We are currently working on a project that has the most amazing colour scheme, it is bright and bold and was actually inspired by the clients favourite eye-shadows!
We are now looking for the perfect mirror to sit above a very traditional Victorian fireplace, here are a few of our options.
Just in case some of our readers have some spare cash that is burning a hole in their pocket I have a suggestion … In all seriousness though this piece of modern art, I believe, symbolises the fact any item around the home can potentially inspire and become a feature piece. A home should create talking points and, although I do not necessarily suggest creating your own version of this broom, it is worth considering that anything can inspire and that artistic endeavour requires one to think outside of the box!
First of February already, wow how the time flies when you have lots of different projects to work on! January was a great month for us, it has seen us finishing off some great projects and starting some new ones. One of my favourite projects from last year has had a few sneak peaks, first we had a look at some of the items to create a traditional and modern design (bit of an oxymoron but it works) and then we were searching for a bench to finish off the hallway (we don’t usually do after thoughts like this but it worked out really well). So now here are a few of the best detail shots from the gorgeous open plan lounge.
It was really important with this project to keep the detailing very traditional whilst going for more modern fabrics, the cushions have all been piped and the detailing on the arm of the chair below is very traditional and works perfectly in a soft brushed cotton.
For me these poufs are simply amazing, the pop of colour is fantastic and it works to bring out the gorgeous pops of blue in the bespoke carpet that was made especially for these clients – It really is the centre piece of the room that draws everything together!
Also the newly finished floor simply shines in this area of the room!
So this is a nice easy one for me, with Islington beign my home I really don’t have to travel very far. However, this is a fantastic show to go to as it is very condensed – for me this is great, I am not one of those people who goes walking around shows for hours and hours on end. I am in and out – I know what I like if I see it I go on the stand, get a brochure, have a chat about samples, timelines, prices and then move on. This way I don’t end up with:
1. A whole bunch of beautifully put together brochures from companies that I am never going to use and will eventually end up in the recycling bin
2. Glassy eyes from trying to see too much, I only see the things that are relevant to me and my clients.
For these reason Surface is fantastic, it is basically all about surfaces (give away in the name, right?) So there are natural stone companies, tiles, metals, coatings – all of which can be used for flooring, cladding, ceilings, and wall coverings.
This year things to look out for are, the trend wall by Mix. We don’t tend to stick to ‘trends’ in our designs however it is always great to see what is out there as the availability of products in certain colours is definitely affected by the trends.
I am looking forward to finding some new suppliers, and catching up with some old ones. Surface Design Show is on from the 7th to the 9th of February at the Business Design Centre Islington.
For me design isn’t about the “in” colours of the moment, it is more about the colours that suit our clients needs and personality. Interior Design is extremely individual and no two clients are ever the same, in fact there are very few projects that we have ever specified the same products for. With this is mind it can be very difficult sometimes to look at themes in design, however we always like to stay abreast of what will be available for our projects every year. Part of our research includes looking in to paints, so we were very happy to pop along to the launch of Crown Paints colours for 2012. What first caught my eye however was their most popular colours of 2011, as we can see there are a large selection of neutrals but I personally love the blues and greys in the bottom right of the colour board.
Next month we will be previewing some of the “big colours” of 2012 from Crowns 2012 colour preview as there were certainly some “interesting” selections, not necessarily my type of thing but I am very much looking forward to their autumn collection as I feel that some of those colours will be much more suitable for our clients! )They were much more chalky colours whereas the spring/summer colours were very bright, some verging on the luminous)
Do I spot Pantone’s selection for colour of the year in the image above?
These are definitley some of my favourite colours from their most popular collection. Which ones are your favourites? Answers on a postcard..
In many of our recent bathroom designs we have tried to veer away from creating bathrooms which follow the conventional ideals of what a bathroom should be. Instead we try to see the bathroom as another opportunity to be innovative (albeit with certain items being very necessary!) and creative. Bathrooms can often feel very cold and unwelcoming because of the harshness of the materials used – in order to combat this we try to use wallpaper and wall-coverings, as well as less clinical mirrors and lighting.
People are often afraid to be innovative in bathrooms because of the fear that the condensation in the room will ruin any soft furnishings/delicate pieces. This is a valid concern but many items are more hardy than one might imagine and there are some items that can withstand condensation.
