Josef Frank, still as relevant to modern design today as over 100 years ago.

Frank’s ideas on harmony also went against the tide. When others advocated monochromatic environments, Frank wrote: “The monochromatic surface appears uneasy, while patterns are calming, and the observer is unwillingly influenced by the slow, calm way it is produced. The richness of decoration cannot be fathomed so quickly, in contrast to the monochromatic surface which doesn’t invite any further interest and therefore one is immediately finished with it.”

(taken from http://www.svenskttenn.se/en-us/pages/article/stjosef.aspx)

Milk before bedtime?

Check out this lamp! How amazing. If you know me whatsoever, you'll know I like my quirky homeware pieces. Like this and this. Or, in fact, anything on here.

Eye candy = Mengsel.com

I just love this company as it adheres to two of my loves in design. Bold geometric patterns? Tick. Silk-screen printing? Tick! It is run by Luzelle van der Westhuizen. Luzelle has also done freelance design work for clients such as Marc Jacobs and her work has been sold in stores that represent the best in contemporary design, such as Heal’s. The coffee maker on the brown coffee coloured paper below is a personal favourite. Can't you just smell that strong coffee smell?! Yumzo. Go buy her stuff. Like now.

Black Swan Film Posters

LaBoca design studio created these brilliant posters for The Black Swan. Such a refreshing change from the usual film poster, and they really suit the subject, with a strong visual language referencing ballet advertisements of the early 20th century.  The Guardian has a great article about the design process here.

Things I'm digging at the moment...

N.B I do not normally say digging.

The non-tablet tablet = handy

Dear Santa...

My bedroom

Jade mountain resort in St Lucia. Hard to imagine this is real when I'm sitting here on a rainy September evening nursing a cup-a-soup (other instant soup products are available.)

Paperchase's 'Grid Look'

Love the colour palette and simple geometric designs of this range. It looks fresh but retro at the same time. 

100 Years of East London style in 100 seconds

Shoreditch’s The Viral Factory have created this really great viral video for Westfield’s brand new shopping centre in East London’s Stratford - said to be Europe's largest. Watch this clip encompassing 100 years of East End fashion in 100 seconds.