At Home With Natasha Denness

We are so happy to welcome Natasha Denness to the blog today to share her lovely home with us! "My boyfriend and I live in a modern, spacious, top floor apartment in Oxford, UK. It felt like home the moment we put the kettle on after moving all our worldly possessions up the two flights of stairs!

I would describe the interior as ‘modern retro’ with a hint of ‘Granny chic’. The rooms are big, and although I collect vintage knick-knacks, I like to keep the spaces quite minimal. I actually have a cupboard of vintage collectables, which I swap around when I tire of things. I love mixing styles and eras. For example, I like vintage chintz floral and French furniture as well as retro prints and Bauhaus design. For me combining vintage styles creates an interesting eclectic feel.

In addition to the vintage things we have lots of homemade items. The wall hanging in our bedroom was made by my Mum for my sister’s wedding, and the patchwork cushions were made by my sister from a mix of vintage fabrics and her own designs—she works as a textile designer. I have a huge soft spot for vintage floral prints.""I have all sorts of unusual vintage collections on display ranging from antique dolls to kitsch deer. The collections certainly make for a talking point when people come to visit. To me there is something very special about old things and the way they symbolise and evoke a particular moment in time. And I don’t think anyone could live in the city where Alice in Wonderland and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe were written and not have a little childhood magic in their home. I guess my most unusual items are my little wooden vintage chalets, they are utterly charming and always make me chuckle!""My favourite things tend to range from the years 1940–1980, are brightly coloured, and remind me of my childhood. While out and about, if I spot anything my Grandma had, I usually snap it up. In short I tend to gravitate towards anything that makes me smile. I don’t take myself too seriously, and this is most definitely reflected in my home. One of my favourite items has to be my Paul Smith tapestry. It took six weeks to make and many months to save for, but was worth every penny."  "We have lived in the apartment for two years and during this time the walls have been painted white and new flooring, oak and coir, has been laid. We also hung my favourite Cath Kidston ‘chintz’ wallpaper in the guest room. I don’t think I could live anywhere without hanging this cute floral print. Generally I like my home to act as a blank canvas, which I can change and adapt as and when I fancy.""When we are at home we spend most of our time in the main living space. It’s a large, light, airy room where we eat, listen to music, watch television, entertain friends and so on. The apartment fulfils so many roles, from somewhere for family and friends to visit to a tranquil place to return to after a busy day at work. It really is ‘home sweet home’. "Thank you so much for sharing your home with us, Natasha! You can find more of Natasha over at her blog Candy Pop on on Instagram! xo.