Dear Lauren, 

Dear all my wedding anniversary present customers, 

I wanted to write to thank you for inviting me to be a tiny part of your anniversary celebrations. I don’t take it for granted that you, or your partner, or maybe your partner having been heavily nudged by you, have chosen to commemorate a landmark in your life’s adventure this way. 

Look, I appreciate my Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service is not cheap. In fact, at a time in your life where you may be making some serious investment into a home, starting or growing a young family, it’s a lot to spend on a piece of paper. But what I love about you is that you are committed to living a life full of beauty and joy and abundance, and documenting your life through the memories you collect. 

When your booking arrives in my inbox, I always eagerly dash to my laptop to open your photographs. And every time I’m smiling from ear to ear, because the brides who book me have the most creative and unique weddings, and of course are totally obsessed by their florals. I share the obsession. 

You spent months planning every detail and you questioned everything over and over. You ached that each of your guests would love what you created. Now that the wedding is done, you can’t just let it go. You want to remember those very best of times, because that exact same group of your favourite people will probably never be united together again. And the flowers, well, they are gone now. 

The marriage is good. There may have been wobbles after the wedding, that’s natural. But you’re both in it for the forever. So thank you for investing in an artwork that you can carry with you, like a modern heirloom. Thank you for choosing a wedding anniversary present that encompasses all that you are together, just the way you were together on that magical day. 

And Lauren, especially, thank you for sharing your photos with me so that I can share them with a whole bunch of people who I know will have their jaws on the floor at the floral feast you served up. Happy anniversary to you both. 

Suppliers Featured in this Gorgeous Wedding

You can find out more about Lauren’s florist business Concept Flowers here. 

Photos featured with permission by Keith Bridle Photography

Dorset Dub Hire
FLC Hair & MUA
Anna Bridal 
Fancie Buns 
Fundoo Weddings 
The GreyHound, Corfe 
Durlston Castle 
Chris Spice Films
Blue Bay Events 

love, charlotte

In Summer 2018, a bright and bubbly florist caught my eye who was on the cusp on launching her unique floristry boutique in Poundbury, Dorset. I was instantly impressed with the passion and precision with which Lauren Hooper set about opening the doors to her new floristry business, at a time when so many new florists are working in a studio set-up. The shop floor has provided a brilliant platform for Lauren to host workshops and events, it’s given her public visibility and she’s even hosted a Royal visit. I asked Lauren about the journey leading up to her living her floral dream. Has it all been roses and Royalty?

Describe The Happy Blossoms. What’s it all about?

The Happy Blossoms is a family business, co-owned by myself and my lovely Mum, Barbara. We stock only the very best flowers from around the world, mostly from Holland, the UK and Columbia. We specialise in beautifully rustic florals that are inspired by the countryside, always creating our designs with seasonality in mind. I really love to stock the shop with flowers that you would never have seen before, from proteas to pineapples, we have it all! We are a very environmentally-aware shop, all of our packaging is environmentally friendly and can either be recycled or composted.

When did you first decide you were going to launch your own independent and unique floristry business, and was the shop always part of that dream?

Yes, absolutely! Whilst training in floristry I was very fortunate to take part in The Princes Trust Enterprise Scheme and this really helped me to turn my dreams into a reality through lots and lots of planning; writing a business plan is an absolute must and helps to show you the big picture and whether it is a feasible plan.

What are your credentials? What’s your career path that brought you to the point where The Happy Blossoms idea was conceived?

I am a professionally qualified florist, trained at the very wonderful Kingston Maurward College in Dorchester which is just a stones throw from my shop in Poundbury. I worked in a few florist shops in Dorset before opening The Happy Blossoms which developed my knowledge, confidence and skills before taking the plunge!

I interpret your brand as creative, environmentally-aware, natural, nurturing, and a bit jolly. Am I on the right lines? Tell me about the brand identity process.  

You have summed up The Happy Blossoms perfectly! We are a very happy team that are exceptionally creative and passionate about what we do. Our Graphic Designer Wesley at the design agency openday (www.openday.studio) knows us very well and therefore encapsulated our personalities into The Happy Blossoms branding which is why I think it reflects us so perfectly.

I strongly believe in the #communityovercompetition philosophy of business. Why do you think it is such a talking point amongst female entrepreneurs?

I think that opening your own business can be very intimidating and everyone needs someone cheering you on. I love that Instagram in particular is full of wonderful people that are supporting you 100{fc4ffa2697ca570e43b5816fe716a05c0e7f059c4d464a857cd73bdc5a1ff7f7} even if you haven’t met them in person yet. There is nothing that I love more than attending a floristry event where you meet people who you follow on Instagram and share stories of how gorgeous their work is.

Read my blog post about #communityovercompetition here

What’s the big dream for The Happy Blossoms?

This is a very good question, we have big dreams for The Happy Blossoms! We have just started selling our bouquets nationwide online at thehappyblossoms.com and we have lots of wedding bookings for 2019. So, at the moment we have our hands firmly full. But we shall see what the future brings – one thing I am sure of, is that we will keep reaching for big things!

Read about my Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service here

Find The Happy Blossoms…

2 Lydgate St, Poundbury, Dorchester DT1 3SJ
01305 268878
hello@thehappyblossoms.com

WEBSITE 

INSTAGRAM 

FACEBOOK

PINTEREST

Trends in floral design are always evolving. What seems fresh and exciting one year, can seem old-fashioned the next. I only have to picture my own wedding bouquet (a tight, rigid posey of antique roses) next to today’s wildly abundant asymmetric styles, to see how quickly “classic and timeless” is reinvented, season after season. In Summer 2018, I enjoyed a lively lunch with Sally Murray of Halo Blossom Floral Design. Sally described how she’s seen so much change in the world of wedding flowers in the last decade, but if she were to list the questions she is asked the most, her 2019 couples have identical concerns to those of 2009. We discussed the tricky business of what to do with the bouquet following the wedding and how her brides are always looking for fresh ideas. Naturally, I signposted my Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service as a chic and modern way to answer that familiar enquiry “How Do I Preserve my Bouquet?”

Sally Murray of Halo Blossom Floral Design

Here though, are the three other questions Sally is always asked by happy couples in preparation for their Big Day:

1. “I really don’t know much about flowers. Does that matter?”

“Clients say, “I really don’t know exactly what I want, I just like these pictures”.

To me, that’s perfect.” – Sally Murray, Halo Blossom

“Absolutely not, that’s my job. Just be sure about what catches your eye. I’ll be honest, it flaws me if a couple know the exact flowers they want. Some can name a couple and some have looked up a few flower varieties, but most have absolutely no idea. Don’t worry — why would you? I often get couples apologising for their lack of knowledge, and meet me with a Pinterest board that’s greeted with “I really don’t know exactly what I want, I just like these pictures”. To me, that’s perfect.

The best Pinterest boards to work with are those that show your style and taste, the images that make your heart sing. So pin these rather than images from just your venue, or just in the colour scheme you like. Chances are, there will be a definite common theme running through and it’s your florist’s job to identify these themes, and make recommendations that work just for you. It’s one of my favourite parts of my job!”

Bouquet by Halo Blossom

2. Can you tell me how much wedding flowers cost?

“decide how important flowers are to you for your wedding and allocate budget accordingly” – Sally Murray, Halo Blossom

When I exhibit at a wedding show, the most common question I get asked is how much do wedding flowers cost? This is always such a tricky one to answer, as it varies so much depending on what you choose. Photographers and DJs for example normally have a flat fee structure, but we need to cost per stem and your wedding flowers can cost from hundreds to thousands.

What I would say though, is decide how important flowers are to you for your wedding and allocate budget accordingly. If they mean a lot to you, budget around ten per cent of your overall spend to them. I can advise depending on the style and venue, and don’t always go with the cheapest. You really do get what you pay for. You should go with a florist who you get on with, trust, and you really feel has captured your style and taste.

Flowers by Halo Blossom. Photo by Milk Bottle Photography

3. Can I have peonies please?

“these flowers are cheeky little monkeys – they show up when they feel ready, and are only around for four-to-six weeks a year” – Sally Murray, Halo Blossom

Having said that most couples don’t know the names of flowers, the peony is one exception to that rule. During wedding planning, once a peony has been spotted and it’s pulled at the heart strings, it often features on every single Pinterest image on a couple’s board. But these flowers are cheeky little monkeys – they show up when they feel ready, and are only around for four-to-six weeks a year. June is the month to get married if you have your heart set on them. But there are alternatives – some flouncy old English roses have a very similar look and, again, I’ll go back to the style of images that catch your eye to work out the best alternative for you.

