365 Objects Of Design

baroque brass lamp with jungle shade from rose and grey There is something about this light that really appeals to me. Regular readers will know that I'm a fan of a completely over the top lamp (six foot tall gold palm tree anyone?) and this is somewhat in that genre. The first thing to note

It's not that I'm suffering from writer's block, but it seems hard to know what to say at the moment that isn't trite, or stupid or just a little bit pointless. But you don't come here for that and so I'm not going to give you that. What I have found is a collection of

Have you come across La Redoute? It's one of the stores that, I think, has been a little bit in the background in this country. One of those not so secret secrets that fashiony people have when they find great clothes and don't want to tell you where they are from. This French site is

I have realised I don't often write about lampshades and that is because I own remarkably few of them. The ones I have all came attached to the stands they are on and nothing much has changed in that time. However, in my recent Five Ways to Revamp a Room series I remember saying (and if

Ikea is written into the fabric of the national consciousness. Rare is the home without a single piece. Landlords furnish rental flats with it; first-time buyers rely on it, high end designers all have a favourite item and middle class, and middle-aged, homeowners nearly always have something that comes from the giant Swedish superstore. Mine

I'm not sure quite why it has taken my so long to get round to this one. All anyone seems to be talking about is bringing plants into our interiors - either real or fake - and for that to work well we need to focus on the pots we are putting them in. To

The search for the right crockery for The Mad House has been long and arduous. I know first world problems and all that but, as they say on Twitter,  #thestruggleisreal. Flippancy aside, trying to find a balance between the plates that I want - and then bizarrely - that HE wants too ( I know.

Sideboards are tricky things for some reason. I know so many people who want them and so many people who can't find the right thing for their space. This one dropped into my inbox yesterday so I thought I would share it straight away in case it fits any of your bills. As you know

For the last few years we have been told that buying online keeps prices low by cutting out the middleman and all the costs involved in running a site but I'm beginning to wonder if we are seeing a swing back to the idea of the traditional shop. Or, as someone said to me the

linden mid century wall desk from westelm There is something about this desk that I love. It doesn't take up much space, it's practical and stylish and would be perfect for those of you who need to find space to work in a spare room or small bedroom. I have just the spot for this

It seems that linen bedlinen is all the rage at the moment - not least because of its relaxed non-iron look but also because both high street and high end seem to be awash with duvet covers and sheets in gorgeous soft shades of pink, grey and blue. A few weeks ago, when my house

Now I don't say this to make you cry but I have never had a dressing table. I have always done my make-up standing up in front of the nearest mirror. But they are pieces of furniture are still so aspirational - perhaps it's the sign that a girl has grown into a woman? I

I ask this question in all honesty because it seems to be to be a truth universally acknowledged that a single hook in possession of a coat will very shortly be overwhelmed by about 16 other coats and eventually fall of the wall leaving a socking great hole that no amount of filler will ever

vinyl tile splashback Last week I started a new series called Five Ways to Revamp A Room  and if I'd waited until this week to start it then it would have been six. When you move into a new place - either bought or rented - one of the first things that is crying out to

Dropping in for quick postcard rather than a long post today - after yesterday's long read I thought you might want a rest. Anyway, these plates. I am drawn to them I cannot say why. They are melamine. They remind me of John Derien. I appreciate you might not want to eat dinner off them

Vittorio Bertazzoni is proud that his company Smeg is thought of as Danish by many people. It is, for him, a badge of honour that his products could be confused/associated with the Scandinavian obsession with form and function. But Smeg is, in fact 100 per cent Italian. Its name an acronym for Smalterie Metallurgiche Emilliana

velvet cushions from house curious When I designed my capsule collection for made.com I wanted it to feel like a complete set. A number of items that would all go together but work equally well if they were split up. I often do when I'm shopping virtually too. It's a way of seeing what goes

two seater navy blue velvet sofa from the stockholm collection at Ikea £895 and pouffe £85 After yesterday's daring green sofa today we are turning to the more restful shades of blue. Blue is regularly voted the world's favourite colour and the soft denim shades of this colour from dark indigo to stonewash are very

russell pinch sofa for heals I spoke last week about the idea of having just one standout piece in a room. One element that grabs the attention and lifts it from a tastefully decorated space to one with - cringe - the wow factor. Or, to coin a hideously over-used cliche - the X factor.

oak storage console table from cox and cox Wandering round a friend's house the other day - she of the massive renovation and curved sofa revelations - I was shown the room that will be the spare room and home office for him. Now he doesn't actually work from home so it's more a sort