Midcentury Modern and 2 London Stations

After many years and a long standing obsession with Elle Decoration I think I know my aesthetic quite well. It is quite classic and pretty and ethnic. A bit Toast Catalogue, a bit Bodie and Fou.  The Boyfriend's taste on the other hand is much more easily defined as mid century modern. Although our tastes are on a spectrum they converge more than we would guess.  

We're only just bringing our tastes together in the new flat but think this is all to the good.  Not too greige or pretty; not to clinical or hipster.

We need (ahem, if "need" is an acceptable synonym for "want") a nice cabinet to store lovely ceramic things in our dining room. We've had a look in some of our favourite shops but not had much luck so far.  From left field we both really liked a vivid blue 1940's Indian cabinet in this shop on Cross Street in Islington. 

The Boyfriend spotted it from the bus and we ended up turning around  and going back on a whim. We were both taken back by how  much we loved the cabinet, however it had already sold.   We also found some very nice things at the Peanut Vendor and  2 Columbia Road but nothing that was just right.  By the way it was raining the day we went to Columbia road, which is my top tip for avoiding being over run by the crowds.    

So the hunt goes on and today we searched at the Midcentury Modern event at Dulwich College.  Still haven't found what we're looking for but here are some of my favourite things we saw today:

Enamel jug, Jens Quistgaard, Dansk

Trinidad dining chairs, Nanna Ditzel, Fredericia Stolefabrik

(Um!) Georgeous suede sofa

Brazilian asymetric desk Jeorge Zalszupin

We were mainly browsing but came away with the plates at the beginning of the post from a new designer called Helen Stevens. Apart from the ceramics being beautiful, Helen came across really well and apparently she's being considered for a concession at Liberty at the moment.

I should also say that Dulwich College had the **actual** James Caird on display much to the Boyfriend's excitement.

We came home via Brixton station and I saw these Bronze figures for the first time. According to the authoratiative Urban 75 blog the bronzes have been there since 1986 and they were based on locals who used the station regularly at the time.  I love the way the figures like people frozen in time, it really appears like they are staring at you its almost slightly sinister and provocative. Culturally its significant as a cast of "real people" and "real black people" too. 

We also had to collect some tickets at Kings Cross and checked out the new concourse at the same time.  It is beautiful, if you can say that about a station concourse? The structure is designed around a kind of trunk which branches off in lots of directions in a glass lattice structure to avoid placing weight on the ticket office underneath. Kings Cross has really regenerated in the last 10 years or so and I think the latest addition is great.  It is going to become iconic.