Paris Style: Moissonnier

Tags

Chair, Commode, Console, design, French Style, Furniture, Moissonnier, Parisian Style, Writing Desk

So, for those of you that don’t know me personally, you may not realise that at present I am luckily enough to be based out of Paris 3-4 days a week. This truly is THE most beautiful city in the world…

A snap from my walk home: evening view from Ile de la Cite

…so it really isn’t surprising that inspired by the beauty of the surroundings, many streets are filled with design boutiques, ateliers and antiques dealers all of which are packed with treasures for your home! One of the things I have been trying to do is to walk a different route home each day from the office and discover new things along my route. Tonight I stumbled upon a real find: Moissonnier.

The thing that caught my eye was the amazing collection of jewel coloured and funky patterned over-sized lampshades in the window – a display made for Paris Design Week. I mean seriously, how much do you want one..or several..of these beauties for your home?

Moissonnier Lampshades for Paris Design Week

So, when I got home I had a bit of a google, and well..I am officially smitten. This brand combines homage to historical shapes and designs with the most up-to-date vibrant use of colour and pattern I have seen in a long time. Even their website is a work of art (the trailer at the start is beautifully made…go check it out at www.moissonnier.com.)

They seem to be particularly famous for their “commode” or low chest of drawers to us Brits. Made is Louis XV style, they make them in a real rainbow of shades and my personal favourite is the shocking pink version – talk about making a statement!!

Moissonnier Commodes in Bright Jewel Colours (Image Credit to http://www.moissonnier.com)

If you like this shade of pink but it’s a little much for you, then maybe this writing desk is a better option. Subtle white on the outside, the front folds down to reveal the vivacious pink of the interior. We think its uber feminine and uber fun

Moissonnier White and Pink Writing Desk

At this point you might be thinking this is all just rather garish (after all, cerise pink isn’t everyones thing!), so now I’m going to calm down and show you a couple more of their subtler pieces. First up is this stunning console table which with its elegant shape and intricate detailing really highlights the beauty of the wood.

Table de Chasse Regence Console by Moissionnier (Image credit to http://www.moissonnier.com

Second I adore this very Parisian Regency style chair with its subtle striped fabric and ornate white frame. Tres chic non?

Pale Blue Striped Regency Chair by Moissonnier (Image Credit to http://www.moissonnier.com)

So the truth is, I have no real idea how much any of this stuff costs, but well, does it really matter? When you see a brand that has this level of craftmanship combined with originality it is all about investment right? And if you are ever lucky enough to be in Paris, check out their store at 52, rue de l’Université.

In Colour: Duck egg interiors

Tags

ceramics, console table, design, designer-maker, duck egg, jug, print

When you are looking for a touch of serenity in your home, colour can do wonders and we love the current trend for duck egg interiors and accessories.  We have already featured our all time favourite desk in a vibrant shade of duck egg right here.

Because so many people have commented on this desk I thought I would source some more lovely pieces – but be warned, you can’t overdo this colour (it becomes a wash out quite fast!) so try and select one beautiful accent piece…or you could opt for a classic decor scheme and have it on your walls, which looks perfect which looks fantastic with a natural wooden floor :

Duck egg blue wall scheme (Image courtesy of Ideal Home Magazine)

I particularly like the contrast with the warm pink in this room example – feminine without being overtly girly.

Right, now onto the good stuff:

The subtlest example for duck egg decor I have seen is this super cool text-map of London by Bold and Noble which you can own for £43 – I think this would make an amazing gift for a Londoner

Duck egg blue text map of London by Bold and Noble

I adore the curves of this duck-egg jug by Farnham based ceramicist Lucy Burley. I think its subtle lines are sexy enough to sit on a mantle-piece as a focal piece and is a snip at just £40.

Duck egg blue jug by Lucy Burley

It is worth checking out Lucy’s other pieces as well – she clearly has an eye for colour and her collection layers together beautifully.

There is also a great selection of duck egg painted furniture to be found on the web and I rather like this console table which combines the colour with a natural unfinished top for a subtle splash of the colour. Available for £329 from here

Duck egg blue & natural wood console table by The Coach House

Designer-Makers: Out of the Dark

Tags

design, designer-maker, giving back, Upcycling, vintage

So on this blog I mostly post about things I love because they are pretty, unusual, lovingly handmade or just plain amazing. Today I get a special treat however, because I am going to blog about a very special London based design collective called “Out of the Dark”. Special because they don’t just create really lovely unique pieces of furniture, but because they offer education and skill based training to disadvantaged youths, and help kids that would otherwise have a fairly bleak future discover a meaningful trade.

