London Lisbonite

Custhom wallpaper

2010-03-12T14:00:00.004Z

I'm kicking myself for not having posted about this before. I wandered into the Custhom design base in East London (off Brick Lane) and fell in love with their thermocromatic wallpaper. The pretty designs change to reveal extra details and/or colours when heated so I was insistent that they'd look perfect on a chimney flue! The sciency bit: One layer of ink is printed using thermochromatic ink which is affected by a temperature rise (ie heat from radiators/hot water pipes or strong sunlight) this allows certain areas of the design to temporarily change and reveal hidden images throughout the paper then disappear again as the paper cools to room temperature. Their website doesn't appear to be working at the moment but you can find them on Bouf. They have a couple of standard designs but will work directly with you on an your own concepts too. What an original idea!

Flying fish!

2010-03-12T13:33:00.002Z

I've always loved the idea of flying fish. They're definitely the rebels of the aquatic world, shrugging off the restraints accepted by other fish in order to fly free. These flying fish brooches by Liliana Maia are by far and away not top of my must-have list for spring. Tiny propellers rest in the mouth of each fish, making them look like they belong on the set of Micmacs. Adorable!

Ecola - eco-friendly wool from happy, high-altitude sheep

2010-03-11T11:12:00.003Z

Serra de Estrela is one of the prettiest parts of Portugal. I went hiking there as a child and while I discovered I'm not one of nature's campers, the scenery was stunning and much of it is protected. It's the home of a delicious and rather pricey cheese, millions of sheep and of massive guard dogs that look like small bears. It's also the home of Ecola, a century-old family run business that produces gorgeous woolen products. Their products are totally organic and after the sheep are shorn, the wool is washed thoroughly in fresh spring water. The blankets, coats and other products are then made on hand-powered looms and all tassels are twisted by hand. Even their product labels are made from recycled paper! I absolutely love the children's blankets - they'd make a beautiful present that a baby could enjoy throughout their childhood - and I think that the normal house and picnic blankets are very pretty. It's such a shame that this area of Portugal isn't more publicised. It's beautiful.

The Packhouse

2010-03-11T10:53:00.003Z

I've had a link to The Packhouse in my favourites folder for a while now and was eagerly anticipating their new website which has finally been put up - hurrah! It's a shame that they don't have an online shop but sometimes it's nice to wander around websites just to drool over the styling in their pictures. Especially that of the gorgeous Mulberry Home range! So no theme to this post I'm afraid, apart from the fact that everything featured can be found on their website.

The sheer elegance of white

2010-03-10T09:24:00.001Z

If you were to say "White interior" to me, I'd probably think of a minimalist penthouse batchelor pad or a sterile student flat. However, in countries where there's a lot of natural light, white can look elegant and sophisticated (although you'd have to keep the place completely tidy to maintain it!) and even warm. This house from a recent edition of Caras makes the point completely. Although I'm not too sure about the mohair blankets, it looks like a very restful place to spend a weekend!

Alice in Wonderland - interiors shoot

2010-03-09T10:38:00.004Z

It seems that Alice-fever is sweeping the interweb, with almost every single blogger incorporating Burton-inspired whimsy into at least one post. Can you hear me go baa as I do the same? I came across this Maxima Interiores photoshoot using Wonderland themes - how pretty?!

Couto toothpaste

2010-03-07T17:34:00.003Z

Couto medicinal toothpaste is one of the best known brands in Portugal. The recipe for the vegan toothpaste has remained the same since 1932 and the company has also retained the traditional packaging. It was one of the first Portuguese brands to invest heavily in TV advertising and the clip showing a man throwing a heavy chair around with his teeth is extremely famous (if a little difficult to watch!).

Animal hand tattoos

2010-03-05T11:42:00.002Z

Héctor Serrano is Spanish rather than Portuguese but his talking animal hand tattoos are so cool, I just had to share them. A true (and affordable!) design original. Serrano hails from Valencia, where he got his first degree at CEU design school and, the heart of the country's design revival now. What a wonderful and original toy - so much better than biro eyes! Set of 8 available for $8 at A+R Store.

Serrote notebooks

2010-03-05T10:06:00.003Z

There's something very seductive about a new and unspoiled page. I'm not trying to make a deeper point here - a blank page can just be very inviting. The Serrote books, published using traditional Portuguese typography, have become quite popular and are sold in boutique design stores worldwide. As well as the notebooks that have made them famous, they also print business cards, note cards and custom invitations as well as having published two books.

