London Neighborhoods: Chelsea's Design District- A Decorater's Paradise


Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above Sloane Square tube station. The modern eastern boundary is Chelsea Bridge Road and the lower half of Sloane Street, including Sloane Square, along with parts of Belgravia . To the north and northwest, the area fades into Knightsbridge and South Kensington, but it is safe to say that the area north of King's Road as far northwest as Fulham Road is part of Chelsea. Chelsea in it hey day was popular along Kings Road magnetizing a plethora of hipsters and hippies.

Map of Chelsea

 Now, it also serves as a mecca for Interior Decoraters/Architects and Designers. I had the pleasure of attending a workshop at the Chelsea Design Centre  in 2010.The Design Centre offers a one stop venue for home furnishings from fabrics and wallpapers to furniture, mirrors and more. I enjoyed Mulberry Home ( Fabrics) and The Silk Gallery ( fabrics) which  is an English fabric company weaving silks with other fibres including cashmere and linen this season. I also fancied Cutture ( haute couture stationary) who create laser cut designs for stationary and will undertake bespoke

commissions.

The Chelsea Design Centre has some beautiful finery, however, I found their prices exorbitant, however, I personally derived much satisfaction and inspiration from my visit there. This tea cup lamp looks easy to make, a bit of wire and a few porcelain tea cups.

Quirky Tea Cup Lamp at Design Center

The Design Centre is a pretty amazing building that houses hundreds of interior design brands all under one roof. It's an incredible resource for Interior Designers/ Decoraters in London. Chelsea is also great fun and inspirational just to peak  into all the delectably charming  and one of a kind unique boutiques and galleries.

   



Chelsea Harbour Design Centre has around 70 showrooms selling soft furnishings and is open from Monday to Friday for the trade and the public. There are many well known showrooms in the design centre from Colefax and Fowler to Mary Fox Linton. London Design Week and Focus also take place in the design centre annually.

Design Centre Chelsea Harbour Address

Address:	411 The North Chambers Chelsea Harbour London SW10 0XF
Telephone:	+44 (0)20 7225 9166

Next in http://www.sabrinaslondondiaries.blogspot.com/ CHELSEA in the 60's !

Part 4: Fashion, So, what is style?

Taken from the tube.

And sometimes, all you ever need to have style is a big huge Cheshire cat smile that beguiles, that alone can speak volumes. The poise. The humor. The ability to laugh at ourselves.The joyfulness we bring out into the world. Our spirit of sharing and compassion.The generosity. The friendliness to strangers. The good manners. These small things that we take for granted these are the best accessory of them all. The cheerful way we greet others in the morning even if we haven't even woken up yet. To hold our tongues when we really want to curse. The courage we show to be our best in spite of not always having things go our way or being millionaires. The small acts of kindness and forgiveness when people aren't behaving their best with us, maybe because they are stressed out or they are feeling low themselves.And, the words I am sorry to others when we behave inappropriately or not our best. And, of course, thank you. To me, this is what makes style, otherwise, fashion and the myriad ways women go about preening and primping themselves,it's all just mere vanity and ever so shallow and silly. What does it all mean if in the end we can't be nice and happy

More in Sabrina's London Diaries

Fashion in London, Part 2: Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize

To me, accessories, is what makes an outfit! It's what makes an outfit stand out, pop with pizazz, sizzle with style. You can have the most gorgeous
suit that you bought from Versace or Armani, but ah do you know how to accessorize. Accessorize,now there's the rub.

A great way to accesorize is just look at yourself before you walk out the door.
Look at yourself real hard in the mirror and ask what does this outfit need to make it shine? A diamanté brooch on the lapel of a plain black jacket. A leopard scarf tied nonchalantly.A sparkly jewel in the hair. An orange tie worn with hot pink shirt. A jazzy belt. A mysterious purple fedora.A fuzzy beret. A lacy Victorian umbrella. Classic wayfarer sunglasses. Some cool shades cat! Anything in leopard. A little bit of bling is not a bad thing. Grandma's pearl earrings. A mobile phone. A charming dog on a leash. A guitar. To me, those things are accessories that we add to our being and add to our style. Those small little details that add to your uniqueness and individuality. But in the end, it's all about the charm.It's all about how you wear it and how you own the choices about your own personal style and wear it with grace.

A Gorgeous Smile. A Yellow Purse juxtaposed with a Blue Sweater. Chiara looks laid back, carefree and fun. This girl has more style than the law allows! She was also the most gracious and charming girl of all.

Her mobile phone, her beret and her great spirit is her accessories today. It was so much fun to photograph this Italian girl !

The fedora hat, the crazy wild electric blue pants. This boy's a rock star and has the charisma to boot. The black bow. The loving gaze. This couple has so much attitude! I Love it !

This young lady is really smart a professor of Darwinian Econonomics. Her quirky style is attractive and slightly conservative. The intellectual glasses, the hot pink fluffy scarf offset with the grey sweater, and then her cute black dog. He's what makes the outfit! I loved them! Taken in St. George's Inn Park.

The black sunglasses. The black cap. The braggadocio pose makes him about town and the coolest cat around.

The red paisley scarf that brings out the warm colours in the collegiate jacket.( This is my favourite jacket and I've worn it since my college days in Vermont. I've worn it so much that the lining is gone.)The orange fan on the lapel of the jacket that echoes an orange turtle-neck. The brown Italian leather mini-backpack that is practical and de rigeur for my lifestyle.But, it's my camera that's my best accessory. This whole outfit has become part of my uniform. I'm putting my creative energy into writing these days. Hey It's me, the blogger!

Some these photos in my Fashion Blog Series ( Parts 1,2, and 3) were taken when I was on a pub crawl. My first one at that. We hit 3 or 4 pubs within walking distance and had a pint or in my case drank a glass of wine. It was so much fun goig up to strange people and asking them if they would like to participate in my Fashion Blog.I met so many nice, fun and interesting people!It's what I call getting tipsy with a purpose ( LOL !)

Thank you everyone who contributed to this blog!

Enjoy!

SABRINA

London Fashion Part 1

What is fashion? Is it all about keeping up with the trends or being a unique individual? To me fashion has to do with personal style, attitude, and charm. To me, you can wear a £2,000 Marc Jacob coat, but can you pull it off. Do you have the panache? do you have the attidude? Do you have the bearing to wear it or does it wear you? To me style is all about being yourself and trusting your instincts. It's being comfortable in your own shoes. It's about confidence. You can wear a £10 jacket you bought at the Charity shop and you can look like a million bucks if you have the confidence to wear it. Once, I bought a Cynthia Rowley Vintage jacket at The Salvation Army in Los Angeles;it was worth about $500, but I only spent $8.00.It was a steal!Everytime,I wear it I feel like a rock star.I get tons of compliments. In the end, do you want to be swallowed up by the fashion industry or do you want to make your mark in your own way?

Here are a some photos I gathered from seeing people walking in the streets
and admiring thier uniqueness and courage to follow thier own sense of style.
London Steet Style:A bright orange sweater bought at a charity shop,a green baseball cap worn with orange garden shoes,a khaki jacket with the only acessory a gorgeous smile,a nice fluffy scarf,butterfly belt worn with converse shoes. Are the 80's back?It's neon to die for! A beautiful Irish lassie wears sophisticated black in a sexy sweater and skinny black jeans. A fedora hat worn with bohemian tunic and leather purse. A bright purple shirt worn with head bandana, and converse shoes. Whatever it is, make it your own. Do whatever it is to express who you are and your uniqueness.Make it your style and no one elses!