Interiors on a budget: Picture walls

Pinterest is swarming with interiors (p)inspiration, and it's here that sometimes without even realising, you pick up ideas for your own place.

As a map lover, I noticed this pic on there a while ago:

© Country Living US

Amongst my many decorative challenges at my current abode in Brixton, one was to make what was once a lad's bedroom a homely feeing lounge again. Tricky. Plus we were on a massive budget.

So on a makeover mission I found some wrapping paper for £1.95 in one of the cool and quirky shops on Earlham Street in Covent Garden. They had Paris, New York and London. Perfect. All places I had been to and places that were special to me. I couldn't believe they were selling these as wrapping paper - the quality was great.

Next, off to Ikea for some super cheap frames in bright colours. And actually, looking at the picture above the Paris map is exactly the same as mine.

So this whole wall cost me about £21. Pretty cheap.

This Summer we are set to move into our own place, and I can't wait to decorate the walls with postcards and pictures from our various travels, paintings by friends, artwork and more maps.

I love photos, always have, and I pilfered a load of old photos of my mum and dad from when they were kids when they moved house the other year. I am fascinated by what they were like when they were younger. As it turns out they were pretty cute and pretty cool!

I have only just got the below back from the framers and can't wait to put them up in our new home with a mix of other old and new photos.

Trio of polaroids of Dad with his Scottie dog Jock on the beach.

Mum and Dad as sweet innocent nippers.

A very cool (/moody?!) teenage Mum.

WIBTW (What I Bought This Week): Too old for Topshop?

I need to face facts. I'm over 30 and the shame of dancing next to a 16 year old girl in the same H&M floral dress as me at V Festival last Summer made me think perhaps it's time to grow up a little.

Part of me wants to shop on ASOS all day and buy bombers and beanies and crop tops... but I think it's time to leave that to the teens.

Plus anyway, I am now loving the labels I never really bought (or could afford) in my teens and twenties; COS, Reiss, Jigsaw, Whistles etc. And also picking up on alternatives to cheaper High Street brands. For example the uber-quirky Monki, which has a shop in Carnaby Street and is also stocked in Selfridges. The reasonable prices always surprise me and still not everyone knows about it. I love their take on fashion - check out the description online of the top I bought as pictured below: "It's all about the back with Ann - the chunky silver zip, and the elegantly shaped opening that allows curious admirers (and dogs with cold noses, bent on surprising someone) access to a bit of the small of your back."

So I am really trying nowadays to buy pieces with a little more longevity (obviously previous post on a Brian Lichtenberg sweat was just a blip in the new-found way of thinking...)

Here are this week's purchases, and not a neon beanie in sight...

COS top, £45

COS silk & knit cardigan, £55,  a great alternative to this season's bomber

Zara leopard coat, £89

Zara sheer check shirt, £25

Zara sweat with handy underlay, £25

Monki pink shell top, £25

Check out the nose hole for a dog!

ASOS burgundy chelsea boots, £50

New editorial for LOOK magazine: Denim

All pictures © LOOK magazine

LFW: Rihanna for River Island

It was the hottest ticket in town last night and I was lucky enough to have one. Rih Rih for RI RI. The first glimpse of the superstar singer's collection for River Island.

The rumours had been flying around for weeks as to what was going to happen, who was going to perform, and whether Rihanna herself was actually even going to turn up.

You could definitely feel the buzz last night even from outside the venue. The queue at The Old Sorting Office on New Oxford Street snaked around the corner with impatient press, lurking paparazzi and dedicated fans. The celeb spots kicked off the minute you walked through the door. First sight - girl-of-the-moment Cara Delevingne loving every minute of posing for pics.

We drank endless champagne and cocktails along with the hundreds of other press, models, celebs and a definite "cool" guest list. (Oh, and the cast of Made in Chelsea.)

Luckily when the lights went down and everyone stopped looking at each other, the focus turned to the real star of the night - the show. A well-produced affair with a great visual alternative to a runway. The looks weren't too OTT, they were ultra-urban yet sexy, wearable, cool and perfect for the River Island customer.

It was a mainly monochrome palette with SS13's thigh-high splits in favour, loads of jersey dresses as well as sportier looks, with touches of tie dye and print.

A little surprised not to see a few curvier girls on the catwalk but hey, that's fashion for you.

The post show party saw the venue turn into a huge nightclub with fashion's cool kids (some, literally, kids) bumping and grinding the night away. Rih Rih seemed to be mainly hanging out in her Winnebago - no sighting bar a brief bow on stage post-show.

So the verdict? Well, the girl done good.

Look out for the capsule range in stores from early March.

All pictures © Chloe Wood

A new work mini-adventure

I've been working pretty much full-time in-house on a fashion weekly since the start of the year, and although I miss the freelance life of lie-ins, "working" in a trackie on the sofa and the occasional solo spa afternoon (Cowshed is my expensive weakness in life), it is great to be working on an editorial team again. I'm doing what I love most  - planning, styling and directing main fashion shoots.

I'll post my new editorials here as soon as they have gone to press. But for the moment, a few tiny snippets of life on Southwark Street...

A very early start this morning.. The view of London is incredible from the canteen.

Leaving late... The coolest buildings are popping up all over the area around Borough.

Beautiful roses from New Covent Garden Flower Market used in a shoot.

A sneak peek at some of the accessories for tomorrow's story.

Mamas & Papas Spring 2013 campaign shots

I've just been sent the shots I styled for the new Mamas & Papas Spring campaign imagery for in-store and press. Feels like a lifetime ago we worked on these!

The brand wanted a slightly cooler, more trend-led look so I got involved to help and worked with the fantastic (and fun) photographer Peter Zownir and super-talented hair and make-up artist Katie Pettigrew.

From what I know of it, maternity wear can be a little unexciting and frumpy, but Mama's & Papa's definitely appeals to the younger, more fashion savvy mum-to-be. Think Banana Republic gets preggars. I love the monochrome stripe dress with pop of red. Perfectly on trend for even the un-bumped.

Here are some of the shots: