Travel Antwerp | Valerie Objects at Gallery Valerie Traan
It is impossible to imagine what's behind the large double width door of gallery Valerie Traan, one of the locations we visited during our Function+Form design tour of Antwerp. This white, modernist gallery space is also the private home of art director Veerle Wenes who wanted to live in the same place that she worked, dissolving the distinction between the two. During gallery open hours, Veerle allows the public into her home where the bright whites make way for soothing greys (there's that blue-grey I was talking about) and where more works of art transform into useful objects over the look-but-don't-touch feel of a gallery.
A former working space for nuns, Veerle wanted to hold on to the existing architecture including the distinctly Flemish herringbone brick floor, combining a contemporary black staircase and large windows looking out into a central courtyard. It is clear that Veerle lives by the art she chooses, in that she is drawn to every day objects which are each interpreted differently according to its maker, drawn to the story behind each piece. Works on display included 'The End Of The World For Beginners' exhibition created by artist Johan De Wit (pictured above) whose pieces, despite taking on the look of battered, weather worn metal relics are actually constructed entirely of paper. Looking into another courtyard the Wire S chairs by Muller Van Severen show a clever use of outdoor exhibition space.
The gallery is also home to Valerie Objects, a new design label launched in collaboration with Axel Van Den Bossche and Frank Lambert (founders of Serax) working with architects, designers and artists to bring to life tangible objects. Highlights of the collection includes the Rocking Chair and Hanging Lamp by Muller Van Severen, The Cutlery Project, featuring two different designs by Maarten Baas and Koichi Futatsumata, and Hidden Vases (a personal favourite) by Dutch designer Chris Kabel.
Upstairs awaits a playful room of colour and shape, with pieces by Muller Van Severen taking centre stage and a series of hidden doors to add to the sense of surprise.
A destination not to be missed by art and design lovers alike, the gallery puts a completely different spin on the conventional public space, offering a fresh perspective for visitors to immerse themselves in. I for one will be back.Visit gallery Valerie Traan - Reyndersstraat 12, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium | Open Thurs, Fri, Sat 2pm - 6pm and by appointment. The Function+Form Bloggers Design Tour Antwerp was organised in association with Pentacom PR and Design Centre Winkelhaak. #BloggersTourAntwerp #WeAreFunctionAndForm.
Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley
Grey-Blue Kids Room Inspiration
Lately I just can't get enough of grey-blue. I've noticed for months now that this colour has been jumping out at me everywhere - I can pick out the tiniest glint of it at 100 paces! I find it really soothing and love how versatile it is against bright and muted colours alike. Have you noticed it popping up on your radar too? When we started working on the kids room, I wanted to find an accent colour that was a little different from the pistachio green they had in their last room which worked well with bright whites, the black in the fireplace and pale wood. Although it's quite a classic colour suited to period homes, it translates beautifully to more contemporary spaces too, and given that we're working to blend the history of our new home with a more modern style I felt a grey-blue would fit perfectly. I'll tell you more about my ridiculous quest to find the right shade when I share my next bedroom update, but for now, here's three grey-blue kids rooms which caught my attention...
A darker shade of grey blue creates a sophisticated, restful environment, especially with the pale wood floors. Here, Emily Slotte has mixed in vintage floral textiles and crumpled linens in her son's bedroom making a cosy space for bedtime.
Maiju Saw combines flea market finds and natural textures in her children's room, blending a darker grey wardrobe against the wall colour for subtle contrast.Whilst it's not always possible to introduce the colour onto your walls (particularly if you're renting) there are other ways to incorporate it. Rafa Kids have used additional low level wall panelling made from painted MDF or plywood (see first image) and created a zoned play area from the space. Alternatively, look for accessories in varying grey-blue tones for depth such as storage baskets, bedding and rugs. If you're looking for paint, try Celestial Cloud by Dulux or Farrow & Ball's Oval Room Blue.
Wall pouch, Numero 74 at Smallable | Star bedding, H&M | Toggle light switch, Dowsing & Reynolds | Black + white socket, Dowsing & Reynolds | White + oak Scandi bunk bed, Oliver Furniture, Nubie | Grey storage basket, Numero 74 at Smallable | Bench door handles, Chocolate Creative | White column radiator, Wickes
A Year In Curate & Display | The Best Of 2016
Well, here we are - the very last day of 2016. How was your Christmas break? Despite all of us coming down with a delightful illness, we still managed to celebrate, slow down, get out and explore and generally make the best of the not-so-good situation! If nothing else, I think it was sending a strong message that we need to listen to our bodies and give ourselves time to just be. I think maybe self care will come up a little higher on my agenda next year!I'll keep this post brief, but before I sign off, I wanted to run through some of my highlights of 2016. It was an unexpected year of travel, of being brave and jumping off the deep end. Annie and I took our design community Function+Form to new heights, collaborating with Houzz UK on two very special home tours, teaming up with Centrepoint charity to shout about their new Dean St Cafe project and organising a bloggers tour to Antwerp to discover new design talent.Just before Christmas I wound up working on a shoot with Pinterest UK for Stylist Magazine's 'Handmade Issue' which was nothing short of a dream come true (see the couple of quick shots I took from the day).We finally bought our own home again after three uncertain years of renting and even though looking around me now as I type I can see countless money-draining jobs that need doing just from my seat alone, it'll all be worth it to experience the journey and share our house joys and woes with you. Heck, you might even find it useful too!
Curate & Display's Top 10 Posts of 2016 (in no particular order)
- A Place To Stay | Hotel Alexandra Hilton, Barcelona
- The New House | The Before Tour - You can follow our updates on Instagram using #TheChathamHouse or see our sources of inspiration over on Pinterest.
- Essentials For New Nordic Kitchen Style
- Monochrome Hackney Loft Conversion
- A Nina+Co Coffee Break
- Milan Interior Highlights | Mater Design
- Bright Creative Renter Friendly Kids Room Decor
- London Design Festival Highlights
- Urban Jungle Book | Living + Styling with Plants - It was a real honour to be involved in the book and part of such a wonderfully green-fingered community.
