Look what I found!

 
Well people I can only assume that I have been living under a rock! On one of my usual daily internet travels I came across this:

Exhibit A: Bookworm Bookshelf

 
Yes, I know, it’s amazing and I NEED one in my house! Compelled to see more of these amazing designs, I googalised the designer (Ron Arad) and this is what I found:

Ron Arad has been hailed as one of the most influential designers of our time, and shamefully, I had never heard of him! He started out as a self-taught designer-maker of sculptural furniture but now works across both design and architecture.  You can’t help but be (open-mouth) amazed at these inventive sculptural buildings.  I am a sucker for any design that pushes the boundaries of what is possible and goes against the ‘norm’.  I will definitely be keeping a close watch on his new projects, both in architecture and furniture design. You can read some of his bio here.

Functional Art

I am always inspired by artists who have the ability to bring incredible works of creativity and beauty into our everyday lives. Some of my favourite pieces of functional art come from South African designer Carrol Boyes. Her distinct stylized designs are so innovative and beautiful, they often have me longing for just a tenth of her imagination! Her pieces are hand-finished by craftsman who put their own unique stamp on what they create. Not only are the art pieces gorgeous but her company is woman-owned and very much focused on gender empowerment, skills development and growth within the company. Check out some of her pieces on the link above (my favourite is the sugar bowl right at the bottom!)
 

  

IMAGE CREDITS: CaRRol BoYes

Now isn’t that clever?

IMAGE CREDIT: Levitate Architects

It's a bookcase that doubles as a staircase! Genius! I could seriously do with this clever space-saving device in my teeny tiny flat!

Obsession

Tufted, wooden, leather, ladderback - chairs! You name it, I want it. Thankfully we live in a house the size of a postage stamp so my obsession is limited to window drooling and wishful thinking. But I do dream of owning a house in the distant future with a huge room especially designed to contain my vast collection of fabulous chairs.  If you ever find an awesome chair, please share the find with me! Here are some of my favourites at the moment:

IMAGE CREDIT: Baker & Belgae Smithfield  Rume

IMAGE CREDIT: Mr Bright Chair John Lewis

IMAGE CREDIT: Eero Aarnio Keinu Rocking Chair Bonluxat




IMAGE CREDIT: Baker & Belgae Self Rume



IMAGE CREDIT: Unknown (please mail me if you know where this came from and I will credit t!)

IMAGE CREDITS: Unknown (please mail me if you know where these came from and I will credit them!)

If you like piña coladas…

IMAGE CREDITS: Four Seasons Maldives  

Just think, someone, somewhere is enjoying that view RIGHT NOW! Not a very productive thought, I know. Oh well, I now have to get back to calculating how much I could get for my kidney on E-bay.

Fancy Fashion

Fashion fades, only style stays the same - Coco Chanel

A few weeks ago (based mainly on a decision to get out of the rain), I paid my £8.50 to visit the Design Museum (yes, shamefully I blanched at the price as I am a spoilt Londoner who is used to free entrance to most galleries and museums), but luckily it turned out to be money well spent thanks to an exhibition showcasing fashion illustrators throughout the past century.

Although I appreciate fashion (and probably spend far too much money ‘appreciating’ it) I don’t really consider myself an avid follower of couture, but I think even if you don’t follow fashion or have a serious interest in it, you would find this exhibition intriguing. The exhibition features some early designs of Lacroix and Dior delicately painted onto paper, which are so unlike the flashy photography and designs we are accustomed to! I fell completely in love with the original painted Vogue front covers by George Lepape and the simplistic Dior designs by Rene Gruau. A large part of the exhibition was also dedicated to present day fashion illustrator Antonio, who’s designs captured the glamour of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Who’d have thought that the rain would be a good thing for once?

Vogue cover 1919 by George Lepape compared to a Vogue cover from 2010

Portrait of Mona Bismarck - Bouché

René Gruau and Mats Gustafson

Antonio

Antonio

Swoonage

IMAGE CREDITS: John Jacob Interiors

I am not a minimalist girl. Fact. I love character and 'managed clutter'. The more personality a room has, the more likely it is to feel like home. I recently stumbled across South African based interior designer John Jacob Zwiegelaar and lost a good hour of my life swooning through his work. Each room seems to be bursting with character and warmth, with an object of beauty visible wherever you place your eyes. I particularly love the colour schemes of soft greens, greys and whites offset with stark black and white stripes or checks. He has managed to make each space look sophisticated and glamorous without being too formal and stuffy. You like?

hello and welcome!

So today I joined the ranks of the 25 000 (or so) people who start a blog. (Well technically I joined a few weeks ago but have been too disorganised to post. Sign of things to come? I hope not). I am hoping to use this blog as a sort of catalogue of all the amazing stuff I find on the web and in my daily life. Most of it will be design related but some of it will be about my travels around the world, art, fashion and other general wishful thinking stuff. It will be a source of inspiration for me, and hopefully for you too! So go on, have a read, and feel free to contact me with your thoughts and ideas.