Too much pattern, and other stories

Arren Williams June 8, 2021

All this sudden heat does slow things down rather deliciously. Makes me crave a chilled glass of rosé in the steamy outdoors, slowly sipping while watching the condensation speckle the wine glass and puddle on the table.

And, while things are busy, work currently has the consistency of molasses. Slow and sticky, but sweet if it ever gets there. How impossible is it to get anything done these days?

I discovered Populus Project through the bastion of cool and contemporary west coast design; Provide. The brainchild of Brian Lin, a Taiwanese-American product designer from Houston who now calls Vancouver home, Populus is the result of Lin pivoting from a career in fashion to create covetable objet for the home.

Just say yes to Lin’s stunningly simple yet utterly textural Silver Travertine trays - your keys and loose change will thank you. The trays also come in a heavily veined and totally g-g-g-gorgeous Italian Portoro marble . And I am totes in love with the polished brass Stack Burner designed to hold incense. Light it up and watch the smoky fragrance loop and curl through the pierced top.

Round and oval trays in Silver Travertine. Populus Project

I always wonder about too much pattern. Is that even a thing? Can there ever really be too much pattern in an interior? Listen, before I sound any more like Carrie in SATC, I know this lewk might not be popular with the Japandi-loving crowd, but aren’t these two examples of mural wallpapers just stop-you-in-your-tracks fab???

First up, we’re serving FLORAL in this space by interior stylist Agi, featuring the 'Fragment of wallpaper' mural from the V&A Museum collection at Surface View. The design is taken from a circa 1725-50 wallpaper panel from Eltham Lodge in Kent, scaled up to deliver a definite design moment.

Let’s follow up with this little number from Transylvania-based patterntastic firm Mindthegap, who’s maximalist ethos infuses everything they do. The Azure mural is part of a collection they’ve dubbed Sundance Villa, and includes 201 other patterns, in case the mood takes you.

Surface View ‘Fragment of wallpaper’ mural. Interior design: Agi

Oh, hello high-contrast black and oak. The new Jamie Beckwith collab with Currey & Co is definitely pushing all my buttons, translating Beckwith’s mindbogglingly gorgeous patterned wood surfaces for floors and walls to a 10-piece collection of furniture and furnishings.

Of course!!! You’ll shout, when you realize you can actually match Beckwith’s Gio Ponti inspired Swoop surface in oak with his Swoop Cabinet. (shown below). I’m seeing a wall in the wood pattern fronted by the cabinet, and topped with a barmy vintage lamp like this, you?

Swoop cabinet and Arrow cocktail table. Jamie Beckwith for Currey & Co

More horn-tooting… A while back my talented sister co-founded Plum & Belle, a stylish online resource for sustainable home goods, fashion and apothecary. And, when I chat with her over Facetime on the daily, I’m always pumping her for info on the latest finds they’ve added to the shop.

While there’s always something I want to get my hands on (I’m talking to you, Shibori indigo dyed vintage French linen tote bag), a long time fave are the heirloom kilims by Ishkar. Woven by Afghani weavers in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council, they embody the handmade specialness of true craft. Read more of the story behind the blue Band-e Amir design or Anar in burnt umber, each handwoven in wool.

Flowers, Patterns, Memories

Arren Williams May 28, 2021

Well, here we are. The grey days have given up and we’ve slid deliciously into lovely lilac season, which sidestepped briefly into wisteria hysteria and will soon shift into peony pandemonium.

As flowers bloom and the temps rise, so it feels like we’re stepping finally out of the dark and returning slowly - and carefully - to ‘normal’. Personally, I can’t wait to get my second shot and may start randomly hugging people on the street. You have been warned…

Large and in charge, chunky yet funky. While I might be paraphrasing Latrice Royale’s description of herself, this is exactly what popped into my tiny mind when I spotted these fab bar stools from Only Good Things.

To me, the Sir Burly stool hits the nail on the head from a style perspective. Cool and modern, yet functional, with just the right amount of wit. Designed by Dowel Jones, a firm fave of mine, these hefty little loves come in both counter and bar height, and a range of white/black/natural oak combos. I’ll take two, please.

Sir Burly in white/natural oak seat. Interior design: Artem Rechitsky

Sir Burly in black/black oak seat. Dowel Jones for Only Good Things

By any marker, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House in LA is an architectural marvel. Built in 1924 of 30,000 concrete blocks it’s quite the Mayan Art Deco Moderne fantasy, and is the largest of four FLW ‘textile block’ homes built in California. And yep, you might recognize it, from appearances in everything from 50’s B-movie horrors to classics like Blade Runner and, more recently, Westworld.

So, of course it’s super cool to hear that Eso Surfaces has announced a partnership with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation to reproduce a series of four designs inspired by the houses, This is all of course fuelling my dreams of cladding a fireplace in the Ennis 3D tile or building a pierced concrete block wall in the futuristic Albin design. Check out all the designs here.

Ennis and Millard tiles, Storer and Ablin blocks. Eso Surfaces

While the gorgeous My Home in Porto - both designed and run by our talented friend Juan de Mayoralgo - is now sadly closed, its memory and influence live on. This shot below is a particular fave, especially the perfectly imperfect two-tone hexagon floor tiles, and the memory of our stay there came flooding back when I spotted a particular rug the other day.

With it’s similar colourway and bold tiled design the Coronado rug, designed by artist John Zabawa for EQ3, feels just about perfect for an interior that needs a major hit of pattern (don’t they all?). And it’s one of those designs that could as easily slide into a modern space, as one with trad details, like My Home in Porto. Definitely one to bookmark!

Finally, if you’ll permit me a bit of horn tooting, I’m extra-happy to say that my latest project, a bed, bath and beach collection for Hudson’s Bay, recently launched. We first started working on it back in early 2020, with the plan to come up with something bright, patterned and optimistic, and I think we really hit the nail on the head. The inspo came from favourite high-points in design and, as I truly believe, “Living with colour and pattern is definitely where it’s at!”

