Coast to Coast- Fundraising for children with cancer

Hi everyone!

A non-house related post from me today. Instead, a message to ask for the support of anyone who is able to give any money to an incredibly important and worthwhile charity.

My lovely fiancé and his friends from work will be cycling the 140 mile Coast to Coast cycle route from Whitehaven in the North West of England over to South Shields in the North East next weekend.

They're not just doing it for the views and the sore legs though- they're hoping to collect as much money as possible for the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Charity (incorporating the Sir Bobby Robson and Great North Children's Hospital Foundations), specifically supporting the work at Northern hospitals treating children with cancer.

So far they've raised over £1,000 between JustGiving and sponsorship forms but I know that every penny counts for these amazing charities and the children and families that they support every day. If you can spare any money at all, please donate here.

Thanks so much for reading and for your support! I'm sure the journey will be well document on insta-stories next weekend.

Lots of love
Ashleigh x

Living Room Tour

Hi Everyone!!

I get so many requests for a living room tour blog post and here it is... In this post I'll go through my favourite living room features and where I bought everything from. Hope you enjoy!

I adore my lightbox which I got from GloBrite - it lives on my living room bookshelf and has so many different letters and symbols. I love having an excuse to use it as it's so cute!

Fireplace and feature wall

Our living room is far from huge so I knew I wanted a feature wall that didn't overwhelm the room, reflected light and made the space feel bigger. I love how my silver wallpaper and contrasting white fireplace create a bright and modern feature.

Wallpaper - ilovewallpaper.co.uk
Fireplace - I get lots of questions about my fireplace but it was left in the house by the previous owner so I don't know where it's from! :(
Lanterns, candle sticks and vase on the fireplace- all B&M

Using a radiator cover to create a feature

My house is around 30 years old but is built in a new build style i.e. square rooms and not many structural features. I think small things like adding a radiator cover to the corner of the room can add cosiness and character- they made such a difference to our living room when we bought them. I use mine like a console table so it's perfect for displaying cute little bits - and of course I have more lanterns in this corner of the room- obsessed!

Lightbox - Globrite
Wicker boxes- Ikea
Pom Pom blanket- Matalan
Standing lamp- B&Q
Radiator cover- Argos
Large white lantern - Dunelm
Heart stool- Ruby Jacques interiors

Cosy corner

As our stairs are in the living room we have a small space underneath which I've made into a cosy little corner with lots of lanterns, candles and textures. It's never going to be the most practical of spaces but the bookcase and storage unit are great for holding loads of useful things without cluttering the living room. I'm so happy with how that part of the room has turned out.

Large white storage box- Ikea
Fur throw- Ikea
Cushions on top of white box- all Next
Bookcase- Ikea
White heart cut out lantern- Pretty Little Home

Sofa set up

I love nothing more than cosying up on the sofa and it was the first thing that we got in the living room when we bought the house. I always knew I wanted a plain grey sofa and spend hours looking at swatches of material in Next before picking this one- so happy with my choice!

Sofa and all cushions- Next (our sofa was the Stratus II in Belgian Soft Twill Mid Silver)
Blanket on sofa- National Trust
Footstool- bought from a garden centre but it is available on Amazon, we painted the stool legs white.
Small grey lamp- B&Q
Mirrored clock- Dunelm (not available online)
Long thin mirror- B&M (not available online)

Other details

Curtains- Dunelm (no longer available online)
Flooring- Homebase
Wall colour is Crown- Brilliant White

I like to tidy away remotes and other bits in this box on the TV unit- from Primark (not available online).

Shutters are from Next

Last but certainly not least is my coffee table set up. This is 100% the item in my house that I get asked the most questions about. I absolutely love this table and it makes me happy every time I walk in the room. The bad news on the coffee table front is that it's no longer available on Wayfair, which is where I purchased it around a year ago. I constantly keep an eye out for alternatives to share with you guys (and we're even looking into making them to sell) so if I do find anything similar, you'll see it on my Instagram page!

