The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2012 kicks off this week and after months of preparation, this year’s show is as spectacular as ever. Today, we've been checking out the gorgeous blooms at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show (and can't wait to see which gorgeous celebs will be there this week too!). Have you ever wondered about all that behind the scenes work and what it’s like to design and build a garden for the Chelsea Flower Show? To find out, we asked gold-medal-winning de...View more
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Posted by Zia Allaway, Garden Expert, ACHICA Living
May 20th, 2012
David Linley knows good design. The legendary designer founded LINLEY back in 1985, a company which is world-renowned for its design and creation of fine furniture and interiors. David Linley's first collection was unveiled at Christies that very year, followed by the launch of the first showroom opening. David’s mother, who is the late Princess Margaret, sister to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, encouraged his creativity with her passion and talent for music and art and over the years David has wr...View more
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Posted by Emily Peck, Editor, ACHICA Living
May 20th, 2012
2012 is a year for celebration – we have the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympics and last but not least, the reinvention of the garden room. This summer, you can add a little Chelsea Flower Show style to your garden and create a brand new living room just beyond your back door with sofas, chairs and loungers from the new exciting ranges of affordable, all-weather furniture that blur the line between outdoors and in. You can take a tour of ACHICA’s range o...View more
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Posted by Zia Allaway, Garden Expert, ACHICA Living
May 19th, 2012
Thirty years ago they were being ripped out, replaced and removed, but thanks to the likes of Kirstie, Phil and Sarah Beeny, we’ve all learnt to love a good period feature in a house. Ceiling roses around pendant shades add a deco touch, original fireplaces are perfect for family photographs and coving breaks up the wall into interesting segments.
But sometimes, they can feel more of a design hindrance, than a help. In many ways, you’re stuck with them – it would be a travesty to have them tak...
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Posted by Pip McCormac
May 17th, 2012
Design blogger and journalist Stacey Sheppard, whose blog is one the of UK's Top 10 Interior Design blogs (Cision), has a passion for interior architecture, design and everything in between. This week Stacey picks out her favourite finds at ACHICA and tells us why they’ve caught her eye. Find out what hot buys Stacey has chosen on her wish list here...
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Posted by Emily Peck, Editor, ACHICA Living
May 13th, 2012
Designer Margo Selby is best known for her three-dimensional fabrics in fashion accessories and homewares including cushions, rugs and wallpapers. She has worked on exclusive creations for The Tate and The British Museum and is a keen promoter of traditional craft. ACHICA Living catches up with Margo to talk top interiors tips, find out which three products she couldn’t live without and she tells us a secret she's never told anyone...
What was it like training at top places such as Chelsea College of Art and Design ...
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Posted by Emily Peck, Editor, ACHICA Living
May 11th, 2012
We may not have seen the sun for a while, but with all the rain at least our gardens are looking lush. But green is not just at home in the garden: it was definitely the hot colour at this year’s Stockholm Furniture Fair 2012 and is a great way to freshen up any interior...
It’s a calming colour, which is why stars wait in the ‘green room’ before going on stage or out in front of TV cameras. Associated with nature and even life, it is also considered a healing colour.
[Above: Mix with blac...
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Posted by Katie Treggiden, Guest Editor, ACHICA Living
May 11th, 2012
They say it's set to be dry this weekend and now's a great time to plant strawberries for delicious, sweet fruits this summer. They’re so easy to grow, and a great idea for children, who can join in the fun and will be amazed to see how the little flowers turn into juicy red berries as the weeks pass.
There are lots of strawberry varieties to choose from, with early types, such as Honeoye and Christine, fruiting from late May, mid season crops developing later in the summer, and everbearer or perpetual...
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Posted by Zia Allaway, Garden Expert, ACHICA Living
May 11th, 2012
You may have heard that pop-up restaurant The Cube by Electrolux is travelling around Europe. So far it has graced the peaks of Milan’s Cathedral, has been perched on top of the Parc du Cinquantiere in Brussels and will land on the roof of the Royal Opera House in Stockholm on 15th June. It will also be coming to London. Cue brass band. On 1st June it will be pitching up at the top of The Royal Festival Hall and here at ACHICA Living we can’t wait to book a seat – not least to enjoy the views over The Thames (aka The Kink'...View more
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Posted by Emily Peck, Editor, ACHICA Living
May 11th, 2012
A hot topic in modern design at the moment is landscape architecture with every inch of space around houses, stadium and corporate headquarters being used to promote ecology and green design – these social spaces are becoming an important factor in everyday life, letting us make the most of the areas around us and ultimately doing more to make us feel like our carbon footprint is having a manicure.
Nowhere is this illustrated better than in new book Landscape Architecture Now! by P...
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Posted by Emily Peck, Editor, ACHICA Living
May 10th, 2012
