Home styling tips // One Sofa - three ways to style it

I'm not going to lie, I've been trying to finish this post for the last 3 (!) weeks. On long train rides, at airport lounges, at home with a glass of wine.. it just seemed impossible. Well today everything was going wrong and I realised that the only thing that keeps me sane is this little online space which is all mine, every little piece of it belongs to me and who I am.. so here I am, sharing a new blog post about sofas cushions and how you can play with them. The more I work in Interiors the more I learn to appreciate cushions and lamps (but hopefully I can share more on lamps on another post). If you feel like updating your house start with the cushions; it is the easiest and probably the only way that you're not going to break the bank. Today I'm showing you how the same sofa, with the same lamps and side tables can transform completely just by changing the cushions. So if you're like me you and you can't live in a space that looks the same all year long, cushions are you secret weapon!
Have a lovely day!

If you like any of the product in the photos, click on the photo that will redirect you to the desired item.

Maria

PS: I made my very first gif, how fun is this? (Or is it extremely annoying? Are those messy cushions on the sofa making you want to jump in your screen and redecorate them too? I'd love to know your thoughts!)

Steal the look // Scandinavian reading nook

The older I grow, the more I enjoy cozy weekends at home, watching
movies and snuggling on the sofa. This weekend was one of those, 
the perfect balance between lying on the sofa and seeing friends for coffee.
How was your weekend?
Here's a mood board on how to copy this Scandinavian inspired cozy 
reading nook. 
Photo via Pinterest.
-Click on the images for prices and details.

Have a great week everyone! 
Marimar

Fashion meets Decor // Marble Prints

Another weekend has come to an end and I kept spotting more and more marble trends around London town. So I grabbed my laptop and decided to share a few of my favourite marble inspired products around the internet (while watching a really good movie! #multitaskingforlife). I hope you all have a sunny and productive new week! 

1. // Gat Rimon clutch // Girissima £90.00

2.//  Studio 'Luna' white marble tray £35.00

3.// Ferm Living marble cushion // Selfridges £79.00

4.// Scantrends 155 Marble wallpaper £61.00

5.// Boxframe coffee table with marble top // WestElm $399

6.// Marble rolling pin with handles // Sur La Table $24.95

Latest obsession // Succulents at home

 So I haven't been around a lot.. as per usual. Life is a roller coster and unfortunately blogging wasn't on top of the list. But is always and when I say alway I mean at least 10 times day in my mind. "Oh I'm so gonna blog about this' well, it never happened. So today that I'm home alone, I've decided that I need to share with who-ever-is-still-out-there my latest obsession: Succulents. I love them, wether they are in planters, on the wall, on a plater os as centerpieces I just completely adore them. What do you think? Is it just another Pinterest trend? And now that we've mentioned Pinterest, all of these lovely images are via my Pinterest board 'And decorate with plants and flowers', join me on Pinterestland and lets share beautiful images ( http://www.pinterest.com/lifestyleblog/)

Things that made me smile this week // December week 3

3 days until Christmas! I didn't realize it until I heard it from a guy on the radio! I'm going home in less than 2 days and I'll share a big secret with you tonight: I hate packing. And I have to catch 2 flights in one day. This is a lot of packing. I wish I could magically have my suitcases ready to go and all the gifts wrapped and placed in as well! This week was fun, I tried to avoid anything that included packing, focused on work and did a lot of Christmas baking, shopping and I received my first Christmas gift (which I totally ALREADY unwrapped!) It's the Iconia A1 tablet from Acer, which is probably going to be my new best friend for 2014! I spent the weekend exploring all the apps and taking the photos that you'll see attached in this post. A girl(+blogger!) can never have too many gadgets!

1// Would you resist unwrapping this beautiful gift? I couldn't help myself! Hello new Iconia tablet, welcome to the world of Unidentified Lifestyle! (Iconia A1 tablet review here)  Thank you Acer! I'm incredibly amazed by your gift wrapping skills! 
Get it for you or a make a friend happy , with just a click here.
2// Casual Sundays at home, washing the dishes and doing laundry #notjoking #domesticgoddess
3// A rare moment during this week that didn't include rain & wind
4// I mean, I had to take another photo, look at this beauty! Christmas and Harrods go together like milk and biscuits.
5// A fun lunchbox I got for our Secret Santa gift exchange at work. You can find it on Asos or River Island(on sale!).
6//7//8// Making a traditional Christmas treat: Melomakarona or simply Honey syrup biscuits. You can find the recipe in English on Greekfood.about.com 

Is there anyone else out there that hates packing as much as I do? Are you all going home for Christmas? Happy Monday y'all! 3 days till Christmas! 