White tray and stags head- was from ASDA but no longer online
Small house candle holder- Pretty Little Home
Coasters- the Range

Hope you enjoyed your tour around my living room. This is definitely my most photographed room so if you want to see more head over to mylittlepieceoftheworld Instagram!

Lots of love

Ashleigh x

Adding texture to rooms- throws and rugs

When you first move into a house it takes time to create that homely feel. I've found that one way to add cosiness to a room is to add textures and contrasting fabrics, and the easiest ways to do this is by using rugs, throws and blankets.

This post shows some examples of where I've added accessories that bring texture to my rooms. I'm all about adding a luxurious look to a room without breaking the bank and it's possible to pick up some gorgeous and inexpensive throws that make such a difference to the theme of an entire room. They're also really easy to change, swap and re-arrange (you'll be aware that's my favourite past time if you follow my Instagram).

Here are some of my favourite throws and textures in my home:

1. Adding a summery/brighter feel to my living room

This gorgeous throw is from Babooshe. It's a hand woven Fouta and it is such good quality. I currently have winter textures in my living room and this gorgeous throw adds a spring feel to the room.

I have this throw in both grey and navy and they're amazing! Also perfect for a bathroom, or as a cover up on holiday.

2. Storing throws and creating a feature with different textures

In my opinion, there's no such thing as too many throws and when they aren't being used these gorgeous wicker baskets are a great storage solution. They also great a cosy feature in my living room.

The white baskets are from Ikea
The white throw is also from Ikea
The grey pom pom throw is from Matalan

3. Contrasting wood and rugs

I have this soft silver rug from Dunelm in the middle of my living room. It creates a lovely contrast against my wooden floor and the wood in my coffee table and I love it!

4. Faux fur to add luxury

My spot under the stairs is one of my favourite parts of the living room and the small fur rug I have added to the top of my Ottoman adds warmth, cosiness and texture. This rug is from Ikea and is a really cheap way of making an otherwise boring corner feel homely.

5. Using thick wool throws for a Winter look

I adore my thick 100% wool blanket from the National Trust. My living room is currently still in Winter mode and this wool throw always makes me feel cosy- a perfect way to warm up on a chilly evening and it finishes off the living room perfectly.

6. Adding textures to a bedroom

My velvet bed helps to crease a luxurious feel to the room and my fluffy throw breaks up my silk sheets and add some warmth! I got this throw from B&M a while ago so no online link is available unfortunately.

7. Small cheap rugs can finish off a room perfectly

I love the way that this Ikea rug (an absolute bargain, by the way) breaks up the cold wood floor in my dressing room- it really finishes the room off! It just adds that extra element of luxury and femininity to my Princess dressing room.

Lots of love
Ashleigh x

Make up storage

Hello you lovely lot!

I wanted to show you a product that I was recently sent and how amazing it is at sorting your make up storage! I recently had the pleasure of reviewing HerClutterBox.

Despite being a self-confessed make up addict I never really mastered the art of make up storage. Once upon a time (about 5 days ago) I was a make up bag hoarder and spent every morning rummaging through a messy bag full of products to find what I needed. Since using my clutter box I feel like a make up queen.

I wanted to show you all exactly what the box comes with and how I store my make up now- hunting through make up bags no longer need to be part of your day.

I have the 'Crystal Clear 5 Drawer' box and this is everything that it comes with...

All 5 drawers have so much room for different bits. The bottom drawer is larger than the others so it was perfect for my ridiculous nail varnish collection!! I have a terrible habit of using each colour once then never again. The bottom drawer would also be perfect for standing up foundation/ face products etc.

The drawers dividers are all separate so you can plan the box to suit your needs. I did some different things for each shelf depending what I store there- some examples are below.

The finished product.... I spent around 2 hours sorting through a total of 23 make up bags and storage boxes to fill my clutter box and it has literally transformed my morning routine! The box is so well built so it holds absolutely loads. I genuinely look forward to putting my face on each morning now...

