Chameleon-cool light sculptures

Moving swiftly on from curiously colourful clothing to vibrantly coloured lighting…

A curious trend in lighting design is that lamps are becoming more sculptural. These days, many lights are more akin to sculptural works of art. Designers are also lighting up interior furnishings so that pieces of furniture double up as lamps too. Coloured lighting effects are looking to be especially popular.






Our latest StyleCurious interview features the wooden designs of inventive designer-maker, Graham Marjanovic, whose unique light sculptures are now available at ShopCurious.

Graham’s lamps are cleverly designed to combine the natural beauty of sustainably sourced organic wood with colour-adjustable LED lighting – so you can change the colour of your lighting to suit your mood:

Will you?

A curiously arty party...

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition seems to be more about art than exhibitionism this year. At the preview party a couple of weeks ago, everyone was talking about Christopher Le Brun’s ‘Salon hang’ in Gallery III. This style of display is named after the Salon Carre of the Louvre, where, from the eighteenth century onwards, the gallery walls were painted dark green or red, and filled to the rafters with the new art of their day. Until the late 1880s, it was the custom for Royal Academy shows to have their works displayed in this manner, in contrast to the modern ‘white cube’ format.







I didn’t notice much evidence of figurative art coming imminently back into fashion. However, there were some indications that the contemporary art market has turned a corner and is looking back in time for its inspiration. There have been plenty of detailed reviews already, but here’s a selection of photographs from the party and a few lines from ShopCurious:



William Norris & Company’s food was suitably arty, and presented in dinky little trays. There was a curiosity cabinet style display of antique kitchen and glassware - or was that an exhibit? I also wondered if a tiny fork I spotted on the floor was part of the show?






























The lovely ice lolly girls in the courtyard added a soupcon of retro flavour to the evening.


Arty folk always manage to look curiously cool – there were musicians in Missoni, and artists in... Jasper Conran – and lots of exceptionally well turned out types. I posed in my vintage Vivienne Westwood dress beside Jeff Koons’ Colouring Book, made from high chromium stainless steel with transparent colour coating (the sculpture, not my dress). And next to Olu Shobowale's Coffin to Die For... And with Tracey Emin.







































There’s money in art, but is it worth the asking price? Would you pay £90,000 for Allen Jones’ Think Pink – a hot pink mannequin in a crumpled blue wrapper? Or £60,000 for Martin Creed’s Work No. 998 – a pile of retro style chairs?




















The one piece everyone seemed to like, Keith Tyson’s Deep Impact, wasn’t for sale. I was rather taken by John Bellany’s Homage to Michael Spens, which provided plenty of food for thought. Fellow Royal Academician and exhibitor, Hughie O’Donoghue, admired the triptych with me, commenting that it reminded him of Max Beckmann’s work.














Simon Leahy-Clark’s Library II was created from newspaper cuttings on canvas. And fans of pop art are likely to be attracted to David Mach’s Mini Marilyns, which are made from matches.

















I don’t usually spend much time in the architecture room, but there was one piece I absoloutely loved – and I’m not sure who's responsible for this fabulously futuristic model? I adore the organic, flowing lines and the way the wood is layered in terraces.










Whatever anyone else says, it’s always worth seeing things for yourself. You’ve got until 15th August to visit the show. So do let me know what you think.

Will you?

Beautifully imperfect: the art of organic design

Talking of not needing to be watered, my favourite natural curiosity has just flowered again. I love the fact that this magnificent triffid of an organism looks after itself, requiring no maintenance whatsoever. It seems to flower almost every year and looks totally stunning too, don’t you think?





I try to keep my London ‘sky garden’ tidy, but the other day, I noticed there was a mess on my terrace. I’d rather stupidly left a lovely Moroccan wooden dish from ShopCurious outside (for a few years) forgetting that, even though it’s been very dry here lately, we don’t have quite the same climate as North Africa. Unfortunately, rain has rotted the plate and now it's disintegrating.






I thought about throwing it away, but then I realized that imperfect is the new perfect (just as well, judging by the layout of this post). In fact, my dish looks not unlike the one shown right, by French ceramicist, Therese Lebrun, whose artisanal pieces and organic shapes are very ‘of the moment.’








And, if the Chelsea Flower Show is an indicator of trends, artisan gardens will soon be all the rage too. Jihae Hwang’s award winning Haewooso garden just happens to be curiously organic as well. The wooden building is a traditional style Korean toilet, or Haewooso – considered to be a place for spiritual catharsis.Whilst you free your mind by emptying your body, the latrine ferments human waste to make fertilizer - and it’s surrounded by a pretty garden to refill the mind with beautiful thoughts.









These days, even gardens are becoming works of conceptual art…which reminds me -Clerkenwell Design Week also starts today. London’s obviously the place to be this week, though I’m hoping we won’t get stuck here forever due to organic particles of volcanic ash.

Are you?

Health, happiness and other heavenly gifts

Whatever your views on the ethics and aesthetics of fashion model and celebrity images (as discussed in my post at The Dabbler), I believe that true beauty comes from within. I refuse to be told how I should look and I don’t believe in dieting. However, I do aim to maintain a healthy lifestyle, with good food and plenty of exercise. With this in mind, I decided to do something a little bit crazy – I took a few days out to attend a juice fasting and detox retreat.











It was here that I discovered how the likes of Kate Moss get their flat stomachs: Curiously, by sticking plastic tubes up their bums and flushing out their insides with twice daily enemas. This was the least pleasant part of my visit to picturesque Littleton Mill in Wiltshire.

Jiva Healing runs rejuvenating retreats all over the world, and if you’re somewhat pressed for time, they’ll help you relax, unwind and clean up your eating act in as little as four to five days.














