Now, for a healthy dose of good old handcrafted goods. Based in Devon, England, Really Rural Inspirations offers a wide range of furniture that is both decorative and practical. Proudly handmade in England.
I just love these wooden stackable Tidy Boxes are made using Vintage Wine Crates. The boxes have two strong British Made Tute handles, and a Brass Name Card holder.
And these wall posts are perfect for organising your post at the entrance.
For you baroque fans out there, check out the ultra haute collection of contemporary wallpaper by Berlin based wallpaper designer Andrea Pößnicker. Their sophiticated bold takes on traditional baroque prints simply blows me away! Perfect for decorating a ultra hip boutique store, bar or hotel. P van b also carries stationary, home accessories, and clothing.
[all images from P van b]
Doesn't Naoto Fukasawa's Ishi pouf for Driade just make you want to sit on it and rock to-and-fro? I can totally imagine this as a centrepiece in a space surrounded by splashes of colours and textures or, better still, out in the garden (if your budget permits that is). This sofa is a wood structure with polyurethane foam padding. The fixed cover is in white leather. Available at SPACE.
Who says wallpaper are only meant for decorating interior spaces? Check out these outdoor wallpaper designs by award winning designer Susan Bradley. Made of materials ranging from wood and metals to acylic and mirrored surfaces, these designs are perfect as screening devices or for adorning an external wall.
Really love these whimsical children illustrations from Lorena Siminovich. Her collages make use of interesting materials such as street maps, letters, achitectural plans and musical scores. Pretty and inspiring!
I have a couple of good friends and relatives getting married in the upcoming months so I thought I would do a post on weddings. I had lots of fun planning for my own wedding although I must admit that the whole process can be quite stressful and overwhelming, especially since most people do it for the first time. I found it quite helpful to look at images to find out what I like and to get inspired. There are just so much resources out there. When I have the time, I will compile a list of resources and put them on my blog for your easy reference.
For now, some images and ideas from Cox & Cox. For inspiration only.
.......................
Inspiration 1: Nothing beats making your guests feel special then to handwrite their names on a placecard to reserve their seat.
Inspiration 2: Everyone is giving candles as wedding favours. Why not be different and give matchsticks in personalised boxes?
Inspiration 3: Use paper (could be printed with your wedding music score, love letter or your favourite poem) to make containers for your wedding confetti
Inspiration 4: Make tea light containers like this from old glass containers you have at home. All you need are some wires to make the handles.
Inspiration 5: Why not give a plant or some seeds to your guest as a wedding favour especially if you are having a garden party and encourage them to grow it?
The Japanese are amazing with transforming simple materials such a paper and concrete into works of art that can actually be used. Check out Tokujin Yoshika's "Honey Pop" chair made from glassine paper sheets (i.e tissue paper).
Yoshika also did a renovation room for Muji that have sliding doors that can hide away all the rooms. An idea for those who can't stand clutter.
This is the place I am going to the next time I need to recharge. La Maison Dounce in France! Recommended by guides such as Michelin, Routard and Le Figaro, breakfast here is apparently served till 2pm! Perfect timing for me! Prices start at 125 Euros (approx SGD $280)
{images from Jamie Hayon}
I love tags! If I could, I would tag everything I have. Check out these tags from everyjotandtittle.
If you are a paper addict (like me) and like pink + brown (like me), then you must absolutely adore Pink Loves Brown. This website features paper goods with gorgeous colour combinations and little stuff like magnets and pins by Nicole Balch.
Nicole also owns Smart & Lovely, where she offers web and graphic design services. She is also the designer for the advertising co-op Indie Finds, the blogger behind Making it Lovely, and founder of the business resource Oh, Honestly.... Does this girl sleep at all?
Wow…incredible stuff here. Paper artist Jen Stark has taken the use of the scissors to an entirely different level! Her sculptures and sketchbook are deeply inspiring. I just love what she did with the sea-grape leaf. Absolutely beautiful work of art. It's like the creation of an artist insect!
And the colours and doodles in her sketchbook just look amazing. I love seeing the process behind an artist's work - the raw "unfinished" stuff that is so free and boundless.
[all images from Jen Stark]
I just love anything by Phillip Starck but these Mademoiselle chairs are on a different league altogether!
1. Have no more than three finishes.
"Any more than three and it gets too confusing and you lose continuity."
2. Use colour selectively, particularly on finishes that have a long life span such as benchtops, window treatments and bathroom fixtures. "Generally speaking, if permanent fixtures are in a 'colour of the moment', when you come to sell the house, the next owner may not appreciate their value."
3. Like the finishes, make your interior proportions consistent such as keeping the thickness of benchtops and shelving in the kitchen and the living room the same.
"I always go for the number eight because it's the money number. So I have 80mm shelves in the kitchen, and the benchtop is 80mm thick, and the floating shelves above the living room cabinetry are 80mm thick."
4. Always buy in a boutique building which is mostly owner-occupied.
"As you're buying higher quality, there's more chance the people living there will take more pride in the building and their apartments." Look for quality windows and exterior doors and high ceilings as these can't be changed in any renovation.
5. Design to not only suit your lifestyle but to also consider the suitability for resale. In other words, think carefully before creating a lime green feature wall or laying blue carpet.
6. Keep a project diary.
"I used to write down everything the tradesmen said to me and everything I said to him. You think you're going to remember everything, but you certainly don't."
7. Have all appliances/fixtures to be installed on hand to avoid sizing problems.
(Source)