Flowers by Halo Blossom. Photo by Paul Joseph Photography

If you are looking for an answer to the question “How Do I Preserve My Bouquet?”, please read about my Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service here

About Sally Murray

Sally Murray has been running Halo Blossom Floral Design for 13 years. Her style is very much romantic, elegant and natural, using seasonal flowers and foliages with plenty of shape and texture. During this time, Halo Blossom has been asked to work on some truly incredible weddings and has created flowers for royalty. She has also been shortlisted for several top industry awards, regularly makes displays for national wedding magazines and is now a preferred supplier at several top wedding venues across the Herts, Cambridgeshire and Essex area.

Find Halo Blossom on the following platforms

WEBSITE

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

I didn’t start my supper club Creative in Residence by logically thinking “How to Start a Supper Club” and working methodically through the list. Rather, I focused on my goals, which thankfully were a shared a vision with my co-host – wellness coach Vicky Shilling of The Flourishing Pantry. At the time, summer 2018, I was hoping to expand my professional network but felt pretty despondent towards networking events. I either got super nervous and anxious beforehand, or I found them a bit cringy and dull. Or both.

My goal was to create a networking event I could enjoy, not fear

So an obvious solution seemed to be to start my own, which hopefully wouldn’t have me stressing at 3am about walking into room full of strangers the next day. No name badges. No on-the-spot presentations. Vicky’s delicious food. Lots of wine. Fabulous company. Fast-forward six months and Creative in Residence is a hot ticket with a waiting list, overwhelming testimonials and plans for our next event in Dublin.

HOW TO START A SUPPER CLUB

Here’s five things to think about if you are inspired to launch your own supper club or intimate networking event.

1. A room with space to seat six to 12 people

We host at my home in Greenwich, south east London. It’s cosy, and we literally have to dismantle my drawing table from the top floor studio, carry it downstairs and re-assemble in the living room. That forms a banqueting style arrangement with my dining table. A couple of extra chairs come out of the shed. Every plate and glass gets used, and they certainly don’t all match. But all the surface-level imperfections don’t matter. We are not pretending we are Claridge’s.  

Six people would be my suggested minimum number if you want to create the ambiance of a special occasion, not a family dinner. Twelve is my maximum. Any more becomes a far more logistical challenge to serve enough food, hot, whilst still feeling like you get a chance to chat to everyone. 

2. An inspiring guest list

This is my speciality and area of expertise, having compiled guest lists for the fashion industry for many years. The best parties always have an eclectic mix of backgrounds, industries, ages and experience levels – though will by-and-large share the same core values as you. It makes for the liveliest conversations. For the Creative in Residence supper club, our guest list is focused on female creative entrepreneurs and the business mentors that support us. I’d dare you to invite a few friends, a few colleagues and few virtual strangers, perhaps those you’ve only met once or purely have an online relationship with. It all adds to the excitement and there’s an invisible security blanket when you know you are not the only newbie in the room. Everyone naturally makes more effort to be inclusive and friendly. 

3. A delicious but simple menu

Here’s where my partnership with Vicky truly flourishes. She’s a foodie through and through. She loves to cook and loves even more to connect with people through her cooking. You only have to follow along on with her Instagram Stories to see her passion for wellness, self-love and level-headed nutrition, all seeping out across cyberspace. So while I’m free to focus on vibes, decor, guestlist and answering the door, Vicky can dedicate her time to lining up a delicious menu she knows she can deliver with minimum stress. Remember no-one appreciates a stressed-out bride, so prioritize fun over fancy. 

An organic gluten-free veggie starter of roast beetroot, goat’s cheese and toasted hazelnuts

4. Fresh, organic ingredients delivered to your door

To articulate this point, I need to fill you in on my day that led up to our last Creative in Residence supper club. It all began at 5am, awoken by a vomiting child. The five hours of childcare I had scheduled was therefore cancelled, all of which time I was planning to dedicate to preparing for the event. On the way to collect our gorgeous flowers from the florist, a tyre puncture alarm suddenly went off when we were half way through the Blackwall Tunnel, under the River Thames. The next second, a tiny voice from the back seat whimpered, “Mummy, my tummy doesn’t feel very nice.” We were (as my bestest school friends would say) having a shocker.

