems owls are no exception. 

They really do seem to be available in all forms. From lighting, to textiles, to ceramics, it seems you can add owls in to any room in a home. They add a sense of character and personality (and we just love them). We personally love the cute, stylised and illustrative interpretations of these woodland creatures. 

Here are a few of our favourite items. 
We had a hoot picking them out... (we had to..)

Duvet set Debenhams £36-£60 / Soap Dispenser BHS £10 / Cushion Debenhams £ 17.60 / Chalk board Tesco £14.99 / Copper wire owl Habitat £12 / Lamp Dunelm £19.99 / Tea towel John Lewis £12

  Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

autumn glory

We have really embraced autumn on our blog and have posted quite a few seasonal posts recently (we just love this time of year). You might think we are been a bit premature with a post about wreaths (bear with us). But, with Halloween and bonfire night approaching and the season now in full swing we have seen more and more autumnal inspired items appearing on the high street. We think wreaths in particular would be perfect way to to decorate a home. 

Using natural materials and warm autumnal colours these wreaths add a hint of this nostalgic season to both inside and outside the home. We love the mixture of leaves, twigs, fruits and berries.

We think its a nice way to celebrate the change of seasons, the warm and rich colours and materials that represent this time of year.

Here are a few we have picked out...

Leaf wreath Etsy £35 /  Berry wreath Tk Maxx £19.99 / Apple wreath Tk Maxx £24.99 /

 Heart wreath Wilkos £5 / Mug Emma Bridgewater £17.95 / 

Tray Habitat £28 

  Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

they call it puppy love

Growing up we had a pet dog and she was a cross between a Yorkshire terrier and a Caine terrier. We had her for 17 years and it is safe to say she was a huge part of our childhood and our lives growing up. We haven't had a pet dog since and instead we have ventured into the world of cats! But this doesn't mean we have lost interest in dogs and in fact in the future we can definitely envisage two (one each) long haired miniature dachshunds, which would be our dream companions (one day!) 

A few weeks ago we published a cat themed blog post and we thought it was only fair to post a dog themed post too. It is safe to say there are many unique items for mans best friend on the highstreet and online. Home ware seems to be inundated with pugs, dachshunds and other pooches. So if you don't like the idea or the responsibility of a real dog, why not indulge in some dog themed home ware instead. We know we will be sneaking in some dachshunds themed pieces in our homes (just don't tell the cats!) 

 Towels BHS £8 / Cushion Anthropologie £39.95 / Totally dotty print Duck and dog £49.95 /

Notebooks John Lewis £6 / Candle holder M&S £12 / Oven glove Debenhams £7 / 

Tea towels Debenhams £14 / Cushion Urban outfitters £50 

  Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

cosy up: winter essentials

We thought for our post this week (and because of the change in weather, its getting pretty chilly out there) that we would pick out some winter essentials. Things that we think will help us to embrace the looming dark nights ahead. So here are some ideas that might help.

Adorn the fireplace or side board with some nostalgic and seasonal candles. We love lighting candles, especially in Autumn and Winter. Our favourite scents are vanilla, cinnamon, cherry, well we like lots really. 

 Add lanterns or fairy lights to a room and make it feel atmospheric and warm. Oliver Bonas have some really pretty copper ones. 

Cuddle up with some big, fluffy cushions or throws (a hot water bottle is also a must!).

Pick out a favourite mug and enjoy a hot drink (we love hot chocolates).

Here are a few of our favourite items that we have found to help us prepare for the cold nights ahead.

Copper string lights Oliver Bonas £9.50 / Large Jar Candle Primark £3.00 / Chevron Throw Next £25 / Hedgehog Mug John Lewis £10 / Cushion Not on the high street £65 / Lantern Wilkos £12

  Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

a b c it's as easy as, 1 2 3

A Etsy £33 / B Asda £2.50 / C Not on the high street £22

It seems like everywhere we look there are letters and numbers dominating the shops. 
The most iconic and well know copper Oliver Bonas letters spring to mind? Don't we all have one? Or at least want one. But it seems this trend features heavily throughout home ware items. Maybe its a way of personalising your home? Using your initials as an example in your home creates a special and intimate detail. Your home is a way of show casing yourself and your family and letters and numbers are an easy way to add that detail. Or perhaps it is the familiarity of words and letters which is comforting. 

                               

Oliver Bonas £10

Letters and numbers are also interesting in shape and form and can be introduced 
with other items to create a bold statement. It's not just letters individually. 
Typographic prints can create a strong and adventurous element to your home. 
Abstract and graphic interpretations of letters and text often take on a new form.  Letters which are created into geometric shapes can make exciting pieces of design for your walls.
Take a look at some of our favourite pieces we think would be a great addition
 to any home. 

Yellow poster The modern life £19 / Candle Asda £2 / & Wilkos £5
Love print Etsy from £7.28 / Panda The modern life £20 / Cushion Next £10 
Thanks postcard Paper chase £0.70

  Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

bear love

Bears are one of our favourite animals and they seem to have a huge influence in homeware recently. There are so many lovely illustrations and artworks of bears. We wanted to share some of our favourites that we have seen popping up on the high street and online.  