There are 3 patterns, and I love ‘em all, but Ponti is a definite standout. Find it in yellow and beige for the bedroom (see below), and then turquoise and blue for the bathroom and beach. Plus the intense shades of the Portuguese matelassé coverlets and toss cushions are to die for. You can check out the whole shebang here, and I couldn’t be prouder.

Ponti duvet set, Texta coverlet, Trig and Miel toss cushions, Skye bed. Hudson’s Bay

Time and Design

Arren Williams March 5, 2021

Well, despite everything, things have been a little busy. Dealing with a couple of design projects, including our own main floor bathroom (half bath, or powder room, depending on what part of the world you’re in), as well as launching the Spring/Summer ‘21 collection for Casa Cubista and the imminent launch of my new collab with Hudson’s Bay that’s a super-fun collection for bed, bath and beach.

Honestly though, I’m just thankful that Spring feels like it’s just around the corner, and warmer weather is on the way.

What’s been going on with you guys?

The promise of sunny days always makes me think of jute and seagrass rugs underfoot. I’m such a fan of their relaxed vibe and how they can really take the edge off a modern space. In fact, I just sourced an ace striped jute rug for a project that will see the light of day in the next couple of months.

But, GAH, if only I’d seen the fab scalloped jute rugs from Tigmi Trading sooner. Hello, yes, you read that right, SCALLOPED! That added detail just amps it all up that bit more, no? Anyhoo, Tigmi’s jute selection comes in both rectangular and round versions, in plain as well as with a single line of colour. Who’s gonna say no to that?

Okay, yes, Tigmi Trading is based in Australia, but thankfully they do ship worldwide. Oh, and to make you go even more bug-eyed, they just opened a stunner of a new showroom in Byron Bay that’s definitely worth your attention. Check it out here on The Design Files.

Photo: Scalloped jute rug with yellow detail at the Tigmi Trading showroom in Byron Bay.

The struggle is real when it comes to sourcing a small-scale corner mount sink that doesn’t eat up the entire room. In the end, I managed to find something for our space that both fit the bill, and the budget, on Wayfair. That’s all well and good, but how about finding something that completely hits a home run, from a design perspective?

I spotted this charmant petite toilette from GCG Architectes on Insta, and just fell in love with the sink they’d scored. How perfect for the space, with it’s eclectic mix of colour and pattern (the wallpaper is from Erismann, the tiles from Popham). But where is the sink from??? If anyone can let me know, please do, since I’m envisioning someone lugging it all the way home from a Parisian fleamarket.

UPDATE: GCG Architectes kindly dropped me a line to say that the fab sink was actually in the apartment, and that they were able to save it!

I adore a singular vision when it comes to interiors, and a full-on commitment to style. British photographer Rachel Smith shot Kentaro Poteliakhoff at home in his Hackney townhouse - the gloriously dubbed Villa des Narcisses - for the Observer Magazine, and I am living for it. What, your home doesn’t have a name? You better get on that…

Poteliakhoff is the owner of ROOMS, an interiors store and veritable treasure trove of kitsch, mid-mod and antiques, and I definitely admire his take-no-prisoners maximalist style. Beige is so, well, yesterday.

Get Smart

Arren Williams December 17, 2020

Hey! Shake out some of that Holiday stress, and let me show you a few fab finds that will inspire.

Today we're peeking into my new found love for smart home tech (Hey, Alexa!), along with a stunner of a Canadian designed and made lamp, and of course how could I say no to terrazzo that's this good?

Cheers, Arren

It's true, after being - honestly - too lazy to figure out smart home tech we finally took the plunge and made it happen. The result? After doodling around with it over the last while, I have to tell you we won't be giving it up any time soon.

For us, the all-new Amazon Echo is where it's at. Love the styling, and the boss sound (it's given our old speakers a major run for their money), but the major thing for me is controlling all our lighting. And not just on and off, nope, we're using it to perfectly dim the lights, and even change the lighting temperature from cool to warm with the Philips Hue smart bulb. Magic!

The Echo is also on the ball from a sustainability standpoint. When you add it all up, you're looking at a sweet combo of both 100% post-consumer recycled fabric and aluminum, as well as 50% post-consumer recycled plastic. #amazonpartner

This ravishing little number is giving me total ooh-ooh-ahs. Designed by Calen Knauf out of Vancouver, each Stutter Lamp is milled from a solid block of aluminum on a hi-tech 5-axis milling machine. Okay, who else would absolutely looove to geek-out and watch one being made? Form an orderly line, please.

I'm all the simplicity and attention to detail, with smooth curves and an anodized finish designed by Knauf to be completely tactile to entice you to touch it. Snap your very own hand-numbered Stutter Lamp here up on 1stDibs, I do believe you won't be sorry.

Speaking of recycling, I'm totally here for a peek at the custom made nightstands of Brooklyn-based jewelry designer, Caitlin Mociun. The tops are recycled from off-cuts from Dzek's fab Marmoreal slabs, the rest of which is now at home in Mociun's kitchen.

Made in Italy and available in two colours, with either a white or black background to the marble composite, Marmoreal is a collab between Dzek and designer Max Lamb, known for his love of working with primitive, old-school design methods in new ways. And, to keep those design-brain wheels turning, it can be used as a surface just about anywhere in the home, as well as for floors and walls. Want!

Hello, how are you?

Arren Williams December 7, 2020

Hey, how’s it going?

I must say I’m not sure where the time has flown to? We appear to rushing headlong towards the Holidays at breakneck speed, about to crash directly into 2021. Which, imho, can’t come soon enough.

Anyways, here are a few faves that have caught my eye over the last while.

Cheers, Arren

While I admire the Japandi look as much as the next person, I must admit all that predictable pale beigeness does leave me a little cold. It’s all too predictable, no?