Maria

Let's DIY // 10 Printable gift tags for your presents

Your presents have to be stunning but the perfect and suitable gift tag will make them shine like a diamond. Today I've collected 9 free printable gift tags + 1 from Etsy. I hope you like them and that they'll inspire you to print them! Happy gift-wrapping!

Maria

1// Fun! From the Decorators notebook // 2. From Love.Obsess.Inspire // 3. Via // 4. Simple and festive. From Etsy // 5. Nice and simple. From Shewearsmanyhats // 6&7. My favorite free printable gift tags . By Kelli Murray // 8. From Heylook.fi // 9. A little washi tape DIY for plain gift tags. From Allwashitape // 10. Love these colours. From ZuGalerie

Let's DIY // Christmas Gift wrapping ideas

Christmas is around the corner, even if you haven't event had chance to look at the calendar, I'm sure you've been present at conversations about ribbons and tissue paper! I've a big love for brown paper so today I'm sharing my favorite gift wrapping ideas with brown paper. Fun, chic, personal, thoughtful, you've got 9 different ideas to choose from! No.9 is the gift I made for our 'Dirty Santa' game at work! 
More Christmas ideas, recipes, table settings on my Pinterest board 'Christmas season'
Have a good day!

Maria

1// My all time favorite wrapping idea: Rainbow yearns wrapped around brown paper! Via 
2// Red twine and small piece of a Fir tree, it doesn't get any more Christmasy than this. Heaven. via 
3// Pompoms is such a fun alternative to bows and ribbons! Via 
4// A playful option: Poms Poms and gifts tags via Pinterest
5// If you've got plenty of time to spare, go for this candy garland. Add a tiny name tag to make it look more personal. "Stamp red peppermints on white paper, then cut out. Glue the peppermints to raffia and coil the garland multiple times around the center of a box. Attach a cardstock tag." Via
6// Cut out heart via 'the House that Lars built'
7// If you're going for something more personalized: use red ribbon & reprint an old photo via  Odessamay Society 
8// Use black ribbon to create a chic look, add your final touch by adding a small piece of your Christmas tree. Via 

Styling Recipe // Christmas table settings

I hope there's more people out there that haven't even started their Christmas shopping! When it comes to gifts and shopping I'm always last minute but when it comes to decorating and styling a Christmas table I say 'the earlier the better!'. Today I'm sharing two of my favorite color palettes for your Christmas tables. Red, Gold and White & Black and White. I hope you enjoy them! Wish me luck with all the Christmas gifts that I'm not planning on getting soon!

Maria

Get the look of the Red, Gold and White tabletop
1// A Christmas tree inside your dinner plates? Yes, yes and yes! Tis the season for all these things. I'll take 4, thank you. Get them here for £39
2// I'm totally in love with these Gold foil Wine glasses from JCPenney. You need to have a look at the Champagne and large tumblers, too. So festive! Bring them home for
3// Always add something fun on your table. In this case these Nutcracker napkin rings from World Market. Yours for only £6.00
4// A centerpiece like this one from Pier1 Imports is something that every Festive table needs.
5// Always add something sparkly like this Glowing tea light from West Elm (£29)
6// And something living like this Red berry wreath from Macy's (and on sale!)


