This weeks inside stylists challenge: Outdoors!

Like most 20 somethings *cough not long left* renting in London, I don’t actually have an outside space to enjoy. So today for this weeks styling challenge I thought I’d show you how I bring a piece of the outdoors in!

In recent years plant sales have been booming! There’s a number of reasons for this: interior trends, urbanisation and the health benefits proven to come with caring for a plant. More and more people staying in cities for longer and having babies later, it seems like plants are the next best thing to ‘real’ babies!

Check out my instagram on how I created the space below in video form: @hollycorsiestylist

Head over to my instagram to see how I created this space in timelapse

I started my plant collection years ago now, my family are all quite green fingered and moving into a space where I had no garden, you really do miss sitting in nature. In our flat alone we have 24 plants (half are still at home, sorry mum) and with propagation the collection is growing. I would never call myself a plant expert but I do get my friends sending pics of half dead plants from time to time asking how to revive them.

So here are my quick tips on bringing the outside in:

TIP 1

Choose plants for the environment you live in: Is it in full sun all day? Or shady? Is the room drafty or humid? These are all really important factors for keeping your plants happy and alive. Most plant stores or your local garden centre will be able to advise you on the best place for you plant.

TIP 2

How dedicated are you? Some of these green guys can be more high maintenance than Maria Carey. Picking low maintencae plants is a great way to start you collection, Dracaena’s and Devil’s Ivy (Pothos) are a great place to start because they can pretty much handle themselves.

TIP 3

Choose plants you can propagate to expand your gang. Propgating is a FREE way to grow your plant collection. I honestly feel like there nothing more exciting that growing a plant from a cutting, but maybe I should get a life. Devils ivy for example have nodes that you can cut below, pop them in water and you’ll have roots growing in a few days! 6 of my 24 plants I have grown from propagating!

With renting space is limited. Although you’re really unfortunate if you don’t have windows! Window boxes are a great way to not only add greenery but greenery you can eat. Theres so many great ways to grow herbs, these are a mix of garden centre grown, seeds and pre-brought baby plants. Again, just check the environment your herbs needs vs your window and choose appropriately. This plant box is from Elho and made out of 100% recyclable plastic. Winning.

So there you have it! My mini makeover on how to bring the outside in. Check out my instagram for a timelapse video of me styling the space. I hope you enjoyed and found this useful!

Holly x

@hollycorsiestylist

So this is where I currently reside. It’s a rented property - Furnished; the one word that brings dread to renters ears. Will you get 30 year old, stained sofa? Mismatched bedside tables (if you have room for them)? And the bookshelf turned spice-rack-come-random-stuff-keeper. Either way, we have to make the most of what we’ve got right? And I’ll be honest I’ve lived with a lot worse furniture than this (queue 80s peeling pleather two seater sofa).

So this is the living room, a bizarre two piece corner sofa, of course the cushions slip off, and an unnecessarily heavy-for-its-size coffee table. We can’t get rid of them and let’s be honest most landlords won’t replace furniture unless it’s actually on fire. But we love a styling challenge so here we go!

Before Mini Makeover

Whether renting or not, most of us don’t have the budget to be buying new accessories every season to give our spaces a refresh. Sometimes it just takes switching things around that you already own to give your space a facelift, so that’s exactly what I did. Cushions from the bedroom, one I embroidered, a throw usually stored away for cold nights, and accessories that sit one shelves given a new place to shine. 

So here we have it, my mini makeover! I did it all with things we already own, it just needed a bit of love and attention put into it! See below for my styling tips and things that I’m currently loving (that are affordable) in my living room edit! Check out my instagram for a time-lapse video of the makeover!

Aftermini Makeover

Styling tips

• Add and mix textures. A really easy way to bring depth to a small space is to add different textures and finishes. I did this with the cushions and rug because it adds interest to the space (and draws your eyes away from the horrid sofa and carpet underneath!).

Cushion’s both HM Home, one on right embroidered by me

• Colour doesn’t have to be on the walls. Of course in most rented places we aren’t able to paint the walls and have to settle for the tone of grey the landlord has chosen. Instead a really easy way to add colour is with accessories. Your books, cushions, throws, even candles will bring pops of colour and therefore personality.

• Greenery. Not only do they tie into the above point and lift a grey space, plants are scientifically proven to lower blood pressure and make us feel more calm. They also help bring the outside in and make you feel more connected to nature - key if you live in a small (rented) space with no garden.

Plant Pot Elho

• Accessorise to make it personal. A great way to make a rented space more personal is with statement accessories you love. Most of the time we aren’t allowed to put art and photos on the wall, (or are just in fear if we do we’ll lose our deposit!) so using statement vases, candles, books, will help to make the space feel more your own.  Rather than them collecting dust on a shelf, give them a place to shine! This candelabra by Ferm Living may feel a bit extra, but I love it and who says it should only be for the dinner table!
  

Candelabra & Carafe, Ferm Living

See my Living Room Edit above for accessories from brands I’m loving right now:

1. Cotton Rag Rug, HM Home

2. Raw Mark Planter, Recreation Center @ Goodhood

3. Balance Candle Holder, Ferm Living

4. Vista Cushion, Ferm Living

5. Nude Throw II, Sophiehome.com

6. Stash Jar, Arhoj Studio

I hope you liked this blog post, I wanted to show you what can be done with a small budget and some imagination. Interior styling should always be fun, there’s no right or wrong way of doing it! Let me know what you think on my instagram @hollycorsiestylist!

Holly x

Unfortunately, we don’t all have ‘blogger worthy’ bathrooms (especially if you’re renting) and aren’t able to get Aesop freebies. Don’t get me wrong, I love Aesop, but with money being tight for all of us right now and getting through hand wash like hoarders with supermarket loo roll, it’s just a tad on the expensive side. BUT there is a wonderful, semi-affordable solution in the name of & Other Stories…

I love & Other Stories beauty range and I was luckily (unawares) but equipped before this all erupted. My sister had brought me the Arabesque Wood Hand Care Kit, as a moving in present. She knows me too well. This particular set is scented with lemon and ginger brings a freshness (perfect for bathrooms) with a ‘woody depth of moss and amber’. I prefer stronger more musky smells to sweet scents so this one is perfect for my taste. However, they have an array of different scents, plenty to choose from.

The packaging I also LOVE. The design is modern, not twee, very much in keeping with the brand handwriting and will fit into the majority of bathroom interiors from Scandi to Boho, whatever your taste. Not only does it look great but & Other Stories also do what they can for the planet. They have a recycling incentive with all of there beauty products: just simply return any empty beauty container to one of their stores and you’ll receive a 10% off voucher for any future purchases within three months! (Of course, if you’re reading this in the current COVID-19 lockdown, we’re certainly not going to any stores. But save them up for when the world finally gets back to normal, and treat yourself to a post quarantine present!)

But the best part: The price! Individually the Hand Wash RRP at £6 and the Hand Lotion at £8. And the Hand Care Kit - £17! Not only can I wash and lotion my hands, but with beautiful scents and packaging which is blogger bathroom worthy, we can do our bit for the planet too. It’s important we look after ourselves and others at this point in time, and if we can do it by something as simple as washing our hands, it’s really not a big ask. We can, however, treat ourselves whilst doing so. Guilt-free self-care goes a long way. 

Stay Safe.

Holly x