Time for new pans

[Image: Flickr]

Last night I stocked up the freezer with leek and potato soup made from my granny's home grown leeks. The fresh, crisp leeks tasted delicious raw. I felt sad cooking them but I knew I'd get better use out of them in soup. When I use store-bought leeks, the soup ends up a pale creamy colour with a slight green hue, but yesterday the soup was a vibrant pea green! I was quite worried my husband wouldn't eat it as it looked so unusual. It just goes to show that home grown vegetables have concentrated goodness in them.

One day, if/when I have a bigger kitchen, I'd love a whole collection of nice pots and pans. I think it would make cooking much more fun.

Simple & slightly retro

[Image credits: Desire to Inspire]

I think this is one of the most beautiful homes I've ever seen and I might be in love... It's simple but not boring; colourful yet calm; full of interesting pieces but not cluttered. Just the perfect balance of everything. I especially like the aqua and yellow bathroom!

Once again, I find myself craving more colour for my home!

Space of the week: Vintage Treasure

[Image credits: Kay Loves Vintage Flickr and Blog]

I wish I could step into these photos and relax in that lovely blue arm chair, sitting amongst all the vintage goodies. I love the subtle grey-purple wall colour in the first photo; it really brings the room to life and is perfectly balanced by accents of black and pops of colour.

Room 606, Royal Hotel Copenhagen

[Image credits: Flickr pool, Ultraswank, Smow]

Room 606 is the only hotel room with the original Arne Jacobsen décor from July 1960 when Royal Hotel Copenhagen first opened. It still functions as a normal hotel room: can you imagine waking up there one morning?! The blues and greens are so refreshing. I like the way the pictures have been hung in the simple frames and I can just imagine Arne calculating the perfect position. To me, this room is perfection.

Dandelion clocks

[Images: Sanderson. Available from John Lewis]

This new line of fabric and wallpaper by Sanderson is so pretty. It's a company that I would normally associate with more traditional designs, so it was such a surprise to see this fun Lucienne Day inspired dandelion print. I'd really like one of those cushions for my bed...

Juicy mid-century

[All images: Zoe Murphy website and blog]

I'm really loving these colourful designs by Zoe Murphy. She takes inspiration from her home town Margate, and reinvents midcentury furniture and recycles textiles. The designs are ethical and beautiful at the same time. She is a real inspiration as she only left university in 2008 and has already launched her own line!

Anyone for a cup of tea?

A few weeks ago I was swooning over pretty teacups, and a couple of days ago I found my very own set in a charity shop! I often see things I like but resist buying them, but I knew this was a treasure. I dashed back home to get a couple of strong bags, and literally ran back to the shop (and almost slipped on some snow). I don't think the two old ladies in the shop could understand why I was so pleased with a second hand tea service. But it's beautiful. I adore the bold teal/petrol blue colour against the crisp white, and the flower pattern is just perfect. It's by Johnson Bros is marked as Ironstone Snowhite and the pattern is Engadine, and it was produced in England during the mid to late '70s.

The whole set only cost £8! I bought: 6 cups, 5 saucers, 6 tea plates, 1 cake plate, tea pot, milk jug & sugar bowl! I'm might buy an extra cup and saucer on ebay to make up for the missing saucer, but I don't think I'll ever have 6 people for tea anyway. There's no sign of tea staining in any of the pieces, but the jug has some crazing on the glaze. My favourite piece is the teapot and it's now on display in my kitchen. Even my husband was impressed with my purchase, and that's saying something ;)

Space of the week: Mid-century modern

I squealed with excitement when I saw this home on Apartment Therapy last week. I LOVE it.. especially the white walls with the pops of colour, the shapes of the furniture, the way the artwork is arranged on the walls, and all those windows. I definitely need some more colour in my home!

Isn't it fun how he's incorporated a gallery into his home?

[Images: Apartment Therapy, Home of Dan Devening, Chicago]

Flickr favourite: H is for Home

1. Fancy a cuppa?, 2. vintage cup & saucer, 3. Vintage spice jars with rack, 4. 1950s metal bread bin, 5. vintage melamine mugs, 6. vintage Midwinter 'Tempo' casserole, 7. 'Black Velvet' tea trio, 8. Vintage Cathrineholm enamel kettle, 9. Cathrineholm 'Lotus' salt & pepper pots, 10. Vintage 1950s Palissy 'Regatta' coffee set, 11. Rorstrand 'Party' wicker handled teapot, 12. 1960s Cathrineholm coffee pot

I have a very small teacup collection (that I may post about sometime) but it's nothing compared to these beauties above! I was searching for Black Velvet Hostess tableware (7) which I've had my eye on for years, and came across H is for Home's stunning flickr photostream! Even though I don't actually drink coffee, I need the Cathrineholm blue coffee pot. Really, I do. It's just perfect. And I'd quite fancy a breadbin... It's not as fun storing bread in the fridge.

Update: Oh my... H is for Home has a website where they actually sell some of these retro kitchen items!!!

Aram Store = Heaven

Photo credits: Metrotwin, renaissancechambara on Flickr

Aram Store holds one of the largest ranges of modern furniture and design in London and was founded by Zeev Aram over 40 years ago. It's located in a massive five-storey fruit and vegetable warehouse and the array of design is breathtaking. To give you an idea: the chair section doesn't just have half a dozen chairs on display, but more like 20. In every colour. You can easily spend a few hours exploring everything. The great thing about it being a showroom and not a museum of design is that you're free to get up close to each piece and see how it works, how it feels to the touch, or how comfortable it is.

My favourite items available in the store are these rugs designed by Eileen Gray in the 1920s and 1930s that Aram Store has reintroduced to the market. I always find it astonishing how forward-thinking her designs are for the era she worked in.

Here's a fascinating interview filmed by Dezeen with the store founder, Zeev Aram, talking about the transformation of the design scene in London in the 1960s and why the endless supply of creative talent makes London so unique. It lasts about 8 minutes and is well worth listening to!



And finally, I'm very excited about MONDAY as I'll be posting the first edition in a mini-series about Charles & Ray Eames, so make sure you come back then! I won't be focusing on their designs as such, but on some other aspects that I find so appealing. I promise it'll be fun!

Retro Magazine Bargain

As I was leaving university today I noticed some old magazines for sale in the library. As I got closer I saw that the trolley was overflowing with copies of the Architectural Review from the 1950s. I got all hot and bothered, like I do when I'm in my favourite clothes shop and don't know where to look first. After about 30 minutes of rummaging I came away with 8 magazines for £2! The librarian said they'll be reduced to 10 for £1 next week. I think I'll need to bring in my wheelie suitcase to get them all home. I simply can't turn down such a deal.

I haven't looked through the magazines in any depth yet, but here are some quaint little adverts that I simply love. They are so simple and honest, unlike the manipulative adverts of today!




Architectural Review editions ranging from July 1951 - February 1959