Francoise Murat

Maison et Objets 2011 Paris report

enquiries@francoisemurat.com (Francoise Murat) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 15:24:19 GMT

28.02.2011

Maison et Objet 2011 – Ooh là là!!! - from our guest blogger interior designer, Mary Middleton

If you love design or you have a home or a business to renovate, you’ll love Maison et Objet.

The bi-annual design show set in Paris’ Parc des Expositions is design candy heaven and every year thousands of new lines and collections are launched from the eight huge halls of the Villepinte exhibition centre. Maison et Objet is a trade only event with many retailers, architects and Interior Designers attending.

The show brings together fantastic design from all over the world, although there is an emphasis on European designs and is notably high in French brands and designers. The venue is enormous and can take a while to get to grips with, as it showcases everything from luxury furniture, tableware, the newest fabrics and wallpapers to Christmas decorations.

Once ensconced though (and probably with aching feet) you will find something for everyone, whatever your style preference.

The latest in interior surfaces and materials

enquiries@francoisemurat.com (Francoise Murat) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 13:33:12 GMT

28.02.2011

The latest in interior surfaces and materials

The Surface Design Show at the Business Design Centre in Islington is an annual event I attend. Not a public event but it targets architects, interior designers and anyone in the built environment who has an interest or specifies materials for surfaces.

By surfaces I mean wall treatments such as wallpaper for example or even glass, flooring for offices, residential homes or for retail, solid surfaces such as tiles, concrete and resin as well as textiles. An important element of Interior Design, surfaces are re-worked in a myriad of ways and I go to these shows to see new materials and how they can be applied in my client’s projects.

Paint Coverage Calculator

enquiries@francoisemurat.com (Francoise Murat) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:27:35 GMT

08.02.2011

Decorating With Colour - Paint Coverage Calculator.

A guest blog from Adrian Rayfield of Propertydecorating.co.uk

Last year I expanded the range of decorating calculators on my website www.propertydecorating.co.uk to include a paint coverage calculator following the success of how well received and used the wallpaper calculator has been.

The paint coverage calculator is as easy to use as are all the other calculators on the website (wallpaper and tile for example).

Skinflint Extreme Spring Collection 2011

enquiries@francoisemurat.com (Francoise Murat) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:15:36 GMT

26.01.2011

SKINFLINT 's new EXTREME Spring Collection is here!

Skinflint Design have been hunting out some of the UK¹s most extreme environments for their exciting Spring 2011 collection to be launched in February 2011.

LAUNCH FEBRUARY 2011 - LAUNCH FEBRUARY 2011

Lights in their stunning new range will include a run of converted M.O.D tank signal pendants- still complete with their original sights.

A collection of Oil Rig surface mounted bulkhead lights, the 'British Bullfinch' Search Light now converted into a tripod floor lamp and the one of a kind 'Cambridge Recorder' a converted seven day temperature gauge salvaged from the cellulose stores of a paint factory to the East of London.

The basics of good interior design

enquiries@francoisemurat.com (Francoise Murat) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 17:15:49 GMT

11.12.2010

The basics of good interior design – space, flow and function

The other day I visited a new client of mine, to show them my draft interior layout plans of the ground floor of their house. I did an existing layout after having carried out an internal survey and 4 proposed room layouts with space, flow and function.

This particular visit reminded me how very important this design stage in a house refurbishment is.

These clients are a young couple who started their business from home – they have now moved in commercial premises with several employees. The house, a mid century chalet style bungalow had been extended in 2005 to give them extra room in the roof space to make a spacious home/office.

The problem is when they moved out of their home into new offices, the house still felt like an office with undefined ‘home’ areas. Lots of hall space with nowhere to go but to more empty undefined space.

I was called in after a friend Garden Design colleague of mine had been asked by the owner to come and ‘sort the garden out’ because they wanted to have a house and home back. It was quickly apparent to my colleague that the house needed looking at before the garden.

Featuring Reed Harris Tiles

enquiries@francoisemurat.com (Francoise Murat) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:16:34 GMT

10.12.2010

Reed Harris - tiles emporium

A little while back we did a bathroom special on creating the ultimate Waow factor - and this company certainly delivers on the tile front! Here are some we particularly liked, they have one London Showroom and another in Reading, so if you want to visit, check out the details below.

Not one of our usual suppliers but we will definitely visit them in he near future and check out their range.

Read more...

Merlin Glass - glass making for interiors

enquiries@francoisemurat.com (Francoise Murat) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 09:46:11 GMT

10.12.2010

Merlin Glass - glass making in Cornwall

We are bringing you this amazing new supplier we have found for glass door knobs, cupboard doors and beautiful glass vases. Liam Carey and his wife Carol are a small husband and wife team selling these gorgeous wares from their studio in Cornwall.

We met them on Twitter- where we have found many new contractors and suppliers to enhance our offering to our clients.

This is Liam's story below - the story of glass making, a passion and a life like no other.

If you are interested in any of the objects featured here or on their website, please call them as they are currently setting up an online shop.