- Travel Antwerp | St Vincents Lifestyle Store - a real highlight from our visit to Antwerp in October. #BloggersTourAntwerp #WeAreFunctionAndForm
So thank you for stopping by here and supporting Curate & Display - 2017 will be its third year and so we felt it was time to give it a little renovation of its own. I can't wait to share it with you!Have a very happy, fruitful, comforting, challenging (in a good way) 2017 and I'll see you on the other side with more contemporary design, travel tips and house renovation anecdotes.Tiff X 
Photography & Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley
Christmas Styling Inspiration | Minimal Wreath
I'll be honest, I'm about as prepared for Christmas as...well, someone completely unprepared, so I'm looking for quick festive fixes this year like this minimal wreath, I'm all for simple Scandinavian style-particularly at this time of year. This one is now hanging on our front door, but the plan will be to make a couple more of these to group together on the wall in our living room and to have as part of our Christmas table. The beauty of these wreaths is that they're quick to put together and they always look beautiful - embrace the imperfections!I've used longer lasting greenery from the garden and cuttings from the Christmas tree alongside fillers you can find at your florists. You might want to substitute the harder to find items (like the cotton flower) for others to make life a little easier, which is entirely the point!
You Will Need:• A brass wreath ring (mine is a design by Strups) or a wooden embroidery hoop.• Florists wire - use a thinner gauge that you can wrap with.• Bay tree cuttings.• Eucalyptus - I've used Baby Blue for the structure.• Fir tree cuttings.• Cotton flowers or an alternative such as waxflower or winter berries.• Ribbon.
Make two more or less identical bunches with the greenery, layering them up until you have the desired look. Wrap them with wire at the base of each. If you have cotton flower, gently push a piece of florists wire through the centre of each leaving a length of the wire on either side. Alternatively, create a small posy with berries or waxflower.
Place each bunch exactly where you want them to sit on your wreath. Use short lengths of wire to secure each bunch at the base and further up the ring, then add in your cotton flower, wrapping over the top of the ends to disguise them. I like mine a little off-centre.
And that's it. Find somewhere to hang it and you've time left to freak out about how much you've still got to do pour yourself a drink and admire your handiwork. Oh, and maybe take a look at my Scandinavian Christmas Table inspiration from last year...
• Sand cast brick tea light designed by Lane By Post.
Photography & Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley
Nubie | Contemporary Kids Room Style
Ever since we started making plans for the new kids room, I knew that I wanted to find extra special furniture for their space. I'm talking the kind of furniture for design loving parents that the kids love too, something contemporary with Scandinavian influences. I have to say, my initial search for bunk beds left me feeling rather cold - everything I found seemed a little too traditional, safe. Maybe even a little boring. And then I found Nubie. Can I get a "hell yeah!"?
Nubie was launched eight years ago by a parent with similar experiences to mine who felt frustrated by the lack of unique, stylish and well designed kids furniture. Having sourced the best in children's products around the world, Nubie is now a one-stop online destination for wow factor kids room design. There's not much you can't find here, including bedding, wallpaper, toys and wall hooks alongside beds and desks, all of which is beautifully considered and produced to a high standard.
Some of my absolute favourites come from brands such as Oliver Furniture based outside of Copenhagen, Oeuf NYC, Ferm Living, Nobodinoz from Barcelona and Cerise Sur La Gateau for a spot of quirk. I love the simple pale wood furniture, the organic, tactile shapes and pops of brightly coloured textiles. Just the way I'd like their room to be when we finish in a couple of weeks (keep your eyes peeled!)
And in case you're feeling jealous that the kids get all the fun, Nubie also has a range for grown-ups too. Although that may be for another post...
1. Play kitchen, Sebra | 2. Rabbit cushion, Ferm Living | Lina Dotty cushion in Peacock, La Cerise Sur La Gateau | 3. Babou black shelves, Rose In April | 4. Paloma wool rug, Olli Ella | 5. Oak Ping Pong chair, Oliver Furniture | 6. Mint storage bench, Flexa | 7. Jute rug with blue sticks, Ferm Living | 8. Brooklyn child to teen desk, Oeuf NYC
Urban Jungle Book | Living + Styling With Plants
From time to time I'll review a book here that I think will be something you yourselves would love to own, either as thing of beauty for the coffee table (I still don't own one yet by the way) or as a useful resource for your own home.It goes without saying that I'm a little more invested in this one than most as it's written by two good friends of mine. Igor Josifovic and Judith De Graaff are fellow bloggers and founders of the Urban Jungle Bloggers community which they started in 2013 having discovered a mutual love of plants. Their community has grown immensely since then, proving that plants are beneficial to our emotional well-being as well as enhancing our homes visually. Earlier this spring I shot a few spaces within our home for this very book and I'm really proud to see them here amongst such a lovely group of plant lovers.
This urban jungle book, titled 'Urban Jungle - Living and Styling with Plants' is a joyous celebration of indoor gardening. Whether you're new to botanicals or more experienced, this book is a friendly and informative way to immerse yourself.
Focusing on 11 varieties of plants, the book mixes tips and advice for plant care and propagation with beautiful images from the homes of Urban Jungle enthusiasts across the globe. There are DIY tutorials for more hands on creative planting (I'll be sharing one of mine with you next week) and styling inspirations, interleaved with illustrations by Saar Manche. A truly inspired read, this Urban Jungle book will motivate anyone (however black fingered you think you might be) to start growing their own little garden and I can't wait to continue that journey with mine.
You can order your copy direct from Amazon, currently available in the U.S, UK and Germany, published by Callwey.
