Designing a Nursery – an initial concept
I have started work designing a nursery this week. The brief was simple:
- “A space that is about fun, joy of life, exploration and adventure…”
- “A world that is full of opportunities”
- “And something that is fun for the parent to be in and release their inner child”
The seed of an idea, like a small child, is a fragile thing. It needs to be nurtured so that it has a chance to grow to its full potential. Whilst not all my initial thoughts and ideas will make the final design, I like to give them a chance to see where they may go and indeed how they might grow.
My first step is to create a mood board to help put all the ideas into a more coherent design concept (and eventually the final board will be something to show to the parents to get them excited).
As with any design I think it is good to take the overall theme and work on the key pieces. Once they are sorted the focus will shift to the smaller details that are vital to really finish the space.
I like to work with what already exists in a space to try and see if there is an opportunity to build a relationship between the inside and the outside.
In this case the house is surrounded by trees so the concept is going to be a picnic in the forest… Continue reading
A little bit of cool by the Vintage Fridge Company
I think there is something wonderful about an obsolete but beautiful item being brought back to life. Take the old Ice Boxes of the 1850′s to 1940′s – before the introduction of the electric refrigerators, these helped revolutionise the standard of living for the everyday person.
We take it for granted now that our food can be kept fresher for longer but back then this was something new and amazing.
Sitting proudly in my local vintage store is an old Ice Box. I like things with a past. I enjoy thinking about their story – where has it come from, how far has it travelled, who were the previous owners… and in the case of this Ice Box, I love its worn hardwood doors and heavy duty handles – it’s so delightfully wabi sabi. Continue reading
Mr Cooper Pendant Light by Coco Flip
I really believe 2012 will be the year of the artisan & craftsman. One of the shining lights in the Australian design world is the every talented Melbourne designer Kate Stokes of Coco Flip. Her philosophy in design is based on the Swedish word “Lagom” which roughly translates as “just right”.
It is said the word came from the Viking era to describe how much mead you should drink as the horn was passed around, but I digress…
Whilst there is definitely a place for chrome and glass, it is copper that I love. Be it a chair by Thomas Heatherwick, a unique bowl or in the case of Coco Flip’s latest bit of magic the Mr Cooper Spun Copper Pendant Light…
Mr Cooper spun copper pendant light by Coco Flip (image by Haydn Cattach from Coco Flip)
New Year’s Resolution
On a cold January morning 5 years ago at a Metro station in Washington DC this man took out his violin and set up to busk.
Busker on the Washington DC metro
For about 45 minutes he played six pieces beginning with Chaconne by the legendary German composer Johann Bach. During that time, approximately 2,000 people passed by, most of them on their way to work.
People flowed by consumed by their day ahead, caught up in their own world. The occasional person paused for a few moments to listen but then raced on by. Continue reading