Home Again!

Last January I wrote about my inaugural visit to Home London, the first trade show of the year.  This time round it was bigger and better: Home was once again co-located with Top Drawer (for stationery and gift-led products) but there was a new addition in the form of Craft - a showcase for one hundred of the finest designer makers across a broad range of disciplines.  

I visited on Sunday, the opening day, and there was a distinctly warm and friendly buzz about the place.  With a lot of the major buyers visiting on  a week day it was a relaxed atmosphere and there was time to chat.  I managed to catch up with last year's Confessions of A Design Geek bursary winner, Jessica Hogarth, who this year was located in Top Drawer having taken the decision to concentrate more on the stationery side of her business. The Mini Moderns guys were as convivial as usual, their new Hinterland collection looked great and was generating a lot of interest.  I also took the opportunity to say hello to Emma from the Gary Birks studio, whose new mugs inspired my last post.  I may have got more than a little excited about their new 'Wave' design…but more on that another time.

There was a lot to take in, but I've selected a few exhibitors whose stands really attracted my attention...

Never has a whole brand made me want to throw out everything I own and start again, but Danish label Bloomingville has done just that.  They are by no means a new company, having been founded in 2000 by Betina Stampe, but the aesthetic is clean, fresh and very 'now'.  From kitchen to garden, living room to home office, they've got it covered.  Dreamy summer pastels? Check.  Acid brights? Yup.  Scandi monochrome? Naturally.  Hot  metallics? You betcha. 

I want it all.  And I'm putting it all in my cabin between a forest and a lake somewhere in rural Sweden.

Pastels and geometrics

Monochrome, Scandinavian style

I need this lamp in my life!

Images from bloomingville.com

See website for stockists.

I was delighted to discover the hand painted enamelware of Jasmine White. Brainchild of Supriya Broadbent, this Anglo-Asian venture utilises the skills of artisans in India which have been passed down through generations.  The pretty floral design is typical of the Kashmiri region and would happily sit alongside retro or modern pieces.  I particularly love the little tea caddies, which could also be used to keep spices in - lined up on a shelf they'd look very chic.

In addition to the enamelware, Jasmine White has also recently launched an original design entitled 'Indian Street' which features on a range of textile products.

Hand-painted tea caddy, £7.50

Indian Street cushion, £45.

Images from jasminewhitelondon.com

I have been a fan of Sue's work for a while now so it was delightful to talk to her in person at Home.  She started her career at Wedgwood but now runs her own successful studio where she makes each prototype herself before sending it off to a factory in Stoke to be produced in limited runs.  

Sue's stand was easily my favourite of the whole show, the simplicity of it allowing her elegantly rustic products to take centre stage: 

Sue's simply designed stand really caught my eye.

Image from suepryke.com

Once again the quality of exhibitors was extremely high.  Next year the show is re-locating to Olympia due to the development of the Earl's Court site but it will still be the 'definitive trade event for homewares and interiors accessories'. 

home-london.net

A Right Mug

I've often been asked if I collect anything (usually around Christmas or my birthday) and the answer is always a resounding 'No!'.  I don't like clutter and pointless ornaments send shivers down my spine.  I live by the old adage that if something is neither useful or beautiful it has no place in the home (insert witty comment about husbands here).
But, it seems that subconsciously, I do collect something.  I hadn't really thought about it before but on stumbling upon these beauties by Gary Birks (below) I realised I have a thing about mugs.  And what's more, it occurred to me that  I have certain mugs for certain drinks. 

New collection from Gary Birks

For example, if I have tea in the morning (English Breakfast, natch) it has to be out of a chunky earthenware mug, one of the cheap and cheerful ones that we have picked up from gigs over the years, or my special Arsenal mug which I've had since I was little.  
Elevenses comes from my Emma Bridgewater Polka Dot mug for which I subscribed to Country Living magazine, just to get it free.  Of an afternoon I like Darjeeling out of my new Mini Moderns 'Darjeeling' mug which has replaced my Cow Parade one as the bone china mug of choice.  If I have tea in the evening it has to be from one of my Denby Jet collection. 

Is that weird?  Perhaps, but in case there are any other mug fetishists out there I've rounded up a few others that I'd like to add to my 'collection' for when those mentioned above are in the dishwasher or - say it quietly - they go to the great kitchen cupboard in the sky... 

Drip Tease Mug in gold, £9.80 - Reiko Kaneko

Bucket Mug, £10 - Keith Brymer Jones

Mali ceramic mug, £12.95 - Nkuku

Celadon Grey tea mug, £12.00 - Nom Living

Everyone should have a favourite mug.  I just happen to have lots.


Links:

Reiko Kaneko      

Keith Brymer Jones

Nkuku

Nom Living

Happy New Year!

So that's Christmas done and packed away for another year.  I have to admit that December is my least favourite month - the frantic scramble to get presents and the decision of where to spend Christmas Day coupled with the anniversary of my dad's passing on the 21st make it a particularly difficult time for me personally and I always feel a huge sense of relief when it's all over.

January, though, is a different story.  Come the new year I am filled with a renewed sense of optimism and enthusiasm.  It is a time for re-organising and planning - a fresh start.  As a self-confessed interiors addict, I subscribe to several magazines and I keep them (much to Mr VKH's annoyance) in a stack in the corner of our living room.  At the end of December  I go through each one from the year before and tear out any pages that I find useful or inspiring before sending them to the recycling bin.  I also like to look back at the trend forecasts and see what worked, what didn't transpire and which brands have grown in popularity.   

A fresh start. (image via Pinterest)

In a way, I take the same approach to life: in the first few days of the year I always like to take stock, think about what I want to achieve over the coming months and set myself goals (continue to grow the Piccadelhi brand, draw more, quit TV completely).  I don't make resolutions but I do think about aspects of my life that I'd like to change or improve (social life, self-confidence, fitness)  and also try to ditch the habits that do me no good (self-castigation, a severe latte and almond croissant addiction).  

In 2014 I'm hoping to build on the things I learnt last year, strengthen the new relationships I made and make more new ones.  I'm looking forward to visiting more shows, starting with Home and Top Drawer next week.

All in all, I hope to continue to inspire and be inspired and maybe somewhere along the way I might just find some semblance of contentment - now wouldn't that be nice?