SATURDAY DESIGNER PROFILE - French architect Joseph Dirand

The French architect Joseph Dirand has made a name for himself with Parisian institutions like Monsieur Bleu and the Chloé flagship store. His clean contemporary style has hearts fluttering and temperatures rising all across the design world.

Whilst his style might be considered too minimalist for some, it is his desire to make sure that the bones of a building are beautiful and that the proportions are harmonious that has the design and architecture world watching closely. He uses luxurious materials and clean lines but doesn’t shy away from decorative finishes

and detailing.

THURSDAY MAKEOVER Mews House

Do you walk past tiny mews houses in central London and think “how on earth do they live in such a small space?” Particularly when central London property prices are soaring. Or do you live in a tiny apartment and think there isn’t enough room to swing a cat here. Well the owner of one such property below enlisted the help of architects to help bring in lots of natural light and maximize the space. Whilst us mere mortals might not have the budget used here there are some clever tricks used worth looking out for. The architect has cleverly used glazing to increase light and space, introducing glass walls and balustrades as well as windows. Floor to ceiling built in storage helps to keep the small space clutter free.

Lust worthy rooms – the all white interior

Have you embraced an all white (or mostly white) monochromatic style? Are you thinking about a white interior design scheme? I often find myself staring enviously at the classic Scandinavian mostly white décor and yearning (briefly) for clean lines and simplicity. In reality I like colour (lots of it, please) and pattern (riotous) and even though I know it isn’t for me. I still find myself asking How do they manage to keep it all clean?

Thursday House Makeover

We’ve all poured over homes magazines and sighed with envy at beautiful styled homes on instagram and pinterest, but this family actually made one of those homes. They took an unloved fixer upper and turned it into a dream family home by unify the ground floor by installing white oak flooring and using a simple cool palette dominated by white.

How to choose a coffee table

Choosing a coffee table is easy, right? So why does it seem so hard when you’re in the shop staring at the various options. As a coffee table is often a point of focus in your living room its worth figuring out in advance a couple of critical pieces of information.

Take some measurements – sounds like a non-tip but make sure you have those measurements with you in your handbag or on your phone. You should measure the length and height of your sofa and the area where you'll place the coffee table in front of it. Your table should be about the same height as the top of the sofa seat cushions.

Choose a coffee table that reflects the style of your room. If you’ve got lots of vintage finds then head to the flea market to see what you can find. Do you have lots of wood in your living room? Look at matching the tones.  Buying a Walnut table when everything is scrubbed pine will look out of place. Is everything minimal and contemporary? Then a large rustic table is unlikely to be your choice.

Consider the function of your coffee table. Will people be putting plates and drinks on it while watching television?  Or heaven forbid their feet? Would you like the table to be styled with books and decorative object’s? Do you need drawers to store things like remote controls?

You’ll be all set for table hunting if you’ve got this questions sorted before you leave home.  But if you’re still in doubt take a quick picture of your living room with you on your phone.