Step into my office....

Agonisingly, series four of Mad Men has started in the US and will not be reaching our shores until next year. In the meantime, here are a few moody shots of Don Draper's former office to keep that Mad Men habit at bay. Personally, I can't wait to see how Stirling, Cooper, Draper, Pryce decorate their new office (or to see what happens within it's walls).

Vintage Academe "Summer of Love (and brownies)"

For one night only on Thursday night, the clock went back to 1970 for Vintage Academe's Summer of Love themed party. I was commissioned to dress the window and provide hash cakes for the guests (fairly last minute might I add, so please don't judge me)! All we were missing were a few joss sticks.....

Sunday best on Columbia Road

Wallpaper lust

I recently discovered unbelieveable vintage wallpaper boutique Second Hand Rose online; thank god it's across the pond in NY,or I'd be in serious trouble. The cutest conversational prints are to be found in their kid's section, so much more interesting than a chintzy floral.

Seeing red

The Serpentine Pavilion has arrived, and this year's offering designed by the renowned bad boy of architecture Jean Nouvel is a vision in red. Everything is rouge, rouge, rouge, down to the smallest detail (even the fridges are red). Oh, and the ping-pong tables, naturellament.It's a futuristic temple of worship for colour lovers, J'adore.

New blood

Another year, another fresh crop of young design talent. This years New Designers proved to be eye-wateringly good and made this ex-surface designer hanker after a screen printing bench once more.One of my favourite graduates to emerge from week one was Anna Jensen from Bath Spa University who's Scandinavian-meets-jungle prints reminded me of Josef Frank's designs for Svenskt Tenn. (The judges clearly liked her too, as she won the Harlequin award for her designs, picking up an internship with the interior design giant as well as prize dosh and a bottle of mother's ruin from the show's drinks sponsor Bombay Sapphire-bottoms up!)

Time for twee..

It was Hampton Court Flower Show press day Yesterday, and the sheer immensity of the place knocked my socks off! Regarded Chelsea's middle of the road, slightly more twee sister, it boasts over 40 show gardens and has hundreds, thousands probably, of commercial stands trying to flog (some very naf) stuff. That said, there are some really lovely things to be found once you've separated the wheat from the chaff, and some quirky gardening ideas too. Finding myself in the vintage tent, there was a really pretty outdoor dining table set up with vintage china and blooms that would make even the most minimalist stylista squeal with delight, and perfect for alfresco summer weddings/parties ( I don't think the picture above does it justice actually).

Another thing that caught my eye (I must have been a magpie in a former life) was this installation, part of a series dotted around the show designed by Girlguiding UK. Encorporating typical girl guiding activites such as camping, cooking and general good deeds, I loved the improvised look of planting herbs and fruit plants in cooking pots and pans. Girl Guides, I salute you!

Go forth and multiply

Last week whilst wading through the world wide web I stumbled across this extremely cool designer from the Netherlands, Jetske De Groot..... Her 'Multiple Family' chairs are a sort of Frankenstein's monster mish-mash of different chair components, seamlessly blended together to create pieces that are many times more interesting and beautiful than in their original form. Not only pleasing to the eye, De Groot's approach ticks the up-cycling boxes too, gives a nod to the furniture designers of the past ( without whom we wouldn't have these iconic shapes to play with in the first place),and asks questions about the designer's role in a time when so many products already exist. If these offerings are anything to go by, it just goes to show when it comes to designers, too many is never enough!

Up, Up and Away...

Summer officially starts with the arrival of graduate shows all over the city. Last week was the RCA sculpture and painting show in Battersea, and although you may not be able to get most of the pieces exhibited through your front door- let alone on your mantle piece- sculptures like these deserve a mention. The stand out piece of the show was this beautiflly glossy aqua balloon (untitled) by Markus Foster (this blogger is tipping him as the name to watch) and rumour has it that a certain Mr Saatchi snapped it up. I can just see it sitting nicely in my imaginary roof-top garden....ready to float away.

