Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Tasty tableware






I had to exercise a great deal of self-restraint when we paid a visit to the Blackrock market this weekend. It was full of the most delightful teacups and saucers, cake stands, teapots and plates, and I'm a total sucker for a pretty, chintzy teacup or a funky retro cake stand. But I really must limit my purchase of such lovely items, as the impending house move is already full of breakables to bubble wrap - and I also must save my shekels for ever so slightly more important items, like, eh, rewiring...insulation...the list goes on! In the meantime, I'll indulge my tableware-buying tendencies by feasting my eyes on this drool-worthy shoot that we featured in our March/April 2007 issue.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Great Danes!







I'm off to Copenhagen on Monday for three days to research a feature on Danish design, and I can't wait! It's somewhere that I've always wanted to visit - out of all the stylish Scandi nations I think that the Danes really have nailed design in an incomparable way, and it's actually their biggest export. I've been planning and researching my trip and I intend on gathering tons of essential info for any House and Home readers who may fancy a trip to this accessible design Mecca. I suspect I may also 'gather' some little treats for myself too (in spite of the no spending ban that I have imposed on myself in an attempt to be a responsible new home owner) - I may even come back with that elusive green leather mid-century sofa tucked under my arm *cough*. So, here's a taster of how the Danes just get it so very, very right when it comes to design, with a selection of fab hotel designs. From top to bottom: two serene and classy bedrooms in Hotel Front; bedrooms 302 and 414 in Hotel FoxAvenue Hotel bedroom (mmmm, Missoni throw) and garden.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Paint and pianos






As I am in the process of purchasing a house that needs some serious love (I am currently calling it 'the hovel') I spend many of my waking hours daydreaming about paint schemes. Sad, but true. As this is my first house, I also have no major pieces of furniture apart from a piano and a bed. Anytime I see a picture of a piano in a room I get a bit excited, so when the Farrow and Ball 2009 product catalogue came in the other day I was sighing wistfully over this lovely pic. I would like to stress that my wee palace-to-be is a fraction of what the size of this house must be and, trust me, my own grand piano exists only in my dreams (my parents have very kindly said that I can have the trusty old upright piano that me and my four brothers learned to play on), but hey, it's inspiration more than aspiration. The colour on the walls is Mouse's Back No.40 Estate Emulsion (€48 per 2.5 litres, €84 per litre), and the colour on the woodwork and ceiling is White Tie No.2002 Estate Eggshell (€29 per 750ml and €66 per litre). And how cool is that wood and stainless steel coffee table? I reckon that you could easily get a smart handyman to make one of those without too much palaver. Get Farrow and Ball paints from Cornmarket, Dublin 8. Tel: 01 677 0111.