Colour! Pattern! Verve! That’s what we need, and thanks to architect and interior designer Cosimo Bonciani, that’s what we’ve definitely got in this space. Hello wallpaper! Which appears to be vintage from Ub in Florence, giving me another reason to dream of travelling Italy, if only to poke through the thousands of rolls they have in stock.

The interior was designed by Bonciani for luxury shoe designer and creative director, Samuele Failli and definitely puts the wow in wowzah! Want more after this little tease? Then snap up Living Corriere’s 2020 no. 11 issue.

It suddenly feels like just about everyone is thinking about a bathroom renovation, and whether it’s large or small, the right faucet is key. Want a something that’s both stylish and simple? Well, Riobel recently launched their new Reflet collection with House of Rohl, and I was lucky enough to see these sculptural beauties up close.

Eveline Simard, one of the Canadian designers behind the collection, describes it as “Incorporating a soft, wavy surface, encased in a rigid frame, combining both the elegance and power of water.” Look closely, and you’ll spot the polished softly curved interior surface inspired by the movement of water, which looks extra chic when paired with the brushed finish framing the rest of the faucet.

If you’re asking me, I’d love to see it paired with simple clean-lined white fixtures all set against a super-bold marble or stone, like Ciot’s dark and stormy Hurricane Black slab.

Photo: Riobel Reflet’s full range of finishes

Every now and then I’m stopped in my tracks by something special, and the Nº180 Petite Cupboard by Avoirdupois left me completely gooped.

This little darling, made by designer/engineer James Stumpf in his SoHo studio, looks all sorts of stunners in statement-making green lacquer with burnished brass hardware. It’s giving me major Art Deco via Italian modernist vibes, and those curves!!! Score yourself a standout lamp and a vintage tray to corral your liquor bottles, and call it done. Oh, and if you want to really swoon, it’s even available in a double-wide version dubbed the Nº177 Grand Cupboard. Clock that here.

Of course there’s more to see… Check out the full collection here, and scope out the range of lacquer and woods the pieces are available in.

Photo: Nº180 Petite Cupboard in green lacquer

Anti-cacophony

Arren Williams October 8, 2020

I don’t know about you, but after the cacophony of the last couple of weeks I feel in need of a complete rest and recharge.

Here’s hoping this week’s faves both inspire and help fill your creative spirit.

Cheers, Arren

I found myself totally spellbound watching Mattea McNurlen at work in this video, painting Moglea’s completely covetable linen bound notebooks. How amazing is that?

Helmed by Chad and Meg Gleason, and based out of their Audubon, Iowa, farm/studio, Moglea’s artful stationery is a colourfully crafted antidote to the blank page. The Swan design is part of their Fall ‘20 collection, but there’s loads more to ogle here, including lots more hand-painted pieces. Love.

Rough, smooth, modern and organic - Meet Wil & Co. Interior designer Allison Willson recently launched her new lighting collection, and it’s already attracting the right kind of notoriety because, well, it’s rather scrumptious.

Made in Canada of materials that invite you to touch them - think darkly patinated brass, mouth-blown glass in a softly milky hue, and twisted and braided jute - the line consists of five handsome artisan-made fixtures practically begging for the chance to amp up your interior.

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Just breathe.

Nestled in the rocky Tramuntana mountains of Mallorca, with views overlooking the Mediterranean, Mar Plus Ask architects have created a project called The Olive Houses. Literally built into the landscape, the two off-grid houses are finished in a palette of pink and purple stucco inspired by the olive trees on the property.

Between the two, you’ll find a simple and spare kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and living space - all powered by solar panels - which the architects Mar Vicens and Ask Anker Aistrup envision as a quiet refuge for architects, artists and writers around the year. See more here.

To quote Liz Lemon, “I want to go to there.”

Photos: Piet-Albert Goethals

Pattern, Pattern, Chair

Arren Williams September 30, 2020

A fun part of my schedule this week was shooting remotely at home for Citytv’s Cityline. The subject was our principal bedroom, a space that had a forced renovation due to some major construction we endured over the summer.

Things have definitely changed in the space, and for the better for sure. I can’t wait to share the results with you, and it’s extra fun looking back at how the space looked when it was shot by Angus Fergusson for House & Home magazine more than 11 years ago.

Cheers, Arren

Dots and squares, oh my! Just say yes to this rather fab collab between creative consultants and 3D designers Terzo Piano and Or.nami wallpaper, which playfully toys with trompe-l'œil to stunning visual effect. Think simple graphic shapes and drop shadows inspired by architectural design.

Available in either vinyl or rather covetable silk, there are 4 designs in different colourways to whet your whistle - I’m already dreaming and scheming of a space where I can use them.

While one of my current projects includes a chic little bathroom in white and grey, this brand new collection by artist and designer Nathalie Du Pasquier for Mutina tiles definitely has me drooling.

More is definitely more here. Du Pasquier’s wonderfully barmy layering of pattern on pattern is key, with a perfect mix of fifties modernism and vintage designs all thrown together with gay abandon. And, if the 41 tiles in the Mattonelle Margherita collection aren’t enough, there’s also 11 coordinating paint colours for all you OCD design fans out there that want everything to match. Seriously.

Oh, and the art direction for the collection’s launch? It’s all feeling very cinematic and inspirational, and honestly I could happily post every single shot, but will show some restraint with the three faves below. Scope out the rest of the collection, here.

Wall: Star, Stripes, Marghe Black. Floor: Double Red, Stripes.

Wall: Marghe White, Frame Black, Marghe Half White, Marghe Half Black, Line. Floor: Petals, Line. Margherita Paint: Sand Matt.

Wall: Marghe Light Blue, Stripes, Star, Kite White, Square Black, Marghe Black. Floor: Marghe Light Blue, Double Red, Stripes.

Am I the only person that dreams about chairs? This one in particular sent me down a bit of an internet rabbit hole, to be sure.

