Where can I use one of these? 1 February, 2010
Posted by kiadesigns in mydeco guest blogger.Tags: art, chair, design, designers, Eco, furniture, interior designer, recycled furniture
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I have recently been designing a living room for a client in London who has asked for the room to have a slightly New York style apartment theme to it and I stumbled across these fantastic chairs – although not great for this project they would be fantastic for a home office or even as funky chairs for a dining room!
Image credit: Bel&Bel
Image credit: Bel&Bel
Plus they are from re-cycled vespa’s so are carrying on my New Year’s eco resolution.
Working on an interior design project in London? Finding the choice just too much? Have the inspiration but don’t know where to start?
Our first consulation is completely free and our interior design service takes the project through from start to finish!
So you thought the shopping for others was over? 27 January, 2010
Posted by kiadesigns in mydeco guest blogger.Tags: art, clock, cushion, design, design boutique, Eco, handmade, interior design, kia designs, kia sunda, tealights, wall clock
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With Christmas come and gone the sales are usually a time to think about buying yourself all the things that you have been holding off for. However, what about all those wonderful people (my husband included – whose birthday it is today!) who have their birthdays in the month of January?
Well here are a few items that will come as a wonderful surprise after the melee of Christmas gifts that have already been thrown at them!
Image credit: Olive shop on Etsy
This cute Postcard Pillow that is available from Olive’s shop on Etsy is a great personalized present. Each gorgeous pillow is customized to your specifications so it will make a lovely personal gift. Plus it’s made from Eco white bamboo cotton so it’s even great for Eco buyers!
Image credit: Ecocentric
This is the perfect gift for the house (especially if you have those friends that are always saying “is it just me or is it a bit cold in here?”)…
Image credit: Ecocentric
These are simple yet beautiful and will light any room with a wonderful glow – definitely needed in this cold January weather!
Eco friendly gaming 25 January, 2010
Posted by kiadesigns in mydeco guest blogger.Tags: Eco, eco-friendly, energy efficiency, gaming
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Image credit: Autodesk
Having a 17 year old brother can be a bit of a pain, you get used to the monosyllbic answers (Big sister – “How is college going?” Little brother – “Alright”). However, one thing that you do get is to constantly be told about the newest “cool” thing on the block. Most of the time it’s something that really doesn’t interest me but little brother has come up tops with this one – RetroFits Online Game. This game is free and fun, and bound to take up some of that “free” office time you might have.
It is designed to help people “make buildings better“. Designed by California based software company Autodesk, it has been made in response to the news that most of American’s green house gases actually come from poorly designed and built buildings. It takes you through all the simple steps that can change a building into an Eco friendly building! With some really startling facts thrown in!
Eco home office 11 January, 2010
Posted by kiadesigns in mydeco guest blogger.Tags: book ends, clever design, Eco, eco design, home office, office, office design, stationery
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As an interior designer I am always helping to create other people’s perfect homes, finding and designing fantastic storage solutions, picking gorgeous fabrics that will work with the colour scheme however my home always seems to be a little like the cobblers shoes – I simply never get round to doing it! So another one of my new years resolutions is to properly set up my home office, and to do it (as always) in an Eco friendly way.
Here are a few of the products I have ear marked for the design
Image credit: Graham and Green
I have had a huge hankering after pink recently (including having painted my living room chimney breast wall a gorgeous shade of rose) and I think these are simply gorgeous and are now down from £34.75 to only £17.25!! Bargin!
Image credit: Ecocentric
This beautifully crated item is in fact a book end – the branch appears to be magically growing out of the side of your books but is in fact ingeniously attached to the books through the magnetic book end that is inside the book! Simple yet very effective.
Image credit: Ecocentric
I am a huge fan of the gorgeous relaxing light given off by fairy lights and am really missing them since I’ve taken down my Christmas tree (and had it recycled of course!) so this may be the perfect accessory for my new desk area!
