Creating A Gypsy Den

I am positive I was a gypsy in a past life!

My love for travelling, collecting and colour make me think that it has forever been in my blood. As you all know I am a big fan of pattern, complex textures and bright colours, it makes me so happy to walk into a room full of these details and it most definitely is an overriding factor in my decorating style. Sure I can pare it back when the situation calls for it, but my favourite thing to do is add more, more more!

Creating a gypsy style is all based on the building. You have to live the life to create the look and feel authentically. And that doesn’t mean globetrotting and residing in a tent (unless it’s a glammed up, covered in cushions I dream of genie style!!) it means collecting, curating and layering. I love being surrounded by my travel trinkets, to me they remind me of fabulous times with family and friends and each has their little story to tell. Every port I stop in sees me bring home a trinket or two, sometimes a crate! And my house is filled with them. But this collection has taken years, many trips and a lot of rearranging. I am always mixing it up and creating new vignettes depending on the season and this is only possible because of my collections.

So how can you inject a little Boheme into your home?

Frame fabrics purchased from markets, like sari’s, throws and scarves. Make them into cushions, drape them over side tables. Sheer fabrics are perfect for this. Experiment with textures.
Bring a ladder into your home and layer it with jewellery, trinkets, figurines, hanging ornaments. A favourite corner in my house holds a ladder draped in traditional Indian jewellery; I can walk by it without touching it and hearing the coins jangle!
Use candles everywhere for soft romantic lighting. Even an asortment of lamps will create a beautiful glow and create a romantic ambience.
Layer rugs up - sisal with a Persian style rug look great together as does clashing patterns.
Find an old silver tray and use to hold all types of different candle to create a beautiful table centrepeice.
Use old cigar boxes for height on a side table - I love the colours and graphics on the labels.
A collection of old books with tattered covers is a great way to achieve varying heights on a table.

So what do you think? Time to get your gypsy on!