The Meet The Blogger London team are all still reeling from this weekends creative shenanigans and just when we thought our feet had touched the ground, the official photos have arrived. Thanks to our amazingly talented photographer Yeshen Venema, we managed to capture the magic that was Meet The Blogger London to perfection.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Yeshen for capturing the day for us and welcome you all to take a look at the photos.

Please feel free to use them on your blog but please accredit all images to Meet the Blogger London // Photographer Yeshen Venema.

Having attended a few floral short classes at The Academy of Flowers and featured them on my blog – HOP Interiors I knew they had the right style, glamour and sparkle for Meet The Blogger. The Academy of Flowers team, based in London’s Covent Garden used our design brief of neon’s, pinks and yellows with an English twist to create a chic, modern colour cocktail floral display. A medley of yellow sunflowers, yellow mimosa’s and gloriously fragrant pink roses were used to create great these fun centrepieces, whilst pink dye was added to the water in clear tall vases to add that pop of colour.

Our hand-tied bouquets were especially important to us as we wanted to provide all our amazingly talented speakers and sponsors with a special gift, which represented the Meet The Blogger Brand. With a design brief that reflected our ethics the bouquets encompassed lush [Grand Prix] red roses and red tulips – a perfect fiery combination!

We’d like to say a huge thank you to the entire Academy of Flowers team for doing such a great job in addition to all our speakers, our wonderful Keynote Yvonne Eijkenduijn and our great sponsors.

Images supplied by: HOP Interiors

Thank you so much for tuning in folks!

(Times are stated in GMT – UK)

9:00: Eeek! Arrived at the venue an hour ago and it’s looking like a colourful candy store – full of colour, glamour and interior spark!

9:43: We are almost set! The guests are piling in and there is such a creative buzz! We are counting down folks!

10:24: We are almost ready to go – the room is full and the music is pumping! Running a little late but we will keep the party going.

10:26: Kelly Flynn welcomes you all to Meet The Blogger London. Lisleore tells us all about the history of Meet The Blogger London from its humble beginnings – From just a tiny blog into an international event.

10:31: The aim for today is the inspire, learn, educate and of course have FUN!!

10:33: Yvonne Eijkenduijn @Yvestown Blog takes the stage to tell you all about her journey from blogger to business blogger! Yvonne started by renovating her own home in Europe and started blogging about that creative journey.

10:42: Yvonne has cleverly divided her blog into 3 sections. Family & Friends – Where she covers the stories based on her sisters store as well as her friends. Yvonne uses her friends homes to shoot for sponsored products to then publish on her blog Yvestown – creating a different atmosphere. Using brands such as Stokke & IKEA she has really developed that relationship and collaboration.

10:50: When working with the media – be selective, be assertive and remember that it’s OK to say no to some brands.

10:55: You can also use your home for shoots! Yvonne has allowed the use of her own cosy home for shoots in publications and books – for example Holly Becker shot her home for ‘Decorate”.

10:56: EXCLUSIVE: Yvonne shows us a preview of her TV show which will launch next week in Belgium – Looking good Yvonne! Congratulations.

11:02: Now we open the floor to some of your burning questions – the theme on the question front seems to be; readership, blogs vs magazines  and the media. KEY TIP: Write about what you know! Just keep it real.

11:52: Great presentation by Will Taylor of Bright.Baazar  @will_UK who has shared his graphic knowledge on how to create great, eye-catching blog posts.

12:03: Just finished learning how to style & set up a shoot from the lovely Yvonne via a live Styling shoot.

1:23: And we are back! I’m joining Ana Aguilar-Corney @aguilarinterior on her workshop on Design Terminology.

2:18: Professional photographer Paul @paulcraig is about to take us on an interior photography journey!

3:05: Eeeek! we’re about the learn all about the key 2013 global colour trends from Louise Smith – Dulux.

3:08: The main thread from the key trends is ‘Connections’ which feeds into 5 different trends. Dulux 2013 colour of the year - Indigo.

The 5 key trends have been divided into 1) Home Factory, 2) Visual Solace, 3) The Art of Understanding, 4) Switching off and 5) Collective Passion.

By using key, strong characters within a room, you can pair them with key trend colours. Be inspired by the ceramics and/or ornaments used in your space to create your scheme and work in the colour trends.

3:25: You can implement the Visual Solace trend by introducing a lace style pattern onto your wall surfaces, introducing texture & tone – GOOD TIP!

3:33: Interiors Blogger - Jo Thornhill @joannathornhill has incorporated those key colour trends into a great creative colour scheme paired to her own interior style.

3:40: Jo has incorporated these trends into her own home via canvas’ and also by using the ombré effect on her bedroom walls – adding a bit of drama to her home.

4:10: We have colour cocktails, macaroons, cakes and nail manicurists on hand with a ‘Dulux 2013 Colour Trends’ nail bar.

