It's not been a brilliant week so far – I'm being plagued by a nasty start-of-term cold/cough/sickness thingy which is hampering progress in the back bedroom. I'm currently sitting on the floor of said bedroom, surrounded by piles of lovely things (cushions, rugs, blankets, sheepskins) and some not so lovely things (paint roller that needs washing up, heap of junk from recently emptied cupboard, mug of cold tea).

So I thought I'd put off sorting any of that out by sharing some inspiration from my recent meet up with Andrew Martin (I like to think that technically it's not procrastination if it's productive.) Andrew Martin has long been one of my favourite sources for high end textiles and wall coverings – their gorgeous fabrics, masculine furniture and iconic trompe l'oeil wallpapers are fantastic. Seriously, if you haven't already then check them out.

Their recent collaboration with artist Holly Frean has resulted in this new collection of fabrics, wallpaper and cushions with a definite zoological vibe. From monkeys to polar bears, elephants to penguins it's just really fun and quirky. I'm in the midst of decorating my daughter's room right now, so this was right up my street (although I think it would look pretty fabulous in plenty of other rooms too).

First up is this gorgeous Cheeky Monkey print. I'm a sucker for a silhouette and you can't go wrong with monochrome. What you can't tell from this picture is that these little guys are actually flocked – just imagine, little velvety monkeys climbing your walls – you could even stroke them! I love this design, it's also available in a subtle white on white (white flocked monkeys on a chalky, off-white background). I love a bit of texture and if you can add some on the walls, then why not? If budget weren't an issue these little guys would be pretty near the top of my wish list for the youngest DesignSeeker's bedroom.








However, this parade of elephants on a cloud grey background would come a close second. They'd look pretty majestic sweeping across your walls – although somehow orderly and dignified too (perhaps I need them in my office).



There are several more designs to check out at Andrew Martin, all cheeky and playful, without being too childish. I would definitely use these in a grown up bedroom/den/bathroom/office. This may be as close as I get for now – we don't actually own any real live animals at home (unless you count cowhide tables and sheepskin rugs)...our two small boys can be beastly enough!

So what do you think? Would you put animals in the bedroom? Or anywhere else for that matter? (No smut, please)...

Right, best get on with cleaning that paint roller. Oooh, hang on, a cold tea! Think I'll just drink that first...