I first spotted the vintage originals in this stunning apartment in Florence, with masterfully edited interiors by Massimo Adario (click here to see more). Though they couldn’t look more at home in this space with views across the Arno, these spectacularly curvy seats were originally designed by Czech architect Jan Bočan for furnishing the Embassy of Czechoslovakia in Stockholm in 1972.

While the originals, made for Bočan by Thonet in lacquered bentwood and cane, deservedly fetch a pretty penny, I was fascinated to see that new versions of the chair are de rigueur in all sorts of chic interiors in Australia.

Available in both black and natural from the folks at Worn, and stunningly well priced I might add (I did the conversion), the sad news is that they won’t ship outside of Australia. But, kudos to Worn for their commitment to ethical sustainability, since their Cane Loungers are made of non-chemically treated materials harvested from sustainably managed plantations. Plus, for every chair sold a native tree is planted to help offset carbon emissions.

Brownie points to whoever can send me a source closer to home…

Photo: Laura Fantacuzzi and Maxime Galati-Fourcade

Do you say Fall, or is it Autumn?

Arren Williams September 22, 2020

And… suddenly it’s Fall.

I don’t know about you, but those last few days of summer felt especially poignant this year. Soon we’ll be well and truly bundled up, socially distancing outside, but until then there are still a few softening glimmers of sunlight to remind us of warmer days.

Cheers, Arren

Despite, well, the way things are Paris Design Week still managed to inspire earlier this month. I totally stan for India Mahdavi, and this wildly bright, fun and entirely OTT space from her did not disappoint. You’ll most likely know Mahdavi’s work by Sketch restaurant in London, but puh-lease don’t judge her for it’s pretty-in-pink Insta success.

Here she’s altogether more esoteric and artistic, mixing Chris Wolston’s utterly crazy/fab anthropomorphic Nalgona Colombian wicker chairs, fabric from textile artists Les Crafties, lighting by WonderGlass and a tile-topped table from Maximilien Pellet. It’s basically a fever dream of design fabulosity.

I spent a thoroughly fascinating time peeking behind the curtain on the work, inspirations and point of view of design firm Campbell-Rey today when they were interviewed by M. Emilio Pimentel-Reid for Interiors Academy. Helmed by Duncan Campbell and Charlotte Rey, the young award-winning firm tackles both interiors and product design with aplomb.

Their Francesco side table is definitely deserving of ooh-ooh-aahs with it’s mix of Connemara green marble, yellow travertine and patinated brass-on-steel legs. First commissioned from Campbell-Rey by interior designer Francis Sultana, the pert piece is now part of their ongoing furniture collection, which they let slip in the interview they have plans to grow.

Oh, and that snap below? Well, let’s just say that paired with The Rug Comapny’s Key Shadow carpet, the Francesco table looks all the more stunning.

Watch the IGTV interview here.

Post-reno we’re in the midst of rejigging our double-height gallery wall. The walls are freshly painted (hello Benjamin Moore White Dove) but the question is, what will stay, and what will go, and what could replace those bits and bobs that have fallen out of favour? Definitely these!

The items in question are Abstract Masks from People of the Sun, an award winning social enterprise in Malawi that connects traditional artisans with a world wide design audience. A collab with designer and artist Julia Gamborg Nielsen, these stunners are a graphic interpretation of African masks, skillfully woven of palm leaves. I. Want. Them. ALL.

There’s lots more must-haves from People of the Sun to check out right here.

Elizara, one of the master weavers behind the Abstract Masks collection

Style, served with tea

Arren Williams July 28, 2020

Well, hello! Even though we’ve packed up and decamped to the basement while undergoing a renovation at home, I’m still on the hunt for a few stylish bits and bobs that have caught my eye.

Cheers, Arren

Fashion designer turned ceramicist Harvey Bouterse knows how to turn a look. His enigmatic Insta catalogues his latest creations, with a Tumblr that expands on that point of view, letting you tumble down a very stylish rabbit hole with a look into both his work and other design inspirations.

The hand-built ceramic pieces, each with their individually applied decoration and patterns, play into Bouterse’s love of primitive forms and Brutalism. The result is sculpturally biomorphic shapes finished in hefty textural mid-century glazes that add even more character to his vases, lamps, candleholders and creatures. Quite the menagerie indeed, which - under the Wouter Harvey umbrella - is currently on show in the historic Perignem ceramic workshop in Beernem, Belgium, alongside the work of Wouter Hoste and Katleen Vinck.

The home of stylist Erena Te Paa is a stunner, filled with earthy organic pieces that manage to feel both stylishly on-trend and effortlessly collected. The angular open space is a mix of naturals and neutrals, making it easy on the eye, though she’s always on the lookout for something new to add. The latest is a vintage stool turned side table that fits perfectly into the tone-on-tone space - See is sliding around the room in a fun stop-go-animation here.

And, once we’re all travelling again, you might want to check out Te Paa’s cool little holiday rental - Akito Studio - kitted out in her inimitable style. Yet another reason to add New Zealand to your must-see list…

I’m loving London-based artist and photographer Max Siedentopf’s kooky and fun #accidentalinfluencer campaign for Gucci, where everyday people accidentally match their interiors. While the shots are ostensibly all about the updated Gucci Tennis 1977 sneaker, my fave is the stripe action happening in this shot, where the t-shirt matches the mugs. Though, if you’re a weirdo design geek like me, you’ll recognize that those aren’t just any old striped mug, they’re classic British Cornishware mugs from T.G. Green.

Cornishware started its striped life in 1924 in a simple blue and white combo, but have expanded over the years into 11 different hand-painted colour options, including this zingy Adder Green shade. In sizes up to a whopping 15oz, the mugs can handle an ocean of tea (or coffee, if you’re so inclined), and can even be personalized. Check out the full collection here.

Get Outside!

Arren Williams July 16, 2020

Today, I thought we’d try something a little different, more of a mood board ya know, since I’m definitely in the mood to be spending more time out than in.

