DESIGN ~ The Call of the Wild

Handmade by French designer, Frederique Morrel

The tapestry stag head at Amy Nicholas


Last season major design hits were stags, antlers and owls. I resisted the call of the wild and did not purchase any of them. I now regret it as Autumn is upon us and Winter is waiting in the wings.

For some reason when thoughts turn to making a cosy nest for winter it is nice to bring some of the outside in. I guess it is akin to having fresh flowers all Spring and Summer, instead we have fallen leaves, seed heads, pine cones, a wood pile, Stags, Owls and those Black Forest fairytales Hansel and Gretel and of course Little Red Riding Hood.

I really really love the one off tapestry heads of Frederique Morrel but there is no way us mere mortals can strecth to the price tag (a mere £1,500.) on them. Even though they are handmade and worth the small fortune. I ought to finish the studio being built in our back garden and then perhaps I can experiment with the huge pile of vintage fabric I have until I figure out how to make one.

On clear nights we have a Tawny Owl calling outside our bedroom window, much to the consternation of the nesting Jackdaws and the cats who curl up tight on the foot of the bed. Our tiny cottage is full of Owls, the husband has collected them since his Winnie The Pooh Hundred Acre Wood days spent with Wol and Christopher Robin.
 
The one kind we lack is a lamp. It would be nice to have one solemnly lighting up one of the dark spooky corners.

Of course because I did not buy one when they were about they seem to have mostly vanished now, and I even let that great vintage one escape at the The Emporium, Hungerford when it was right under my nose!



Here are some of my favourites, many of which are sadly no longer available.

Fierce and stately Owl from Graham and Greene

Some particularly nice pottery ows which were on Etsy,
but they would not have worked on UK electricity. 

The most perfect little Owl lamp
but no idea where he is being sold.

Fabulous design by Scusi, available through London store Mint,
Mint London

I suppose I could paper one wall with some fabulous Owl wallpaper to cheer me through winter while I continue the search for an Owl lamp and wile away the time stabbing myself with pins trying to make a Stag head from scraps of vintage velvets and carpet.

Paper by the fantastically talented Abigail Edwards
Her website

This gold bramblewood one is my kind of 'Whoooooo', a little scary and definitley asking for some resepct,  but she also does another one called 'Owls of the British Isles' which I quite like as well.

Wall paper design by Abigail Edwards