Monday, April 9

Orla Kiely's Colorful Abode

Guest post by: Anh-Minh, a fellow blogger who dabbles in freelancing. Her writing has appeared on the decor8 design blog and in the SF Chronicle's Home & Garden section.

Since it's Monday morning, I thought we could all use a little pop of color to get energized. So, for my first guest post on Victoria's lovely blog, I decided to share some images from Orla Kiely's London home — dating back to the July 2005 issue of Living, Etc. (See! Hanging on to old magazines is a good thing!) I love all the bold graphics she's incorporated, as well as the cheery citrusy colors.

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The '60s ceiling lamp is from a vintage store; the painting is by Mark Foulds; the orange chair is Pierre Paulin's Model No 437; and the cushions, of course, are her own design.

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If I had an open kitchen like this, I might install a hospital track and curtain. I know I wouldn't always be able to keep my surfaces nice and tidy, so I'd want the option to conceal my mess if company's coming.

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Here's a close-up of the enamel pots and vintage canisters. (By the way, don't they look like something that you'd find in Victoria's own kitchen?)

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Orla lampshade and votives. I like the simplicity of using a big bowl as a receptacle for travel souvenirs such as seashells, matchbooks, etc.

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Another punch of color.

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The Orla towel provides a nice modern contrast to the old clawfoot tub. The image on the right is her bedroom. That headboard is actually a freestanding wall that hides storage space on the other side. Genius!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful home, I love the high ceiling and that gorgeous 60s ceiling lamp! Obviously the Orla Kiely prints everywhere makes the home much to be desired.

** Terramia ** said...

Gorgeous abode!
I love the crimson staircase... whimsical and full of character!

Blogging Masterclass said...

Yay A-m! You go girl!! :)

Michelle said...

that shelving unit and those stairs are fantastic. I also love the one bright garment piece hanging on the wall!

sfgirlbybay said...

Thanks so much Ahn-Minh for the wonderful guest post! I appreciate it so much and you chose such a lovely subject!
xo,
Victoria

Anonymous said...

Ah, I remember seeing Orla Kiely's home in a magazine before and just LOVING it! Now that I see it again, I realise that I did the same paint job on my own stairs (except in teal) without realising that's where I'd gotten the inspiration from! Great kitchen too- I'm a big fan of kitchens where cookwares, etc. are on display.

Janice said...

Wow, I wish I had a copy of this magazine too. I always thought life would be better when dressed/living in Orla Kiely. Now I know for sure, sigh. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

thanks for sharing these images. when domino featured her home, they didn't show enough of it!

i love the sincerity of orla's home. it's not overly clever or trying too hard to impress. it's comfortable, modest, and colorful at the same time. so refreshing!

meg

Aesthetic Outburst... said...

These images are so inspiring! Thanks!