Just sourcing “period” lights for a client and came across exactly what we were looking for – in fact, spoilt for choice! – Look at how lovely these are, and at totally competitive prices. Compare these with the all-too-often bland and badly finished “Made in China” reproductions about today, and there’s just no hesitation about which ones I’d prefer! What about you?
English Holophane Lamp c. 1910, £79
English Giltwood c. 1910, £395 for Set of 3
What a lovely, lovely surprise….Valentines Day and a mystery parcel arrives…intrigued…open it up…chocolates….champagne…gorgeous roses…has He gone soft after all these years?
…No of course not – they’re from my wonderful curtain-makers… in my experienced opinion, the Very Best in Scotland, probably the UK! And whose beautifully made curtains and blinds, valances, tablecloths and cushions I have been very proud to instal for – oooh, must be over fifteen years, now. Thank you to you all, Sue, Sandy, Ani, Liz, Barbara, Scot, Derek and team – you work so hard and with such care – here’s to many more Valentines Days celebrating our wonderful relationship!
If you can’t find what you like, we can create something you’ll love! This client is a member of The Woodland Trust…and ADORES trees, so it seemed only right that this should be celebrated in his curtains! The base cloth is a plain, inexpensive linen, then clever Sarah appliqued beautiful (native, of course) leaves down the leading edges. Of course, if your penchant is for the inner workings of car engines, this may be a bit more challenging…
“We engaged Jane Blanchard Design to support us from the earliest design stages of our new build, contemporary home. Jane proposed designs for the bathrooms and the lighting throughout the house and advised on flooring, wall coverings, room layouts, paint colours and curtains. Jane tuned in very quickly to our wavelength and came up with some superb ideas that we would never have thought of by ourselves. The result is a fabulous home that we are absolutely delighted with.”
Paul and Margaret Moorhead, nr. Oban
“Jane Blanchard solved all my design problems brilliantly, with maximum efficiency and minimum fuss; I would recommend her to anyone.”
Mr. Harry Bicket, Achahoish
“I was delighted with the work that you did at the castle, the combination of colours and your choice of fabric and carpeting transformed the room into a cheerful, comfortable and practical space for the guests to spend time – but it was done very sympathetically and very much in keeping with the 1890’s Victorian restoration. Thank you so much.”
Mr. David Whitehead, Barcaldine Castle
“From a very early stage after our first meeting with Jane Blanchard, we realised we had stumbled upon someone we would enjoy working with and who would get us the results we wanted for our new home. We are pleased to say we also gained a friend.”
Ken and Tania Williams, Kilmelfort
“I have used the services of Jane Blanchard Design for many years, both for the hotel and my home, and have never been disappointed. Jane provides a wonderful choice of fabrics, wallpaper and furniture, and she has a great eye for design and the detailed finishing touches which can make such a difference. I would not hesitate to recommend her to potential new customers.”
Mrs. Janetta MacCallum, Glengarry Castle
“We have used Jane’s interior design service twice now and she never tires in her enthusiasm and encouragement from initial consultation to completed project. Jane’s approach to her work is professional and skilled yet her likeable good nature makes her fun to work with. Jane’s follow up service is reassuring in that her determination to get things right means she won’t leave a job until the customer is 100% satisfied.”
Rory and Jennie Campbell-Gibson, Melfort Estates
“Jane goes out of her way to provide that little extra magic to furnishings. I had no idea what colours would suit our holiday house. When Jane arrived she looked out of the window and used the colours that she could see…blues and greens…the sea and the meadow. She translated these colours to create beautiful blinds, curtains and cushions. From start to finish Jane really looked after all our requirements…a fantastic job! Thanks, Jane.”
Jill and Duncan Lee, Arisaig
“Excellent service and consultation service with savings made as she can source materials (including flooring). Jane is excellent at designing beautiful rooms that fit in with your lifestyle. Our home is always admired by visitors - I wish I could take the credit for it!”
Mr. and Mrs. C. McKinna, Ayrshire
Well, this is very grown-up…just had my first brochure published! Ten full-colour pages detailing all the services on offer from JBD. If you’d like your very own copy – to keep! – just send a request through the Contact Me page….you won’t be disappointed!
I was in the middle of putting together some bedroom schemes today, when this trio of fabrics just popped out…sadly I can’t use them on this project, but it’s just too good a combination not to share….maybe there’s someone out there looking for a sumptuous bedthrow lined in paisley, and bordered in rich velvet?
It seems only fair to offer a 20% discount to any lucky person who can’t resist, as all the “hard” work’s been done!
Sometimes you just have to say Yah Boo! to austerity, and when it comes to dressing a gorgeous bay window in an imposing old country house, that is just such an occasion! But bear in mind that these curtains – hand sewn and lined and interlined – should be looking just as beautiful in twenty to thirty years time, and taking the plunge should not seem quite so daunting…although 104m. of fabric is probably not something you’d want to invest in TOO often! They will look FABULOUS and I’m looking forward to the installation at the end of March…watch this space!
What a joy, today unveiling some very beautiful carpets that I had recently had restored for a client as part of a major refurbishment project.
Restored Kirman Carpet
The restoration of this Carpet took
The work was undertaken with great care, knowledge and enthusiasm by Mr. David Bellak and his fine craftsmen at Oriental Carpets of Edinburgh.
Do take this as a recommendation and have a look at his website www.orientalcarpets.co.uk
This is why I love my job!
Here’s a great way to give a teenage bedroom a tip top makeover…collect together all the old pots of paint you can find – the brighter the better. Paint the walls white, draw round different sized plates, saucers, cups or bowls, then fill the circles in different colours…FABULOSO!
…then, if you’re feeling really creative, how about this tin-can collage frame. Aluminium drinks cans are really easy to cut with scissors or a sharp knife. (Take care, though, as they can also cut you really easily). Fold over the edges to make them smooth and flatten them with a rolling pin. Then cover a flat wooden frame with them, overlapping adjacent sections, and fixing with panel pins as you go. Recycling just got COOL!
Although I hung these a couple of months ago, I only remembered to take the camera yesterday, so here they are now! These lovely wool plaids, one from Moon, and the other from Colefax and Fowler, look so snug and comforting – especially yesterday when the wind was howling a gale and the rain was relentless…
When I arrived at my next job, it was to find they had no electricity – but no matter, we managed very well by candlelight and the sustenance of sausages cooked over a roaring fire! It will be interesting, on my next visit, to see what colours we chose…