Spooky Ceramics From Fornasetti and The New English

Today I was out and about on Queen St. E. and popped into Studio Pazo to admire the fabulous collection of Fornasetti plates they had in their window. Everytime I see these plates I think of  Covet Garden's issue ten with Sandra Dionisi and the plates she has on display in her living room. Of course Sandra brought hers back from Italy but it's good to know that such fabulous pieces are also available at home.

And, just when I thought I'd had my fill of eye candy I was stopped cold by not one but two other incredible tableware collections. Both are by The New English, an exciting ceramics company who gives a fresh innovative twist to the standard china patterns that Britain is known for. First, let's look at Pheobe Richardson's SUPERMODEL plates (pictured above).

The second series is Lisa Turner's Anatomica collection (pictured above). Each piece is different and beautifully illustrated. And okay, these designs might not be for every one but that is what makes them even more special to me.

We Covet: Charley Harper

[images: Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life, by Todd Oldham; Oldham's house, Metropolitan Home, February 2007]

As you can see in our current issue, Tomi and Karim are big fans of the American illustrator Charley Harper. Best known for his modernist take on animals and nature, Harper was based in Cinncinati, Ohio (creating posters for its famed zoo), but travelled North America creating posters and displays for the National Parks Service as well as other animal sanctuaries and nature-based organizations.

Harper was a prolific artist and an active one: his illustrations in the Ford Times magazine appeared regularly from 1950-1975. But it was his work in such books as The Giant Golden Book of Biology (1961), The Animal Kingdom (1968) and Birds and Words (1974), that would have a profound affect on today's designers and illustrators. Harper's expert use of colour and line influenced folks like Todd Oldham, who put together a massive survey of Harper's work in 2010.

Oldham is such a fan that his Pennsylvania weekend retreat is pretty much papered in Charley Harper prints. Just looking at Oldham's space evokes the instant joy Harper's work evokes. We are happy to add that Harper himself was reportedly a man filled with joie de vivre—even in pictures taken shortly beofre his death in 2007, you can still see the twinkle in his eye.

Virginia Johnson + Anthropologie = !

[images: Queen quilt leaf in light blue, standard pillowcases dalmation in brown, crib set ducks in teal, Sunlit Garden curtain in lime for Anthropologie]

Not only is our favourite (Canadian!) textile designer Virginia Johnson now doing a line of bedding and crib sets for her own line, she recently started a collaboration with our beloved Anthropologie.

We Covet: Beci Orpin

[images: 1. and 2.  Inspiration and art from beciorpin.com 3. Customised Lomo Diana Camera for the Diana World Tour Exhibition. 4. and 5. Happy Folkface pillow and others designed by Orpin]

We hate to brag, but we've been fans of Australian designer Beci Orpin since she worked under the moniker Princess Tina (2001-2008). A multi-hyphenate talent—artist and illutrator; clothing and jewellery designer; maker of cushions and coin purses—we love the way that Orpin's work is graphic and spare yet manages to say so much. For example, check out such cult-of-Orpin classics as the Raincloud necklace or the Folkface pillow.

Raised by hippies, Orpin spent her youth moving between tribes from grunge to rave. After graduating with a degree in textile design, she started the clothing line Princess Tina, which was quickly picked up by shops that specialize in artist-created collectibles all over the globe. In 2008, she retired the Princess to concentrate on art and kids' wear.

Not only do we covet Orpin's objects, she also seems like the kind of gal we could totally hang out with. She invites us into her process through her blog. And she's a big supporter of her city (Melbourne) and other artists. In short, we like the way her mind works.

Let There Be Light

[images: Erik Hoglund chandelier; Erik Hoglund candelabra from J.F. Chen; retro-inspired Fruiteria lamp from Anthropologie; Alsterfors cased glass lamp from Moderist Glass.

This is how the Covet Garden mind works: In our current issue, Alexx and Paul have an impressive array of cool mid-century modern furniture and pretty glass objects. Which got us to thinking about modernist art glass. Which started us down a rabbit hole that led to hours of online window shopping for Scandinavian lamps, chandeliers and candleholders from design concerns such as Kosta-Boda, Holmegaard and Alsterfors.

These pieces are appealing because of their bold, sculptural shapes and cool colours (light streams through beautifully), but also because they can sometimes (if you're very lucky) still be picked up for a song at thrift shops and flea markets.