Colourful Country Dining

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With well above average UK temperatures for the time of year, I've found my thoughts wondering to stylish summer holiday escapes. Much of this daydreaming has centered around relaxed countryside living, where open doors allow a gentle breeze to blow through the house, as the sound of crickets fills the air. There would be rustic furniture in every room - much like the details seen in this dining room - with colourful additions to add a playful tone to each space. Fragrant, freshly picked blooms would adorn vases for a casual centerpiece, and old linens would soften wooden tabletops. There would be good food, great wine and even better friends. What would your ideal country escape be like?

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Striking and Eclectic Kitchen

This kitchen caught my eye right away - beautiful patterned tiles and rustic, chunky wooden surfaces allow the space to effortlessly ooze charm. It looks like a cosy place to hang out on a cool summer evening, and would even make for a great place to entertain. P.S. The whole house is pretty darn cool - see more of it, here. What do you like about this kitchen?

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An Easter Tabletop

I've never really 'done' Easter decorating (especially if it involves tacky yellow chickens and plastic eggs...!) but this stylish and sophisticated tabletop has inspired me to think about ways I could decorate for the holiday. You might remember how I wrote about my penchant for using lots of smaller rugs as opposed to one big one in my latest Sweet Paul magazine feature, so I was pleased to see the decorating technique at play here. On the table, the delicate white palette is lifted with fresh hits of turquoise, making any potential new buys for an Easter table a good investment for the coming summer season - the colour looks set to be a strong trend over the coming months. What ideas do you have for Easter tabletops?

Lifestyle images: IKEA Livet Hemma, Nina Broberg | Shopping: 1. Cabernet Sauvignon twinpack, £50 | 2. Amia carafe, £5 | 3. Cleo tall tumbler, £5.50 | 4. Dinera plate, £1.62 | 5. Lavender or Hyacinths from local flower market.

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Bright and Rustic Dining Room

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Last week I shared a pretty much perfect living room - this week it's all about this bright, bold and gently rustic dining space. Of course the turquoise table goes along way to winning my colour loving heart, but the mismatched chairs and bold patterned fabrics on the cushion pads also play a big part. Whilst it may be everywhere, I still don't mind the Knappa pendant from IKEA - it's affordable and looks great, which is a winner in my book! Meanwhile, artwork propped up against the wall and the bursting magazine holder create a relaxed feel to the space.

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{Happy Weekend}

The weekend is here and I couldn't be happier for it! After the crazy busy week I'm looking forward to some time to relax, cook some lovely food and catch up with friends. What are your plans? I hope you have something lovely planned. I'm not gonna lie to you, I'd be pretty happy to throw on my favourite pair of shorts, crack open those patio doors, fire up the barbie on the patio and cook up a feast (in between swooning over that yellow vase, obvs.) Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

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{Happy Weekend}

A summertime dinner party would be just perfect in this dining room.

Hope you're having a good one, friends!

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{Rustic Kitchen/Diner: Get The Look}

This is the kind of place I'd like to spend a couple of weeks on holiday. It would be perfect for whipping up a green salad, some fresh bread and a good glass or two of wine for one of those lazy European lunches on the terrace. Ok, so I'm dreaming, but I do love this space. I wouldn't choose to live in it full time, but it certainly fits that summery/laid back/chilled/generally-super-douper-happy kinda mood I usually have when chilling out on holiday. Geee, those tiles are killing me!

Tiles | Sideboard | Pendant | Plate | Chopping Board | Pan | Top Image

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{Before & After: Traditional Meets Modern}

Ah, those talented lot over at Elle Decor never let us down on the old inspiration front, do they? They've pulled it out the bag again with one of their latest online articles, which details the remodel of Monticello, the country house of Thomas Jefferson. Reffering to the bright and bold new shade of yellow that graces the grand dining room walls as 'chrome-yellow', and coupled with some interesting facts, the full article makes for a worthy read. You can check out the full image gallery, too. I loved the vibrant grandeur look that follows the efforts of the remodel; the space seems bigger and, well, less drab and more fab.

Before

After

Elle Decor article written by Mitchell Owens | Photography by Pieter Estersohn | Produced by Charlotte Moss | These layouts by Bright.Bazaar

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{Samantha Pynn Interiors}

Sigh. Some people are just too cool. Not only does Samantha Pynn have stunning taste in design, she's also the host and principal designer of Pure Design on HGTV. If that wasn't enough to keep her busy, Sam's also the Contributing Design Editor for Style At Home magazine. Go her! Anyhow, her new website launched this week and I found endless inspiration from her work. I especially love the play on scale in many of her schemes: the gold pendant shade (1), symmetrical photography wall (3) and oversized vases in the dining room (8) being a few favourites. Which ones call out to you?

Images: Design by Samantha Pynn; Photography by Virgina Macdonald

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{Spring Dining Heaven}

Rustic French cabinet, vintage vases full of colourful blooms, pops of orange and lashings of natural light make for one super swoonful dining space. Who feels like an afternoon of alfresco dining?

Image: Living Etc

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