Inspiration

Well it’s not often that we get such a nice email as that from Anna, a New Yorker living in Berlin… commenting on snowy streets and my fireplace here in my flat in London that I posted yesterday. More importantly, Anna wanted to know what to do with a corner fireplace, because apparently this is how things are done in Germany.

I love corner fireplaces, as it happens: there is something very ancient about them.

And even more useful, perhaps – I have a corner fireplace in my little bedroom. So Anna here are a couple of photos so that you can see what I did.

The fireplace is balanced by a chest of drawers, which I dream of replacing with a Palladiana chest by Fornasetti. In a larger room this could be a desk or bookcase. The tiny room is completely filled with a four poster bed that belonged to my grandparents.  I hope you like the New Yorker covers in the corner. The one you can glimpse in the hall is from my date of birth – and was a brilliant present from my NYC friend Valentina (just in case anyone was wondering what the perfect birthday present looks like).

I’ve gone a little mad with Josef Frank fabrics too. Can one have enough Josef Frank? No. Especially in a very small room. While we are on the subject, my friend Tom today put up the kitchen blind he made me in ‘Manhattan’. It is about the coolest thing ever. And ironically has made my kitchen a great deal warmer on this freezing night!