Cheers, Arren

Okay then, here we go with a rustic yet refined take on outdoor living in natural terracotta, rattan and canvas with hits of a soft off-white and black. I’m loving the handmade meets modern elements, but I’ll leave it up to you to get the rosé on ice…

Business & Pleasure Co. Vintage Black Stripe Beach Umbrella and Sling Chairs

Made Goods Ezra Concrete Stool

LD Shoppe Duncan Outdoor Armchair

The Avalon Shop Modern Love Beach Towel

Serena & Lily Luna Hanging Chair

Todobarro Tile Collection by LeBlume

Marset FollowMe Outdoor Lamp

Renwil Jackie Outdoor Throw

Maximalism, Pattern and Prints

Arren Williams July 14, 2020

All this sunshine and hot weather has me craving intense colour and pattern. I guess you could say I’m feeling very Cabana magazine…

Cheers, Arren

I can count the number of times I’ve been to Calgary on one hand, so certainly not enough to get a real feel for the place. That’s definitely got to change, especially after scoping out the home of designer Martine Ast, who works at renowned interior designer Paul Lavoie’s design firm.

It’s certainly a complete lewk - Colour, pattern and fun (yes, fun!) tossed with a practiced eye into an untouched 70’s home that Ast found in Calgary’s Varsity Estates ‘hood. And the art! That living room wall painted black is such a smart design move, since it’s a perfect setting for 12 bright abstracts by artist Aron Hill.

You’ll spot vintage pieces throughout, including the barmy trellis and bird print chairs in the living room (yes, the fabric is original). Moving on to the dining room, where the standout Kelly green bureau was an old family piece that Ast had lacquered into something altogether more eye catching. Want more? Read all about the project here.

Designer Anthony Gianacakos is a self-described Maximalist. One look at the NYC rental apartment kitchen he tackled with painters tape, a few cans of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and a wild dose of creativity is all you need to figure that out.

The look was inspired by a trip to Lisbon - think tiles and grafitti - and I’m loving the commitment to colour and pattern in such a small space. Taking on a project like this is no mean feat, and included painting the cabinets by hand in that zingy cobalt blue, not to mention taping-off the tile pattern and then free-handing the orange squiggles above.

Gianacakos’s interior design projects are all imbued with a similarly bold aesthetic, so check out his portfolio here when you have a chance. He’s also designed prints for fabrics and wallpapers in his signature maxed-out style, and you’ll spot his linen Mosaico print on that sweet banquette tucked into a corner of the kitchen.

While art of any kind lifts us up and makes us both think and feel, for me it’s the graphic power of screen prints that have a direct line to my heart. I’ve loved checking out the Black Women of Print account on Instagram, founded by printmaker and visual artist Tanekeya Word as a place to discover and celebrate Black women printmakers, past, present and future.⁣⁣

While the work itself is stellar, I do love a look behind the scenes - Word’s own mood board allows a peek into her artistic process and includes her Black is Beautiful print. You’ll spot a rack of drying prints inspired by Hue Magazine by artist Angela Pilgrim, and that final shot shows artist Stephanie Santana at work on one of her pieces influenced by old family photos.

For more on the artists involved, click here to read a feature in Pressing Matters magazine. Even better - buy a print or two directly from the artists and get them up on your walls.

Photo: Multi Color Hue Print, Angela Pilgrim

Photo: Artist Stephanie Santana at work on a print

Bold, Blue, Boho

Arren Williams July 9, 2020

Part of the fun for me in putting these posts together is the hunt. Trawling through everything that’s out there to find the creativity that makes me think, yeah, there is so much great stuff worth digging into. So, I hope you’re enjoying reading these missives as much as I enjoy pulling the threads on the things that I find inspiring.

Scroll up! Today we leap between the creative scenes in London and Paris, and then finish up with a little something in Montreal.

Cheers, Arren

Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of Bold British Design from photographer Sarah Hogan and writer and creative director Emilio Pimentel-Reid. It’s chockablock with creative talents and inspiring interiors and a must-have for any design-driven bookshelf or well-appointed coffee table.

Pimentel-Reid captured exactly why this book’s theme resonates with me in an interview with interior designer Kit Kemp for her blog, “The designers are bold not just in the sense of being colourful or quirky like illustrator Camilla Perkins, they are deeply original, fearless in their interior choices, either breaking the mould or pushing the boundaries of creativity. Designer and environmentalist, Sebastian Cox, for example has his own woodland from which he harvests timber for his furniture and even grows light shades out of fungus.

They are also bold in personal ways, often unconstrained by rules, joyful (none more so than British Nigerian Yinka Ilori) and courageous both in how an individual product is made or how disparate elements are combined in a room. They also each exemplify many of the characteristics that make this country unique: a sense of humour and an appreciation for history, craft and modernity.”

While you can definitely snap up a copy on Amazon, please support your local independent bookstore!

I’ll always applaud a well edited vignette, and this one is - excuse my French - some next level shit. It’s found in the Parisian Directoire period apartment of fashion designer Alexis Mabille, and is actually in the kitchen - Can you even? A close perusal of the shelf reveals a collection that includes artwork by Adrien Dirand and Louis-Marie de Castelbajac, along with two Alberto Giacometti plaster heads. But the pop, if you will, is that surprising slew of classic blue Wedgwood Jasperware. Grandmothers beware, your china cabinet may imminently get raided…

With interiors by go-to French architecture and design firm, Humbert & Poyet, you’ll definitely want to see more. Head here to AD for the full reveal, then click here to see a more relaxed, personal take on the space by The Socialite Family.

You can count me as a new fan of Montreal-based design firm, Anthology Creative Studio. Helmed by Kathia Lagacé-Nadon & Karim Guelmi, the firm’s interiors feel perfectly layered and collected over time, and are a natural fit with the #slowdesign movement.

