Guilty Posting (again!)

The other day I started thinking that if I can't look after my blog what sort of mother will I be?

Don't panic I'm not with child but when I started these musings on all things seated-related, it was as if this blog was a new baby which needed nurturing and constant attention - these days I'm like one of those mother's who's kid is the last one at the school gates.

I do have a good reason for being so slack of late; I have a new job. Yes, that's right folks after 12 months of being in freelance wilderness, not knowing if I would be able to to afford to eat let alone buy the latest Established & Sons chair, I am in full time employment again.

I've rejoined the rat-race, become a commuter, chose to get out of my PJs before 12noon and I'm loving it.

Likewise, I'm rather smitten with these chairs from Very Good & Proper.

Called Canteen Utility, they are my new favourite pieces and I just adore them. I love their rawness and homage to old school chairs which has been effortlessly reinvented with the bright colours.

I promised myself something this time last year; that when I was in full-time employment I would treat myself to a new chair, a sort of "well done me" present to, erm, myself and you know what? I think it might just be one of these...

Mid Century Modern

I thought I'd died and gone to furniture heaven this afternoon.

A short hop on the bus to East Dulwich, saw me paying my first visit to Mid Century Modern, the furniture show that has been delighting mid century nuts like me for seven years.

I was told by the show's owner that this was the busiest it had ever been with people from Holland and further afield as well as the locals all clambering to get their mits on a Wegner or vintage Eames rocker.

After a quick visit to the lovely Keith from Mini Moderns (who very kindly gave me a Sitting Comfortably? cushion which I adore already) I ventured into the main hall.

And wow, it's lucky my latest cheque hadn't cleared because I probably would have blown the rent on a chair or three.

Seeing all this beautifully crafted furniture got me thinking how awful it is people can get away with designing crap stuff (you know who you are!) every time I turned a corner, there was a new Scandinavian delight to get my heart racing a little faster.

One of my favourite stands was Orange & Brown, a company specialising in stunning furniture and based in Bristol, I for one am glad they made the slog up the M4.

There were too many gorgeous items on their stand to mention but once I got home I had a quick look at their website and found these two beauties.

This delight is a Falcon swivel chair by Sigurd Ressell and was designed for Vatner. There's not much else to say about it other than I utterly adore it. I love the shape, I love the chrome, I adore that it swivels and would probably sell my Nan to get my hands on one (sorry Nan!)
And my second choice from this treasure trove of beautifully made furniture is this side chair by Finn Juhl, not least because it reminds me of my own lovely dining chairs.

I skipped out of Mid Century Modern one happy lady, clutching my cushion and trying to figure out how to save enough money to buy the lot next year...

Baby Boom

It honestly feels as if everyone I know at the moment (females obviously!) is either pregnant or has just had a baby.

I've now even become a little blase when I get the "I've got something to tell you" phone call - I'm excited for them all of course; even if it does make me feel old that all my drinking buddies are all of sudden with child.

So it's no surprise that a press release about vintage furniture for children stuck around longer in my inbox than it would have a year ago.

These two beauties are from a fab website called Molly-Meg, which stocks an array of vintage seating and accessories for the little ones in your life.

I love this 60s bucket chair which is every inch as stylish as its grown up counterpart and equally gorgeous is this retro-print, booster chair from California.
So, I'm thinking that for the next arrival (two of which are due imminently) they'll perhaps be getting a vintage chair instead of the ubiquitous baby-grow.

I Rest My Case

I try not to have favourite, favourite designers - it always seems a bit unfair to me, like having a favourite pet or worse , child.

However, I'm totally in love with everything Case do - from their beautiful, 50s inspired bed to this little beauty.

The Bridge armchair is designed by Matthew Hilton, one of the designers who produce the stunning collection on offer at Case.

Some people would find this chair a little bland, not that exciting, non-descript some might say, but not me.

I've decided over the course of writing this blog (it's been a year by the way) that I adore simplicity. It's why my flat is painted in various shades of white, why my furniture is sleek and has clean lines.

Some people also might say that simple is boring, it's not - as this chair proves it's classic, it's stylish and in a strange way, it's comforting.

I really, really want some of these chairs to replace my slightly knackered dining set - so in the absence of an endless pot of money or super rich parents, I'll be playing EuroMillions on Friday - well you never know, it could be me...

Something Old, Something New

Some very dear friends of mine got married last week, which got me thinking that when I eventually tie the knot, I bet I'll be as concerned about the chairs used at the reception as much as the dress.

As I've said before, seating is extremely important to me - clearly otherwise I wouldn't be blogging about it and I love nothing more than a chair with a bit of history.

So after working my tiny little fingers to the bone today (sending a record number of emails) I thought I'd treat myself to some virtual shopping over at Retrouvius. It's a favourite of mine and not just because of their wonderful name but because they source some of the best retro furniture around.

These gorgeous bentwood chairs (am still yet to see this wonderful technique in action - hint, hint) are listed as being from the former Czechoslovakia and possibly Thonet.

I love their Modernist shape but what I really love is day dreaming about where they previously lived, who owned them, did their owners love them and how did they end up of the retro scrapheap before being lovingly rescued.

LDF: Part One

As I'm sure most design addicts are, I've been dedicating my Monday nights to Design For Life. It's the Philippe Starck-meets-Big Brother show that's setting out to find Britain's young design talent.

So far, I've been totally disappointed. Yes, I get to watch one of the grand masters of design share his thoughts, wit (who'd have thought he'd be so sweet?!) and experience but the "contestants" are dull, dull, dull.

Perhaps they're trying too hard to please but they range from being totally abstract (tra, Nebil - you dug your own grave last week) to the totally bloody obvious (the redhead one who's name totally escapes me because she is possibly one of the most boring people in the world) so I was starting to agree with Monsieur Starck's opinion that British design hadn't seen anything interesting since the launch of Habitat.

Well, all I can say, is that I hope he popped along to LDF last week, because I for one, was blown away by the abundance of talent on offer.

100% Design seemed to have ditched its desire to be a challenger for The Ideal Home Show and has gone back to its roots. Instead of endless salesmen trying to flog me bathrooms I neither wanted or could afford, I got to chat to designers about their designs.

I got to touch, I got to admire and stand in sheer awe at how in what must be one of the most challenging times for new and emerging designers (have I mentioned how much I despise this recession?!) they're upbeat and confident about their work.

Of course, there were lots of beautiful chairs on offer. In fact, I think the friends I walked around 100% Design with were bored to tears with me as I repeatedly sighed "I want, I want" by the end of the day, I'd become practically parrot-like.

And, boy did I want this beautiful Katakana chair from Dare Studio. It is absolutely a "me" chair. I love the elegant back and angular shape.

I'm on the lookout for a desk chair at the moment (a desk to go with it would be a good start I suppose) and this one is top of the list.

The LDF Marathon

Wow, brilliant week all in all. I've been pounding the London streets in the name of design and have met, spoken to and seen so many exciting designers during London Design Festival that the blog posts are going to be coming thick and fast.

Just need to digest everything I've seen and heard so definitely come back soon and...

Watch this space...