McLovin

Why don't you,

www.facebook.com/designformfunction

Who am I?

Here I am...

After sharing a room with my sister for many years, the excitement of moving into my own space was almost too much to handle. I remember lying on my bed with my hair hanging over the edge staring endlessly out of the ceiling to floor window. I vividly remember waking up in the middle of the night to rearrange my room. These days nothing has changed, except I now re-design my friends' rooms too.

After aspiring all throughout high school to be a physiotherapist, a last minute decision by my sister landed me in a design degree. (Thank you!) Four years later and now a qualified designer I am still staring out of the same window and still constantly re-designing my room. During my 4 year university degree I directed most of my attention towards textile and graphic design, finding great meaning from both. 
I am currently studying Interior Design while practising design across the board and loving every moment of what I do. 

The passion for my interior design work lies in taking a house and turning it into a home and establishing a space people can call their own. Consulting on projects whether it be a medical suite or the privacy of a couples bedroom brings equal reward.

You have to be comfortable enough in your space to make a mess!

My graphic design skills have progressed over the years with my strength in print design. Creating wedding invitations is a rewarding team effort. Together with the bride and groom I enjoy working to capture both their personalities and bringing together their style and the start of their new lives. 

Establishing a new business is no easy task but finding the perfect logo, slogan and all round business identity should be. I thrive on the task of creating logos, business cards and website layouts for clients ranging from edibles to IT professionals. 

In my down time you can find me with my loved ones or near the water.

When working on projects my clients notice I 'rarely talk without a smile on my face'. I enjoy what I do, and I hope you enjoy it too.

Feel free to contact me for a chat via the Facebook page
www.facebook.com/designformfunction

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Elle x

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Elle x

Weekend Mood Board

A little cozy, relaxed & fun filled!

Happy 60th birthday to the best dad in the world! x

Happy Saturday!

Bathroom + Chandelier

I have long admired chandeliers, but always from a far. Sadly, there is no room for one in my bedroom, nor the hallway, entrance or kitchen (yes, I've considered it). So how about in the bathroom?

Let's take a step back for a moment. I had a look in the internet to see what the definition of a chandelier is; "A chandelier is a branched, decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture.Chandeliers are often ornate, using dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light.

I truly believe, any bathroom can manage to incorporate a chandelier.

What do you think? Would you ever put a chandelier in your bathroom or is the idea more dreamy than reality (like the object) ?

I always like to inject an ounce of whimsy and unexpectedness into decor and styling. My passion for re-purposing vintage items stems from this obsession. An even easier way to add whimsy is to mix-and-match the purpose of furnishings designed for other rooms. For example, put a vintage baker’s cabinet as the armoire in your bedroom, and two side coffee tables in the guest bathroom to hold towels and toiletries.

An easy way to inject some whimsy into your bathroom is by using non-traditional powder room furnishings. For example, a vintage fireplace mantle is perfect for framing your bathtub and creating an instant shelf (genius!). I also ADORE having chandeliers in the bathroom…it makes soaking in a clawfoot tub all the more grand. I can’t wait to find they perfect home so I can move in and install a clawfoot tub and a chandelier in the bathroom. *Sigh*

Captured by Danish photographer Morten Holtum. I love the freestanding tub, the irregular stone floor, and the moody clay walls, but what I find most seductive is the chandelier.

"Oversized, but airy. Detailed, but not ostentatious. It exudes a quiet glamour that makes itself known without undermining the other elements of the room. And it doesn't require an electrician to install. All that's missing is a rustic stool for my towel, a kilim for my feet, and a view of the olive groves. When I find it — or an acceptable alternative — you can bet it will have a place in my dream bathroom. (Though perhaps with a bit more headroom!)" (via apartment therapy)

Below are images I selected to demonstrate that there is a chandelier to suit any bathroom space & theme?

Monday Inspiration: Abigail Ahern

Good morning Monday!
I thought it would be nice to kick off the working week with a little design inspiration, with the intention that it will allow you to enjoy your day just a little bit more.

Please allow me to introduce to you Abigail Ahern, interior design extraordinaire.

Below are two articles that were written about the designer a few years apart. They display her home as she once designed it and the more recent version with grey walls in almost every room!
(You know that makes me excited!)

