Destination Dubai - Armani Hotel is a Triumph

I learnt an important lesson recently in Dubai. In a place well known for it's debaucherous design and decoration, there is a property that is spectacularly significant. You know the building; the Burj Khalifa. It is the world's tallest building with 163 floors, and on par perhaps only with the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab, when it comes to impressive architectural icons.

Both burjān [plural for burj, don't you know] mark an important maturing of the region's design vernacular from the ostentatious, sometimes post-modern, to the elegant and iconic. I remember visiting the Burj Al Arab when it first opened in 1999, and gawked at the ostentatious interiors that seemed so at odds with the sweeping minimalist exterior form.

When I heard that that the Burj Khalifa was to feature an Armani Hotel, my heart sank a little. 'Here we go again', I thought. It's going to be an exercise in radical over-the-topness appealing to little other than those with a penchant for coordinating gold plated Bugatti Veyron's with gold plated bathroom taps - another opportunity missed for design in Dubai.

Design Trawler checked-in to the Armani Hotel Duabi - and couldn't have been more wrong...

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Luxe the Kasbah

Morrocco has long been a 'go to' destination for the well informed, the glamorous, the mysterious and those seeking exotic and luxurious design inspiration. Yves Saint Laurent famously owned the Majorelle Gadrens, and British department store Liberty of London has always been renowned for it's selection of fine [if you have to ask the price you can't afford it] Oriental and Berber rugs.

Inevitable therefore is Design Trawler's first trip to Morocco - to capture the richness that this unique culture presents. With its North African tradition and French influences, craft and effortless style is to be expected. Of particular interest is how these traditional aesthetics remain relevant in today's top-tier Moroccan environments... and how exporting this back to London might be appropriate. The first challenge therefore is finding a top tier Moroccan environment.

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Design Trawler meets Tom Dixon

Well if it isn't the father of metallic hues and expensive trinkets made of copper and marble. Ever since Habitat's Head of Design left to set-up under his own name, Tom Dixon's influence has been commanding an ever increasing grip on interiors.
First there were the Beat lights that popped up everywhere from Sau Paulo to Shenzhen, followed by recherché curiosities like copper brogues and candles promising the scent of 'London' that Design Trawler first spotted at K11. Mr Porter's marble and brass spice grinder then followed, and who could forget the achingly charming wingback arm chair.

2014 is certainly Tom Dixon's year; what with his own corner at Harrods, the Modrian's first London hotel decked out in his maximalist style, a new range of suitably enigmatic candles [the scent of fire anyone?] and an engineering inspired range of desk accessories called 'cog'.
But will it be enough to put a smile on the face of the famously grumpy Dixon? Unlikely. The UK's answer to Philippe Starck and Marc Newson does a fine trade in celebrating Britain's status as the original designer of rainy drizzle, rush hour commuting, parking attendants and queueing. Don't be surprised if Tom Dixon's next range of candles are named accordingly.

Beosounds Like a Midlife Crisis

There aren't many objects that shout man cave Ultraloft as much as the Bang & Olufsen Beosound 9000 CD player. Designed almost 20 years ago in 1996 it's one of those iconic interior toys, alongside perhaps the Beocom 2 cordless telephone that's mandatory in Manhattan lofts, the penthouse apartments of television bad guys, and Hugh Grant types neck deep in a midlife crisis.

I'm not sure what that says about me. Perhaps, because the Beosound 9000 ceased production in 2011, that as a collector, I can claim that I've acquired a fully functioning design classic, and therefore eschew any mentions of crisis. Perhaps not. What is certain however, is that the machine is achingly beautiful.

From the motorised glass door, through to the illuminated CD clamp that zips up and down the brushed aluminium body; lifting CD's from their little mounts and returning them in the exact same orientation that they've been loaded. In this age of limitless music streaming, there is something overwhelmingly luxurious about physical movement; of only six disks; curated, and additive to the aesthetic of the machine, and the aesthetic of Ultraloft's flagship wall. Expect a red Porsche in the driveway very soon.

