Air plant pods - or "how to hang your plants upside down".

The Poppy Club find this month has to be these fab airplant pods by Mudpuppy, which recently featured on the front page of Etsy. I love their simplicity, the ingenious upside-down hanging and just their overall look. Would look great in a conservatory (if I had one!) but I'm going to try one in a little arched niche in my bedroom to see how that fairs - I just hope there's enough light!

They are designed specifically for air plants which can't survive in standing water. See Mudpuppy on Supermarket too for more gorgeous designs.

Looking through the glass with Elizabeth Lyons

I have some lovey hand-blown glass bottles from Syria that until now I thought were pretty hard to beat but yes, these gorgeous pieces by Elizabeth Lyons come pretty close. I think it's a combinbation of the gentle curves and savvy modulating colours that make them so appealing. I also love the bulbous stoppers - they make the bottles look almost like little people - coming in all shapes and sizes!

The glass lights are pretty fab too  - simple and elegant . I'd love to see the shadows on the wall when they're lit!

Glassmic Vase

This item, selected by Spoon and Tamago caught my eye a few weeks back, a "Glassmic Vase" by Norihiko Terayama of Studionote.

It's incredible to look at - the combination of glass and ceramic making for a very dramatic effect. I also love these "Twotoo" cups - created by using a traditional method devised to repair broken ceramic dishes. You can even see the silver and gold lines where the original pieces have been stuck together. I love the frailty of the idea. For more detailed information follow the the Spoon and Tamago link.

The geometry of great design by Ply

Ply textiles must be amongst the most talked about designers in the blogosphere of late and with good reason. Their felt cushions sporting bold, geometric designs are striking and up-beat - the kind of flash of colour that can really make a room.
What's even better, is that they are made from recycled wool sweaters adding an eco-appeal to the aesthetic.

Check out the Poppy Club post of March 27th for lovely blankets also made from re-cycled wool : "Quilty Secrets" .

celine saby lamps

Celine Saby  gets the Palme d'Or for lighting this week, producing these funky cylindrical lamps with a variety of equally bold motifs. The Japanese style florals are probably top of my dance card, but I wouldn't turn down the shocking pink bark effect either!

Kathleen Hills

The Poppy Club's top pick this month has to be the works of Kathleen Hills and we're not the first by a long shot in the list of admirers (Cate Blanchett has apparently commissioned a piece). Working in ceramics, she produces a just fabulous range of lamps (free standing and ceiling) and tableware that are original and elegant - as well as often quite amusing. I totally love the "disc" lamp below and dual-spouted milk bottle (it comes with foil caps for authenticity as well as stoppers!) Items can be bought on-line where she also handles wedding lists. Inspired!

Right on time - clocks that make me tick

I'm not one for keeping an eye on the clock, but I have to admit to being dependent on my oven display to get me out of the door on time in the morning. I've long wanted to get a wall clock that's easier to see and that will also add a little something to my kitchen. These designs by freelance illustrator Maiko Kuzunishi (founder and owner of decoylab in the USA) are some of the nicest I've seen. She uses bamboo and paper to great effect:


Will be late just from admiring it!

Woodturning - the art of spinning a wooden bowl

I'd not heard of "wood turning" until I came across David Earle . The technique involves working wet, green wood on a wheel, then drying and sanding it before oiling it. Conscious of the need to protect rare tree species, David works from fallen or felled trees which he works into lovely bowls and plates.

I adore the smooth simplicity of the finish.

Stars of the silver screen

To celebrate the opening of the Cannes Film Festival, I thought it was time to devote some space to "screens". Used to divide up rooms or give a decorative focal point, there is a wealth of folding partitions out there made from all manner of materials be it cloth, wood, felt or metal. I had a look around and below is a pick of a few of my finds:

The French site Little Circus sell this lovely carboard screen made by the Italian designer Enzo Mari. Great for children's rooms it's perhaps the most original piece I came across:

In the US, stacksandstacks sell literally HEAPS of folding screens - it's really the place to go if you want a large choice - my favourite is this lightweight, reversible canvas screen that has an old-world elegance to it:

In the UK, Selina Rose produces fabulous felt panels in greys, pinks and browns which are modern and unusual, making for simple contemporary elegance :

I came across the Guigon Olson Studios on Etsy. They make this sheet steel divider that can be customized in terms of colour and size, the hand-cut pattern making for interesting play between light and shadow.




A big "Thank You" to Design Sponge for this tip about Kif and Katast who produce these beautiful screens that can be either free-standing or mounted as panels. Using Ginko trees and Orchids as inspiration, the designs are sophisticated and fresh, reminding me of the Indian screens of James Plumb (see The Poppy Club blog post of March 14th : There's Life in the Old Dog Yet ).



I love this gently undulating "Swell" poplar screen that I found at madeindesign. It's designed by LN Boul of Marseille and produced by the Belgian VANGE group and I think the appeal lies in the very natural look and soft curves. Very contemporary and probably better suited to tall, open spaces.

I just had to mention this little number by Daniel Milchtein Peltsverger which can be found at various vendors including freshome,  because it is so brilliantly original and ingenious. I'm always a fan of anything that helps to save space which is what is so clever about the Biombo chair - it doubles up as a wall panel / partition. I can't vouch for the comfort or robustness of it, but the concept is really quite cunning!

And to finish with a classic, this smoothly moulded plywood screen designed by the great American team Charles and Ray Eames in 1946 and now sold via hivemodern amongst others. It's classy, elegant and functional - the basis of its designers' great reputation.

Looking forward to seeing what the big screen in Cannes has to offer over the next few days!

Beauty is on the inside - gorgeous interiors

A crush again today. Interiors from Germany by Irina Graewe which take your breath away. Great photos and beautiful looks. Swoon...