Design Hunter's Jaguar F-TYPE coupé road trip

"Why would I want to go up North?"

It's a sentiment I sometimes encounter (with a sharp intake of breath) when visiting the south of England.

"It's always raining, and anyway, what's there to see up there... really? I'd rather go abroad."

Ahem, well where to start?

I love Britain - it's landscape, it's history and of course it's design. Contrary to what certain sections of the media might have you believe, there is much to explore beyond London.

The beauty of living literally in the heart of the country, as I do being based in Warwickshire, is that it's easy to get to almost anywhere... and everywhere.

When Design Hunter was offered a Jaguar F-TYPE coupé to try out for the weekend then, the first question was of course where to go?

I broached the subject with Mr P.

"North" came back the resounding reply.

Yes, it had to be north.

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Handwoven rugs & wall hangings from Sardinia

Mio Karo is a Sardinia based project established by film director, illustrator and art director Carolina Melis, creating beautiful fine rugs and wall hangings handwoven by artisans on the island.

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Trendwatch | Tan Leather

Have you noticed how, beyond the obvious - i.e. sofas and chairs - leather, and more specifically tan leather, has been creeping into all sorts of interiors products lately?

Eleni of My Paradissi wrote a great post on 40 ways to decorate with tan leather recently, which in turn referenced another great article by Emily Henderson on how to find the perfect leather sofa.

Recent shows, exhibitions and collections have featured leather details on all kinds of products from lighting to tableware, magazine racks and even planters. It works really well with the monochrome interiors I'm loving so much right now. Maybe add in a touch of bright green foliage for some contrasting colour and natural texture.

Once I started researching products for this post, I couldn't stop, so settle down for this one, put the kettle on and enjoy the round up.

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How does your garden grow?

It’s officially summertime but in true British style the weather is predictably unsettled. When it does decide to play nice I try to make the most of it and get outside in my garden even though I only have a small patio space.

I’m most definitely a novice when it comes to anything involving nurturing plants and flowers so I was pleased to discover that there’s a new gardening show taking place this month that’s got a bit of a different take on traditional garden fairs.  

GROW London is a contemporary garden show dreamt up by Will Ramsay, founder of the Affordable Art Fair, who wanted to share his passion for contemporary gardens of all scales with others.

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Outdoor Living Scandi style

This month on Design Hunter, we're focusing on outdoor living. I'm in the middle of planning a redesign of our garden at the moment so it's a subject I've been delving into a lot lately. Stay tuned for lots more on this subject!

Today I wanted to introduce Skargaarden, a Swedish company who produce furniture of uncomplicated beauty, but with intricate detail and expert craftsmanship. Described as "furniture for tranquility", this is furniture for "moments free from commitments and responsibilities" rather than for a specific place, and most of the pieces in the collection would look just as at home indoors as they do outdoors. The colourful chairs in the Reso dining series (above) designed by Matilda Lindblom being a case in point.

Newly represented in the UK by London based design practice Douglas & Baron, their philosophy is rooted in traditional craftsmanship with a more than a nod towards 1950s style bent wood and teak. The collection evokes the kind of carefree summer living most of us dream about, and the lookbook left me wanting to leave the package holiday hoards behind and head north to enjoy the quieter pleasures of a Scandinavian summer.

Quite possibly the most covetable outdoor furniture I've come across.

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Five Things - #008 Tropical Foliage

dress | print | monstera | bikini | wallpaper

Competition | The new Kelly Hoppen range for Crosswater

Let's start the week off with a giveaway!

This week Crosswater are launching their KH ZERO 6 range, the latest in a series of bathroom taps designed by Kelly Hoppen. To celebrate they are offering one lucky Design Hunter reader the chance to win one of the taps from the new collection.

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