How to style a Christmas wreath with a festive woodland theme
For those of you who followed me through the first lockdown in the UK you will have seen me renovate the front of my Edwardian house from the windows and fascia, to the flag and flag pole and finally paint this fabulous green door in a bespoke colour that I had...
How to bling up recyclable wrapping paper
I’m really excited to be able to share my second project in my recent brand collaboration for Dunelm with you. It’s absolutely brilliant when a creative collaboration is so perfectly aligned with one’s own interests, passions and beliefs. And that’s what happens...
How to craft an Alternative Advent Calendar
I had so much fun creating this Alternative Advent Calendar as part of my exciting creative collaboration on a series of crafting projects for Dunelm. For me it was the perfect way to showcase their fabulous new fully recyclable wrapping paper and ribbon and kick...
Celebrating #CircularMonday
Once again I am proud to be involved with this initiative, (previously called White Monday). It's the Monday before Black Friday when we encourage Circular Alternatives. I launched my Painted Love Academy in 2018 in the hope of reducing my footprint by flying less...
Let’s Talk Paint & Patina
I just wanted to share this event with you. Happening next Friday 27th November over on my Instagram feed at 9am for me in the UK and 7.30pm over in Australia, I will be talking to someone I admire so much in the furniture painting and home decor world. I do hope...
New House of Mendes home studio paints up in lockdown
One of the positives about lockdown has been the opportunity to get on with jobs at home including the very real and pressing need to get my home studio up and running so that I can stay at home and not risk the drive to The Loft in Caistor during lockdown. Me and...
The Queen of Masking Tape Nicky Cash shows me how it’s Done Up North
I am absolutely thrilled to introduce you to Nicky Cash, founder and designer at Done Up North, the very first guest tutor to 'take me on' with her Masking Tape Masterclass just launched in my Painted Love Academy. For those of you who don't know Nicky, she is one...
Happy Mother’s Day – wherever you are in this crazy world, stay colourful, be kind and keep creating.
As the world is in Coronvirus crisis this Mothering Sunday with millions of mums across the world spending it alone, including mine, I want spread a bit of 'Painted Love'. I want to share some spirit-lifting inspiration with what can be achieved by painting walls...
Painting dining room walls & woodwork with Autentico
Where the magic happens - walls, woodwork using paint and floor using vinyl tiles all transformed to a softer palette. I have always been impatient when it comes to home decor and luckily for me, Mr M is the same, so he is more than happy to help with the prep and...
How to fake old bricks with Saltwash, paint & stencil quarry tiles to cosy up a fireplace
Creating a cosy hearth for a breakfast dining room in my Edwardian home So if you've arrived here from my Dining Room Makeover blog then you'll have already seen the BEFORE photos below of the orange brick and terracotta tiled hearth that we inherited in the...
Edwardian Dining Room Makeover, the first project in the (new) House of Mendes!
If you've followed me for a while you'll know that at the end of last year, after a long and difficult search for a new 'old' house, me and Mr M finally found a wonderful Edwardian house not far from us. In fact, it really found us. It wasn't on the market, it had...
#WhiteMonday – hey furniture loving friends can you reuse, repair or rent more?
In a world that's gone mad with consumption and buying 'things' I'm proud to get behind #whitemonday on 25th November 2019. Although it's the campaign's 3rd year, it's the first time I've heard about it. It began in Malmö in Sweden, a country I visited in my first...
Paint Pro Inspo Days at my workshop in Lincolnshire
It's hard to believe it's almost the end of 2019 - where has this year gone? For me it's been the usual whirlwind of travel, live teaching, filming tutorials, styling articles, doing Grand Designs Live twice and achieving the next step of our dream home by moving...
How to wrap up furniture with fabric decoupage for cosy upcycled interiors
If you're looking for the perfect project for this time of year then my Fabric Decoupage Wardrobe tutorial has just landed in the Painted Love Academy. It's one of the most satisfying upcycling furniture makeovers you'll ever try as it feels so rewarding to take a...
Decorative Ironwork Embellishment with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint & Saltwash
Create your own lead planter with decorative ironwork embellishment! How would you like to make this charming rustic planter? It’s a design, build and paint DIY project that has taken me so long to launch because I have had such a ridiculously busy year! Firstly I...