conran for marks and spencer...

i have a long held respect for terence conran and his impact on british design. to me he is the man who made good design accessible, primarily through habitat, and now marks and spencer. 

like any fan of conran i had high hopes. however, as someone who is well aware of the marks and spencer style aesthetic (very middle england, very dull matchy-matchy), these hopes were tempered. looking round the collection it was mixed, there were some really great pieces, and some that weren't quite right...

i really like the look of the nash highboard, it is slick and contemporary with proportions that would suit a modern home. however, i was disappointed in the quality and attention to detail in the design, especially considering the price tag. for a pound shy of £700 i would have expected the doors to open more easily (maybe a discreet little lip or a push spring magnet?) and feel less flimsy. overall it looked good, but was a bit of a let down.

i love this cushion! it felt good quality and offered excellent value for money, a winner in my book! 

if i wasn't working on a budget (it is a pricey, but not totally over the top £250) this would be in my living room right now. the lamp is really nicely proportioned and well finished. it would also work well in pretty much any room, making it a great versatile investment piece.

have you seen the collection? what were your thoughts?

x.