In the clouds with "daydream" wallpaper.

Yes, it's really called "Daydream!

And I would happily let myself be carried away by one of these wallpaper designs by Julia Rothman of Brooklyn, NY. I came across the papers first, but browsing through her site she designs book covers, quilts, gift wraps etc and they are all so exciting and up-beat you almost want to get the yellow wellies just to do it properly!

Papers ....

Paintings....

Bold cushion designs from Germany

A friend recently asked me about suggestions for a bright cushion cover and although there are lots of gorgeous designs out there, finding something striking or a little bit daring is not always easy. Hunting around I came across the German company Taj Wood & Scherer and have picked out a few favourites from the vast range. Enjoy!

In the mood for Interiors

Just come back from a Christmas break at my sister's in Taiwan. One of the highlights was a fabulous traditional restaurant in the town of Tainan. I was quite smitten with the beautiful old wallpapers and painted decoration. Old-fashioned and charming in true oriental style.

Going glassy-eyed: recycling jars and bottles

Ever wondered how best to use the empty jars and glass bottles that either get sent to recycling or stay stored in the back of a cupboard for a rainy day? Tomas Kral has come up with an elegant way of re-styling them to make attractive and more versatile household objects. He adds splashes of gold paint and etches patterns on the surfaces turning bottles in carafes and jars into vases. We might not all be able to do this at home but the results are great!

Dishing up in style - foil containers preserved in bright ceramics

I'm quite a collector of little dishes and bowls for nibbles and snacks and think these the designs of Brooklyn ceramicist Lorena Barrezueta are really funky options. The shapes are those of disposable foil containers but they are painted in bright colours with a smooth finish and manage to be both functional and sylish. What more could you ask for?

Wallpaper pick from Denmark

I have a penchant for bold wallpapers and my newest (current favourite?)find is that of the Danish company Ferm-living . They have some stunning designs varying very contemporary graphic themes to motifs drawn directly from the Scandinavian landscape (firs, feathers, wintry branches).
















The company also produce an exciting range of wall stickers and tea towels - a new site I'll be coming back to often!Prices are in Euros and you can buy on line. Enjoy!

Stylish and hi tech

Combining stylish design with the latest technology, Hugler produce telephones that would jazz up many a dull office space. Coming in a number of shapes and colours, and created to plug directly into PC's, Macs, Blackberries and iphones (yes! there is now an adapter available) they make mobile technology sexy - not something that until now anyone, other than the Apple team, seems to have given much time to. I'm not sure how practical the large handsets are in practice but I love the sleek lines and finishes that make the machine a home furnishing again, rather than a pocket sized executive toy! Oh yes, I remain traditional at heart!

british china

I recently posted about urban landscapes as the "new floral", so as proof that I'm not entirely insensible to the charms of more delicate decoration, and to shout out loud and clear that floral is definately not dead, I'm happy to introduce the work of Bethan Lloyd Worthington. British china at its best, her cups, plates and bowls have an endearing femininity about them, using fine gold lines, and thinly sketched motifs. Retaining the delicacy of fine china, her pieces stand out as modern and original.