Robin and Lucienne Day exhibition

My in-the-know friend Abi just tipped me off about Robin and Lucienne Day: The Modern Interior – an upcoming exhibition at the gorgeous Pallant House Gallery, in Chichester, West Sussex.


The show, in partnership with Elle Decoration (among others) starts on March 26 and runs until June 26. I didn't know that the Days' home town was Chichester – but it makes it all the more fitting. You're almost certainly familiar with the cool British couple's post-war work – Robin designed the chair above, and many we've all sat on in public institutions. And Lucienne's graphic print fabrics have had a huge resurgence in the last few years. Together, their commitment was to design low cost, mass-produced, good quality furniture and fabric. Pieces that are now classics. 


If you can't make it, at least enjoy a snapshot, with this clip, below, from a film about the Days that is being screened as part of the exhibition. There is also a tie-in book, also below, £25. 



Contemporary Days: The Designs of Lucienne & Robin Day from Design Onscreen on Vimeo.



And if you haven't been to that part of the world – go! I went for the first time a couple of years ago and the gallery is a highlight – so refreshingly unlike London galleries, and stuffed with incredible art and furniture and crazy room recreations. When we were there, there was brilliant, if freaky, installation of mussel shells, covering an entire staircase. And the South Downs countryside... it's just one of my favourite places ever. If you make it, I'd recommend lunch (and maybe a room) at the Crab & Lobster, on the banks of Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve.

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Robin and Lucienne Day exhibition

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Design Home 100, A Great Additon To My Coffee Table

I am still mourning the loss of several magazines, one in particular is Metropolitan Home. Even if modern design is not your personal favorite, it was always a great source for ideas you could incorporate into your abode. Well, now there a book that will make the loss of the beloved magazine a little easier....Design 100: The Last Word On Modern Interiors is a collection of images put together by Michael Lassell, former Features Editor for Metropolitan Home. I was excited to sit down and study all the images. Page after page I found myself earmarking images, inspiration was found everywhere. Below are a few of the hundred spaces that I really loved.
Above, Dave Chihuly's 88 foot long dining table (one solid slab of fir) is the perfect base to the display of blown glass light fixtures. The image below does not have the "wow" factor of the previous but it is equally inspirational. Many times people are scared to mix different wood, textures or hues of a particular color. This houseboat (yes you read that right) designed by Tim Carlander is a great example of how to mix items that don't seem to naturally go together.
I clearly have a thing for dining spaces because a significant portion of the images I marked had something to do with eating areas. Kelly Hoppen's townhome featured in the book is amazing. This dining picture is full of ideas- multiple lights (love), long benches mixed with different chairs, open shelving and art on the floor are just a few.
And last but not least this is probably my favorite of all. Maybe it is the skylight providing all that natural light in the bathroom. Or perhaps it is the pop of color or chandelier. Whatever it may be, this bathroom belonging to Melissa and Marc Palazzo is going into my "one day" file...
More images and inspiration can be found in Design 100, available on Amazon.

Images courtesy of Filipacchi Publishing, 2010

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Emily 'Caravan' Chalmers' new book

     


    
I'm slightly in love with Emily Chalmers' new book, Modern Vintage Style, which is just out (buy it on Amazon, or from Emily's luscious store, Caravan, for £12.99 or £19.99, signed).


Been meaning to post up a little preview since I got sent a sneaky preview copy, as I've been poring over the pictures wanting to live in all of the houses featured. All at once.


She really does have a fantastic eye for style – and the book features so many different looks, yet they're all tied by a unifying aesthetic... and one that I happen to love. Most inspiring.

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Michael Hess photographs: Bingo & Social Club

If you like this photo as much as I do (it reminds me lots of the John Hinde Butlins pictures I bought for my bathroom, that I'm always banging on about) check out the exhibition next month.


The show is called Bingo & Social Club and the marvellous photographer is Michael Hess. Catch it from  4-30 March at the Book Club
 in east London. Copies of the accompanying book will also be on sale.


