I spotted this office last week on one of my blog travels and felt that it would make compulsory viewing here. It contains so many details that I just love and all in one large open plan space too…the subway tiles, industrial pendants, vintage filing cabinets, sheepskin rugs draped over chairs, mid century leather sofa and armchair, Eames RAR and DAW chairs, anglepoise lamps, a vintage typewriter and I’m not sure what the black and white prints are but if anyone would care to enlighten me, please feel free. The lucky peeps at Candy Black get to call this place their office, you should go to their website for more photographic indulgence.

Images via emmas designblogg.

Is it completely necessary for me to point out that I also LOVE the shelving and the light fittings?

By the way, I saw Inception the other night and I was pretty enthralled by the whole thing but especially the architecture in the dream thingy. Did I mention that I’m also a film critic? Anyway, it just reminded me of some of the dreams that I have because I mainly dream about architecture and interiors.  (really random useless) FACT!

Images from vt wonen via Delight by Design

House Doctor are based in Denmark (you know I’m such a sucker for Danish design!) and they produce two collections every year. The Everyday catalogue showcases their new collection, which is updated annually and launched in January and Moments is then released in time for Autumn and consists of more new products and Christmas decorations. I’m chuffed that Mabel & Violet is the only online shop in Ireland currently stocking House Doctor, so if you are looking for something from the range that we don’t have in stock you can get in touch with us here and we will do our best to get it for you.

I just love that it’s nearly falling down and full of peeling wallpaper, crumbling plaster, ornate furniture and chandeliers and other intriguing little details. Divine!

Images via Shoot Factory

Images via Living Etc, Skona Hem and My Scandinavian Retreat

Images from The New York Times via {this is glamorous}

I’m pretty obsessed with Danish design, which is why you’ll find some of my favourite Danish brands in my online boutique. Lately though, I have also been obsessing about Copenhagen and I really look forward to visiting this beautiful city some day soon. I always think that the best way to see a city is to go native so I’ve been looking at rental properties (one of my favourite pastimes in the whole world!) while I save up for the airfare.

One of the things that I love about Danish design is the simplicity. It is so evident in their homes, even the homes available on the rental market. Everything in this apartment is pared back so that the beautiful plasterwork and feature windows take centre stage. Not a single magnolia wall or ugly old carpet in sight. Irish landlords, please take note!

Images via lejebolig.dk

Now I love a bit of organisation and there’s nothing quite like a pretty shelf display but this makes my IOCD (interiors obsessive compulsive disorder) look a little mild. Although I do wish I had a book collection like this one and perhaps I wouldn’t mind if someone else took the time to colour coordinate it on my floor to ceiling shelving. I suppose that wouldn’t be so bad. What do you think – magic or manic?

Image via Flickr

I have learned a lot during my recent tenure here as Vice President of Shelving and Storage Solutions (while also moonlighting as Senior Sofa Manager at Pretty Far West). Mainly, that one can never have enough storage, or shelving for that matter, but also, and perhaps much more importantly, that placing items on a shelf in a haphazard manner and failing to colour co-ordinate said items is a major misdemeanour in interior design circles. Apparently. I, for one, constantly live in fear of being caught with mismatched ceramics or a rogue black book stashed between the yellow and orange ones.

Short of hiring a stylist to perfect my sorry artful displays, or vignettes as they are known in the bizz, I have been scouring the internet for storage and display inspiration. This in turn led me to the website of Car Moebel and they just seem to have the whole storage/shelving/display/vignette, whatever, thing down pat don’t they?

Perhaps it’s just my white floorboard obsession that makes me love these images so but I have become a big fan of their furniture and really wish that they would deliver to little old Ireland for in or around a tenner. Thank you please Car Moebel.

All images from Car Moebel

The jetlag is beginning to subside although, to be perfectly honest, it is quite difficult to distinguish it from my normal unrelenting capacity for sleep. Eight hours a day? Pah, I laugh in the face of eight hours sleep per day. I’ll see your eight and raise you four more.

While we’re on the subject, I thought it pertinent to show you where I got my twelve hours a night while we stayed in New York.  It has already been blogged all over the blogosphere and featured in every magazine worth its salt but we stayed at Ace Hotel. This place is so cool, even by New York standards. It’s always a little disconcerting though when you feel intimidated by the staff. They’re not snooty, they’re not supermodel beautiful, they’re just really bloody cool, dressed in their casual uniforms of jeans, converse, vintage style waistcoats and tipped-to-the-side trilby hats.

The rooms were pretty small but then we did book their smallest room type and we were in Manhattan. They had everything we needed though, including the best stocked minibar and snack tray that I have ever seen and not to mention a frickin’  amazing view of the Empire State Building two blocks away. And just like the staff, the decor was just really bloody cool. Oh lordie I’ve just used the word cool three times, my sixteen year old self would be very proud. Seriously cool though. Sorry, it’s the jetlag.