LAURA ASHLEYShop Online

We’ve just discovered the gorgeous website This is Your Kingdom, and it’s fair to say we’re all smitten. Designed with the curious and adventurous in mind, this beautifully curated site is a trusted place to share and discover lovely things to see across the UK – from grand adventures to simple pleasures and all the curious nooks and special spots in-between.

We asked founders Hannah and Rebecca to handpick just a few of their favourite things to see and do up and down our glorious coastline this summer.

Hannah and Rebecca from TiYK. Photo by Rosie Bray.

Partake in an alfresco banquet in Cornwall

Image courtesy of JustNicePhotos on flickr

“Make a pit stop at the fantastic Hidden Hut overlooking Porthcurnick Beach. This relatively unknown gem on the Roseland Peninsula offers a truly unique al fresco dining experience and the fact that you can only get there by walking makes it all the more special. During the summer months they host special feast nights that require booking in advance. The formula is simple. Bring your own bowl, cutlery and drinks and they’ll lay on delicious food in a beautiful setting. You couldn’t ask for more!” Shared by Rhianna Morton

Land your pick of the local catch in Dorset

Image courtesy of treehouse1977 on flickr

“Davy’s Locker is a fantastic fish ‘lock-up’ where the fish and shellfish arrive just minutes after being landed. It’s hidden behind the pretty market town of Bridport and supplies all the best local restaurants… The secret is that we can all buy there too, and buying at Davy’s Locker is an absolute pleasure. The men and boys will regale you with jokes, stories and recipes and you’ll probably see a van arrive straight from Lyme Regis filled with the freshest crabs and lobsters. Fantastic prices mean you can buy and eat what is truly local and seasonal – the rich meat of fresh hen crabs, the juiciest, sweetest lobsters, mackerel, sardines, wild sea bass…the list goes on.” Shared by Emma Drew

Find a private picnic nook in the sand dunes in Norfolk

Image courtesy of Tim Caynes on flickr

“My favourite place for afternoon tea is up in the sand dunes on beautiful Holkham Beach, looking out over the vast stretch of unspoilt white-gold sand. I like finding my own private sheltered spot between the grassy hills. I’ll pack my picnic basket with teeny, tiny egg sandwiches, homemade scones, a few squidgy chocolate brownies and a juicy bowl of strawberries. The best strawberries are of course those picked locally – try Wiveton Hall between Blakeney and Cley. If the weather’s on the chilly side, bring a big flask of hot chocolate and extra blankets to snuggle in. I can sit for hours enjoying the endless horizon and huge sky.…” Shared by Vicky Gorry.

Indulge in some seaside nostalgia in West Sussex

Image courtesy of ~KimUK~ on flickr

“My friend Ali’s traditional painted beach hut on West Wittering beach near Chichester is one of my favourite places to spend time. The beach is in an unspoilt stretch of golden sand, the car park is simply a field and there’s no real development save an old-fashioned beach café and shop. It’s like going back in time to the days when the seaside was simply that. To escape the traffic jams during the height of the summer season, either get there early or arrive after lunch and stay into the evening as the sun goes down. Then head to The Boulevard in East Wittering for some freshly cooked local fish and chips. It’s not a fancy place but the food is always great and the portions are enormous.”  Shared by Laura Dunkley

Find a beach all to yourself in Scotland

Image courtesy of aballant on flickr

“As you make your way along the East Lothian coast you come to the little village of Gullane – just half an hour from Edinburgh, yet you could be a million miles away. The beach here is my favourite place in the world…Wild dunes, wind so cold it makes your eyes water, vast stretches of sand and that solemn greeny-grey of the North Sea. As you emerge onto the golden sand turn left and keep walking over the rocks to a quiet stretch where birds swoop and call. After your walk, head down to the main street and snuggle up with a steaming pot of coffee and a delicious scone or decadent sachertorte at Falko Konditormeister. ” Shared by Rebecca Gibb