5:15: Well it’s a wrap! We’ve had so much fun and have just completed a wonderful tour of the ME Hotel, which looks amazing. I don’t know about you but I’m definitely coming up to the roof top Radio Bar for a few drinks in the summer - Now time to parrrrtyyyy!

Thank you to all our sponsors & speakers and our host Hotel for being a part of our wonderful event. Thank you to our photographer and volunteers for doing such a great job! 

Images supplied by // HOP Interiors

Dulux – the colourful powerhouse of paints and colourways plan to bring their slogan “Let’s Colour” to life this Saturday at the event. Spring has certainly sprung and with the help of the Dulux Creative Director – Marianne Shillingford, you will preview the Spring/Summer Trends and the latest paint effects. Having already had a peek at the forthcoming trends I can say that it certainly adds a ‘pop’ to your interior scheme.

If that doesn’t wet your interior appetite, Dulux will also be hosting a 2013 colour trend themed bites and drinks session. Think colour cocktails, colourful macaroons and bites, this is a great opportunity to get to know your fellow bloggers, swap business cards and quiz Dulux’s in-house Interior Designers. Why not visit the Dulux nail bar and wear the forthcoming seasons colour collection and trends.

With so much more in store I really can’t wait to welcome you all to Meet The Blogger – London style.

Will you be attending this Saturday in London?

Images credited: Image 1 – Meet The Blogger  Image 2 – Dulux

I’m so excited to teach a workshop at Meet The Blogger London on revamping pieces of antique and vintage furniture. I originally started restoring and painting furniture after being inspired by a 4th generation master restorer whose course I attended. I now use sympathetic restoration techniques in my own workshop to preserve the original patination of furniture. We use specialist artisan chalk paints and waxes, which can really transform even the most down-in-the-dumps pieces of furniture.

This Saturday I will be teaching several basic furniture painting techniques, how to decoupage different pieces and also how to create an authentic distressed finish. One question I am often asked though is how to source the furniture in the first place. I know speaking to antique dealers or auction staff can be a little intimidating at first so I have some top tips to share with you all. I hope you find them helpful.

1. Be Prepared! If you’re visiting antique fairs or auctions and have a piece of furniture in mind, say a chest of drawers, make sure you measure the area it is supposed to fit before you go. Useful things to take with you are a tape measure, camera, notebook and pen. For early morning antique fairs you should definitely take a waterproof jacket/coat (if you don’t, it will rain. Every time). Also a good tip is to take a hot flask of tea or coffee – it is very cold at 5am even in the summer months.

2. The hustle and bustle of life inflicts a certain amount of wear and tear on furniture over time. If there are no obvious signs of this, it may have been stripped back or it may be a reproduction. Always look to see if the wear and tear on a piece of furniture is convincing and consistent – particularly on legs and handles. Also, any screws, nails, handles and corners will normally have small patches of discolouration around them.

3. Do you know what I mean when I say patina? Well, the patina of a piece of furniture is acquired by years of exposure to light, daily use and regular polishing/waxing. You would expect to see marks and scratches over a long period of time, if not it may mean the surface has been stripped back and re-polished thereby losing the wonderful patina that has developed over potential hundreds of years.

4. Never pick a chair up by its arms, always hold it underneath. Chairs are the most likely piece of furniture to suffer from loose joints or broken legs so always check the joints carefully. You don’t want to be left holding the leg and the rest of the chair crumbles around you.

5. Always check the proportions of a piece of furniture and ensure that each of the drawers were made in the same way and of the same wood. Don’t be afraid to take drawers out and have a look for yourself.

6. Painted furniture was popular from the mid 18th century to the early 20th century and often pieces were repainted to reflect the fashion of the day. Fake antique painted furniture is often convincingly replicated because it incorporates a realistic distressed effect. Always closely examine the paintwork – there should be obvious layers of paint with dirt in between each layer. Dark wax is used to copy this effect and you may be able to smell it if recently applied.

7. Unhappy marriages in furniture can usually be spotted straightaway by looking at any variations in construction, proportion and colour-matching.

8. From unhappy marriage to divorce! Many pieces of early antique furniture were cut down to fit a smaller room size as time went on. These pieces are more difficult to spot but always look for unusual fading or other inconsistent marks.

9. With tables, always check the table top and base are made from the same wood or veneering and check there aren’t any unusual marks underneath.

Finally, watch out for the 19th century revivals of certain styles – you can spot a reproduction piece if it has exaggerated details, is made of exotic timber or the decoration is a mixture of styles.

mtb_programma_london-1

This year, Dulux has launched its first ever Let’s Colour Awards to celebrate and reward innovative use of colour across the creative industries and beyond. Colour is such an emotive, inspiring tool. It surrounds us in every aspect of our lives and most of us rarely take the time to appreciate the immeasurable impact it has on our wellbeing and creativity. It can lift our spirits and define who we are – from the walls of our homes to the technology we use, the art we surround ourselves with and the clothes we wear. Now, the Let’s Colour Awards are set to make sure we recognise the impact of imaginative use of colour ever year.