And this kitchen? Well, it’s a stunner, with acres of countertops and dark blue cabinetry, not to mention all the copper fixturing. While copper has long been touted as a hot metal tone for interiors, it’s rare to see it used so well. I know you want to see more, so click here to see the rest of what Anthology Creative Studio has dubbed their Bohemian Vintage apartment.

Something old and something new

Arren Williams July 7, 2020

Grace Bonney, the founder of Design*Sponge, has always been a thoughtful voice in the world of design. Now she’s stepping back from her influential Instagram account and allowing important new voices to take centre stage. As Bonney explains, “Starting this week I will be working to turn this from a blog-turned-personal platform into a community page dedicated to the voices and work of designers of color.”

Up first on the Design*Sponge Insta is designer NeKeia McSwain, the president of the Black Interior Designer’s Network and owner of Kimberly + Cameron Interiors, who’ll be sharing her style with the account’s 890,000 followers.

Cheers, Arren

O.M.G. Those chairs!

This snap is of one of designer Benito Escat’s latest finds, a set of vintage Missoni rattan dining chairs. I could decide to stop right here for today, and it would be fine - They’re just that good!!!

Escat and his partner, Pol Castells, are the creative duo behind Spanish interior design firm, Quintana Partners, whose look is defined by layered history and vintage fabulousness. It’s all about the patina, baby!

You can glimpse one of their latest projects, hotel La Bionda on Spain’s Costa Brava coast, in that second snap below. Oh, and the Missoni chairs? If you fancy your own, you might just be able to score a set right now on Chairish…

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I do love a good kitchen design, especially one as handsome as this in a palette of mixed woods with a few hits of gold and black for good measure. We can thank designer Nikki Klugh for this thoughtfully planned space, but for me I’m completely taken with those herringbone floors.

Which got me thinking as to what else was out there for wood flooring. Parquet, anyone? While the name might strike fear into most, and make you think of golden oak flooring in 80’s condos, there is lots out there that’s worth a look.

While it’s not strictly parquet, the Bloc wood tiles by Studio Job for Bisazza, certainly have a similar vibe and backstory. It’s that feel, for sure, but so much more contemporary. And hexagon - yes, please. Anything hexagon with a trompe-l'œil effect will definitely get a high-five from me.

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We’ll finish off today with a bit of inspo from Ikea, with a look forward to what our Swedish friends will be releasing in their new catalogue in August.

The styling is on point and I’m loving the colour palette, and hey, I’m already a fan of the mid-century inspired Rönninge chair in that great mossy green. Oh, and that storage workhorse, the Ivar shelving system, gets an on-trend update with swish bamboo doors. What’s not to love?

Hot seats and beachside villas

Arren Williams July 2, 2020

It feels hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk, so thank heavens friends introduced us to Botica’s Spanish Valencian Orange Gin. Poured over lots of ice and served with good tonic (or, in our case Italian mandarin soda), it’s the perfect antidote to this July heat.

Cheers, Arren

How incredible! Designed as an intensely creative endeavour between Thabisa Mjo of Mash.T Design Studio and South African furniture makers Houtlander, the Hlabisa Bench features a stunningly sinuous pink basketweave backrest woven by Zulu master weaver Beauty Nxongo.

Watch Nxongo at work on the bench here, working in locally harvested palm that is all dyed by hand. Oh, and if pink is not your thing? The Hlabisa Bench is also available in a slightly more sober, though no less graphic pattern - Take a gander here.

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Image: Beauty Ngxongo, master weaver of Zulu baskets, and Stephen Wilson of Houtlander

“A creative village by the ocean where music, art, design, food and wellness play together,” is an apt description of the ace new Potato Head hotel in Bali. Sustainability is the focus, with award winning architecture designed by OMA and collabs on furnishings with big name design talents like Faye Toogood and Max Lamb. There’s a lot to love, but - thanks to the current situation - we’ll have to wait to enjoy it as the project is in hibernation until later this year.

In the meantime, you can ogle some of the fab pieces included in the rooms, like Lamb’s Study Chair. The cool seat is made by local Balinese craftspeople from a confetti-patterned recycled plastic material from Smile Plastics (watch the video below).

Each chair comprises of 833 recycled plastic bottles - seriously stylish and sustainable or, as Potato Head would say, #GoodTimesDoGood.

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We’re dialling in more of those summer vibes with interior designer Alicia Ruach’s take on a laid-back beachside villa..

As Rauch explained to House & Home, “I love the contemporary beach house vibe! The warm wood tones and crisp whites juxtaposed with black accents add a punch of drama and interest. This style is a sophisticated coastal retreat that you would find on the picturesque coasts of South Africa.”

It’s good to dream, right?

Support creativity

Arren Williams June 30, 2020

So, to celebrate Canada Day, I want to take some time out to highlight the great work that is being done at Nia Centre for The Arts, Toronto’s first Black arts centre. How can you get involved? Get inspired by watching the video below that debuted back in May, featuring a slew of talented creatives from all facets of the arts, then click here to make a donation.

Your donations will help fund the re-development of the Nia Centre space at 524 Oakwood Ave. Changes that will lead to a renewed professional arts centre, creating spaces to support young people, as well as emerging and established artists to hone their artistic talents, prepare them for jobs in the creative sector and enhance their capacity for entrepreneurship.

Excited by the thought of all the talent this new space will foster.

Cheers, Arren

Nia Centre for The Arts: “We want to celebrate the unique ways artists continue to create, to take us to new places, to capture our feelings, and to hold space for our dreams. This video is a tribute to them. To you. Your strength, your purpose, your energy.⁠
⁠
We see you. ⁠
⁠
Thank you to everyone who shared their energy with us to make this happen!⁠”
⁠
Directed by: Ayo Tsalithaba
Produced by: Imad Elsheikh, Pique

Featuring:
Spencer Badu
Alexis Eke
Amika Cooper
Meech
Moya Garrison-Msingwana
Twysted Miyake-Mugler
Clairmont The Second
M.I. Blue ⁠
Brianna Roye
Rahnell Branton

Editor: Soji Oyinsan II ⁠
Writer: Meg Prosper
DP: Lester Millado⁠
Music: Clairmont The Second
Vocals: M.I. Blue
Voice-over: Ayo Tsalithaba

Make it in pattern

Arren Williams June 25, 2020

Pattern can really pep up an interior and give it a point of view. For me it’s a must, since a mix of patterns adds depth and sophistication. After all, why should everything be beige?

