There's no place like home!

I wanted to post about Isak , partly becasue they are based in the same part of England that I hail from (ah, yes. There's no escaping your roots) and partly because their designs are just adorable and ideal for childrens' rooms. The Penguin paper below comes in blue, silver and pink while the pieces shown in the last 3 photos are customised one piece papers, sized to fit your wall.






I've included a photo of their cups becaue they are too cute to miss out!

Stirring up the fabric market with Spoonflower

Looking for fabrics? One of the best places to go be it as a designer or seamstress, is Spoonflower . A space created to enable designers to get their patterns produced and sold, Spoonflower offers a vast panoply of different themes and styles. I've selected a few examples below but there are literally thousands on offer making it the great cyber souq of the Internet!

Viva Margate - How the seaside town gives new life to old furniture

Zoe Murphy

Zoe Murphy's tag-line "loving what belongs to you" could not be better chosen. Re-cycling old furniture and injecting into it some Margate pazzazz, she combines a love of her home town with an ethical ethos.

"Margate imagery" may sound dodgy to some (chip shops? candy floss on the pier?) but the combination of her bold drawings and flair for revitalising abandoned cast-offs makes for great results! She evn manages to use silk from an old wedding dress in her cushion covers!

What's even better, is that she takes on commissions - so if you have something that you'd like to see re-invented, why not give her a bell?

Getting groovy in New Zealand

Ah! It's nice to be back down under again with these lovely fabrics by Ingrid Anderson of New Zealand. Producing both florals and groovy retro designs, her bed-linens, tea towels, lampshades and cushions are all hand-printed on 100% natural fibre fabrics which look especially striking when used in upholstery.

They are sold on-line at Duckcloth and at a number of outlets in New Zealand.

Abigail Borg - New range of Fabrics

Britain's Abigail Borg is known for her gorgeous award-winning wallpapers which have an air of the William Morris about them. They feature beautifully drawn plants and flowers and exude a wonderful old-world feel. They are sold Liberty's amongst others and the good news is that she is moving into a range of fabrics and cushions which are to be launched at the Grand Designs Show in London in May!

The Art Nouveau of the 21st Century

As a lover of Art Nouveau, the pottery of Whitney Smith is sure to appeal, even more so since she celebrates a flower particularly close to my heart - the Poppy!
Her works are smooth and sensual, re-producing the delicate shapes of buds and pods that make Spring in Europe so lovely. Her pieces can be bought via Etsy as well as from various stores in the US.





I'm loving those Poppy designs!

A French cherry on the decor cake

During my ramblings in Paris this weekend, I came across a cushion by La Cerise Sur Le Gateau and rushed home to look them up. The reality is as good as the promise! Up-beat motifs from blazing guns to teetering heels are splashed - with an overexposure worthy of Warhol - against garish backdrops to produce bed linens, tea towels and cushions that are striking and original.

I like this edgy rather raw look - reminiscent of The House of Bouton (see blog post of March 18th That Industry Thing Again... and Girls Can tell (blog post of March 10th An Autopsy of the Everyday"). Almost as tasty as an edible French cake!

Bubble bright

Remember those bubbles you blew with a wire loop and bowl of soapy washing-up liquid? Well, when I first saw these chandeliers by Jean Pelle they were the first thing I thought of! They look so delicate and light you feel that might float off into the heavens at any moment. I love the way the light is reflected from one bubble to the next in a sparkly frazzle. They're sold via Etsy and come to us all the way from Brooklyn, NY. Makes your heart glow!

There's more to South Africa than football...

With the World Cup now only just around the corner, it's time to turn our eyes to South Africa as there's a lot more than football going on there! Using traditional embroidery, crochet and even upholstery techniques, the Casamento team produce award-winning pieces of furniture that achieve a fabulous neo-vintage look. Some pieces yes, are born again originals, but most are produced from scratch.


Achieveing what they describe a s a "marriage of old shapes and new ideas", Casamento only use natural fibres in their chairs and sofas which are not only better for the planet but are also guaranteed to be non-allergenic! The ideal place to park your behind for a few hours in June (more comfy than a stadium seat I'm sure!)

Beware the Moon

In my research about skulls last week (see The Poppy Club blog post of April 4th "It's all in the mind"), I discovered the wallpapers of Beware The Moon and am so in awe of their designs (and work ethic and web site and beautiful photos and, and...) that I absolutely had to devote a whole post to them. Currently offering 3 motifs - ostrich, lady and skulls - they get my vote for wallpaper of the moment!