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Life is just Pattern and Pastels

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:33:00 +0000

Interior design and the world of fashion are both closely intertwined, and one can draw upon the other for some serious inspiration. Like with fashion, it’s best to reach into the past for inspiration from styles that are classic and sincere. For both interiors and fashion, these touchstones can provide stability, or a familiar reference, when pulled into modern design. Like the onset of spring, combining the comfort of the past with the excitement of the new can bring hope and a renewal of the spirit.
A favourite way to bring this look together is to use soft pastel neutrals for the background, add a punch of colour in the accessories and mix in some muted metallic accents. A new room is like a new outfit; remember to pick timeless classics for your space, and dress it up with trendy accessories. And remember, if you are ever lacking ideas for design, just consult the catwalks for inspiration.

Design and Dec design ideas.

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:31:00 +0000

A new interpretation of the enduring appeal of colour and bold stripes in the home, in this month’s newsletter offers a refreshingly fashionable take on the numerous ways in which you can bring pastel pattern into your living space... view search

Le Mas de So, Provence

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:26:00 +0000

In a very special place, located between Uzès and Avignon and in the heart of the Côtes du Rhône nestled within the vineyards, Stéphane and Sonia immediately fell in love with an 18th century stone house perched on a hilltop. An abandoned property for sale this small country house, or ‘mas’ a typical house in Provence, was quickly transformed into a 700 m2 habitable and restored luxury villa available to rent. The elegance and class of a modernised interior awaits discovery within an ancient stone structure basking in the sun. Stéphane and Sonia think, calculate and draw inspiration from Tadao Ando for minimalism, Robert Mallet-Stevens for its spatial qualities, Le Corbusier for space and light. Moving you from the exterior architecture of stone, concrete and wood to an interior which oscillates between pure white, dark grey and brick; to rooms of raspberries, purple, blue, lemon and green anise. This unique locale, a place of liveliness, charm, character and feeling is enjoyed by all... view feature

Step into Paris

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:22:00 +0000

It's like stepping into another world when you enter into Maria Toft's apartment. At one moment you are filled with images of the historical smells and colours of Paris in the 30s only to realize that you are actually stood in an apartment in Frederiksberg, Denmark. The truth is the apartment with its unique and captivating décor could exist at any time. Maria originally trained as a hairdresser and now runs her own company, Toft & Thürmer, creating and selling jewellery in a vintage style. Maria's love of France is apparent throughout the apartment. Some of the furniture pieces are painted with Maria's creative flair for colour and composition and there are countless things that delight the eye from, mirrors, candlesticks and tableware to heirlooms, gifts and flea market finds... view feature

Drawing Rooms

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:20:00 +0000

It took artist Sue Williams A’Court and her graphic designer husband ten years to remodel their Edwardian house in North London. But now, with its two attic studios, it is both the perfect workplace and a stylish family home. Williams A’Court has effortlessly blended modern and classic styles to create a calm and elegant home... view feature

Rainbow House

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:18:00 +0000

A period property in South London was given an internal make-over to provide an easy to run modern home for a family with three young children. The house retains many original features but by using a range of colours and vibrant patterns it has been given a fresh and contemporary appearance. There are bright, low maintenance child friendly areas and grown up spaces which follow a more subdued and restful palette; the spacious main bedroom has the bed located in the middle of the room with a custom made storage bed head. There may not be a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow but there is a charming family home... view feature

A Light Touch

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:14:00 +0000

A spirit of irreverence reigns in the airy London home of Britcom luminaries Victoria Pile and Rob Harley. They wanted this house because of its large basement dining area, which offered plenty of scope for work and entertaining, and it is around the long dining table that they have brainstorming sessions with friends and colleagues from their production company. Another draw of the house was its elegant proportions and high ceilings, which gave Victoria ample space in which to display her collection of colourful and dramatic lights... view feature

The Blue Room

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:13:00 +0000

The owner of this classically decorated apartment in Oslo, lives for, with and off the arts. Her home has become the essence of style, with the knowledge, experience and fine art she has collected over the years. Besides being a representative for one of the UK's major auction houses in Norway, she has designed everything from cruise ships to hotels chalets and Royal rooms.It's an adventure to go exploring in this art experts’ home. From the elegant hall, open living room with light from two sides and a ringside seat to the Oslo Fjord and the Kiel ferry's approach. But if one takes the opposite way you are in the blue room, suddenly, with little over five meters to the ceiling! The 70 m² room appears as a gallery for fine antiques and art, as well as library and music room, but also as a perfect gathering place for friends and a large family.The mix of old and new, Norwegian, Swedish, French and Asian culture all testify to the owners' interests and travels... view feature

Off the wall

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:11:00 +0000

The Dodd family home is a place of dramatic contrasts. During the day, sun shines through the large front windows of the sitting room and glints on the subtle golden background of the wisteria-printed wallpaper and the raised tufts of the pale silk carpet. At the back of the room, a long dark-wood dining table surrounded by comfortable armchairs hints at sophisticated dinner parties. On the first floor, the silver-grey bedroom, with velvet-upholstered chaise and generous curtains, has a restful elegance. The en suite bathroom, with its double walk-in shower, roll-top bath and mirrored dressing table, hints at a life of pampered indulgence. Giant penguins, burlesque motifs, a woodland glade… Sarah and Andrew let their imaginations run free when it came to doing up their idiosyncratic family home... view feature

Cool Britannia

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:11:00 +0000

Cool Britannia is a media term that was used during the late 20th century to describe the contemporary culture of the United Kingdom. There is something of a parallel between this and the catch-phrase "Swinging London" of which the concept of "Cool Britannia" is a pastiche. In 2011, we had the Royal wedding, the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain and of course the publicity surrounding the build-up to the Olympic Games and 2012 is the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year.

