The Collection

Minka

Allison — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 11:22:27 +0000

I recently saw this short film on the Makers and Brothers website (They curate and sell beautiful products from Ireland).

Take a few minutes to watch this documentary – it’s a beautiful account of a home and a friendship spanning decades.

Click on the video to see it:

Minka

Wooden Chopping Boards

Allison — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:52:24 +0000

There are a lot of chopping boards around these days, but few display the humor of the collection from All Lovely Stuff, our lovely friends in London.

Have a look at Happy Chopper, Chop Saw or Cheesy Pete on our website or if you’re passing by our shop in Paris, don’t miss the new chopping board window display. They’re in stock now.

Allison Grant

Paris Deco Ideas

Allison — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 20:17:54 +0000

Our friends in Tokyo, Fumie and Hisashi, have just produced another of their delightful little Paumes books. This time they have concentrated on interiors from Paris homes. I’m very flattered to see some photos of my home included in the book. Here’s a sneak preview and, with a bit of luck, the book will be on sale in our shop very soon.

Customized kitchen cupboards

Allison — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 12:10:45 +0000

The first time I visited Sophie Cordey’s new home I was struck by her beautiful, unique kitchen cupboards. I was even more amazed when she told me they were actually basic IKEA cupboards she had painted.

Sophie promised to send me some photos and they arrived this morning. Taking these photos wasn’t easy – she had to remove the cupboard doors to get some good images. It’s hard to believe these doors started off as a simple white IKEA offering. What a happy transformation!

Thank you Sophie!

Allison Grant

Transitional wallpaper

Allison — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:20:27 +0000

We’ve just received these lovely photos of a project using our transitional wallpaper. The wallpaper was applied to the walls of a medical consulting room and they make the space look calm yet so inviting.

Many thanks to Angèle at Entre les Murs for sending us these photos.

Just in………

Allison — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:58:47 +0000

We’ve just received our order of bright, soft merino wool throws from our friend Thomas Eyck. Looking at this photo – I just want to dive in!

New in today - merino wool throw

the Collection shop in the Marais

Allison — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:19:57 +0000

We asked our friend Karla to take some photos of the shop. We all love the black and white photo

Above is a photo of the entrance and below is our main window. When I look at the window display, I feel like springtime is really here. I love the colours of the Mint chairs and the Eleanor Pritchard blankets set against the background of the wood panelling wallpaper.

the Collection shop
33, rue de Poitou
75003 Paris FRANCE
tel: 0033 1 42 77 04 20

www.thecollection.fr

Collecting

Allison — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 17:59:37 +0000

Ceramics from Chris Keenan

If I was collecting ceramics I would be very keen to acquire some of Chris Keenan‘s work: Chris left behind his career as an actor to become a potter. Through a chance meeting with Edmund de Waal, well-known potter and writer, at his studio in Sheffield, he became a close friend and later was Edmunds’ apprentice. Chris has developed his very individual style of pottery, making only in porcelain with either tenmoku (a dark glaze), celadon or a combination of both.

Chris makes functional porcelain pots including one-off bowls, flasks and lidded jars, together with a range of domestic ware – cups, beakers, pourers and teapots. A few years ago he designed a range for Habitat called Sora and I’m the proud owner of a few pieces.

Rocking bowls

If you want to discover more of Chris’s work, go to his website

Allison Grant

Some British Birds wallpaper

Allison — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:53:09 +0000

Yesterday Karla sent me some photographs she’d taken of our wallpaper used for the interior of a beautiful new shop in the Marais. La Fée Maraboutée has just just opened on the Rue Vieille du Temple in the Marais. There are some beautiful clothes on display and the architect selected our ‘Some British Birds‘ wallpaper for the interiors.

This wallpaper consists of hundreds of British birds drawn by the musician and artist Edwyn Collins. Edwyn Collins’ music is part of my youth! He’s the Scottish musician and songwriter who started in a band called Orange Juice and after a few years with a solo career, gained worldwide recognition with the song ‘A Girl Like You’ in the 1990′s. If you’re still not sure who I’m talking about, have a listen here.

In 2005 Edwyn suffered two strokes which left him paralyzed on one side. As part of a plan to regain his mobility he started drawing birds. This was no mean feat given that he had to draw with his left hand, having lost control of his right hand after the strokes. Luckily for us, Edwyn’s friend Katja from Elli Popp saw the potential in the bird drawings and developed them into a series of wonderful wallpapers. When I look at these wallpapers I see the work of a man with talent and courage – a man who didn’t give up.

It’s wonderful to know that Edwyn is making music again and is also performing live. Edwyn Collins and Katja Behr – thank you! You make my heart sing!

Allison Grant

Product images

Allison — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:41:03 +0000

Today Sophie Cordey sent me the first of a series of photos of some of our products. Here’s a quick look before they go onto the website. I love their simplicity

and another…..

and another……..