Well we did it!  After a year of cloak and dagger, our theme for the 2012 Preston Guild Trades Procession was unveiled in all it’s glory this weekend!  We went with an Alice in Wonderland inspired float as the perfect way to showcase our popular motto: “We Can Cover Almost Anything!”  The star of the show, Alice herself, came riding along the streets of Preston in a giant armchair covered in our popular English Poppyfields fabric.

The chair measuring 4.5m high and 3m wide, was followed by a float depicting the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, with different size and shape furniture, tea cups and even the Queen of Hearts!  The procession was helped along by friends and employees of Plumbs all happily clad in Union Jack colours to carry on this Summer’s Great British patriotism and celebrate Great British craft!

Love Alice’s chosen fabric?  Find out more about English Poppyfields and how it could look in your home…

We all like to bring a bit of style and originality into our homes and we spend so much time deciding on the perfect furniture that will look just right.  But do we spend as much time considering our garden furniture?  Granted we don’t often have the weather here in Britain to enjoy the garden for long, but all the more reason to give your personal outdoor space some extra flair, and make the most of the short summer that we do have!

So which of these unqiue garden pieces catches your eye…?

Bring the poolside retreat into your backyard with this impressive garden cocoon.  Ideal if you have the space, and a perfect hideaway to enjoy a quiet summer’s read.

Inspired by Eastern design these swinging hammocks are fun with an exotic edge – great for Morrocon style gardens with lots of colour!

A whole new meaning to the ‘garden seat’!  Create your very own Secret Garden by hiding this nostalgic piece amongst foliage and flowers.

For something a little more quirky, these fun flower-shaped stools are perfect for a modern family garden.  Place in clusters for maximum impact.

Last month we told you about a special event whereby installation artist Alice Francis would be attemping to cover an entire Galloway Cottage as part of the country’s premier open studios arts and crafts event – the Spring Fling.  The extraordinary feat proved to be a huge success, with the specially made loose covers fitting snugly around the contours of the building, including its three large chimneys.

Alice even went to the lengths of covering herself in the same floral fabric as her cottage covers.  She wore a suit made from the Plumbs’ Rose & Scroll fabric, standing out from the crowd and merging into her latest arts piece.

Helping to cover an entire building was a great challenge for us and to have achieved it with such success proves our motto to be true, that Plumbs really can cover almost anything!  It has been a true delight to work with Alice on this project and we wish her every success in her future ventures.

It’s the start of February and love is in the air – or at least on the horizon.  Whether you’re looking forward to Valentines Day, or avoiding it like the plague you can still take great inspiration from all the holiday has to offer!

Perhaps most commonly associated with the day of love, hearts can be used in all sorts of ways to decorate your home.  I’ve once again been searching the web for some innovative ways of how we could show our homes some love with heart shaped décor.

Hearts in the hallway

Who says door decoration is only for Christmas?!  Dangle these beautiful room tags from your door handle for an instant feminine touch.

Hearts in the kitchen

Ever popular, Emma Bridgewater’s wonderfully simple heart designs can add a touch of country character to your kitchen.  Combine with pastel colours for the perfect shabby chic look!

Hearts in the garden

Don’t stop at just the house!  Feel the love in your garden with beautiful lanterns…

…or watch the sun glisten off this innovative wind-spinner.

Hearts in the Lounge

There are many lovely trinkets and artworks that can be used to add subtle touches to your living room.  But, if subtle just isn’t your style there’s also a bolder option for you!  Take a look at this heart shaped chair designed by Giovannette.  Could this be the ultimate seat for a Valentines Day cuddle?

Hearts in the Bathroom

Hang up your towel on these french inspired bathroom hooks.  A very popular trend at the moment, vintage french design can look stunning in your bathroom and create a quaint atmosphere.

Hearts in the Bedroom

Create a natural oasis with this outdoors inspired wicker lantern and be mesmerised by the flickering heart….

If the home spun look is more your thing, why not get creative and make fun heart bunting to stylize your headboard!  They’re so simple to make!

So, have we managed to inspire you – is there a place for hearts in your home?   Remember, incorporating Valentines inspiration isn’t limited to heart shaped decor.  Check back next week for more holiday inspired design tips!

In times of gloomy weather and January blues, there’s nothing better than popping your feet up in front of the fire!  I love the idea of our open coal fire – but in reality it’s dirty, it back-fires and there’s the endless argument of whose turn it is to go outside and fill up the coal bucket.

So I say it’s about time we look for a cleaner alternative!  I’ve been scouring the web for the ideal fireplace which is up-to-minute designer chic, with a nod to the rustic!  And, I think I’ve some…

Wall Designs

Wall mounted fireplaces can become a piece of art with these stunning designs!  Stylish and out of the way, these are perfect for homes with limited floor space.

There are unique and artistic surround designs…

…or something a little more nostalgic, with a modern twist.

Stand Alone

A stylish take on the traditional log burner – the stand alone design is great for making a cosy focal point in your home.

Choose from safe elegant designs ….

…or a more daring colourful option

Hanging Design

A quirky concept – these original designs look stunning in both larger and smaller spaces.

Create a social hub around the base…

… or position alone for maximum design impact.

Despite these inspiring designs, I’m afraid I’m still swayed by the traditional.  Guess it’s time to get shovelling that coal! Check back next week for more winter warming designs.

If you’ve ever thought that patchwork is a past-time best reserved for blankets, quilts and cushions, think again!  This whacky chair as featured on roomenvy blog, brings the fun of patchwork to the 21st century.  I think the key is to choose the most eclectic and vibrant fabrics to represent your personality so your furniture can make a real statement about you and your home!  And, as this chair shows, a colourful piece like this need not have to be confined only to the ultra modern home, but can look just as comfortable in front of a traditional roaring fire!

Artists and designers get inspiration from a lot of things – even plants. Take cactus for instance. The freakily real green cactus-sofa above was used for an AXN-ad with the tagline “Relax if you can.”

How much oxygen did your furniture produce today? Wouldn’t you rather be sitting outside in the garden, than indoors on your couch? Now you too can have the best of both worlds, and sculpt lawn furniture from the lawn itself.

Every week there are around 100 reupholstery orders passing through our workrooms. Every one gets the same attention however some really do stand out as being interesting or unusual.

This is a great example. Double drop arm sofas like this really are worth preserving as the mechanisms and frames are very well built.

These pieces are particularly versatile as they create a fabulous day bed or even emergency sleepover for unexpected guests.

The pictures say it all. The original furniture has been stripped down right to the frame and all internal elements checked and replaced where necessary. The end result with the new fabric applied is just stunning. This could so easily have gone into landfill but now it’s good for another generation to enjoy.

Last week I was talking about how reupholstery is good for furniture with show wood. Another interesting example appeared this week in the Plumbs re-upholstery workshops. This fascinating chair is one that stands out and really shows how show wood furniture can be transformed.

I haven’t seen a recliner before with this footstool arrangement. Very unusual!

The foot rest has the appearance of a drawer which then pulls out. The leather upholstery contrasts well with the newly reupholstered cushions for a really interesting finish.

The heavily carved wooden frame picture 13 contrasts well with the new fabric, a superb end result.

A lot of work and skill goes into this type of project but the end result is worthwhile. These pictures underline the fact that if a piece of furniture has a good frame, it’s worth keeping. It’s good for the environment and gives really satisying end results. The people doing this work really are taking pride in their efforts.