Colour in Design

I'm giving a lecture on Colour in Design for the South East Design Forum next Wednesday. I worked with Richard Wolfstrome to create this poster, I hope it's a really inspirational evening for everyone who's going to be there.

Temple Pink

How to describe this incredible shade of magenta pink, it's not just the vividness of this colour, but the quality of the chalky pigment-rich paint on the walls.

These pictures are taken in a temple in Saigon, I've seen this pink in India too, but here in this city temple it had the most wonderful quality. I could have stood there for hours just absorbing it's intensity. 

Saigon Markets

It seems this year has been all about travel, I've just returned from Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon as most locals still call it. Fast, exciting, chaotic - an amasing 10 million people live here and 6 million ride scooters and motorbikes, as a result there is a massive market for crash helmets - they come in every colour and design.

In fact there is a massive choice of everything in the amazing markets....from food to flowers to more hats!

Cuban shirts - Guayabera

During our stay in Miami we had a Cuban day - we headed over to Little Havana and the marvellous La Casa de Las Guayaberas on 8th Street. This is the store if you wish to buy a retro-hip Cuban shirt known as the guayabera -- a loose-fitting, pleated, four pocket button-down shirt.

Founded by Ramon Puig, who emigrated to Miami over 40 years ago, the store stocks every imaginable variation, Ramon still uses the same scissors that he arrived with. No one in the store speaks any English but they have produced a short history of the guayabera in this little booklet – I love the graphics. Afterwards we lunched at Versailes, a hugh mirror-lined restaurant, full of Cuban families having a great time. 

South Beach Miami

I spent the first week of January in South Beach, Miami and I loved it! The fabulous Art Deco buildings are reminiscent of confectionery, all crisp white tiers with sugar coloured trims.

The buildings have great signage from the hotels on Ocean Drive right through to these public conveniences!

My souvenir from the trip is this brilliant book by David Leddick - 'In The Spirit of Miami Beach', it really captures the essence of the place, a great read and stunning pictures.  

Just what I need to get through January!

Happy Christmas

Blue the worlds favourite colour

I am a member of The Colour Group of Great Britain and last week they held a day of seminars all about 'Blue the worlds favourite colour'. The morning sessions covered the history of blue from ancient Egypt to modern Shanghai, our perceptions of blue and the artist Julie Caves explorations in how to depict the blue of the sky. In the afternoon the focus was on denim with a series of talks and discussions about the never ending trend for denim.

It was a fascinating day and made me reflect on my use of blue. I know navy blue is my favourite colour, but when I say that I'm automatically thinking of clothing especially fabrics. I use blue less for interiors as sometimes it can be too cool, but I do like warm blues - I've kept this picture for about 20 years, I think it came from World of Interiors?