Illustration styles range from bold and graphic, to cute and stylised characters that seem to have charming personalities. The combination of playful and witty phrases and typography really makes us fall in love with these "unbearable" pieces. 

There's a diverse range of styles and designs and it doesn't have to be something that is incorporated into children's decor. It can be added in a mature and sophisticated manner too, adding a quirky and fun touch to a room. 

Of course, bears are not the only animals influencing home accessories. Why not check out our post about cat inspired homeware. 

We hope you like the items we have selected. 

 Bear cushion George £7 / Bear cushion Next £16 / Candle M&S £15 / Print Not on the high street £19 / Ceramic bear Wilkos £4 / Bear plate Paperchase £8.50 / Bear mugs set of 4 George £4

  Sarah and Holly

                                 

pets at home

It is estimated in the UK that 8.5 million households have a pet cat (or so Google tells us). As cat owners and cat lovers ourselves we are drawn to all things feline. It seems only fair to adorn the house with tributes to our furry friends. Our pets are an important factor of our home and our home life. They are a part of the family after all. So a few pieces in the house shows appreciation and praise for our beloved companions. 

Lets be honest though, our cats do not really care if we embellish the house in their honour. The truth is they will probably end up scratching or coating any new items in a thick layer of cat hair. However, it seems we are not able to resist these kitty themed pieces.

We are the first to admit though that this might not be to everyones taste but to the 8.5 million of you out there, we think the important factor here is to use humour, joy and fun in your home. 

But on a more serious note, try using some simple, modern and graphic designs and pieces to keep this tasteful and stylish. 

Here are a few of our purrfect picks we found! (Yes we did just say that!) 

Cat lady print Not on the high street £12.50 / Cat cushion Howkapow £34 / 

Black and white double sided cushion Primark £5 / 
Cat mug Not on the high street £10 / Cat bookend H&M £7.99 / 
Cat print Etsy $5.84 / Cat tea towel Hard to find $25

  Sarah and Holly

                                 

fall into autumn

As the nights start to draw in and the summer season comes to an end, its time to start

thinking ahead to those cosy nights in. A new season is the perfect time to introduce some new elements and items into your home.

Autumn is literally everywhere we look now. Fall inspired this... and autumn/winter that... and we have to admit this does makes us very happy! Autumn is our favourite season. Creating warmth and introducing textures from the outside into the home. Making the house feel loved, inviting and warm as you walk through the door. The addition of a few new pieces celebrates the changing weather and prepares you for those cold winter months ahead. 

But do not fear as Autumn doesn't have to be all about those stereotypical oranges and reds. We are not denying this is wrong if it compliments and works with your current decor. However, we believe it is important to make sure your home will still work the rest of the year by using transitional items that are coherent with your current theme or style. 

Adding some new patterns and textures will add some warmth and spirit and a few new soft cushions thrown on the sofa with a new snuggly throw makes the sofa an autumn haven. Woody browns and some earthy tones allow you to embrace the time of year to the full. We can't deny we will miss the long, light, warm summer nights! But this time of year should be embraced with just a few small changes around the home it might not feel so daunting! 

Lantern Matalan £15 / Wallpaper Wilkos £8 a roll / Cushion John Lewis £25 / 
Stag Asda £8 / Owl candle The Range £2.99/ Throws Debenhams £50 / 
Light shade Asda £8

  Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

it all starts with a hello

 Welcome to our blog home on the humber. We are two sisters (who happen to be twins) who enjoy all things home. As proud new (ish) home owners living in Yorkshire, we spend most of our free time in homeware shops and online, pinning images on Pinterest and sending links to each other of items we have discovered and love. We want to share our ideas, taste and the trends we are enjoying with you. We both have degrees in creative subjects so we hope we can use this knowledge and our artistic skills to write interesting and fun posts. 

Now we have hit our mid twenties we have discovered a huge love and interest for our homes. Decorating our homes gives us a sense of pride and satisfaction. Nothing makes us happier than coming home after a long day at work to our little havens. After all there is no place like home.

We thought we would create this blog as a way of sharing our ideas and as a creative space to exhibit our ideas. So as we delve into the blogging world our aim for future posts will include trend posts, mood boards, top picks of the week, our favourite home hauls from YouTube, favourite shops, DIY’s, our own hauls, room transformations in our own homes, seasonal fun along with a wide array of other posts. 

You can also follow us on Instagram for more daily updates and photos. There is a link to our Instagram in the about me section. Just click on the Instagram icon to go directly to our profile. 

So as an introduction to the blog we thought it was only fitting to include some hello inspired homeware items for our first post. We hope you will follow us on our new blogging journey and enjoy the posts and ideas we intend to share.

So a big hello from home on the humber! 

Sunshine cushion Spoilt rotten gifts £19.20 / Metal hello sign Primark £3.00 / 
Plate Not on the high street £32 / Orange hello cushion Primark £5.00 / 
Door mat BHS £10 / Hello postcard The modern life £1.50

  Sarah and Holly