Saturday 30 July 2011

A BIT MORE "LIVING & GIVING"

I was recently asked by the guys at Mary Portas's retail branding company to help out with the latest Save the Children "Living and Giving" shop in Parsons Green, Fulham.  I was wavering as to whether to say yes or not as the workload has been quite heavy recently, but remembering how good it was to work on the last one in Primrose Hill jogged my memory just in time, and so I came on board to head up sourcing all the integral bits and pieces that would make the design come alive.

The sourcing list is ALWAYS tough thanks to Neil Watson's clever designs.  I always moan and complain that it "impossible to find these things cheap, if at all" and Neil always quietly nods and smiles and says nothing......and, with the aid of some enthusiastic helpers,  I always manage to find them.  Think there might be a lesson for me to learn there.........anyway, another shop done and dusted and it opens today (Saturday 30th July).  Popped down yesterday to take some snaps and was so pleased to see the finished result.  So many people have helped out on this, giving of their time and enthusiasm with no fuss or complaining and I have to say I think it looks fantastic!  My photos do NOT do it justice - PLEASE visit if you are in the area and see for yourself......










Mary's Living and Giving, 28 New Kings Road, London SW6 4SW
Opening times: Mon-Sat 10-6 / Sun 12-6




Saturday 23 July 2011

A DAY TRIP TO ARDINGLY

Made my way down through the beautiful Kent and Sussex countryside on a (for once) sunny morning earlier this week to the Ardingly Antiques Fair.   Went to search for gems for both residential and commercial jobs I'm working on at the moment and also to get some inspiration.  Always good to stretch the legs and mind by stepping away from the laptop now and again, to see things in 3D for a change.

Lots to see and purchase and came back with a car full to the brim.  One thing that really caught my attention was the visual impact that 'grouping' of items together creates - blocks of colour or texture piled up, placed, stacked or stored.  Food for thought.....







Tuesday 5 July 2011

RUMMAGING IN KENT

Back in Kent again, this time for the wedding of some dear friends.  Decided to stay down here for a few more days as the weather has been so beautiful and the temptation of sitting in the garden with my head and laptop in the shade and my toes nicely tanning in the sun was just too good to turn down.  Yearn for a little countryside bolthole even more now.  Have to start hunting - when I have any spare time - which feels like never right now!  Anyway, while here I did a bit of sourcing for the new Mary Portas Living & Giving charity shop in Parsons Green, due to open end of July, so the Fulham yummy mummies will now have somewhere cool to shop and hang out in their neighbourhood - what ho!  

I was also looking for things for my own home, which has just been redecorated.  Very excited to be re-installed and with all the furniture and bit and pieces piled high and boxed up, it's given me a chance to reconsider what I want to keep and what should be put in to storage.  While rummaging around, I came across these little beauties - they will make the MOST beautiful legs for a console table for the hallway.  LOVE.  And at £20, LOVE even more!