Get the look of the Black and White tabletop
1// Create atmosphere with these black candle pillar holders.
2// One of my favorite dinner plates out there: Welcome home plate from West Elm.
3// The Deer obsession continues. This time a sitting white Deer from Target. Get it here.
4// More Christmas trees on china! £24 from Dillards
5// Add a handmade touch to your table setting be spreading these Christmas trees on the table between your guests. Get a set of 5 from John Lewis for £3
6// Stylish Pinecone napkin rings for your guests from Kolhs

Things that made me smile this week // December week 1+2

Is ANYONE ELSE as excited as me about Christmas? Ten days to go! Ten! I've been stuck in bed with a terrible cold during these last two weeks, so opening the laptop and blogging seemed like a very very difficult thing to do. But, thanks to all the wonderful people around me (you-know-who-you-are) that treated me with endless freshly squished juices and warm soups I'm feeling a lot better! And how can someone feel bad with all of those Christmas lights around them? It feels like London is extra-stunning lately, wearing its nice clothes, counting down for the big day! These are a few of the things that made me smile during the last two weeks, its mostly sparkly Christmas lights and glittery little treat so get a cup of tea and enjoy! I hope that they'll make you smile, too. Happy Monday! 


1// Endless walks around central London, I'm trying to avoid the madness of Oxford street and usually just end up lost on streets like this one. Not too bad right?
2// You must have already seen this photo like a 10308592 times. But how can you blame anyone? Selfridges overdid this year and I couldn't be happier. I'm snapping a photo every time I'm there.
3// A little bit sick, a little bit tired, trying to find the gifts and inspiration for friends and family
4// I'm so obsessed with anything that has to do with deers. From napkins, to t-shirts to this festive Oh-Deer! cushion from John Lewis (Yours for £36)
5// A must-have Crystal clear Necklace from Shopbob (£252) Get it here.
6// Hey Santa, if you're reading this I would like this pair of red patent Casadei's from Luisaviaroma. It is on sale so I'm really saving you a lot of money. No need for gift wrapping. Thanks in advance!
7// A casual Sunday evening on Portobello road, I usually use my iPad for taking photos when my camera battery dies. Also wearing my new Nike Air max that I got from Niketown a few weeks ago! #happygirl
8// This all time classic Daniel Wellington Sheffield watch // Get it from Shopbob £139
9// It might be cold but sometimes we get sunsets like this one. And thankfully I had my camera fully charged to take a photo of it. 
10// Favorite angled cat eye sunglasses from Oasis, on sale! // Get them for you or for a stylish friend for only $15 here
11// Flags and sunsets is a very strong combination here in the UK.
12// I'm loving anything Copper so this Pitcher from West Elm is on my to-bring-home list.
13// Stag scented candle from John Lewis, a little stocking stuffer for your family! // Yours for £22
14+15// Vintage Marquee Letter lights. I want all of them. // From Fab.com


Maria

Steal the Look // Scandinavian living room

Morning! I hope this post finds you well and ready for the weekend(Wednesdays are the new Thursdays) If you're on Pinterest you must have probably noticed by now this pin of this Scandinavian inspired living room. I think every single person I'm following has pinned it in one of their boards this past week. It combines a few of my favorite elements and colors like black,white, wood and mixed patters, so I decided that the next #unidentifiedlifestylecheatsheet (God that's a long #hashtag) should be dedicated and inspired by this area. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did while I was creating it! 

Shopping List 
1// Chevron throw £4.58 // Kohls
2// Amanti Misty morning wall art £42.00 // Macys
3// Amanti Bo tree wall art £48.00 // Macys
4// Large grey Sofa 'Georgia' £1,270 // Marks and Spencers
5// Black floor lamp £32.00 // Hayneedle
6// Noble House vista rug from £61.00 // Hayneedle 
7// Orbit Tealight holder £8.00 // John Lewis
8// Stag Head cushion £20.00 // John Lewis
9// Designers Guild Franchini cushion £65.00 // John Lewis
10// House by John Lewis white coffee table £99.00 // John Lewis
11// Round Plywood coffee table £173 // Hayneedle

Maria

Styling Recipe // How to create a masculine office space

Hey boys, this Tuesday is dedicate to you! An inspirational home office, with a couple of fun details (because women don't like boring men) like those Matteo Cibic desk plants (I want all of them!) and that cute little Smart phone dock designed by Jonathan Adler combined with a stunning statement rug with ethnic details. Enjoy!

