Pattern Queens Feature

Marie Nichols — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:47:54 +0000

I love being Freelance. No…Not because there are days when you can work in your PJ’s, but because of all the wonderful different projects I’m lucky enough to be able to work upon. Every now and then a dream brief comes along, allowing you to do pretty darn well whatever you like..and occassionally it comes from a surprising source. Back in the Autumn Dan Duchars and myself were set a very loose brief by the team at Saga Magazine. Hold on, I know what you’re thinking but contrary to common belief {and although written with the over 50′s in mind} it’s not just for “old folk” Saga have some fantastic features and great photography, whats more it has over 617,000 subscribers making it the UK’s best-selling magazine! The team were running a feature titled “Pattern Queens”, focusing on British Designers who had made their name with a signature pattern… Three women who need no introduction, Emma Bridgewater; Cath Kidston and Orla Kiely. Dan and I were set the task of creating three quirky shots to showcase each of the designers signature prints. We put out heads together and with the help of my fabulous set builder James (who made suspending china a breeze without even a sniff of a breakage and made me the most amazing pair of giant scissors you ever did see!) here’s what we came up with…

I think it’s probably my favourite shoot that I worked upon in 2011. Can’t wait to discover that my fave to 2012 will be!

First Post of 2012!

Marie Nichols — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:58:06 +0000

So already February is upon us and shamefully this is the first time I’ve posted this year! I’m not one to make new years resolutions {because I never can keep them} but if I were it would have been to have blogged more! I made a conscious decision at the end of last year that I needed to regain my work/life balance and consequently that meant the two hours I get to see the hubby each evening should not be spent on the laptop ignoring him! A crazily busy January of shoots {lots to share with you soon!} has meant a severe lack of blog posts and a constant guilty nagging in the back of my head “must blog more”So apologies, I now intend to schedule blogging into the 9-5 so you will be seeing much more of me! Besides shoots for Monsoon, Anorak, Sainsburys and HomeSense my January has been filled with Shop At Number 57 activity. I know I sound like a broken record {for almost a year now} but it really is coming very soon. After a couple of really unfortunate technically set backs we really are now only a couple of weeks away from launch. Mr Lovely is spending every free hour uploading more images and finishing off designs, and testing shopping carts while I tackle uploading copy and taking a few last min shots. If you want to keep up to date with our latest news you can sign up to the mailing list here. I shall return with more loveliness very soon. For now here’s a little glimpse of some of what Number 57 has to offer…

Pop Up Christmas {Living Etc Shoot}

Marie Nichols — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:03:08 +0000

With just 3 sleeps to go until the big day it’s all about minimum effort and maximum effect now {if you’re anything like me you’re having a sudden panic about how much there is left to do and what a state the house is looking…no?..just me then!} Well if you haven’t been quite as organized as you’d hoped and are still looking for a little bit of inspiration why not have ago at some of these ideas. For their January issue {on sale now} the team at Living Etc commissioned me to pop together a “Pop-Up Christmas” feature, show stopping last min decorating ideas. It was such a fun shoot to work on and I got to work with the lovely Ben Anders who did such a fantastic job especially given that the location was tiny so he was mostly shooting squeezed up in a corner! For the full feature {and lots more inspiration besides} pick yourself up copy of Living Etc but here’s a peep of my shoot…

Berry Merry Christmas {Ideal Home Shoot}

Marie Nichols — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:14:53 +0000

Back in the summer the team at Ideal Home asked me to produce a shoot for their December cover. The theme was quite simply “Berry Shades”. A Traditional choice for festive decorating I set about creating rooms to show how to use this classic combination of reds, pinks and mauve in a more contemporary way, here are the results {shot by Mr Tim Young}…

So my most favourite room…the slightly bonkers bedroom, loving those giant baubles, such fun and just a little bit of a fairytale feel {in Alice In Wonderland kinda way}.

If you want to know where any product is from just ask away below! Plenty more festive shoots to squeeze in this week my friends so stay tuned!

Festive Paper Craft {CH&I Shoot}

Marie Nichols — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:41:48 +0000

This week I’m determined to make some time for a little bit of Christmas Crafting. Quite when I’m not sure ..but I shall! Occupational hazard of being a stylist #125…by the time you’ve spent the entire summer, crafting, decorating Christmas trees and trying to think of 101 different things to do with baubles by the time December comes along you can never quite make it happen in your own home! Every year I get inspired {in June!} and come the real Christmas it’s always a last min attempt to make the house look vaguely inspiring for guests. Way back in the summer I spend a lovely couple of days in my parents garden crafting away in the sunshine with mum {no better way to craft than with your mum I say!} and Dudley dog scampering around having great fun with all of the discarded paper. We created these simple festive projects for Country Home & Interiors Jan issue which is on sale now. Here’s a peep of the finished projects shot by the delightful Polly Eltes. For instruction & templates pick up a copy of CH&I and if you want to know where anything is from just ask below!