Embark on a treasure hunt at hidden coves and caves in Cornwall

Image courtesy of Lou Archell 

“Kynance Cove is the stuff of childhood dreams; rocky, wild and raw. Scrambling over large boulders, we finally landed on the most spectacular beach with white sands and soaring cliffs covered in barnacles. At very low tide the sea allowed us to skip round to the other bays, to search for buried treasure in the many caves. In recent years gold coins have been found washed up on the beach, sadly we didn’t find one, maybe next time.” Shared by Lou Archell

Play castaway on an island with wild ponies in Wales

Image courtesy of Rock Catch on flickr

“Llandwyn Island isn’t technically an island… It becomes cut off from the main beach at high tide, and then for a short time, it is an island. Either way, it truly is a magical place with a feeling of timeless antiquity. At every turn you’ll find small sheltered sandy coves, perfect for just sitting down and taking it all in. At this time of the year, the grass is full of wild flowers of every hue, wild ponies graze and the sight and sound of seabirds fill the air as they look for mates.” Shared by Tracey Lester

Looking to bring a touch of Coastal into your home? We’ve cherry picked our favourite Laura Ashley Coastal accessories…

Alena White Round Mirror.

Love this. Like looking through a porthole. Just to be able to have a little giggle to myself over my bonkers windswept hair as I step in off the beach.

Shaldon Stripe Throw

Amazing! A throw named after the seaside village I grew up in. Me and this throw were meant to be – snuggled up together after a long day on the beach.

Colinton Upholstered 2 Seater Sofa

Looks like the perfect seat to cosy up in, read a book and look out at the sea on a stormy day. Accompanied by my Shaldon Stripe throw of course.

Wicklow Ceiling Shade

These have to be the shades I would deck my perfect beach house out in.

Set of 2 Striped Seagrass Baskets

Very pretty and most practical. These would be filled with logs, to fuel the little woodburning stove in my dream beachside shack.

Coastal Cream Enamel Hurricane Lamp

To set the scene on my little beachhut veranda – sundowner in hand of course!

Do you have somewhere special in the UK you’d like to share? TiYK would love to hear from any curious adventurous types out there who’d like to join their team of writers!

Sign up to receive weekly inspiration from TiYK on lovely things to see and do across our glorious little island!

You might also like:

• OH, I DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE
• WHAT CLARE WORE
• FASHION ACCESSORIES BUYER WEEK IN PICTURES

Whilst interior trends may come and go, decorating your home with wallpaper is a traditional, fail safe option. Coming in a variety of prints, shades and textures – the world of wallpaper can become a playground for adventure! If you fancy pushing the boundaries of wallpaper, then it’s time to think outside of the box and look beyond the usual papering ways. Whether you’re planning on redecorating a room or have a roll or two spare, get your creative juices flowing and read up on the unexpected ways to use wallpaper in your home…

Create a Focus

Gosford Meadow Cranberry Print Wallpaper / Hayes Chair / Bexley Stripe Wool Rug / Liberty Square Distressed Mirror

One of the most popular interior trends seen over the past year (or two / three!) is the focal wall. Decorating one feature wall with a standout print creates a bold focus to the room – the perfect way to stamp your personality on your décor. Go big or go home is the rule here! Mixing the cream wash walls with the classic Gosford print above, the room looks modern and fresh, causing the room to feel brighter and bigger.   

Mix and Match 

Aston Silver Wallpaper / Chiswick Cranberry Floral Wallpaper / Thalia White Floral Wallpaper / Weeping Willow Marble Wallpaper / Calissa Pewter Floral Wallpaper / Freshford Floral Red Wallpaper / Pemberley Upholstered Seater Sofa / Constellation Champagne Mirror 

If you’re torn between prints and patterns, why not push the boat out and go for a mix and match feel? This chequered effect may be for the braver amongst us, but this quirky, creative design would work perfectly in smaller rooms or even closets! Bold and brash, but working seamlessly together – let the walls do the talking and stick to neutral furniture pieces and accessories.