"Around 1pm, every day of the week, nearly 600 bingo halls across the UK open their doors to thousands of loyal customers. But, although they can be found on almost every British high street, surprisingly few people ever see what goes on inside.


In Bingo & Social Club, photographer Michael Hess opens up this world to a new audience. Behind the often crumbling exteriors, he finds vibrant places full of strong characters, quirky details and more than a hint of nostalgia. In his own words: “I want people to feel that they’ve spent a night at the bingo – to sense what it feels like to be there.”

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Budget-friendly Christmas gift guide

Some generally quite affordable nice interiors-ish things that I think would make great gifts... would love to hear what you think, if you got any of them, who you bought them for. Will no doubt be adding more shortly.






Who for Busy parents who'd appreciate an excuse not to display Auntie Dot's cat calendar this year; architecture students; style conscious entrepreneurs; organised eco bods
Where from The Peanut Vendor 
How much £12
What This no-nonsense wall planner measures 70cm x 100cm and is by Crispin Finn design studio – who apparently only design in red, white and blue. It's 100% recycled and comes beautifully packaged. A great stocking filler or chic Secret Santa.





Who for The chap – or chapess – who appreciates the finer things in life; the friend who throws slightly intimidating dinner parties in her/his uncluttered home; the cognac connoisseur; the friend who has everything
Where from  Boudie and Fou
How much £35
What These deliciously touchable brandy glasses by Normann Copenhagen are specifically designed to "enhance bouquet, temperature and volume" of the cognac, apparently.  If you're buying for someone with lady-sized hands – they also do a smaller version.






*ONE-OFF*
Who for Craft nuts; vintage sewing fans
Where from The OK Corral 
How much £5
What Totally loving this online shop right now. And this book would be a lovely, unique gift for crafty friends or relatives. Not only does it have a marvellously retro cover (it was first printed in 1978) but it is also wildly practical – with tips for knitting, sewing, crocheting and more (it even includes patterns). It's a one-off so no guarantee it'll still be there – but do browse the site's other vintage books,  or try eBay or if you have the patience to rummage, Oxfam Books online has some gems too.






Who for  Children saving for a rainy day; grown-ups who'd like to look at a nice owl sitting on their mantlepiece
Where from  Habitat
How much £10
What It's from the kids' department – he's a moneybox – but this super cute retro styled owl would make just as lovely a present for a full sized people, in the ornament department. Thanks to cunning shopping friend, Holly, for this genius idea.






* ONE-OFF *
Who for Anyone who's just moved house; a chap who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty; the guy with a new home and no clue what to do with it; a single gal (or co-habitee of the former) needing some DIY tips; a young man about to be unleashed into responsible life
Where from The OK Corral 
How much £5
What A thoughtful secondhand book – particularly of the non-fiction variety – can solve the trickiest gift conundrums. This 1913-20 bible of manly skills covers everything from polishing shoes to mixing your own paints. And it's a piece of history! A total bargain to boot. See above for links to some other places to shop around for more of the same.






Who for A man with a home office; a stylish bachelor; aspiring gentlemen; fans of spy novels; probably not someone working in a call centre or the armed forces, the police or at sea
Where from  The V & A shop
How much £15 unframed (try Eframe for affordable non-standard sized frames to order)
What This cool, manly poster features the nautical flag and Nato alphabets. It'd be perfect hung near a popular telephoning spot – for translating call centre interpretations of the spelling of one's name without hesitation. It measures 297cm x 420cm.






Who for Clean, serene design freaks; loveable hypochondriacs; a couple with a newborn and an sleekly designed nursery; chic eco warriors; the stylish in-laws; nature nuts; subscribers to Inhabitat 
Where from  Super-Collider store 
How much £129
What This is Andrea. She looks nice, doesn't she? As well as that, she also purifies your air – in the most natural way known to nature, by filtering toxins through her planty fronds and roots. Only she's a super pimped plant, with NASA research behind her creation – and French designer, Mattieu Lehanneur behind her sleek style. Super-Collider is a sexy science-y organisation that has lots more than gifts going on. Check it out.






