No Metro Tiles Please

I'm much more of a design lover than a foodie, so if I'm honest when I choose somewhere to eat its most likely to be based on how it looks. I can practically hear people sucking through their teeth at this revelation - 'oh dear, thats not the way to get a good meal, never judge a book by its cover' etc. Well I've got news for you, I always choose books based on the cover because frankly its either that or the obligatory blurb on the back claiming that this, like every other new book is the book of the year etc.

The other factor here is that I eat very well at home thanks to my partner who lives for cooking, so eating out for me is often more about the experience and ambience than the food.

As a result it takes a lot to temp me to drop my cash on an evening out and the prospect of sitting in yet another semi industrial, metro tiled cantina is no going to do it I'm afraid.

So I was really pleased to see the decor of Berners Tavern on, you guessed it, Berners St.

Hoorah! finally a new restaurant with a real sense of occasion, style and just enough pretension to make you want to dress up for said occasion.

I love the the practically floor to ceiling art work, which is something I do at home but on this scale is really impactful. The different textures of glossy prints, oil paintings and gilded frames give this huge space a much needed sense of warmth without which it would be a big fail. New York does this sort of grand scale restaurant so well but until recently only the Wolseley had nailed it here, so it nice to see someone have the balls to take on this space and be bold yet tasteful.

For the foodies, I can inform you that Grace Dent (you will be my new best friend!) gave Berners a glowing review and ate herself into a stupor. So its basically a win win situation here - oh except for the bill, but then nobody's perfect.

OUT OF AFRICA

I have recently been working with a Kenyan tea company on a branding project for them - as you do! This has led to lots of research into African textiles and prints for inspiration - and boy have I been inspired! African prints are certainly pretty ubiquitous at the moment, especially in fashion but they are yet to make much of an impact in the World of interiors.

Above - A selection of the amazing fabrics I have stumbled upon.

I suppose this is because they are a pretty 'strong look', but I think the mix of pattern and colour is really fresh and a nice step on from the graphic prints and geometrics which are everywhere at the moment. I love the fabrics with political figures on them - interesting to see such a serious subject approached in a decorative medium.




I've found some great images that show how African prints and pattern can be incorporated into a modern interior in a way that is fun but not overwhelming.
















I especially love this last one which is totally mad but equally fab.

Rule Britannia

I was so surprised to see these sketches of the interiors created by Sir Hugh Casson for the Royal yacht Britannia; their fluid and un detailed style are incredibly artful, but I had imagined that a submission of this kind would be very formal indeed. Clearly I was wrong, the paintings reflect the relaxed atmosphere that was desired on the yacht and they do reflect what was created on board very closely. It's a shame there is little room for such beautiful presentations these days! - maybe I should work for the Royal family.