Rope Coat stand

Sometimes I will be browsing and I see something that just makes me pull a “Erm…what?!” kind of face. This then turns into a “Well I need to know more” stage, and then once I have learnt more a “Haha that’s amazing!!”. Which Is why I write this blog so I can share these inspirational moments with you all! Today this chain of events has occurred when I saw this bizarre standing rope. At first I thought It was attached to both floor and ceiling, but no…it’s stands completely alone. It’s like Houdini has returned just to boggle my mind a little with a standing coat stand rope.

That’s right, this is actually a coat stand, or a hat stand or somewhere to put your jewelry, whatever you wish, but how cool is it! I have no other words than my mind is boggled. And Please to anyone who knows how this is done…I am choosing to not ponder on it so my mind stays baffled by this brilliant and witty piece of design (So don’t tell me! Thank you) It comes from the designers at Italian company Opinion Ciatti by their designer Lapo Ciatti. Gravity defying products seem to be creeping into the market at the moment, so keep you eye out for this new trend.  You can see it all right here.

Sophie xo

Engineer's Signal Clock

Being a fan of transport means that every time I see something that is remotely related too trains, tubes or basically all things transport I get all giddy. I’m not sure why but there is something that really appeals to me about the industrial look that is really popular at the moment. The mix of history and vintage combine to make strong and bold looking objects. So when I found this genius little clock it was right up my street. Inspired by an engineer’s signal clock, this little number features two faces, one a black face with IDLE in a white font, and on the reverse a white face with GO in a black font. It suspends from the ceiling so you can see both faces from different angles. I love how quirky this bad boy looks, and in an open plan living space would be a cool way of breaking it up a little. I think this one is definitely going on my ever-growing birthday list. You can buy it here at CB2.

Sophie xo

Paul Loebach

One thing I just can’t seem to resist at the moment is a good statement light. Whether it’s a chandelier, wall scone, pendant light or table lamp, I just cant seem to get enough! I have just discovered even more brilliant light designs by Paul Loebach. His work is abstract and pushes the boundaries of what is possible with the material he uses. I am in particular a massive fan of his lights. His Himmeli chandelier is full of diamond inspired shapes, but has a strong and bold outline of black, creating an in your face light, yet still holds a delicacy to it. I also love his beautifully sensitive Halo, a series of golden looking rings actually form an LED light, that literally glows like a halo. His work with furniture is also insanely beautiful, but it’s his lighting that has got me falling in love! See his website here.

Sophie xo

An angel at my table

Earlier today I was casually flicking through a magazine and I saw some pretty beautiful looking bowls. They where a set of little rice bowls with flowers on and I thought ‘I got to browse this’. But little did I know what would be in store for me when I visited An angle atmy table, as naïve as I was I thought they would just be some bowls, maybe some mugs. But no I was confronted with hundreds of amazing and sometimes crazy things and after browsing for at least an hour (sorry Uni work) I decided I wanted a long list of things.

An angel at my table is a tiny company consisting of 7 family members and their dog, they work tirelessly to keep their website and products up to date. Now comes a big decision, which products do I pick to show you?! So many pretty things, so little time. So first I suppose should really be the rice bowls I saw to begin with! These adorable little hand printed bowls have a strictly far east vibe coming off them, they are £19.50 for three, not too shabby! Next up is this completely amazing if completely bonkers wall scone, featuring a very wonderful parrot. It is part of their exotica range and is £205 they come in pairs but are sold separately, it features handmade flowers and is a life size parrot. Then I have added on a few more of my favorite bits, have a cheeky look just here, you won’t be disappointed I promise!

Sophie xo

Ps: I have just realised most of my examples are bird related...this is not intentional. 

Joseph Hoffman

Time for a little Sunday History lesson, on Joseph Hoffman. Hoffman has to be one of my favourite designers of the early 1900’s. He was an architect, designer and all round awesome man. Although for some his more famed work is in architecture, for me it’s his furniture. He designed the Kubus chair (below) and the Sitzmachine armchair, he also designed one of my favourite chandliers, the Serge chandelier (above).  Serge was the original chandelier at the Café Sabarsky in New York, made of small glass beads this design perfectly reflects the Art Deco style of the time. It’s elegant, big and is one serious statement piece. I have found a website called Woka, that perfectly reproduce classic light pieces, and serge is there (Yay). I am also a massive fan of this pendant light also from Hoffman, I love the long chain with the star like finish, this would look amazing in a bathroom. Everything Hoffman designed oozed elegance and his lighting is no different. Have a look on Woka, for some brilliant little numbers.