So as you are not going to get away from the Union Jack this year, how about including it within one of your up and coming articles..? Our newsletter pays homage to Cool Britannia.

Single Images

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:09:00 +0000

Well, we cant talk about 2012 without talking about the UK Olympic Games; they have released the colours so let’s see how they creep into interior design next year, to get you off to a good start here is a search of them all... view search

Bright New World

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:58:00 +0000

Leaving a fashion job in London for rural Cheshire gave Jan Constantine not just a colourful new home, but a fresh career, too. While visiting her sister on her farm near Crewe, Constantine and her husband, David Ralphs, saw a house and outbuildings for sale in a neighbouring village. They bought the property and went back to London to sell up and move. Constantine, who worked in the fashion industry at the time, commuted for a while until they had converted the buildings next to their new home, turning them into holiday cottages. The main house was once the doctor’s; he held surgery in what is today the dining room, with a damask-covered table and sparkling chandelier. Where the village bakery once dispensed warm loaves and spicy buns, there is now an office, and one of the store buildings was turned into the HQ of Constantine’s furnishings company... View feature

Nesting Instinct

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:53:00 +0000

"We didn't do much to the place for the first year because, with the business to run and a new baby to care for, I was just too exhausted to think." says Emily Evans, the founder of hip maternity-wear boutique 9London. Three years on, however, her home is just how she wants it. A fire crackles in the open hearth and a compelling mix of antique hand-me-downs and classic 20th-century pieces vie for attention, while extraordinary one-offs, such as a diamante-encrusted deer skull, add a quirky edge... View feature

Rule Britannia!

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:51:00 +0000

This light filled family home combines hot pink wallswith clean white interiors; each room draws you into its cosy and welcomingsurroundings. It’s evident that it’s important for this family to be surroundedby furnishings and decorations that evoke a sense of hearth and home. Shakerstyle furniture in the kitchen dining room house collections of pretty ceramicsand china; embroidered cushions and handmade fabrics add their finishingtouches in each room and fairy lights adorn chandeliers and wall hangings. Amain theme throughout is the union jack: a re-worked flag in the living room; amotif on the crockery; the bathroom rug and even a sequined fashionaccessory…in this house it’s Rule Britannia! View feature

On Her Patch

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:46:00 +0000

Lisa Whatmough’s furniture business is the toast of the East End, thanks to hard work and a full-on social life. Our correspondent pops in for a cup of tea. We’re a bit like the Primrose Hill set, only without the shagging,” jokes Lisa Whatmough founder of the furniture re-upholstery business Squint, of her fashion-crowd friends. She is one of the leading lights of the East End design scene, so it’s no surprise that she moves in fashionable circles – her close friends include the jewellery designer Lara Bohinc and Dan Crouch, co-owner of cool Camden pub the Lock Tavern. “In the 1990s, we were always going to each other’s club nights, but priorities change as you get older,” she says. “Now it’s more about sitting at home and drinking tea together.” View feature

Illusions of Grandeur

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:40:00 +0000

From the opulent palette to elaborate fittings, such splendour might make one wonder among which rolling acres of countryside this stately home sits. The answer is none. The tiny one-bed flat is the back of a former laundry in Clapham. The flat is the work and home of Tim Gosling, who trained as a theatre designer and, for almost 20 years, worked with the Queen’s nephew viscount Linley before 4 years ago starting his own company... view feature

Basement Living

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:40:00 +0000

A young couple moved from a small house on the outskirts of London to a basement flat in the heart of the city. They opened up a series of small rooms to create a large living dining area and used a mirror, panels of decorative wallpaper and interesting light fittings to bring a feeling of brightness and interest to the subterranean flat. They also created a courtyard garden space with box seats and a mirrored wall which makes the space seem larger. They now enjoy all the city has to offer in the way of clubs and nightlife without having to worry about the last train home, and their dogs have the run of Hyde Park instead of a small suburban garden... View feature

What’s new in mainstreamimages?

noreply@blogger.com (mainstreamimages) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:04:00 +0000

We would like to introduce and welcome Christine Besson to mainstreamimages, she is a French photographer living in France and specialising in interiors. Christine has given us quite a large submission, which is now up on our site and we are starting to get to work keywording it.

Below is a sample of the many new features that we are adding all of the time to our database. I know that job drawers can become a bit empty at this time of year, so please contact Barbara features@mainstreamimages.co.uk for all of your feature needs or please use our site for all your single image requests.

At a collector's house