How To Paint Wooden Floors | A DIY Guide
In the weeks before we finally moved in we'd been working on our new home and I thought now would be the perfect time for an update on progress in the kids room with a guide to help you paint wooden floors.Having stripped away the thick layers of painted wallpaper (see how it looked in the before tour) and discovered the good and the not-so-perfect crumbling walls beneath, we called in an excellent plasterer who got the job done in a couple of hours. The blue carpet came up without a fight (or any underlay!) to reveal the floor which aside from a small amount of carpet glue and a few layers of dirt on top, were in great condition. As it's a really bright room, we wanted to go with a white floor, picking out a couple of shades from Farrow & Ball and settling on Wimborne White which has warm tone to it.They say the best way to learn is on the job...we began the process virtually clueless but now with experience under our belts I think we have a definitive guide here. Let's get to it...
FOR SANDING AND PREPARATION• Commercial floor sander-we hired ours for around £70 a week from a local company.• A mix of grade sanding belts for the sander ranging from 40 to 120 grit - you can purchase these when you hire the sander.• Palm sander for the edges of the room. The Bosch PSM 200 AES has two different configurations for sanding at angles with a built in dust box.• A punch tool (these allow you to drive the floor nails in without damaging the wood).• Drill - the Stanley Fatmax cordless is pretty nifty with two batteries.• White spirit.Before you go anywhere near a sander, check that all nails and screws are well secured into the floor, otherwise you'll go through all your sanding belts in no time when they tear them. If your floor has the original nails, use a punch tool and hammer them in to just below the surface of the wood, otherwise you can secure any wobbly boards with screws.On an older floor you'll find that boards have often been cut and removed at some point to make way for electrical and plumbing work. These will need to be secured. Lift the loose boards first to make 100% sure of what's underneath before you start drilling or screwing - you don't want to hit a pipe or wire.Drill pilot holes and use a countersink bit (fairly generously) before screwing to ensure screws sit below the surface of the floor. Then you can simply fill over the top and you'll never see them. Obviously leave exposed any that you may need to unscrew again in the near future - these can always be filled and touched up at a later date.Vacuum any loose dirt from the surface and grooves between and scrape the join between the skirting and floor if you have one to avoid painting in bits of dirt. Give the floor a wash to remove any more surface dirt before you sand.TIP: Is there any carpet glue left? You can use white spirit and a scraper to remove the worst of the residue, then the rest should come off with the sander.You can now begin the fun part-the sanding!
It doesn't matter which way round you approach it - we did the main part of the floor first and the edges last, but you need to make sure you remove the layers until the wood is looking brighter. Start with a heaver grade such as a 40 grit first to remove the ground in dirt, then finish with a finer grade for a smooth finish. Make sure you're happy with the feel of it under foot as once you've painted there's no going back.
TO PREP FOR PAINTING
• Wood knotting solution.• Wood filler. You can make your own from the sawdust mixed with Bona Mix & Fill or use an all purpose filler.Vacuum and wash the floor again to remove any residual dust and dirt and leave it to completely dry. You might need to repeat this stage a couple of times so as not to paint the dust into the floor. Not nice. It's always advised when painting any wood to ensure that you treat all the knots with a coat of knotting solution to stop them showing through the paint afterwards. In some cases, the knots might be sappy and I'm told that if you treat them with a heat gun you can draw the sap out and scrape it off before you knot them. Just be really careful.Fill any large gaps in the boards with the filler, allow to fully dry and then sand smooth by hand.
READY TO PAINT• Undercoat and primer - try Farrow & Ball's light and pale undertones for white floors.• Good quality floor paint - we used Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball.• Good quality paint brushes. Trust me, you don't want to be picking loose hairs out of the paint.
Now you can get on with the painting. Give the floor another vacuum to remove any last bits of dust including underneath the skirting boards then apply a layer of undercoat and primer. Go around the edges of the room first with a small brush, then fill in with a larger one, making sure to paint yourself out of the room. Don't maroon yourself! Once the undercoat is dry, follow the instructions of your paint of choice for the topcoat. This floor required two coats of the top coat and it has a slight satin finish for heavy duty wear.TIP: You might not like the look of the wood showing between each board - I didn't, so I was quite liberal in working the paint in between the joins.If you've time to, leave the floor to cure for a few days. We left ours for approx. 10 before putting any furniture onto it and I think it made a difference to the finish.
And here's the finished floor. Pretty sweet, right? It's worth remembering that painted floors will always chip eventually, and that's part of the charm, but for now, the kids are enjoying playing on it!Next step? Prepping the ceiling, walls and woodwork. More on that and the colour we've chosen soon...Got plans to paint your floors? Has this been useful? You can follow our journey with #TheChathamHouse on Instagram and join the conversation.Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley
*This post is in collaboration with Homebase.
The New House / Before Tour
So I have some news. It's been the hardest thing to keep under wraps these past few months with a few ups and downs and a lot of nail biting, but now we're out of the woods I can say...we have a house! And breathe...We were first to see it when it came onto the market back in June, first to put in an offer straight after the viewing, have it accepted and then rejected a week later, only to be offered it back another four weeks on from that. Emotional roller-coaster is a complete understatement, but it was worth it, because this was the only place that ticked 99.9% of the boxes, and we have some interesting requirements with us both working from home. And the crazy number of large plants we have. Oh, and the children and cat, of course.The house is a beautiful late Victorian build with three bedrooms just up the road from where we are now, in Chatham. Thankfully, as far as the nasty historical interior updates go, this house has narrowly escaped most of them. Beyond the 70s foam coving in the upstairs rooms and gloss painted anaglypta wallpaper in the hallway, we are relieved that most of the pinewood flooring has been restored along with some of the sash windows. That said, where would the fun be in writing an interior design blog if I didn't say that we're staring down the barrel of a lot of decorating. Come on now. Earlier last week I went up to the house to take a few shots and strip walls. Would you like a tour?
I absolutely love this space, the front of the house gets a lot of light although it gets gradually moodier the further in you go. It'll take some getting used to from where we're living now and I'm not sure white is going to work quite so well in every room, but that's part of the fun, right?
