I drove around London for 8 years. I thought nothing of it – apart from when I was stuck in traffic jams (which was all the time).  Now I cycle. I am a confirmed cyclist. I even binned the car. So when the uber-cool Tokyobike announced it was setting up shop permanently (they ran a pop-up shop in London last July) yards from Clerkenwell’s design area in London, it caught my attention. Available in Tokyo since 2002, this bike has been gathering fans as it makes its journey west.  Without a permanent shop, smart marketing placed the Tokyobike in the hands of design enthusiasts and journalists during Clerkenwell Design Week 2010 &...

Using words as decoration allows you to introduce a sense of self into your interior. There has been a growing trend in the last few years to incorporate letters or words into design schemes. Customise a surface or an object with a favourite saying, name or perhaps some song lyrics. Maybe even your own motto. The beauty of fonts is in their distinct and varied personalities. The typeface you use can be transformed by the choice of colour, weight, spacing and size. The possibilities for decorating are infinite. Every interior needs pieces. Old signs offer a witty distraction in otherwise functional rooms, such as in the kitchen. The Vintage...

The sight of buds coming into bloom lifts the spirits and heralds the start of spring. However,the long, cold winter means traditional spring flowers are thin on the ground. Alas, hope is not lost, for you can bring some floral induced joy into your home. Brushstroke florals are one of 2012’s key trends. The loose painterly style has been embraced by designers to add to the vast bouquet of floral inspired pieces out there. Put all thoughts of granny chic out of your head and get romantic with some bloomy beauties. Boys, fear not, they are not as girlie as you might expect. Either way, it is healthy thing to embrace your feminine...

Under the Surface catches up with Lara on the week of the Homes & Gardens Designer of the Year Award Ceremony. Lara, creative director at Lara Francis Design, has been shortlisted. Monday 5th March So here I am at Munich airport heading back to London from a long day on site in the Bavarian countryside. The last few months has seen me working on an exciting new project out here in Germany. My clients originally contacted me last year after seeing one of my projects in Kitchens, Bedrooms, Bathrooms magazine (see images below) and asked if I would oversee the design of their 5 luxury bathrooms and spa, sauna and wellness area in the...

Interior designer Adrian Chinn tells us about her week leading up to the Tile Design Open Day at Surface Tiles Islington on Saturday March 31st. Monday – March 26th Woke up to a fantastic sunny day, so hopped out of bed (unusually for me as I’m addicted to the Snooze button — I’m not a morning person) and started the day. Checked emails and spent some time on the phone sorting out some minor issues with a walk-in shower room which is being built for a client in West Hampstead. The room was in terrible state when it was gutted, with asbestos, faulty wiring, leaking plumbing — all hidden behind DIY panelling....