Enjoy the read, or the view, or both if you are super keen and please don't hesitate to leave your comments at the bottom of the article or head over to the Facebook page where we have had a little make over! 
There is even a competition about to start!

This is the London home of interior stylist Abigail Ahern. I love the interior which is a blend of modern design and antiques, crafts, flea discovery and design classics.

The house is located in trendy East London. Not so long ago this was a poor, impoverished area. But in a short period of time, East London transformed into a trendy, hip neighborhood. It really has become the place to stay, and there have appeared many good restaurants and cool shops in the area.

One of these shops is Abegail’s own shop Atelier Abigail Ahern, where she sells everything from fun interior accessories to antique furniture.

(images by Hotze Eisma/via Interiormagasinet)

Today I’m loving … Abigail Ahern’s bathroom with the huge Neo Baroque Chandelier.

http://style-files.com/2012/02/10/abigail-aherns-home/

Article Two: New apartment

i still can’t get over how natural abigail ahern looks in her ahhhh-mazing home. doesn’t she just look like she belongs in the photo above? this british stylist and interior designer (and soon to be author) seriously knows what she’s doing and how to bring her own personal style to her projects. i’m loving her ability to mix eclectic elements while having fun, but not going overboard – very modern, but still so liveable. if what you see here isn’t enough to fill your fancy, click here for more, full-sized images, and of course there’s more great style at atelier abigail ahren. [thanks so much for sharing this incredible home of yours, abigail!] p.s. clickhere for all the beautiful sneak peeks. -anne

[Me walking thru my space with a fire burning. All fireplaces in the house work and in the winter there is always a fire on. . . The house was built in 1860, built over four floors and in a pretty derelict state when I bought it. I had just relocated from the States where I had worked as an interior designer for a young architectural practice in Birmingham, Michigan for 3 years, and they pretty much inspired the structure of how the house looked. They built some pretty amazing spaces (glass houses) over looking the great lakes - and I very much wanted to replicate the indoor/outdoor feel. So we took the exterior wall out and put in glass over 2 floors, hence a very modern/traditional vibe which very much reflects the furniture and accessories.]

Labeled dining room but really isn’t its another space to sit and work as we generally eat downstairs on the lower ground floor. The ostrich table I love it makes me smile and we sell in the store, the table I sprayed glossy black and the chairs again from antique shops/flea markets.

Basement living room

Front living room – my painting (isn’t a painting at all it’s an old sign which I flipped over and its back a beautiful textural rust looks like a painting. The concrete chair is one of the first things I ever brought for the house – we had no money, no furniture and I brought this chair from one of my favourite stores called Mint in London -its all we had to sit on for a year.

Book wall – one of our biggest sellers is the book case wallpaper and its here on this chair that I catch up on emails in the evening or flick through magazines. I can see the kitchen and the rest of the lower ground floor from this vantage point and often sit with a glass of wine in the evening while things cook away. The chair is covered in pink mohair from George Smith and again heaps of texture from the floor cushion to the cushions on the chair.

Bathroom – being a huge fan of candlelight – the chandelier gets lit a lot. In the winter I light the fire and have the longest bath.

I am pretty crazy on texture which adds interest- so the woolen throw comes from Nicole Farhi in London, all the other textiles from my store. Vintage finds include the lamp and the rusty old chair (which my husband died at when I brought home). I love it, it peels and sheds rust all the time!

Basement – this in my dog Molly snoozing on her favorite chair. The pink coffee table is something I was trying out from the store. Pieces continually evolve.

http://www.designsponge.com/2008/10/sneak-peek-abigail-ahern.html

Styling Tips

1. Be confident mixing up textures: Glossy, matt, mirror and timber add more interest and balance to your scheme.

2. Natural, organic finishes provide the bones for a classic interior, whilst the seasonal brights add a changeable layer. (Especially if you change your mind as often as I do!)

3. New neutrals- Turn everyday into out of the ordinary by using a strong new neutral wall colour. Warm greys are always interesting backdrop. (And by now you all know how much I love my greys!)

4. Don't be afraid of mixing iconic design pieces from different eras to express your unique sense of style. For example; wooden floors, Persian rugs and modern glass tables.

5. Investing in a beautiful piece of art can change the mood of a room and provide a great source of colour inspiration for the rest of your scheme. Art and cushions is where I generally employ colour, it's bold, changeable and refreshing.

x E