Ceramics that look like twigs

2010-03-04T13:19:00.003Z

Like acorns? Me too. When we were little, my sister and I used to use acorn cups to serve imaginary tea to our teddies. The actual acorns were (obviously) saved as ammunition for late night acorn fights....ah, good times. Anyway, I'm charmed by the Yauatcha Atelier ceramics, many of which are elegant while sticking to the woodland theme. Espresso cups, acorn mugs and bonbon dishes, oh my! Look:

Favourite five: Tea towels

2010-03-03T21:44:00.005Z

Consider the tea-towel. Long an ignored piece of kitchen equipment but springing onto the design and craft scene with a vengeance! I've been shopping - take a look at my basket!
Classic choice: Use Me tea towel, $18, Etsy
Cute choice: Owl trio tea towel, £8, Not On The High Street
Modern choice: Dirty and Dishy tea towels, £7 each, Lush Designs
Quirky choice: Mr Darcy Proposal tea towel, $11, Etsy
Crafted choice: Love Birds tea towel, £11, Not On The High Street

Liquid originality: Bombay Sapphire designer glass competition

2010-03-01T14:58:00.003Z

Although Bombay Gin really isn't something I enjoy drinking (all brand and no substance - for real taste you have to go for Tanqueray, preferably number 10), they do have quite an innovative glass design competition run on an annual basis. A couple of years ago Portuguese product designer Sandra Inês Mesquita da Conceição took home first prize for her "Goobly" glass. I managed to find a couple of other entries from Portuguese designers - Luís Miguel Alves de Sousa, David João Matos de Carvalho and Pedro Gomes. Hopefully all of them know to put lime in a G&T rather than the lemon slice half the bartenders in London keep pushing. Rant over, enjoy the glasses!

Casas da Fonte - design house

2010-02-28T22:40:00.003Z

Take a look inside this gorgeous design-inspired house just outside of Porto. This kind of drool-worthy design seems to make a bit of a mockery of my afternoon spent trawling IKEA for frames! Found via Chic Tip.

Glasses to match every outfit: Luis Porem

2010-02-27T12:49:00.003Z

Some people match their shoes to their bag and their eyeshadow to their top. While I've never been quite that pulled together, I can certainly see the appeal of Luis Porem's multicoloured glasses. They were designed as an entry in the Opus Award contest. The structure of the RbG glasses has an internal channel where colourful ink passes through, meaning that the wearer can change their look every time they use them. Original (and useful), no?

Interview: Joana Dyron of Traxa

2010-02-26T16:04:00.004Z

Joana Dyron, the talent behind handicraft brand Traxa was kind enough to agree to talk to London Lisbonite about her work and how her hands can't keep up with all of her ideas! She was also kind enough to offer FREE SHIPPING to anyone that buys one of her products and mentions that they found her through London Lisbonite so remember to let her know when you pay! Over to you Joana!
1. Tell us a bit about what you do and what first inspired you to do it?
When it comes to jewelry and accessories, I always choose handmade and I often buy from online shops myself. I think a pair of earrings or a pin shows some of your personality and there's nothing worse than seeing girls in the street wearing identical pieces. Although I'm no professional artist, I always enjoyed doing things with my hands (like making clothes for my Barbie doll, for example, all of them my own design ;) and about two years ago I started buying pieces of fabric and beads and trying to make something out of it. Later I started giving my pins out to my friends who encouraged me to try selling them. Until recently I had a really boring office job so I really felt like being creative at home and put a lot of energy into my store. Also, I'm lucky to have a husband who loves taking photos so Etsy is something we're actually doing together having a lot of fun :)

2. What do you do when you're not creating/selling?
I'm a mommy so now I'm happily at home mainly focused on my family life (I love cooking!). I spend most of my time working as a translator and when I have nothing to translate, there are scissors, fabrics, beads and needles flying all around the house :)

3. What's your favourite piece / the hardest thing for you to sell?
Hmm.. the hardest thing to sell I guess would be felt pins, like the Matryosha dolls, which I personally really love but they don't seem to be much of a success... And my favourite? I only make things that I'd wear myself so I really love them all!

4. What is your most valuable possession?
That's a tough one... I don't get that attached to things...

5. What are your plans for the future / new ranges?
I have a head full of ideas, I hope I'll have enough time to put them into reality! I'm planning to start selling my things in art fairs in Lisbon. I'm also thinking of opening another store selling handmade cards with real photos (taken by my husband, of course :) that can be used as wedding invitations, etc. Another thing is a new range for little girls - headbands, pony tail bands, hair pins, etc. Many women ask me for this kind of things for their little daughters and you should listen to the market... And, of course, there'll be more wedding hairpins and brooches coming in spring.

6. Complete this sentence: "Happiness is..."
It's hard to come up with something revealing here but I'd say happiness is made of short moments, never lasts long. It's also the ability to find joy in simple things.