The inspiring winners were announced last week at a glittering ceremony held at the Fashion & Textile Museum in London and hosted by fashion commentator and esteemed journalist Hilary Alexander.

Comprising seven hotly contested categories, the awards honoured those companies, people and places whose innovative use of colour helped to make our lives a brighter experience over the last twelve months.

And the winners are…

Scooping the ‘Colour Moment of the Year’ award, the producers of the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony were praised by the judging panel for the breathtaking celebration of light and colour that captured the hearts and minds of the nation last year. Professor Nigel Dunnett of the University of Sheffield was awarded ‘Contribution to Colour’ for his vibrant man-made meadows, created through two painstaking years of trials and research, which lined the banks of the London 2012 Olympic Park and captivated visitors and spectators alike.

Dulux presented ‘Best use of Colour in Homes & Interiors’ to young Chinese design duo, W&Q, for their debut collection of chairs, a colourful, contemporary take on traditional bamboo handcrafts. Other accolades in the creative industry categories went to global lighting brand, Philips, for its groundbreaking Hue light bulb, customisable with 16 million colours to suit your mood and iPad compatible, (Colour Innovation in Technology & Design) and Sister by Sibling, who took home the Best use of Colour in Fashion & Beauty award for its debut womenswear collection, infusing outrageous colour clashes with an avant-garde take on knits.

Writer and editor of fashion blog, Style Bubble, Susie Lau was announced as this year’s Colour Ambassador – a prize which honoured her dedication to championing young designers and inspiring others through her bold and colourful fashion choices.

The winners of the 2013 Dulux Let’s Colour Awards are:

Best Use of Colour in Homes & Interiors

W&Q Collection

Best use of colour in Fashion & Beauty

Sister by Sibling

Colour Innovation in Technology & Design
Philips ‘Hue’ Light Bulb

Best use of Colour in the Arts
Lenticular artwork by Sam Coldy

Colour Ambassador
Susie Bubble

Colour Moment of the Year
The Producers of the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony

Contribution to Colour Wildflower Meadows at the London Olympics

The judging panel…

Dulux had a stellar judging panel of industry and media experts for the first year of the awards, tasked with nominating the shortlist and selecting the final winners. Their varied backgrounds reflected the diversity of the awards and included Alex Box, Creative Director of cult make-up brand Illamasqua; Suzanne Imre, Editor of Britain’s most stylish interiors magazine Livingetc; Jimmy Macdonald, founder of design event TENT London and Amber Morales, Fashion Director of the Daily Mirror as well as members of the Dulux Colour & Design team.

Marianne Shillingford, Dulux Creative Director, explains:

“With the heritage of Dulux rooted in colour we decided it was time to honour those other companies and brands which inspire us by using colour in the most creative and inspiring of ways. It has been wonderful to see such support from so many experts and esteemed figures in our first year, not just from the interiors industry. We hope these awards will inspire people to use colour even more imaginatively, and are looking forward to honouring more individuals and brands in years to come.”

www.duluxletscolourawards.com

All images supplied by: DULUX

Image Credited: http://thedesignfiles.net/2011/10/the-design-files-open-house/

We literally have four glorious days until Meet The Blogger London Edition graces our tastebuds! But what do you wear, what should you bring, what do you need to know?! Don’t worry because your fairy blog-mother is here to give you some top hints and tips on what to bring and pack with you! TOP HOP TIP: As you all know, you will be heading to my hometown city of London. Spring has sprung this week but still be prepared. An umbrella is essential, as are warm clothes and comfy shoes.

Image Credited: http://web.stagram.com/p/278828735288456386_13085652

Tip #1 - Never underestimate the power of the good ol’ notepad and pen. There will be so much to learn, see and do so it’s always best to jot it down notes and ideas in a brand new notepad – besides, who doesn’t love stationery.

Image Credited: http://thomas-printers.com/business-stationery/saltbox.html

Tip #2 - Meet The Blogger is all about you, the blogger! It’s about learning from each other and meeting your peers. It’s also the perfect time to exchange ideas, thoughts, experiences and business cards. With so many bloggers to meet it’s the best way to take down details and stay in touch. HINT: Run out of cards? We’ve teamed up with business card brand MOO cards who will offer you 50 free business cards to design, order and collect at the Meet The Blogger venue in Stockholm. Just click here, order your cards and pay a small postage fee. Your cards will be waiting for you at registration. HURRY, rush orders only available now until Tuesday, 5 March (GMT).

