Wardrobe scents make style sense

You might leave clothes in your wardrobe thinking they’re perfectly okay, but it takes a surprisingly short time for pesky little moths to nibble their way through rails of expensive woollen coats and layers of fine quality knits. I’m not sure that anyone really likes the moth-eaten look, though apparently filigree designs are destined to be a major new fashion trend.




I was planning to show you some pictures of the sneaky flying creatures at work, but they look so disgusting - and they make me feel rather sick, so I decided it’s probably not the best idea. In London, we have a particular problem with moths – they’re an unavoidable hazard and you’re well advised to learn how to deal with them effectively - especially if you want to wear that beautiful vintage silk dress next year too. It’s curious that something so innocent looking can be so scarily invasive - and most annoying when, somehow, unobtrusively, it manages to gnaw a tiny hole in the sleeve of a beautiful jacket or jumper, rendering a treasured, luxury item unwearable.




I’ve tried most things to combat marauding moths, but remain convinced that good old fashioned floral scents like lavender are the most effective, and by far the most natural way to ward off the fateful, fluttering pests. Just fill a few gauze bags (the sort sometimes supplied as dust covers for jewellery are perfect) with dried lavender flowers and hang them in your wardrobe.






If you haven’t the or the time or the inclination to grow and make your own lavender bags, I can recommend another really stylish way to fragrance your wardrobes, drawers and anywhere else that the disagreeable flying foes may be lurking:







I suggest you try these beautifully presented Catherine Masson scented parcels, available from ShopCurious – each adorned with a pretty floral embellishment, and supplied with a divinely perfumed, top-up room spray.









They’re great as gifts too. What’s more they seem to charm the moths into abeyance, so you can bring out your favourite cashmere cardie year after year - and indulge in the sensible practice of seasonless style.

Do you?

The curious art of investing in modern design

The market for quirky modern furniture and home accessories has rapidly become a focus of attention for art aficionados and professional investors alike. Gareth Williams, the curator of the V&A’s Telling Tales exhibition says, “Suddenly almost every object conceived within a spirit of enquiry and experiment can be passed off as ‘design art’, even if it barely registers any fundamental test of design (functionality, for example, or appropriate use of resources) …within a few years, an entirely new ‘design art’ market has arisen as an adjunct to the mainstream market for contemporary art, fed by the rivers of corporate and personal wealth that course through art.”


I’d agree that, just because something is a little bit unusual and different from the norm, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s of any more value. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and prices in the art market can fluctuate dramatically, according to popular demand and personal taste. When an artist becomes a ‘celebrity’ things can get completely out of hand – as in the case of Damien Hirst, where, in my opinion, the media hype far outweighs the talent involved and the actual worth of the pieces being sold.




I’m curious to know if ‘design art’ is headed in the same direction as the financial markets. How can one possibly know what’s worth buying? How can these sorts of items be accurately valued? When is the right time to invest: now, later, or never at all? Based on my own experience and intution, I’ve devised some sensible suggestions for how to decide on whether or not to invest in a piece of arty designer furniture:





Firstly, there are practical considerations that you should take into account, for instance, can you actually use the item in question and roughly how much might the piece have cost to make in terms of materials and labour? Is the piece unique, or one of a limited edition? What is the quality of the craftsmanship? If you’re buying to sell, then do you have evidence of the highest (and lowest) price that someone else is likely to pay for this sort of work? Be realistic, what if there’s financial Armageddon – is your purchase really practical, strong, built to last …or could it be recycled to create something useful like a barbeque or some firewood?



Do also bear in mind that the purchase of creative design is best made as an investment in your own personal wellbeing (after all, you’re the one who’ll be sharing space with your purchase) – and, of course, it’s also an investment in the talent pool of the design art market (so a form of patronage). Other subjective considerations worth making before you buy are:







What is the value of the ‘design’ to you – do you actually like it and could you live with it in your home for the rest of your life? Does it fit in with the style of your home, the rest of your furniture, or other key pieces in your collection? What does the piece ‘mean’ to you – is there an emotional reason as to why you are drawn to this particular item, does it hold memories, suggest a story or have a special significance?



By the way, at ShopCurious, we’ve some beautifully hand crafted, eco-friendly furniture, made by young designer, Ali Chapkin - inspired by her travels in Mexico. To my eye, the natural materials, the bold, earthy colours and curved lines are aesthetically appealing – plus, these are all practical, usable items. What’s more, they're the sort of pieces that I feel would look good in many types of setting: from modern apartments and modernist homes to ski chalets, holiday villas and cutting edge bars.








As to whether or not these will prove to be a good investment, well that’s up to you to decide …so let the buyer beware.

Will you?

Curiously crafty knitted chairs

The ubiquitous plastic chair comes in all shapes, colours and sizes. Whilst many have attempted to re-design its form, resulting in all manner of cool, ‘designer’ versions, few have been creative enough to look beyond the actual fabric of the chair itself.









Here’s an example (left), where a plastic chair has been recycled to create a rather curious looking piece of furniture … it’s intricate, arty and fairly pleasing to the eye, but I’m not sure how comfortable this chair would actually be to sit on.





The Brazilian Campana brothers have inventively embedded plastic chairs in what appears to be natural wicker to create a sprawling, organic-form sofa – perfect if you have plenty of room, or your own art gallery to put it on display.









Yuvinia Yuhadi, a recent graduate from London, has come up with a rather more practical solution in the form of these curiously quirky hand-knitted chair covers - now available online at ShopCurious. They’ll transform any standard plastic garden chair into a cozy and inviting armchair.





Collectively branded as ‘the not-so-ubiquitous knitted chairs’, each of the covers has been lovingly handmade by an eclectic group of passionate knitters from around the world. The designs currently for sale include a cable-knit version, based on the traditional gentlemen’s club style leather armchair, a lacy-knit nature inspired design and a racy-knit laced up mini-length number.

If you can’t afford to buy one of the ready made versions, there’s even the option to knit a cover yourself, with free patterns provided by the designer.



This would probably be a lifetime’s work for me, although I did manage to knit the odd scarf back in my dim an distant school days ... however, if you’re the crafty type, who’s willing an to take on a challenge and dedicated enough to see it through to completion, then this could be just the thing to while away the winter hours.









And I don’t think there’s anything more innovative-but-sensible that you could do with a plain old plastic chair.

Do you?

Curiously sensible, but fascinating style

This month, I’m taking a little break from blogging, but will be back very shortly with our new theme of ‘sensible style’. Before you ask the question, the answer is ‘yes’ - of course it’s possible to give, dress and live curiously and still be sensible at the same time.












At this time of the year, there are plenty of sensible-but-stylish bargains to be found in the sales. We've recently added some new items to our ShopCurious sale, including these fabulous fascinators that have been handmade in England by the milliner, Gil Fox.






For a very small sum of money, you can jazz up any outfit with one of Gil’s colourful feather fascinators and you’ll also look totally individual wearing one of these unique accessories.













If you're a local like me, it's also sensible to invest in contemporary British design - you’ll be helping to keep small businesses and traditional artisan trades like this alive.

Will you?

PS ... international delivery is also available!