Design | The Daily Norm

Apr 3

Vintage-dusk | A floral installation

Following on from the Spring theme of yesterday’s photo-post, and in equal celebration of the onset of Spring, I decided to both fill my home with flowers, and share the results with you on The Daily Norm. I find that flowers are such an important part of a home. A different bunch of flowers can transform a room from one season to the next; their scent can bring nature alive within the confines of four walls; and their colour can be used to either enhance or improve an interior scheme. So although having regular flowers is something of an indulgence at £10-£20 per time, I’d rather spend on that and it last a week or more, than an equal spend on wine which disappears in one night (although lets face it, I do plenty of that as well…).

Rationalisation aside, time for me to introduce my latest floral scheme. It’s something of a contemporary design – more of an installation in effect, but I think it looks pretty good in the centre of my dining table. Playing on the vintage theme, I have combined both heavily gilded vintage gold frames with beautiful faded dusky pink roses. Being unable to afford over a dozen of the kind, I opted for 6 showpiece roses, and supplemented with contrasting green thistle and some purple foliage (whose name escapes me). All of these I placed in a variety of sized and shaped glass bottles, one stem in each, and positioned these in various locations within my vintage frame “installation”. I took the idea of single stem bottles from the Hotel Estherea in Amsterdam, where I stayed at the beginning of 2012, and whose daily sprays of fresh flowers made a huge impression on my design sensibilities. It’s a clear departure from the traditional vase, and with all of those different panes of glass standing side by side and reflecting through each other, the grouped bottles have an almost chandelier effect – the perfect degree of decadence for my vintage theme.

A vintage themed contemporary installation, perfect for the modern design-conscious home.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2014 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Mar 14

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Barcelona | The Hotel Neri

For years I have walked past the Hotel Neri on C/ Sant Sever, nestled as it is in the atmospheric narrow streets of Barcelona’s gothic quarter, and swooned in admiration: Admiration for a hotel so perfectly situated in between the old gothic Cathedral and the church of Santa Maria del Pi; for the sophistication of its low lit interiors, its large plate glass doors and its stylised furnishings, all of which I had peeked when I passed by its windows; and for the preeminent offerings of its esteemed restaurant, which I first sampled back in 2010. But come 2014, the opportunity finally arose to upgrade from diner to full-time guest, as I took my place in this wonderful hotel – albeit, sadly, for a mere 3 days and nights.

The striking design of the Hotel Neri, which is a member of Relais and Chateau, and part of the Anima Hotels group, is obvious from the moment you first walk into the ambient reception via the beautifully renovated Sant Sever entrance. The interior designer, Cristina Gabás, has combined the historical aspects of this building, some of which dates back to the 12th century, with the sleek modernity which goes hand in hand with the boutique quality which characterises this hotel. With low hanging lights and heavy dark green velvet curtains; large areas of glass set within rough stone and alongside elegant crystal chandeliers, the reception is the ultimate showcase to the high standard of design chic which is consistent throughout the hotel.

Reception chic

One of our favourite areas was an inner courtyard towards the back of the hotel. Glassed over at the top and plunging through the entire height of the hotel, this open courtyard area lent light and airyness to the hotel, while a large botanical design tapestry hanging down the entire height gave further freshness and dynamism to the design. And if that image represented the jungle, the huge vivid red cushion-come-sculture at the foot of the tapestry must have been the exotic fruit. It was surely comfortable to lie out on!

Heading upstairs, past conveniently placed armchairs and cool twig framed mirrors hanging upon the minimalist walls, we were introduced to the room which was to become our own personal piece of Barcelona for the three nights of our stay. Having opted for a junior suite, we were in for a treat. Looking onto the stunning Plaça Sant Felip Neri which featured in my post yesterday, our large spacious room came with its own lounge area, three big windows, and a bathroom which was tiled with rough stone which sparkled in the light – I adored taking a bath in these surroundings, not least amongst all of that rough stone which seemed to have been cut so roughly that I felt as though I was bathing in the middle of a quarry.

Our room

As if further plaudits for the hotel were necessary, there were two further areas which made our stay in the hotel such a memorable pleasure – first, taking a daily breakfast in the hotel’s “library”. For such a small space, breakfast was done in style. With a starting round of cold meats, pastries and fruit brought to the table automatically, this already generous spread was then supplemented by your choice of cooked breakfast from an extensive menu. My particular favourite was the option of fresh pancakes served with syrup and berries – an undoubtedly fine way to start the day, and well timed too – it was, after all, the weekend before Shrove Tuesday.

