It’s those dreary first couple of months of a new year, the endless rain, reigning in the purse strings, no more indulgent eating and drinking. Lucky for me I’m working on a new project for our client - a full interior design FF&E installation. One of the key messages from the brief has been to create a sensory experience. We are going to do this through a multitude of TEXTURES
Read MoreMost of us celebrated this New Year quietly and restricted - less party and more sofa. A sombre affair after the year that 2020 shaped into. And so, it’s a fitting time to look at Pantone for its Color of the Year 2021, and this year we are being treated to not one but two soul warming colours: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating.
Read MoreStyling is important and not easy. Firstly, knowing and naming your style is helpful. Successful home styling is to marry styles with your personality. Therefore, it will be a concoction of flairs because personalities are complicated.
Read MoreYou are probably at home, and you are probably being affected by your decoration choices more than ever. There is not a right or wrong way to design or experience design, instead it is the art of curating what you like, and everyone’s likes are different. However, when it comes to paint colours there are tried and tested rules - halleluiah. This is everything you need to know or to ask yourself…
Read MoreHave you been dreaming of the light switches since first planning the refurbishment…probably not? It usually falls into the category of ‘oh yes, hadn’t given that one thought’. They are a subtle detail and seem small but make a big difference. With an overwhelming amount to choose from, whilst being both functional and decorative it’s not an easy decision.
Read MoreConstruction work has been the ‘grey area’ this week; a debate we had been anticipating for a while. With two build and one consultancy project, we have had to have our finger on the pulse. Builders and tradesmen cannot work from home – nope it does not count if it is ‘someone’s’ home. Meanwhile they are self-employed…
Read MoreWhen we think about colour, it can get meta and philosophical quickly - however have we taken the time to unpack why that is? Past the professionally crucial basics, such as the components of the colour wheel and how differently we each see/feel about colours, I realise that I had not encroached into colour psychology.
Read MoreHotels are the best place to experience specific design and this is why “Design Hotels” are top totty in the world of luxury. One is temporarily living in the space, so the function becomes as prominent as the look - which feeds into the true the meaning of ‘design’, as both a force for usability and aesthetic.
Read MoreAt the start of December, the most colour-educated of soothsayers Pantone, picked a universal favourite for the 2020 colour of the year. Drum roll please (for those who have been hiding under a rock) …it is Classic Blue (19-4052). The ethos and philosophy behind this choice is not worlds away from the 2019’s Living Coral. This is because it offers refuge, a help in communication and has oceanic connotations.
Read MoreThere is a recurring problem in our industry that can be a tad frustrating. That is comparing apples with pears, and bananas with oranges. It is important to retain more than one quote 99.99% of the time, to be sure that you are not overpaying. However, this can be completely counteractive unless you are sure to request the same variables.
Read MoreNadine and I did Decorex in a record-breaking time this year, having a short slot in between client meetings. It’s cool though, we are fantastic scanners and came away with exactly what we want to extract from a trade show. Thank goodness it is back in old trusty, Olympia, where it is closer and more manageable.
Read MoreIf I had a pound for every time we had seen a green wall in the past year, I could buy a green velvet Beetle Dining Chair. Albeit a frustratingly long way to acquire dining chairs. Homeowners are experimental with paint colours nowadays, and it is obvious to us why green is a firm favourite.
Read MoreAnyone else noticing a tidal wave of pattern, clashing colour, tassel, antique, leopard print, floral ceilings, accompanied by an army of objects? Well, this is being bandied as maximalism. An expressive style, advocating ‘more is more’, or what I like to call the House of Hackney home. I feel that one underestimates the thought and ironic coordination that goes into this.
Read MoreThe N + B HQ is dangerously positioned above The Conran Shop – the Mecca for interior spending. Nadine and I often go downstairs using thirst for inspiration as an excuse, or for last-minute presents, we then potter around practising a large repertoire of swooning sounds. The Conran life is sadly unattainable for most, however a universal appreciation will never waiver.
Read MoreA designer is also a detective; investigating a desired look. Knowing one’s own style is a lifetime journey full of developments and new paths. Unless you are super tuned into the design world, you are probably busy doing things other than endlessly exploring and experimenting with finishes and furniture.
Read MorePantone - colour oracle - named Living Coral the Colour of the Year; an enchantingly warm tone, perfect for our summer theme. This annual announcement has been influencing purchasing decisions and product development across industries, for 20 years. Hence the choice is not plucked from the sky (or sea) - they undergo extensive research.
Read MoreConfession: I have been searching for sexy, high concept furniture that has no environmental impact and have failed. It was naïve to expect to find oodles of stunning ‘green’ chairs and chests that would sit comfortably in The Conran Shop. Like all movements and important matters, the terminology makes it complicated.
Read MoreElle Decoration started a campaign in 2012 which shone a light on intellectual property rights for designers in Britain. The drive was to stop exploiting designers, support originality and protect creativity. Needless to say, there were some very outspoken industry folk and the debate spread wide.
Read MoreI seem to be late to the party having come across the ‘Things that Nicky Haslam Finds Common’ tea towel yesterday. Regardless, it’s been thought provoking. The first thought being, how ironically common the tea towel itself is. Another irony is that Haslam wrote ‘common lists’ for the Daily Mail.
Read MoreOur friend Daniel Schofield designs remarkable furniture, lighting and products for some of the world’s leading brands, including, Conran, Decode, Would, Skandium and Benchmark. Dan’s design philosophy is - no detail should exist without reason. He has won many awards and Sir Terrence Conran named him “one to watch”.
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