Wish List: Eight top picks for our lives and our living spaces
Top left, Tradition Montera JH42 table lamp, Nordic Elements; below left, Broste Cophenhagen table and chair from Industry & Co; right, DFS Java swivel chair.
While some children spent their halcyon days bouncing balls, I was flouncing around my backyard pretending to be a foolhardy matador with a thirst for bloodsports and a flair for the dramatic, sartorially speaking. Stumbling across this & Tradition Montera JH42 table lamp, from €558 at Nordic Elements, I was transported right back to those days where the tablecloth was my cape and the curtains my suit of light.
Now, my main activity is breathing through a CPAP, but this lamp is a nod to those days of adventurous activity. The forest green and sky blue top, modelled on the Montera hat worn by a matador, makes me smile every time. Find this in-store at Nordic Elements or online at Nordicelements.
Serving spreadable butter is the holy grail of hosting: discuss. Have you tried to knead rock-hard butter into the bread, heated it against your bowl of soup, or mashed it around in your palms in the hopes that it would melt? It’s ok; I, too, have been that soldier.
My life hack? Forget the fridge in the colder months and invest in a good butter dish — it’s worth it for your Saturday treat of sourdough and salted butter, am I right?
This stylish & Klevering blue plaid butter dish, €40, from Objekt in Limerick will keep your Kerrygold uncontaminated from other smells and tastes in your larder — or fridge — if you like the misery, Mrs Doyle. Made from glazed dolomite, this design-forward dish is well worth the price; available in-store or online at Objekt.
I refuse to believe that geometry has any bearing on my adult life, but I’ll let you in on my guilty pleasure — I do like to dabble in geometric design. The green Otura tile from Bert & May, €122.81 per box, is giving a whole new meaning to the dreaded maths term.
As versatile as they are chic, these tiles can be used in bathrooms, kitchens, on floors, walls, and as splashbacks. We love the introduction of a motif in this bathroom pictured — it spruces up an all-white aesthetic without being overbearing. Order a box or sample at Bertandmay.
No matter how chaotic my life is, a beautiful vase with a fresh or dried flower arrangement always grounds me.
Hands up if you remember the magic moment you realised you could hear the sea through a shell?
The Miro vase from Hubsch, €120 at Millars Connemara, is like the physical embodiment of a seascape to me. The shades of aquamarine and greenery imbue the serenity one can only get from watching the undulating waves of the Atlantic Ocean. This is available in-store and online at Millarsconnemara.
Fan of a good period drama? Fancy the pomp and ceremony of the regency era without the girdles or restricted women’s rights?
Tablescaping allows dreamers like us to escape into the era of our choosing.
Napkins, placemats, bows, bells and all the whistles, this is dining through the decades.
The Anut Cairo Ottoman vase, hand-printed cotton placemats from Abask, €104, are delightfully charming. In a world of uncertainty and chaos, shouldn’t we romanticise our lives as much as possible? I can’t wait to eat Victoria sponge with a Sheffield silver fork. Petticoats, of course, are optional. Fall down the dining rabbit hole at Abask. You can thank me later.
Will someone not create more fanfare for the swivel chair and its endless opportunities? Consider this a call to arms.
Not only does the movement of the swivel chair complement the neurodivergent brain, it also offers you the chance to brush up on your Dr Evil/James Bond/Megamind impressions. Upholstered in luxe velvet, the Java chair from DFS comes with a free 15-year frame & frame springs guarantee. Doesn’t it look so comfortable? Check it out at Dfs.
Whether it’s cucumber sandwiches and tea or Pimm’s and a cheese platter, dining al fresco hits different.
For solo soirees, all you need is a table and chair et voila, you are officially ushering in the spring sunshine.
Broste Copenhagen’s Eden table, €550, and armchair, €335, are durable and modern — and they won’t break the bank. Visit Industry & Co in-store or call to arrange a delivery, details online at Industryandco.
Hear me out: vanilla ice cream is best eaten with a drizzle of premium-quality olive oil and coarse seasalt flakes.
Try it and thank me later. Whether you want to lie about how much you love limes (if you know, you know), bring a bowl of almonds and olives out for your Sally Rooney reading marathon (what did we think of ?)?
The Heikki bowl, €23.95, from A Broader Picture will do nicely. Shop at Broaderpicture.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