Every guest received a beautiful recipe book by Abel & Cole to inspire their home cooking

But the silver lining came courtesy of Abel & Cole, the organic food box people. For 30 years, Abel & Cole have been delivering organic veggies (plus drinks, dairy and pantry goodies) across Britain. It’s worth noting that they offer a Build Your Own Box service, for those who fear they will be lumped with five turnips and an artichoke. 

We teamed up with Abel & Cole for this supper club because we felt their values – delicious, ethical, seasonal, sustainable – were total aligned with what we aim to serve up for our creative entrepreneurs. And thank goodness we did, because amid all the panic and exhaustion of dealing with sick children (and my eldest had been sick and off school earlier in the week too), plus deadlines and puncture dramas, my ingredients arrived precisely when expected, all present, totally fresh and delicious. 

5. A goody bag

Ever since I was teeny tiny, I can remember the thrill of receiving a party bag to take home. Often just a slice of cake and maybe a couple of colouring pencils, these little bags of joy still elicit a wave of feverish anticipation and gratitude from deep within me.

Botanic Lab botanical tea drinks are an uplifting but caffeine-free, no refined sugar option – ideally for busy entrepreneurs

We wanted to provide goody bags at Creative in Residence as a subtle way for our entrepreneurs to smuggle marketing materials to each guest. Nothing needed to be brandished across the dinner table. No phones required to share contact details. Everything is neatly prepared and packaged, ready to be digested the next day. Though we did have kind sponsorship from brands, we were also delighted to include our guests’ contributions – books and baking were fondly received in equal measure. 

If you are planning a supper club purely as a social event and not for business, you could still consider subtly advising your guests a week or so ahead that there will be a goody bag. Those who are able will contribute. 

The Future of Creative in Residence Supper Club

Our supper club is in it’s infancy, but Vicky and I are immensely proud of we have created. At 1am during our recent event, many of our guests remained, still seated at the table. Tales of racism, gender stereotyping, and feelings of inadequacy were balanced with school-day nostalgia, side-aching hoots of laughter and many weird, wondrous accounts of career plot twists. 

Inspired by Abel & Cole, we built our own box – as it were. A hang out for creative entrepreneurs to flourish and thrive, stuffed with all the ingredients we yearned for. Fuelled by nutritious food and company, in a homely surrounding and far from the anxiety-making threat of traditional networking events.

That’s how to start a supper club.  

Sign up to the Creative in Residence supper club mailing list here

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT’S DUE…

Abel & Cole generously provided the veggies we needed for the Creative in Residence supper club. We did not receive payment for this and all the words and opinions in this blog post are my own.

Read all about Vicky’s delicious vegetarian menu including her epic cauliflower curry here on The Flourishing Pantry.

All photos by Creative in Residence guest Donna at Skirting Boards & Chandeliers.

All Flowers by Creative in Residence guest Sally at Sweet Pea Rosa

Six years ago, in a small meeting room in Kensington, I said to my line manager, “I don’t have a creative bone in my body.” 

I was working in a fast-paced brand strategy agency, where my role as a Fashion PR Director had me working at London, Paris and Milan fashion shows. Every week, I’d be at glamorous parties, award shows and store launches, dressing celebrities and working closely with a diverse mix of journalists and stylists from Vogue to the Financial Times.

“I don’t have a creative bone in my body” – botanical illustrator Charlotte Argyrou

 

That’s me in my home studio, updating my inspiration board

At the time, it was the role I felt I was born to do. I found myself a niche managing guestlists for fashion shows across all four fashion capitals, including my dream destination – Paris Haute Couture. But finding this deskside niche coincided with my silent struggle to conceive a baby. Obeying doctors and a nutritionist, I dramatically cut down my alcohol and caffeine intake. I exercised more, though sometimes in place of dinner, and I started to shy away from the party scene or even from meeting new journalists that could help to expand my network and grow my career. I had a secret, and intended to keep it that way.

So I squashed my creativity. I willingly took on admin duties that others rejected, happily favouring invisibility. I kept my head down, enjoyed working hard and didn’t give much thought to creative pursuits that had once been my dream. Eventually, and maybe dramatically, I quit the job I enjoyed so much and was intrinsic to my identity. My husband and I bought a one way ticket to Greece to live by the sea. It was what my body needed, and eight weeks later I was pregnant. 