Environmentally aware Melissa Kendall, who runs the courses is a mine of information on all things eco-friendly as far as far as sustainable living is concerned. She’s also brilliant at whipping up fabulously tasty juice shakes from an amazing variety of fresh organic fruits and vegetables in her impressively equipped farmhouse style kitchen.

















Melissa, formerly an investment analyst for socially responsible funds, is totally passionate in her commitment to environmental responsibility, and instinctively takes each of the participants under her wing. What’s more, she not only grows her own wheatgrass, but magnificently exudes the benefits of a healthy lifestyle too… she certainly has style with brains.














The retreat offers a holistic approach to wellbeing that includes healthy eating and nutrition lessons, along with cookery sessions - and some surprisingly creative ways of using natural, commonly available ingredients to make deliciously wholesome meals. These include a uniquely simple recipe for mouthwatering banana ice cream (containing nothing but bananas). Plus, there’s a chance to concoct your own fruit and veg smoothie. Mine was curiously green.





















There’s also guidance on the psychology of eating, ‘the science of happiness’, gentle daily yoga - and therapists on hand to provide relaxing massages and other treatments to help transport your mind as far away from food as possible.







I was heartened that from my window I could see chickens feeding, potentially within reach, on the other side of the mill stream…Though, fortunately, as the juices are supplemented by detoxifying herbs and nutritional powders, I didn’t once feel hungry.








Anyway, I’m feeling rather angelic, having not yet raided the fridge on my return. I might even reward myself with an upcycled Rococo style cherub brooch from ShopCurious for Valentine’s Day.

Will you?

Scents of the season

I was out in the snow yesterday, playing with my new best friend - Calum, the snowman. Don’t you love the sound of icy snow crunching underfoot? And the appearance of freshly fallen snow: that strange yellowy blue light from the snowy sky, and the curiously lunar-white landscape. The coldness and soft melting quality of snow to the touch is totally unique – it even feels and tastes rather lovely on the tongue. But there’s one thing that snow doesn’t seem to have… a smell.

I was trying to recall the scents that have stuck in my mind, if that’s where the sense of smell resides? Then I found myself wondering about the first thing I ever smelled. At what age does recognition of smell kick in? Why do young children sniff so many things up their noses (sometimes requiring medical intervention to get them out again)?



I vividly remember my grandmother’s smell. A sort of lavender talcum-powdery, bathroomy sweetness, not unlike the relatively recently created Agent Provocateur fragrance. Then there was my first trip on a school exhange to France, where it wasn’t so much the wafting aroma of fresh croissants and coffee, more the pungent niff of Palmolive soap used by my host family that stuck up my nose – or in my memory at least.







Nowadays I use Burt’s Bees shampoo. Partly because it’s made with natural ingredients and is hypo-allergenic, but also because I love the smell. It reminds me of the bedroom I had as a child. There was a big honeysuckle bush outside, and almost every morning I’d be woken up by the sound of a bumble bee coming in through the open window and getting stuck behind the curtain (ahh, the days of the open window..)



On another trip to France I visited a wonderfully plain and simple white-washed church, where monks sang Gregorian chant in a haze of incense. The sounds and the smells were equally divine, and the essential purity of the whole experience left a lasting impression on me.

If you love naturally beautiful perfumes and ingredients too, I can suggest nothing better for Christmas than the organic scented products from Zarvis London at ShopCurious. From exclusive Patchouli Baby and Lavender Crystal gift sets to home fragrances like the seasonal scents in this Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh tin, which are guaranteed to 'bring forth good cheer.' There’s something for everyone - and every occasion in this range… So long as you have a suitably discerning sense of taste and smell.

Do you?

Arty, eco-friendly London style

How is it that Americans get two turkey days, whereas us Brits only get one? I think it’s rather curious to have another holiday so close to Christmas, when we’re already running around like headless chickens. Anyway, as you guys on the other side of the pond are probably having a few days off, I thought I’d focus on things a little closer to home today.

If you’re Christmas shopping in London, there are a few new places to visit, like the huge glass-fronted mall over at One New Change, opposite St Paul’s. There are some amazing views over London from the recently opened roof terrace (click on pics below to enlarge), where next year a rooftop café will also be up and running - hope the weather improves...






















Despite Jean Nouvel’s stunning architectural contribution to the City, the shopping centre is home to the ubiquitous selection of chain stores. However, it was refreshing to see a rather more original addition to the premises the other day, when photos of the new limited edition London G-Wiz were unveiled.






This quirky little electric car is now recognizably associated with London, where apparently there are now well over 1,000 of the vehicles on the city’s streets, prompting the idea for a unique, London inspired deisgn. Luise Vomittag of the designer, ContainerPLUS says, “So many stories intersect in this city, millions of people - all building a version of their own reality. It’s a topsy-turvy city - eccentric, outrageous and utterly delightful. The idiosyncratic and joyful spirit of the G-wiz, as well as the environmental outlook of the company behind this vehicle, immediately struck a chord.”

If you’re interested in seeing this curiously collectable designer car, you’ll be able to get a preview at the junction of Oxford Street, Market Place and Great Titchfield Street on Saturday 27th, this weekend, as part of the VIP, car free shopping day. Or, if you’d like to order one as an eco-friendly Christmas gift, you can even buy online, direct from the appropriately named retailer, GoinGreen.





It’s understandable that some budgets won’t quite stretch to £12,995, even for Christmas, but there are plenty of less expensive unusual gifts online at ShopCurious: Like this very reasonably priced and beautifully scented, naturally organic Lavender Crystals gift set from Zarvis London.

By the way, don’t forget to order your turkey.

Will you?