We're moving in at the end of October but aside from the kids room and maybe ours and Rob's office room (not pictured), not much else is going to be done until then. You don't realise how much time things take until you move in and really look and we want to live in the house for a while so we can decide how we want to use each room. Eventually, we're going to sand back the floors again, stain them with a white oil to give them a paler look and seal them with a semi-matt wax. A mammoth job, but I'm happy to do it.So for now I'm focusing mainly on this room which will be the children's. I've since stripped the wallpaper off and removed the coving and shelving ready for re-skimming in a couple of weeks. The carpet will come up, floors sanded back and painted.
In keeping with the bright colour theme, the bathroom is yellow. Eeeesh. We're definitely keeping the bath (painting the feet black) but we'd like to change the floor and other units as they have a traditional Victorian feel.
At the end of the hallway is the kitchen which has a sweet window looking into the yard. And eventually we'll completely rip out the units and plan the layout from scratch, although we love the old open shelving in the corner. It looks like those cupboard doors above the sink were repurposed from something else in the house, no idea what but the previous owner said they'd been here a very long time.
This room is what will be my workspace. Yes, there's a sink in it and a naff cupboard which houses the boiler. I think there were plans to convert it into a downstairs toilet but never happened. The floor is sloping and needs levelling. As I don't think I can remove those pipes, I'm considering covering them with a false plywood wall so they can still be accessed if need be. And maybe soft grey walls? Stay with me on this one. Through that orange pine door (not staying) is the sun room. The floor will also need to be replaced along with the windows, but it's not top of the list right now. Eventually I'd love a real urban jungle in there to sit with and look out onto the garden. When we get round to it.
So there we have it. Heaps of potential and heaps of work. Looking forward to sharing our journey of renovation, decoration and DIYs with you and all those in-depth conversations over paint. I'm not even kidding...Follow our progress using #TheChathamHouse on Instagram and follow Stories for regular updates. You can also see how we're gathering ideas and inspiration on The Chatham House Pinterest board...Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley
Function+Form 03 / Dean Street Cafe
Fresh from our latest Function+Form breakfast gathering on Saturday, I wanted to share the beautiful soon-to-launch Dean Street Cafe, where we hosted our end of summer event.Aside from improving the way that we feel in our homes, design also imparts positive experiences where we work and this is certainly true of Dean Street, a new venture to be run by staff and trainees at youth homelessness charity, Centrepoint. A former church space of historical importance - it was first designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1686, the space has been given a new lease of life by multidisciplinary designer Nina Woodcroft of Nina&Co. You might recognise her name if you saw this ceramics post earlier in the year. As soon as we saw the space and learned more about the plans the charity has for it, we knew we had to tell our community and spread the word.
We were very fortunate in that Nina could join us, flying in from her home in Amsterdam to tell us about her own journey into interior and product design, sharing with us some of the process of transforming a space with such difficult constraints. As John Raynham, head of enterprise at Centrepoint went on to tell us, the space will be used by the charity as a training space for young people coming from difficult backgrounds, learning new skills and rebuilding their lives. Then at weekends, the building transforms into a working cafe in which, guided by venue manager and chef Dean Masters, these same young people with an interest in hospitality can learn an NVQ as well as barista skills offered by their coffee partner Kimbo.
With such a rigid brief, Nina created a flexible, homely space, using sustainable birch plywood storage painted in a soothing green and hand mixed locally. The integrated pegboard comes with removable pegs to store and display items easily. What was a small kitchenette on the right has been opened up giving it a double aspect, meaning one side can be used for takeaway drinks and the other open for service to the cafe. The kitchen also includes reversible menu boards which can be turned around to close off the kitchen when not in use, with all furniture neatly stored away for training sessions during the week. Perhaps the focal point of the room, the small window seats were borne from discovering a rather difficult steel strut which couldn't be removed. Instead, Nina used it to their advantage, designing the built in seating which was raised up to window height, allowing those at street level to see that the space was a functioning cafe. Such a clever idea.
We loved how much of the materials used in the design were sourced locally too - from the upholstered bench cushions made by The Hackney Draper, second hand seating and bespoke lighting made in the UK, all finished off with a little soft planting.Our third since we launched last year, Function+Form is fast becoming a way for us all to slow down and reconnect over good conversation and food. Our partners, Luminary Bakery who are another of Nina's social enterprise design projects, support women to raise themselves up from difficult circumstances, teaching them entrepreneurial skills through their bakery in Stoke Newington. The bakery delivered us some of the most beautiful apple and brown butter flapjacks we'd ever tasted, as well as flourless brownies and cookies. Alongside fresh fruits, pastries and granola provided by chef Dean, we also got to experience a more mindful approach to fresh juice thanks to East London Juice Co, based in the Ace Hotel, Shoreditch.We can't wait for the cafe to officially open to the public later next month and wish them all the very best. Make sure you pop in to show your support if you're ever in Soho at the weekend!With special thanks to our sponsors Centrepoint, in particular head of enterprise John Raynham and venue manager and chef Dean Masters, as well as our partners Luminary Bakery and East London Juice Co. If you are interested in joining our interiors and design community, get in touch: hello@wearefunctionandform.com
Photography with thanks © Anna Stathaki
Autumn Fair Gift + Home Trade Show
The first post of September and this my favourite month, feeling that subtle change in the air as it starts to get cooler, crisper and the nights draw in. If you're looking for interior styling inspiration to welcome the coming season then Autumn Fair, a gift and home trade show held at the NEC Birmingham is a must. The show is the largest trade event in the UK, and the ideal place to find inspiration and trend knowledge.For anyone with a shop or retail business, the show offers a choice of over 1,400 exhibitors across 12 sectors including Contemporary Gift & Living, The Light Show and The Summerhouse for the latest in contemporary and more traditional design. Expect to see the new season's collections in textiles, homeware, stationery and gifts. Naturally, I've got my eye on Danish brands Hübsch, Nordlux and IB Laursen as well as the new on my radar By-Boo from the Netherlands.