Image Credit: Yanko Design
This really is the ultimate gift for the office worker who has everything. This USB Key gives off a wonderful aroma so that they can be slowly calmed throughout the day by the wonderful fragrances. After Christmas I thought I had seen it all but this may be on my post Christmas list!
The history of Interior Design – free! 26 October, 2009
Posted by kiadesigns in mydeco guest blogger.Tags: design, Eco, exhibition, furniture, interior design, news
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The Geffrye museum is a hidden gem in London’s East End: if you have a passion for Interior Design it is simply a must … The museum takes you on a journey stopping off at various points throughout the past 400 years of Interior Design – one visit to the Geffrye museum will allow you to stand back and watch how Interior Design has grown and evolved from the 1600s parlour to the modern open plan living spaces of the 20th Century!
Image credit: The Geffrye Museum
Image credit: The Geffrye Museum
Image credit: The Geffrye Museum
What’s on right now?
Image credit: The Geffrye Museum
Eco Home (Tuesday 13 October 2009 – Sunday 7 February 2010) is a fantastic exhibition that highlights some of the most wonderful eco-friendly designs currently available. Such items range from new floorings to fabric made from milk fibres (with ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ as its mantra) – it truly is a must see for anyone looking to revamp their home whilst simultaneously aiding the environment. On the theme of environment I decided to take the bus to the museum – although it wasn’t the hardest decision seeing as I do not drive…
Image credit: The Geffrye Museum
So, what did I get out of my visit? I left with the sense that everything in life is in transit – what was ‘in’ in 1960 was considered hideous in 1990 and is considered retro and daring today. Therefore, my visit consolidated my pre-existing idea that design must be daring – if you see it and you like it, go for it and, if you keep it for long enough, it will eventually draw a compliment!
Also worth mentioning for the mothers and fathers amongst you, the Geffrye is extremely child friendly with a wonderful cafe and a specially designed children’s area ideal for any budding interior designers! The shop has very cute selection of ceramics, books, postcards and even a ‘learn to weave’ kit for the kids – definitely something to keep them busy over the half term!
Address: 136 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, London E2 8EA
Tel No: 020 7739 9893 Web: www.geffrye-museum.org.uk
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday and Bank Holiday Mons 12noon – 5pm
Travel: Buses: 149, 242, 243, 67 or 394
Tube: Liverpool St, then bus 149 or 242/Old St (exit 2), then bus 243
Monday’s News: An aMUSEing Eco-house, a Seamless Spa, and Sexy Socks! 19 October, 2009
Posted by Bethany Wrede Peterson in Bethany's blog, Daily news.Tags: bathroom, chair, closet, desk, diy, Eco, laundry, socks, spa, space-saving
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Welcome to the work week, everyone! In the latest news, PM Gordon Brown has warned of UK climate catastrophe; Royal Mail is slinking away for strike meetings; and Scotland’s pride, Rikki, got the boot on the X-Factor (sigh!). All is not lost, however, folks. We here at mydeco have some (really important) news that will alleviate your case of the Mondays!
Here, for your cloudy-day pleasure, are our top 3 picks:
1. The Telegraph: MUSE’s Devon Eco House Up for Grabs
If you’ve ever wanted to live like a rock star, (and let’s face it, who here hasn’t?) here’s your chance! Whether you’re a fan of MUSE or not, this eco-home is now back on the market. Can’t afford it? That’s okay – the really good news is that eco-chic just became much hipper.
Image Credit: The Telegraph
2. Design Milk: Furama Hotel Spa by Formwerkz
All this depressing news makes me want to head straight to the spa…in Singapore! Well, I may not be able to actually go, but we can all get some awesome bathroom inspiration from this super-cool seamless getaway.
