Festivities with Victoria and Albert.

Back at the V&A museum last week I was drawn into the crisp cold open-air of the centre courtyard. I paused in awe of the galleries shining brightly before me. Their grand facade framed by the clear dusk sky. To the other sides of the court yard, twinkling fir trees sat neatly in neon blue cubes. A blue that seemed to mirror the clear evening sky. I was entranced. What a beautiful start to the festive season.

Images by Re-Design for LIfe

Bairro Alto

I have recently returned from a few days in Lisbon, Portugal where I fell in love with the narrow cobbled streets of the Bairro Alto - the Old Quarter. The Bairro's maze of streets holds an eclectic mix of traditional and modern Lisbon. Fashionable boutiques, contemporary art galleries, cool bars, modern restaurants, traditional Fado music clubs, charming grocery shops and original homes stand side by side.

Nowhere is the mix of old and new more evident than from the exterior of the buildings. I was fascinated by the intricate patterns created by traditional ceramic tiles; the beautiful designs within aged wrought iron railings, precariously perched on upper floor windows; the pretty colours of more recently painted plaster-work; the modern graffiti painted walls.

Ahhh! Yes the graffiti. In places artistic. In others, scrawled across walls and doors of people's homes. I wonder does this also show an eclectic mix of the traditional and contemporary working together side by side? Or, is it simply the demise of an historical area through vandalism?

Bairro Alto, Lisbon

Image by Re-Design For Life

Bairro Alto, Lisbon

Image by Re-Design For Life

Bairro Alto, Lisbon

Image by Re-Design For Life

Bairro Alto, Lisbon

Image by Re-Design For Life

Mid Century Design in the Village

Dulwich College, Dulwich, London SE21.

Yesterday I headed off to the Mid Century Modern show being held in one of those London enclaves oddly known as a village. However, this part of London justifies the title. Dulwich Village has all the hallmarks of an English village despite being part of South East London's borough of Southwark. We drove alongside it's white picket fences, quaint shops and cafes, grand Georgian mansions and the Dulwich Picture Gallery before arriving at our destination. The magnificent Dulwich College. An impressive red brick building with large arched windows and statues carved into the stonework. Certainly a far cry from any college or school I have ever studied at. Not a pre-fab in sight!

Once inside, the design style changed to mid 20th Century as three large halls and a mezzanine level were stylishly filled for the day with Scandinavian, American and English retro furniture, 1950's textiles, huge modernist ceiling lights, glassware and glazed pottery signed by well known 20th Century designers with prices to occasionally raise an eyebrow. This was certainly a show for those people not psychologically equipped for flea markets, car-boot sales and junk shops.

Having said that there were many things that caught my eye and tugged at my purse strings:

Retro cushions and furniture at Emma Loves Retro

Emma Glibbery has a passion for retro textiles - she loves the large scale prints and bold colours. Emma re-designs discarded curtains and clothes into bright and beautiful cushions for her label Emma Loves Retro. Mid century furniture is also available, which Emma will source to customers' requests. It was the dining chairs shown in the corner of this photo that I considered buying - very reasonably priced at just over £200 for four.

Retro inspired hand-crafted products were also on show. I particular liked the whimsical designs traditionally screen-printed onto wallpaper by Lizzie Allen. All designs are hand-printed to order by Lizzie at her London studio. The paper is sourced from managed forests and any wastage is recycled at the local mill.

I'm torn between (no pun intended) the London City Gents design and the Jazz in Cental Park design. Two of my favourite cities. It's a difficult choice.

London City Gents wallpaper by Lizzie Allen

Jazz in central park wallpaper by Lizzie Allen

Retropolitan have a wonderful collection of gorgeous glassware, post war kitsch and mid 20th Century style objects. The glassware on display was truely gorgeous: solid jewel colours as well as swirling ombre effects. My only concern was that I might drop something only to be surrounded by shards of beautifully coloured glass.

Glassware and mid 20th Century ceramics from Retropolitan.

I gingerly moved on to admire a 1960's suitcase on the same stand. Perfect for filling with retro bits and pieces that I've accumulated. It would have been a great statement bag for my college books too.

Retro suitcase from retropolitan