Playful Plates

These adorable china plates remind me of the illustrations from the hungry caterpillar which I loved as a child. If there's ever going to be a way of making fruit and veg look fun, this has got to be it! The range is designed by the children of charity Kid's Co and for every item sold, 25% is donated to the charity, which supports deprived inner city children. Available from Nina Campbell stores and online. www.ninacampbell.com

Great Pear

Fresh and spring like, this modern yet retro inspired tray is ripe for the picking. I can just imagine bringing in tea and hot crossed buns on this! With a whole range to match including mugs, lining papers and chopping boards, Orla Kieley Better watch out. www.utilitydesign.co.uk

Mad as a Hatter

In celebration of all things Alice in Wonderland (and Johnny Depp), The Sanderson Hotel has created this amazingly bespoke Afternoon Tea featuring pineapple lollipops which turn your mouth from cold to hot, a melt in the mouth Queen of Hearts strawberry and white chocolate teacake and multcoloured finger sandwiches. (The list of saliva enducing delicacies goes on but I'd better stop there) Available with a glass of Verve Cliquot for £26 betwenn 2.20pm-5.30pm from 1st March.

Mrs Delany

Sir John Soane's Museum is always worth a visit in it's own right, but with a new exhibition of breathtakingly intricate botanical collages, embroideries and designs by Mary Delany opening next Friday (19th), you'd be silly not to visit. Mrs Delany was at the centre of artistic and political fashion in the 18th Century and her accomplishments were admired by royalty, the arts community and botanical scientists alike. There are too many pretty specimens to count, but her letters and tools are just as fascinating, I've posted her exquisite tool purse here; if only my pencil case was as neat!

Exhibition runs until 1st May 2010

Sir John Soane’s Museum, 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A

Countryside

Cupboard Love

Even if you despise caviar and fish egg related food stuffs, you can't deny the packaging gorgeousness of this limited edition YSL (thats Yves Saint Laurent to you Dad) Caviar Prunier. Ok, it is on the pricey side (£295 for 125g), but at least you'll still have the tin after the contents are long gone. Available from Harrods www.harrods.com

Coffee Break

To celebrate it's 50th birthday, Portmerion has released this limited edition Magic Garden range using designs from it's archive. The print is designed by Susan William-Ellis who dediacted her life's work to Portmerion Potteries, and had a massive influence in defining the style of British ceramics in the 20th Century. This particular piece is my personal fave of the collection with it's printerly, 1960's vintage vibe. www.portmerion.com

Pure Chemistry

Pure Chemistry

Young Brit designer and name to watch Benjamin Hubert has come up with another award winning formula with his Labware lighting range that launched at 100% Design. These clean and witty white glass lamps made in the form of laboratory glass look equally chic hung as pendant lights as simply sat on the floor. The attention to detail in the beautiful blue braided cable and bark topped cork stoppers are typical of Hubert’s solid and sustainable style, which focuses on quality materials and immaculate finish. Who said science was for geeks? Labware lights exclusive to Aram.co.uk; £195 each Conic (24cms d), Sphere (28cms d) and Cylinder (25cms d).

What Kate Did

Well, I suppose it's only polite and conventional to open my blog with an introduction-y post, and although I'm sure you're really curious, I'm going to keep it short. After graduating in 2008 from London College of Commication with a degree in Surface Design (and that's print design, not, as so many people seem to think, the study of the kitchen worktop) I've since drifted around London doing internships, placements, paid and unpaid work, have tried out many a job, fantasized about owning my own shop/design label, done short courses, worked in TV, proped films, been on the dole and had many sleepless nights, but there's one thing I'm certain about: interior fashion is pretty damn cool and I want in.

My own offering to the great wide world of design so far only involves interiors on the small scale; linings and the insides of suitcases, but good things do come in small packages after all. See what you think, was wondering whether or not to make a go of it and try and get some of the textiles into production........