Wabi and a Happy New Year

Paint is especially difficult here as I have mentioned a few times before.  I find a) it is very toxic smelling b) The finishes are not as good c) I don't know the colours as well as I did back home making it a very long trial and error session.

And error I did around this time last year with the sickliest baby blue found on an Ace chart which was very quickly to be changed to Dulux Graceful Green.

With perfectionism brings dissatisfaction and sometimes procrastination in search of the ideal.

The sickliest blue taught me one of life's great lessons, via a dear Japanese friend: Wabi.

She described Wabi as: Japanese aesthetic. Assumes nothing in life is permanent, we are in a transient and imperfect state, and you can seek solace and beauty in imperfection.

I decided to make Wabi my resolution for 2012 and it has served me well.  I will always love quality, beauty, craftsmanship but a little imperfection makes for uniqueness makes for a special kind of beauty and Wabi has made me a lot more relaxed about how I put things together - except for the sickly blue of course!  Still im-perfecting my own resolutions for the coming year, I have until midnight

A very Happy 2013 to you all, may your resolutions be meaningful and good for the soul.  

Framed 19th Century Wallpaper Panel - Large Cherry Blossom at 1st Dibs

Swedish Deco Rugs

I was first introduced to Swedish Deco rugs by a client, several years ago, who had the most wonderful collection of mid century furniture.  Knoll, Platner, Cherner, and more where all there ready for me to assemble a scheme, how easy is that?  Too easy perhaps.

And to pull it all together and anchor the room we needed a rug of course.  Her wish was for a Barbro Nilsson, (1899-1983), the celebrated Swedish weaver of rugs and tapestries.  These rugs, apart from their charming designs, have a distinctive relief and texture which sit so well within the interiors of the moment mixing mid century with older pieces and modern elements.  

As important as Barbro Nilsson are the works of Märta Måås-Fjetterström, (1873-1941) which in fact I favour myself for their more Art Nouveau/Art and Crafts feel.

Salerno Blue Rug, Barbro Nilsson at 1st Dibs

Blåringen ["Blue Ring"]
Märta Måås-Fjetterström in 1931 from http://www.mmf.se

Swedish Deco rug from Mansour

Swedish Kilim from Mansour

How wonderful is that?

Rattan #2 & The Family Tree

Continuing with the rattan theme I love everything from the Family Love Tree below and more, much more on their website, have a look

Eco rattan chair from Horshow

 Sorry about the image quality some are born more generous than others!

2012 New Collections - Mood Indigo

My pick, in the most humble sense, of favourite Decorex et al 2012 new collections. 

Indigo predominates as it has the last few years

Of course Fermoie is my absolute favourite of the year but it deserves its own post. 

a) because its ravishing and I want to wrap myself and my home in it and b) because my samples have not yet arrived.  This is no fault of theirs but rather because I chose snail mail, via London, in the fear of being turned down for a direct delivery here. 

You see, suppliers of particularly good fabrics don't like sending samples to 'unknowns' here where everything, absolutely everything gets copied.

Don't blame them at all, the stories I could tell, you have no idea...

Christopher Farr Scaffold

Christopher Farr Breakwater

William Yeoward Albariza

William Yeoward Castlewrey Navy

William Yeoward Penhaggon Navy

Left: Olivia Right: Teresa, both Elanbach

Zoffany Diamonds and Flowers aubergine

Glam Desert Tenting

At last my uninspired mood is lifted thanks to the forthcoming Robert Kime & Piers Von Westenholtz sale at Christie's being held next week.

Of course I love tents, I was married in one and I would gladly have one in lieu of a posh shed

Lot 396 Egyptian Tent, 20th Century, £2000 - £ 3000

Now without a garden or thousands to spare I might instead opt for a night or two in the Omani desert and where better than the dreamy and exotic Desert Nights or 1000 Nights Camp?!

 Images above from 1000 Nights Camp website

 

Images above from Desert Night Camp website

Curiosities & Tat

Everyone should have a ‘curiosity cabinet’.  Odds and ends collected over the years, gifts, memos, sentimental things or Tat as my husband calls it.  Tat or not, and mine is very good looking Tat indeed, once assembled beautifully these objects are looked at in a completely different  light.  Well positioned and styled objects, no matter whether they have great value or provenance come into their own when arranged in a ‘still life’ way, alone they have far less personality. 

 The sum is greater than the parts.

I have all kinds of things from cornucopia vases to papier-mache coasters, Iranian marquetry boxes, favourite Salviati drop vases next to a much cheaper Sia vase of a similar shape. Miniature dolls house furniture and odd bits of antique silver from christening cups to salt and pepper holders.

I have, surprisingly enough, found a few more bits of very attractive Tat right here in Dubai.  Mostly, let's be honest, things here are bit loud and bright and the sparklier the better.  In the beginning my eyes used to hurt from the apparent lack of pretty things.  However, if you look hard enough there are some charming and witty things about.

I love my Sheikh and Sheikha dolls

Iranian pottery from the Blue Souk, Sharjah

Shell box from Antique Museum

Turkish pottery bowl of Whirling Dervishes, definitely going back for the plates!

Vintage and Antique Rattan @ 1st Dibs

1970's Rattan chair in style of Franco Albini

I have had a rattan revival for almost 2 years now, you heard it here first and any media coverage from here on is surely just inspired by the Tent and the Camel

A quick look at 1st Dibs and perhaps they are slightly ahead of the game ;)

Above and below pieces by Franco Albini, a 'neo-rationalist' italian designer and architect of the 1930's and 'student' of Gio Ponte

Two 1950s Italian "Margherita" Easy Chairs by Franco Albini here

American Rattan Table c. 1890s by Wakefield Rattan Co. here

Rattan nightstand here

American 1930's stick wicker chair here

19th Century Chinese coffee table here

 

 

Rule Britannia

Can't let the diamond Jubilee go by without a post, 

here is my pick of some of the better memorabilia out there
 - God Save the Queen!

Jan Constantine tea cosy at Harrods

British Guards pillow from Gumps

Mug at Emma Bridgewater

Vintage bunting at Royal Yacht Britannia

Ribbons from Not On The High Street

For a good old english from from the hand picked collection

Driftwood

Had to describe driftwood today and as so much gets lost in translation here, I googled and sent images.  This is what I found along the way.  For those of you who don't know what driftwood is it is the odds and ends of wood bleached by sun and sea or river water which gets washed up on shore.  

It can be made into very beautiful things...

Driftwood lamps from Bleu Nature

Driftwood chair buy it here

Driftwood lobster print from here

Driftwood Seahorse buy it here