I thought I'd ease myself back into blogging here by sharing some good things I've discovered recently while pottering around shops, the internet and various fairs, markets and exhibitions. It's an eclectic bunch – just lovely stuff that I'd like to put in my home. Maybe you might like some of it too. So here goes...
Now, I'm not a design snob – if it's well made, gorgeous and a reasonable price I couldn't give a fig where it's from. And this beauty – yes, a big, yellow, knitted pouffe – happens to be from Matalan. Aside from the fact that there exists a piece of furniture rather brilliantly called a pouffe this is just fabulous. Bright and bold and £65.
These little wooden letters, also from Matalan, are just three pounds a and offer a world of design possibilities. For under a tenner I could have a quirky name tag hanging above a coat hook.
Paint drip mug, £10
Giving good gift is an art. And being able to find unusual, stylish, and useable ones for around a tenner these days is pretty hard. But this is a winner: an artist paint drip mug from Tate shops, Design created by the creative agency Designers Anonymous. I love the quirkiness of it – and it's practical, too.
The whole range is rather brilliant, although prices rise up to £22.50 for the tray, below.
Paint drip tray, £22.50
And now for the really quite extraordinary and fabulous ceramics of Katharine Morling. I came across her work at the Cockpit artists studios in Deptford and just love it.
Pot of scissors £190
Tape measure £165
The pieces are beautiful and odd and unsettling; really eye-catching artworks. My favourite is the pot of scissors (top image).
Butterfly drawers £330
They're not cheap (prices start from £110) but considering each piece is made in a series and is handmade, painted and signed by the artist I think they're well worth it. You can catch Morling at Decorex later this month, part of the London Design Festival.
From one tactile wonder to another – these cushions are just so...squidge-able.
Pebble cushion, Silversoles, £88
Made from black welsh wool felt, these are the work of felter Emma Jackson. Again, not cheap but all handmade and unique and a welcome change from the millions of printed cushions out there at the moment. I'd like to chuck one of these on my Robin Day sofa among the more traditional cushions and wait for the squeaks of delight you'd get from people as they came into contact with it. Visit her work at Silversoles.
Bird prints are a bit ubiquitous aren't they? Once you've seen one groovy bird pic you've seen them all. But that's why these little beauties caught my eye: HATS. Brilliant.
Jamie Taylor Blue Tit print, £20
Jamie Taylor Robin print, £20
I'd hang both the fat little robin with his flat cap and the posh blue tit in his bowler side by side. Jamie Taylor paints animals, both real and fictional (his unicorn is pretty magical) in bright, splashy watercolours. As well as the titfer-tastic birdies his stag and bumblebee are things of beauty too.
Heron string dispenser by Matt Nicholls, £20
Now for more birds, by another Cockpits artist is Matt Nicholls. And I just love this 'Heron' string dispenser – stylish and cute it's one of things every kitchen needs (well, I need it in my kitchen). Each painted wooded box comes with string and scissors (choose between red, yellow or blue) and can be wall mounted (fixing plate supplied) or free standing.
Scottie dog light, The White Company, £42
And finally: I love a bit of kitsch me; usually to lighten up all the more stylish midcentury stuff I'd fill my house with if possible. And this little chap is right up my street... In my extended absence from this blog, I've managed to acquire a gorgeous little Westie called Monty (bonus picture below) so how could I not include this lamp from White Company? So what if it's sold for kids – stick it on a sideboard and let the kitsch commence I say. Plus it's down from £70 to £42 at the moment.
And to round things off; the promised pic of Monty. Showing off
his design credentials by snoozing on our skip-saved Robin Day chair. But he's
not for sale I'm afraid...
Giving good gift is an art. And being able to find unusual, stylish, and useable ones for around a tenner these days is pretty hard. But this is a winner: an artist paint drip mug from Tate shops, Design created by the creative agency Designers Anonymous. I love the quirkiness of it – and it's practical, too.
The whole range is rather brilliant, although prices rise up to £22.50 for the tray, below.
Paint drip tray, £22.50
And now for the really quite extraordinary and fabulous ceramics of Katharine Morling. I came across her work at the Cockpit artists studios in Deptford and just love it.
The pieces are beautiful and odd and unsettling; really eye-catching artworks. My favourite is the pot of scissors (top image).
They're not cheap (prices start from £110) but considering each piece is made in a series and is handmade, painted and signed by the artist I think they're well worth it. You can catch Morling at Decorex later this month, part of the London Design Festival.
From one tactile wonder to another – these cushions are just so...squidge-able.
Made from black welsh wool felt, these are the work of felter Emma Jackson. Again, not cheap but all handmade and unique and a welcome change from the millions of printed cushions out there at the moment. I'd like to chuck one of these on my Robin Day sofa among the more traditional cushions and wait for the squeaks of delight you'd get from people as they came into contact with it. Visit her work at Silversoles.
Bird prints are a bit ubiquitous aren't they? Once you've seen one groovy bird pic you've seen them all. But that's why these little beauties caught my eye: HATS. Brilliant.
I'd hang both the fat little robin with his flat cap and the posh blue tit in his bowler side by side. Jamie Taylor paints animals, both real and fictional (his unicorn is pretty magical) in bright, splashy watercolours. As well as the titfer-tastic birdies his stag and bumblebee are things of beauty too.
Now for more birds, by another Cockpits artist is Matt Nicholls. And I just love this 'Heron' string dispenser – stylish and cute it's one of things every kitchen needs (well, I need it in my kitchen). Each painted wooded box comes with string and scissors (choose between red, yellow or blue) and can be wall mounted (fixing plate supplied) or free standing.
And finally: I love a bit of kitsch me; usually to lighten up all the more stylish midcentury stuff I'd fill my house with if possible. And this little chap is right up my street... In my extended absence from this blog, I've managed to acquire a gorgeous little Westie called Monty (bonus picture below) so how could I not include this lamp from White Company? So what if it's sold for kids – stick it on a sideboard and let the kitsch commence I say. Plus it's down from £70 to £42 at the moment.
