Style Asylum

Don't eat the Apples!

2010-05-28T05:16:00.000-07:00

The apples are not for eating!!! Even the best planned party can go wrong in the most unexpected ways.

Last night was party night at Clerkenwell Design Week where some of the UK and Europes leading furniture manufacturers and designers showcase new products, showrooms and how to party. At Poltrona Frau's event in their fabulous showroom on St. John Street apples had been artfully displayed on trays carefully placed on select pieces of furniture only for the guests to start eating them. Come on where is that British reserve gone?

The other highlight was the Farmiloe Building on St. John Street, where we met some old friends, in particular Hitch Mylius who were showcasing some new products. The Farmiloe Building is a really interesting Victorian warehouse that used to be the base for Farmiloe & Sons builders merchants established in 1823 (and still in existance today). Now used as an exhibition space and film location including Gotham City Police Station in Batman Begins.

After all the partying we retired to the Pizza East on Shoreditch High Street for some brilliant Pizza to soak up the alcohol. We loved the industrial interior which has been done really well. It's an occupational hazard being fascinated with interiors and so I of course took a quick pic on the phone.

Design Dilemma

2010-03-23T04:47:00.000-07:00

I've had this question through our website: "If I am having big red poppy wallpaper on my chimney breast wall and I would like to have a big red sofa what colour should I do the rest of my walls and what colour carpet would u advise?" Mrs. Cooper

Ruth Says: First off - I like your style! I love red too. Red symbolises passion, life and energy.

I would keep the carpet neutral in case you change your mind in the future. Also the colours that go really well with red are creamy neutrals and some purples. Another client asked me a similar question recently and I illustrate here some suggestions I made about wall and curtain colours (these are Dulux colours - our decorators like Dulux)with her wallpaper.

I think exactly the same advice applies to your room. The best thing to do is get some sample pots and paint them on each of the walls. Also go for a darker shade than you think as it always looks lighter when painted on the whole wall. I love using Espresso Delight as there is nothing it does not match with! Introduce a third colour somewhere - cushions, curtains or other accessories , maybe gold, purple or browns. Wood looks very well with red, so using some wooden furnitiure will work well. Let me know how you get on and send me some pics. Best of luck!

Waterproof Music

2010-03-12T06:25:00.000-08:00

I love this new mirror, with minimal styling but maximal features: including an interactive touch screen with FM radio, clock, LED light, anti-mist system and a connection to an auxiliary audio source such as your iPod. If you need to know, it will tell you the ambient temperature. It’s aptly called Innova and it's by bathroom company Roca. www.roca-uk.com

Forget Rock Chicks here come the Rock Finches

2010-03-08T08:15:00.000-08:00

Now showing at the curve space at The Barbican, is a new take on rock chicks - Rock Finches!

Designed by artist Celeste Boursier-Mougenot, the large curved space has been set up in two parts - the first a strobe lit, long dark atmospheric corridor with a background hum and dimly lit projection of guitar playing on the walls. The second half has been kitted out with electric guitars & amplifiers, basses and cymbals. Then a flock of male and female zebra finches have been let loose to make music.

The result is totally unexpected in both the impact on the visitor and the melodic nature of the finches daily activities. As a visitor you wander unprotected through this flock of tiny delicate chirping finches and musical instruments (so be careful where you step). I have been twice and each time has left me uplifted and with a very very broad smile on my face.

You can see the little chaps performing on YouTube by clicking here. Over 583,000 people have already had a look.

I can't recommend this highly enough. Admission is free and the exhibition runs until the May 23rd. Entry is limited to 25 people so plan to go at a quiet time.

Visitors are assured by the gallery that the welfare of the finches is very carefully monitored.

Mirror Mirror

2010-02-14T08:43:00.000-08:00

You can never have too much storage ... and a few mirrors help as well. Virtually all areas of the home benefit from mirrors:

Hallways: For most of us this is a small narrow space which can always be improved by a mirror. It fulfills many functions here, statement/artwork, final check before going out the door, space enhancer and light enhancer. Combine with a small table and flowers. I've said it before but how can you go wrong?

