Wish List: Eight elevating summer buys for our living spaces
The Trivisan green marble shelf.
While mid-century furniture has steadily permeated the broader cultural consciousness, style mavens have long favoured it for its exquisite craftsmanship. Irish business Anteak pays homage to this design era, specialising in mid-century and retro pieces with durability and character.
You don’t have to dig especially deep for a unique find; the collections are small but considered. Forget the mass-produced furniture cosplaying as mid-century, and allow yourself to be drawn in by a piece that carries historical and emotional depth.
If anyone is reading, I love the Arne Wahl Secretary bureau, €1,495 (pictured), a storied 1960s Danish design. You can address it to me at the .
Not only are you extending the life of something that already exists, but you’re making a middle-aged woman very happy — win, win! Shop at Anteak.ie.
What’s something we use all day, every day, and don’t update for years? The same old ugly mug taunting you with its tannin rings of age-old tea stains. It’s time. Time to throw out the souvenir mug Auntie Eily bought you in Lanzarote and the unnecessarily large logo cup you resent more with each passing day.
Switch it up for something just as durable but much more pleasing to the eye. Gorgeous indie store Hark in Dalkey has the perfect solution.
Zero Japan mugs marry form and function and are ergonomic to boot. Do some justice to your €75 fresh gel set of nails and buy yourself one of these sculpturally swish mugs. Or, gift one. You know my address. Shop in-store or online at Hark.ie.
Shoutout to the troopers who lived in my Barbie Dream House in the 90s. One day, they were performing complex surgeries, the next, they were running away with the circus and on Sundays, fighting hot vampires. The poor dolls never got to spend a relaxing day at the beach with Ken, whose only job is "beach".
When I saw the Maileg Mice collection, I hoped their new owners would give them not just a life of leg days and saving the world, but of rest, too.
The miniature mice are a lovely alternative to the heinous plastic toys I prefer to call choking hazards. Can we tempt our kids away from the devices and into a tent with these little buddies?
If not, you can always set up Maileg Mice Melodrama, your own alternative to Sylvanian Drama on Instagram. Shop the Happy Camper Tent and the Hiker Mouse bundles, approximately €143.34 or from €37.85 each at Folkinteriors.co.uk.
Tramore was a magical place when I was young. There were faux-hawked boys pushing the waltzers, surfers with names like Mook, and fish and chips that were way too good for the pigeons. This impressionistic painting brought me right back to those days.
After the hustle and bustle of the summer, Tramore felt like a place that belonged to my friends and me. This serene image with just two figures in muted hues is contemplative, the perfect setting for a meditative Sunday walk, alone or with a friend. Available from Art Hub, Hue and Holasz, it sits alongside unique yet affordable paintings. Prices start at €295.95 and are available at Hueandholasz.com.
This iconic STOFF Nagel candle holder reminds me of a chic chemistry set. Or grown-up Lego without the threat of stubbing your foot on the dastardly things. The modular design can be stacked and reconfigured for all your geometrical whims.
A standout architectural piece, it doubles up as an objet d’art as well as a candle holder. Available at Jaqi.ie for €70, this mid-century piece encapsulates industrial elegance.
No such thing? This begs to differ. Jaqi has just opened up a retail space in Malahide, or shop on the website at your convenience.
When you live in a home that’s lacking in natural light, accents of colour can bring warmth and comfort to an otherwise clinical living space. This pomegranate-hued spherical lamp’s mottled base conjures images of a glowing sunset. It gives me hope that the sun may one day return to our native shores.
Echoes of earth, red clay and volcanic fire are evoked in the Vakkerlight Embrale table lamp, €349,95, available to buy at Neora-store.com, and yes, I am delusional about the weather.
Avid collectors of beautiful hardback books often don’t invest as much in their display. I pride myself on my books, yet they sit uncomfortably in a makeshift Ikea bookcase that’s ready to keel over at any given time.
Perimenopause has piqued my interest in shelves, and the Trivisan green marble shelf, €165, from Pib Paris is top of my wishlist. The website tells me it’s easy to attach to the wall by screwing the shelf onto the metal brackets. Sold! Available at Pib.eu.
Morals and manners were bound by restraint, but the architecture and design of the Victorian era favoured flounces and frippery. This beautiful pair of Victorian cast-iron garden urns sitting atop stands is delightfully ornate.
Take a trip to The Store Yard in Youghal or Laois to scavenge some real treasures like this. Each item is a one-off, so don’t fumble. Price on request. Visit Thestoreyeard.ie.
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