Author: modculture

Categories / Architecture, Travel

Retro Retreat: 1960s William Cody-designed house in Palm Springs. California, USA

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Palm1

Looking to brighten up your life with some old school Hollywood-style glamour? Well, book yourself into this William Cody-designed mid-century house in Palm Springs. California, USA.

Built in 1964 for inventor/industrialist Stanley Goldberg, the house sits high in the San Jacinto Hills, part of a small gated community and sat next to a pair of mid-century gems by John Lautner. The interior was featured in Architectural Digest back in 1967 and many of its key features remain, rubbing shoulders with artwork and furniture in keeping with the design – including originals from the likes of Paul Evans, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Richard Schultz and Eileen Gray.

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Categories / Food and Drink

Vimto limited edition centenary bottle

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Vimto

Whilst having a coffee in a local cafe today, we noticed these Vimto limited edition centenary bottles on the shelf. We picked one up from there, but you can also buy them online.

Vimto was born in Manchester in 1908 and the company has offered that original fruit-based cordial (made to a secret recipe) for 100 years. It’s now back in the original ‘crock’ (pot) bottle for a limited time – essentially, until the 6,000 bottles made run out.

Whether you love or hate the drink, this is a great piece of vintage design – and as they are numbered, it might be a shrewd investment too. The weighty bottles are actually made by Mawsons, who are selling them online – priced at £5.53.

Find out more at the Mawsons website

Categories / Women's Fashion

Meet Mary Quant at London’s V&A

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Quant

It’s not everyday you can get to meet a legend from the world of fashion, but that’s the case on Friday 23rd January 2009.

It;s the date of Mary Quant – Inspired By, a talk by Mary Quant at London’s V&A. According to the V&A, the event will be a discussion focusing on ‘the highpoints of her career’, which sounds like a must-attend night for anyone with an interest in 60s fashion, design and retailing  – or anyone with an interest in swinging London.

Tickets are on sale now, priced at £8, with the event taking place at the Lecture Theatre from 7pm until 8pm. Don’t forget your rarities for signing.

Find out more at the V&A website

Categories / Design and Interiors, Kids

Olli and Lime Egg Orange range – 70s-style design for kids

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Egg_orange

I’m not sure if your kids would thank you for turning their bedrooms into a 1970s time capsule, but if you fancy trying out a retro vibe, you should check out the Olli and Lime Egg Orange range.

Take your pick from a range of home furnishings, all with that distinctive ‘Egg’ design – bedding, a quilt, a blanket, a small cushion and to complete the effect, two types of wall art – the latter including a really cool owl print. And if you don’t like orange, the same design is also offered in lime and teal (otherwise known as green and blue).

Prices start at £35 for the cushion, rising to £65 for the quilt, with everything else sitting somewhere in-between. See the site for loads more images.

Find out more at the Olli and Lime website

Categories / Architecture, Travel

Review: Midland Hotel, Morecambe

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Midland_1

Well, the media hype has died down and the ‘out of season’ is upon us, so it seems like the perfect time to finally check out the Midland Hotel in Morecambe. And as we weren’t on a press freebie, we are free to tell it as it is.

The two of us actually booked a room via Laterooms, which seems to have some good deals (as long you don’t want a Saturday night). We also tried to book in at the restaurant online, but our emails were ignored. More on the Midland’s eating later.

Getting to Morecambe is easy enough – up to a point. That point is when the M6 reaches Lancaster, where you’ll be forced to hit the city’s busy ring road before heading off into Morecambe centre. And don’t expect any signs for the Midland either, just head to the front and look out for the large white building, thankfully with a large car park to greet you.

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Categories / Design and Interiors

Magis 70s-style Pebbles Stool

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Magis

Not just one piece of useful design, the Magis Pebbles Stool is actually two.

A modern design (from Marcel Wanders) that’s very much influenced by the 70s in both look and colour, the Pebbles stool is a storage box, perfect for hiding away all your junk when someone calls round. But if you need an emergency seat, you can use it for that too. In fact, you can opt to use as a small coffee table too if you like – which makes three uses.

And with wheels on the rear, you can push the Pebbles around the house, wherever it’s needed. Prices start at £68.

Find out more at the Nest website