To see the amazing Liam in action so to speak, check it out HERE and watch the video on how the humble glass blowing delivers objects that delight with their beauty.

Visit their website at www.merlinglass.co.uk or call them on 01579-342399

Read more...

Snobs Knobs & Posh Knockers!

enquiries@francoisemurat.com (Francoise Murat) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 14:46:22 GMT

18.10.10

Snobs Knobs & Posh Knockers have been dealing in Antique & Period Door Furniture since 1983.

Another Twitter find and a family business too- we thought we would share this with you - a great address for all manner of door furniture, whether for period homes or new houses.

Snobs Knobs and Posh Knockers started life in Newcastle upon Tyne as an Architectural Antiques company with work shops for everything from Blacksmiths to Stain Glass. They had accumulated quite a few unusual door knockers and knobs over the years and decided to have them reproduced in an English foundry using the exact same methods employed over the past two hundred years.

The antique door furniture is a very important side of the business as people like original items or those that are not readily available in the open market. They also supply bespoke door furniture where one can in most cases have wooden door knobs made to match their originals.The business is a family concern run by Barry Lawson, his wife and their two daughters who try to provide the quality and service our customers have come to expect.

Read more...

Skinflint Design Autumn Collection - lighting

enquiries@francoisemurat.com (Francoise Murat) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 08:03:03 GMT

05.10.10

The best form of recycling....

We love these reclaimed lights from our friends at Skinflint, Sophie and Chris manage to source amazing finds. With the trend right on cue for gritty mixes of contemporary design with industrialised pieces - these maritime stunners are perfect! Current lighting stock can be seenhere.

Brass Bulk-Heads salvaged from US Navy Cargo ships, a Steel Landing Light from an ex-aircraft carrier, and a pair of imposing fluted naval cargo lights these and many more exciting new products sourced from ships far and wide feature as SKINFLINT DESIGN gets nautical and looks to Cornwall’s maritime heritage for their Autumn collection.

SKINFLINT has always claimed that every product in their reclaimed and restored lighting range has its own colourful story, and the

SKINFLINT team, Chris and Sophie Miller, have returned from a road trip around the south coast of the UK where they unearthed some of the UK’s most exciting Nautical Lighting Treasures.

Read more...

Styling your house to sell it!

enquiries@francoisemurat.com (Francoise Murat) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:10:40 GMT

08.07.10

Styling to sell……. A marketing tool

Helen Silver of The Property Styling Company, is an award winning property stylist and her panache and sense of style ensures that your home captures the attention of potential buyers.

Whatever your reason for selling, any property you place on the market should be ready to capture the attention of prospective buyers.

As a nation we tend to be quite obsessed with property. Endless TV shows from how to DIY and complete restoration, homes to buy abroad and in the country, sell for more and advice for landlords etc…all follow the highs and lows of the property market. So why when it comes to selling our own homes, do the majority of us decide, almost on the spur of the moment, to ‘stick it on the market and see what happens’?

Above right dining room with simple changes, fresh flowers and better lighting.

Read more...

Francoise Murat

Maison et Objets 2011 Paris report

28.02.2011 Maison et Objet 2011 – Ooh là là!!! - from our guest blogger interior designer, Mary Middleton

The latest in interior surfaces and materials

28.02.2011 The latest in interior surfaces and materials

Paint Coverage Calculator

08.02.2011 Decorating With Colour - Paint Coverage Calculator.

Skinflint Extreme Spring Collection 2011

26.01.2011 SKINFLINT 's new EXTREME Spring Collection is here!

The basics of good interior design

11.12.2010 The basics of good interior design – space, flow and function

Featuring Reed Harris Tiles

10.12.2010 Reed Harris - tiles emporium

Merlin Glass - glass making for interiors

10.12.2010 Merlin Glass - glass making in Cornwall

Snobs Knobs & Posh Knockers!

18.10.10 Snobs Knobs & Posh Knockers have been dealing in Antique & Period Door Furniture since 1983.

Skinflint Design Autumn Collection - lighting

05.10.10 The best form of recycling....

Styling your house to sell it!

08.07.10 Styling to sell……. A marketing tool

Helen Silver of The Property Styling Company, is an award winning property stylist and her panache and sense of style ensures that your home captures the attention of potential buyers.

28.02.2011

Maison et Objet 2011 – Ooh là là!!! - from our guest blogger interior designer, Mary Middleton

28.02.2011

The latest in interior surfaces and materials

08.02.2011

Decorating With Colour - Paint Coverage Calculator.

26.01.2011

SKINFLINT 's new EXTREME Spring Collection is here!

11.12.2010

The basics of good interior design – space, flow and function

10.12.2010

Reed Harris - tiles emporium

10.12.2010

Merlin Glass - glass making in Cornwall

18.10.10

Snobs Knobs & Posh Knockers have been dealing in Antique & Period Door Furniture since 1983.

05.10.10

The best form of recycling....

08.07.10

Styling to sell……. A marketing tool