If delicate minimalist accessories are your thing, you might not want to read any further. Because here in the mydeco office we are going all-out crazy over US designer Jonathan Adler’s funky, chunky, maximalist chinaware.

And we are not alone: Heal’s stock his ranges, as do the V&A Shop, who rarely put a stylish foot wrong.

Image credit: mydeco (more…)

Love a trend? So do we. It’s been mayhem in the mydeco office this week as the new Spring/Summer 2010 collections are released. As fashion house Jigsaw partners with House of Fraser and OKA goes lacquer mad, it’s an exciting season – see my top ten collections hitting the market this month:

1. Dwell S/S 2010 – modern brights

Image credit: Dwell (more…)

Image credit: Heal’s

This week high street giant Heal’s hits an impressive 200 years old.

As part of the celebrations, eighteen students from UCL’s fine art school Slade will have their work exhibited in the windows of the chain’s flagship store on Tottenham Court Road.

But these aren’t just any old window display collaborations: they are interactive, letting shoppers participate in a variety of artistic activities, and will either be sold to customers or given to the V&A after seven days. (more…)

Image Credit: mydeco

Next year Heal’s celebrates its bicentenary, and to mark the milestone the high street favourite is launching Heal’s Rediscovers, an exclusive collection of furniture and accessories by some of the best British designers around.

Celebrations began a couple of weeks ago at ultra trendy Whisky Mist in Mayfair, and mydeco TV was there (of course) getting the inside scoop on the limited edition pieces in the new collection.

We had an amazing evening chatting to the designers and eating one or two (hundred) mini burgers. We thought it would be rude not to join in the celebrations!

Image Credit: mydeco

Inspired by key pieces and periods in Heal’s extensive history, the first Rediscovers collection launched last month, with pieces by Tom Dixon, Kay+Stemmer and Wales & Wales to name but a few.

A second collection will launch in Spring 2010 and a third in the Autumn. But we managed to find out that award-winning designer John Reeves is creating a reclaimed aluminum and teak bench. Head over to mydeco TV now to find out more about his design and to watch our exclusive interviews with all the designers involved.

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Last night Heal’s began its bicentenary celebrations with a star-studded bash in Mayfair’s exclusive Whisky Mist – and the mydeco gang was on the guest list.

Image credit: Heal’s

To celebrate 200 years in the business, the legendary store has not only launched a book ‘Heal’s: 200 years of Design Inspiration’, but has also invited seventeen top designers to create something new and unique, using Heal’s rich history for inspiration. The first seven pieces from the exclusive bicentenary collection were on display last night, the designers were up for chatting, and mydeco had exclusive video coverage. You’ll soon be able to check out all of the interviews from the bash on mydeco TV, but I thought I’d whet your appetite with a few tantalising tidbits.

First up on the mydeco sofa was Johnny Egg (above) whose down to earth and humble character is worlds apart from his kooky and attention-grabbing designs. His lacquered Vanity dresser, with its hot pink, flocked interior and secret inscription was a firm favourite amongst the other designers. This stunning piece is due to hit mydeco very soon – I’ll let you all know as soon as it arrives!

Image credit: Heal’s

We also spoke to the lovely design duo Wales and Wales who designed the Slice range  – beautiful, multi-purpose, black walnut furniture with contrasting lacquered orange accents. They revealed how they work so well together (“Rod does what he’s told!”) and spoke to me about their excitement at having some of their pieces acquired by the V&A museum.

And here’s a mydeco exclusive for you: John Reeves (above), the erudite Lancastrian designer behind the iconic Louis range revealed that his piece for the collection – yet to be released – will probably be an oak and cast aluminium bench. You heard it here first!

I had a brilliant night examining the pieces up close and chatting to the masterminds behind them. The passion they show for their work is totally contagious. Heal’s certainly know how to throw a good do – it’s just a shame I won’t be around for their 300th birthday!

Love it or hate it, the iconic brand Marmite is hijacking the home shops next season.
As new Autumn/Winter collections filter onto the shelves this week, it’s impossible to ignore the widespread recognizable iconography of Marmite.

Image credit: John Lewis
“People want it in other parts of their lives beyond just on their bread,” Noam Buchaltr, Marmite’s marketing manager, told me yesterday.

Get baking – and nostalgic – with these three cute Marmite cake tins (£29.99) from notonthehighstreet.com.

Image credit: notonthehighstreet.com
Forward thinking stores, including Heal’s, Fenwicks, John Lewis and Debenhams, are going mad for Marmite – keep your eyes peeled as Marmite teapots, trays and kitchen collection hit the high street in the next few weeks. That’ll be my mate, Marmite.
And have a good cup of tea in a Marmite mug (£7.99) from On the table.

