Article #200 - The Straw Donkey

When your Dad is Sir Norman Foster, and your husband, the former editor of Esquire and Wallpaper* Magazines, it's likely you'll have some wise things to say about design. India Knight, doesn't disappoint.

Speaking about how design has become democratised [first brought to my attention by BMW designer Chris Bangle], and echoing Sir David Tang's bashing of "overly done interior-designed numbers", Knight brilliantly speaks of 'straw donkies'; the things we display in our homes that we love. Freed of the tyranny of 'ghastly good taste', we're confident to design for a taste that is uniquely ours.

A fitting manifesto, and for Design Trawler's 200th article, something which I continue to believe in. For as 'tasteful' as show homes and hotel suites are, the very best interiors are the ones with the confidence to be original. Read the full article below...

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Bull Market Reflections

While cost-conscious consumers have been spurred on by the 'innocent smoothie' approach to quiet design and paired-down home crafts, the ultra wealthy have been charting new territories with taller, bigger and more innovative interiors than ever before. True of Moscow, like many global capitals, this Minotaur Mirror sits in the city's excellent DesignBoom store.

With the head of a bull, and body of... whoever happens to be gazing in to it, the functional/sculptural work is similar to the superb mirrored sculptures by Chelsea based artist Arran Gregory.

Havana Inspired Home Fragrance

I'll always remember the time I was at an 'open day' at London's Jermyn Street. From shirts to cigars, local stores were showcasing the best of London's fine handmade crafts. In the Davidoff shop on the corner of St. James, a father and his two young children were leaning over a Cuban craftsman rolling tobacco leaves in to perfect torpedoes. All three gazed over the man, with the father pointing to the perfectly cut cigars in formation; "look how they're all exactly the same size" - the delightful young daughter perfectly quipping "Daddy, this shop smells like you when you come back from London!"

Priceless. And if ever you wish to accentuate your home with the fragrance of Havana's finest, Boticario de Havana Fragrancia de Casa by Archipelago is the scent to go for. While not exactly the scent of 'Daddy ex London', think coffee, jojoba and tobacco flower with extracts of orange, sugar cane & pineapple.

The Penny Floor that Started a Craze

In 2011, I posted an article about how I glued 7,500 one penny coins to my kitchen floor. I never imagined the impact that the penny floor would have. I didnt' even coin the term 'penny floor' [excuse the pun!] - But if I had a penny for the number of links, pins, posts and times I've been introduced as the guy who covered his floor in 1p coins, well, I could probably do several more penny floors! [2p floor anybody?]

I've had questions on how it was done; including one from a prominent architecture firm with a penchant for picked cucumbers; seen a bizarre range of templates and tutorials on the subject, and been asked how it has coped with daily wear and tear [fine actually, and it hasn't turned green!]

Celebrating Design Trawler's launch on Pinterest, you can now view the original images from the famous penny floor in high resolution, along with one or two more from the present day. Stay tuned for the real how to guide - from preparing your floor through to sourcing, laying and protecting your pennies.

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Design as Metaphor - Yachtside

We can't be lounging poolside or by the Wallypower all the time -  but the innovative hand blown shade of Shikai Tseng and Hansei Chen's Ripple Lamp recreates the magical reflections conjured by the vida del mar on your mantle. Spotted at London Design week and manufactured by Austrian firm Lobmeyer.

Gallerie Gastronomique - Open Shelving

You know the situation. You pop down to your locally curated food store for the weekly shop, and spend £100 on four types of single estate olive oil in interesting glass bottles, several jars of preserve with typographic white labels and a tube of goodness-knows-what because it's covered in Japanese kanji.

But that's fine, because to paraphrase the rules for living by Unhappy Hipsters "It is better to focus on the pure joy of being close to high design than to [buy food that you can actually eat]". Just so long as you have open kitchen storage to display your collection of contemporary Nicolas Vahe condiments [pictured]

Popeworthy Suite Design

The Bristol Hotel's 92m² Deluxe Suite in Warsaw is the sort of suite you'd want to marry. While the Versailles-like Paderewski Suite makes a great one night stand stay (if you're fond of Louis IXV furniture), the design elements of it's little cousin should feature in any apartment worth it's designer [bath] salt.

Take the living room - The desk behind the sofa allows you to glance up from your affairs and keep an eye on BBC News on TV, your guests by the fireplace, and staff entering through the impressive double doors. Very Feng-Shui. It's got a wrap-around balcony that'd make the Pope jealous and an excellent system of 'break glass in emergency' connecting bedrooms... in case you have an emergency visit from said Pontiff.