CREATIVE BUSINESS OWNER

As this is a blog post, not an autobiography, we will fast-forward to today where I now run my illustration business around being an almost full-time stay-at-home mum. I found my creativity laying dormant beneath years of neglect, insecurity and doubt. And in 2018, I underwent a personal renaissance, smashing through that fear and confronting doubt head-on with courage. 

At home, my sanctuary of greenery

Looking back to that meeting with my manager six years ago, I can clearly see that I have spent much of time since then feeling totally overwhelmed. I’ve let people and situations around me lead my decision-making and I’ve given very little regard for my own mindset or urges to create. 

Taking time to read and self-study more in 2018 than in the previous 15 years has been essential to this renaissance. Excitingly, I’m starting to formulate my own conclusions about feelings of overwhelm, and particularly those feelings of women in their 30s, 40s and 50s who are relentlessly stressed-out. 

Creativity is integral, and in my case, I can say with certainty is my antidote to fear and stress. And “Creative Living” is a term that can be broadly used to explore freedom beyond all the “should”s and self-imposed deadlines we cruelly cultivate. It doesn’t mean swapping television for oil-painting, or getting more piercings, or dressing in long, swishy skirts (though of course it can, as you wish). It’s about being intentional in your actions, rather than going through the motions of your life, and creating more joyful moments – all curated by you. It does not require money or possessions. Rather, it’s about making choices that serve you well. 

“Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart” so brilliantly articulated by Elizabeth Gilbert in her book, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear

Find more of my bird illustrations for sale here

JOIN MY FACEBOOK GROUP

I’ve started a Facebook group called “Creative Living for the Stressed-Out Soul“, where together we explore ideas to gain back more time in our days and use it wisely and mindfully. There are mini challenges, that each require no cash or grand commitment of time. You are welcome to join in with challenges that appeal to you and ignore those that don’t. There is space to air creative ideas in a small, friendly community of women who understand the limiting entities of time, energy and self-belief. 

If this appeals to you, please come and find us on Facebook by searching “Creative Living for the Stressed-Out Soul”, or simply click here. 

“I love to create,” says Victoria Vaught, founder of Ivy Amelia Florals. But in business, our creations are usually subject to a client brief. It’s a complex creative process and one that fascinates me with its subtle twists and turns. We are hired for our skill, our talent, our vision. But we mould that vision to sync with our clients’ own expectations, budget and constraints, and amaze and delight them with our ability to do so. The aim, of course, is always to create something better than they could have imagined, but also exactly what they wanted.

Floral Designer Victoria Vaught at work, photographed by Lisa Payne

STYLED SHOOTS IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY

Behind the Scenes: Lisa Payne Photography and the styled shoot team

“The Lady of the Manor: An English Love Story” photoshoot, led by Lisa Payne Photography

LADY OF THE MANOR: AN ENGLISH LOVE STORY

I saw behind-the-scenes snaps of Lisa Payne Photography’s “Lady of the Manor: A English Love Story” shoot in progress on my Insta and Facebook feeds. I was surprised how strongly Victoria’s florals impacted me, in their unusual rich palette and a striking balance of artisan wildness and glamourous abundance. Lisa offered me the opportunity to join in the portfolio with an illustration inspired by Vic’s floral design in the shoot. The drawing process was a joy, because I felt so free to draw with a wealth of inspiring images in front of me, but no real restrictions on the outcome. I switched out the golden urn for flower stems without an approval process, on a whim, because I was more attracted to the natural green tones.

 

Illustration of Ivy Amelia Florals bouquet, by botanical illustrator Charlotte Argyrou

DREAM BRIEF

“Just the thought of it takes my breath away” – Victoria Vaught, Ivy Amelia Florals

Floral Arch designed by Victoria Vaught of Ivy Amelia Florals

THE VISION

“Flowers have their own movement and flow. You have to work with them rather than them working for you.” – Victoria Vaught, Ivy Amelia Florals

Tablescape in The Lady of the Manor: An English Love Story styled shoot

THE FUTURE

Bouquet designed by Victoria Vaught, of Ivy Amelia Florals

“I believe that you have to keep learning and evolving to be at the forefront of what you do.” – Victoria Vaught, Ivy Amelia Florals

After a few weeks of wardrobe despair, eagerly dressing in cashmere in the early morning and stripped down to a vest by lunchtime, it happened. It got cold. Things can officially get cosy. Here are five of my favourite Instagram accounts that I reference for autumn inspiration. 

