Not only are those Finns the happiest folk in the world (six years in a row at the time of writing!), they're also a clever bunch with a distinct design pedigree of their own. Like the Scandi design powerhouses of Sweden and Denmark, their style is rooted in Nordic minimalism for sure, but as a layman (I'm a merchant not a maker) it feels like Finnish Design is often enriched with warmer, more decorative influences, and with generous dollops of inspiration from their natural environment. Anyhow, there is no arguing with their fabulous design heritage, e.g. Arabia, Artek, Iittala, Marimekko, whatever the inspiration.
Muurla is a relatively new kid on the Finnish design scene. Actually, their story began way back in 1974, with a glass factory located near the town of Muurla (an hour so from Helsinki in the car), but in recent years Muurla has shifted emphasis, evolving into a modern design house, where Finnish design and functionality form the core of their design philosophy. Moomin products (it's Finland after all) also form a big part of their collection with Muurla now a key Moomin licensees producing products in enamel, glass and Finnish birch.
The best dinner parties we've hosted are when I've forgotten to put water glasses on the table. Hydration, exclusively with beer and wine, seems to make for a good ol' night! I have no empirical evidence for this, pretty obvious though I think it is - although, I suppose our neighbour, Claire, falling asleep (booze induced not my boring stories) with her face in the pudding, on a non-water glass evening, could perhaps count as empirical evidence!
Admittedly, we were much younger then and who cares about a hangover when you're young! Everything is about the night, without even a care for tomorrow. Nowadays, quite the reverse. I'm getting jumpy a few hours before the night has even started, concerned about the morning after the night before! 😱
Uncle Jim, in the late 1970's, wore bright jackets and drove an Audi 80 down the motorway at 100mph. I loved my Uncle Jim!
He also unwittingly introduced me to Peanuts via the bookshelves at the top of his and Auntie Toni's stairs (in Foxgrove Road, Beckenham) which were full to the brim with Peanuts comic strip paperbacks, by someone called 'Charles M. Schulz'.
I didn't really understand what they were, and certainly didn't read them, over and above a quick flick inside one of them; I was too busy drinking Coca Cola and getting up to mischief with my cousins, Catherine and Sarah (twins nicknamed by Jim, Waff and Wheeze). But the books lodged in my head, all the same.
We're introducing coloured handled cutlery to the store / site this week.
It's from famed Italian design house and manufacturer, Mepra, based in Lumezzane, just outside of Brescia.
Mepra's Fantasia Collection comes in 28 colours; from soft stylish muted hues, right the way through the rainbow to vibrant electric brights - think 1980's.
A colour for every occasion and setting, for sure!
I've been around the tableware business for 30 years and my preference to date has definitely been towards a simple white china canvas for my bounty.
But this. Wow! This is so new & clever, colourful & bold, and most importantly joyful. The collection me salivate just looking at it, even before Ottolenghi's delicious recipes (or my appalling attempt at them) are layered on top.
I'm very proud that we are stocking this collection in Treacle George. It is exactly what we are about.
Although not an officially recognised title, I reckon that anyone who has experienced the warm sheepskin embrace of the Lamino chair would say that it’s in with a good shout! At our showroom in Tetbury, this Swedish gem has become a firm favourite.
Hello all, I'm Charlie, eldest son of shopkeepers Laurence and Alison and sporadic helper outer in the family business. Dad has tasked me today with writing a short blog post about the Lamino, so let's have a go. Do excuse my flowery turn of phrase; I've just graduated in Drama and I'm using this blog post as a creative outlet to satiate my artistic appetite. I hope dad doesn't mind.
Equally suited to the patio terrace or bottom of the garden, a muted lounge area or brightly lit table, our new HOOP string lights from FERMOB bring the very latest LED technology, and a good dollop of French style to your summer evenings.
HOOP is a set of 8 tough polycarbonate LED lights, on a black ABS garland 6.2 metres long (easy to hang with a clever fastening system on each end).
And it comes with another 6 metres of black power cable on top of that, to reach further into the garden, or higher into the tree!
You've probably either seen this mysterious little octagonal device somewhere along the way and wondered how the heck does that work, or you've used one and if that's the case you're probably still using one today.
I was in the former camp for far too long and wish now I'd discovered the Bialetti Moka Express way earlier. It would have saved me a lot of money wasted on instant coffee (on tap), when one or two cups a day from this brilliant invention gets all four cylinders firing better than anything I know!
Protect your cherished piece of furniture with a Guardian Angel!
Guardian Protection Products from Denmark has a product for just about every furniture aftercare requirement. Literally anything - we only stock their headline products!
But we love stocking their brand because quite simply we think they're the best, and, more importantly, Denmark's leading furniture manufacturers, including Carl Hansen and Son, think so too!
