Object of the day: making kitsch look classy

They're kitsch and kind of silly. But also kind of brilliant.



These ceramic indoor animal-shaped planters are new in at Urban Outfitters. Some of the homewares at UO can be a little studenty and these could, of course, fall into that category (there's also a pink plastic flamingo in the new indoor garden range...). 





Nothing wrong with a pink plastic flamingo, of course, but full-on kitsch

Object of the day: Urban Outfitters' zig zag rugs

Remember that monochrome rug I wrote about last year? It was one of Ikea's very popular items and, as such, was quite a palaver to track down.

Now Urban Outfitters has got in on the act (but with more colours, see below). And they're way cheaper than the Ikea version...



...However, that is because these ones are lightweight cotton and as such are – yippee – easily washable. But will – boo –

House porn Thursday: a space-saving NY loft with space for three generations

There's so much to love about this hallway, featured in NY Magazine's ever excellent Design Hunting section, edited by Wendy Goodman. 

The Manhattan apartment was redesigned by its owners specifically to accommodate visiting children and grandchildren. And it's done some very clever things to maximise the available space, as well as making it flexible, depending on who's staying.



Photo: Frank