Still haven’t bought your souvenir to celebrate Andy Murray’s victory at Wimbledon? Here’s a stylish commemorative mug by designer Gillian Kyle and illustrator Clare Forrest. ‘Andy Murray’ was so popular he’s sold out but is back in stock 23 September. Other ‘Local Heroes’ include Robert Burns, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Mary Queen of Scots and Alexander Graham Bell. Gillian, who is known for her range of Tunnocks teacakes and caramel wafer
You’ll need to do more than tighten your belt to afford this flooring. At $75 a square foot it’s not cheap but there’s something appealing about this well-worn, handsome flooring made from recycled belts. From Ting London.
The University of Aberdeen Library is almost a year old. It opened in September 2012 and was designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, a Danish practice, who also designed the Royal National Library in Copenhagen. Featured in international architecture, design journals and blogs it was recently listed as one of ‘the top 20 modern mesmerising libraries around the world’. The ground floor is open to the public. ‘The façade of
Frustration at all the desk-based design that dominated his architecture degree drove Hank Butitta to undertake a hands on practical project for his dissertation. After buying a school bus on Craigslist for $3,000 Hank had only several weeks to convert it to a home. With his dissertation at the University of Minnesota completed, the bus is now being put through its paces as a fully functioning home. Hank and his friend/photographer
Saying her name may sound like choking on dry Weetabix but her designs are a far more sinuous affair. Anna Greta Eker was an important designer of the 1960s Norwegian craftdesigner movement and a key figure in the non profit PLUS organisation, creating striking modernist pieces in silver that are as covetable and stylish today as they were when they were made. Excitingly, you can still source her work on
A little flock of these gorgeous little birds have flown out of the Avocado Sweet shop recently. At just £14.50 they are the perfect handmade gift, each one unique and just right for a new arrival or a happy couple. Order yours here.
If you’re not already a fan of Tom Gauld’s cartoons in The Guardian here’s a small selection to convince you. He’ll be at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival on 23 August. In April he published a book of the cartoons, You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpacks, available from The Guardian bookshop.
Hannah Brown Interiors is a fresh new range of decorative products for the home, all handmade by Hannah herself. The range includes unusual framed items such as microscope slides, quail eggs and seafans. There are also richly textured cushions and delicately pressed orchids and leaves. We particularly like the duckweed series mounted on shades of green and we’re delighted that Hannah has offered a framed duckweed print as a competition
For Lowry, the industrial landscape inspired his matchstick men. For Hockney it was the swimming pools of California and for Banksy, gritty urban backdrops. For Scottish artist Ann Oram a diverse series of places have been the spur for her work. For the time being, the place is Fife – not the East Neuk which is the usual choice for artists – but the picturesque Logie Estate in Crossford near
Australian Vogue, The Sunday Times and The Guardian have all featured Scottish furniture designer Angus Ross and at the end of 2012 he exhibited in Chicago with Craft Scotland. Angus knew his career move, from designing products for Boots and Mothercare, including their potties, to furniture design was meant to be when he found premises in Aberfeldy that had been used as a wood workshop since 1880. Much of his work is by