Who for The sort of friend who might own a cake stand and drink tea out of proper cups; a no-nonsense kitchen whizz; parents who sit down to breakfast with their toast in a rack; owners of a country-style kitchen
Where from Labour & Wait (click on "all products")
How much £14
What This glass butter dish, made from an original 1950s mould, is a classic bit of design. It's lovely and almost transcends taste; a bit of a no-risk gift for any of the above and many more.






Who for A person in whose kitchen yellow won't clash; a mid-century modern loving friend/sister-in-law/mother; someone who happens to live in a town full of Northern European style townhouses like the ones on the tea towel, or is moving from the country to the town – that would be sweet
Where from Lisa Jones Studio
How much £10
What Love this "Town" tea towel and the way it looks like a chocolate box Swiss village, just waiting for snow to fall. It's 100% fairtrade organic cotton, too.






Who for Storage nerds; those with allotments; that person you know who has a whole cupboard full of bags for life they keep forgetting to take out
Where from Habitat 
How much £15
What Technically it's a bag. But I love the idea of it as the place you dump all that unsightly guff you walk through the door with (keys, bicycle lights, dog lead etc.) – and make it look beautiful. It'd work well by the front door or on a suitable kitchen or hall shelf, or on the stairs if they're wide enough. It'd also work as a magazine rack. And, of course a shopping bag...




Who for That person you know who's just done a first aid course; a parent with small children and a suitable bathroom; the gentleman cyclist who often needs his wheel wounds dressing
Where from Amazon
How much £21.98
What This tin first aid box (21cm x 15.5cm x 16cm) makes a sweet and unusual gift... however, if the colour-scheme of your intended recipient is all about beiges and creams, this might not be ideal – it'd work well in a house which embraces splashes of bold colour.




Who for Someone with a nice desk; anyone who likes Orla Kiely-ish/Scando/mid-century modern stylings; retro kitchen owners
Where from North Rock Gallery
How much £13.20
What Designed by Lotta Odelius for Sagaform, this Swedish tinged ceramic container is probably intended for the kitchen but would look great on a design-y desk – perfect for paperclips, odd coins, Post-it notes of import etc. A row of three would look great.






Who for The Proud-to-be-British; ex-pats missing home; a chap who needs some wall filling but needs to keep it masculine; font nerds
Where from Bold & Noble
How much £38 unframed (it's a standard size, so no need for framers' shops: try Eframes or Ikea's Ribba range for affordability and niceness)
What They do maps in the same range of Australia, New Zealand, the USA and London too, so good gifts for anyone moving or travelling to any of those places soon or, indeed, living there. They measure 50cm x 70cm and also come in a duck-egg blue.




Who for Doggie types
Where from Quietly Eccentric 
How much £30
What These cute cushions come in lots of different breeds – including non-breeds. The designs are printed onto new wool, fully machine washable covers and feature illustrations by the artist Lindsey Gardiner. They're kinda cute.






Who for Wildlife-loving children with bare bedroom floors; stylish vegetarians; pampered pussy cats (or their owners); the nephew you've also sponsored a tiger for

Where from The V& A Shop
How much £20
What This cute-faced fairtrade Tibetan rug is made from felt wool and measures 38cm x 94cm. He's very handsome.



  















Who for The Hipster tween/teen in your life; fashion-forward photography fan
Where from The V & A Shop
How much £12.99
What The Street Style Memory Game features 25 pictures taken by the Flemish photographer, Barbara Iweins of hip young things on the streets of Amsterdam. The game requires players to match their faces with their outfits – or it can be played as a traditional memory game.