The show also provides free expert advice, including a program of engaging seminars covering trends, SEO and a must-see keynote from Jo Malone MBE as she discusses her Brand Building Journey. Book a one-to-one Meet The Expert appointment for a more detailed look into your business or if working with social media influencers is your focus, don't miss fellow bloggers Jen Stanbrook of Love Chic Living and Kate Watson-Smyth of Mad About The House.
Even though I can't attend this year, I couldn't resist pulling together a few Autumn ready designs from the exhibitors that caught my eye.
|1| EMITION lightshade in black, Nordlux |2| Botanical green chair, By-Boo Furniture |3| Muted pastel vases, Hübsch |4| Black candle tray, IB Laursen |5| Day bed in black, Hübsch |6| Coral pink geometric pots, Hübsch |7| Black and grey woven cotton rug, IB Laursen |8| Anita wool cushion, Shepherd of Sweden |9| Sand velvet cushion, IB Laursen
Moody colours can find their way into your home this season regardless of whether your walls are pale or inky. The key to getting it right is in blending textures. Think warm woods such as rattan, bamboo or cane combined with black (check out the light by Nordlux), deep greens and rich blues in textiles or on your walls. Day beds like the one above by Hübsch are very on-trend, as well as the once more traditional rattan chairs being produced in more contemporary shapes. Introduce chunky wool, velvets (choose pale pinks or sandy tones to offset the darker colours) and heavy linen curtains for simple luxury. Group collections of candles on metal trays for en-masse comfort, or combine a group of muted vases on your dining table with a few sprigs of winter herbs.Feeling ready now?Autumn Fair is held at the Birmingham NEC from 4 -7 September. To book tickets or for further information, head over to http://www.autumnfair.com.
This post is in collaboration with Autumn Fair.
The Lights Are Green For VIPP
They may be better known for their iconic pedal bin or kitchen and bathroom accessories, but always at the forefront of classic minimalist design and after 75 years as a household name, Vipp have launched their first lighting collection. And you need to see it, because - Vipp! I'd been wondering if lighting might be their next move and I'm far from disappointed with the results. Beautiful. The new collection consists of five strong pieces; the floor and table lamp, ceiling pendant, wall lamp and the small wall spot (see below). Take a look and tell me what you think...
Staying true to their industrial roots, these lights are designed with longevity in mind, using longer lasting LED technology, allowing easy replacement of the bulb without having to replace the whole fixture. Nothing is throw-away here. I can see this series becoming another Vipp classic, with their perforated, powder coated aluminium shades which allow a gentle hint of light through around the edges as well as from the source. They're adjustable, flexible, made to last.
[pullquote width="300" float="none"]We make only one kind of each product so you're not going to see a new collection of Vipp lamps next year. For once you have the essence of good light, what more is there to achieve with a lamp?[/pullquote]-Kasper Egelund, CEO HOS Vipp
Photography courtesy of Vipp.
A Place To Stay / Hotel Alexandra Barcelona
Barcelona and all it's magic seems like a world away now, so I can't wait to relive the Sunny Design Days tour again with you, kicking off with the place we called home for three days - the Alexandra Barcelona Hotel. A boutique hotel with an avant garde, contemporary style, this is a hotel for design lovers, showcasing the best names in Spanish design in an environment that feels like home. Found in Paseo de Gracia, bustling shopping district of Eixample and a stones throw from Gaudi's Casa Batlló and La Pedrera, you couldn't be in a more prominent place to explore the city and immerse yourself in local culture.
Inside an historic 19th century building, the Alexandra is carving out a name as the hotel of Spanish design, slowing working its way through each space, updating and renovating weaving in pieces created by the best Spanish names. Starting with the recently opened charcuterie and bar on the ground floor and more intimate gastronomic brasserie upstairs, restaurant Solomillo puts a modern twist on traditional Spanish cuisine. Designed by Barcelona based architects Borrell Jover who also redesigned the pool terrace and several of the bedrooms inside the hotel, the charcuterie and brasserie (not pictured) create an intimate backdrop in which to sample a beautiful selection of cooked and cured meats, local cheeses and other fresh from the market produce.
Over two wonderful dinners at the restaurant with Borrell and Jover, they explained how they carefully selected each element for a timeless, contemporary feel; from the 7,300 "meaty" coloured glazed tiles, the Cosentino marble table tops, rugs by Nanimarquina, lighting by Marset and Santa & Cole and Expormim rattan Huma chairs. Phew! I'll introduce you to these names very soon-you. will. LOVE. 
Outside, a luxury outdoor urban jungle awaits on the pool terrace. Using a series of layers to provide screening, this green oasis is divided up into two main areas-the bar and lounge and pool. Taking direction from the yellow bricks of the structure next door to the hotel, Borrell and Jover incorporated this into the terrace to blend into its surroundings, using brick to separate the ground floor rooms with a screen and lush planting, a bank of brick seating to separate the pool and then just beyond the pool, an organic vegetable and wild flower garden to screen the roof of an unsightly former cinema. The garden also provides produce for the hotel.
A glimpse into my room - overlooking the quiet terrace and tucked away from the city streets. With such a punishing busy schedule, I relished the secluded cocoon of this space with its warm, earthy Spanish tones, parquet flooring and concrete bathroom. When can I come back??
Photography © Tiffany Grant-Riley.
Kovac Family / L25 Lamp Giveaway
I'm back in the land of the living having stepped off my Spanish cloud at the weekend - last week I was away on a design tour, stopping off in Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid. If you've been following on Instagram you'll have had a little taste of what I got up to, but there will be more to come here on the blog over the coming weeks.For now, back to Scandinavian design and the organic shape of this, the L25 Lamp, so named because of the 25 pieces of oak its made from. Isn't it beautiful? Understated and quiet, but with a lot to say. Designed by Stockholm based design studio, Kovac Family, this lamp is locally produced, constructed from FSC sustainable oak and comes flatpacked for you to fold out yourself. You know how much I love design with a conscience and all the more so here as Kovac Family put proceeds from each lamp sale towards their biomimetic light project which aims to find new, eco-friendly solutions to help in designing and producing lighting by emulating nature itself.
