Muriel Grateau

So.....

I recently discovered the work of a certain French designer named Muriel Grateau. I read an article about her in a magazine and have been hypnotised by her work. Her shops contain rows upon rows of beautiful delicate ceramics and tableware, in every conceivable shade of every conceivable colour. Subtly is her key.

See what I mean? That's my kind of paradise, a world where everything is in colour order! Here's what happens when her collections are thrown together:

I love the loose splashes of ink that seem so free from control and how they contrast with the vastly controlled hues of colour. It is, of course, all extremely (I am mean seriously extremely) expensive, so i can only dream of owning a Muriel Grateau dinner set. Probably for the best - I am well known for my clumsiness! 

Here is the lady herself:

Very French, very stylish, very intimidating. Although I do admire her greatly, and secretly dream that it will be me one day, bespectacled and aloof, controlling my own world of design. 

New Obsession!

While I'm waiting for my fabric to arrive on the current collection that I'm working on, I've developed a new obsession. Road signs! I've been wandering around London looking like a weirdo taking pictures of signs! Yes, I know, doesn't sound very exciting. But it's only a specific type I'm interested in...

Basically my idea is to strip it back, get rid of all the distracting text so that what you're left with is actually a very interesting and unusual shape, free from all indication of what is or where to go. 

This is one of my favourites because it is so random and sporadic!

It makes you look at the shapes and lines created completely differently, and I love that. Finding beauty in what may be considered a boring, dull, everyday thing. 

And if you turn them upside down, the feeling of what they are completely changes:

In the simple act of turning them around, they become so visually different. 

Next step....getting some colour in there!

Favourite London buildings

Thought it was about time to pay homage to the great city that I live in....by highlighting a few of my favourite buildings. I've tried to mix it up and bit and included ones that you wouldn't expect....

To begin. The MI6 building in Vauxhall. I past this building every day to and from work and never get tired of it. I'm not sure exactly why....something to do with its impressive facade that tries to say 'I'm here, I'm protecting you and your country' while yet somehow remaining inconspicuous...

There's a great architectural lesson here about how to connect glass and stone. 

Next one is a bit obvious perhaps, but I can't help it! 

The magnificent Shard, towering above London at roughly the same height as the Eiffel Tower (give of take a few metres) I do love this building. It's striking under in any light, be it sunlit, rain-showered, moonlit, snow-showered. All of which I have seen it in in the past 6 months! Well done Renzo Piano. 

The city hall...

Yes, it looks like the kind of insect that would give you a very nasty sting if you stood on it, but I love this creation designed by my number two favourite architect (more on my number one architect later...) Norman Foster. It has been compared to many things including Darth Vader's helmet, and the 'glass gonad' by our very own major Boris Johnson. I think that it looks just the right amount of out-of-place-ness....yes that is a thing. 

Next on the list...

The Hayward Gallery South bank. This rather austere Brutalist building was not on my list of favourites when I visited it a few years ago on a College trip. Perhaps because it has taken me at least five years to actually like it, it is respect well-earned. I have enjoyed the outside exhibitions especially that make use of the almost maze-like balconies and spaces towards the back and sides of the building. I like the way it is almost jumbled together, development of the South bank in recent years have made it a little confused, but I like it this way. 

And last but not least....

Battersea power station. I love that this place has been left relatively untouched since it stopped providing South London with power in the eighties. For some reason it has been used for many a music video, singers and songwriters seeming drawn to its hauntingly empty towers, including the Beatles, Judas Priest and even Take That. And why not? It's the perfect place for it. There are whispers of redevelopment for the site, but rumours have been surrounding it for years, so it's hard to know for sure. I just hope whatever they do they don't change it too much, the reassuring sight of those towers gives me a solid bearing for wherever I am in London, be it my flat in sunny streatham or on top of Primrose Hill!

Image refs:

http://www.urban75.org/london/london-march-07.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Hall_(London)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/aug/05/southbank-centre-redevelopment-plans-london

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/1/11/1357911316243/Battersea-power-station-008.jpg