Happy New Year to you all. December and January have been very busy months. I just adore Christmas, in fact I start thinking about it in September, sad I know but I think I have such fond memories of Christmas as a child that it’s carried on in adult life. I’m not interested in the presents, well that a lie. It’s more about decorating the home, seeing friends and of course cooking, which I love when I have the time.
This year was a bit different mind you. I bumped into Deborah Barker the editor of Homes & Gardens magazine, at the Marks & Spencer Home Spring press show, which by the way was as always, impressive. Take a look www.marksandspencer.com to view their Spring homeware E-catalogue to find out what’s new this season. My must haves are the washable silk bed linen from Autograph which is simply stunning. I’m a believer in everyday luxuries and it feels so wonderful next to your skin. Although my partner who has very thick stubble is NOT allowed to use the pillow as he’ll shred it in a night!
I digress - sorry - I do that.
Anyway, Deborah, asked if I was interested in having my home featured in the April issue. Being Mid October it all sounded fine and then it dawned on me as to what I had agreed to! I the started to calculate that the April issue comes out in March and magazine land works at least four months in advance and this would mean the photography would take place in mid December.
I must admit to you that I’m an avid reader of H&G and considered this a huge honour, and something of dream come true to be included in such a prestigious magazine. Within moments of agreeing to this I was an Interior designer possessed. I was in a complete spin. The world and his wife are going to see my home, warts and all. As I announced to my patient partner Paul “It’s just not good enough” there were areas in every room in my opinion that needed attention. My friends who also work in this industry thought I had a screw loose. But I was completely driven to making our home sing. It sort of gave me the impetus to finally finish my master plan.
I had just one problem; I only had six weeks before the house was going to be photographed. Plus, I also had four Chapters of my book Children’s Rooms to finish and write 30,000 words. If you say it quickly then it sounds feasible.
From then on, I was juggling like a loony. I was in the process of borrowing a multitude of products from all over the UK for my book and found myself completely house bound because I daren’t miss a delivery. Then of course I had the joy of waiting for various couriers to pick up items, some never did and I still had a home full of the most fabulous toys well into January.
In my spare time I concentrated on finalising all the finishing touches to my home. Dining chairs and a new armchair for the living room. Getting the fabric from Italy and Thailand in time was interesting. The Sofa and Chair Company who made the frames and upholstered the pieces www.thesofaandchair.co.uk were fantastic and I can’t thank them enough. I didn’t make it easy for them with each dining chair having two different fabrics on it and in total five fabric suppliers were needed just to make the process more interesting.
For the armchair I decided on the Dryden velvet from www.osborneandlittle.com only to be told that the fabric was out of stock. I was at this point slightly demented. They did in the end find the fabric quantity I needed and again I’m eternally grateful.
I have lusted after a Dakota table from Julian Chichester for years. I’ve bought them many times for clients. Finally after two years of subconsciously saying the word table intermittently slotted into conversations to my partner Paul, he relented. I think out of desperation so the so called word would never pass my lips again. I got my Dakota table and I’m so delighted, in fact I love it.
The hall and alcoves all over the house were wallpapered. I did get a bit of help with this but for the bathroom I did all the wallpapering. I used a Neisha Crosland (www.neishacrosland.com) Cactus Paisley in meadow green wallpaper which is another favourite of mine.
The hall which I’m really happy with is from Colefax and Fowler www.colefax.com called St Barths in Emeraude.
A chandelier was re wired and hung in the hall and bespoke shades from www.ashadeabove.co.uk were made specially with shinny silver insides and lined with aubergine silk. It looks amazing.
The photographic shoot for H&G went well and the April issue comes out in March, visit www.homesandgardens.com
My mantra I use in extreme occasions like these is “ as long as no one dies, it’s fine” was used to help me lunge toward the Saturday where I could at last, decorate my home for CHRISTMAS and then start to prepare including catering for our party for 40 friends including little people for the following day. Yes I’m completely mad but in my defence we had arranged the party months in advance before all the other commitments came along. I think it was adrenaline that kept me going because when we sat down when everyone had left, we did nothing else for the next fortnight.
January has come and nearly gone and it’s not let up. I’ve almost finished my Children’s rooms book and I’m starting to get all creative for a large scale architectural artwork for a Super sail boat being built out in New Zealand. Take a look at my website in the news section www.andreamaflin.co.uk to have a look at the boat and my art works.
I can proudly announce that John Lewis have asked me to give demonstration talks in four of their stores up and down the country which I’m very excited about and so if you fancy meeting me, pop along, it would be really good to meet you. Visit my website on the new section to find out when and where and hope to see you there.
Andrea X
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