Vintage Finds - May

It's been a while since I posted any vintage finds and I've had a lucky week so here are a few of my more recent acquisitions.

Graham bought this 1950s French radio a couple of weeks ago at The National Vintage Communications Fair - a proper enthusiast event for men who are usually found lurking at the bottom of the garden in sheds. (Cost: £8). The vase on the right is the Dartington Daisy design by Frank Thrower and was a junk shop find. (Cost: £1).

I picked up these brass Dansk candlesticks on ebay. Don't you love it when you find something you really like that nobody else bids on? As for the vase..... it's a green faceted Murano sommerso vase. A very heavy piece of glass and in perfect condition. Bought from our local tip shop for pennies... pennies I tell you!

Also from the tip shop, this Stag C range chest of drawers designed in the 1950s by John and Sylvia Reid. I've been after one of these for some time. It's a great simple design, but also my grandparents had this furniture range in their bedroom when I was growing up, so I admit there is a bit of nostalgia going on here too. Cost: a fiver. It's seen a bit of wear and tear and the top has some staining but Mr P is, as I write, cutting out a nice panel of white acrylic which will go on top to cover up the stains and give it a slightly more up to date feel at the same time.

Finally, and yet another tip shop find... an old deck chair, reupholstered by me in some stripy fabric we bought in France a few years ago just after we got engaged. The fabric was bought for just such a purpose and has been patiently sat in a drawer waiting for a suitable frame ever since.

If anyone needs me I'll be in the garden......

PS - feel free to share your own favourite vintage finds below.

Images: Design Hunter

Stay: Capri Tiberio Palace

As the UK is at last basking in a long overdue mini heatwave I'm feeling in the mood for a post about a glamorous summer holiday destination.

Celebrating and reviving the style and glamour of the 50s when Capri was the coolest celeb hangout, the Capri Tiberio Palace has recently undergone a complete restyling by interior designer Giampiero Panepinto.

The design scheme is eclectic and luxurious, and reveals a confident understanding of colour - powder blue against shades of purple and jade green brought to life by gold accent pieces.

During the 50s and 60s Grace Kelly, Sophia Lauren, Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, Simone de Beauvoir and Ingrid Bergman were all faces you could see regularly on the summer streets of Capri and much of the artwork and photography that adorns the walls of the hotel evokes this era.

Refined and elegant, this place is all about the languid glamour of La Dolce Vita.

Images: Capri Tiberio Palace

Pyramids of Makkum

It's Chelsea Flower Show week. I so wish I was going again this year, but I couldn't let this week pass without at least one floral reference here on Design Hunter.

Gallery Libby Sellers is currently exhibiting Pyramids of Makkum, a collection of sculptural tulip pyramids designed by Hella Jongerius, Jurgen Bey, Studio Job and Alexander van Slobbe and produced by Royal Tichelaar Makkum.

In the 17th century flower pyramids were considered the finest examples of Delftware of their time. These highly aristocratic vases reached the height of their popularity in the 1690s and became synonymous with design patronage and technical expertise. Only a few survive, and following a demanding restoration project on some original examples in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Royal Tichelaar Makuum invited a number of leading contemporary designers to create their own modern reinterpretations of these grandiose towers.

Pyramids of Makkum is at Gallery Libby Sellers until 16 June 2012.

Interview - Laura Holmes from Loop the Loop

In the first of a new series of posts interviewing designers, creatives and the people behind some of my favourite shops, I caught up with Laura Holmes from Loop the Loop, an online boutique that sells a delightfully curated edit of vintage and modern homewares.

Laura and her partner Adam, along with their dog Otti, moved to Crickhowell in the beautiful Brecon Beacons in South Wales two years ago from rural Wiltshire. It's a part of the world I know well and particularly love as I grew up near there. When Laura wrote to introduce Loop the Loop, after taking just a quick gimpse at the site I was smitten and keen to find out more.

Laura does the buying and the photography whilst Adam focuses on the design and technical side of the business. Although she modestly describes herself as 'a complete novice' it's clear that Laura has a real eye for choosing, styling and photographing the products they sell, which range from kitchenalia and hardware products to lighting, mirrors and textiles.

What's the best thing about living in beautiful Crickhowell?

The landscape - there is always something fun to do, whether it's scaling a mountain or canoeing down a river. The town has a vibrant arts scene too and lots of lovely independent businesses. One of my favourites is Debs' Kitchen for her scrummy Welsh cakes.

How did you come up with the name Loop the Loop?

I was kindly christened Loops by Adam's brothers so it stems from there...

What 3 words best describe your style?

Country, curious, covetable.

What's your favourite thing in the shop right now?