The Future Kept

British Made Herringbone Throw in Ochre, The Future Kept

The Future Kept is a collection of consciously crafted, responsibly sourced, sustainable and ethical products for the home, and living a more eco-friendly lifestyle. But founders  Jeska & Dean Hearne are also photographers and stylists, with experience in interior, graphic and product design, writing, and brand development. Meaning The Future Kept brand, and especially the Insta account, offers a wealth of creative inspiration alongside the beautiful products. I love their simple mission statement: 

“Our primary goal with The Future Kept is to inspire more people to think carefully about the items they have in their lives, by putting together a collection of beautifully designed handmade products from honest origins all with a story to tell.” – Jeska & Dean Hearne, Founders, The Future Kept

The Future Kept’s gorgeous photography is a bountiful resource for autumn inspiration

Soho Home

Soho Home, the homewares brand under the Soho House umbrella, offers up an Insta account full of interiors inspiration and products to lust after. I kind of love that it’s seasonality is subtle, not all pumpkins and orange tones. Plus it lets us have a sneak peek inside the gorgeous global private members’ clubs and the homes their aesthetic inspires. 

Soho House Amsterdam members Dax Roll and Joyce Urbanus’, a beautiful 18th century apartment in the Jordaan area of the city

Canopy & Stars

The Woodsman’s Treehouse in Dorset, via Canopy & Stars

Guardians of gatehouses, glamping, treehouses and trucks, Canopy & Stars presents a edit of the most most weird and wonderful places to stay in the UK and beyond. Ahhh minibreaks. You have eluded us for five years, thanks to our babies who struggled to settle and love to party through the night. But gradually, we are getting into a place where we feel we can book the odd night away. Canopy & Stars, you are on my hitlist for 2019. The Insta account will have you daydreaming about autumnal escapes, hot chocolates and crunchy leafy walks galore. 

The Woodman’s Treehouse in Dorset, via Canopy & Stars

Sarah Ann Macklin

Nutritionist and model Sarah Ann Macklin shares informed nutritional guidance with a hearty dose of foodie and fashion gorgeousness. I love how she weaves issues surrounding wellness and dietary support into her highly creative seasonal content. Her quick IGTV recipe idea updates are filmed in Emily Murray’s The Pink House (also home to the original version of my Prickly Pear illustration), and focus on delivering delicious dinners in 20 minutes. 

Nurture and Bloom 

Nurture and Bloom is a collective of soulful creatives, with “racing minds and wild hearts, drawn to create.” I’m a contributing writer and illustrator for the quarterly magazine NURTURE (£6.50, currently digital with plans to grow into a print edition next year). The Insta feed showcases the best of the community’s makes, bakes and words alongside editor Kate Cullen’s creative adventures. Expect plenty of greenery alongside a fuzzy glow of golden hues, and an urge to get your wellies on and get outdoors.

NURTURE Magazine editor Kate Cullen’s foraged wreath and home- and hand-dyed silk ribbon

Who am I missing? I’d love to hear about your favourite accounts that inspire your autumn.

You can also find my Autumn style inspiration edit here on Pinterest 

Weblinks

Wrap up with British-made blankets from The Future Kept

Ogle at dreamy interiors by Soho Home

Fantasise about treetop getaways beneath the Canopy & Stars

Find rainbow platefuls with a fashiony flourish by Sarah Ann Macklin

Join me and a creative community of high end crafters at Nurture and Bloom

One of my favourite hygge rituals at this time of year is to spruce my home – especially the walls – with little updates. Hanging new frames, switching around pictures, tweaking colour palettes – all help to refresh and bring cosiness to the home. For this reason, I think the autumn season and hygge sensations go hand-in-hand. It’s something you feel, that ebbs and flows and brings with it moments of great joy and belonging. I spoke to four stylish brands about the little traditions at this time of year that best evoke these feelings. 