Image Credit: Design Milk
3. The Independent: The Joy of Socks!
And speaking of seamless, you’ll be blissed out to find that you’ll be able to keep those summer skirts out of storage afterall! Seems that socks are a hit this season – especially those with a little bling. If splurging on Miu Miu’s embellished pair will break the bank, dust off that Bedazzler, and DIY. You may have to hand wash, but hanging these up will make your laundry room and closet a little bit brighter.
Image Credit: The Independent
And here’s the best of the rest:
The Times: Let Them Eat Cake! Agent Provocateur’s Serena Rees’ Bakery of Decadence
The Times: Renovating on the Cheap: Worth Every Penny
The Guardian: Yay! A Sunday Roast Revival For Those Hibernating Months
The Guardian: Is This a Good Time to Splash Out on Solar Energy?
The Independent: French Twist: how one couple brought a touch of the avant garde to the Languedoc
dornob: The Ultimate DIY! Modular Office Furniture: Wood Box Stroage, Desk and Chair
MoCo Loco: Retail Therapy: L’Eclaireur Paris by Arne Quinze
The Cool Hunter: The Lego Kitchen!
If rock stars with an eco-conscience, seamless spas, and sequined socks aren’t enough to lift your Monday spirits, perhaps these other stories on Agent Provocateur’s bakery, penny-saving reno secrets and the Lego kitchen (!!!) have done the job. If nothing else, don’t fret – we’ll be back at it tomorrow.
Wednesday’s news: A grassy table and a seriously sustainable building 7 October, 2009
Posted by katykimbell in Daily news.Tags: Eco, graphic design, grass, Green, philippe stark, sir terence conran
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There’s an extra-special buzz in the air at mydeco this morning. We’ve all been cleaning up our desks and trying to look our very best because Sir Terence Conran and Philippe Stark are in the office! To get the full low-down as to why these two design gurus are gracing us with their presence, I recommend that you check out our blog later in the day…
So in the meantime, let’s get down to business and take a look at what’s moving and shaking in the world of design today.
dornob: Eco friendly coffee table grows greener with every spill!
Image credit: dornob
Anyone who is clumsy will understand just how frustrating it really is. I mean it’s not as if we mean to drip tea bags, break nice wine glasses or spill food down our fronts, it just sort of happens. And the worst of it is, the harder you try to control yourself, the clumsier you become. Well I’ve found the perfect solution for any suffering maladroit. Now you can spill drinks to your heart’s content – not only will you be nourishing the ‘air plant’ table, but you’ll also be upping your green credentials.
dornob: Taking wood cabin’s to another level
dornob: The Most Luxurious Hand-Woven Rug Money Cannot Buy
The Times: Confidence returns to the property market
The Times: How to turn a medieval barn into a modern home with all the mod cons
Cool Hunting: New book ‘One Day’ takes a look at our digital generation
Image credit: Cool Hunting
Published by Index Books and compiled by Danish graphic designer Emil Kozak, One Day takes a comprehensive look at how graphics have entered our daily lives and adorn everything from alarm clocks to skateboards. Take a look at this book review and learn how graphics have become the ‘visual soundtrack to our lives.’ Pretentious or what?!
The Guardian: Hilary Mantel wins the 2009 Booker prize
She was the bookies favourite to win, but Hilary Mantel still deserves high praise for winning the Booker prize last night. Everyone loves the Tudors so what could be better than a fictionalised novel about the mysterious life of Thomas Cromwell?
The Independent: The exhibitionist’s shopping list- what to buy at the best museum shops
Inhabitat: The first energy positive office building
Image credit: Inhabitat
mydeco is feeling decidedly eco-friendly today so we’ve picked out yet another green story. These days all architects are sustainability-minded, but we’d like a drum roll for the Arte Charpentier Architects who are the very first group to build an entirely energy positive office building. The office building is so well designed that it creates more energy than it consumes. Inspirational.
Design Milk: Introducing the Punk Jewellery Chair
Vivienne Westwood is living proof that punk will never go out of fashion. Give your furniture a bit of attitude by taking a look at the Punk Jewellery Chair.