Photo no. 1: English Garden headband (made to order, 17.90 $)
Photo no. 2: Rosette trio necklace (24.90 $)
Photo no. 3: Galo (made to order, 14.90 $)
Photo no. 4: Bobby pin collection (made to order, 14.90 $ per 4 pins)

What to do with old Nespresso pods (if you're not George Clooney)

2010-02-25T12:23:00.004Z

I drink far more coffee than a should and have fallen prey to the Nespresso craze. No granules to clean up, hurrah! However, the sickening adverts really put me off initially but it has to be said, without caffeine in the morning, I can't even be called human so I'll have to deal with it. I can see the point of environmentalists that complain that the pods aren't exactly green so I wanted to share the really original work of the Aqui ha gato artist who not only has a charming blog but has a very original way of disposing of pods: namely, making them into little works of art! Suck on that Clooney...

Shop in the spotlight: Matilde Beldroega

2010-02-24T14:12:00.003Z

I have just discovered Matilde Beldroega, possibly one of the most original toy designers I've seen so far and the fact that her blog is well written and really beautiful is just a bonus. She makes handmade and utterly charming toys on sale from her Etsy shop. The sheep in particular is fantastic and if I were a little girl I would have loved to get one as a gift. Who am I kidding? I'm 26 and I still want one... Buy now before she becomes too famous!

*Sigh*. I'm in love.

Melting furniture

2010-02-24T09:29:00.004Z

I love the smell of London in the summer. This could, of course, simply be the result of years of ingesting so much pollution that I’ve become addicted but the smell of hot tarmac and freshly cut grass are an intoxicating combination. Cold and wet London, by contrast, is just damp and smells of dirt. Yuk. I want heat. Mmm. Heat. Just imagine it. Sitting outside, the weight of a book in your hand and the coolness of the frozen margarita you've just tipped down your throat burning inside you. Heat so intense that inhaling is like breathing soup. Until that happens (and in the UK, don't blink, you might miss it!), I'm utterly charmed by these weird and wonderful pieces of "Melting furniture". I first saw the melting armchair in the story on Tracey Neuls on Home Shopping Spy and went looking for more melting pieces.

Photos via Simon Reeves, Selectism, Superpunch and Bitter Wallet.

Rui Grazina: Architecture and Design

2010-02-23T09:59:00.003Z

Portuguese architect Rui Grazina has a sideline in product design and I recently got a release with photos of his newest jewellery boxes, based on Japanese secret boxes (which were originally designed so that they could only be opened by the correct series of movements). How pretty? Very pretty. As are his other pieces - I like the concept of foiling would-be snoopers with multiple hiding places!

Vintage Portuguese travel posters

2010-02-22T10:10:00.002Z

One of my Christmas presents from my fathers wonderful girlfriend was a print of an old Portuguese political poster from the 20's. I was overjoyed because unlike every other destination in Europe, it's really hard to find vintage Portuguese prints and posters. They just don't seem that popular. So it was with joy that I found this print advertising my tiny hometown Cascais on Zazzle (and a couple of others on scrubbles.net and posterteam). Guess what just went on my shopping list?

Marco Sousa Santos - Portuguese tableware design

2010-02-20T17:56:00.003Z

I recently stumbled across the website of one of the biggest names in Portuguese modern product design, Marco Sousa Santos. From working as art director for large government bodies to designing his own ranges, both alone and in collaboration with others, he's got an amazing CV and his work is really worth a look. I particularly love his tabletop designs - the candlestick is particularly unusual!

Nom nom nom: Portuguese oil and vinegar

2010-02-19T13:18:00.005Z

One of the things that I miss most about home is the food. Simple, uncomplicated, unprocessed food. And with an eye for design, I've simply fallen in love with the Passanha range of oils and vinegars made in the traditional way on their gorgeous "Quinta" (estate) in the Alentejo agricultural region of Portugal. Their bottles really stand out and have just made my (ever longer) "must buy" list the next time I'm home! Just take a look at the gorgeous farm where they grow their plump olives:

And the bottles themselves are just so pretty:

The coolest garden chair in the world?

2010-02-17T21:09:00.002Z

My deckchair is covered in moss. It's depressing to see something I spend so much time with in the summer ruined so completely. I was looking around for something different when I came across this deckchair with a pretty pattern based on traditional Portuguese tiles designed by Flavio Pagotti Silva (found via 2modern design talk).

Glasscor: Portuguese coloured glass

2010-02-16T19:15:00.004Z

The Marinha Grande region of Portugal has long been known for glass production and in the last decade Portuguese designers have started to enter the world stage of Design. Glasscor have an interesting selection of hand-blown coloured glass collections. I absolutely love the way the Bubble lamps look like they're sinking into the surface they're sitting on. The Vulkanik range is also gorgeous and looks just like it's been sculpted from lava - I'm looking hard for somewhere to buy the range.

Colourful living rooms

2010-02-15T19:17:00.002Z

I found a fantastic gallery of colourful living rooms on the Caras website and yet again I found myself thinking wistfully of home. Sadly, I don't think that a lot of these colours would work in the UK but they're certainly acting as inspiration for the holiday home I intend to build in Portugal one day!