Textiles genius Clarissa Hulse has teamed up with Harlequin to create a beautiful new collection of wallpapers and fabrics called Kallianthi. The name comes from the Ancient Greek for 'wild flowers' and of course the range features her signature botanical graphics. In fact, most of Clarissa's designs are inspired by real plants that she has spotted and photographed while on countryside walks.
The designs in the Kallianthi collection are all beautiful - some bold, some serene. All come in a dazzling variety of colourways, combining the bright shades of fuchsia, chilli or turmeric with muted neutrals such as pewter, putty or pebble.
This stunning watercolour wallpaper - Demeter Stripe - has just been named 'Best Wallpaper over £40' at the Homes & Gardens Fabric Awards. Hang it horizontally for a fabulous sunset effect.
Have you heard of Reiko Kaneko? She is a ceramics designer who combines the best of English (bone china and eccentricity) with Japanese (kawaii-ness). She is causing a stir in the design world with her work, which is at once witty, practical and beautiful. Everything is made in Stoke-on-Trent - the home of British pottery. Have a look for yourself...
The Boat
Heart Collection - a reflection of the handle is subtly screenprinted onto the cup to create the image of a heart
The Breakfast Express
Petal Plates - designed for the numerous sauces that accompany Japanese meals
The lucky buyers at Plümo travel the world to find beautiful artisan goods for you to put in your home. And guess what - they've got a sale on! Just look at these bargains!
This Fairtrade wooden toadstool nutcracker would make a great gift. Was £33, now £18
Palekh boxes - traditional lacquer boxes depicting Russian fables. Handmade in Russia. Was £39, now £15
Not a teapot but a Fairtrade watering can, made in India. Was £35, now £19
Fairtrade sisal placemats, hand-woven by a women's cooperative in Bangladesh. Was £9, now £5.95
Dowry boxes, handmade in Northern India from recycled metal. They are bigger than they look - the square one is 41cm high and the rectangular one is 59cm long. Was £119, now £75.
I'm very excited to tell you that I am now a member of the Natural History blogging team! The blog is over at http://naturalhistory.typepad.com and there's a bunch of us who blog about different topics. My subject is design history, looking at various styles and techniques, and you can read my posts on Monday mornings at 10.
I was already a big fan of Natural History (the actual shop is in Oxford and the website is called Origin of Style) so it's an honour to be part of it. It's a treasure trove of unique pieces and unusual, beautiful homewares. The founder, Sarah, says she spent a lot of her youth in the Museum of Natural History in Dublin, so much of the shop's collection is inspired by such things as birds, entomology and Victorian taxidermy!
Here are my top seven wonderful things to be found at Natural History (it was going to be my top five but I couldn't narrow it down!)
Hummingbird prints (set of six, unframed), £25
Hummingbird cushions, £70
I would love to swan about my house wearing this fabulous silk robe. Possibly while pretending to be Margot from The Good Life and drinking a martini.
Coral printed silk robe, £120
Beetle tea towel, £12
This luxurious blanket would make a brilliant gift for anyone.
This is probably one of the most incredible things you will ever see.
If you haven't seen the bowerbird in action before, I highly recommend watching this clip from the BBC's Life series. The male bowerbird builds a structure and decorates it with brightly coloured objects in order to attract a mate. The structure alone is highly impressive, using pillars to hold up the curving roof, but the bird's collecting and decorating behaviour is astonishing. The male collects great piles of small objects, placing them around the entrance to the bower to make it attractive to females. Each male has his own taste in décor, favouring certain colours over others, and will choose flowers, leaves, stones, feathers, shells, berries, fungus, charcoal, dung or even shiny beetles (which have the disadvantage of not staying where they are placed) to achieve the desired effect. Some birds will use man-made objects which have been discarded in the area, such as plastic, glass, nails, coins or rifle shells, spending hours arranging their collections in the hope of seducing a mate.
Here's the video. Perhaps you could pass it on to any lonely bachelors you know.
I particularly like the male's celebratory dance at the end.
Decorating and the art of seduction: tips from the bowerbird
Mexico is one hot trend for garden this summer. This is a fantastically vibrant, playful look that's perfect for outdoor summer celebrations. It's time to take down the Union Jack bunting and get the fiesta going with some Mexican-inspired accessories for your garden.