Shopping list
1// The Design Hotels book 2013 // Barneys New York
2// Terrariums by Matteo Cibic // A+R
3// Exquisite Rugs // Horchow 
4// Sharpener Desk tidy // Oliver Bonas
5// Wooden tulip table lamp // Bellacor
6// Ava wood & glass desk (On sale!) // Pottery Barn
7// Jonathan Adler smart phone dock
8// Dining chair // Bellacor

Maria

Things that made me smile this week // November week 4

This week was tough, tough in a way that the weekend felt like it would never arrive! But it did and I realized how important it is to spent some quiet time at home. I'm still in the (really slow) process of decorating our apartment and Christmas is just around the corner so I thought it was about time to go out and start writing down my Christmas lists. Saturday was dedicated to Harrods, it took a while to take my eyes off their windows but when I did I headed straight to the homeware floor. An Interior Designers heaven. I only realized how long we were there only after JohnJohn started complaining. The rest of the weekend was spent between movies, coffees and friends.

1 //  Favorite Christmas sign outside a boutique on Walton street

2 // All time favorite view, no matter how many times I take a photo of Harrods it will always look different and even more beautiful than the time before.

3// I met my endless love on the homeware floor of Harrods: this KitchenAid mixer in 'Candy Apple'  More on: http://www.harrods.com/brand/kitchenaid

4// We're also seriously considering of getting this Le Creuset oval casserole dish. I can easily picture it sitting next to my 'Candy Apple' mixer! 

5// Favorite Diptique candle 'Jasmine'

6// Snowman chocolate lolipop from Starbucks

7// I'm always getting lost in this place, but who cares! It's better to be lost inside Harrods Food Hall than being lost in any other place on earth.

8// Pre-lunch photos in front of a beautiful black glossy door in South Kensignton

9// Healthy lunch with friends at Jak's http://www.jakswaltonstreet.com/

10// 'Bring me Sunshine' wooden sign, I'm definitely getting this! 

11// 'Welcome home' salad plate from West Elm, I love you. I really do.

12// 'Home' Pillow in mint green from One Kings Lane

13// Stylish Rope Laundry Basket. I can't wait for West Elm to open next week.

14// My 'Mandra' for this week. If you have the power to make someone happy. Do it. The world needs more of that. Found on Pinterest here.

15// The most important thing about my home, is who I share it with. It's this guy holding my cup of coffee while I take a million photos all over the city. 

Have a good week everyone!

Maria

Steal the look // Glamorous sitting

It's sort of one of those weeks that everything seems to go wrong. Trains are delayed, cards are being lost, temperature is dropping (I'll keep complaining about that until Summer). One thing seems to be fine though.. Friday has arrived! Right on time, exactly at that point where you thought that she would never come, here she is! Wearing her little black dress, ready to impress, go out and celebrate her fabulousness(is that even a word?). If it is a word, it could also describe perfectly the room set that I'm sharing on the new 'Steal the look': a kick-ass leather sofa, a stunning velvet armchair together with sparkly gorgeous golden lampshades. Fabulousness. I made up my mind, it is a word. 

Shopping List
ONE // Cerulean Seas - Hayneedle 
TWO // Vintage Stereo - Tesco F&F 
THREE // Leather Sofa - JCPenney
FOUR // Chantel Armchair - OKA
FIVE // Pineapple table lamp - Bellacor
SIX // Gold lampshade - Worldstores.co.uk
SEVEN // Round mirror - Layla Grave & Zinc Door
EIGHT // Knit pouf-West Elm
NINE // 'M' Letter - Pottery Barn

Have a good day everyone! 
Let's all cheer for Fridaaay

Maria

How to decorate your table // Gold and White Thanksgiving

Weeednesday is here! I'm currently blogging from my hotel room in Harrogate while browsing online for Thanksgiving dinner inspiration (that we might host next week). 
I know what you're thinking. Greeks don't celebrate Thanksgiving. But you might know that Greeks use any chance that they're given to stay at home, cook and eat with friends. Last week this link from IKEA UK  arrived in my mailbox. And it was actually one of the first times that I didn't skip a long youtube advert. And it's not the fact that I'm such an IKEA junkie (Hey John John, I know you're reading this, sorry for dragging you in there for endless hours), but I've watched the whole spot and after that I immediately called my friends. We need to do a cooking/eating/catching up night I said. The response was positive, so this year we might actually celebrate Thanskgiving. It is a bit stressful but I'm looking forward to styling my dining table. With lots of white and gold of course. I thing I might be going a bit crazy lately with all the gold things that I've been adding to our home. But can you ever have enough gold? No.