Breakfast in the library

Our second Hotel Neri highlight had to be the little roof terrace. Set up on the fourth floor of the hotel, with views over the rooftops of nearby gothic quarter properties, and with vistas further afield towards Tibidabo possible, the terrace offered both a unique viewpoint onto Barcelona, as well as a perfectly cosy and intimate open space. Filled with comfortable furnishings (including two very tempting hammocks) and surrounded by walls bursting with climbing flowering plants hung with little lanterns, it really was the ideal as far as garden terraces go, and made for the perfect location to enjoy an afternoon rest over a cup of tea and a bowl of mouth-wateringly good orange ice cream, as we were to discover.

The terrace

So as if it weren’t obvious from the above, I cannot sing the praises of the Hotel Neri enough. I’m almost loathe to recommend it, for fear that it will become too popular and I will never get to go back there. But how can I do otherwise? For a Barcelona stay, it’s simply the perfect choice – for an unbeatable location, for the very best of quality service, and for a unique and ultimately pleasurable stay from breakfast until bed.

More information on the Hotel Neri can be found here.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2014 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Dec 23

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The Daily Norm’s Christmas Tree of the Week | No.4: Traditional Glamour

It’s appropriate, I think, that the last of my four Christmas trees to be featured on The Daily Norm should be the most traditional and glamourous of the lot. For in these final days before the great day of Christmas itself, what better way is there to reflect on the abundant design bounty of the season than to revel in decorations which are, in their traditional character, a real nod to the lavish spectacle which sits at the centre of this season of plenty.

Yes, my final tree is the tallest of the lot – at just over 7 ft it almost touches the ceiling of my modern flat, and leaves no space for a fairy to sit atop. But asides from this notable absence, the tree is in every way a homage to the traditional colours and exuberance of Christmas, while retaining a sleek and at times eccentric twist. The design of this tree is very much dictated by its location. Set within my hallway, it has to be narrow enough that it does not become un-passable in the fairly tight space of my hall. But it also has to be big enough and abundant enough that it impresses upon a guest’s arrival – after all, it is the first sight which will grace visitors to my home in this merry season.

Meanwhile, the design of my hall also leans towards the traditional, with its broad book shelves, floor to ceiling art work and framed old adverts, and various paraphernalia which would suit the most traditional of studies – an antique typewriter, a leather arm chair, a barrister’s wig and so on. So in attempting to fill my space with Christmas cheer which fits seamlessly within the scheme of my hallway, I have not only gone for the traditional Christmas colours of red, green and gold (which also feature in the surrounding artwork); I have also matched up the library theme with the addition of some very quirky little decorations such as gold stags heads, armchairs and even this year’s magnificent addition – baubles shaped to look like a framed Da Vinci (thanks Liberty’s!). These slightly more unusual features are then filled in with plain sparkly baubles in shades of rich forest green and perfect berry red, while the whole tree comes alive with glittering gold baubles and tinsel.

Despite being a tall narrow tree, this vertical pillar of festive abundance is probably my favourite of the lot, because in being almost overloaded with bauble after bauble of glittering glass spectacle, it is as over the top, as plentiful and as generous as the season it is dressed up to celebrate. Happy Christmas everybody!

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

The Daily Norm’s Christmas Tree of the Week | No.1: Scandinavian candy (daily-norm.com)
The Daily Norm’s Christmas Tree of the Week | No.2: Citrus Sunshine (daily-norm.com)

Dec 18

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The Daily Norm’s Christmas Tree of the Week | No.3: Parisian Masquerade

Some people think that black Christmas trees are morbid, but as this tree scheme will hopefully demonstrate, a well decorated black tree can be anything but. Characterised by its sparkling silver masks and its twinkling Eiffel Towers, my Parisian Masquerade tree is a nod to the glamour, elegance and spectacle which France’s capital city exudes in bucket loads. Yes, this week’s Daily Norm Christmas Tree of the week is the third tree out of four in my scheme of plenty, and is perhaps the most tightly co-ordinated and unceasingly bejewelled of the lot.

