Blue Flower Vintage on Etsy is such a cute shop. I love it not only for its great selection of retro home- and kitchenware, but also for the charming product shots that its owners create. Care to adopt one of these fab items on this Monday morning?
1. Lotus Ware Bowl; 2. 4 Finnish Linen Placemats; 3. Catherine Holm Dutch Oven; 4. Rorstrand Sweden Tea Cup; 5. Dru Holland Cast Iron Frying Pan; 6. Copco Enameled Saute Pan.
I first discovered Danish ceramics company Kähler several months ago, when The Kitchn featured one of their products. In business since 1839, today Kähler works with the best young designers in Denmark, producing products exemplify that oh-so-Scandi mix of innovation, elegance and fun. These are some of my favourite picks from their online shop:
Clockwise from top left: Mano bowls, Spiro thermos cups, Cammeo containers, Lumina tealights, Mano teapot.
A friend tipped me off to the Fred & Friends brand last week. I’ve seen some of their products in shops, but never paid close attention to them before now. Unique, quirky and often ridiculous (in a good way), this company makes home products that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Check out some of my favourites from their website.
Equal Measure is the product that opened my eyes to this brand. At its simplest, it’s just a large glass measuring jug- but it’s also fun, educational, and makes you think:
Another measuring product, M-Cups is based on Russian matryoshka dolls. Not only are they adorable, but the idea is practical and space-saving, too:
I know this looks a little far-out, but trust me: I have a silicone brush, and I use it all the time. Twiggy just looks more fun:
The only thing I don’t like about Snap-a-Party is that it’s a one-time-use item. How fun for a picnic, though- there’s even chopsticks in there!
It might be difficult to clean, but I love the sculptural quality of the Spilt Milk cereal bowl:
Another fun container, Unzipped could work for a lot of things. I can even see it as a lovely vase with some fresh flowers:
We all have things that never fail to draw us in, right? Well, white and textural is one of my favourite looks for anything, and ceramic artist Heather Knight delivers with her Element Clay Studio shop on Etsy. Though there are some useable bowls and serving pieces in the mix, Knight’s work leans heavily toward art, and would be comfortable in any room of the house. Take a look and I’m sure you’ll agree.
This Wall Tile Collection is truly something to behold; each 9″ porcelain tile is based on a different natural texture, from funghi to lichen and durian fruit. I’d love to hang these on a pristine white wall somewhere:
The tiles also come in a smaller size, as in this set of 3 Micro Tiles:
I suppose these 3 Urchin Bowls could be used in the kitchen, but to be honest I’d rather store jewelry in them:
This Scallop Bowl would make a wonderful fruit bowl; just imagine how lovely some green apples or juicy oranges would look in this:
For some sculpture that’s kitchen- and food-themed, I like this set of 3 Pears, made of clay and porcelain:
For more lovely ceramics, visit Heather’s website and blog, too.
How badly do I wish I had got to attend the Dwell on Design conference in LA this past weekend? Luckily, the folks behind one of my favourite sites, The Kitchn, did, and shared their thoughts here. They photographed some great new design items in the “Kitchen Ecology” exhibition, and I’m including my favourites below.
I love these colourful Log Bowls, from Loyal Loot. I might not want to eat out of them, but a larger one would make a great fruit bowl:
An eco take on the soap-repackaging idea, New Soap, Old Bottle from Amron Experimental:
The idea of a rocking lunch might be a bit far-out, but I like the look of these Balancing Meal servers from United Design:
I was the mood for a cathartic clear-out this weekend, and spent some time emptying cupboards and engaging in general organizing. Ripping tears from a stack of old Elle Decorations, I came across blogging paydirt- an article on the UK’s best catalogue companies.
One of the companies mentioned was RE, an online and brick-and-mortar (if you’re in Northumberland) retailer selling a mix of home and design objects. Most of the stock is rare, recycled, rescued or restored, making it a wonderful resource for one-of-a-kind vintage style. Personally, I can’t wait to get shopping.
I love this selection of French milk bottles and matching glasses:
I’ve never seen vintage baguette boards before, but think these are lovely and hilarious in equal measure:
Beautiful baking paraphernalia is a weakness of mine, and these vintage mixing bowls are no exception:
Given my recent milk glass obsession, it’s no surprise that I’m falling for this lovely green set of pitcher and tumblers:
These pressed glasses come in a great range of colours:
Perfect for the summer, check out these seaside-themed cookie cutters:
I don’t think I’d ever even heard of milk glass, the “poor man’s porcelain”, until I came across it on Etsy. On seeing it for the first time, my first thought was What is that? followed swiftly by OMG I need some!
While the designs can be a bit over-the-top in terms of their ornateness, the pristine white colour keeps things simple and perfectly in tune with contemporary interior design. I’ve never really been a collector of anything, but for this I could change my tune. Here are my picks from the huge variety of milk glass on Etsy.
This trio of single-bud vases from flores del sol look lovely together:
A pedestal bowl from 1975, from Bright Wall Vintage:
I especially love this large ruffled cake plate, sold by High Street Market:
From buy golly Miss Molly, this large pot would be great for cut flowers, planting or storage:
Another great trio, this time of little bowls from Atty’s Vintage:
My favourite might just be this pair of English hobnail lamps, sold by (appropriately enough) My Milk Glass Shop. I think they’d look fab with a modern blue shade:
Browsing in my local lifestyle boutique on the weekend, I noticed some new homewares mixed in with the usual selection of fashion, accessories, books and gifts. A quick glance at the tag told me the brand was Garden Trading, a UK-based company which I can’t believe hasn’t been on my radar until now.
Originally selling garden and outdoor living products, Garden Trading now deals in kitchenware, lighting and gifts as well. Part shabby chic and part retro kitsch, the look is English charm at its best. I might go out later to have another look in person, but in the meantime, here are my favourite things from the site:
The items that first caught my eye, the Louella Butter dish and Retro juicer (also available as a set):
I can never resist anything in this shade, so I’m coveting this apple green Retro Jug:
A touch pricey for me, but this Wall Scoop Cabinet would be useful in any room of the house (I’d love it for my bedroom, to store jewelery):
I like this Mini Chalk Panel Box for its versatility- just label and re-label as needed:
This Casserole Pot has flowers on it! Enough said:
From the Found collection of vintage and reclaimed items, this wooden Fruit Bowl is appealingly rustic:
I immediately fell for Nikole Herriot’s blog forty-sixth at grace when I came across it last week, and not just because she’s from my old home of Toronto. Her poetic writing style, her kitchen creations, and her beautiful photography are all much better reasons. Nikole’s shop, Herriot Grace, sells hand-carved wooden spoons and bowls made by her father. They’re really lovely pieces- check it out:
I saw this on Dezeen yesterday and immediately fell for it. I’ll take any combination of white and wood, and this vase and fruit bowl of cherry wood and ceramic are no exception. Called Doubleface, it’s designed by Swiss collective Postfossil for a new exhibition at Berlin’s International Design Festival. I love how the shapes fit together and come apart.
