DESIGNER DIARY : INDIA MAHDAVI

Vitrahaus exhibition 2016 : Originally posted here

Germain Paradisio : Originally posted here
I love the colour of the walls here and how they are curving in and out. The embroidery gives it a folksy vibe which pairs surprisingly well with the animal print flooring 

Boldness and vibrancy are so attractive in a space, bringing joy and happiness which are two of the exact aims that this weeks designer achieves seamlessly. But India Mahdavi is also an emotional decorator ( which doesn't mean she sheds tears at the sight of good patterns although very well maybe) as her work reveals her to be a person who references their own experiences as major catalysts of creation. India Mahdavi is one of the most sought after designers at the moment. Sketch London was her creation ( you know the instagram famous all pink restaurant with velvet chairs and David Shrigley framed drawings? Yep that's her work ) which sparked sensation online that subsequently snowballed the kind of PR buzz most places can only dream of.

“After decades of beige and white, Europeans are finally bringing colour back into their living rooms,”source

Mahdavi attributes her love of colour and vibrancy to her Irano-egyptian heritage and the cornucopia of countries she spent her childhood growing up across including Britain, America and of course, France where a majority of her projects have taken place. It's also where her show room is located, the collectivist space on Rue Las Cases where all her designs are to be found under the one roof.

Thomieux House : Originally posted here 
Delicate and girlish wall paper in this hotel in Paris, I love the colour way a lot 

La Duree Beverly Drive : Originally posted here
My favourite are the criss cross lattice over the walls, it's really the details that go to elevate a space 

La Duree Quai des Bergues : Originally posted here

When talking about colour, Mahdavi gets experimental. “I like to mix and let them insult each other, have an argument" she says in relation to how she places colour and the ways in which she decides what colour goes where and why. Such a playful and young take is refreshing to me as a frequenter of magazines and websites to do with decorating. There seems to be such stuffiness amongst some decorators who are tied hands and heels to tradition and doing what's always been done. Mahdavi is rejecting that notion of traditionalism and safety. Finally a new perspective and some guts.

" The colour of my childhood was strawberry milkshake "source 

Her life is a huge part of her work and it's evident when you hear how she speaks about her life. As someone who learns and attributes meaning in an emotional way, it's reassuring to see other creatives do the same. They link their major creative decisions and theories back to something deeply personal such as a relic or a memory. Something which they've been hanging onto for their whole lives. The idea that Sketch London's colour palette, one of the most recognisable spaces in the decorating world was born out of the recollections of pink milkshakes in her childhood is simply wonderful. A cherished private experience formed the impetus for this grand creation.

Sketch London : Originally posted here

The Cloister here and below : Originally posted here
Gorgeous and ornate flooring. A good mosaic brings an instant Mediterranean, holiday house feel 

Villa Hotel above and below : Originally posted here
I love a bold wall and this marble one is arresting and hypnotising to look at 

Bringing joy to a space is her driving force of inspiration : “What I am trying to do is to bring joy to people’s lives, my work is about happiness. I am part of the entertainment business. I try and bring joy in the best way I can.” It's not surprising that designers get carried away with the text book aspects of the design world out of their need to be 'taken seriously'. But what India reminds us is that our homes should be about providing us with joy and happiness. If our homes can't give us that, then where else can? 

“In fact without knowing it, when you design things you are attached to your own memories, to your childhood and to things that you don’t even necessarily acknowledge because it is your subconscious,” source

In the end, India's entire body of work goes to show that some of the most valuable parts of ourselves just keep on giving for years to come. Our inner sanctums are our biggest resource for inspiration as India has gone to prove with her array of stunning work. It's about joy, deliverance and creatively gearing what we have in ourselves for others in the outside world. 

Condesa DF : Originally posted here
I like the interestingly shaped bar stools here which resemble chess pieces 

Ralph Pucci NYC : Originally posted here
The choice of colours here are so pretty, those chairs are signature Mahdavi creations and it's truly a signature of hers as she's used them in many of her spaces including Sketch as well as the Red Valentino stores 

Memo Fragrances above and below : Originally posted here
I'm pretty crazy for this store front. Painfully chic and beautiful, proving gold and black can be done right when it's done right. A curved edge adds an up market, 70's feel 

Delicate lines and fine edges combined with marble flooring make this a luxurious shopping experience to remember 

Cogolin Carpets : Originally posted here

Vitrahaus exhibition : Originally posted here
A really seventies looking space here.  Dreamy, feminine and sensitive it reminds me so much of Jayne Mansfield's pink house 

Galerie Larry by Gargosian : Originally posted here

India's showroom : Originally posted here
The amount of amazing home wares and decor shops in Paris is actually insane! I wish that I had gone into some when I was last there. When will my next trip be?

Cafe Francais : Originally posted here

Societe des Bains de mer : Originally posted here
Having a space indoor or outdoor done in one colour creates a chic, uniform feel