Wanted...

I recently asked the husband if he'd like to suggest a few things for a men's gift guide. The suggestions are still coming in thick and fast... and yet I still don't know what to get him?!
This guide is heavily influenced by him with a couple of little ideas from me...

1. The World According To Vice 2. Comic covered notebook 3. Gibson White Flying V 4. Tickets to I'll Be Your Mirror in Tokyo curated by ATP 5. The Flavour Thesaurus 6. Original Dr. Martens 7. Flaming Heart Scotch Malt Whisky 8. Trumpers West Indian Limes Shaving Soap 9. Edwin Slim Fit Jeans

JSPR Steel Cabinets

These Dutch, handmade steel & glass cabinets, designed by Sylvie Meuffels for JSPR, are so beautiful that they could be on display...no need to put anything inside!
The shapes are quite architectural in form...they look like small scale models of towering skyscrapers or the outline of a spooky castle on a hill...
Aesthetically, the perfect marriage of industrial and delicate is, always a winner in my books.JSPR

Holly Fulton

I've been getting requests for some sort of gift guide...whilst contemplating whether to do one post with a montage of glorious goodies or spoon feed you with dribs and drabs of festive findings, I keep finding objects that are just too special to stuff in a stocking.
Namely, these beautiful notebooks and diaries by Scottish designer, Holly Fulton for Smythson. You may have noticed that I have a thing for stationery items especially of the notebook variety but these are yellow and blue goatskin, die-stamped, deco-inspired, illustrated, pieces of art! Not only that but Holly Fulton was born and bred in Edinburgh.

Holly studied at Edinburgh College of Art before heading south to The Royal to do an MA. She graduated in 2007 and since then her collections have gone from strength to strengh. Her Art Deco and Bauhaus inspied work is incredible.

Holly Fulton Spring/Summer 2010 London Fashion week

Yay, for home grown uber-talent!

Images from Smythson and LondonFashionWeek.co.uk

Open Plan Living Envy

A white, open plan living space from the eccentric portfolio of David Carter. Why doesn't everyone have relief patterns on their cabinet doors and a perfectly poured, chunky, polished concrete dining table?

All images are from here

Babbington House

The Soho House Group have a pretty impressive portfolio of hotels around the world, including the latest addition in Berlin but I still like to refer to their sumptuous first venture, Babbington House in Sommerset, for design inspiration. It opened in 1998 and, although i presume it has undergone some updating along the way, still looks elegant and relevant in the design stakes. There are 23 rooms in the main house and coach house, 5 family holiday rooms in the Stable block (...of course), a lodge with 3 bedrooms and 3 more next to the very funky Cowshed Relax Spa overlooking the walled garden, dahling...
Surely, having that beautiful old chapel in the gardens propels it into the most perfect setting for an English country wedding, no? ...only if daddy has enough on the credit card...

Sunday night, Monday morning...

Gorgeous printed pillow cases by Karin Åkesson. Everyone needs a message like this as their head hits the pillow...especially on a Sunday night.

I hope you have an excellent Monday! x

Crazy Retro Colourways

Awesome interior by India Mahdavi

'The Selby in your place' book

Todd Selby takes photos of the creative elite in their creative spaces. He started his website in 2008 and his first book was published in May of this year. The entire book is available to see online, only, until Friday 12th of November at 9am (NYC time) or you could order it from here.
It features photographs of some very interesting people and spaces, and I love the felt tip interviews with pictures at the end of each feature.
Here's a sneak peek from the book featuring the home of one of my favourite ladies; Helena Christensen.

...maybe a little idea for a Christmas present... (hint, hint)

The Ultimate Leather Bag?

OK , OK it's true...I'm obsessed with leather handbags. To be honest, I'm surprised I haven't posted more. The search for the ultimate leather handbag is just as endless as the the search for those illusive jeans. I think I've come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as the 'ultimate leather bag' and you should never limit yourself...they all deserve a good home.
This one is available from the super chic, online concept store, Bodie and Fou and is a fraction of the price of the last one i posted. Look at the raw edge along the top...it's beautiful!
...It looks like it smells amazing...have I gone too far...?

