In the Dining Room

So as this series of Objects of Design comes to a close (starting tomorrow it’s all about bathrooms) it seemed fitting to end with a candle holder. Now, as much as I love dining by flickering candlelight, I’m always terrified that they’re going to fall over and set fire to the house, which is the…

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Made from cotton, this fabulous monochrome rug measures 230cm by 160cm so it’s large enough to sit under many kitchen or dining tables. It’s also a practical colour as the slightly mottled effect means it won’t show the crumbs. I have a very elderly Persian rug under my kitchen table and it is, as my…

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I love these plates. They’re called Work in Progress and if you look closely you can see why. They were inspired by 19th century pattern books and come in six different designs. Now, given the price £21 each, I probably wouldn’t buy a whole set, which might look a little too much on the table…

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If you are a fan of white crockery (as I am) then you can afford to introduce a little pattern elsewhere and these glasses are perfect for that. Made from recycled glass, they are pleasingly heavy and contrast well with the ultra plain carafe. They’re from Nkuku, a company that works to promote and develop the…

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Time was the idea of  a drinks trolley was undeniably retro and not in a cool way. But they seem to have worked their way back into our affections again. Perhaps they are now retro in a cool way and I want one. Especially now that you can find great ice buckets and carafes and…

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Another folding chair that can hang on a wall and doesn’t take up much space. Now this one is slightly less a work of art than the first one, but it’s also slightly less a price too. This one is made from sustainable bamboo and can be folded out in either direction so you could,…

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The curse of many a modern home, or extension come to that, is a ceiling that isn’t high enough for a really dramatic light. I have bemoaned this fact before and regular readers will know that this is why we have a tin tile ceiling in our kitchen extension. However, fancy ceilings aside, you still…

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    Now earlier in this series we talked about folding chairs, admittedly in a slightly high concept kind of fashion, so here is its partner; the folding table. This is an original old Indian one, which is rather beautiful and would be perfect on my covered deck (see Mad About Outdoor Living Rooms) but…

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I have never been one for fancy glasses. Not least because they’re so easily broken and they don’t go in the dishwasher. Mind you, if I’m completely honest, I’m not really one for fancy wine either. Give me a little tumbler of French vin de table any day, or a lightly frizzante Italian number and…

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When it comes to decorating the table, simple is best in my book. And, as much as I love flowers, they don’t really last long and, let’s be honest, they do tend to look better in the garden or field don’t they? So I think these pots are a great idea. A couple of these…

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