Cheers, Arren

Monochrome or bright? No matter your mood, artisan Naila Janzen - the creative mind behind Winnipeg’s Rox Textile Art - can hook you up.

Janzen describes her work as ‘functional art’ - Bold patterns show up in cotton quilts that look good both tossed over the arm of a sofa, or hung on the wall to admire. Then, patchwork comes into play in graphic cotton cushion covers, which are totally giving me a naval signal flag vibe. My suggestion is that you snap up two or three of those cushions to wake up your sofa, pronto.

Love. It. All! Shop the whole shebang here.

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Australian design powerhouse Sibella Court has just released a collection of tiles with TeraNova that have me going gaga. Honestly, I could probably do with an intervention at some point, because my love of good encaustic tiles knows no bounds, and HELLO, these are marbled!!!

Sirocco is the pattern’s name, and comes in a gorgeous array of tints. That one on the top is a smoky teal called Ocean and the on-the-money shade beneath is Brick. Ink and Ochre round out the Sirocco palette, though the full Tradewinds collection includes other patterns in both encaustic and stone. Shop the lot here.

The question has already been asked as to whether TeraNova ships, and the answer is yes, so keep an eye out - You can bet some of your fave designers will be using it soon…

Why, WHY, do you have dull white lampshades in your house? Shake it up, people!

Thank heavens Bespoke Binny’s shade collection in standout African wax prints definitely makes the case that adding personality to your lamps is an absolute must. The designer behind the brand, Natalie Manima, has been perfecting her craft over the past 7 years and now kindly shares the wealth with virtual make-your-own-shade classes that include all the bits and bobs you need.

More info on the Virtual Lampshade Class here. Not feeling handy? Don’t sweat it - You can scroll through Manima’s extensive collection here.

Hot seats for summer

Arren Williams June 23, 2020

As Toronto is about to move into Phase 2, everyone and their best friend seems intent on hitting the barbershops and hairdressers. Me? I’m happy to keep on rocking my homemade haircut for a while longer.

How are things feeling in your part of the world?

Cheers, Arren

I popped by Augustus Jones this week on the hunt for garden furniture for a client, and took the chance for a masked chinwag with owner Cliff Smith.

I first met Cliff, his wife Yasmin and daughter Amanda years back, when we shot their Toronto home for Flare magazine. Back then Cliff told me about their country property, an old canning factory, that they were stripping back to bare bones. Fast forward to earlier this year, when the house was featured in Objekt magazine looking all sorts of cool, take a gander here.

While at Augustus Jones I was taken by a chair from Tolix. Nope, not the classic and oft copied A Chair from 1925. Instead it’s the Patrick Norguet designed T14 Chair, which feels fresher and more contemporary. A modern classic, if you will. Oh, and if you’re wondering, it sits like a dream, perfect for a long, lazy afternoon with sangria.

After discovering the work of artisan Amina Haswell on Insta, I’ve come to the understanding that my life is incomplete without a handmade broom.

Based in Manitoba, Haswell makes her brooms, brushes and whisks (small handheld sweeper-uppers) using a mix of corn broom grown on her property, plus some sourced from further afield. You can order her work, tied in your choice of coloured cord - Twenty different tints to be exact, including a rather jazzy rainbow dipped number.

Check out the full Prairie Breeze collection here, or shop in person at an upcoming Third + Bird urban market in Winnipeg.

Image: Whisks and Brushes in Rainbow Cord

I’m an absolute fiend when it comes to prints and patterns, so it’s obvious that London-based designer Eva Sonaike’s textiles give me major ooh-ooh-ah’s.

Sonaike’s ‘Bringing Colour to Life’ ethos definitely comes into play in the collection’s vibrant West-African aesthetic - Shrinking violets and nervous nellies need not apply. Get some yardage and get happy. What are you waiting for?

Peruse the complete Eva Sonaike collection of fabrics, cushions, lampshades and more here.

Little adjustments

Arren Williams June 18, 2020

Today I was happy to wear a mask, have my temperature checked, answer a questionnaire and leave my contact info to shop for lighting for a client. Glad to make these little adjustments to my reality as things start to slowly wake up.

And you know what? That’s fine by me.

Cheers, Arren

What’s cooking, Calgary? Well, apparently Jenelle Erickson and Stephanie Smith of SmithErickson definitely know their way around a fab kitchen design.

This first space is giving me all the wows, especially since its a major reno of a ho-hum 90’s home (I’m imagining a dull beige ‘before’). There’s so much great stuff going on here. Not just the colour palette of white, dove and dark grey, but just about every darned thing.

That second kitchen has all of the classics, with the white on white, shaker panels, hits of black and open shelves. But hello, the mitred tiles giving you the frame around the window? That’s the kind of attention to a simple but special design detail that I love - It takes thought, people!

Okay, so a few folks out there spotted artist Kendra Dandy’s Leopard Coat print in Seana Freeman’s interior, and dropped me a line to say they were longtime fans of Dandy’s work. So, admittedly I have obvs been under a rock!

Yep, you can def call me a new fan of her direct, vibrant and painterly style. But, did you know you can also get her work as wallpaper, too? Check out a couple of my fave florals below, available here through Surface View in the UK. They ship worldwide, so no excuses! With 40 styles on offer, I bet you’ll find one that speaks to you and, as Dandy explains on her Insta, “Getting paid is the sincerest form of flattery.”

Score the rest of her artwork through Society 6.