I store my nail varnishes in the bottom drawer, and have them all standing up for maximum capacity. The dividers meant I could group them by colour which is so helpful as I ditch those winter colours and go for spring nails. This is also going to save me a fortune too as I'm so bad at buying a new nail varnish whenever I can't find the colour I need. This is the nail varnish storage dream!

Next I have some of my palettes and brushes. Having all of my brushes visible really helps me to keep on top of cleaning them too.

Eye make up is next and it's so nice to have everything all in one place. I was forever hunting for my eyeshadow blending brushes but now they all have their own compartment.

Face make up can be stored so easily too- foundation, contour, concealer and blush all in one place. I store my lipsticks and other bits in the top drawer- again with compartments to section off colour groups which is so handy!

If you're after some more make up storage inspo then check our HerClutterBox's insta page. Hope you love it as much as I do!

Lots of love
Ashleigh x

Holiday Home Buys

Hi Everyone!

I recently enjoyed a long weekend in the beautiful Lake District with my family. If you haven't been, the Lakes is one of the most beautiful places that the UK has to offer. I've been going since I was a child and the amazing landscapes, views and walks always feel so special.

Of course, being the home interior obsessive that I am, I also managed to build up quite a haul of home products while I was away. There are so many gorgeous independent stores and boutiques dotted around the Lakes and I would encourage anyone who visits there, or any part of the UK, to get out, explore and support our small businesses. I know that a trip to the Lakes to pick up some of these products might not be all that convenient, so I have included in this post some links to these products online.

Here are some of my home purchases while I was away...

1. I bought this gorgeous tartan stags head footstool from a Garden Centre in the small village of Grasmere, their website is here: http://www.grasmeregardens.com/. How gorgeous is this stool!? I just fell in love with it the second that I saw it and knew it would tie in perfectly with my living room. It's also a really good weight and feels really sturdy so I knew I had to have it. As with most things that enter my house, I decided to paint it white- I used a white egg shell paint to do this and I'm so please with the finished result.

If you want to order this stool online, then a few places do it. Amazon was the cheapest that I could see and the link is here.

2. I also got the below gorgeous 100% wool blanket from the National Trust shop while I was in Grasmere. It's so beautiful, warm and cosy and it makes my living room feel that extra bit homely. You can buy it from the National Trust website.

3. I found the cutest Unicorn ring holder at the Garden Centre in Grasmere. It's so gorgeous and goes perfectly on my bedside table. Again, I found this online on EBay here.

4. I also visited the little town of Bowness on Windermere Lake while I was away and stumbled across FAB Home Interiors. They have the most beautiful store there, and they also advertise their products on Facebook and Instagram. I got these crushed velvet cushions from themand it's like they were made for our master bedroom!

5. Last but not least I couldn't help myself but nip into the Laura Ashley store in Bowness. I picked up some of my favourite room scents as they had 40% off- love me some Floral Bloom and Fresh Linen & Jasmine.

Lots of love
Ashleigh x

10 Facts About Me

Hello everyone,

Since starting my new blog I've been struggling to think of things to post about. You might have seen my recent story at @mylittlepieceoftheworld Instagram asking for some suggestions about what you guys wanted to read. So many of you got in touch with ideas but also important advice. I was reminded to blog about what feels right to me- personal things and topics that I love.

I felt like to do this, I needed to tell you all more about me- the person behind all of those photos of my house! What better way than to share 10 weird and wonderful facts about myself. Disclaimer * this post made me realise how boring I am- my interesting fact is usually that I have a house Instagram so I struggled!!

1. The boring stuff- my name is Ashleigh, I'm 23 years old and I live in the beautiful North East of England.

2. I'm getting married on 7th October 2017 (eeeek- I feel a wedding inspo blog post coming on)! Despite being a complete control freak our wedding venue isn't build yet, but will be a rustic barn looking over the Beamish Valley in Durham.

3. I've been with my now fiancé since we were 16 years young. It feels so crazy saying that as I literally can't remember when he wasn't in my life! He is just everything I could have ever wanted in a husband (sorry for the soppiness).

