The Perfect Raincoat

One of my new year's resolutions this year was to set aside time more time to head out of town and into the hills at the weekend. It's something I used to do often in my 20s when I was a keen climber, but seem to have found less and less time for over the past few years. With this resolution came the realisation that the old walking boots and rain jacket I used to wear (circa 2000) really no longer cut it, so I've been on the hunt for some new outdoor wear. And I think I may have found my new raincoat.

Whistles have just unveiled their collaboration with Swedish rainwear company Stutterheim - a limited edition version of the brand's Stockholm raincoat. The unisex design, features a graphic striped hem and a contrast hood facing and is handmade from rubberised cotton with double welded seams, making it 100% waterproof.

Stutterheim was established by Alexander Stutterheim after he discovered his grandfather's old raincoat in an abandoned farm building. Inspired by the garment's timeless practicality he reimagined the 1960s design into an updated contemporary version with a discreet, classical cut. Then he took the prototype to the last standing textile factory in Sweden and asked them to manufacture it.

“Whistles collaborations are about finding experts in the market and working with them to produce beautiful, functional, carefully crafted exclusive pieces”, said Whistles Chief Executive Officer Jane Shepherdson. “Stutterheim was chosen because it produces the highest quality rain-wear and its simplicity, functionality and timeless style perfectly complements the Whistles aesthetic.”

The limited edition design is available at selected Whistles stores and also online (with free shipping for a limited period) at whistles.com

Portrait of a House by Frederik Vercruysse

Describing his work as still life photography in the broadest sense of the word, Antwerp based photographer Frederik Vercruysse has powerfully documented the minimalistic home of architects Bram Seghers and Inge Buyse in 'Portrait of a House'.

Located in the Flemish countryside, the once grand house was discovered by Buyse and Seghers in a state of ruin. The couple bought it and set about thoughtfully restoring and renovating the property with particular attention to light and proportion.

There's a powerful stillness to these images which, by showing compositions of pure space, sparse furniture and solitary objects, evoke a sense of quiet contemplation in the viewer.

Images: Frederik Vercruysse in collaboration with Buyse Seghers Architects.

Styling Muji's new shelving collection

Design Hunter has always reflected my love of understated, modern, enduring design, and one of the brands I've long admired, although amazingly I don't think I've ever featured them before, is Muji. I can often be found jotting down scribblings in their kraft notebooks and over the years I've accumulated a large collection of their acrylic storage boxes which I use to keep my jewellery, make-up, beauty products and various other things in order. So when I was offered a first look at their new shelving collection I jumped at the chance to style a few of the pieces for today's post.

Muji's appeal has always been rooted in the company's 'no-brand' philosophy and in the inherent simplicity and minimalism of their designs, which are often based on the selection and appreciation of materials. The new shelving collection is no exception.

Available in either natural or dark wood and in a choice of two lengths, the understated pieces easily fit into the fabric of your home and are also very versatile. The shelves, boxes and beams hook simply onto wall brackets, and because the fixings on which they are mounted are the same distance apart on each one, the different pieces in the collection can be easily swapped around. So if you get bored of one configuration you can easily swap a shelf for a box or a wall beam (or vice versa). They are also incredibly easy to fit.

Here's a little Spring inspired style story I shot in our kitchen, but any of these pieces would work just as well in other rooms of the house.

I really liked the wall beam, a thin shelf with a lip on the front edge designed to allow you to display cards, pictures or notes. Although I've installed it here in the kitchen I'm thinking of also adding a few of these above my desk in the office as they'd be perfect for displaying moodboard inspirations. The wall box is perfectly sized for storing paperbacks, or you could perhaps create a shelf vignette with a few of your favourite objects as I've done above with a group of pieces by Emma Clegg and Elisabeth Barry from my collection of hand thrown ceramics.

Posted in collaboration with Muji.