In Praise of Neon

I've had a soft spot for neon lights ever since reading an article in Living Etc years ago about Gods Own Junkyard in London -  www.godsownjunkyard.co.uk. You've no doubt heard of it before, but if not look at THIS and prepare to be dazzled!

Pic:Gods Own Junkyard

I obviously love the injection of colour and light you get with neon, but I love their provenance too. They have a great retro vibe and are nearly always inviting you to something fun or naughty!

Pic:Gods Own Junkyard

 

Look my beloved Smiths lyrics immortalised in mixed media including neon! Pic: Gods Own Junkyard

As beautiful as they are, they've always been aspirational, just for shop decoration or events and, most importantly, well out of most people's price range....until now! Back in the summer Gigi from new neon company Bag and Bones (@bagandbones www.bagandbones.co.uk) asked if I'd like to borrow a neon light to play with at home and see what I thought. 

Look how it modernises this space. I could see though that my husband was slightly concerned about the electricity bill.

The little neon heart here just adds a little injection of fun.

And the little neon heart adds a touch of romance here (horrified face emoji required here) but the calmness of the room scheme remains because other accessories are kept to a minimum.

But look how it changes the mood of the room in a dark room scheme here! Staying in really is the new going out when you own some neon. 

My husband was still stressing about the potential electricity bill at this stage so I did some investigation and he was reassured to learn that Bag and Bones neon is made of LEDs which are very eco-friendly.

Incidentally, Bag and Bones will also custom make neon in your choice of colours, font and style. It would be brilliant, for example, as part of the decor for a wedding and then you could use it as a memento of the day afterwards. If I was getting married again, it's what I'd do to score some neon in our house! (Not that that getting married again is likely to happen to me, and I'm still hoping for a bit of romance with that neon heart in the bedroom!)

Pic: Bag and Bones

Generally speaking, I favour neutral decor in the home and always think that the expensive, difficult to change items in the home such as sofas, curtains and carpets should be neutral colours. I love colour, texture and pattern, but I get bored very quickly so I prefer to bring all those elements to the room with cheaper, easy to change accessories such as cushions, rugs, art and .......plants! 

'Easy to change accessories' is where neon lights fit in - it provides a pop of colour when you need it and you can switch it off when you don't. You can move it from room to room. You can use it to lift a plain room. Just treat it like any other accessory.

And just so you know for sure how achievable owning a neon light now is and how approachable @bagandbones are, I caught up with owner Gigi and asked her a few questions. 

1.   Who are Bag & Bones?

We are a London based neon art label. We are also sisters – which means we have a lot of fun together but there is also some sisterly squabbling going on! We are quite different and I would say Cavanagh is the ying to my yang…the bacon to my eggs, if you will! I think with my heart – she thinks with her head. So we work very well together. 

2.   What inspired you to start Bag & Bones?

I knew very early on in my life that I wanted to do something creative. I have always been a compulsive doodler and I’ve always loved neon, too. For as long as I can remember, it’s seductive glow has lured me in. It just has such a positive effect on my mood.

3.   What's your vision - neon in every home? 

Oh you said it, Dee! I mean, basically we want to sprinkle bag&bones neon all over Britain. And then the world! We love using neon as a décor element at home because of its ability to completely change the mood of a room and the mood’s of the people within …there’s something about neon that people just love – they are instantly drawn to it.

4.   Tea or coffee? 

Coffee…strong & milky with a little biscuit thrown in for good measure.

5.   Why is Bag & Bones neon better than other neon companies? 

Well, we are different! I like to think we have a really distinctive and original design aesthetic. We are the first of our kind in Europe – a company 100% focused on the design and customisation of affordable, eco-friendly LED neon; there is no one else like us! 

So, is neon here to stay? I think so, now that it's more affordable and eco-friendly (much to my husband's relief!). I love it's versatility and the fact that you can move it around easily - . you can now add neon to your arsenal of home accessories when styling a room. 

Want more from huddle?  Check out the styling options on our website.