DIRECTOR’S CUT: HEART & HOME

DiReCtOR’s cUt:
HeaRT & HOme

Homeware to brighten up any room

Words by Flora Macdonald Johnston

While my desk at work might be bare and minimal, my home is not. Call it the ‘curse of adulting’ but ever since I moved into my new pad in Islington I’ve become a homewareholic. More hours have been spent scouring vintage dealer websites for side tables than I would care to admit. But what to put on these surfaces? Colour of course. Luckily there are plenty of colourful delights at KOIBIRD from trays to vases.

I love ceramics that are not only decorative but also have a wonderful tongue-in-cheek element. It’s no wonder then, that I am drawn to legendary French designer Laetitia Rouget’s hand-painted Eve candelabra. What’s not to enjoy about a ceramic snake, apple and sitting nude lady? It’s the fun, colourful pièce de résistance all tables need. Plus, it will make good dinner conversation (should it ever run dry).

A confession is incoming: I have a tray addiction. Around my flat, they have accumulated to terrifying degrees. I have a giant black and gold tray that sits upon our ottoman. This, in turn, hosts another smaller tray. I have painted glass and ceramic trays filled with trinkets on side tables and a sculptural tray-cum-bowl hybrid which sits in my bathroom. It comes as no surprise then, that, when I spotted this hand-painted Les Ottomans tray, it had to be mine. I adore its burnt orange shade, delicate watercolour pineapple and slim oval shape. Not one to be pushed aside, place it upon a coffee table for all to admire.

Before I hear you all clamour “Not another tray!”, hear me out. This high-shine saturated yellow tray from The Lacquer Company will brighten up even the gloomiest of rooms. If there’s any surface in need of some love, this is the perfect remedy. Feel free to then add a vase full to the brim of colourful cut flowers and a stack of good books.

An eccentric accent to any kitchen shelf, this mug by glassware designer Ichendorf Milano – adorned with a cute sitting frog – gives me pure joy. Get the set or mix and match this mug with various partners within the range: a snail, an owl – the possibilities are endless.

Is it a resin vase? Is it a sculpture? Is it Jigglypuff from Pokémon? Who cares, I like it. Aptly named the Lava Vase, this Pepto pink textured beauty is by Italian designer and architect Gaetano Pesce who seamlessly blurs the line between homeware and art.