365 Objects Of Design

This week is turning out to be mostly dedicated to useful stuff. But that doesn't mean boring. I don't hold with the Marie Kondo theory of chucking everything out that doesn't spark joy, but there are certain useful things than can definitely improve life when they look good. Or some that are just good ideas

Oh it's a funny thing all that trend business. We are all influenced by it - it's impossible not to be - and after all you can only buy what's in the shops. But there are some things that, these days, I just know I like because I like them. I'm also, at the grand

As the internet becomes ever bigger with ever greater enticements to shop online from the comfort of our own homes, a small, but growing, backlash against the dominance of these virtual giants has begun. The High Street is finally fighting back. #shoplocal has over 14 million posts on instagram and customers (that's us) are enjoying

Now this post is more by way of an idea that I'm just putting out there, as my son would say. Something to muse on and see what you think. Then we can perhaps revisit in more detail later. So, on the basis that most of us still have chrome taps, can't afford brass and

This is something I am asked a lot so I thought perhaps it was time to address this here. Actually, that's not quite true. What I get actually asked is what is the BEST worktop. And that, I'm afraid is the wrong question. Because, like everything there are pros and there are cons. And only

Sennen recycled glass vase from Garden Trading for £24 I have never really paid much attention to vases having been quite happy to use the nearest jam jar or wine carafe but sometimes something a bit special is called for and when I backed the hoover into a large glass vase that had come with

Regular readers of these pages will know that one of the things that annoys me most about The Mad House is the radiator in the hall. When we moved in nearly eight years ago we had to convert the building from two flats back into one house. It was a massive job and we had

I know I said I wasn't going to do it but I keep being asked. So I've had to think about it and once I'd thought about it it seemed a waste of think not to include it here. And then when I was offered a set of images to do with my words it

One of the things I find myself constantly saying to clients is that they should have fun, be brave and don't be too sensible. Yes I appreciate that the sums of money are larger than, for argument's sake, a pair of sandals in a slightly risqué colour but that doesn't mean you have to stick

Last June I went to the Ikea headquarters for their annual Democratic Design event where they discuss the company and present new designs and designers to the gathered public made up of journalists, bloggers, writers and staff. superrock bemz x tom dixon cover for ikea delaktig, image by Megan Taylor shot on location in The Mad

So we're officially at that point in the year when time goes into warp speed. One minute January was taking about 642 days to pass and suddenly it's February and before you've had time to comment on how light it's getting, it will be March and Spring and the first quarter done. And for no

So there we were moaning about how long January was taking - especially those on the no booze, no meat, no spending, no fun, end of the spectrum when poof it was over. I'm assuming you'll all be rolling in the aisles tonight drinking wine, eating chicken and, just in case you have freed up

Every now and then someone comes up with something which is so deceptively simple and yet so brilliant that you wonder how we managed without it. Now today's "thing" isn't quite Google or sliced bread in its magnitude, but it's pretty damn clever  and, I think, may well become one of those things that anyone

Do you suffer from zero duvet at night? Do you wake up to find your partner has stolen all the covers and left you clinging to the far edge of the bed freezing? I know mine does. I am, allegedly, an unashamed duvet hogger, a stealer of covers, a thief in the night. I can't

Time for the regular monthly 10 best feature on this month there are eight. Because after a while they were all starting to look the same and I would rather show you eight good ones that 10 with two makeweights. So, console tables. Massively useful. Perfect for the huge house where you want to put

Sometimes the simplest things are best. Years ago (almost too many to count but let's go with 30 *gulp*) I spent a year living in Senegal in west Africa. We had a flat with almost nothing in it apart from a two ring hob, a bookshelf and a bed each. The beds were, what I

It might sound obvious, but these days you can have any colour sofa you want. And before you start saying that was always the case, I bet you would have hesitated before choosing a pale sofa if you have small children. Or are partial to a glass of red wine and a cup of black

I should probably apologise in advance for this post as it may be something of an enabler. I have just discovered that one of my favourite interior designers, Cassandra Ellis, has launched a range of paint. There are 18 gorgeous colours based around a neutral palette of soft whites, faded pinks, pale greys and a

It started, as it so often does, on Instagram. A couple of people - Sian Astley and Alex Steadman of The Frugality to be precise - included these tiles on their instastories and, as a long-time fan of patterned tiles, I was immediately keen to know where they came from. I was also intrigued to

Now listen carefully because this is one of those Objects of Design that is so of the moment that it's practically hitting you with its tail as you read. peacock handles from rockett st george So where to start. Let's keep this simple: 1 The flamingo is dead, long live the peacock which makes this