Architectural Delights

Raw architectural elements, mingling with mid century classics in New York City...offices don't look like this anymore...

Roman and Williams

A Peace Treaty

A Peace Treaty's first jewellery collection, 'Sunari'; Gorgeous, handmade, antiqued, gold plated jewellery inspired by the Kuchi nomadic tribes of Afghanistan and Turkoman tribes of Central Asia. There are 12 pieces in the colection and these are my favourites...
Take a look at the beautiful scarves too...
The jewellery is available online in the UK from here ...what do you think?

Textured Ceramics

Two of my favourite things in one...texture and ceramics. Incredible work by Lenneke Wispelwey from The Netherlands. The pretty pastel colours are hard to resist and the chunky textured patterns make the pieces ultra tactile.

The new collection features this piece, titled, "for goodness sake" by Venderbosch & Wispelwey. A collaboration between Lenneke and Inge Venderbosch; an amazing Saké carafe with cups lined with gold...

American Designers at Home

Ever wondered where Tommy Hillfiger's 'magic happens'...where Ralph Lauren dumps his boots after a long day 'mucking out' the stables on his Colorado ranch; where Donna Karan rinses the sea water off her bikini when, at her holiday home in Parrot Cay? All is revealed in 'American Designers at Home' from Assouline; a coffee table staple.
A sneak peek into a (few) handful(s) of American fashion designers' super styled homes:

Book cover & Ralph Lauren's dining room,

Diane Von Fustenburg's living room,
Mark Badgley and James Mischka's dining room library
Betsy Johnson's dining room
Oscar de la Renta's gaff

Black & Blue

Brave enough?
source

I Love Lamp

I have major lighting envy...not 1, not 2 but 3 spectacular illuminating devices...

Not surprisingly, this is Abigail Ahern's awesome kitchen take by Polly Eltes.

Doggy Style

I know you're all keen to put on your Barbour jackets and peruse the estate with the labradors, this autumnal afternoon, but i think I found that piece you've been searching for, for the east wing drawing room.
From cushions to handags...and generally anything that can be made of, or adorned with, pooch-tastic fabric from The Labrador Company
from here

...living the cheesy dream...

Our dear friend, Joe, is a bigshot barrister in London through the week, but at the weekend, he is now, living his dream...

Joe and his brother have recently started sourcing fantastic, locally produced, cheeses and meats to pursue their dream of being 'purveyors of fine food & drink'.

Two weeks ago, Cannon & Cannon took the plunge and hosted their first market stall at Linton Farmers' Market, and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves! As you can see, I was very happy to be asked to provide them with some pricing labels.Tomorrow they will be at Impington Farmers' market near Cambridge till 12.30 but if that's too short notice, go along to the Great Shelford Memorial Hall on the 23rd October to fulfill all your cheesy fantasies...

Sofia Coppola for Louis Vuitton

...quite possibly the most beautiful handbag I ever did see...image source

...to the bar!

In honour of London Cocktail Week, I thought I'd post a little something of what the husband has been getting up to...
As I've mentioned before, here and here, my husband co-owns a couple of popular little bars in Edinburgh, one of which is called Bramble. Their knowledge and skill on 'all-things-booze' has won them a handful of awards & accolades. Most recently, the husband was asked to create a few bespoke drinks for the launch of 'Darnley's View', a gorgeous new handcrafted, London dry gin, by renowned vintners and spirit merchants, the Wemyss family of Fife, Scotland.
Although Wemyss have opted for photographs with a fresh, clean white background for their press release imagery, I wanted to show you these.Bramble is a basement bar in the New Town...it has very little signage, is difficult to find and evokes the speakeasies of the prohibition era. Once you find it you're guaranteed an excellent drink or 3; from a newly invented creation to the classics. You can pretty much tell all that by looking at these brilliant photographs by Peter Urwin.
No prizes for guessing that one of the trends in the cocktail world at present is the ongoing quest to find the prettiest, vintage glasswear possible?!
...anyone else kinda thirsty...?