It has to be the bird and egg canvas cushion. I'm contemplating keeping one for myself!

Who or what influences or inspires you?

I really enjoy being outdoors so nature plays a part, also people who are passionate about what they do. I have a great group of friends and come from a large family so I'm constantly inspired by them all.

What's your idea of happiness?

Good food shared with good friends. Plus I love walking our dog Otti on a fresh, sunny morning - it's great for clearing the head and preparing me for a productive day.

One thing you couldn't live without?

Coffee. I can't fuction if I don't have a cup of coffee first thing in the morning. If I had another, it would be my camera. I photograph our products, and although it can take hours, my camera makes it so much easier as I'm a complete novice.

Tell me a secret...

One of my favourite haunts for vintage goodies is a small antiques shop in Brecon.

www.looptheloop.org.uk

Folk & Love

Parochial loft meets industrial cottage meets minimal picnic? (Mr P's words not mine).

Folk and Love tables and chairs by Officina Temporanea.

Images:Giuseppe Accardo

The important little details in life

I am always such a fan of Howies. Great clothes aside, the team behind the brand seem like such genuinely nice people. In an online world that is full of internet start up companies being loudly and expensively launched by ex bankers and venture capitalists, it's good to be able to give a shout out for a company that is quietly doing its own thing, sticking to its principles and whose people believe in celebrating the important little details of life, like tea in a pot.

If you are feeling in need of a little brainfood to gently inspire you this Monday morning go check out their blog.

Cayenne 'Grace' dress and blue 'Abigail' dress from Howies.

5 white living spaces with great chairs

Today I'm rounding off The White Week here on Design Hunter with five of my favourite pinterest picks featuring great chairs in beautiful white living spaces.

Above. This is a great window. The chair is perfectly proportioned and crafted and I love the foliage in the earthenware pot. The green glass vase on the windowsill would make a perfect addition to my own collection of green Scandinavian glass.

This chair is so elegant. The vast windows and sense of light are the key things about this space. The view of the giant bamboo in the background also caught my eye. I love the way it looks as if it would sway and gently bend in the slightest breeze.

I'd love a huge marble fireplace like this with a large gilt mirror above it. What do you think of the idea of utilising a disused fireplace as a storage alcove for a magazine collection?

This one is all about the panelling, parquet and high ceilings. It's such a great space that quite frankly you could put virtually anything in it and it would look great. That said, I love the contrast between the sleek, cool, black modern furniture and lighting and the big old gilt framed mirrors.

Black, white and natural or wood tones are always a winning combination.

Do you have a favourite?

Hope you've enjoyed The White Week. Have a great weekend.

love Helen

xx

Images: 1. unknown 2. Steven Harris Architects 3. Louise Desrosier via Analeena's Hem 4. & 5. unknown.

(As so many pinterest images aren't attributed unfortunately I've been unable to find the image credits for this post. If you know who they are by please let me know so that I can credit them properly.)

Design Hunter loves...

...these pom poms from Bodie and Fou.

An affordable, quick and creative way to decorate parties, events and weddings, they come in lots of other pretty colours too.

Ceramica

Today I'm sharing these images of some beautiful white ceramics. I'll let them speak for themselves.

1.Cup by Kjell Rylander

2. Installation installation by Edmund de Waal in the Porcelain Rooms at the Geffrye Museum.

3. Unknown.

4. Plates at Rossana Orlandi, Milan.

Visit: Vila Savoye

We visited Le Corbusier's Vila Savoye on our last trip to France and I recently remembered that I had never got round to sharing the pictures I took.

Located in Poissy on the outskirts of Paris, Vila Savoye was designed by Le Corbusier and built between 1928 and 1931. It is probably one of Le Corbusiers best known buildings, and had an enormous influence on the modernist design movement.

Built as a country retreat for the Savoye family, it fell into disuse during the second world war and subsequently deteriorated into a state of disrepair. In 1965 is was designated as a French national monument and was renovated between 1985 and 1997. It has since then been open to visitors.

Way ahead of its time and built during a period when building materials and technologies were considerably less evolved than they are now (the house was plagued with damp and the roof leaked), today it still feels like an incredibly fresh and exciting space. There are so many interesting angles and views to explore and each corner offers beautifully aligned new vistas.

The surrounding landscape has since been heavily developed, but when it was built in the 1920s Vila Savoye would have sat serenely alone amidst acres of lawned gardens, enjoying uninterrupted views over the landscape.

My own personal yardstick for judging architecture is how a building makes me feel. Vila Savoye made me feel stimulated, interested and engaged. It's also very beautiful.

Images: Design Hunter