The Baccarat Ratio

If the number of different types of drinking glasses [red wines, white wines, cocktails etc.] in a home is an indicator of ones maturity in life, then the proportion of those that are crystal is a measure of ones success in life. [The measure of how many are Baccarat is an indicator of how many homes one probably has]

Crystal is a beautiful thing. It's weight and transparency diametrically opposed make it a pleasure to drink from. However with Ultraloft at full capacity in matters crystal receptacle related, crystal ornamentation is the logical next rung on the ladder. These iconic chess piece candle holders from the Bay are a beauty; perfectly balancing point-turned detail with angular cuts and corners.

The Relentless Pursuit of Acquisition

A recent invitation to the Mayfair antiques gallery Mallett was both refreshing and profound. One of England's oldest antique dealers, Mallett in 2007 sold their Bourdon House gallery to Alfred Dunhill and moved to Dover Street. Unlike so many other galleries and retailers where a price tag is never to be seen; the adage 'if you have to ask the price you can't afford it' being de rigueur and horribly bourgeois in this day and age; everything at Mallet has a description and a price tag. How refreshing!

Spotting an elongated fork, and believing it to be some kind of delightfully smart executive back scratcher, the accompanying tag informed me that the antique toasting fork was silver, and could be mine for £9,000. Fast forward to the pictured glass chaise; clearly more expensive than a luxury marshmallow holder; correct; approximately ten times more expensive at £90,000.

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Bang & Olufsen - Design that Moves

This week, Design Trawler was invited to the launch of the new Beovision Avant television by Danish purveyor of desperately debonair technology Bang & Olufsen. I've previously discussed the intrinsic lack of design when it comes to televisions; after all, a flat [or even curved] panel of glass is designed to display digital design; content. Not since the Eames inspired Hannslounge have I seen a TV that's anything to write home about from a design perspective.

Until the Beovision Avant. The Bang & Olufsen designers realise that mechanical movement is a critical design factor that is set to define luxury in the digital age. The Avant features a mortised circular base and mortised mounting arm that independently turn through 180 degrees on command.

Switch it on via the remote [milled from a single price of aluminium] and the television will rotate forward to attention. Recline in your Wassily chair with a Glencairn tumbler of Blue, and the Avant will rotate to face you; adjusting the surround sound accordingly. Eat breakfast on the other side of the room and, again, the Avant will pirouette in an orbital dance to bring you Bloomberg with your benedicts...

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Playful, Bold & Considerate at Heart

Almost one year after taking on Ultraloft, the first room renovation is complete. Starting with the heart of the home, Design Trawler's kitchen scheme takes inspiration from Clive Christian, the Southern Med and the open restaurant kitchen for a look that's warm, sharp and packed with character.

Minimalist it may not be, but if the kitchen is the heart of the home, far better that heart to be playful, bold and considerate, than generic, sterile and plain. Read on for the what and why for each element...

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Love in the IKEA Carpark

It could only happen in the Ikea car park. On a quick trip to said purveyor of quality meatballs and mock-intrecciato placemats, Design Trawler's classic Saab 900 coupe made a new friend. Of all the car parks in all of the world, it had to be at Ikea! I came back to the valet station [vintage Saab's need hand valeting, obviously] to find this incredible 1978 precursor parked-up next door.

The chances of pulling up alongside a classic Swedish design icon are about as likely as finding a complete set of screws with your BESTÅ bookcase. Only 17 of Design Trawler's 1987 coupe remain on the roads, and even fewer for it's elder brother. Comparing the design side-by-side is a real treat, and it's easy to follow the evolution of one model to the next. Here's to you TWT 134L!

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Planes, Yachts and Italian Scooters

I often debate with myself 'when I'm not in Ultraloft, where do I feel most at home?'. While on some days, I seem to live on the London Underground [yes, even Design Trawler commutes], there is something about a life in transit that's alluring.

As any frequent flier will tell you, the glorious feeling of being in the skies without a care, phone signal, or limit to the finely balanced bubbles that merrily dance through your eleventh glass of Krug is a contender for the prefect home away from home. So too is life on a yacht; like the aircraft; yet with more room to roam, more architectural curves, teak, chrome, azure oceans and freshly caught seafood to accompany the Dame Clicquot's finest. Or what about Italy? Grand palazzos, Italian design at it's finest, Portofino, pasta and prosecco. It's a tough decision for Design Trawler.