Image: On the table

For more, read my article in The Independent: A fine spread

Fashion designer Tom Ford is known for being many things: decadent, sexy, an all-round agent provocateur…His designs put the glamour back into fashion, so it comes as no surprise that the interior of his former Chelsea home, practically untouched since he moved five years ago, screams glamour. It also comes as no surprise, given his unfaltering loyalty to the black suit and white shirt combo, that he stuck to a monochrome palette in almost every room of the house.

Image Credit: The Real Estalker

The four-storey property will by no means be to everyone’s taste. Glamourous? Yes. Practical? No. While Ford preserved the original period details on the outside of the house, the interior has been transformed into a modern mecca of strong lines, shiny surfaces, marble floors and stainless steel.

The entrance hall (top right) is a visual treat for design devotees, where black glass walls reflect a labyrinth of stark white staircases. How he kept those walls smudge/fingerprint free is beyond me.

The colour scheme continues in just as bold a fashion in the dining room, as do the would-constantly-need-polishing materials. Black stained walls meet a white marble floor, night-dark chairs surround a chunky white table, and a charcoal sofa sits in the bright bay window.

I would have thrown some colourful cushions on the window seat, like these silk taffeta ones (£28) from Graham and Green to add a bit more character. And for a twist on Ford’s choice of dining chairs, Orla Kiely’s classic style with bright cushions from Heals . Monochrome palettes look great with subtle hints of colour. Check out these rooms for ideas.

Glossy black walls and winter white accents invade the main bedroom (below left) as well. I would have made the most of the natural light coming in from that huge window and gone with creams and pastel colours to create a tranquil room.

Image Credit: The Real Estalker

One of only two bedrooms, the master suite takes up the whole of the second floor. There is a welcome (in my opinion) break from the panda theme in the all-white bathroom. A narrow walk-in wardrobe (I say narrow, it’s probably the size of my kitchen!) leads off from the bathroom, where Ford’s penchant for black and white returns with a maze-patterned rug. If you’ve been inspired to embrace the monochrome look, Heal’s has a lovely Designers Guild black/white rug (£700).

In the kitchen, Ford’s love affair with all things shiny continues. The entire back wall and lower cabinets have been done in stainless steel, accompanied by, yes you guessed it, a snow-white work island. Black is kept to a minimal in here, but small splashes do find their way in.

The house has a vey distinct style. It’s a bit like Marmite I think, you’ll either love it or you’ll hate it. And with a cool £8.5m price tag, you’d have to love it!

Keep pennies in your pocket by taking advantage of Heal’s fantastic Summer Sale which starts today and lasts until 26 July. Sale madness really is upon us as Heal’s is offering up to 50% off their products both online and in-store. There are even additional offers such as 10% off sale and non-sale items until 25 June if you use the promotions code PD0609 at the online checkout. A brilliant incentive to start bargain buying immediately. And there’s no need to tire out your heels (cringey pun intended!) or heave through the crowd of sale die-hards. Simply peruse their bargains to your heart’s content and from the comfort of your own home with a little help from mydeco:

Heal's Luca walnut dining table is a bargain and looks great with yellow accessories

Spend more money on the food when you save on Heal’s Luca dining table in oak as well as American walnut. Heal’s have surpassed their sale offer as these tables both have a huge discount of 51% and are now £845 and £945, respectively. Complete the set with the Luca dining chairs in walnut with leather seats, now £145. Heal’s Moda range is also in the summer sale. The ultra modern high gloss white Moda dining table is now £895 and the dining chairs in brown leather are £175 each. If you’re looking for sleek and modern bedroom furniture, look no further than the Strip range, such as this four drawer wide chest which has been reduced to £895 from £1,795, or bedside table, half price at £250. The Strip range of furniture is also available in white high gloss lacquer and the Strip white wardrobe is more than half price at £1,195, as is the Strip kingsize bed frame at £895. If you want something more traditional, the Warwick range is made from natural ash wood. The five drawer chest is now £695 and the Warwick wardrobe ash finish is £895. The whole Warwick range has 50-51% off the original price, including the kingsize bed frame in walnut stained ash wood (£695). And you can snuggle up in a colourful Kaleido kingsize bedlinen set for only £90. Equally as colourful are the Christy Island Sea Rimini bath towel (£20) from Heal’s is also available in bright pink and white. Douppion silk cushions (£20) are also available in exotic Cassis, Indigo, bright red, sunset orange and Kingfisher blue as well as others. Why choose just one? With these huge discounts, such brilliant bargains will cushion both your house and your purse.