U+ Suspend Clock by Alan Wisniewski

I've always loved contemporary artist/taxidermist Polly Morgan's sculptures. Some feature birds with a delicate balloon suspended in a glass dome. These domes are an iconic way of drawing attention to precious objects, and the fragility of the whole ensemble creates a museum-like artefact to behold.

Alan Wisniewski has got it perfectly right with his Suspend Clock for Umbra's premium U+ Studio Collection. The walnut clock face cleverly floats in mid air, it's contour perfectly matching the dome around it. Like Polly's balloons, the effect is fragile and mesmerising. Time captured and suspended.

RIP Amex Centurion - The Hyundaicard Black

It's time to retire your American Express Centurion card. I never thought I'd say it, but the gilded frame has had its day. When you're in the mood to acquire serious design you need an equally seriously payment method [sadly, this is one occasion when Design Trawler favourite Ozwald Boateng is a little low brow]

Hyundaicard have been designing and exhibiting designer plastic metal in Korea since 2003. Each card is designed to perfection but it's the top tier that stands apart. The top offering, 'The Black' is, like the Centurion, made of metal, but eschews decoration in favour of enigmatic iconigraphy.

Such is the strengths of the Hyundaicard design, that Mastercard have been convinced to move their logo to the rear of the card, as not to upset the subtle dimple on the card's bottom right corner. Limited to 2,000 global VIP's [each getting access to a dedicated 'clubhouse' in downton Seoul], our man at Hyundai informs us that Design Hero Tyler Brûlé get's on particularly well with the Korean invitation committee.

The Private Members Club Lamp

I first saw the Taccia lamp, perched on the riveted aluminium bar at the subterranean City-boy hangout and private members club, Eight Moorgate in London. Since then, the bar and the lamp have become firm favourites with both, again, influencing what good looks like on Design Trawler.

Designed by the Castiglioni brothers for Flos in 1962, the Taccia marries an extruded black aluminium 'gear' shaped body with hand blown 'searchlight' powder-coated difuser. Unless it's nickel-plated and zapon-varnished [like the base of the Taccia] any other table lamp is not worth discussing.

Roadster Sofas from Bark

If ever man tried to create a formula for successful design, the elements of black walnut, fine leather and architectural curves would be essential. The achingly smart Kustom Armchair by Bark Furniture is an automatic 'yes' and features an exaggerated 'roadster' silhouette that'd compliment your E-Type nicely.

Curiously, the dramatic sloping profile is superbly comfortable and far easier to get out of than the scalloped shaped sides may suggest. Made to order in a range of sizes and fabrics from Bute in Scotland.

Hotrod for High-Octane Sencha

Looking at this diamond bevelled detailing, you'd be forgiven for thinking Design Trawler has taken a trip to the workshop of Enzo Ferrari. Indeed the jewel-like finishing is illuminated in rosso red from within it's polished chrome body. It's not to be found in a high-spec garage, but rather, the kitted out kitchen.

Original 'boiling water tap' firm Quooker, has engineered a child-proof push and turn mechanism for it's Fusion and Nordic taps worthy of old man Enzo himself. The only tap with a patented vacuum system of storing water above 100°c, Quooker delivers on demand torque steam for high-octane sencha.

Max Lennaárd's Modular Flames

Swinging by the Formex design exhibition in Stockholm, where the number of dead animals rivalled even the Man Cave [#1 #2 #3], I spotted an outstanding set of modular candle holders by Max Lennaárd.

Nominated as one of the 'Formex Formidable' 20 best in show, the precise CNC machine-milled forms allow owners to live like Brancusi and create their own unlimited forms in the metal of the moment.

Shoe Horn? or Sculpture?

Not the first time a Sex and the City prop has found it's way on to the pages of DesignTrawler.com, this shoe horn sculpture from the lauded Manolo Blahnik is part of the Collector range from Habitat. Re-released for R.O.O.M. in Stockholm's PUB Store, the original met it's fate in 2011 along with the retailer founded by Sir Terrance Conran. Excellent for brogues, girlfriends or unwelcome intruders.

The Gentleman's Valet Company

From handyman to gentleman - Sam Brown is a furniture maker that has been inundated with the requests of well turned out City sorts for his bespoke valet stands. The Gentleman's Valet Company produces beautifully crafted valets for made-to-measure cloth starting at around £2,000.

Eccentrically stylish details include suitably Hirst carved skull hat stands, and union flag lampshades that take up to four days to fashion from oak and walnut. Sam's wall mounted valet in particular should be mandatory in every man's bedroom/hotelroom and is a natural companion to open rail thread storage.