Bathrooms: An equally deserving space - a mirror is pretty essential here as well as making the space feel bigger - it can usually be combined with storage to kill numerous birds with one stone.

Living Rooms: if you can't afford that artwork you lust after, choose a beautiful mirror. Make it large scale and prop it up against the wall, place in alcoves, or hang multiple small ones to create a feature, choose a material or shape that links with the rest of the room.

Bedrooms are a useful place to have a full length mirror to check that your outfit looks ok. I once went out with two different shoes on - failed to do the mirror check that day but luckily I did not have an important meeting!

We’ve been Decorating for 10,000 years

2010-01-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

I’d recommend listening to the BBC’s new radio series “A History of the World in 100 Objects”. It’s on radio 4 each weekday and has been made with the British Museum, presented by its director Neil MacGregor

Today’s object was a bird shaped pestle which was used by early farmers in Papua New Guinea, probably to grind the vegetable taro in a mortar, sometime between 4000 and 10,000 years ago.

Ten thousand years ago we, humankind, were making objects that did not just perform a useful function, one that allowed great expansion of the population, but that were made to look good as well. Evidence, if it were needed, that we humans have always desired to live not by bread alone, but by enhancing our everyday lives with beautiful objects.

10 Tips on How To Present Your House To Sell It

2010-01-13T04:36:00.000-08:00

Once you decide to move, you must mentally move out and allow your prospective buyers mentally to move in. Here are a few tips for making your house appeal to the most number of people.

1. First Impressions count – our minds are made up in 30 seconds. Sad but true, it seems we make up our minds about people and houses almost instantaneously, make it count. Paint the door, put some pot plants out. Tidy the garden if you have one.

2. Make an Entrance – If you have a hallway, make the most of it. Good lighting makes it feel welcoming, mirrors & artworks will all help. A small table or shelf, somewhere to put keys/phones, makes it look practical.

3. De-clutter and de-personalise – people can not see past clutter or mess. Yes you do need to tidy up before very viewing. Put stuff in storage if necessary, including clothes

4. Clean up Cleaned windows makes a huge difference. Clean kitchens and bathrooms are a must. It seems that people prefer the smell of disinfectant to fancy candles or home fragrances.

5. Add good lighting Lamps can be brought with you when you move, so buy some more to create a great mood in each room. You should even switch them on for viewings during the day.

6. Re-paint if necessary People are not capable of seeing past your décor, whether it’s too personal or just tired. Assess the ‘canvas’ you are presenting to potential buyers. They need to imagine themselves living in the property. Make it as attractive as possible to the most number of people.

7. Make each room serve its purpose Make the spare bedroom look like one. If it looks like a storage room they won’t ‘see’ a bedroom.

8. Make your bed Your bedroom should look as much like a hotel room as possible as people like this look – clean sheets, a made up bed, cushions, bedside lamps and
no clothes on view.

9. Pets and pet smells are out Some people hate them, even if you can’t live without them. Farm out your beloved pooch to a friend if necessary.

10. Fix anything that looks broken or damaged – not doing so makes the whole property sem neglected in the buyer’s eyes, even if this is untrue.

Remember most people can not visualise the space in any other way than the way in which is it presented. If it is unclean, untidy, looks unloved, is not well lit, or does not look inviting, they will not see beyond this.

Trends Schmends

2010-01-01T03:39:00.000-08:00

Trends – I’ve never been one for trends, in interiors or anything else, preferring to plough my own furrow. Who needs to hear that their latest handbag, sofa or wallpaper is “so last season” and who cares anyway as long as it makes you happy? And yet, it’s always interesting to observe trends and it’s undeniable that there sometimes seems to be a global consciousness at work. Here are five trends I’ve observed recently, many possibly resulting from our financially austere environment. I have to say for once – I like them!

1. Quality - Investing in objects and materials that will last.
2. Handcrafted - Knowing that someone has made an object with skill and love.
3. Colour - Hurrah!
4. Eclecticism - Particularly mixing old and new.
5. Product lifecycles – Interest in where, by whom and how a product is made, how does it get to me, how long does it last and what happens to it at the end of its life?