Voilà that’s all we have time for today, but lookk forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Thursday’s news: Hot, Hong Kong hotels, revamped ceramics and the pouffe that plays pop 17 September, 2009
Posted by lucindamydeco in Daily news.Tags: Capsule collection, ceramics, damien hirst, Eco, exhibitions, Helsinki Design week, Lily Allen, Music Chocolate pouffe, V&A, Whoopi Goldberg
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As London Design Festival creeps closer we’ve had an even beadier eye on the press for the very latest interior and design news. Here are today’s tasty tidbits. Grab a cuppa and enjoy!
The Guardian: The V&A opens revamped ceramics collection
Image credit: The Guardian
Not long after I moved to the big smoke, I headed to the V&A to browse their huge collection of ceramics. The ceramics were lovely. The dark and dingy rooms where they languished were not. Now, they’re getting a new lease of life. On Friday, the V&A will open its revamped and reorganised collection in beautiful, sun-filled rooms on the 6th floor. Expect delights such as a 600-year-old Chinese red-glazed wine cup from the Ming period, cups and saucers made around 1220 and buried for 800 years, and a wealth of British pottery, including a commemoration of the 1833 abolition of slavery. Not to be missed. And if that’s not enough, check out our top ten pottery picks – Ellie’s tribute to her favourite film star potter, Patrick Swayze.
The Guardian: Damien Hurst is caricatured by teenage rival
The Times: Sprucing up your garden is a sure fire way to sell
The Times: New Aztec exhibition at the British Museum
Image credit: Moco Loco
‘Summer’s here and the time is right, for dancing in the streets’, warbled Martha and the Vandellas. Well summer’s over, but there can still be dancing. And since it’s too cold for dancing in the streets, why not try dancing in your seats with this musical pouffe? Music Chocolate is an upholstered, chocolate-coloured ottoman with an integrated sound system for your MP3 player. But that’s not all. You can also lounge while you listen in the matching musical chaise longue. With their retro Seventies feel and modern technical twist, we can’t wait to see the pieces in a week’s time when they exhibit at Tent London.
Moco Loco: Capsule collection has captured my heart
The Guardian: Sustainable cities are the solution
The Telegraph: Inside Lily Allen’s garden
Hooked on Houses: A sneak peek inside Whoopi Goldberg’s Soho loft
BBC News: Naked portrait wins £25,000 art prize
Daily Icon: Head to Hong Kong for the hottest new hotel
Image credit: Daily Icon
Love, love, love this new Hotel V by Studio OFF. Inspired by the idea of ‘roughness as a metaphor’, the hotel is full of contrasting textures and sleek, minimalist lines. Hands up who fancies a road trip to Wanchai to check it out?
Wallpaper*: What happened at Helsinki Design Week?
Wallpaper*: Fabulous sculptural chairs by Rick Owens
Design Week: Eco-laptop designed for the ladies
Design Week: Nightclub of the rich and royal gets a revamp
Crystal Club, a favourite haunt of Princes William and Harry, is set to unveil plush new interiors by Beirut-based Gatserelia Design. The new look is all satin-polished and brushed metals, and features colour-changing walls detailed with Middle Eastern calligraphy. Sounds lovely, but with a discerning (to put it mildly) door policy and security more thorough than a US airport, it’s unlikely we’ll get to ogle the revamp first hand (unless anyone knows Kate Middleton or Lily Allen?). Oh well – the club’s famous £2m lighting installation is on the scrap-heap now (a casualty of the revamp) so I’m not sure it’s quite up to my standards anyway! If anyone can get me in though…
Wednesday’s news: junk-mail art, quirky coffee tables and Heather Mills’ plan to cash in 16 September, 2009
Posted by lucindamydeco in Daily news.Tags: Andy Warhol, art, Breakfast at Tiffany's, coffee table, Dotmaison, Eco, Graham and Green, Heather Mills, pop art, vase
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The sun is back! Hurrah! No need for any tantalising tidbits of property gossip or news of the best products to cheer you up then, is there? Oh, there is? Go on then – you’ve twisted my arm…
The Telegraph: We love this new geometric coffee table
Image credit: The Telegraph
First up is this brilliant coffee table, spotted in The Telegraph by our intrepid news team. With its deep, espresso-coloured wood and quirky, retro shape, it’s a definite nod to the 70s trend our resident stylists have picked up on. Team with a Solitaire vase in red from Dotmaison to hit yet another of our favourite trends – ‘raw materials and glossy brights’.