And because I knew you'd love it as much as I do, I've teamed up with Kovac Family with an Instagram giveaway. If you'd like to be in with a chance to win your own L25 Lamp in oak, here's what you need to do:• Switch over to Instagram and follow @kovac_family and @curatedisplay.• Find the giveaway post on my feed, leave a comment telling us where you'd like to hang your lamp and tag in a friend you think would like to enter too. Easy.The competition will run from Friday 22nd July and closes August 1st at midnight GMT. Entrants must live within Europe and the winner will be chosen at random by number generator. Good luck! 
I'm also taking over Stylist Magazine's Instagram account today as part of their #FridayFeast series, so do follow along for my take on interiors and a little taste of Spanish design! Photography & Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley
Bright Creative Renter Friendly Kids Room Decor
I'm hoping today's post will fill you with inspiration if you're looking for some creative renter friendly ideas for kids rooms. Given that it's newly decorated and I haven't as yet shown you the reveal, here's the kids room which is shared by my five year old son and two year old daughter. It's ok, I asked their permission and they were totally fine with me sharing it.In my usual fashion, it's taken me months to get this room finished! I've had some of the decor in my possession for almost three years since moving here so typically some items have been discontinued and I don't actually have any before shots, but if I tell you 'Magnolia' walls, grey carpet and not much else, you get the gist!The biggest stumbling block in putting their room together has been the standard restrictions of living in a rented property. There are the things we definitely can't change like the flooring or anything structural, so we focused on what we could. Luckily our landlord is pretty hands-off and we're allowed to put screws into the walls and paint, so I was more or less free to create a room that was bright and colourful (for once) without too many stumbling blocks.Here are some useful tips to get you started...
Be Clever With Colour
We're lucky in that this room gets a lot of light during the day, so I started with a clean base of white on which to build up the colour. If you're able to use coloured paints on the wall, think beyond the fully painted block wall and introduce shape instead. Using Frog Tape, I marked out and taped the angle before applying the paint with a roller in two coats. In doing this I've zoned the bedroom without any physical dividers - see how the angled touch of soft green on the wall cleverly separates my daughter's side from my son's?As a temporary alternative, try hanging colourful garlands like these by Engel or think about using wall hooks - a functional piece for hanging up clothes and other bits and pieces that look fun too. I've installed five matt coloured porcelain wall hooks made by Danish ceramicist Anne Black, in fact I loved the green design so much that it inspired the accent colour for the whole room.
Customize + DIY
Choose pieces of furniture that you can customise with a key colour or pattern to hold the look together. I love the raw plywood look, so plumped for two IKEA Rast chests of drawers that I painted with a black trim and simple design on one drawer. Pinterest has tonnes of Rast drawer tutorials if you're stuck for inspiration too.The rag rug was a brilliant find (I'll tell you where from next) but if you wanted to create something similar, try stitching three inexpensive runner rugs together. A large rug or collection of several layered up will break up any boring carpet - I love the shots of woven orange from the rug that are picked out in the organic cotton bedding by Lulu & Nat, my daughter loves the neon bunny rabbits!
Shop Savvy Accessories
The accessories are really what makes a room if you're limited with what you can do with it. Don't overlook charity shops when you're shopping for kids decor. The absolute star buy in this whole room is the rag rug, which was ex-Zara Home display, discovered in my local Oxfam in Rochester, was £200.00 and I got it for £20. And the little black and white footstool by my daughter's cot bed, which I think is a handmade piece was just £10. Not bad eh?
No need to say that they both absolutely love spending time in here together now, although bedtime usually take hours as they're far too excited to sleep!Looking for more kids room decor ideas? Try my Pinterest board which helped inspire this look. And I'd love to hear your thoughts, particularly if you're renting too and found this helpful?Shop The Look:Wall paint: 'Swan Dance', Valspar | Wall prints: Cat by Michelle Carslund from Mini-Mi Rochester, Tipi and Dreamcatcher poster by Wild Boys & Girls | Storage: Rast chest of drawers, IKEA, Book shelves (spice racks) , IKEA | Wall chart: Corby Tindersticks, Amara | Superliving DK Nesting Dolls bird family, The Kid Who | Metal Bed: Livy Home at Tesco Direct | Bedding: Black and white grid bedding, IKEA |
Photography & Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley
With thanks to Lulu & Nat for the gift of the Neon Bunny Rabbit bedding.
Stand-out Walls | Front Studio for Engblad & Co
Environmentally friendly wallpaper brand Engblad & Co has recently launched a new collaboration with Swedish design trio Front and I think I may have had my head turned by it. Maybe it's time to rethink papered walls?Experimenting with folding and cutting paper, Front created nine designs which introduce a subtle illusion of texture into all white rooms. Printed using water-based inks on sustainable paper, the collection follows three dimensional forms and shadows. I love the depth that Front have managed to recreate, don't you?
To see the collection yourself, you can order samples directly from Engblad & Co and find a full list of stockists here.
Photography courtesy of ECO.
Arne Jacobsen Flowers | Summer Workspace
Summer might be having a laugh at us all from behind a cloud of rain (welcome to British summertime) but it hasn't stopped me making an effort to bring a little into my workspace.Known for his rich contribution to the world of Danish design and architecture, Arne Jacobsen paved the way for bold, graphic style, particularly in his monochrome typography created in 1937 and now popularised by Danish company Design Letters & Friends. You will no doubt recognise his alphabet collection, but perhaps you're not so familiar, maybe even surprised to see a softer side to his work. Inspired by wildflower meadows, his sketches and watercolours produced while in exile to Sweden during WWII informed what is the new vintage flowers anemone collection. The soft, freeform black, white and grey floral motif has given my pegboard a new dimension which I've worked into a summer inspired moodboard.
