Travel: Nice, Cotes d'Azur

I've just returned from a rather lovely week on the French Riviera.  Spending my days wandering around the beautiful towns and villages (more of that to follow), eating far too many croissants for my liking and soaking up the last of the summer sunshine. 

Beautiful Villefranche

I wanted to share with you our urban hub for the week, the Manhattan apartment in the centre of Nice on the Rue de France.   Not only does it have an ideal location with a patisserie next door (a priority I know!), but also the promenade is a two minute walk away and the bustle of the Rue de France shops are on your doorstep.  In true French style the apartment was tucked away in a gated courtyard so it had a tranquil element too...win win! 

I was blown away my the urban and stylish feel of this apartment.  We were celebrating a 21st birthday so I couldn't think of a more suitable abode for our weeks stay.  

It was unexpectedly spacious too, which was a blessing with five adults sharing.  Covering three large floors, and a bathroom each we could have easily squeezed in more people to stay.   

The fab living area with a statement graffiti wall... 

The kitchen was practical but with amazing design touches...

I was completely in my element with all the mod-cons in the apartment.  The mood lighting was impressively in every room and I fell to sleep with a different shade glowing each night.  

I just loved the amazing lamp shade light feature.

                        

                                                         

Another spacious bedroom.  But what you can't see on the photograph is the separate sitting room and bathroom...with mood lighting of course! 

Tucked away downstairs was a fun games room and gym...bonus!

Each and every bathroom was pure luxury, with giant shower heads and metallic walls, and a large bath tub!  Did I mention the L'Occitane products?

This apartment is available to rent by Nice Pebbles.  We have used their services before and not only do they have a wonderful selection of rental accommodation available, but the service is top notch too. 

Each 'home' comes with a welcome pack (and wine!), someone to meet and greet you and show you around, along with the obligatory touristy information to ensure that you make the most out of your stay on the Cote d'Azur.

I couldn't recommend Nice Pebbles highly enough, whether you want a stylish, traditional or elegant apartment, they are your one stop holiday shop on the French Riviera!

I think I might just be making another booking soon...

For further information on Nice Pebbles and their rental collection, visit their website www.nicepebbles.com.

Trend: White

The abundance of all-white has caught the fashion crowd’s eye this season and has graced catwalk after catwalk, so it seems fitting to replicate this fresh and chic look in your home too. 

Decorating your home in all-white shouldn’t be daunting, nor need it look sterile.  Not only does it look elegant and crisp, but it is so easy to create that 'lived in' look too.  What I love about this trend is that you don't need to worry about matching colour tones or patterns, instead put together a simple yet stylish look in top-to-toe white!

Here are some favourite looks at Butterfly Lane... 

This all-white room has added warmth by using subtle hints of cornflower blue.

Modern and chic...

Love, love, love...

White grandeur... 

A 'live-in' yet super stylish kitchen...

A beautifully inviting kitchen...

The black accents gives this white entrance hall an impressive first impression!

Would you venture in to all-white interiors?

Lifestyle Interview: Emma Forbes

Lifestyle expert and TV presenter Emma Forbes is one of the nations most loved personalities, and now she is making waves with her lifestyle magazine and website, which is fast becoming an influential online destination, covering everything from parenting, food, interiors, travel, health and well-being, basically everything to make stylish living easy.  Which sounds good to us!  Emma has also released her book Life & Soul, which gives the rundown on creating perfect themed parties.   

Emma could quite possibly be the ultimate Yummy Mummy and here she talks to Butterfly Lane about interior design, how she unwinds after a stressful day and how it's important to embrace change.  

How would you describe your homes style?

My homes style is no clutter, but things I love around me!  I think 'less is more' - a splash of colour in a white room, a beautiful object on a shelf.  I love a cosy and warm feel, but love white as a base colour.

How did you make the transition from TV to writing a book and having a lifestyle website?

Transition from TV to what I do now seemed to be the right move as I had my two kids and enjoyed spending more time at home than away working, and then I could be a working mum but fit everything in around their schedules!  It's what I've always loved - everything to do with lifestyle, so it seemed like quite a natural transition.  

How do you unwind after a stressful day at the office?

I unwind by being at home, good rubbish telly, and a home cooked meal - ideally while wearing PJ's with my husband and kids.

Do you favour country living or city chic?

I always think I love country living but in fact I think I'm more urban than that, as I love the noise of a city, and having things like a Starbucks nearby!  So probably I'm more city chic?  Perhaps a bit of both?

If you were to buy anything from Butterfly Lane what would you buy? 

I would buy lots of gorgeous cake stands, I love them.  You can never have enough and they look great in quantity!

Cake Stands available from Butterfly Lane 

Bird Dome Cake Stand available from Butterfly Lane

What is your top lifestyle tip?

My top lifestyle tip is to keep things changing.  I think people get very afraid of 'change' and I love the idea that rooms evolve with you, the time you are in your life, seasons etc, so be bold and brave - do spring clearouts, make a room cosy at Christmas and always make your home your castle!

Visit www.emmaforbes.com for more lifestyle tips. 

