At this point, I’m a failing minimalist. I mean, have you seen my Pinterest? My ideal home is stripped bare, with hints of white, marble, and dozens of plants… whereas my little London flat is a far cry from that right now. Sure, there are hints of inspiration; the high ceilings, the fireplace in my bedroom, and then there are calls for help, such as the chest of drawers inside my bedroom fireplace that my landlady put there.
It’s a tricky thing, finding a place to call home, and once you’re there, making it actually feel like home. I’m still working on it, but there are a few things I’ve dotted around that give me a sense of belonging and peace when I get in from a long day’s work.
My terrarium
This has been a little side project of mine for a few months, and I’m so happy with the result. After tending to my teeny tiny cacti, and my looming white orchids, I decided to give something a little more complex a go. I did go down the safer route of using succulents, which need little maintenance and water, but getting the layering right was crucial, and even now the tallest plant bursting from the bowl isn’t very happy.
The beauty of my terrarium is both the stillness and effort it took to create it. I have it by my bedside so I can look into it when I’m drifting off, and then again in the morning. Plus the little laughing buddha seems very at home in between the juicy leaves.
Art
While few and far between, my art collection is slowing growing. This was the first piece I hung in my flat, and I love how you can look deep into the golden waves before noticing the boats and the gull and the whale. This piece is especially dear to me as it is hand-printed by my boyfriend’s sister, and having seen some of her other art pieces from university, I can’t wait to see her little Etsy store grow and grow.
Home scents
In this photo, you can see my battle between the older elements of the house (my flat is the ground floor of a beautiful old Victorian house, complete with tiny garden) and the beauty of simply made, substantial design such as this Organic Aromas Nebulizing Diffuser*. I’ve dabbled with aromatherapy before (check out why I love eucalyptus oil on my rougher days) but nothing works as efficiently as this diffuser, which douses my home in fresh scents just moments after I’ve switched it on. The only real drawback is that I can’t use thicker oils, or those thinned out with carrier oils, but it means my scent collection is now full of organic, pure scents that can be used in so many different ways. It also projects multi-coloured light, which is a bit off-putting.
As of late, I’ve been using Tisserand Organic Lemon Essential Oil for a refreshing citrus burst. I keep the diffuser in my living room, but depending on how long I leave it on for, the whole flat can become lemony-fresh! It’s also a really nice change from the lavender scents I keep in my bedroom.
As I’m renting my place at the moment, there’s not a lot I can do about the interiors (and everything that breaks down… one of my colleagues likened my house to The Money Pit, but I suppose that’s what you get in London these days). It’s little touches like these that add a bit of character to the place – perhaps I’ll do a plant tour next?