Matching perfectly the black and red colour scheme of my lounge (with its dark leathers, urban metals, large mirrors and glass surfaces and splashes of red in the furniture and accessories), my black tree both complements and enhances the interiors, with its baubles of ruby red glitter, black and white patterning and polished silver, while red tinsel adds shape and consistency to the scheme. Meanwhile, the little Eiffel towers, to be found in both metal and blown glass form not only signpost the major theme of the tree, but also reflect the large Eiffel Tower silhouettes which adorn the walls of my lounge. But perhaps the best representation of the spirit of Paris is not in the Eiffel towers, but the undeniable glamour which is manifested in the little glass chandeliers which hang intermittently amongst the baubles – a touch of ballroom elegance for the masquerade which is dancing its way across the branches of this tree.

So for those doubters amongst you who think that a black Christmas tree is better suited to Halloween, I would ask you to reconsider. For in my Parisian Masquerade I believe I have created a scheme which represents the most festive facet of all the season – a representation of the parties and the glamour which Christmas so proficiently entails.

Join me next week for the climax of my Christmas tree review – Number 4!

The Daily Norm’s Christmas Tree of the Week | No.2: Citrus Sunshine (daily-norm.com)
The Daily Norm’s Christmas Tree of the Week | No.1: Scandinavian candy (daily-norm.com)
My Scandinavian Forest – featured on the House of Fraser Blog (daily-norm.com)

Dec 17

3 Comments

Paris | Photography Focus – Campana d’Orsay

The last post of my recent Parisian adventure, and the fourth set of photographs emanating from the trip pulls something of a sharp focus on a particular place in Paris, and not one that is all that well known either. In the insuperably brilliant Musee d’Orsay, behind one of the two huge round glass windows which double as the prominent clock faces which characterise the building’s impressive riverside façade, is a super chic new café opened following the major renovations of the museum in 2011. The café, which was designed by the Campana brothers, and now carries their name, is very different from the typical bistros and brasseries which are so characteristic of Paris. Ultra modern in its design, throwing diners into something of an undersea aquarium-come-fairy tale palace with its waving lines, bubble like round-patterned chairs, and striking aquamarine backdrop, this café is nothing if not eccentric, but therefore perfectly placed in its location next to the galleries containing France’s foremost collection of impressionist art – after all, these were the artists who challenged all of the art which had gone before them. As a café, the food isn’t all that great, and the selection is even worse, but the design is such a winner that I couldn’t help but give this genius of café design its own little space on The Daily Norm.

The photos which follow focus mainly on the various unique features of the Café Campana, but also include some cheeky shots of fellow diners. I’m not even sure that I’m really allowed to take photos of people without their permission, and still less publish them online. But if that’s the case, it’s a real shame, because there is nothing quite like a voyeuristic glance at fellow dinners to really capture the essence of a place. In fact like the Impressionists before me, these photos represent my way of doing what those artists did best: representing real life, and recognising reality as a thing of beauty in itself. Surely no activity could be more appropriate at the d’Orsay’s café, where only rooms away, Degas’ famous painting of desolate drinkers staring into their glasses of Absinthe in a Paris bar (l’Absinthe) hangs amongst the masterpieces on show.

Admittedly the diners in my photos are enhanced by their surroundings, and in particular the glittering gold lights which are by far my favourite aspect of the design. Hanging in their multitudes, these lights give the feeling of being in a kind of Olympian paradise, where over-sized golden blue bells hang abundantly above. Their splendid shiny gold surface, and their installation, hung from great steel joists also painted gold, makes for a lavish spectacle in a way that only gold can; a spectacle which is all the more enhanced by the sheer abundance of it – when you have gold, why not have plenty of it? And hung as they are, all at different lengths, in irregular groupings, these lights seem so unplanned as to be a natural phenomenon; the kind of visionary wonder that makes you appreciate the glory of the world all around.

In short, the Musee d’Orsay is well worth visiting for the Café Campana alone. Not necessarily to anticipate a gastronomic revolution – it is only a café after all, and a museum café at that – but to gaze in wonder at what must be one of the most impressive contemporary restaurant designs in Paris. I leave you with my photos – which include a few inevitable shots of the impressive d’Orsay itself – a former left bank station which has more than found its own as a bastion of 19th and 20th century art. Until next time Paris…

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Paris | Photography Focus – Les Jardins et les chaises (daily-norm.com)
Paris | Photography Focus – The city by night (daily-norm.com)
Paris | Photography Focus – Rues and Rooftops (daily-norm.com)

Dec 11

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The Daily Norm’s Christmas Tree of the Week | No.2: Citrus Sunshine

Designed to complement the sunny orange shades of my office which is appropriately named “The Orange Office”, this week’s Daily Norm Christmas Tree of the Week is a burst of citrus sunshine bringing with it all of the essence of a sunny mediterranean shore in the midsts of an otherwise wintery Christmas season.

