Put Some Spring In Your Style

Spring is on its way, according to the calendar at least. OK, the weather might still be having a little trouble making up its mind what season we are in but there’s no excuse not to brighten up your home at this time of year.

Architectural designer John Osborn specialises in cool style tricks to maximise space where it is at a premium. He explained: “Moving house can be expensive and stressful, so if you’re looking for a change, try and find a clever way of improving what you’ve got regardless of your budget. A bowl of brightly coloured citrus fruit, or a couple of acid yellow cushions can lift a room instantly.”

John’s Spring Style Tips:

Spring style 1. Bring Nature Inside: Buy a few Tillandsia plants which are perfect for urban living because they need way less attention than most house plants. They hardly ever need watering and thrive in unusual places such as glass globes, small logs with holes in, or even hanging upside down from the ceiling in quirky geometric hooks.

2. Make it multi-purpose: Invest in a truly versatile piece of furniture. John’s range of bespoke tables, made from upcycled scaffold boards, are not only eco friendly but they are also multi-purpose. His stylish coffee tables can be taken apart to make two smaller occasional tables, or turned into benches for extra seating when you’re entertaining, or even stacked on top of each other as shelving.

3. Spruce up your skirting boards: Sheets of mirrored acrylic can be bought cheaply online and stuck underneath kitchen or bathroom units to give the impression of greater floor space, enhancing Spring style your room instantly.

4. Get a handle on things. John explained: “Update the wardrobes in your bedroom with interesting new handles. Chinese styles can give a luxurious feeling of opulence.”

5. Light up your life: A new lighting centrepiece makes a statement without spending a fortune on an interior overhaul. John’s imaginative handcrafted lamps made from reclaimed bicycle bits including sprockets, spokes and tyres do exactly that! He said: “Go for at least one piece of furniture in your home that reflects your personality, has great eco credentials, and stands the test of time. Look out for future antiques!

For more information on John and his work see www.johnosborndesign.com

Nadia Cohen

As mum to a pair of cheeky twin boys, Felix and Harry, Nadia is mostly very tired. And sometimes she’s grumpy and very tired, but that doesn’t stop her attempting to have a life beyond sterilising and pureeing, even if that means she has been spotted strolling through the Grazia office with a Cheerio stuck to her bottom, or accessorising her fabulous Vivienne Westwood vintage with a smear of dried porridge. She loves lounging about in the sunshine with a cocktail (those were the days) and hates smug yummy mummy types offering their unwanted opinions on her sons’ snacks, schooling and snot.

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