Streamlined

Avebury Amethyst Wallpaper  / Clifton Dove Grey Bed / Clifton Dove Grey Blanket Box 

When it comes to decorating a bedroom, a calming atmosphere is what we long for when winding down. Don’t however be afraid to blend textures, mixing neutral shades of paint and subtle wallpaper prints. Complimenting the Avebury wallpaper, the pastel green shade behind the bedstead instantly creates the illusion of the room feeling larger. Such a simple step with noticeable results, both work well to reveal a modern and relaxed setting

Be Creative 

Pussy Willow Natural Floral Wallpaper / Fillmore Check Amethyst Bed Linen

If you have a few spare rolls of leftover wallpaper hanging around put them to good use and get creative. As demonstrated above, the Pussy Willow Grape wallpaper provides the perfect background to the bookcase. Adding a decorative touch, the pattern compliments the muted colour palette.

A few other exciting ideas to try:

- Add splashes of colour or print to the inside of wardrobes and closets to add a playful twist. We love the idea of lining drawers with wallpaper, not only does it look attractive but can be changed to suit whatever your interior mood is of the moment!

- Mix things up and wallpaper your ceiling, there are a number of pastel shades with an embossed texture that would add an interesting feature to any room.

- If you have a blank canvas to work with, whether you don’t have the time or haven’t decided on a look, frame wallpaper clippings to add a pop of print and interest.

- Go wallpaper crazy and line your staircase! A bold move, but one that will certainly get people talking and put a hop in your step.

- Have a glass-topped coffee table taking pride of place in your living room? Revamp its look by adding a sheet of bold print wallpaper underneath for the wow factor.

We are certainly feeling inspired to up our wallpaper game! Will you be trying any of these looks? Race you to the wallpaper samples…

You might also like:

• The Wallpaper Challenge
• TAILOR MADE SHADES
• WINTER WARMTH HOME INSPIRATION

We chatted, we reminisced and we coveted all the home, fashion and vintage treasures at our AW13 press day yesterday. Some of the biggest names in interior & fashion journalism joined us for an intimate showcase at the beautiful listed venue of Il Bottacio off Hyde Park. Arguably our most nostalgic collection yet, next season celebrates our diamond 60th anniversary with an explosion of nostalgic prints from the past re-launched and modernised for today. The show was received with sheer delight and we hope our dear customers love it too! Here is our round up of the best bits…

Berry and vanilla smoothies served up at press day- yum.

First stop was a tribute to our rich past and heritage: a pop up archive curated by history extraordinaire Angela (our London archivist). Divided into decades, we took journalists on a journey through time from our oldest item (the Pelham scarf printed on Laura and Bernard’s kitchen table in 1953) through to the contemporary designs of the noughties. This was a rare chance to enjoy our most sacred vintage fashion, admire our past prints, old Ashley family photographs and personal pieces from Mrs Ashley’s very own china collection. Note Bernard’s large antique carved wooden chest filled with Laura Ashley textiles and the porcelain doll made in the likeness of Laura Ashley from Christmas 1984. We even created a mock room set adorned with 80′s home collection ‘Alba Roses’ and showcased the original 70’s uniform of burgundy & white printed aprons and a frilly hat. Taking any of you back?!

Vintage lover Liz Tregenca arrived at the press day dressed head to toe in this incredible vintage Laura Ashley dress

A3 black and white print of Laura and Bernard Ashley receiving the Queen’s award for export in 1977

Bernard Ashley’s antique carved wooden chest

Alba Roses roomset from the 80′s

After a trip down memory lane, step this way for our new home collections with nostalgic inspiration. Big story for the season is that we are re-releasing some of your adored prints from the past! Last year we asked our facebook fans what their favourite prints were from days gone by. We listened and we’ve supplied… Heritage prints ‘Clarissa’ (1999), ‘Mr Jones’ (1984), ‘Emma’ (1984) and ‘Ironwork Scroll’ (1993) are all being resold in their original colour ways for Autumn along with a handful of new carefully produced colourations including shades of duck egg, amethyst, cranberry and dove grey. Do the original prints bring back any memories? Also creating a stir and new to the home furnishings range is the ‘Pelham’ print (taken from the earliest print design crafted by Mrs Ashley on her kitchen table and originally a head scarf) available as a wallpaper and fabric design. Named after the company’s first London store on Pelham street, which opened in 1968. Although our oldest design we marveled with press at how fresh and modern it still feels today.