With its vivid yellow and orange baubles, this christmas tree scheme sits well within a season whose cuisine is alive with spiced citrus scents, but loses none of the vibrancy and freshness of a summer’s day. That nod to the summer is referenced in the hints of cerulean blue, reminding of a clear summer’s sky and the vast blue waters of the mediterranean sea, but the orange and yellow sparkling glittery reindeers nod back to Christmas again, in an evocation which is the height of festive kitsch. The playfulness introduced by my reindeer is accompanied by the jovial multi-coloured forms of metalic robots, only to be offset by the rich regality of purple flashes, which reflect the wealth and abundance of the Christmas season. And all this is tied together upon the branches of a contemporary black tree, sparkling under two sets of yellow flashing fairy lights, and balanced out by ample strings of glittery yellow tinsel.

My “citrus sunshine” tree is a perfect example of how both playfulness and modernity can be achieved within the traditional Christmas season, lending a contemporary air and so blending perfectly with the sleek surroundings of an office environment. Of course such a traditional set up will not be suitable for every setting, in the same way that a traditional fir tree may look out of place in a modern flat. But the best thing about Christmas is its ability to adapt its joy-giving decor to all environments, ensuring that wherever you go or live, Christmas need never be absent.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

The Daily Norm’s Christmas Tree of the Week | No.1: Scandinavian candy (daily-norm.com)
My Scandinavian Forest – featured on the House of Fraser Blog (daily-norm.com)

Nov 30

7 Comments

My Scandinavian Forest – featured on the House of Fraser Blog

I interrupt this Paris broadcast to bring you important news of my feature as a Christmas tree decorating “expert” on an article in the House of Fraser blog this week. For those of you located otherwise than in the UK, House of Fraser is one of the UK’s biggest and best known department store brands – what Macy’s is to New York, House of Fraser perhaps is to London. And so to be chosen as an expert tree decorator and to share my best tips for decorating the perfect Christmas tree with HOF audiences this Christmas is something of an honour, and a thrill.

Regulars of The Daily Norm, and readers from the last two years will know that when Christmas comes along, I embark upon an extensive decorational operation which does not stop until each of my 4 Christmas trees and various Christmas installations around my home are complete. This year’s decorational festivities are only just commencing, and you can expect an abundance of decoration-themed posts soon to come. But so thrilled was I to have my “Scandinavian Forest” featured on the HOF blog this year that I thought I would kick start my 2013 Christmas commentary a little early.

The Scandinavian Forest, featured in the HOF blog, was an idea which I introduced last year when, asides from decorating the main tree in my bedroom, I seized upon an idea to install a host of smaller accompanying decorations along the surface of my chests of drawers. From a small central tree adorned with little birds, paper lanterns and miniature mugs featuring illustrations from Tove Jansson’s Moomin adventures (straight out of Finland), this idea grew and grew so that by the end, I literally had a forest of small little white and turquoise trees accompanied by a variety of woodland animals and felt snowflakes and baubles littering the ground. As these photos will hopefully demonstrate, I have decorated my little forest with zeal. All that now remains is to put up the large tree which will accompany it. Watch this space for that.

In the meantime don’t forget to check out the House of Fraser article. Right, back to Paris….

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Aug 9

6 Comments

My Urban Balcony Garden – 2013

Last summer on this blog I wrote to tell you all about my secret urban paradise – the little balcony garden which runs alongside my South London flat and which has slowly metamorphosed into my own slice of the Mediterranean. Well one year later, this Elysium of urban-imported Andalucian countryside is as healthy and abundant as ever and surely worth another post. For this year, my balcony’s abundance is all the more worth celebrating for England suffered from what was one of the coldest and longest winters on record. Even in April, while I was luckily ambling along the warm cerulean beach at Pollença in Mallorca, they had snow back in the UK. These conditions my balcony disliked. Grumpily my plants began to waken from their interrupted, uncomfortable winter’s slumber, but some, like my vast tropical centrepiece – the bell flowered brugmansia – were stubborn until the very last. Having lost all of its leaves in the cold, I almost gave up hope of the plant ever recovering when in June still no shoots had been forthcoming.

