My parents are here, which, among other less selfish interpretations, means free babysitting. Last night myself and Mr MFH took ourselves to the opening of Designing the Middle East (Part II: Beirut) at 19 Greek Street. The focus was actually the work of one designer (and her studio), Karen Chekerdjian. It was a lovely mash up of traditional Middle Eastern sensibilities with totally contemporary ideas. Like her Cookie Paper stools, which are effectively upside down cake cases made from tinned brass. They’re also ‘in homage to the pleat’.

You can just about make out the Islamic-style imprinted pattern on the top of them – a detail that appeared on many of the other tables and poufs on display – all of which were made from metal. Poufs, you heard it here first, though this is the first time I’ve seen metal ones.

Check out our Instagram page for more detailed photos, because I failed to take any on my normal camera. Again. Anyone else find juggling social media with proper photographing and having actual live chats with people tricky as all hell?

The exhibition is on until 19 July and FYI the gallery owns a few of those stonkingly good Marni chairs.

Being Frank

Panic on the streets of Timperley…. If yesterday’s post was about a life lived in genuine, perpetual creativity, then so is today’s. Frank Sidebottom, the papier-mache-headed singer, presenter and Timperley FC fan was a life’s work for his mysterious creator Chris Sievey. Frank is responsible for me having the phrase ‘Cockney Rhyming Orangutan’ in my […]

Residency in Motherhood

My school friend Lenka was always an artist, even when we met on the bus aged 12. I’ve written here before about some of her work, including a documentary about people who ‘own’ land on the moon, and a project sending anonymous letters to a whole town. But now she has made some art out […]

The New Craftsmen Garage

I’m banging on about natural, hand-made, touchy-feely things again. If, like me, you are being swept up in this trend, then head to The Garage pop up shop by The New Craftsmen, which opens friday 7 June. In a (Mayfair) garage, obviously. The New Craftsmen aims to highlight British craft skills in a high-end collection […]

Wednesday: textures you may have missed

I used to have a friend who described a certain sort of awkward social situation by holding one palm upwards, stroking her other hand about an inch above it, and saying simply, “textures.”   It’s not those sort of textures that have concerned us this week however. It’s more these beautiful wood shingles cladding an […]