Things that made me smile this week // November // Week 3

It.is.getting.cold. Like 'wear a fur coat' cold. I'm not going to lie, I was really looking forward to Winter and all the Christmas lights that started popping out in every corner but now the cold is here and I have to catch an early train to Harrogate in the morning and I've realized I didn't do get any of the things I needed this week. Instead I got two really cute Essie nail polishes ( Bachelorette Bash + Little brown dress) and the cutest Cake cloque from Ikea. Both not Winter related but they definitely made me smile. 

1. We've had some really stunning sunsets this week. Fluorescent pink and purple colors were covering the city and people were taking photos in every corner. This is the photo I took while walking down Southbank.
2. Living in Notting Hill means only one thing: Saturdays are spent on Portobello road.
3. Wrapping a lot of Christmas gifts for the windows I've designed for my company. I can't wait to share the final look with you!
4. Isn't his the cutest Cookie Jar you've seen in your life? From Anthropologie of course.
5. A must-have Leopard print t-shirt from River island
6. I've stumbled upon this photo on Pinterest and it definitely is one of the most beautiful things I've seen all week.
7. Again, nothing can beat Saturdays on Portobello road
8+9. My latest Essie purchases 'Bachelorette Bash and Little brown dress. I couldn't resist!
10. Our local butcher in Notting Hill has definitely a great sense of humor!
11. Stay stylish during this cold weather with this Fedora hat from River island
12. I've FINALLY brought home the cutest IKEA cake stand. I made a fresh batch of brownies that John John ate in a day.

I hope you all have a great week!
Maria

You light up my Tuesday // 21.10.13

It's not a secret between Interior Designers that a lamp makes all the difference. It can transform a space in ways that you can't even imagine. The right lamp will make your space look luxurious, it can make it feel warm and shabby and add a little bit of character. Make sure you choose something that fits great with the area you're buying it for! These are a few of my options for this weeks 'You light up my Tuesday'. I really can't take my eyes of that nautical rope standing lamp from Anthropologie. Which one would you choose?

Happy Tuesday!
Maria

Places in London:Herman Ze German

People who live in London long enough will agree with the following: there's no such thing as a quiet weekend. 

Life lately

Are you a blogger? -Ehrmm, I am, was, am.
I don't really know the answer to that question anymore. I'm guessing 'once a blogger always a blogger' is the most suitable one. Work is a bit hectic at the moment with Christmas preparations and I've just realized that I didn't even have the chance to share a few snapshots of my Summer (in Greece!) that can only be described in two words: Endless Blue.

Summer hats and sun lotions. The only two things that someone needs on Paxos island.

But Summer is over and Autumn is all about changes so I'm pretty excited about it too. 

Plus, Notting Hill is probably the best area to live during Autumn. And Winter. And Summer. And Spring.

 See you all soon with more updates and hopefully Design-related posts! 

Maria

DIY Monday // Driftwood boats

Just a quick post before DIY Monday fades out to share this one of my favorite DIY posts lately. It's  from Alisa Burke and these are most probably the most beautiful handmade driftwood boats out there. Read her full post and instructions here.

I hope you're all enjoying Summer! I've already started the count down for my holidays: Greece here I come (again!)

Maria

More DIY projects here. 

Styling recipe // How to build a bar at home

Living in London isn't as dreamy as it sounds sometimes. Especially when it's hot and you have to move from one part of the city to the other. The only thing you can dream of while standing on that packed train is how far away home is. Where you can enjoy a chilled glass of white wine or a refreshing cold beer.. That's why I believe it's almost obligatory to own a bar at home. As an Interior Designer I only have to add that size doesn't really matter, you can even use a small stool (paint the legs with a bright color and add a wooden chopping board on top! Easiest DIY on earth!) or if you're lucky enough to have so much space that you can build a proper bar with stools, lights and all sorts of bar accessories. In that case when are you inviting us all for drinks?

Have a good day and stay cool Londoners!

Maria

Image sources via Pinterest // Edited by Maria Matiopoulou