Mr Jones print is back! Here is a new cranberry colourway.

The ‘Pelham’ print now available in different shades of wallpaper and fabric.

You can also get the Pelham print on made to order shades.

Other big home stories were our 5 new collections, each offering something entirely fresh and different; ‘Cranberry Peony’ with it’s beautiful drawn peonies offering a grown up feel, ‘Amethyst Peony’ mixing scattered peony heads with our heritage ironwork scroll print exuding confidence and style; ‘Leaf’ our big trend story with botanical inspired motifs, large scale + graphic mixed leaf prints; ‘Markings’ with perennial animal themed prints in luxe shades of linen, mink and touches of pewter for sheer opulence; and ‘Cool Coral’ (a new shade for us) mixing hand drawn flowers and painterly fabrics for a pretty and feminine story…

AW13 home story ‘Leaf’.

Wallpaper print in the ‘Leaf’ collection. Including Pelham in Natural.

AW13 home story ‘Cool Coral’.

AW13 home story ‘Markings’

Liz our Head of Home Buying sitting in the Hydrangea roomset- a print which has been recoloured in duck egg for the new season.

Anyone for a cuppa? The new ‘Peony Amethyst’ print on this pretty china

And pieces capturing the eye of the press? Rose gold ‘Arielle’ furniture (an entirely new finish for us!) injecting some glamour into our ‘Cool Coral’ home story, beautiful new metallic hammered frames and lamp bases, the stunning crystal ‘Lotus’ lamp base and the limited edition Heritage print mugs and candles…

Metallic hammered frames and lamp bases.

The popular crystal lotus lamp

Heritage mugs and candles.

Fast forward into the fashion room where Helen (our Head of Design) and Sandra (Head of Buying) talked press through our to-die-for new style stories, taking a dynamic new print direction with striking ikat and folky prints, accessorised with statement costume jewellery and buttery soft leather bags.

Injecting some sparkle into the new season was our Christmas occasion wear offering (trophy sequined tops and peter pan beaded collars) guarantee to get you noticed at this year’s festive party line up. For a more casual feel this Christmas, we are can’t wait to cosy up by the fire in our irresistibly cosy red knits, chunky weight sweaters and duffle coats with playful check lining.

Christmas knits

Christmas sparkle!

Continuing our love affair with the past a ‘Twiggy-esque’ photograph from the archive offered the inspiration behind swinging 60’s collection ‘Heritage’ (with geo monochrome prints) standing loud and proud in our fashion room, catching the eye of fashion virtuosos from Prima and Woman + Home. Another grand salute to heritage print Pelham is the rerelease of the original ‘Pelham’ silk scarf that Laura and Bernard Ashley first made during our humble beginnings!

We wonder which of our stylish new pieces you can expect on the pages of our favourite fashion titles next season? Which items from photos below have caught your eye? We’d love to hear your thoughts below…

You might also like:

• SPRING 2013 PRESS DAY VIDEO REVEALED!
• Exclusive fly-on-the-wall peek at AW12 PRESS DAY
• WHAT WE’RE WEARING TO FASHION WEEK

The launch of our Laura Ashley memories competition has not only kicked off an influx of heart warming customer stories but it has also got us reminiscing about the past right here in Laura Ashley HQ. One of the most endearing photo journeys is our very own Head of Home Buying Liz Mouat’s long-standing romance with the brand. Growing up in Staffordshire her local Laura Ashley was Newcastle Under Lyme, where she had fond memories of buying clothes and fabric with her mum. To think one day she’d be heading up our home buying department! Maybe it was meant to be? Here Liz looks back…

Aged 7 in my purple Laura Ashley dress with Paddington Bear…

This photo was taken by my Uncle John in 1981 and it was my party dress! It was a long dress so I felt very grown up: it was long sleeved and had a frill around the neck line and front yolk. I am holding a plaster cast of Paddington Bear that I had made and painted. I think I was very proud of it!

Aged 14 with my sister in my handmade striped dress…

Here I am wearing a dress and jacket that I made myself. I enjoyed Textiles and Art at school and went on to study Textiles at University. I made lots of my own clothes including this little number in a lovely cornflower blue and white stripe Laura Ashley fabric. I was clearly going for the nautical look as I teamed it with my school boater!