My brilliant pegboard shelf is currently home to three sunny melamine letter cups spilling with tiny white flowering Bacopa, a sweet little nod towards the floral stationery and voluminous porcelain pot of white Asters on my desk.
In a bid to be a little more "offline" this summer, I'm hoping these fresh new notebooks will help keep me focused. I miss scrapbooking the way I did before Pinterest and there's nothing better than a blank page to fill you with optimism, am I right? This Travel Journal will also be joining me on a design tour to Spain next month-I can't wait to share more of that with you soon, but in the meantime I'm filling it with Instagram photos from last year's wanderings.
So hello from my summer inspired workspace! What do you think of the new Design Letters collection?
Photography & Styling © Tiffany Grant-Riley
**This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Design Letters & Friends.
Essentials For New Nordic Kitchen Style
[This Nordic kitchen essentials post include affiliate links.]If there's one thing that frustrates me about renting on a daily basis, it's looking at the unreleased potential in our kitchen. I spend a good portion of each day in it and yet, I'm unable to give it a major new look. I really do daydream about ripping out the cupboards, fitting concrete work tops, matt black taps and open shelving. Does this sound like you?Yes, I'm that sad. So, settling instead for the easy to add, inter-changeable details, I've dissected some of my favourite kitchen looks in New Nordic style in the hopes that it'll inspire you, particularly if you're in the same predicament as me. This style is all about enjoying the simplicity of the space, choosing and using well designed accessories that stand the test of time in both function and aesthetic. It's about a muted colour palette, natural materials that don't impact the environment, contrasting textures.Don't assume that white is right. New Nordic isn't just about monochrome, why not explore blush and nude, dark greens or soft grey (as above) used in the cupboards which holds together tonally through the granite countertop and splashback, through to the details of the warm, worn wooden chopping boards, touches of black stoneware and woven baskets on the recessed open shelves.
Pay attention to the shelving that you choose as its as much a feature of the space as the pieces you display and use daily. Use an all-in-one design which blends into the wall to feature every day collections in similar tones (see above) or find a style which both compliments the setting but provides an unobtrusive contrast. These stainless steel, professional kitchen shelves bring in a metallic element in high shine alongside the white metro tiles but the warm herringbone flooring stops it feeling clinical and cold. The glasses look fantastic on display here and the wall-mounted Anglepoise lamp supplies directional lighting over the worktop.
Organise your kitchen according to how you use it - if you always have stove top coffee in the mornings, reserve an area for all your bits and pieces; the coffee beans, the scoop, your favourite mugs. Pay attention to the accessories you use from the strainer to the brewer, the scoop, the beakers. It's about simple shapes and high quality materials. Trust me, incorporating well designed details into your daily coffee rituals just lifts the whole experience.
For an extra shot of inspiration, my shopping page of New Nordic kitchen essentials will set you off in the right direction. Remember to stick with simple shapes, natural materials such as glass, wood, cork and choose tactile, every day accessories. Stack up and layer, play with muted colours and enjoy the quiet simplicity...
SHOP THE COLLECTIONDRINK / Sinnerlig glass bottles, IKEA | Jono Smart matt black ceramic cup + rest, The Future Kept | Iittala grey smoked glass tumbler, Finnish Design Shop (Affiliate link) | Nobel Design stacking cups, ShedquartersEAT / Viktigt stacking plates, IKEA | Cutipol stainless steel and black resin flatware, Amara (Affiliate link) | Teak cereal bowl, The Conran Shop | Biodegradable bamboo plates, The Conran ShopBREW / Kinto glass coffee pot, SCP | Mette Duedahl Push coffee press, Muuto | Nambu cast iron kettle, Native & Co | Emma electric kettle, Stelton at SkandiumSERVE / Georg Jensen Alfredo salad servers, Heal's (Affiliate link) | Round cutting board, Twelvedots | HAY Field rounded bread board, Really Well Made | Black stoneware pitcher, Another CountrySTORE / Forminimal Jars, Clippings | Woven wire basket, SCP | Menu Norm cork and stoneware container, Nest | Dania black storage crate, Skagerak
An Interview With Caroline Gomez
Let me take a moment to introduce you to one of my design heroes - I know you will love her if you don't already. Say hello to Caroline Gomez. I can't tell you how or when it was that I found her work, but it was a moment of "ohhhh, she really gets it". From the smooth, organic shapes she creates in her tablewares, the natural materials she loves to work with to the achingly beautiful photography and art direction she produces for her 'Destination' travel books, she is always on point. And she works out of her home studio in Bordeaux whilst spinning the plates of motherhood which as you know will only earn her more brownie points from me.Much of Caroline's work gives me the feeling of carefree summer days, the moment just before the sun dips below the horizon, balmy evening air and the warmth in the pavement walking barefoot with wanderlust, just because. And her latest tableware collection, Lena, is no exception as she tells me in this gorgeous interview...
• Hello Caroline! Introduce us to the new Lena collection - what inspired the organic shapes? Do you collaborate with other artisans to create your pieces?
The Lena collection is about summer days. I wanted a convivial collection for the family with organic shapes and powdery colours. I pictured myself on holidays, trying to feel the overwhelming impression of summer heat, sitting at a large table in the shade of a tree and then I asked myself: which pieces of tableware would I like to see on it? The jug reminds me of my holidays at my grandparents’ in the country and the two bowls have different volumes and work with all kinds of summer tables. Once I figured out the shapes, I spent several months researching with the help of the ceramist I work with before I ended with this specific smooth texture, which reminds me of the way our suntanned skin feels in the summer.
• Your ceramics seem to revolve around a similar muted colour palette - is this a deliberate choice? What influences that?
I like to combine simple designs and delicate colours so they can match any style of home whatever the colour palette. I like to imagine versatile objects that can easily find their place at home.