4. I'm a Chartered Accountanct and I work full time as a Financial Auditor in the Public Sector. My career is theeeeeee biggest contrast to interiors, home design and blogging it's untrue! This is my escapism.

5. I travel a fair bit for work, but it's not the glam sort of travel you imagine a business trip to be! I get to see some lovely cities and places but it mostly involves busy trains, tubes, long drives and a varying quality of hotels. Anyone who says otherwise is either weird or lying.

6. I didn't go to University and after sixth form I did a work placement based qualification to allow me to go on to do my Chartered Accountancy exams. This is probably the thing I'm most proud of. I've worked full time since I turned 18 and I've done some of the hardest exams ever (for me anyway) to get me where I am today and I am so proud that I've done it all without a degree.

7. It took me 5 attempts to pass my driving test. Besides costing my parents a fortune in lessons and tests, doing my driving test was one of the most traumatic things ever! I'm really not sure why it impacted on me so much, and I actually like driving now, but there was a time where I dreaded each and every lesson.

8. My favourite holiday destination is the Hisaronu/ Olu Deniz regions of Turkey. We've gone at least once a year for the past 6 years and it is by far my favourite place in the world. I've celebrated most birthdays since my 18th there and we also got engaged on Olu Deniz beach. If you have preconceptions about Turkey but have never visited, I can't express how much a magical and beautiful country it is, with so many amazing people to meet. It truly is my happy place.

9. I absolutely love hedgehogs. Is that a weird fact? I don't know what it is about them but they are just the cutest. I am determined to have a pet hedgehog at some point in my life!

10. My current hobbies include buying things that I don't need for my house, taking pictures of my house, and buying more clothes than a single human could ever wear. As a child though, my hobbies were so much more interesting- I did Horse Riding, Ju Jit Su (watch out!) and Trampolining amongst so many others! I would absolute love to ride again but never get round to it. Anyone got a horse I can borrow?

Anyway- apologies for a non-home related post but I really wanted to let you all know a bit about me! I hoped you loved reading this post, please leave a comment if you have one or give me a message on insta- I love to hear from you guys.

Lots of love
Ashleigh x

Master Bedroom Tour

My master bedroom may well be my favourite room in the house! It's so calming and luxurious- the perfect place for a cuppa and a good sleep after a busy day. When I created the room I wanted to make it as glamorous as possible. We have the luxury of 3 bedrooms and no children so we have a bedroom each for clothes storage and getting ready. I wanted the master to be all about relaxing and I think we achieved that!

This blog post is a tour around the room, including details of where I purchased everything from. I hope you enjoy:

1. Curtains and shutters

Curtains- Wilko- Link
Shutters- Next Premium Café Style Shutters- Link
Curtain rail and tie backs- B&M Bargains- Link for tie backs- Link for poles

2. Bed and bedding

Bed- Home Living Furniture- Link
Duvet and Pillows- Wilko- Link
Throw cushions- Dunelm- Link
I also have the bedding to match the throw cushions with I alternate with the one in the photos- Dunelm- Link

3. Bedside tables and accessories

Bedside tables- Argos- Link
Glitter letter lights- Next- Link
Lamps- B&M Bargains- No longer available online so no link for these unfortunately

4. Chest of drawers and accessories

Chest of drawers- Argos- Link

Print in frame- Khushi Designs- Link

Jewellery box- Argos- Link

Book with date- No link as this was a gift

5. Wallpaper

I get sooooo many questions about this wallpaper- I think it may be the most common question I get asked about the house. I bought it from B&Q originally but they no longer stock it. You can get it from Amazon now at this link. P.s. no photo does this wallpaper justice- it is soooo amazing in real life!

6. Lighting

Ceiling lights- B&Q- Link

7. Finishing touches

Letter hooks on the door- Next- Link

Mirror- B&M Bargains- No longer online so no link, sorry!

We used white cable holders and a swinging TV bracket to keep wires etc. hidden.

The paint we used on our other walls is Dulux, Polished Pebble.

Hope you all enjoyed seeing more of the master bedroom! Would love to read your thoughts and comments.

Lots of love
Ashleigh
x