Aged 15 with my sister in a Laura Ashley Cream Sailor Dress…

Here I am on the left with my younger sister Katie. We were dressed up for my Grandfathers birthday in 1989. I am wearing one of my favourite dresses and I still have it. It was cream linen 1920’s style with a dropped waist, gathered skirt and pleats on the top section. I would wear a knitted scarf square that was folded into a triangle around the shoulders. Katie is also wearing a Laura Ashley outfit; a classic sailor two piece! My Mum had us posing on the old pony cart in the garden, which I thought was hilarious at the time.

Aged 17 at my first Christmas ball…

In this picture I am with my two best school friends and we were very excited about our school Christmas ball. We had new shoes, bags and the long gloves that you can see. I am on the left wearing a floor length black velvet dress from Laura Ashley. It had black chiffon around the neck that draped around the back into a bow. The dress is still at my Mums house and my niece who is 9 has her eyes on it. She, like most of us girls, loves dressing up in long dresses!

Liz with her sister on holiday a few weeks ago

Do you have any fond Laura Ashley memories or photos from the past? Upload your old snaps to our Laura Ashley Memories competition on facebook and you could be in with a chance of winning a £1,000 gift card and tour of our London archive. Or why not take a trip down memory lane and help us pick the most endearing memories so far (for your chance to win a £200 gift card). Take a look here at all the submitted entries…

You might also like:

• The faces behind the Laura Ashley HQ Memories!
• VERSATILE MUMMY & DAUGHTER PARTY PIECES
• LAURA ASHLEY MEMORY? WIN £1000 GIFT CARD!

Toasting our 60^th anniversary this month and our recently launched Laura Ashley Memories competition on facebook (to win a £1,000 gift card + tour of our London archive), has got all the ladies and gents at Laura Ashley HQ feeling nostalgic too. Here are just some of the memories and snaps that have recently landed on the blog editorial desk from our colleagues and dear Laura Ashley friends…

Fay Williams: Designer Home Gifts & Accessories

This is a snap of me in my pretty blue Laura Ashley frock on a family holiday (with parents and grandparents) to a UK Pontins holiday park circa 1988. The crocodile was one of the kids club characters! I remember having a fantastic time as you can see from my smiley face. I would have been about 9 at the time I think, and my sister Sophie would have been about 6. I’m the girl at the back and my sister is at the front. My sister actually had a matching dress but unfortunately she isn’t wearing hers in this picture!

Helen Balkham- Head of Fashion Design

Helen aged 3 in her Laura Ashley frock and Helen today wearing our Floral Print Silk Collarless Shirt 

This is me aged just 3 (circa 1976) in my favourite Laura Ashley floral dress. This picture reminds me of long hot summer days playing with my friends in the garden. Even though it is a party dress I loved running around and playing outside in it.

Melisa Hensey: Product Manager, Mail Order & Ecommerce Department

I bought this nautical Laura Ashley dress in Richmond in the Summer of 1988, when I was expecting my daughter Sinead and often wore it as a maternity dress. The photo was taken at Sinead’s 3rd birthday party (September 1991), which we held in a local church hall. We invited around twenty 3 year olds so it was all a bit noisy but great fun! One boy cried for his Mummy and went home early. Crazy to think he is now 25 years old and 6ft!

Inspire any Laura Ashley memories of your own? We would love to hear them! To enter our Laura Ashley Memories competition to be in with a chance of winning a £1,000 gift card + tour of the London archive click here to get started. Or why not have a browse of all the memories uploaded in our galleries so far! Help us pick the most endearing memory by clicking on the heart of your favourite memory. Everyone who votes gets entered into a prize draw to win a £200 gift card! #lauraashley60

You might also like:

• LAURA ASHLEY MEMORY? WIN £1000 GIFT CARD!
• Fashion Blogger’s Vintage Laura Ashley
• In the Archive: Laura Ashley Reminisces

We can’t quite believe it has been 60 years since Laura and Bernard Ashley first started printing fabric on their kitchen table in Pimlico (London) in 1953. To toast our 60^th anniversary this month we are inviting you to take a trip down memory lane (here on our facebook page) and share your old photos and Laura Ashley memories from the last 60 years! It can be anything nostalgic, from wearing your first Victoriana style smock or wedding gown to your mum’s favourite printed curtains and matching bedspread… we’d love to hear it all!