Imagine my surprise therefore, when I discovered a hotel that caters to this very niche home-from-home demand; part aircraft, part yacht, part Italian villaggio... it's even part tube carriage too!

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Year of the 羊 Yang

Design Trawler would like to wish readers a Happy Chinese New Year in this, the year of... [if the picture hasn't given you a clue already], the Sheep... or Goat, or Ram, depending on how you interpret your Chinese lunar symbols and abstract yet playful wire sculptures.

While the yang might be one of the least desirable zodiac symbols, old wooly has a long and celebrated design history. From the iconic $7.5m Lalanne sheep owned by Valentino and Yves Saint Lauren [here's a tip, buy yours for £199 from Not on the High St], to the Prince Charles backed Campaign for Wool, and recently championed Auskin rug of legends. May your year be prosperous and filled with fleece.

How to Steal a Kandinsky

Not satisfied with pinching Damien Hirsts from Mayfair couturiers, Design Trawler's next great art heist sets the bar a little higher. How about a grand master? Something like a Kandinsky; grand master indeed of modernism; having taught at the Bauhaus and being credited as of of the world's first abstract painters. A learned economist and lawyer, I'm sure old boy Wassily would appreciate this heist. So let's begin...

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The Design Family Tree

Design Hero Sir David Tang excellently calls out in his famous FT article the contrived designers and homeowners that specify books by the meter and artworks for particular spots in the home. In much the same way, [and most likely in the same homes], the Christmas tree and decorations will exude taste, effortlessly matching the decor of each room with bespoken ornaments all bought from the same book, and installed while said owners are out of town by an army of Christmas decorators.

While trees of the hotel lobby variety are invariably elegant, for the home they lack narrative. Ultraloft this year inherited the family tree with its multitude of brightly coloured decorations and lights gathered over the 30 years that the tree came down from the loft every December to proudly stand in the bay window of the family home. I said it in 2012, and it is particularly relevant in this instance...

"Establishing a narrative over time is as important for a collector as it is for an artist. Where collections are concerned, it's easy to make new additions, but considerably less easy to make old additions."

I can't imagine a day when the family tree won't stand proudly in at least one room of whichever Ultraloft I happen be living in. I'm especially pleased and excited by the opportunity to add to its narrative with my own collections, and Blue Dog by Britto [pictured bottom left] fits right in alongside the Iberian fur throw.

The Festive Collection

One of the wonderful things about the home as art gallery is that it makes your chosen exhibits very accessible. Well, at least to you, and those privileged guests that you chose to let through the doors at cocktail parties and celebrations [admission prices in 2015 are increasing to one bottle of Krug per visitor].

Christmas is almost upon us, and Design Trawler feels it only appropriate to allow Ultraloft's 20th Century Italian newstype sculpture to partake in the festivities. That's right, not even fine art will escape the decorations this Christmas. Expect the Hirst to decked in holly and Graham the springbok bathmat to don a suitably Rudolph themed red nose. Well, if you can't have a little fun with your collection...

Why I Listed My Home on AirBNB

"Are you crazy?!", "YOUR apartment?", "Aren't you worried?", These are the typical reactions I've had when I mention that I listed Ultraloft on the vacation rentals website AirBNB. Or to be more accurate, the study which has a generous sofabed, reclaimed neon signs and a digital shark. And to be fair, I was asking myself the same questions after I hit the 'list your space' button... But I'm pleased that I did.

The reason I listed Ultraloft on AirBNB was born somewhat out of my recent visit to the Grand Apartment Budapest; a living tribute to a pair of amazing jetset octogenarians, and part challenge to myself. AirBNB takes care of the damages threat, providing $1m of cover for all hosts, I'd only be offering up the spare room; mostly to single travellers; mostly when I'm in the country; and in the apartment, and quite frankly I have a lot of cool stuff that others might want to see [that, or they just need somewhere to stay for the night that has an ounce more character than a Travelodge]...

