Color by Conran - The Conran Shop London

Mr. Paradis and I rarely agree on much.  Is it the English vs. American thing and each always driving 

on "the wrong" side of the road?  Is it the male/female thing?  Is it the right brain left brain thing?

Maybe we've just been married too long?  In any case what we always DO agree on.....

is a visit to the Conran Shop* as part of our "re-entry" ritual whenever we visit London.

And yes it might be because of those sofas - that make you feel like you're at HOME away from home.  Plus, there is always something NEW going on at the Conran Shop.  

This time it's their new paint line.... what better to way to announce it than with a delicious lozenge-y wall graphic like this.  So very Conran.

Mr. Paradis and I do seem to agree that the Conran Shop offers modern minimal esthetics married to the sunny, the textured, the rustic - that allows you to fantasize when you visit there, that you could trade in your ordinary life for something kind of AMAZING somewhere between Italy, Morocco and Formentera.

You can be beguiled into thinking that even if you won't be taking home a giant stainless steel kitchen unit - 

that a woven/wrapped wine jug in folkloric/tribal colors will produce the same cheering and carefree effect in your home, with far less maintenance.  

I asked Mr. Paradis after our visit what he thought of these nifty jugs.

"What nifty jugs?"  he said.

"You know - those nifty colored plastic reed wrapped......uhhhhhhh never mind!"  (See what I mean?)

We rarely notice the same things.  Much less LOVE the same things (besides our cats).

This midnight blue chair was more his kind of thing.  I can appreciate why.  Somehow your tushy would HAVE to be happier, set atop this midnight blue velour.

But he was puzzled as to why anyone would need, or want,  to buy a bar of soap with an old dude and a cow on the paper wrapper.  (Me?  "Pretty cow, pretty brown cow.  Come home with me.")

But that's why you go to the Conran Shop, to discover what it is that is the newest "cool".  And the classically charming.  As in these Japanesey fish soaps.

Moi, I fell for these colorful French soaps.  (If you know me at all, that shouldn't surprise at all.  Couleurs!!!!!!!)  The problem was, of course, CHOOSING which couleur.  Or deux.  (Mission eventually accomplished.)

Hubby and I DO agree that we couldn't imagine a world, or a visit to London, without the Conran Shop.  It's kind of unique in the world.  I do hope it stays that way.  So we can continue our ritual unaltered.

And that there will always be a nice pub nearby for afterwards!  Priorities!  And.  ACCORD!

CHEERS!  (How was your weekend?)

  

*  I am not paid for these Conran posts.  Nor do I spend a lot of money there.  I post because I find visual and creative inspiration there as much as everywhere else.  Just a fan!