Judged by a panel of Laura Ashley judges, the person who shares the most endearing memory will win a whopping £1,000 gift card (imagine the kind of shopping spree you could do with that!) plus a rare tour of our London archive (usually under lock and key) and meet our wonderful and hugely insightful archivist Angela.

Simply click here to get started on our facebook page…

Don’t have a memory / old snap? Help us decide on our favourite memory and like us here to look at the gallery of entrants so far. Everyone who votes will also been entered into a draw to win a £200 Laura Ashley gift card.

To help jog your Laura Ashley memories we’ve dug out some of our favourite photographs from the archive… Look familiar?!

Feeling inspired?! See you on the Laura Ashley facebook page for more memories!

You might also like:

• ‘LIKE US’ ON FB TO WIN A £500 HOME GIFT CARD!
• Fashion Blogger’s Vintage Laura Ashley
• GUESS THE YEAR

As we suddenly find ourselves in the summery month of June (how time whizzes by!) we are delighted to reveal our new blogger of the month. Hailing from the country town of Norwich, lifestyle blogger Jenny gives us an insider peek into her wonderful blog Sunny Sweet Pea…

A mish-mash all of all things whimsical, Jenny’s online journal Sunny Sweet Pea is home to day to day snippets of her life. With a dash of weekend adventures, a sprinkle of foodie posts and a large helping of café reviews, book recommendations and her monthly love lists, we are truly smitten with Jenny’s blog. Allowing us to dip in and out of her thoughts, Jenny shares the simple pleasure in her life – and we for one, are hooked!

Of course, we must not forget a certain leading sir that takes centre stage on Sunny Sweet Pea, Jenny’s adorable Springer Spaniel Pip! Raring for adventure and ready to explore, we love nothing more than reading about Jenny and Pip’s latest venture – whether that be racing through the flowers in Sherringham Park or updating us on her mischievous puppy classes – Pip certainly has her very own fan club started…

Jenny’s beautiful photography is another reason we can’t get enough of her blog, not only is Sunny Sweet Pea an absolute joy to read, but we thank Jenny for sharing her amazing photos…

The beautiful opal ring passed on to Jenny from her Grandmother.

We invited Jenny to tell us more about Sunny Sweet Pea…

How did ‘Sunny Sweet Pea’ come about?

Back in 2009 I had come to a slight cross roads in my life. Newly qualified as a teacher, I decided after a year that it wasn’t for me. Having that horrible, tingly feeling that it wasn’t right, I found myself a tad lost. Initially I started a blog to document my job search including my volunteering experiences as I tried to venture into the charity sector. But feeling the urge to write about exciting things, I started Sunny Sweet Pea – a place for me to share all those random thoughts and feelings, of which there are many!

What inspires you to write?

As my Sunny Sweat Pea is a general lifestyle blog I tend to find inspiration everywhere and anywhere. From reading a good book to getting my hands dirty in the garden, I keep a little ‘blog diary’ where I jot down ideas for future posts. My blog certainly gets me out and about, whether that be finding tasty tearooms to review or exciting places to photograph, blogging is definitely how I like to spend my weekends

What do you enjoy most about blogging?

There are so many things I love about blogging. My blog is my creative outlet. Somewhere I can share my love for writing and photography, for whimsy and adventure, for documenting my life. But the thing about blogging that I love the most is the community I have become part of. I have ‘met’ some wonderful people through blogging… people who I have more in common with than many of my friends in real life. My blog is the one place where I feel I can truly be myself.

What are your top three favourite blogs to read?

My very favourite blog is Charlotte’s The Tea Drinking English Rose. I have so much in common with this lovely lady and I can’t wait to meet her in June. My first time meeting a fellow blogger!

I also love reading Jem’s blog Beautiful Clutter. She finds trinkets and treasures that I would love to fill my house with.

