URBAN HAVEN

THE LAMP OF DREAMS (ft. the TK Maxx label) - LOOK AT THAT STRIPY WIRE

Hey! I hope you've all been good - I'm sorry it's been so long. I'm so happy to say that I've finally finished my AS exams! I also feel like I've grown so much since I last posted, and finally feel ready to put myself out there. My family is wonderful in making sure that you're happy with who you are before you open up to others! I'd love to know what you've been busy with!

Where I spend most of my time

My family is a lil bit addicted to interior design, and our home is super important to us. It's not huge and is just another on a clustered street, but I feel like we've made it our own. We're fortunate to have a really happy and tranquil space to grow and eat and work together. I thought it would be cool to share a little piece of it here!

I hope it's not blindingly obvious that we're megafans of rose gold and plants (it totally is but let's roll with it) and our main inspirations were sourced from Living Etc magazine and the aaaaamazing home of Emily Katz.  We're also of course devoted to Urban Outfitters, IKEA and TK Maxx.

 

My BEAUT sister Libby modelling the couch

I think one of my favourite finds was this rad cinema box light (below), which arrives with plastic letters to change the sign as often as you like. Hopefully the novelty won't die out, because we're having too much fun spelling out our favourite movies (/ what's for dinner!)

Feeling super lucky to be able to enjoy this space now I'm exam-free. Let me know what you think! Wishing you all lotsa happy and sunny days to come. Lots of love,

Elle

I'd be so flattered if you wanted to use any of these images, but please drop me a message and give credit if you can. Thank you x

CITY BREAK

I've been a lover of cities for as long as I can remember. I am mega grateful to live so close to London - there are so many other super cool cities, but this one will always be special for me. This time, I stayed in Soho and was determined not to waste a minute. (+ London Fashion Week atmosphere was electric!)

Covent Garden is an absolute classic. The square is so beautiful, but I also love roads behind the Tube Station - Cucumber Alley is so cool!

Everyone's favourite just so happens to also be my favourite. The Breakfast Club is a place of wonder. The pancakes are insane, the walls are plastered in polaroids and the juice is how juice should be. 

I managed to get to the gorgeous V&A Wedding Dress exhibition - oh my god, Kate Moss' dress was honestly breathtaking! If you're nearby, I would 100% advise that you pop in! 

City breaks and shopping is an inevitable combination. I actually prefer browsing in more unique stores (confession: usually stationery) because there is such diversity in London - vintage and one-off buys are so fulfilling! I find that they also personalise your trip: I look forward to visiting the stores that can be found nowhere else in the world. (Not that I'd turn down a visit to Topshop Oxford Circus...)

One of my favourite shops of all time is ARTBOX; oh, what I'd do to visit Japan! Hello Kitty has been a love of mine since I was tiny. Everything they sell is beautifully made in the loveliest designs. Plus, the not-quite-perfect translations into English are so great! I picked up this gorgey soft-cover lilac sketchbook with 'LOVE', and a white version with 'The pen is mightier than the sword' (I think they were £1.60 each - it just gets better!)

I hope you're well. Thanks for stopping by! Lots of love,

Elle

VALENTINE'S DAY

Hey! Hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day with your loved ones (my loved ones being an old city, family, flowers and pizza!)We decided to take a trip to Arundel, a little town nestled in the Downs. It rained lightly but ceaselessly, so a picnic on the riverbank was replaced with Krispy Kreme in the car. The town was still super beautiful in the rain - I managed to snap some shots with the help of an umbrella and beanie!

One of my favourite stores is Sparks Yard, which was a saviour when the sky turned a little too dark. It's gorgeous, with loads of organic textures and raw designs (and, of course, American cereal. Plus, any store that plays The 1975 acoustic has my heart.) I was so in awe that I couldn't decide what to buy - I opted for this little Moleskine wonder. I'm a sucker for stationery.

Hope your day was just as lovely! Lots of love,

Elle

DISPOSABLE

Hey! Hope you're all well. This post strays a little from what I had planned, but I really wanted to share these.

Before recently, the idea of using a disposable camera didn't really cross my mind. They reminded me of 90s holidays (the flash that masked faces and turned Greek sands into gaudy yellow), and collecting the prints from the store. They were always inky and mostly unusable, but they're the kind of thing that will never age. I love film cameras in general, and me and my Polaroid are inseparable. But it's the idea of being disposable that I find the coolest.

I picked one up and couldn't put it down. My project theme was Edges, so it involved a lot of interior design photography. They're awful, but that's what makes them so great. A cheap flash can be a wonderful thing. It'll never lose its magic for me!

Let me know what you think! Thank you again. Lots of love,

Elle

"comparison is the thief of happiness"

JANUARY FAVOURITES

I felt like January favourites was a pretty safe choice for my first blog post, so here we are! This feels a little weird. Good, but weird.

I've been super busy this month, which means that I love little things to keep me happy and motivated. During my breaks, I read a lot and check out tumblr when I can - I think it's safe to escape from your little world for a while.

1. Weird obsession numero uno: I'm a sucker for silicone phone cases. I picked up this little beauty from Primark for £1. Yes, it's navy and yes, it's got kitty ears. It is so soft to hold, which I find strangely relaxing (plus bouncy when dropped - life saver.)

2. Struggling to put Girl Boss into words. I'm a fully-fledged Nasty Gal lover, and Sophia Amoruso is now the reason I get up in the morning and work. Aaaaamazing.

3.  This Topshop phone purse was one of those buys which you initially regret. I walked out of the store feeling like I'd just bought another purse, but now I can't live without it. It's roomy enough to hold my iPhone, lip balm, coins, notes, cards and memory stick. I haven't got round to using the hand strap yet, but it's got festival written all over it. Plus, it changes colour in different lights and is the most gorgeous amethyst iridescence.

4. It took me a while to get hold of an EOS, but I think it was worth the wait - even if only for how beautiful they are. I managed to pick these up in Topshop Oxford Circus, in Vanilla Mint and Summer Fruits. They're on the wonderful side of lip-tingle (?) and taste so so refreshing.

If you read this, thank you. I owe you one! Let me know what you're loving right now - I'm gonna need some February favourites! Lots of love,

Elle

bed sheets - ikea / feathered bird - handmade / bobbled pot - ikea / rainbow bulldog clips - tiger / floral jotter - tk maxx