The Selby - Vincent Darre

The Selby featured fashion and furniture designer Vincent Darre's home a while ago, and some of the vignettes stuck with me as things to note.

The rest of his place is pretty over the top gothic, but I loved all the anatomical references around his Paris flat.

I love the multiples of similar, but varying in size, prints in this display.

The irreverant sideways display here feels very casual but visually striking.

Below are his subtle etymology wall paper panels that he sells from his shop.

I know I should be getting tired of the whole 'natural history' decor look already as it is EVERYWHERE now, but...I haven't...yet.

For Love of...Industrial Pendant Lamps

Another thing that keeps catching my avian eyes lately are all the stunning vintage industrial pendant lights to be spotted.

image courtesy Apartment Therapy

What an amazing job lot of lamps below from In My House! Think these folks must have a store, but there is no translation from Swedish, so can't tell...also can't figure out how to subscribe, which is a little frustrating! Must learn Swedish.

This is a great shot. The colours against the sea of white look fantastic.

More pendant fabulousness from Dutch magazine VT Wonen.

Check out the link above for online issues of the magazine, there are some great images.

Lenneke Wispelwey

A big fan of hobnail milk glass, I have been trolling high and low for a precious little glass to use on my bedside table.

I have been searching ebay and am partial to the aqua, as below, but would be quite happy with a white version!(the aqua is, naturally, more expensive...just my luck...)

Here is a lovely shot from a blog:

and another:

The green 'jadeite' is tempting, as well. There is something about the combination of texture, translucency and colours of milk glass that are just...well... YUMMY.

Unfortunately I am finding most of the items on ebay are in the US, and postage is ridiculous!

Saw these ceramics today by Lenneke Wispelwey in Arnhem which has a similar feel.

images via Red Glasses

Unfortunately they are still well out of my range - but aren't they pretty?

Cafe Cartolina

A great find on the House and Home website was the blog by Fiona Richards in Nelson (in British Columbia, Canada...not far from where I was hatched!) called Cafe Cartolina. This mountain lady has a great eye for vintage finds.

She also produces a lovely range of vintage inspired staionary which you can see/buy here! My particular favourite is below...ahem...

Though these are gorgeous too:

She posted the following vintage-themed pics which I wanted to share:

The saturated yellow walls in this place really glow.

Not sure if this is the same home, but if it is, it must be eye poppingly gorgeous!

Moving into calmer waters. This one is quite rustic-ly elegant.

 As are these:

I am quite sure the last four photos of are of different homes, but if I could combine them into one, I could live quite happily there!

Dwell Studio Peacock Bedding

Just noticed that Dwell Studio's peacock bedding is a very similar print to the one I recently recovered a chair with.

Here is my fabric:

Here is the bedding:

Quite a close match, no? Of course I love the bedding!

They also have it in a scintillating yellow, which would be my pick. Very 'chinoiserie'.

Thanking my lucky stars I don't know anyone in the US, so I can't be tempted. (DON'T tell me they do international shipping!!!)

Antiques and Decorative Fair

I am hoping to be able to get to the The Decorative Fair one night this week at Battersea Park, and hopefully see some of these antique treasures.

This is an antique milliner's hat block. Must have been used for pinning soft hats.

Gorgeous vellum books. Would love to see vellum in real life, as I have only ever seen it online/print. Wonder if it still smells of leather.

Old lockers.

With over 140 exhibitors of antique and vintage wares, there should be some good photo ops to share.

I will keep you posted.

More Graham and Green

It is Friday at long last, and I leave you with the following:

Saw these a few weeks ago when Graham and Green sent their flyer out for their spring line, but seeing them to scale makes all the difference.

They are huge and covetable!

Have a good weekend.

Vintage Tray Joy

Uh oh. I think I am becoming an ebay addict.

Won this metal tray today, though, and it is causing me much joy...

Yesterday I impulse purchased a series of jewel-like postcards of collages by John Murphy that he has done for Habitat (£3.50 for 10 and worth every penny!).

They are in a similar style to the image below:

I plan to attach one of my favourites to the metal tray with some cool, wooden, animal-shaped magnets, also from Habitat (it was a chance find whilst picking up things for work! Oops.).

I may even win another vintage tray in a few days that I am bidding on, and then I can have them both side by side on a wall. Oooh. Joy. Fingers crossed.

Think they will have a similar 'feel' to these yummy trays  by cool french design company ibride that I have been covetting for months, which you can get at Lifestyle Bazaar in Soho and Shoreditch, but just can't justify spending that much money on at the moment.

Here are a few:

What a gorgeous shot:

As I was checking their beautiful website for photos, I saw these Volubilis stacking stools, which are not just elegantly styled, but stack into a sculptural shape (the woman is sitting on a stack).

Also chanced on these miniatures of their larger tables. Wonder how much these sweet babies are? They would be such unique plinths for little treasures on a shelf or table.

I can't resist adding this shot of the 'Bambi' chest of drawers.

Also this one, the 'Diva' console. One of my favourites.

Their 'alice in wonderland' themed advertising photos are wonderfully whimsical and show their cheeky designs off.

I will try to remember to post an image of the final postcard/tray project when they are done!

Twinkle Twinkle

In my madness, am seriously considering how long it would take to put together a ship chandelier. I have been seeing ones cropping up for months and am always entranced by how magical they look in a room.

Zgallerie makes these ones for $799 in  California, which is a bit rich for my blood:

 They do look lovely in a room though.

Looks like they might have modeled it off of this antique one for $2000! Eek.

Here is a gorgeous antique Celtic one. Anchor and rudder are a great touch:

The next one is listed on 1stdibs with no price. Would hate to see how much it is going for. Listed as early 1890s.

Amazingly, they have some very detailed shots of the wirework and it looks even simpler than I'd thought.

Looks like there is only a simple wire frame and the crystals are attached with a thinner, handwoven wire web. Much easier than soldering every join. Hmmm...A solder iron, some wire, TONS of crystals and a few months should probably do it, non? (no, I am NOT kidding! Figure it would be like making jewellery, only on a much larger scale.). The only thing I would really need, which I don't have, is patience!

I want the celtic looking one with the dragon's head, though. Dragon's head. Must be able to find one somewhere I can modify.
Then I started thinking 'Ok, if not a ship, then what? What other forms would be interesting?' ...and of course someone has already gone there!

Check THIS OUT! By a company called Rock and Royal in Rotterdam:

The artist, Hans van Bentem, will make anything you want, as evidenced by the below 'meat and two veg' chandelier. Now I am all for a good laugh, but not sure I would want this one hanging over my dining room table!

A few more - these umbrellas are quite whimsical.

Oh, so very tempting. Only thing is what would I make...and where would I put it?

Will this be one of those failed attempts at wonderous madness? Must roost and think!