My favourite Norfolk blogger is Stacey from Whimsical Wolf, she takes beautiful photographs of the Norfolk countryside, providing me with a long list of places I would like to visit.

What’s your favourite item on the Laura Ashley website?

My house is full of Laura Ashley items, my favourite being my owl bookends! But I must admit I have been lusting over the globe for my little home office and I have my stylish eye on the polka dot mac and anchor cardigan!

White Owl Bookends /  Anchor Knit Cardigan / Globe 

We loved hearing more about Jenny’s blog Sunny Sweet Pea – a true treasure in the blogging world we cannot wait to read more adventures with Pip.

You might also like:

• Monthly Blog Crush: May
• MONTHLY BLOG CRUSH: APRIL
• BLOGGERS ON FILM: ‘ONE-UPON-A-TIME’ BLOG PARTY

When it comes to bedroom décor, there is nothing more glamorous than your very own dressing room table, a true epitome of luxury and style. A dedicated little corner to pamper and preen yourself, surely every woman’s dream? The dressing table dates way back to the early 17th century, an elegant touch to any bedroom they are designed to make you feel beautiful. So when we were invited to take a peek at beauty blogger Laura’s dressing table, we couldn’t resist!

Whilst most women dream of having a walk in wardrobe to home their favourite pieces, for myself a collector of pretty lipsticks and blushers, a perfect dressing table has always been a dream addition to my bedroom space.

Ridged Glass Jar / Rounded Ridged Glass Jar / Decorative Beaded Edge Tray 

Forever in search of new ways to keep my dressing area perfectly quaint and organised, I finally came across these classic decorative touches from Laura Ashley. Creating a relaxed place to sit, ready to perfect my hair and make up, let me introduce you to my little pamper haven…

Adding these simple decorative pieces to my dressing table not only sets the scene but also provides the perfect storage for my accessories. The classic ridged glass storage jars are simply beautiful, playing home to my everyday essentials such as cotton pads, cotton buds and my must-have make-up brushes. They also suit the fresh, classic style of my room.

Vintage Style Glass Candle / Ridged Glass Jar / Rounded Ridged Glass Jar / Decorative Beaded Edge Tray 

My dressing table wouldn’t be complete without a candle burning, creating a calming aroma; the vintage glass candle additionally works well with the other pieces on display. Once burned, I will then recycle to create another place to store smaller brushes or even hair ties!

Decorative Beaded Edge Tray / Fresh Linen and Jasmine Hand Lotion / No1 Perfume / Vintage Style Glass Candle

When it comes to dressing your dressing table, keeping it simple and neat is my mantra. The decorative mirror tray plays host to my fragrances, showcasing some of my luxury items – looking fabulous on display but keeping them within handy reach! The tray fits in wonderfully with the boudoir theme I have tried to create throughout my room. The reflecting light creates a brighter, inviting setting.

We thoroughly enjoyed this tour of Laura’s dressing room table – we love being privy to other beauty areas! The glass theme Laura has followed is sleek, sophisticated and ever so chic.

If you would like to read more of Laura’s thoughts on beauty, click here to read her online blog Belle’s Boutique.

How do you dress your dressing room table? Any top tips for storage?

You might also like:

• FINISHING TOUCHES FOR YOUR BIG DAY
• INSPIRATION: GREAT GATSBY DÉCOR
• AT HOME WITH STYLIST MAGAZINE’S FASHION DIRECTOR

Back in the early days of Laura Ashley, before CAD packages catapulted us into the 21^st century, the fashion designers at Laura Ashley would draw their charming designs by hand. One of our favourite past times in the archive is flicking through the beautifully crafted fashion illustrations, which are all very stylised and unique to the designer that was drawing them at the time. Note their fab hair styles and almost doll like faces!

As with many famous fashion designers, Laura Ashley did not illustrate herself but had a very clear direction / vision which was brought to life through her team. On some of the illustrations you can see Laura’s annotations, often from when she was being faxed drawings from designers during her trips away or when she was unavailable in the office.