Skills for life: Sanding a Dresser

So now you know it is made for a good cause, be prepare to also be awed by how amazing their products are! Out of the Dark are actually the third designer-maker that I have featured in this blog’s short life that is focused on upcycling, but probably that is because this trend is oh-so-hot right now (& of course means we can add environmental creds  to their honour-roll as well!)

Black and Lime Upcycled Writing Bureau by Out of the Dark

Cyan Upcycled Sideboard and Table by Out of the Dark

They don’t sell directly just now, but you can find a selection of their pieces for sale here on bouf

You don’t just have to but their  products to get involved either – they are always on the look out for old furniture, or people to teach the apprentices new skills. If you can help then you can contact them on info@outofthedark.org.uk

Product Spotlight: Wine racks – Looks vs function – why decide?

Tags

design, Interiors, iron design company, legnoart, nambe, rockett st george, wine rack

So I am writing today’s blog based on a request from a special friend who takes the time to read my blog each week therefore demonstrating her specialness once again (is specialness a word?!). The request was for a post about wine racks after she discovered one she loved that didnt ship to the UK and was looking for some alternatives:

The elusive Geometric wall hanging wine-rack from beverage-factory.com

Traditional wine racks are rather uninspiring things – don’t get me wrong, they serve their purpose well and provide a safe, not unattractive home for your best bottles – but noone is going to ask you where they can get one for their own home are they? But have no fear, because there are plenty of innovative shapes out there that don’t trade off practicality and beauty. In fact, some of the wine racks I have discovered will make your wine storage into something worthy of any room in the house (although putting one in your bedroom might raise a few questions as to your alcohol consumption levels )

Here are four of my favourites (although perhaps only one could be classed as affordable!)

We love the simplicity and elegance of this geometric pyramid wine rack from one of our favourite stores Rockett St George. They never fail to inspire me with their product choices and this wine rack is no exception – it is almost sculptural and looks amazing without bottles (for after a big party!) as well as with! At only £27 it is very reasonably priced as well.

Rockett St George Wire Pyramid Wine Rack

Sticking with modern minimalism, how about this stunning wall sconce wine rack from the Iron Design Company:

Flowing wall hanging wine rack

I think it is really very beautiful; to me it is like liquid softly flowing down the wall and moulding itself over the bottles. Such beauty doesn’t come cheap though – expect to pay upwards of $250 (£155) for this baby!

Another somewhat bank breaking but equally exciting option is this wine rack from designer Neil Cohen, who works with Nambe alloy and acacia wood to produce this curvaceous sculpture of a wine rack (retailing at $200 (£125) plus international shipping from here)

Nambe Eclipse Sculptural Wine Rack

Our final pick is another free-standing choice made by Legnoart, a well-known Italian design brand. Holding 4 bottles, it is made from Oakwood plywood so has environmental creds as well as being super stylish. We think it has a lovely warm look and would look equally at home in modern or more traditional surroundings. You can get yourself one for £84.00 from here

Legnoart oakwood wine rack

Designer Spotlight – Beautiful Bespoke by Zoe Murphy

Tags

20th Century Furniture, Colourful, cushions, design, footstool, Silk, UK designer, Upcycling

Not got much time today sadly, but when I discovered the delectable work of this Margate based designer I had to pause and blog. Zoe has apparently made quiet a name for herself since she graduated in 2008, and her website lists Libertys as one of her customers. Looking at her designs, it’s obvious why! Zoe takes the upcycling trend I wrote about in an earlier blog post to another level with her carefully considered, rainbow-colourful, fun reinterpretations of 20th century furniture and eye-catching soft furnishings made from recycled wedding dresses! (Yup, wedding dresses, how cool is that!)

Here are a few quick screengrabs from the “Margate Collection” on her website, but be sure to go check it out yourself – you won’t be disappointed!

Zoe Murphy - 20th Century Upcycled Furniture

Zoe Murphy - Recycled wedding dress cushions

Zoe Murphy - Recycled wedding dress footstool