Home Sweet Home: TGI Friday

Yes it has been a while, in fact it has been an age but here is an exciting installment of TGI Friday but from an interiors perspective. This is where I pick out all the blogs that rocked my world this week.

Concrete and Honey

Ok I cheated a bit as this post was written in April but I love it and just had to share it. For those of you who always have a problem with storage (like I do) this blog post lists some great ways of storing your wares.

Brunch at Saks
Annemarie shows us her inspirations over choosing colours for her home and shares with us lots of yummy pictures from Apartment Therapy.

Lobster and Swan
I love a good cup of tea and Jeska from Lobster and Swan shows off some gorgeous tea that she sighted at Les Carnets de MissClara.

A Bloomsbury Life
Lisa gives us the lowdown of the preview for the Acme gallery. I love the way the magazines are artfully displayed on the floor under the chair.

Design Sponge
Grace salivates over designer, Caitlin Mociun's cool and fabulous open loft home.

Picture taken from Concrete and Honey.

Home Sweet Home: Swan Like

There are some gorgeous blogs out there that make you want to salivate over them and Lobster and Swan is one of them. The blog covers all things beautiful such as interiors, fashion, food, books and in particular her gorgeous home in Hastings. Lobster and Swan is run by Jeaka Hearne who started blogging in 2007 and since then has become one of the most popular blogs in blogsphere. With 1,545 followers, 681 on Twitter and being ranked no 18 in The Times in the poll for 50 of the world's best design blogs, it would be safe to say that Jeska is making quite a name for herself. She also runs another blog called Record of the Day which consists of pictures of the things she loves. When she is not browsing around the wonderful boutique shops in Hastings or blogging, Jeska is updating her flickr account and uploading stuff onto her Etsy shop. She took time out from her busy schedule to talk to me about blogging and life.

What made you start blogging?

When I discovered so many creative people online I just had to take the jump and start my own blog, really to connect with likeminded folk learn from others and express my creativity.

Describe the concept behind Lobster and Swan.

I guess its like an archive of all the things I find beautiful and want to share, I chose the name because of the romantic notion that these two creatures pair for life and I like the idea that the things we keep in our homes/wardrobes/lives should not be throw away but treasured forever.

The interiors blogging community has grown tremendously over the last year or so. Why do you think they are so popular?

I think they are accessible to a lot of people and if you want a more individual take on the design world this is where so much of it begins, I see the high street take trends that have started in the blogging community and really spread them a little thinly so the bloggers start new ones and have to keep one step ahead.

You come up with a lot of quirky ideas for your blog, how do you get your inspiration?

I am inspired by simple things that can make your day that little bit sweeter like baking, decorating or wrapping a gift beautifully. Also the other end of the scale by fantasy, huge extravagant fashion imagery and Tim Walker. John Galliano has been a hero of mine since I studied graphic design at college. 

What do you do when you are not working on your blog?

I have always been involved in retail, I ran a lighting store for years until the owner decided to close it, I am currently working in a bank just until I get on my feet and expand my blog further later this year. 

Describe a typical day in the life of Jeska Hearne.

Up early especially when the sun is around, make some sweet milky coffee then do some research for my blog posts, I love to bake, rearrange my inspiration wire and boards, often go out take as many photos as I can on bright days. Visiting small towns and boutiques for inspiration or looking for new artists and crafts people to promote. 

What are your favourite glossy magazines?

Selvedge, Australian Vogue Living, UK Country Living and Elle Decoration.

Name five blogs that you read religiously.

http://sunday-suppers.blogspot.com/        for Stunning recipes and photography.

http://teaforjoy.blogspot.com/                   for pretty living.

http://elseachelsea.typepad.com/frolic/     for everything. 

http://www.saladandsequins.com/            for Healthy living.

http://www.emmacassi.com/blog/            for the most delicate design ethic.

How do you see Lobster and Swan evolving over the next two years? 

I am expanding the blog at the moment and that should go live in the next few weeks with a portfolio, new online store, directory and other features. I hope this is the year I get away from the high street and make the leap to stand alone.

You can read Jeska's blog here.

You can follow her on Twitter here.

Welcome to Home Sweet Home

Well it is another bank holiday and that means one thing – time for some DIY. The property market may still be in a slump but people are still obsessed with their homes. The proof? Well property programmes are still popular and interior magazines are flying off the shelves. Also with Grand Designs LIVE kicking off tomorrow for the 6th year promising to be bigger and better it looks like homes are here to say. The environment you inhabit is very crucial to your state of mind; crappy home life equates to a pretty crappy state of mind. Which is why I so embrace blogs on interiors and crafts which show how we can make our homes a beautiful place. Therefore you can imagine my bemusement when I read an ever so snarky piece in Jezebel having a pop at a selected bloggers who focus on these things, accusing them of being pretentious and responsible for making other people feel inadequate. Come on Jezebel, get a grip! I enjoy reading your website and I enjoy the snarkiness when it is deserved but randomly attacking bloggers for having creative and inspiring blogs is just petty.

Anyway all the nastiness aside, over the last year I have noticed that the interior bloggers have developed a strong community so I have decided to celebrate this by launching Home Sweet Home. Which is an interiors special that will consist of articles and reviews relating to all things home related. We have a lot to look forward to such as a review of The Selby, the much awaited book by Todd Selby, an article on Open Houses where artists throw open their homes to the public so they can check out their artwork but tomorrow we will kick off with an interview with Jeska Hearne from Lobster and Swan who is our Blogger of the Month.