To celebrate our 60^th anniversary and the original archive illustrations, we have printed and framed three one-off illustrative prints (see right of hero image) which can be won on our Twitter page @LauraAshleyUK! Simply Tweet the following for your chance to have one of these rare pretty prints hanging on your wall at home…

Picture this! RT+FOLLOW @LauraAshleyUK to win 1 of 3 of these adorable framed prints of our archive illustrations http://bit.ly/16SW49F

Give-away ends Tuesday 28th May.

You might also like:

• GADGET GIRL COMPETITION
• JUMPER FOR JOY COMPETITION
• WELCOME TO THE WELSH ARCHIVE

Whether your hosting an alfresco dinner party or whipping up a yummy salad for a light lunch, nothing tastes better than adding in a few flavoursome herbs – especially when you’ve handpicked them fresh! It doesn’t matter whether you have a large country garden, a small city window box or even a windowsill, herb growing can suit any environment and is actually quite straightforward!

We called on Gardening blogger Lucy from Smallest Smallholding, a champion of the ‘Growing Your Own’ movement to give us the low down on how to get started…

The taste for home-grown fruits and veggies is a new luxury many British families up and down the country are enjoying once more. But for some, the dream of complete self-sufficiency is just that – a dream. But that’s not to say that we all can’t enjoy a little bit of tasty, fresh home-grown produce! Even those with the smallest amount of growing space can enjoy some home-grown produce, whether it’s freshly harvested salad from your windowbox, fresh tomatoes grown on your balcony, or earthy potatoes grown in a container on your patio!

Salads and herbs are a great starting point for anyone who wants to enjoy the culinary benefits of fresh, flavoursome food. Fresh herbs can add a real punch of flavour to many dishes (think freshly torn basil on pizza – delicious), and you can’t beat tender and crunchy freshly harvested salad leaves. Salad leaves and herbs are particularly easy to grow, and the Laura Ashley ceramic herb pots help to make them an attractive (and productive!) home-grown feature on your windowsill at home.

I’ve chosen to grow basil, lemon thyme and flat leaf parsley in my ceramic herb pots, and the good news is that most herbs will grow happily on a warm windowsill, including other favourites such as mint, chives and coriander.

Helmsley Set of Three Herb Pots

Planting your herbs in the ceramic pots is easy – you can either grow on plants purchased in 6inch pots from your garden centre (I find supermarket pot-grown herbs tend to have a limited shelf life and wilt more quickly), or if you have the luxury of a little more time, you can also sow seeds directly.

Herbs prefer a full-sun (southerly) aspect, so always opt to place your ceramic pots on a warm, sunny spot in your kitchen (east or west facing if you’ve got no south-facing windows), away from any draughts, fridges and hot ovens! Basil, possibly the fussiest of all herbs, doesn’t like to get too hot and dry, or too cold either, so you might have to experiment to find the best spot in your kitchen for the herbs you’ve chosen to grow.

Herb plants need watering regularly, but they don’t like to be water-logged – in fact, they need a fertile but free-draining soil when they’re pot-bound, so fill each ceramic herb pot with a mixture of potting soil and sand or vermiculite to ensure good drainage. If planting from pot-grown plants, add a couple of inches of potting soil to the bottom of the ceramic pot, before placing the plant in situ and in-filling with more potting soil. If growing from herb seeds, sow on the surface of the soil, and cover with a fine sprinkling of potting soil or vermiculite. Water regularly and turn the ceramic pots as the seedlings grow, to avoid your seeds reaching for sunlight and growing wonky.

You might find that every now and then, you need to fluff up and top up the soil around the mature plants; you can do this with a small fork to avoid soil compaction and avoid a ‘crust’ that stops water permeating properly. As the Laura Ashley herb pots have a shallow tray underneath, in summer months you may find that the thirsty plants will need watering daily to keep them in tip-top condition.

Do you have any top tips when it comes to growing your own fruit and veg? To read more of Lucy’s gardening adventures check out more of her insightful blog here.

All images are ©SmallestSmallholding.com.

You might also like:

• A SPOT OF EASTER GARDENING
• HOSTING A CHAMPION FEAST
• HAMPTON COURT PALACE FLOWER SHOW