The summer weather has certainly arrived in Britain and it is well and truly glorious. What better way to enjoy the warmth and sunshine than spending a weekend, or even a whole holiday, in the British countryside?
Areas such as Devon and Cornwall are stunningly beautiful and should be as much of a holiday destination as Spain and Greece.

Our digital marketing assistant recently paid a visit to North Devon’s Watersmeet, a beautiful river gorge in a dramatic woodland setting. The photos do not do this place justice.

Watersmeet House

Watersmeet

Watersmeet is just one picturesque holiday destination out of thousands in the UK.

Whilst many people’s first holiday choice would be to go abroad, there is so much to see and do on our doorsteps. There are so many breathtaking parts of Britain that many people do not even know exist. So get exploring because there is so much to discover!

Our office has stunning views of the English countryside and just makes us realise how beautiful Britain can be.

The View from the Ziggiziggi Office

A holiday in Britain can save you money and also supports your economy at home. It can also be just as much fun as any holiday abroad.
So get out there and enjoy a lovely British summer!

Pantone colours of the year for 2016 are Rose Quartz – a pale, chalky pink – and Serenity – a tranquil blue.  

Rose Quartz and Serenity
(Courtesy of www.decoist.com)

Although these colours have been named as on trend for 2016, we think that they are ideal for Spring 2016 as they are so calm and serene.

The tranquillity of these colours makes them perfect for a peaceful meal in the Spring sunshine, as they create a warm, calming ambience.

These two colours are great to bring into the dining room for lazy brunches, afternoon teas, and light Spring dinners.

Try our LSA Polka Pastel coloured wine glasses (4 for £29.95).

LSA Polka Pastel Coloured Wine Glasses

LSA is great for this trend, as their Mimi vases also add beautiful pastel hues to the dining table (£10 each).

LSA Mimi Vase – Pink

LSA Mini Vase – Blue

Our Vintage Union Jack handled tea tray also combines Rose Quartz and Serenity, and is the perfect addition to any Springtime picnic or afternoon tea (£7.50).

Vintage Union Jack handled tea tray

Give these pastel colours a go this Spring!

Our Creative Director, Pamela Aaronson, has given us an exclusive insight into the world of hotels, revealing what’s on trend in hotel interior design right now.

We wouldn’t mind a hotel break here!
(Courtesy of www.travelplusstyle.com)

Giving us an inside look into the world of hotel design, Pamela has picked 6 top trends for 2016…

1) Nature
One important interior design trend for Hotels for 2016 is bringing nature inside, with the emphasis moving to natural materials such as stone accents, wood features and decorative plants; there has even been a rise in indoor ponds and waterfalls. Another way to blur the line between outside and inside is using floor-to-ceiling windows and large balconies. Floral patterned fabrics are also becoming increasingly popular and featuring in many textile ranges.

Add a subtle touch of nature with a bamboo bath mat

2) Texture and Colour
The mixing and matching of fabrics with contrasting textures is very current. For example, mixing faux fur with suede or velvet creates depths of texture.
The naturalistic design trend is cropping up again but this time with the ‘Nature Luxe’ theme – the combination of nature and metallics. This uses fabrics such as skins and hides and craft textures like knitted, woven and braided textiles and mixing them with metal to create a natural and luxurious design.

3) Authenticity with bespoke furniture
Hotels have become less of a temporary shelter for guests, whilst they explore new and exciting destinations, and more of a new and exciting destination in themselves. The shift in the way hotels are being chosen and used by customers has led to the need to make them stand out. A faceless room without personality will not give them the needed nudge to pick a hotel. How do you inject this personality into your hotel? As well as many other techniques, bespoke personalised furniture and interiors.
(Source: www.curtisfurniture.co.uk)

4) Rose Quartz and Serenity
Global colour authority Pantone surprised the design community by naming not one but two colours for the 2016 edition of its Colour of the Year forecast. The pastel pink Rose Quartz and powder blue Serenity may seem like a sugary sweet selection but according to Pantone, the pairing is in fact part of a more unilateral approach to colour—a commentary on the current societal movements toward gender equality and fluidity.
Following Pantone’s prediction, British wallpaper brand Graham & Brown’s 2016 forecast was full of dusty pinks and pale blues enlivened with warm metallic accents.

5) Warm metals
Particularly effective in the bathroom and kitchen space, rose gold, brass, copper and gold will continue to dominate in 2016. Golds and brass tones warm up a space, and reflective surfaces bounce light around a room. Using a few well-chosen pieces as accents helps to create an up market ambience in a room. According to London-based interior designer, Gemma Gordon-Duff of Gordon–Duff & Linton, it helps to pair these tones with raw, natural materials such as marble and wood. “Good quality materials like this are a great investment because they will never go out of style,” she advises.

Luxury Bathroom Collection

6) 70’s Vibes
1970s-inspired furnishings are set to make a comeback in 2016 according to New York-based hospitality designer and entrepreneur Stacy Garcia. “The relaxed, free-spirited nature of that era has been attractive to the fashion industry and has quickly moved towards interiors as well. Many design elements of the 70s were bold, raw and globally-fuelled, as a response to the changing social and political environment of that time.”
Fabrics, furnishings and decorative items are incorporating updated 70’s flair, with revivals of Eames designs, and other 70’s staples such as Parker Knoll and Ercol having a revival on the high street.