Who for Design-conscious in-laws; arty Grandpa or Grandma; husband; wife; colour-loving lover; glasses-wearing pals

Where from Supernice
How much £30
What A rather special glasses case designed by Jonathan Adler, who also makes rather glorious ceramics in the shape of birds and lions and angular faces  (and rugs and exciting books and all sorts) that are currently flying out of the gifts section of Heal's...




Who for Him indoors; the family; anyone with a silly sense of humour who likes a nice big mug of tea; fancy dress fans; the guy who loved Movember more than anyone expected
Where from Pedlars
How much £16.95 each
What Handsome half-pint sized mugs , designed by Peter Ibruegger, with your choice of moustache on the front. They're kind of silly but beautifully made (and so a pleasure to drink from) and would cheer up any kitchen. One or two would make nice stocking fillers, or splash out on a whole set for someone really silly who you really love.

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Terence Conran: The House Book

The House Book. By Terence Conran. First published in 1974. Absolute genius. I properly discovered this book (pictured above, in its 1982 incarnation) thanks to my deeply stylish (but she'd rather kill you than hear anyone saying that) neighbour, Emma. I recently borrowed it from her and plan to treat myself to a secondhand Amazon version some time very soon. Why is it so brilliant? Well, quite apart from how fabulous it looks in all its glorious Seventies-ness - which you can see, here - it's full of the most marvellously practical advice about making one's home look lovely.

I only wish I'd had a copy to hand when I started the daunting process of re-doing my own home - so many decisions, such indecision...



[Conran's caption for the picture in the middle]: "If the floor is polished boards in the sitting room, you won't want to cover them except, perhaps with a long-pile white Greek rug, so 'project' the olive green from the landing on to walls or curtains." See? Utterly sensible advice (apart, perhaps, from the long-pile rug, but then again...)




[Conran on flooring]: "The ideal floor usually turns out to be more expensive than your budget allowed for. However, since your floor is expected to last for years and will get he hardest wear of any surface in the house, it is worth making sacrifices elsewhere and adding to your floor budget rather than making do with second-best. It helps to take a scale drawing of the floors before you decide on something, and work out the comparative costs."



[Conran on living rooms]: "The essence of a multi-purpose living-room is that it should be able to accommodate any number of activities, and each piece of furniture should make a positive contribution to this...The more potential uses you assign to any one piece of furniture the better; to over-furnish is the death to flexibility, quite apart from the claustrophobia it induces...bear in mind that the old three-piece-suite routine is the least flexible of the lot."



[Conran on kitchen lighting]: "Although the kitchen is primarily a work space it is also in many ways a living area, and the lighting, whether natural or artificial, should be efficient and stimulating. This means that although the work areas must be well lit... there should still be some variety in the light intensity."


[Conran on eating rooms - incidentally, as with the other sections, this has a luxurious 16 pages, packed with tips and luscious Seventies pictures]: "As in decorating every other room, what's best is what's most comfortable."



[Conran on colour]: "Working out a colour scheme for a whole house or flat is a daunting task...try tackling one room first to give yourself confidence...Consider the stuff for the important areas first - walls, curtains and sofa coverings will set the tone by virtue of their acreage.""




[Conran in the 'Things' chapter - which, incidentally, has a spanking eight sections, including 'things on shelves', indoor plants' and 'tabletops and ledges' - amazing]: "Agreeable arrangements don't necessarily come up if you let the accumulation of objects take its natural course...When you no longer feel some positive pleasure while looking at your things, it's time to rearrange them."

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Lifestyle illustration of the 1960s

Apologies for the extended absence. Will be back with full posting action imminently... In the meantime, some house porn for fans of 1960s interiors... Portrait of a Decade: A new book of historic illustrations offers decorators authentic Sixties inspiration

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Lifestyle illustration of the 1960s

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It's The Most Wonderful Day of the Year

Happy Cinco de Mayo! To celebrate one of my favorite holidays I thought I would make a list of Mexican themed books I wouldn't mind seeing on my coffee table...
Any that I need to add to my list? Hope you have a margarita and some queso today to celebrate!

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