Image Credited: http://www.jurriaanhoefsmit.nl/vrijwerk.php#image81

Tip #3 - Don’t forget your camera! This season & edition of Meet The Blogger your ticket is more than just a ticket for one event. We have so much planned {although we can’t give too much away}. Not only do you get a ticket to the main event, you also get tickets to the Meet The Blogger Design Tour on Sunday 10 March (Mother’s Day). During the main event there is always a variety of photo opportunities and in this edition we are running dedicated photography workshops so definitely take your camera, plenty of memory and don’t forget to charge your battery.

Image Credited: http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/upload/193936327673828324_x5aXB7rT.jpg

Tip #4 - Before you set off, don’t forget to check, check again and triple check you have all your documents with you. Passport, boarding pass, flight details, train tickets, map, your hopes, your dreams, bring them all. One of the most important things to bring is your eventbrite tickets. Ensure that you print them off and pack them safely before you travel – we need to verify your identity for entry to the event. If you’re flying in from London Heathrow you are in luck – there are great London Underground connections from there straight into the heart of the city. If you are flying in from London Gatwick, you will need to board a train for London Victoria station. From Victoria station you can easily catch the tube to anywhere in the city. London underground uses the ‘Oyster card system’. The card costs £3 plus your travel fair however, once brought you can use it on the buses and trains alike. As there are engineering works on the tube this weekend of March 9-10th I would advise jumping on the Northern line to Charing Cross, then walk up ‘The Strand’ and the hotel is a good 10-15min walk.

Image Credited: http://www.jurriaanhoefsmit.nl/vrijwerk.php#image81

Tip #5 - Last but by no means least, don’t for get your gadgets – your iPads, iPhones, smartphones, tablets, apps – bring them all with you. Blogging is all about getting social and social networking and we’ll be providing you with free wi-fi throughout the event. We want to make #meetthebloggerlondon a top, hot, trending topic on twitter so help us by using our special, official hashtag on Saturday 9th March.

If you are sadly unable to meet it to Meet The Blogger this season, don’t fret! I will be blogging LIVE from my home city London to keep you updated and enthralled in all the action. Tune in from 9:00am (GMT) and attend Meet The Blogger London from home and gain a royal welcome.

Tina stopped by the Meet The Blogger HQ to share with you a brief sneaky peek of what’s in store.

Hello everyone. Are you also getting excited? In less than 10 days we’ll all be meeting up at another fantastic Meettheblogger event.

This time it is in my own city! I can’t wait for the talks and workshops and to see old and new friends. Isn’t one of the nicest parts of attending a conference to meet people face-to-face, whom we follow through social media? There is a buzz and excitement that can only be ignited by having a room full of diverse and talented bloggers. It is infectious!

On Sunday March 10th, I have the honour and pleasure to show you a little snippet of this wonderful city. How can one even begin to know where to start? But start I did. So, wrap up, wear comfortable shoes, come with an empty suitcase, bring your cameras and join me for a walking tour of design shops. I believe that the full program will be up here on the blog a few days before the event, but for now I can tell you that we will peruse the area of Notting Hill/Portobello. I’ve lined up a diverse set of shops and businesses and hope that there’ll be something exciting for everyone. It’s going to be colourful, eclectic and hopefully a lot of fun. Do join me, will you?

Image credited: Colourliving

Collective Passion

Say goodbye to Winter greys and welcome a fresh burst of life onto your walls this Summer. Introducing a new trend palette from Dulux full of bright and vibrant tones – Collective Passion.

The Inspiration…

Left to right: Rock Candy 6, Frayed Hessian 3, Fruit Fool 6

Flouro is set to be a key trend for 2013, with designers accenting their ranges with touches of acidic neon and lashings of stand-out colour to really make a statement. The idea of ‘flocking’ underpins the Collective Passion trend, reflecting how the world is coming together to share and instigate change. This is visualised by a spontaneous ‘dip-dye’ paint effect, which creates a sense of movement and invites the blending of energetic shades.

The Palette…

Just like the visual feast of movement this trend represents, the colour palette swoops from one colour cloud to the next, with distinct colour groups flowing together. These attention-grabbing fluro and pastel colours express energy, joy, creativity and purpose.

Credits L-R: Paradise Green 4, Rock Candy 2, Bermuda Cocktail 2, Citron Sunrise,
Sapphire Springs 3, Orange Fizz, Flying Feather, Grey Steel 4
Dulux Paint Mixing in Matt Emulsion 2.5l, £24.29 RRP

Interested in finding out more about the Collective Passion Trend?

Join us on Saturday 9^th March for Meet the Bloggers London where we will be holding a workshop with Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Dulux. Marianne will be presenting the trend and demonstrating the ‘flocking’ paint effect. You’ll even have the chance to try out the technique yourself.

Stockist Information:

www.dulux.co.uk , 08444 817 817