Next time you check in to a hotel, try and spot some of these interior design features!

Hopefully these trends can also inspire your interior design choices in your home this year.

Wow, we cannot believe that our Queen Elizabeth has turned 90 today.

In celebration, our colour of the week is ROYAL blue!

You can find the following products – and more – over on our website www.ziggiziggi.com

Blue Martini Glass

Blue Beauty Vase

Blue Confetti Soap Dispenser

We have a variety of stunning blue products which add an air of elegance to any bathroom, dining, or living room.

As a coffee lover, it’s always nice to come across a new place for coffee and my latest find is a coffee shop called Notes.
It’s a cool  place to enjoy a really good cup of coffee (plus it’s an independent which makes a nice change from all the big coffee chains). They’ve  a few branches dotted around London – The one  I visited was in Kings Cross.
…If you like the set of coffee mugs in the picture, you can find them in our Cappuccino & Coffee Cups page.

Dripping or leaking tap?

If you’ve got a broken or leaking tap, visit our sister website Limekitchenandbathroom. It’s a specialist bathroom and kitchen retailer offering a vast array of spare parts, replacement valves, fixings, fittings and much more to fix most kitchen and bathroom taps.
With a friendly  expert  team to help, they can supply the parts needed to fix  your taps quickly, easily and for  fraction of the cost of a new tap!

For this year’s Mother’s Day, I decided to write an article explaining why I think my mum is so great. When I first sat down to write, I felt complacent that it would be an easy task to sum up why I love my mum. But after thinking about it, it dawned on me that the word ‘mother’ doesn’t do justice to the many roles that my mum plays in my life. My mum hasn’t just brought me up. My mother is my best friend, counsellor, mentor, doctor, stylist and source of much entertainment and many laughs. For want of a better word, I will still refer to her as my ‘mum’, but she really is so much more.

Since starting university a year and a half ago, my relationship with my mum has changed. She no longer has to nag me to do my homework or stop staying up late. Instead, she is the greatest of friends. I depend on her, not to make me dinner or pick me up from school, but to be a friend who can always put a smile on my face.

Although she buys me amazing presents, clothes, and (definitely too much) chocolate, none of that springs to mind when I think of why I love my mum. Her little quirks and habits are why I love her most.

Thank you, mum, for all those times when I’ve made you a cup of tea and you’ve fallen asleep and forgotten about it. It will forever make me laugh.

Thank you, mum, for being my biggest fan and coming to each of my performances and shows, no matter how far you have to travel to get there.

Thank you, mum, for being my favourite cuddle partner.

Thank you, mum, for begrudgingly giving me backrubs whenever I ask.

Thank you, mum, for always wanting me to be your shopping partner.

Thank you, mum, for always singing along to Kisstory with me in the car.

Thank you, mum, for always giving me a confidence boost when I’m getting ready to go out.

Thank you, mum, for keeping me calm whenever I am stressed.

Thank you, mum, for always being a voice of reason.

Thank you, mum, for being so glamorous and not even knowing it.

Thank you, mum, for always correcting my pronunciation.

Thank you, mum, for making me so proud to be your daughter.

I know this doesn’t cut it, but thank you for everything you’ve done to get me to where I am today, for being a constant support to me, and for all the little things that you do that make me love you so much.

This Mother’s Day, I would like to express my appreciation for my mother. I know I might be biased, but she truly is the greatest of all mums and I don’t know where I’d be without her.

By Lydia Aaronson.

This Chinese New Year, we can’t stop thinking about a dreamy mug of Chinese jasmine tea.

That’s why we’re featuring our set of 2 Stoneware Mugs as today’s featured product.

For only £12.50, these co-ordinating black and neutral coloured mugs are decorated with a contemporary tree design with a trendy, oriental style.

They are simply perfect if you fancy sipping down some tea this Chinese New Year.

In fact, when we were doing our research, we found out some pretty cool facts about Chinese jasmine tea…

• Did you know that during the Song Dynasty, Jasmine tea was mainly reserved for royalty?
• Jasmine tea reduces risk of heart attack and lowers cholesterol
• Jasmine tea can prevent diabetes and cancer
• Jasmine tea can ease joint and muscle pain
• Jasmine tea is proven to reduce stress!

So de-stress this Chinese New Year, with some hot Chinese jasmine tea in a trendy new mug.

Set of 2 Stoneware mugs.
By Galzone of Denmark

Buy them HERE.

Valentines Day is almost here… and what better way to spend the day than sipping on a champagne cocktail with your other half?!

That’s why our featured product for this Valentines is our set of 2 Halo Crystal Champagne Flutes, for just £28.

They come presented in a gift box so are the perfect treat to give to your loved one this February 14th.

For a simple but tasty cocktail, try scooping your favourite sorbet into the champagne flute, pour over champagne, stir… and enjoy with your loved one this Valentines Day!

Get them HERE

Or take a look at our Valentines collection HERE for more romantic gifts.

Halo Champagne Flute

We’ve cut prices by up to 40% on Koziol home accessories. Click Here to grab a bargain while stocks last