LOWER THE LIGHTS

Donna Ford is an interior designer, photographer and blogger, currently shortlisted for Best Newcomer at the Amara Interior Blog Awards. 

Kitchen by Neptune

Low level lighting by The White Company

Copper Dimmer Switch by Dowsing & Reynolds

PRECIOUS ALONE TIME

Valentina Ring of The Stars Inside is a wedding and events stylist with a totally dreamy aesthetic. She finds comfort in time spent alone with her thoughts and her pencils. 

Valentina Ring of The Stars Inside

“For me, the most soothing form of contentment comes from sketching: I find myself a cozy corner of sofa, where I can curl up under a blanket, paper pad gently rested on my knees, and pencils all around me. The sense of calm that it gives me comes from three things:

(1) it’s one of the only moments I take for myself which has no agenda or ulterior motive – which I find difficult these days, when even social media has become a business tool

(2) it’s one of the only skills I have from which I’ve never expected more than a hobby or a space for personal development

(3) it’s one of the only times when I allow myself not to multi-task. When drawing, time quietens down, my limbs relax in the warmth, and my mind focuses in a very grounding kind of way. I feel present, and immersed in the joy of an uncomplicated, carefree activity – alone but not lonely – purposeful, but not rushing towards a goal. To me, it represents the ritual of pressing pause on everything else, unapologetically, and intentionally single-tasking.” 

Handmade paper by @katecullenstyle. Calligraphy by @lauraelizabethpatrick. Photography by @georgina_photo

GET OUTDOORS

Kate Cullen is a Creative Director for many artisan brands, as well as maker of her own collection of exquisite luxurious ribbons and papers. She edits new lifestyle magazine NURTURE: For Soulful Creatives, for which I am a Contributing Writer and Illustrator.

Styling by @_thegatherer. Photo by @georgina_photo

Kate’s autumnal hygge ritual involves getting outdoors and sourcing the goodies that she will use as dyes for her products. “I adore Autumn, it’s my favourite season, the transition between Summer and Winter means you get the best of both in my opinion – sunny days still perfect for long walks through Autumn colour, but lower temperatures perfect for cozying up on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolate and a film. This season is a time of gathering for me and my natural dyes – from elderberries and blackberries for the dye pot, to sloes and conkers for fun!”

              Nurture, edited by Kate Cullen. Photo by @georgina_photo

SCENE-SETTING WITH SCENT

I’ve always be drawn to scent as an instant moodchanger, scene-setter and cosy-creator. My ultimate personal scent is Diptyque Philosykos. I drab a drop of the roll-on oil on each pulse point and let the heady richness do its thing. Naomi and Sarah, founders of luxury candle brand SevenSeventeen, agree. Their motto, “Mood-boosting Candles for the Burnt Out”, perfectly sums up how scent becomes part of a hygge ritual. “As the nights draw in and there’s a nip in the air, lighting a luxurious scented candle at the end of a long day becomes a nightly ritual. Unlike the more delicate florals or zestier fragrances synonymous with summer, autumn presents the opportunity to light some of the heavier, more decadent scents from our collection. We’ll go for smoky black oud, spicy black pomegranate or for glowing embers, our earthy fireside smell evocative of hot crackling fires.’ All Seven Seventeen candles are hand-poured, made in England, in recycled jars AND support incredible charities. Each purchase of my favourite – Be Still – offers £1 to CALM. 

Be Still candle, from £22, by SevenSeventeen

So lower the lights, light a candle, make a crumble from foraged berries and get out your pencils. Autumn is here. I’d love to here about your personal hygge rituals and how you embrance the season. 

FURTHER LINKS

Find home inspiration and book Donna’s Room Service makeover package on Skirting Boards & Chandeliers

Dreamy floral-inspired event inspiration and Val’s styling service at The Stars Inside 

Find ribbon and paper heaven at Kate Cullen or more info about Nurture Magazine at Nurture & Bloom

Hand-poured, ethically produced and luxurious candles at SevenSeventeen 

There’s plenty of vintage light bulbs, lighting and hardware to savour at Dowsing & Reynolds

Modern rustic kitchens, furniture and accessories at Neptune 

Fantacise about spill-free living with The White Company 

Fine art photography by Georgina Harrison Photography 

I love looking at imagery from exquisite floral designers and events companies to find inspiration. It’s fun to see which trends may filter through into my own home, and indeed my client’s commissions and wedding bouquet illustrations. Here are a handful of my current favourites, all with distinctive floral styles that make up their signature. 

