Categories / Books, Design and Interiors, eBay watch

Celia Birtwell book by Celia Birtwell and Dominic Lutyens

Birtwell

Interestingly, no one has written a book on Celia Birtwell, so it's about time one turned up. Which happens to be this Celia Birtwell book by Celia Birtwell and Dominic Lutyens.

Part life story, part feature on her work, Celia Birtwell features personal photographs and sketches of Celia, her family and friends, especially from her 'bohemian' life in the 1960s and 70s and images from her long association with David Hockney as both friend and muse. Of course, the flipside is Birtwell the designer, with the book also offering up a multitude of examples of her fashion and home fabrics.

Quadrille publishes the 208-page book in hardback from 3rd October 2011, with Amazon doing discounted pre-orders for £20.99. Also, look out for Celia Birtwell: In Conversation at the V&A, which takes place on Friday 23rd September. Who knows…you might get a signed copy on the night.

Find out more at the Amazon website

Categories / Design and Interiors

70s style Mod sketch rug at Urban Outfitters

Mod sketch rug

Looking for a cheap and colourful way to brighten up your floor space? Check out this Mod sketch rug, available at Urban Outfitters.

The design is a slice of seventies style – the pattern is reminiscent of Zandra Rhodes, and her love of Native America art, while the squiggly, sketchy execution is suggestive of the work of Celia Birtwell.

That's the colourful bit covered but what about the cheap bit? The rug costs just £30. 

Buy it online

Categories / Books

Frantic by Frances Lynn, illustrated by Celia Birtwell

PB1446_1 
Any fiction with a retro setting is always welcome here, but Frantic by Frances Lynn is particularly noteworthy as the book is illustrated by Celia Birtwell.

Frantic is about the exploits of a young woman in the early 1970s in London and San Francisco, a hedonist world of which Frances had first hand experience. She apparently got the idea for “Frantic” from hanging out in David Hockney’s basement in the Seventies and her friendship with Celia Birtwell goes back to this period. You can buy the book from the usual book retailers, but if you buy it from Celia Birtwell’s website, you will get a copy signed by the designer.

The book costs £8.99 from the Celia Birtwell website.