Mr Porter: Behind the site

You log on to the site, add your item to the basket, you pay, and if you're lucky it turns up a day or so later. That's about as much as we have to do with online retailers such as Mr Porter.

What we don't usually see is the machine that's making all of that happen, from presentation of your item right through to the dispatch. In Mr Porter's case, it's a pretty big machine. A small army of customer service operatives, a separate floor of IT staff, magazine editors, stylists, photographic studios, and more all housed in a state of the art office above the Westfield shopping centre in West London.

Mr Porter's service is second to none and it's evident from these images from A Continuous Lean that they've gone to a lot of effort to make sure things stay that way.

Raf Simons at home: safe lounging

I'll tell you now that I don't care a lot for Raf Simons clothing designs. I often confuse him with Kim Jones on account of his entirely unremarkable offerings. I actually find it no surprise that he comes from Belgium.

But just take a look at his gaff. Urban art prints on the walls, modernist furniture, a 1968 open plan apartment set in acres of greenery ... this could be somewhere in the Hollywood hills.

If that's what playing sartorially safe and living in Belgium gets you, I'm moving now. And changing my career.

Via WSJ

Walls come down

Sorry it's been a bit barren on the blog front over the past few days, I've been knocking the hell out of this wall.

I thought it would be a straight forward job to get the plaster off, especially as it is only a little wall, but it has been a nightmare, frankly, accompanied by a lot of pain. My hands have so many blisters on them that I'm typing this with my elbows.

On top of the feature bare brick wall, we're also giving the room a bit of a freshen up, so posts might be sporadic for a day or so. But rest assured you will be witness to the result.

Chinese blue: seeing is believing

I must say Lizzie's idea of Chinese blue for the hallway didn't exactly have me brimming over with enthusiasm until I saw this pic. It actually looks quite cool with those pictures.

Another decorating job for the week ahead.

The roof is falling in

No, it's not a metaphor on the state of the economy, the roof really is falling in. The bathroom ceiling to be precise. What I always thought was a damp patch caused by the shower has turned out to be the bed of a lake, the water above growing in volume with the passing of every downpour.

The recent high winds and general monsoon-like conditions have clearly proved to be the downfall of the ceiling, which has started to bulge in an alarming manner, with water oozing through.

Now I know that on the scale of things this could be a lot worse. The bathroom could be within the house for one thing, meaning the lake could have been caused by a burst pipe - just imagine the carnage.

But it's still a pain. On the plus side, now I've (on builder's advice) poked a few holes in the plasterboard to release the water, I have the choice of two showers under which to stand in the morning. I could even do that hot/cold routine they like in Finland, or some other arctic territory.

Luxury. International luxury no less, soon with a bonus view of the sky through the collapsed roof.

Victorinox 125th Anniversary Airstream trailer

I never thought I would get excited over a caravan - I'd rather spend the astronomical cost of one on about a dozen luxury holidays in a hot climate instead.

But if I were forced to buy a caravan, say for instance if I decided to move to a field for the rest of my life, my choice would have to be an Airstream. These things actually make caravanning seem marginally cool with their aluminium aircraft fuselage-esque appearance and retro styling.

To celebrate its 125th anniversary, Victorinox, the Swiss Army knife maker and manufacturer of practical-if-lacking style-wise accessories has been let loose on an Airstream trailer.

Expect every edge to be a can opener and miniature saws to be built into the wheel hubs.

The Ramp House

Ever sat there watching telly and wondered what it would be liked if your living room was a half-pipe, or a skate bowl? What if you could ollie over to the kitchen and make some tea upside down or something? One person did and the next thing you know, someone's designed them the ramp house.

Every edge is skateable, and even the storage is underneath some nicely curved ramps. There's also a fireplace stashed somewhere below another ramp.

No mention of furniture, but then if your flat is one massive skate park, why are you going to want to sit down?

Read the full article here

http://www.selectism.com/

Woollen sleeping bag Teletubby thing

And somewhere at the other end of the woollen spectrum is this ... thing. It's a kind of bastardised blanket come sleeping bag, good for dressing up like a Teletubby if the urge ever takes you.

Someone in Iceland came up with this, called the Seapelt. It would at least keep you warm in the frozen wastes of the arctic circle. But would you want to keep warm while wearing it? Would you even want to be living? I wouldn't be seen dead in it.

I can think of far better uses for Idelandic wool, like perhaps knitting a blidfold to prevent this aztec-patterned abomination from invading my vision.

Like the baby seals that inspired it, wearers should have an eye out for people bearing clubs. Although you'd have to be a bit mental yourself to have forked out $400 this, so perhaps you're the dangerous one.

Self sufficient

I chopped up some wood the other day. Just a bit of kindling, I didn't want to go too mad. I also had a go at a couple of logs I've been donated but the saw got stuck.

It felt good though, like I was doing my bit for sustainability. The kindling was from an old pallet I'd had lying around and the logs were from my tree that the neighbours had to cut down to build their conservatory. No spending required, just a bit of grafting.

Out there in the garden, hacking away next to my recently shifted shed, on the patio slabs I put down, I felt like Tom from the Good Life. All I needed was a couple of chickens and a vegetable patch.

They will have to wait until I get a bigger garden.