1. Paper Stocking. 2.New Boxes from Old Wrap. 3. Stitched Gift Tags. 4. Envelope Centre-Piece. 5. Paper fans. 6. Crepe Crackers. 7.Quiliing Cars. 8. Teacup Wrap. 9 Simple Gift Box. 10. Dress up Preserves.

I’ve stacks more to share over the next few days including ideas for displaying cards; gift wrapping and ideas festive tables that I shot for Ideal Home’s Complete Guide To Christmas. Decorating With Berry Shades and some Last Min Pop-Up Xmas Ideas I styled for Living Etc’s Jan issue so stay tuned!

Christmas Craft

Marie Nichols — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:43:26 +0000

I can’t believe Christmas is less than a week away! It was Simon’s birthday at the weekend so Christmas in our household doesn’t official start until now {although I did sneak the tree up last weekend!} I’ve finished shooting now for 2011 and with only a few meetings today and a bit of prep work for some Jan shoots {which can be done while sitting beside the fire watching festive movies} it’s starting to look a lot like Christmas at Number 57! The task for tomorrow am – shooting my Christmas e-card. I’m frantically wracking my brains {and prop cupboard} as to what to do this year – I’ll show you the results at the end of the week. For now {and until I did out the shots from my festive shoots} here’s a little bit of crafty Xmas inspiration for you…

Project 1 via Creature Comforts. Project 2 via Family Circle. Project 3 Via Pintrest

Say Hello To Little Studio

Marie Nichols — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:09:27 +0000

So it’s been a while (once again!) I’m in the middle of a big brochure shoot at the moment, so (once again) there simply aren’t enough hours in the day! With “the Big Day” just 2 weeks away I’ve several of my festive shoots from Living Etc, Ideal Home & Country Homes & Interiors to share with you for a bit of last min inspiration, I’ll try my best to post them this week! For now though a little bit of sunshine popped up in my inbox this afternoon, in the form of cute homewares and prints from swedish design firm Little Studio…Loving those bright colours and bright geometrics were big news at the recent Spring Summer Press shows so “bang on trend” too!

Design Lab @ Sofa.Com

Marie Nichols — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:45:28 +0000

Now here’s a little project I’ve been itching to share with you. Some time ago now I was approached by the lovely folk at Grylls & Reade PR and asked if I’d be interested in styling some shots for an exciting project that their client Sofa.Com were working on called Design Lab. A project that would see the sofa guru’s teaming up with some of the best and most exciting designers to create a range of limited edition patterned pieces…first up St Judes. Erm…let me think about this for a second….Yes please! Not only do I love the shapes and styles {not to mention comfiness} of Sofa.Com’s pieces but I have been a fan of St Judes forever, their Mid – Century style is right up my street! I assume you know the work of St Judes but should you not then check them out here.

Sofa.Com have choosen fabrics from designers Angie Lewin; Mark Herald and Emily Sutton and the pieces are on display and available to buy from their Chelsea Showroom. Right enough from me…here are the shots we came up with {photographed by the lovely Max Attenborough}

There was a fair bit of debate on the shoot as to our favourite pieces, personally I think mine has to be the Snowdrop Love Seat in Dove Flight. Would love to hear what you think on the collaboration and which are your fave pieces.

Friday Fancies

Marie Nichols — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:11:11 +0000

How did it get to be Friday again? Not that I’m complaining, bring on the weekend! But first up here are a few things that have caught my eye this week {can you tell I’m busily working away on Spring / Summer issues right now? – it’s pretty in pastel this week my friends!}

1. Loving This Birthday Banner Via Pintrest. 2. Andrea Walsh’s beautiful glass and ceramic boxes. 3. Melody Rose’s Upcycled Ceramics. 4. Love this sofa from Anthropologie. 5. The home of designer Leif Sigersen shot by Ditte Isager. 6. A sneak peep at H&M’s SS12 collection.

Say Hello to Salvation Jane

Marie Nichols — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 23:00:23 +0000

Remember at the weekend I promised to introduce you to some great online homewares from Australia, well say hello to Salvation Jane Home…

Designer Jane Hall is one of Australia’s best love TV personalities {to those of us on this side of the world she will be best known for her role as Rebecca in Neighbours Paul Robinson’s wife!} But since leaving the show Jane has turned her hand to interior styling, helping people work with what they already have turning their house into homes full of personality and style. Recently Jane launched her own range of homewares including a range of wall decals with The Wall Sticker Company. Very cute and it goes without saying that I love all the bright colours!