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Pole Position - Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi

Imagine the scene. Flavio Briatore, the larger than life Italian Formula 1 supremo touches down in Abu Dhabi to discuss the possibility bringing the billion dollar super-sport to the Middle East. We'll build you a track Signore Briatore, the developers say; the best in the world! Very generous, but where will I park my 200ft yacht? We all know that Monaco has a delightful marina hugging it's F1 track, and I need to host glamorous parties too.

Not a problem for the visionaries of Abu Dhabi - We'll build the track on it's own island, and have it snake around a marina capable of hosting the largest super-yachts in the world, so that all of your friends can bring their sleek motor yachts too. All well and good, but Abu Dhabi is a fair voyage away from Monaco, and my shargreen sun loungers might melt in this heat...

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Grand Apartment Budapest

I'll admit, I wasn't quite sure how to position this article on Design Trawler's recent visit to Budapest. I decided to check in to the curiously named Helen & Frank apartment in an ornate mansion block overlooking the 19th Century theatre of comedy; in search of a whimsically cluttered stage-set in which to draw parallels against Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel; which took home the Oscar for best production design in this year's awards.

What I found however was far richer than any staged theatre set. The apartment is filled with the collections of Dr Frank and Helen Ternovszky; avid adventurers and collectors who moved from the Hungarian capital to LA in the golden age of Sintata, where a transatlantic Lufthansa flight was something worth photographing. Indeed, the apartment is peppered with photographs of Frank and Helen's jet setter life; playing lawn tennis at the country club, sailing with friends, trips to the great pyramids, black tie galas and skiing in glamorous resorts. It's all very Slim Aarons, and the Budapest home which they kept is a museum of their global travels and life well lived.

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London Design Week - Best of the West

Last year it was Prince Carl Philip and the Swedish Ambassador who invited Design Trawler around to take a look at some fine Scandinavian design. Not to be outdone, this year the honour fell to Finland to issue an invitation to it's ambassadorial residence [on the world's most expensive street, Kensington Palace Gardens], to Design Trawler and Finnish designer Klaus Haapaniemi; to present a selection of intricate folklore inspired lighting silks and ceramics... and kimono clad friends.

And the best of London Design Festival's high-end contemporary design didn't stop there. Exhibitions that included Illona Gaynor's neon coat of arms at the Design Museum, through to Sonya Winner's bold and lustrous rugs, Mallett's dizzying commissions and Tom Dixon's rich use of brass and velvet would be suitably at home in many a drawing room of the £122m houses on this Billionaires Row. Norway, the challenge has been set for 2015. As for the matter of Ferrero Rocher's presented in little towers, find out what was on the menu at the Residence of the Finnish Ambassador on Facebook...

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Hipsters, Handlebars, and Heineken

Contrary to popular belief, London Design Week isn't all Krug and canapes. Well, in the West-end it probably is, but ever the intrepid explorer, Design Trawler also headed out East during this year's Festival. Lured by the promise of container bars, the ever popular Tent and Superbrands exhibitions, a special Tokyo Design Week show-within-a-show and, of course a veritable petting zoo of hipster beards, handlebar moustaches and inflatable animals; Design Trawler documented it all.

Heineken kicked things off with it's pop up City Lounge project. A specially designed container bar with futuristic seating pods and specially designed barware. With a long history of limited edition bottles [because Design Trawler loves a limited edition bottle #1 #2 #3] and a TV campaign based on Design Trawler himself, full marks go to the Dutch brewer for keeping the bar high when the Veuve runs dry. Check out photos from London's East-end below or on Facebook.

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Design Trawler Nominated for Best Luxury Blog

Kicking off Design Trawler's coverage of London Design Week [champagne buckets and espresso machines standing by], legendary Italian design house Missoni has nominated Design Trawler as one of eight websites in the category of Best Luxury Blog!

Delightful stuff as I approach article number 250 well in to four years of trawling [that, or perhaps the Milanese maison just has a penchant for red loafers and private jets ;-] As one of the only non-commercial blogs written by a chap, and also because Design Trawler has a shiny new Facebook Page, please vote for Design Trawler in the AMARA Interior Design Awards. Grazie a tutti!