The Glamour Queen: Amie Bone

“Woah”, I mouth frequently when Amie’s impactful weddings and events fill my Insta feed. Her signature style celebrates full-throttle florals and high glamour. Expect prestigious venues, beautiful brands and bold brides. 

The Innovators: Grace and Thorn

Grace and Thorn offer a distinctive, edgy style with a focus on foliage. The blog “The Cut” is entertaining, diverse and informative and I highly recommend for those would want to read around the subject of florals and houseplant care. 

The Art Influence: Shilpa Reddy

A firm favorite of mine, Shilpa’s signature recalls the oil paintings of the Dutch Masters but with contemporary updates I adore. Her workshops are held in at Covent Garden member’s club The Library, so you can enjoy a beautifully-executed cocktail along with your lesson. 

The Single Stem Statement: Flowerbx

Selecting the very best stems from the very best species, Flowerbx delivers perfection. For my own home, I instinctively select single-species bouquets. The blog “The Cut” features some of London’s most stylish insiders and allows an elegant insight into their homes and floral obsessions. Right up my street.

The Artisan: Botanique Workshop

I hugely admire Botanique Workshop for their appreciation of colour and form. I love the asymmetry that makes up a modern signature style, and attention to hand-crafted details. Classically beautiful, and I feel the love and artistic eye in every bouquet. 

I’d love to know your favourite floral styles and designers, so please do leave a comment below. 

Stepping into The Pink House is a curious combination of being on the set of a magazine shoot and visiting any of my mum-friends at home. And it’s oddly familiar for somewhere I’ve never visited before, because for the past year I’ve been an avid observer of owner Emily Murray’s domestic life through the little squares on my phone – along with 53K+ other fans. 

WELCOME TO THE PINK HOUSE

When an influential Instagrammer produces video content – as Emily does often – a bizarre one-sided relationship results, because you feel like you know them so well, yet to them you are a stranger. Popping those slightly awkward feelings aside, I knocked on the infamous F&B “Nancy’s Blushes” front door with my artwork in hand.

Emily Murray, editor of The Pink House / @pinkhouseliving, photographed at home by Susie Lowe Photo

Humbly excusing the boxes in the hallway (she should see mine!…), Emily guided me through to her Insta-famous kitchen, about 75{fc4ffa2697ca570e43b5816fe716a05c0e7f059c4d464a857cd73bdc5a1ff7f7} the way through its transformation. Her children and husband (know anonymously as PHH: Pink House Husband), scurry around and play Marble Run, as Emily and I chat. The space is gorgeous. It really, really is. Individually, there are some beautiful items and quality furnishings, fixtures and fittings. But it is Emily’s surprising and innovative juxtapositions that really make this room quite unlike any other. There are no Insta-cliches here, because she is the trendsetter. 

Prickly Pear illustration by Charlotte Argyrou, in the home of interiors stylist and blogger Emily Murray, The Pink House

MY ILLUSTRATION

The illustration I presented to Emily is an off-set prickly pear in vivid greens, pinks and purples. I wanted to draw this species because I was so captivated by its varied tones and complex structure, but knew I also wanted to create a modern composition. For me, a drawing like this is perfectly paired with a vintage frame because the result balances old and new in perfect harmony. It is ideal for a period home like Emily’s, which celebrates such a dynamic and playful interior. 

Prickly Pear illustration by botanical illustrator Charlotte Argyrou, available here

Now the prickly pear illustration hangs on a candy pink wall in her open-plan family lounge / dining space, alongside both contemporary and vintage botanical illustration prints. I love her interpretation of colour and mixed proportions, especially that oversized hanging plant!

Limited Edition prints of this illustration are available for £75, here

Emily Murray is the author of The Pink House blog, winner of the Interior Blog Awards “Best Written Blog” 2017 and stylist with work featured in Grazia, Glamour and CN Traveller magazines.  The Pink House won the “Best Wow Factor Interior” award at Pinterest’s inaugural Interior Awards this year.

Follow her Instagram for a gorgeous and entertaining view of her colourful life, and Pinterest for inspirational family living ideas