Yet a month later the brugmansia, like the other plants on the balcony, is flourishing. This Mediterranean paradise is tightly designed in shades of black and red to match the interior design of my apartment, but is nonetheless allowed to expand autonomously, thus creating an ever cosier garden space. This year we have imported a fragrant jasmine to remind us of those paradisal nights in my family home in Marbella, where the sweet-smelling perfume is almost overwhelming. That joins the Palms, the wild Passion flower, the abundant olive trees and the vivid and voluptuous red geraniums to make this small balcony space perfectly reminiscent of a slice of Southern Spain, yet with contemporary touches suitable for London brought by black grasses, blood red lilies and other wine-coloured foliage.

My urban balcony garden really is my pride and joy, and this year I’m celebrating its success more than ever.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Dec 3

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My Christmas Wonderland, Part I

As a young boy I was obsessed with Christmas. For me, the sadness of a summer’s ending was tempered by the onset of Christmas. As soon as October came along, I was always chafing at the bit to get into the Christmas shops and to feast my eyes upon every kind of sparkle and glimmer, gems and gold, ostentation and glamour. Since Childhood through to adulthood, Christmas has always provided an excuse to go completely over the top, to indulge in the kind of decadent baroque-style over-excess which may grate in a year-round interior design scheme, but which, for the month of December, is the perfect antidote for the long dark evenings and the onset of Winter, and the perfect excuse to indulge in every whim and fancy.

In a Christmas tree, with a hundred lights reflecting in tinsel and glitter, in foil and metallic shimmer, every possible dimension is a further excuse to sparkle. Decorating a tree for Christmas is like draping a Monarch ready for a coronation. It is a process of such glamour, of such inexorable elegance that I cannot resist giving myself over, body and soul, to the temptations which Christmas decorating provide.

So now the autonomous adult, free from restraint, my Christmas decorational indulgence increases as each year goes on. I embark upon each room and tree as I would an interior design project, sculpting the tree, balancing its colours, reflecting the scheme to its surroundings, and always ensuring that Christmas has shared its sparkle with every corner of my home.

After a weekend of decorating, it’s time to share my decorations with the world. As I’ve erected rather a few trees this year, as well as various accompanying installations, I thought it best that I split this post in two. Up first are my more playful trees, situated in my bedroom and study respectively. These trees reflect childhood fun, through metallic robots and vivid brightly coloured deer, as well as multi-coloured bohemian glamour. Photos can never really capture the sparkle of the lights and the glitter of the decorations as you move past a tree – half the beauty of Christmas decorations, in my view, is the tree’s shimmer in a darkened room – and this is almost impossible to capture well on camera. Nevertheless, hopefully these photos will give you an idea of some of the creative fun I have had with my trees this year.

Oh and don’t forget to check out Part II tomorrow.

Childlike Charm

In the “Orange Office”, a tree bursting with citrus colours tempered with mediterranean sky blue and a deep royal purple. Upon the tree, vividly coloured deer and playful robots provide prominent focus in a scheme otherwise balanced with patterned and monochrome baubles of the four central colours.

Bohemian vivacity

From the bohemian revolution to burlesque freedom insouciance, the two trees in my bedroom are a panoply of candy pinks, verdant soft mossy greens, and turquoise blue. From nutcrackers for the new millenium, pink feathered burds, shiny opulent peacocks and a great pink translucent butterfly atop the tree, this scheme is like a stroll in a sweet shop, ever sense tantalised by the array of indulgent treats on show.

A Scandinavian Forest

In amongst the electric pinks of my bo-ho Christmas comes a moment of calm serenity. Upon my chest of drawers, I have created a forest-inspired installation, a little bit of calming traditional white in amongst all the action. On this mini 2ft tree, I have hung traditional white-painted wooden figures, paper bells, little blue birds and, best of all, the miniature “Moomin” mugs made by Finish homeware company Arabia, crafted as special releases for the festive season. Complete with fluffy owls, snowmen and glittery deer, this really is kitsch at its classiest.

So that’s it for today. Two more trees to share tomorrow. In the meantime, if you want to benefit from my “tips” on how to decorate the best Christmas tree every, see my post which I wrote on The Daily Norm a year ago.