Sophie xo

Trainspotters

You remember me saying just the other day, about how wonderful it feel when you get that smug feeling of having a story to a piece. Today I am revisiting that smug feeling in the form of these brilliant industrial light and furniture from Trainspotters. Trainspotters is a company that specialise in all thnigs industrial and salvaged. They have a wide range of lights, different furniture and interiors such as clocks. They are pretty unique in that they buy in bulk, so they have around 20 of each light, if you are looking to decorate a pub or shop it’s an absolutely perfect unique look. I am particularly in love with this green enamelled dome pendant, from the 30’s/40’s it  brings a bright pop but mixes it with a rough and raw edge. Prices vary, but for this bad boy it is around £240 + VAT, for something that there is only another 20 of, I could go for one of these.  Unfortunately they do not do any online sales, but they update their catalogue regularly so have a cheeky look.

Sophie xo

Deckstool

After my earlier post of animal cushions, I have been put in fun and cheeky mood. One of the best feelings when looking for house things, are products that are really personal and have a story behind them. Why you bought them/love them/where you found them etc. There is nothing like having someone ask where you got a particular item and you can tell them a story behind it, not just “It's from Ikea” (not that I have anything against Ikea). So when I saw these brilliant recycled skateboard stools and benches, that feeling of the smug story teller popped right into my head.

These little beauties are from Deckstool, a company who specialise in making you board into a piece of art. You can buy them ready made, or send in your own and they can do them up for you. They are a brilliant and fun addition to the coolest of homes, and I love how they are so personal. It's times like this that I wish I was actually sporty, and could skateboard. I have - to say the least - not got very good balance so pretty sure I would fall off a skateboard straight away, but I feel confident I could sit on one of these without hurting my bum! Check out their Etsy store and their website for more info.
Sophie xo

Quietly Eccentric

I have decided I should really just start a feature on here, dedicated to animal cushions. The amount of animal related things I fall in love with is getting a little bit silly. But none the less, I am still going to share these absolutely adorable little pieces from Quietly Eccentric. Each piece is hand screen printer, and each piece is based around another little furry dog friend. I love the illustration style, a little scrappy and messy just like dogs! Each illustration appears on tote bags, cushions and mugs, I am especially in love with the totes. The pug in particular, just so many wrinkles! View the entire range being sold through not on the high street here.

Sophie xo

Alex Hammond tube table

Those of you who know me pretty well will know I have a weird ‘thing’ for the London Underground. Is it because my dissertation was on it, so I have been studying it for over a year now? Is it because it reminds me of being a kid? Or is it because it’s just really awesome and everyone should love it? Anything TFL related and I am just all over it, you may remember the Squint X London Transport Museum chair or the vintage train racks I covered a few months ago. This is another of those wonderful opportunities to share a piece of Transport love, in particular in the form of the map.

The tube map is particularly close to me, I love every element and aspect of it so when my boyfriend sent me this table from Alex Hammond I got sadly excited…I probably cried a little. It is a laser cut glass coffee table, stripped of all colour and text we are left with those iconic lines that create the pattern of the underground. With two layers of glass, one being the cut glass, it creates a perfect shadow of lines when lit from above. For me this is my idea of the perfect coffee table, check out more of Alex Hammond’s work here.

Sophie xo

Bacsac planters

Hello, hello this morning is looking a lot lighter and brighter than the miserable and rainy yesterday. You might remember a few days ago I told you all about a little book called The Balcony Gardener, ever since I started looking through the brilliant little tips and guides I have wanted to get my green thumbs on (despite my lack of garden). So I was trying to find a few ways of making that little green oasis without needing all that space and not using your conventional pot plant.

Bingo. I have found these brilliant Bacsac portable planter bags, they are just what you need to make a relaxing oasis garden indoors or out. They come in varied sizes and shapes. They are pretty pricey with a large three sectioned planter being £150. They are a brilliant and versatile way of creating your own little bit of paradise with a neutral and green look, I just love them and can’t wait to get my hands on some.  They are pretty tricky to get hold of but SCP in London sell them, and they have an online store.

Sophie xo