Style, served with tea

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.

Spring 2020 vase

Spring 2020 vase

Sketches of the Spring 2020 collection

Sketches of the Spring 2020 collection

Bouterse in his atelier in Antwerp

Bouterse in his atelier in Antwerp


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…

The living room of Erena Te Paa

The living room of Erena Te Paa


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.

Max Siedentopf for Gucci

Max Siedentopf for Gucci

10oz Cornishware mug, Adder Green

10oz Cornishware mug, Adder Green

Maximalism, Pattern and Prints

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.

Photo: Eymeric Widling

Photo: Eymeric Widling

Photo: Eymeric Widling

Photo: Eymeric Widling


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.

Photo: Marta Xochilt Perez

Photo: Marta Xochilt Perez

Photo: Marta Xochilt Perez

Photo: Marta Xochilt Perez


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: 2019 Mood Board, Tanekeya Word

Photo: 2019 Mood Board, Tanekeya Word

Photo: Multi Color Hue Print, Angela Pilgrim

Photo: Multi Color Hue Print, Angela Pilgrim

Photo: Artist Stephanie Santana at work on a print

Photo: Artist Stephanie Santana at work on a print

Something old and something new

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.

photo: Brady Architectural Photography

photo: Brady Architectural Photography

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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?

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We all need a little inspo

Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes, often completely out the blue. and in these difficult days - well - we could all use a little beauty to get us through…

So, here we go with an occasional series of things that have caught my eye. Yes, many will be via Insta, but who knows what else I can dig up? And of course, if you’d like to send me any recos, please drop me a line here.

Cheers, Arren


@objectsdaffection aka O.D.A. Galerie is a space in storied Paris flea market Marché Paul Bert curated by stylists and set designer Eve Ducroq and Arnaud Dollinger. In the room sets they create, look for an eclectic selection of vintage pieces styled to give the sense that some very chic homeowners have just strolled off screen to live a fantastically creative life. And, speaking of life, the chalky lime and plum combo in this space is definitely giving it to me right now.


@damienlangloismeurinne_studio aka interior architect Damien Langlois-Meurinne has an eye for sculpture within the architecture of an interior, ergo this stunner of a plaster fireplace. That, plus all of the softly curving furniture in this space have me completely swooning. Modern Parisian glamour at it’s best.

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Let’s finish with a pop of colour. I love a kitchen island that steps it up in something bright so here, in this flat in Marseille by Paris-based designers @novaobiecta, it’s all of that kelly green, plus those cobalt framed stools. Gah!

Christmas and Eames

It's July - and swelteringly hot - so in my world at least it means the Holidays have started. Last week the fireplace was lit and the house was filled with lots of sparkly decorations, a white tree, two models, a photographer (hi John Cullen!), two assistants, an art director (hey Jason Kang!), a wardrobe stylist, a hair and makeup person, plus a couple of extra folks who were roped in to lend a hand. And, we were lucky enough to have smartypants food stylist Ashley Denton on set too, who took a couple of secs in between shots to snap a few pics of the goings-on with the Instagram app on his iPhone. They turned out super-cool, so I thought it'd be fun to share them (there's more on Ash's Instagram stream here).

Yep, it's all very Christmas-y, but in that last shot you'll see something far more practical, the Eames Hang-It-All that's now installed in the front hall to handle a slew of jackets, trucker hats, dog leashes, and towels (for our occasionally mucky Whippet, Spot). It was a splurge for sure - after shopping around I found the best price for a new one on eBay - and, funnily enough, it's the only Eames piece in the house. Happy Holidays!