• I love your travel books for their minimal, graphic style and their off-the-beaten-track perspective. What’s your process in terms of researching, exploring and shooting the locations?
Choosing and researching for each location takes about one year. I never look at the existing guides so I can keep a fresh eye on the city. I try and get in touch with local artists and artisans and exchange with them about my project. In fact, for my two latest books, I also interviewed them so I can fully share my encounters with the readers.
• You work from home, how do you separate your work from family life particularly as the main living area of your home is open plan? How do you relax/slow down when you need to?
Yes, I have a small office and studio at home, separated from the other rooms. My home is suffused with light and it is very pleasant to live and work there. It’s also very convenient and I try and spend as much time as possible with my daughter. I can take her and collect her from school every day. I am glad that I can glean all these sweet family moments. Even though these days my work takes more and more time and space and I’d really need a bigger studio! When we need to relax, we drive either to the nearby ocean coast or countryside and take a break from the frantic pace of city life.
• How do you combine colour with minimal style at home? Are there any particular rules or advice that you would recommend to achieve this look?
First I painted it all white and then I added touches of colours depending on the room fitting. The idea is to bring rhythm and create different atmospheres. Colours cover the walls either totally or partially so they may underline or complete the architecture of the place. I like colours to subtly delineate volumes and shapes.
• We’re seeing a more mindful move toward raw and natural materials and production methods within design - do you think this will become more permanent in future?
I find that going for mindful production methods and working only with natural materials is the best solution for the future. I like to think that my objects get better and nobler with time and remain of use generation after generation, thus respecting the environment.
• Which designers and brands influence and inspire you and your work?
Designers such as Finn Juha, Lucie Rie, Hans Wegner created timeless pieces that are still influencing to this day. But now I find that the approach and energy of people as different as Katie Lockhart, Olivier Gustav, Taylor Brûlé, Giada Forte or All the way to Paris are fascinating and full of resources! Their worlds and personalities are an inspiration to me.
•••
Explore Caroline's new titles 'Barcelone' and 'French California' and check out the other editions in the shop...
Photography © Caroline Gomez
Dream Decor / New Book Inspiration by Will Taylor
If you're a real coffee table book addict, love interior design but lack the confidence to translate your style into your own home, then 'Dream Decor', the second book by international interiors writer and blogger Will Taylor couldn't have arrived at a better time.Promising guidance and inspiration for 'styling a cool, creative and comfortable home, wherever you live' Will takes us through the fundamentals of interior design in the first half of the book with his bright and vibrant signature style, breaking down each element into texture, colour, pattern, furnishings and styling details. With achingly cool interiors oozing from every page, Will takes us through the design process, encouraging us to draw inspiration wherever we are using his own travel photos as the jumping off point. I have serious wanderlust right now.
In the second half, Will takes us on a tour of an eclectic selection of homes from around the world beginning each style with a key word recipe to keep you on track. A real favourite of mine featured in 'Italian Rustic' is the home of architect Raffaele Centonze in Puglia (see their light drenched dining room above) with its polished quartz concrete floor, sweeping high ceilings combined with rustic furniture.I loved seeing inside the homes that were more minimalist, quieter on the colour front but no less lacking in style and impact. This industrial light fitting ties in beautifully with the mesh dining chairs inside a renovated schoolhouse in Pittsburg and the reclaimed dining table gives it a warm, homely feel.Whether you're renting and looking for easy to achieve updates or something more radical, Dream Decor gives you the tools to put your ideas into action, whatever you've got to work with. Nice job Will!
Dream Decor: Styling A Cool, Creative And Comfortable Home, Wherever You Live by Will Taylor, photography by Andrew Boyd, is out 17th May. Published by Jacqui Small (£25). The book is available to pre-order on Amazon now and more information can be found here.
Home Tour / Spitalfields Georgian Townhouse
If you've ever had the joy of leisurely wandering the streets of Spitalfields, you will without a doubt have found yourself on Princelet Street. A street like no other for its rich history, it looks virtually untouched and although I've been lucky enough to experience a shoot inside one of these locations, I still none-the-less have that strong yearning to explore further. So, we were pretty excited when our sponsors Houzz suggested that for our most recent Function+Form gathering we meet with award winning architect Chris Dyson to tour his Georgian townhouse on that very street.Home to both his studio and a ground floor art gallery, Chris and his family have found a way to use this four storey townhouse for work and pleasure. In 2005 the family bought the property in a state far removed from its original style, a hotchpotch of mid 19th century additions, it had gone from a three window wide frontage as shown by many of the other original buildings to two. With a three hundred year history in a location made famous by the Huguenot weavers and their exquisite cloth, Chris wanted to return the house to its former glory which included some rather extreme renovations including removing the facade to reinstate the three windows width, installing pine panelling to the interiors painted in classic Farrow & Ball soft green throughout and lime washing the floorboards.
Following the renovations and on going excavations (Chris is extending downwards to create a flat for his daughter) their home now houses many finds discovered within the foundations including the skulls of two dray horses and an array of clay pipes. The living rooms also doubled up as another gallery space and the collection of carefully chosen antiques combined with more contemporary furniture gave the space a lived in, family feel.
Whilst the majority of the houses in the Spitalfield area would have included a weavers loft to make the most of the light to work during the day, Chris's home didn't have one as it belonged to a clergyman. In keeping with many of the houses on Princelet Street, he designed a loft kitchen space and terrace using more contemporary materials, but blending beautifully with the history of the old house.
The house was a real calm oasis away from the bustle of the streets below, filled with a warm light. We drank in the views across the rooftops (see the other weavers lofts across the road?) and felt extremely lucky to have toured such a stunning home.
To see more perspectives from our Function+Form house tours, use #houzztourlive and #wearefunctionandform on Instagram and Twitter, or to join our growing community, contact us here.Photography © Amelia Hallsworth Photography courtesy of Houzz UK.