Image: Watercolour Floral Mural, Orange and Flowers Mural by Kendra Dandy from the Bouffants and Broken Hearts Collection at Surface View — Image: Watercolour Floral Mural, Orange and Flowers Mural by Kendra Dandy from the Bouffants and Broken Hearts Collection at Surface View

Photo: All the Flowers Mural by Kendra Dandy from the Bouffants and Broken Hearts Collection at Surface View — Photo: All the Flowers Mural by Kendra Dandy from the Bouffants and Broken Hearts Collection at Surface View

There are those that can dress a nice table, and then there’s Eric Goujou, the owner of storied tabletop retailer La Tuile à Loup in Paris. For Goujou, the shop’s collection is very much in the vein of that perfect French expression - Art de la table.

With a revolving selection from 30+ French artisans, as well as vintage finds, La Tuile à Loup is a favourite of designers far and wide, and rightly so. You’ll spot Aptware, a classic marbled faience inspired by the coloured soils of Apt, a small town not far from Marseille, as well as painted patterns and splashy, naturalistic designs. Keep an eye out for more loveliness on the store’s Insta, here, which will have you jonesing to host your next dinner party, whenever that might be. Le sigh.

Image: The eye of Tuile à Loup, Eric Goujou

Colour is a political statement

Arren Williams June 16, 2020

Today, I’m choosing to focus on the good news out of the US, with the Supreme Court finally ruling that the language of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

And, we’ve been listening to a great Spotify playlist - Transcend - that features transgender, non-binary and gender-fluid artists and is well worth listening to, on repeat.

Cheers, Arren

“Fuck greige,” so says Seana Freeman, who sees the inoffensive non-colour as a cop-out when describing her punchy fuchsia home office. This tint makes a statement, just like Freeman when describing how embracing colour can be a political act,

“People of color have a different relationship with color. Its part of our cultural heritage! Por ejemplo, long before it was trending, black women have been wearing vibrant clothes, nails & hair. Hues like magenta pop against our skin. But often, especially if we are climbing the career ladder, we leave our magenta at home and well... wear greige.”

Read the rest here on Freeman’s Insta, the Geeky Glamohenian, which follows her take on style and the decorating of her art-filled home in North Carolina. Oh, and speaking of art, the standout piece in this shot is Leopard Coat by artist, Kendra Dandy. To see the rest of her space, pop over here to HGTV.

This Toronto home, by architect Tura Cousins Wilson of Ursa architecture and design studio, also embraces colour. This time though, in memory of the architect’s formidable grandmother, Violeta. The Jamaican-born matriarch loved the bright yellow of her country’s flag, so he paid tribute to her with the front porch painted in an eye-popping hue.

While the exterior stays true to its Edwardian roots, inside things are decidedly light, bright, airy and modern. I’m all about that double height living space. Plus, I have to mention the vividly colourful portrait by artist Rajni Perera of Violeta watching the to-ing and fro-ing beneath, all while holding a machete.

And the bathrooms! Sleek and simple, and so smart, with black grout creating a grid pattern with square white tiles. See the rest of Granny’s House here in Ursa’s portfolio.

Tura Cousins Wilson is a founding member of BAIDA, the Black Architects + Interior Designers Association of Canada.

Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Destiny Seymour in an Anishinaabe interior designer who also makes a line of handmade goods for the home called Indigo Arrows. Indigenous pottery and bone tool patterns uncovered in Manitoban archeological digs inspire Seymour’s textile designs, which are printed on linen and made up into cushions, quilts and napkins.

Her Copper Arrows lumbar pillows are a fave of mine, but I totally love the made to order Drum Stools. Upholstered in wool blankets, with tops and tails in maple, the stools come in three sizes. Shop the full Indigo Arrows collection here.

Photo: Copper Arrows pillows and Grandmother Moon Quilts

Starring Roles and Greek Urns

Arren Williams June 11, 2020

As this week has continued, I think we’re feeling such a shift, such momentum for much needed change in the world. It doesn’t feel like ‘business as usual,’ which must be a good thing. More than statues are toppling right about now…

Cheers, Arren

Can we just make up a word here, please? I’m often taken by an interior and the couldntyoujustmovein-ness of how it looks.

This living room is by the fab Eneia White Interiors, and fits that word to a T. Is that a grasscloth ceiling? Be still my heart. Hello to of-the-moment reeded details. Yes! Can we take a gander at those chairs? By all means. And of course, all of those dark-hued accents ground it perfectly.

I don’t think I’d change a thing…

Below, I’m getting more of the feels with this dining room, part of a cool, calm and collected Upper East Side project by White. Check more or her work here.

Details, details, details! Hubert de Givenchy once said “Luxury is in each detail,” and it appears that designer Cheryl Luckett definitely knows that to be true.

As part of her One Room Challenge project, Luckett has not only upholstered doors in linen and finished them with antiqued brass nailheads, she has found hardware with the looks to take a starring role in a silver screen musical.

Sourced through Addison Weeks, the Charlotte-based designer mixed a Michelle Nussbaumer Enamel Star backplate with a Scallop Knob for major Art Deco vibes. In a brass and navy enamel finish the stylish result has left me completely gagged.

For even more style (and more nailheads) check out Cheryl’s upholstery collection for Sylvester Alexander here.

While London-based ceramicist Freya Bramble-Carter imbues her work with a mix of forms and finishes inspired by nature, her recent project, a collab with interior design studio Krokalia, moves in a different direction. Described by Bramble-Carter as a ‘mish-mash’, the pieces combine her organic point of view with Classical Greek pottery. We’re talking inspo from 510-323 BCE.

The urns, vases and bowls, created by Bramble-Carter, and then playfully decorated by designer Pallas Kalamotusis of Krokalia, have such a fresh, handmade feel. Plus, there’s a definite nod to mid-century painted art pottery. More, please!

Freya Bramble-Carter is a member of the Black Artists + Designer’s Guild, a great organization worthy of your support, both financial and otherwise.

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