Her book Life and Soul is available to buy now.

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My Favourite Things: Helen Turkington

Here at Butterfly Lane we are big fans of interior designer Helen Turkington, her designs and style.  She is among one of the most influential and talented designers within the UK and Ireland.  Her name stands for a unique blend of sophistication and liveability, a sentiment that we just love at Butterfly Lane.

She has recently launched a beautiful paint collection, in stunningly subtle shades, that will blend and flow from one room to another.  "Developing and creating my own bespoke paint range was very exciting.  I've been working with paint for years so I used what I learnt to bring a range to my customers."

Here she picks her five favourite things from the new Butterfly Lane collection that will give your home the Helen Turkington seal of approval.

Perfume Bottles from £5.95

Grey Jars from £35

Jug £30

Owls from £14.95

View our glassware collection.  Prices from £5.95

Visit the new Butterfly Lane boutique here!

  

The Legacy Of Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel

Yesterday marked what would have been Coco Chanel's 129th birthday, despite dying in 1971 her legacy still lives on.  Coco was a pioneer in the world of fashion with a colourful and exuberant character.  Her iconic designs from the boucle jacket, the classic quilted bag and strings of pearls still remain relevant today and are wardrobe staples for many fashionistas.  She redefined how to dress women with classic and timeless designs and she was a firm believer in elegance...and of wearing perfume!  She left the world with a legacy of fabulous, wise and witty quotes which transcends generations, and here are a few of Butterfly Lane's favourites.  

"A girl should be two things:  classy and fabulous."

"Dress shabbily and they remember the dress, dress impeccably and they remember the woman."

"A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future."

"Some people think luxury is the opposite to poverty.  It is not.   It is the opposite to vulgarity."

"As long as you know men are like children, you know everything!"

"Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping it will turn in to a door."

"Fashion fades, only style remains the same."

Here are some of our most favourite Chanel designs of late, which showcases how this classic brand is still relevant, fabulous and above all modern today.  

Classic cream design and the classic and oh so chic boucle jacket

Here at Butterfly Lane we are all about elegance and timeless design, so today we would like to bring some Chanel styling in to our interior design.  Below are some rooms that Coco herself would adore, all you'll need to do it pop on your box boucle jacket, have a spritz of Chanel No.5 and imagine an era of timeless sophistication.  Voila!  We're thinking a classic black and cream colour palette, pearl, luxurious accessories, and simple, classic designs, with of course copious amounts of Parisian chic.  

Classic, Parisian, black and cream palette...very Coco

Parisian, neutral and chic

Elegant and simple with a French charm

Classic furniture 

Elegant bathroom and dressing area

We hope Chanel will continue to give us aspirational and elegant designs to fill our lives with beauty.  Oh, how we love Chanel!

*Remember our online boutique is now open, so take a look at our gorgeous range of home accessories.  Click HERE to be transported to the Butterfly Lane Boutique.  

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Arrange In Style

The simple things in life can really make a difference to your mood and surroundings.  I'm here to talk about flowers!  Flowers make me happy, simple as that.  I love nothing more than receiving, or buying, a bunch of fresh blooms, they are always such a thoughtful gesture (hint to boyfriend), and are always welcome in my home.  

Now an extravagant, colourful display always look beautiful, but we are not channelling wedding day floristry here at Butterfly Lane, therefore my current obsession is a simple display of the same flower.  I just love, love, love Hydrangeas, Peonies at a close second and I'm absolutely loving Chrysanthemum's at the moment.  I recently used cream ones in a photo shoot and they worked so well, simple, understated and chic, just what was required.  

Image from Butterfly Lane  

I also used Papillion Lavender when styling the shoot.  The strong purple really gave the simple white vase a pop, and was a different take on using normal cut blooms.  I think a vase filled with a potted Papillion Lavender would look fabulous either end of a dining room table.

Pretty Papillion Lavender.  Image by Butterfly Lane

I truly believe that simple arrangements look so elegant and chic, so no need to get too extravagant, unless it's your passion of course.  But, with more and more of us being time poor but still want a pretty posy in our homes, below are some simple ideas that I will definitely be recreating at home.  

The use of zesty fruits within an arrangement is a look that I am completely in love with at the moment, especially for a kitchen.  Take inspiration from the below images.  

Slice limes to jazz up a plain glass vase

Love Limes

Use whole lemons and limes for a colourful alternative.

Everyone has a trusty glass vase tucked away in a cupboard, but why not experiment with different forms of 'vases'.  Watering cans and jugs are a classic choice for a country side, come French inspired look.  Why not give it a go?

This cream tin bucket looks fabulous full of fresh cream beauties.  What a centre piece!

A dream of mine is to have a dedicated section in my garden, that is free to pick for flowers at any time to have in my house.  The plan is that it will save money at the florist and will also give me no excuse whatsoever to have fresh and pretty flower arrangements in my home.  With this in mind, I love the image below, full of wild, unkempt flowers.  Simple and just lovely.

Remember to let us know if you have any top flower arranging tips, always great to hear from you.