My Desert Island Decor - Erica Davies
Hello and welcome to My Desert Island Decor, a new regular feature which will see me getting nosy and chatting to some of my favourite inspiring and stylish people about the interiors items they really couldn't live without. It can be anything from the tech items that make their house run like clockwork, to a pair of salt and pepper pots bought in a car boot sale in 1998. We've all seen the perfectly styled rooms, but I want to hear about the stories behind the rooms and the pieces which mean the most, because it's those things which really bring a room to life, right?
And who better to launch a Desert Island Decor feature with than one super stylish woman with a deep rooted appreciation of all things tropical? She even managed to slip a life size faux palm tree into her new kitchen extension! Yes, I'm talking about uber lovely fashion and lifestyle blogger Erica Davies, of The Edited, who I'm delighted to feature on these pages. Here are the six home decor items Erica wouldn't be without...and yes I know there are eight in Desert Island Discs but these people are busy and it seems a lot to ask, so I'm sticking with just the six. Over to you ED!
Erica's textile laden living room
1) ALL the Home textiles...Rugs, cushions and bedlinen!
Erica: I'm actually obsessed with bedlinen. I was working on a project recently and was told that one of the women in market research had said they change their textiles seasonally. Apparently she had Spring/Summer curtains and Autumn/Winter curtains and the same for cushions and I thought: 'That is my kind of woman!' If I didn't have shutters on every window I'd be all over that. I just think cushions and rugs really bring a home together. They make a really plain space so dramatically different. You can make a statement and layer up the prints, patterns and textures and I couldn't live them...although I'm not sure my house can handle any more now. I think I've peaked!
I've got THE rug of course. The La Redoute Afaw rug which is now pretty much world famous! The Beni style is my go to and if I could have one in every room of my house I would. I love what Lisa from Edit 58 has done, bringing that vintage look back into the home. Cushion wise, I found an amazing E monogrammed cushion on my honeymoon in a French flea market which is gorgeous and holds real sentimental value. I love a flea market because you never know what you're going to find and that's the thing about interiors. You find stuff all over. I'm just as happy in Sainsbury's, as I am in a swanky interiors store.
Erica's monogrammed 'E' cushion found in a French flea market on her honeymoon
2) Plants
Erica: I have a real mix of faux and real plants but I just think homes aren't homes without plants. They bring life to a space and I couldn't be without them. I like to think I'm quite green fingered but my mum would say I don't water them enough. She's really into gardening. I think the rise of the faux plant industry has made an appreciation of plants much more democratic. Also...the trend for dark interiors plays really well with all the plants and it brings dark spaces to life.
Are you faux real? Palm tree lovers anonymous in here
3) Peach Venetian glass mirrors
ED: I have five of them on my living room wall and they have been with me in every house I have ever owned. Three are from an Australian make-up artist friend who moved back and couldn't take them with her. The other two are ones I've collected along the way. I love the fact they are all different, they are all cracked and not perfect by any means but on a wall they make a real statement and you don't need any other artwork. I love collections of things and that these are the same, but completely different.
Erica's collection of Venetian glass mirrors have pride of place on her living room wall
4) My Family Department sign
Erica: I couldn't be without my typographical sign by artist Alex May Hughes. In my parents house, which they've lived in since I was six, they have a door that would once have led into the larder saying The Family Department, in a kind of 20's scroll. When we left London and moved to this house, I knew I wanted something similar so I asked Alex, whose work I love, to come up with our own sign with the year we got married on it and I absolutely love it...it makes me happy every day!
5) Encaustic tiles
Erica: I know this is a really current trend but I love the fact that people are putting a bit more thought into their tiles. We've got two bathrooms renovations to come and I'm already earmarking tiles and I'm very excited about all the different colours and combinations. They make such a visual impact and shows loads of personality. I also love that Topps Tiles are doing amazing tiles now and you don't have to spend a fortune. Although it took me ages to find someone to actually lay our Bert & May tiles in our hallway. I tried seven tilers before I found one who would take it on. Thank god they did though, they make me so happy every morning!
The prettiest Bert & May tiles you ever did see!
6) Ebay
The final thing I would have to have on my desert island with me is Wifi so I could get on to my beloved Ebay and hunt for more treasure. I have found so much amazing stuff on there! I found my Parker Knoll sofa on Ebay for £20 and had it reupholstered. I also found my German mid-century cocktail chairs on there and had them reupholstered. And I found an amazing green cabinet on there. I could sit there for hours and scroll away but the key with Ebay is you have to be quite specific and set up alerts. So you never miss anything!
Mid-Century cocktail chairs which were recovered in banana leaf palm fabric
Me: Flea market or Ebay?
Erica: Ooh that's a really horrible question. I think I may have to go flea market, but it would have to be a French one so I could waft around in my kaftan with a basket and a baguette.
A vintage cabinet Ebay find
Me: And is there any item you have that you would resign to Room 101?
Erica: I'm about to tackle the children's play room and there is so much in there that I want to get rid of. All the stuff they just keep and never play with. There is also a horrific grey sofa that we used to have in our old kitchen and it is covered in stains, most of which I have no idea what they are. So all of that can go in Room 101 please!
Done! Thanks so much for being my first Desert Island Decor castaway Erica...I'm looking forward to seeing more of your house renovations soon!
J x
