The Designed life...

Double minimal desk

One of the spots I want to jazz up is my office. I am a changeaholic and can’t help dreaming of what I would do if there were no rules and no budgets. In that vein I would move my desk on to the landing. While lovely as an art nook, it’s the perfect spot for an office area, close but not in my bedroom despite there being more than enough space. In my forever imagining mind’s eye the current desk spot is where a free standing bath would go (how perfect the spot, being above the bathroom and next to the laundry room). But that’s an idea for another day, month, year, decade…

Back to the desk. A desk that is thin, compact, sleek, minimal and aestheticly pleasing?The Quello table from Phil Proctor. With its sleek design and compact measurements, it is decidedly a double minimal desk, perfect for any minimalist no matter how small the space. There is even a matching stool to keep it absolutely streamlined..

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Winter warmth highstreet style

They say recognising you have a problem is the first step. Recognising yet not wanting to do anything about it is taking a step but a step backwards. I fall squarely in that category with a bursting wardrobe and even more bursting wish list. On my wish list for winter warmth are..

Basically all the coats from Topshop Unique AW14. My top coat is sadly now sold out; a blanket coat because even I sometimes just want to snuggle in clothes so large I get lost. But most surprising on the list are not one but two puffer jackets. Man I hate these things and won’t even let my kids be caught in them but make it in grey/green velvet or cropped and lined with sheepskin and suddenly I’m a convert.

I have been craving a fur jacket for a couple of seasons now but can't seem to take the plunge. Despite every store seeming to have them. I like the ones form the H&M Studio AW14 collection as well as the great selection from Unreal Fur but I still fear looking like Big bird (no offence to Big bird). So I'm thinking this sleeveless vest from Zara is a good place to start.

A Mongolian fur scarf for an easy and warm upgrade of any existing coat. I would wear this with a midi skirt, leather jacket and full length boots which can now come back out and play after a season in storage.

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Minimalist art view

Beautiful art needs a beautiful backdrop. Something that frames it, doesn’t distract but simply adds to the overall view. I think the A4 & A3 oak frames from Moebe do just that. Pure minimalism; just four pieces of oak and two sheets of plexiglass held together by a rubber band. Stunning and clever the way the art floats and how the same rubber band that holds it together can be used to hang it. Available at the ever cool Stillebenshop.

A view to a kill(er) piece of art. Now all I need is a new piece of art to frame, but no worries I already have that covered!

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Scheduled with a sneak

As I write this I realize there is order to the chaos of my likes and loves. The week typically contains one fashion post, one post with my own pictures and at least one product or design love. This week is no exception;

Monday is …Minimalist art view

Tuesday is …Winter gear highstreet style

Wensday is …Double minimal desk

Thursday is …Noted

Friday is …Kann ich hier leben?

And because I got an extra boost of inspiration at the Woonbeurs, here’s a sneak of the post to come!

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Winter warmth

It’s about that time. Time when I start looking for my warm woolly socks, turn down the airco and start thinking of apple crumble. I'm talking autumn. To combat the minor depression I suffer when there is less sun and the flip flops have to go, I need a boost of a different kind of warmth. Warmth from a more subdued palette, soft throws, candlelight and baked goodies still warm from the oven.

The homebaking I can do but then I still need the cuddly throw to wrap myself up in to eat my crumble while watching too much telly. As well as some candles to light my way. Shortly put the accessories to take my space from summer light and airy to winter warm and soft. I am big into copper, rose gold and brass and in a dramatic mood with moody darker colours and modern takes on baroque prints and patterns. But then affordably because autumn means Saint Nick and Christmas expenses are soon to follow. Here are my picks for winter warmth.. on the cheap.

The stacked concrete candle holder, geometric perforated tea light holder and cubed rose gold candle holder are from the the 101 Leenbakker collection. The scented candle in 'black vanilla' is from Zara Home. The plaid, wooden tea light holders and cushions are from H&M home. The carpet and wire basket is from a Dutch hardware store, but the one I want is the copper version. And and old favourite; the Tallow candle.

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Mad hatter

I had another post planned for today but I’ll have to move that to later as I had no opportunity to take photographs. So instead I happily moved this post up a week.

I’m not a great hat wearer despite there being so many great alternatives out there to fit every budget. Asos and Zara have some nice ones in the lower end of the market and Rag & Bone and hat kingpin Maison Michel make some super ones that gravitate more to the other end of the price spectrum.

However when I do wear a hat I always feel like a fashionable mad hatter. In hats, I have the same as bags..the bigger, the better. The bigger the brim, the more angled the tilt and the more obscured my face or what’s left visible after sunglasses, the more chic and savvy I feel. Great on a sunny day, yet totally unpractical while driving but like you're a mad hatter or you're not. And of the hats I do have, almost all are woollen felt because that is hands down my favourite material.

So the hats from My Red Lippy are smack dab exactly what I’m looking for. By Sarah Curtis; a girl who knows that red lipstick is statement-making. It’s her but also my own signature lip colour. A kindred hat spirit. Fab hat, check. Now all you need is sunshine on a beautiful Autumn day showered with falling red leaves.