Often times if you are in a conundrum with your scheme, colour, decoration, lighting or otherwise, then go for a wander. If you hit a brick wall and it happens all the time with moi, with how you want a room to look aside from trawling the web and amassing tear sheets from magazines go for a potter. I do it all the time, it fuels inspiration. For instance there is there super cool cafe in the Kingsland Road (name escapes me sorry) owned by a couple of French guys – genius store design, food yummy (coffee OK) but for once who cares about the coffee the ambience, the atmosphere the laid back casual vibe it permeates inspires all sorts of thoughts.
Likewise in Sydney last Sunday night had super at the latest, coolest, hippest hang out called Mr Wong’s. Now I felt right at home because it’s quite dark inside, brick walls, large but quite snuggly, cool lighting and again the atmosphere spot on. Same goes for pubs, stores, hole in the wall cafes figure out what makes them cool and capture some of that magic by taking home the essential ingredients. Design is a snooty old business and although I’m not telling anyone not to study it, sometimes you need to do a field trip on the ground to figure out what works rather than pouring over books. From experience the more you come away from the preconditioned rules and regs the more exciting a space becomes. Is it the lighting the makes a space cool, the style of furniture, the wall treatments, the scent – break it down, figure it out and capture some of the magic in your pad.
Pretty darn easy right?
For me,my inspiration comes from Merci in Paris (seen below) in my mind one of the coolest stores in the world. I hate overly designed spaces I want them to feel relaxed and effortless and this place totally nails it. From the paint colour to the lighting, to the rugs to the mismatched furniture. Kinda of now want to go to Paris for the weekend!
Happy Friday and weekend– for us on Saturday its a potter thru Notting hill with a wander over Hyde park first of course because the two M’s are obsessed with the swans and ducks on the Serpentine and love rolling in duck poop! Too much information, possibly, sorry ignore the last part, but if it makes them happy it makes me happy!
Oh and finally an image of my two assistants not the most get up and go couple on the block, their day involves quite a bit of snoozing, eating, chasing and snoozing again. Mention anything to do with work like maybe would they mind sending a few emails, possibly checking in some deliveries and its gets met with a response pretty much like below!
Mr Wong’s restaurant was recently refurbished and redesigned by an awesome Australian stylist, SIbella Court. She is also very good with dark and moody interiors – just like you!
Love Sibella Courts work
Great, a cool cafe to discover when I go to Paris in a few weeks! Looking forward to doing your class tomorrow week, seeing your work, getting inspired & visiting the cool cafe near you!
Have a great weekend Abigail!
Fab see you in a few days x
Loving the Merci store, who needs Deborah Bowness when you have real bookcases! Missed your blogs over the last week, glad your back! Still don’t know how you manage to get up so early, been getting up earlier myself but I’m absolutely knackered, think the key is to go to bed earlier, haven’t managed that yet!
After 10 pm if it makes you feel any better I can hardly string a sentence together!
Ha ha, that’s made me chuckle. You must set your alarm at 4am! eek
I ran across your blog just a month or so ago and have become completely addicted to your posts. Your style matches my taste perfectly and honestly, so few designers do. I love that you embrace the darker, warmer rooms that are cozy and casual, using unusual pieces as accents and lots of elegant sparkle. All the magazines seem to be full of the same old white/beige color schemes – so sterile and boring!!! I stare at your pumpkin colored velvets and rich colored walls. PLEASE don’t ever change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for your very kind words, an no worries re the changing front staying truely and utterly committed to the dark side
I enjoy your blog very much. I live in the Outer Hebrides and have two or three trips to London a year. One of my loves is interesting cafes and I wondered if you could remember the name of the cafe in Kingsland Road? I would love to visit it on my next trip.
I enjoy your blog very much. I live in the Outer Hebrides and have two or three trips to London a year. One of my loves is interesting cafes and I wondered if you could remember the name of the cafe in Kingsland Road? I would love to visit on my next trip.
I will have a think infact I will walk the dogs via it and get back to you remind me if I don’t as head a bit like a sieve these days, lovely place to live by the way
Coming to London for 3 day on Sunday. Any luck with cafe name? Sorry about repeating original question – it is the first time I have ever replied to a blog!!
Sorry its been so crazy that I haven’t had time to whizz past it and I’m teaching for the next few days, apologises.