Visu Wooden Chair by Muuto

A friend came round yesterday asking if I could help her with some thoughts for her house renovation. It’s a big job which has meant they’ve had to move out for six months ( I think it might be nine but I haven’t told her that). It’s currently a moot point whether she thinks refurbishing an entire house or having another baby is the more stressful.

She turned up with three bags full of samples and plans and magazine clippings and notebooks and we had an utterly delicious time drinking coffee and eating homemade pate on toast while putting together some fantasy colour schemes that would tie all the rooms together while, at the same time, giving each one its own identity.

Her house will be amazing when it’s done and I can quite see that her plans may result in tweaks to my own. People always ask me if I am constantly tempted to change my house and I used to say: No, no no don’t be ridiculous I know what I like and I’m quite fixed in my ideas.

It’s lies, all lies. I could happily tweak and change and alter little details every single day. There’s always something new I see that I love. But, luckily for me (and my husband) I have this Mad House where I can share everything I find with you so nothing goes to waste because if I can’t have it then perhaps some of you can. So todays’ share is these wooden dining chairs from Muuto.

I have –  wouldn’t you know it – been contemplating some black dining chairs for some time now. We have perfectly good chairs so it’s not high up the list but ours are ivory coloured. And I think black would look better with the table and the whole room. If I’m going to be really honest I’m currently harbouring a dream of dark olive green chairs and, left to my own devices with a blank cheque, that is probably what I would choose, but I’m aware that that might be today’s fantasy and in two years time I might have moved on so I’ll stick to black for now.

I make it a point of principle to be realistic in my fantasies. I have never been able to spend time dreaming of running away with George Clooney unless I can actually come up with a scenario where I might actually meet him first. And once you’ve spent 20 minutes struggling with the concept of him actually being at the bread counter in Waitrose at the same time as you, the heat’s gone out of it rather.

So, new chairs. Ain’t gonna happen. But just in case the winning lottery ticket does drop through the letterbox in the next day or two. Or, failing that, some rich old aunt who I’ve never heard of, never met, so won’t actually grieve for, turns out to have left me a large house in Kensington that I can sell (because I’m not moving to Kensington, it would be really inconvenient for the kids’ schools. See still being practical) I’m putting these on the list. In black. Although that is rather a pretty green….

And talking of green. If anyone’s looking for a lush dark version for their walls, have a gander at this Tarrytown by Benjamin Moore.  My friend is going to look at it for her dining room. It’s just gorgeous. I need a new room…..