The Telegraph: Crisis at the Royal Horticultural Society
The Telegraph: Anna Friel takes on the role of Holly Golightly
Design Week: RCA art bar gets a revamp
Trendhunter: 98 futuristic ideas for home decor
Check out this great trend spotting website that Steve, our resident online marketing guru, has found. Top of my futuristic wish list is the sofa that climbs walls. Very cool.
The London Paper: The ‘riot Hyatt’ has a makeover
Interior Design: Wastepaper wonders from eco-artists
Image credit: Interior Design
Who says print is dead? Eco-artists have found a more creative outlet for wastepaper and junk-mail than the recycling bin. This amazing collaged canvas from Sandhi Schimmel Gold is currently on show in Los Angeles at the Loft at Liz’s. Get more tips on making your home eco-chic in the eco section of our style magazine.
Interior Design: The camp fire goes chic
Interior Design: Who needs a lamp when you’ve got a luminous bedside table?
The top drawer of this lacquered wood nightstand from Brion Experimental pulls out to reveal a glowing, LED-illuminated acrylic box. Given my current obsession with lacquer, I’m very tempted by this little beauty. The only downside is that it makes buying that Graham and Green Jewel lampshade less easy to justify. I’m in quite the pickle.
The Real Estalker: Heather Mills ups sticks
Image credit: The Real Estalker
The lady the nation loves to hate, Ms Heather Mills, is selling her apartment on Bishop’s Avenue having owned it for less than a year. It’s a luxurious pad with marble floors, state of the art Poggenpohl kitchen and a master bedroom with a balcony. However, it seems Mills has followed other hapless celebs into the beige abyss, kitting the flat out in floor to ceiling neutrals. What has caused this celebrity aversion to colour? Not that it matters to Mills. Seemingly able to sidestep the gloomy property market, she stands to make £850,00 if the property sells at its asking price of £3,750,000. You’ve got to hand it to her – she certainly goes after what she wants.
The Evening Standard: The best new autumn homes
The Daily Mail: Erin Boag looks for The Good Life in Surbiton
BBC News: Warhol art collection is stolen
It’s the real life Thomas Crown Affair! A collection of 10 pieces worth several million dollars has been stolen from the house of businessman Richard Weisman. The portraits, created in the late 1970s, depict famous athletes including Muhammad Ali and OJ Simpson. A $1m reward has been offered for information leading to their recovery. Get your detective caps on pop art lovers!
Is this the house of the future? 12 August, 2009
Posted by lucindamydeco in Uncategorized.Tags: architecture, Awards, British Home Awards, design, Eco
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Image credit: Daily Mail
I’ve just found a great article about the shortlisted entries for the Lifetime Neighbourhoods category of the British Home Awards.
Designs in this category must be architecturally interesting, eco friendly but most importantly, flexible for all generations – think moveable walls and other ingenious accessibility solutions. And this year’s designs don’t disappoint.
My favourites include John Smith’s House, which can be added to or taken away in stages, Sunny-Side Up, which incorporates planters into its design to encourage the growth of home produce, and the Flat Pack House (above), which gives great views and a sense of security to older residents.
Check out the shortlisted entries and keep an eye out for the winner, which will be announced on September 17th.