I love the bathroom below because it is inviting and relaxed meaning that the bathroom need not be seen as a place of obligation but more one of opulence. Stay tuned to our newsletter in coming months in order to see some of the less conventional bathrooms that we have been creating for our clients!
Are we ready to stack up some air miles? Our previous two design shows have been Europe based, just a short train journey or flight away (hey you could have even spent 2 days in Cologne then jumped on a train down to Paris! How fantastic would that have been?! Daydreaming aside we are now off to the very icy Toronto for one of North America’s largest international design festivals. Starting on the 24th of January (today!) and going on till the 30th there is a whole host of events across the city.
I love there description of the festival “Expand your mind and delve into things design-related at the Toronto International Design Festival produced by the Interior Design Show and presented by Rado and Audi. From January 24th to 30th, venues around the city will host contemporary design events celebrating local and international design. This inspiring festival will feature lively debates and discussions, exhibits, symposiums and fairs.”
My favourite is definitely The Gladstone Hotel’s Annual Alternative Design Event – it sounds fantastic sounds fantastic! It is comprised of room installations and public space projects that literally take over the Gladstone Gallery and other public spaces of the hotel, I just love the inventive use of space.
There is something really interesting about the shapes and tones of this home in Barcelona. Designed by Spanish studio RTA-office and is a spectacular two-storey residence located in the Catalan capital. I love this use of the glass to help bring the outside in.
Today the search continues for amazingly gorgeous luxuryinterior design products. Today we are looking for a bench for a beautiful hallway for a project (remember our traditional and modern look post - well its for that project) that is very almost finished in Putney. This bench needs to be something special as it will be the fist touch down point for all guests and two very energetic young boys so it needs to be stylish yet robust. Here are a few of the options we came up with, personally I don’t think we can trump the first one!
Another option was to pop a little more storage in but I just don’t think it will wear very well (I can see it’s first encounter with a pair of muddy boots and it is not good!) plus I think design wise it is a little too boxy for the space.
We often stumble upon pieces that really catch our eyes, for me this is one of those pieces. I’ve used woollen and felted fabrics in many of our luxury interiors – they are fantastic at creating warmth and adding depth to a scheme but it is always so inspiring when you find a product using one of our most simple materials so well.
This wonderful Chair is called Lotte please contact: Lottie — Melanie Porter for your very special commission.
“Using shards of glass to create art is both mesmeric and captivating and, in this rug, we offer a contemporary design which reflects the abstract beauty of stained glass.” This rug was inspired by modern stained glass windows and it works particularly nicely in green. I love the freshness of the colours.
I would use this rug in a room with lots of light – in such a setting it feels very much like lilies on a pond of a spring morning. To find out more about all of our rugs and our inspiration for creating them please click here!
In these dark day’s of winter any excuse to get away should be taken up with both hands, however Maison Et Objet is seriously in a league of it’s own! From the 20th till the 24th January Maison Et Objet luxury companies from around the world will be showing their Spring-Summer 2012 collections. Having been several times this really is a wonderful show….but be warned – it is HUGE! So whatever you do don’t get on the Eurostar at 5am and think that a pair of 3 inch heeled boots are ‘sensible’ footwear – trust me! This was the mistake I made one year and I was crippled by the end of the first day, I had to make a quick shopping (yay!) trip to find myself a fantastically comfortable (and extremely unfashionable) pair of shoes for my very sore feet!
Anyway enough about my mishaps in Paris, let’s get down to the gorgeousness that is this amazing show. Taking up eight (yes that is EIGHT!) halls at Paris Nord Villepinte, I would say you need at least 3 of the 5 days that it is open for to get through everything – however if you are clever you could definitely skip a few halls.
My favourite halls are… 5a and 5b (not to be missed!!) and hall 7 – to be honest they are all worth walk around but these are the ones that I think offer the most products that I would use in projects.
It’s Monday so it must be time for some gorgeous architecture from around the globe. Today we are dropping in on this beautiful beach house in Queensland, Australia. Designed by Australian studio Bark Design Archit. ects, the basic plan of the Marcus Beach house was sketched out in the sand during an early site visit – often the first ideas are the best ones!
The pavilions are linked by a transparent bridge, the use of glass means that the whole home has beautiful light and energy.
I love the use of glass in this home to bring the outside and inside together
