Photo courtesy of Architectural Digest, Photographer Simon Upton

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A huge personal favorite of ours (the KOTUR store here in Hong Kong features several of them). Maison Jansen’s bronze palm trees are a surefire way to bring some Hollywood style glamour home. Designed in the 1970’s, Maison Jansen’s range of palm tree lamps, sculptures and tables became instant hits and still prove to be huge collectibles today. It isn’t surprising really. The French design house launched back in 1880 was responsible for some of the most iconic and luxuriant interiors of the last century including the Kennedy’s White House, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s Paris apartment and projects for everyone from Coco Chanel to the Shah of Iran. Whilst the design firm itself may have closed in 1989, its influence is still felt all over the world – not least through the bronze palm jungle they left behind.

Photo courtesy of 1st dibs

Michelle Oka Doner Candelabra- I had admired this Amercian artist’s work in various magazines over the years, but first really fell in love with it when I saw it in person at Miami airport. There, in one of the largest artworks in the world, Oka Doner has inlaid the terrazzo floors throughout the terminal with over 9000 mother-of-pearl fossil like shapes. Walking through it feels like you’re treading on the ocean bed. Whilst that might not be something to take home, however, her naturalist sculptures are, and I dream of setting my table one day with her candelabra as my centrepiece. Called Burning Bush, is has an incredible energy and life to it. She is just so, so talented.

http://www.micheleokadoner.com/IO1.html

Mastercraft Table Bases - I’m a huge fan of Mastercraft, the American made mid century furniture. They did a lot of chinoiserie in brass that’s incredibly elegant and works really well at home, and I’m really hankering after their triangular brass table pedestals. I love that they’re really rather glamorous in a Hollywood Regency kind of way, but they also have an earthiness about them. It kind of grounds them, but also elevates them at the same time.

http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/tables/dining-room-sets/mastercraft-double-pedestal-brass-glass-dining-table/id-f_868461/

Les Lalanne Hippopotamus Bar – I came across this at the Ben Brown gallery, and was totally blown away by it. The late Francois-Xavier Lalanne only made 8 of his hippo shaped bars apparently, and whilst they are totally sculptural and beautiful works of art, there’s a whimsy and fantasy to them, too. They don’t take themselves too seriously. Plus, with one of these in your home, you really wouldn’t need anything else to make a statement. They cost a fortune, so we might be sitting on cardboard boxes if I bought one, but my decorating work would most definitely be done!

http://www.benbrownfinearts.com/exhibitions/72/

Madeline Weinrib limited edition Cushions - One of my very favourite gift shops in the world is the one in the Neue Gallerie, New York. There, amongst all sorts of beautiful things, you can find these great limited edition pillows from Madeline Weinrib in velvet ikat that are simply stunning. I love them because there is something very warm, welcoming and personal about them. Handwoven in Uzbekistan, their colours are amazing, plus they have this lovely sense of craft that’s found in everything she does.

http://shop.neuegalerie.org/collections/designer-madeline-weinrib/products/madeline-weinrib-velvet-ikat-cushions

Vintage Design Books – I’m always on the hunt for lovely vintage design and interiors books, often helped along by the brilliant website Abebooks.com. They will help you track down out of print books, assist you in building a library and generally help you work up a collection of beautiful tomes that speaks to the subjects you love. I’m obsessed with art, photography and design books, and was particularly pleased with a first edition of Slim Aarons’ A Wonderful Time that I found. Currently, I’m collecting all the David Hicks books from the 1970s.

www.abebooks.com