Copenhagen Cool

Shortly after arriving in Copenhagen, I was commissioned by Image Interiors & Living to write a guide to buying design in the Danish capital. Here's a fairly comprehensive list of places to find contemporary, classic and vintage design in a city made for interiors shopping, along with an amazing illustrated map by fellow CPH resident Philip Kennedy (above, click to enlarge). If you find yourself in Copenhagen, happy shopping!

Ad Man Glamour

Originally published in Image Interiors & Living in January of this year, this Sandymount house tour, styled by Sheenagh Green and shot by Mark Scott, has taken on a new relevance. It's the home of mid-century furniture collector Geoff Kirk, who swears by Scandinavia as a source of much of his great collection of furniture, lighting and tabletop objects. For a slice of Nordic decor in Dublin, read on...

Framing Family Life

The last of my 'so long London' posts is my most recent piece for Image Interiors & Living, a house tour in London's Islington, styled by Amanda Cochrane and shot by Tim Young. Read on...

'I'm all about framing moments' says Dublin-born Irenie Cossey as she reaches for a piece of artwork by her youngest daughter, Clara. It is a box frame displaying two dolls that Clara, aged six, made from paper and wool, sitting on a shelf surrounded by other colourful creations. As you look around the room you see a host of other keepsakes and mementos, and soon you realise that throughout this spacious north London home you can find ornaments and gifts, family hand-me-downs and children's artwork. Don't let the white walls and modernist furniture fool you: this is a house that treasures memories and perfectly frames the many moments of family life.

The Man with the Plan

This article first appeared in Image Interiors & Living, January/February 2015

Irish Design 2015 (ID2015), a year-long exploration and celebration of design all across Ireland and abroad, has just kicked off. Initiated by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland along with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Enterprise Ireland, it promises to be an exciting year with plenty to see, do and take part in, no matter where you are. I caught up with the man at the helm, Programme Director Alex Milton, to see just what's in store...

Creativity Hits the Classroom

This article first appeared in Image Interiors & Living, September/October 2014

It's hard to argue that those with a creative streak benefit from arts education, but there's an increasing argument in favour of exposing everyone to art, design and creative processes, regardless of their ability or career aspirations. Being informed about how and why all the things that surround us are the way they are, and being able to apply creative thinking to a myriad of tasks is of benefit to everyone, and two organisations are working hard to expose young Irish people to design, architecture and plain old creativity.

Clay Creatives

This article first appeared in Image Interiors & Living, July/August 2014

Ceramics has a history spanning millennia and providing archaeologists and historians with key information on how humans have shaped their surroundings and manipulated materials all over the world. In Ireland ceramic artefacts have been found, now part of the collections of the National Museum of Ireland, dating back to as early as 3500 BC. But Irish pottery and ceramic ware is not solely an artefact in a museum, Irish ceramics live and breathe, they develop and evolve today both in functional and sculptural terms, with a number of artists, designers and makers all over the country creating beautiful work worth celebrating. Here is a look at just a small number of those makers pushing the boundaries traditional techniques and exploring contemporary aesthetics, functions or concepts.