Tagged: storage

August 1, 2017

For Katerina x

We’re back on English soil, but more of that later – because I was chatting to a friend yesterday trying badly to describe these shelves – part of the new collaboration between Ikea and Hay.

There’s an air of lust permeating from them that suggests a potential design classic: Perfect for a kids bedroom, ideal for an office, there’s an intriguing play between focal point and curated clutter.

And at a mere £12?? Why not have 3….The only fly in the ointment is waiting till October when they actually hit the shops.

Damn.

Laters, Kate x

August 4, 2016

Sitting room storage..

Sometimes I dabble, sometimes I dream through half-closed eyes looking at the offending room, or in this case, corner of a room wondering what trick will create the magic. The present corner in question is in the sitting room which is less hipster chic more family mess with the tv balanced on an unloved old side table, multiple plugs, leads and consoles plus a most unattractive plastic box filled with…tat. So instead of chaos I think of clever storage and chic solutions…..and it’s vintage wall units all gently glowing with decades of love and charm that focus into view.

(You can spot the offending item next to the yellow chair in the lefthand corner)

TV’s are always problematic – large, black, ugly they dominate a room. I sorted it in our cellar cinema room (aka The Underworld) by darkening the walls and designing a specially made fireplace that sneakily both hid all the cables and opened up to reveal the dvd player, set boxes as they were needed…the front has a grill that drops down for easy access but also works closed as you can change channels etc through the mesh. It’s been a revelation.

The storage needs to be practical and beautiful so the current thought is to go for a Poul Cadovius style wall unit. The appeal is the simple design and it’s flexibility – the shelves/cabinets can be arranged in any order.

I’m thinking the cabinet with sliding doors, like the one above, could sit with it’s back cunningly removed over the plugs on the wall and hide all the leads and house the dvd/etc (I refuse to get rid of my dvds..one day they’ll be like vinyl. Promise.) And then, because it’s deeper, the TV could also sit on top…even be angled.

The rest of the shelves could be then arranged above.

I think it’s a solution. Can it be a reality?

Laters, Kate x

April 27, 2016

RE x

If I was a shop I’d be RE: A magical place where global unloved items hit emotional science and are transformed into objects of desire…like these laundry baskets and washing up bowls made from recycled plastic in Senegal.

Pure fireworks for the kitchen.

How delicious? These baskets are made by the Mixtec people of Mexican mashing traditional palm weaving with unwanted plastic.

And there are recycled tin cans from Peru, all given new life. A plant pot – or a pen pot? The choice is yours.

You head to the site for storage ideas..and end up being amazed by cunning delights like these lights…designed to hold a tea-light and convert any bottle into a table lamp…genius.