HOME FRONT:Internet shopping makes home decorating a pleasingly relaxed affair rather than a n ordeal, writes Zita Spring
A FRIEND who is writing an academic thesis has been having a recurring dream in which the internet no longer exists. Following such dreams, she wakes up in a cold sweat, struggling for breath and nearly hysterical.
It's a pretty understandable reaction when you consider just how many different things we are dependent on the internet for these days. For instance, I regularly use the internet to source furniture and furnishings for my house, and it makes decorating an enjoyable, relaxed process rather than an expensive, time-consuming ordeal. Yes indeed, the internet is a shiny portal into the world of stress-free home decorating. You can visit oodles of stores in a matter of minutes, compare prices as you go, and bookmark favourite items for further consideration. Humming and hawing over whether to buy something or not is 100 per cent less frustrating when done in the comfort of one's own home, calculator in one hand, measuring tape in the other.
One thing some people find off-putting about online shopping is the potential security risk involved in sharing credit-card information online. As long as you exercise the same common sense you use when handing over your credit card in a shop or restaurant, or giving your details over the phone, online shopping is just as safe.
Below are a few of my own tried and tested favourite online shops, which I rate for stylish homewares as well as reliable customer service.
Garrendenny Lane Interiors(www.gdlaneinteriors.ie) is a new Laois-based business run by Lorna Sixsmith, whose enthusiasm and passion for interiors is infectious. The Garrendenny Lane Interiors online shop is the only Irish website from which you can buy gorgeous Designers Guild bedding. The online shop also stocks kitchenware, clocks and tea sets, with an old-fashioned country feel.
Wovenground(www.wovenground.com), based in the UK, carries an extensive and diverse range of rugs and has something to suit every type of home. The impressive selection is divided into categories such as modern, traditional, leather and hide, shaggy and natural.
Collected by Tas-ka (www.collectedbytas-ka.com) is a wonderful new Dutch online shop that sells home accessories as well as kids' goods, fabrics, books, stationery and fashion accessories from all over the world. Collected by Tas-ka's ethos is to sell only things they believe are "beautiful and special".
Original Compulsive Design(www.originalcompulsivedesign.com) is a new Irish online shop, based in Kilkenny. It specialises in original vintage 20th-century furniture, lighting, ceramics, glass and art, with an emphasis on wares from the 1960s and 1970s. OCD source their stock from Britain, Belgium, Denmark, France and the US. Check out their keenly priced retro leather sofas, teak sideboards, and offbeat designer offerings.
Graham & Green(www.grahamandgreen.co.uk) have been in business in their bricks and mortar London store for more than 30 years. Exquisitely upholstered armchairs, stylish mirrored furniture and an eclectic mix of contemporary and glamorous homewares are what they're best known for.
Dekko(www.shopdekko.com), based in Belfast, is focused on well-designed, affordable furniture and furnishings for every room of the house. Check out the website for cheap and cheerful living and dining room furniture, curtains and blinds, kitchenalia and kids' décor.
Plümo(www.plumo.com) is a UK online shop with feminine flair, selling clothes, jewellery, shoes and bags, but also a romantic range of home accessories, such as pearl and crystal clothes hangers, folk art cushions, and sumptuous quilts embellished with antique sari fabrics.
DaWanda(www.dawanda.com) allows you to buy pieces directly from up-and-coming artists and designers around the globe. Search for limited- edition letterpress prints, hand screen-printed fabrics and independently produced ceramics.
Einrichten Design(www.einrichten-design.com) is a German online shop that specialises in designer furniture, lighting, etc from all the big brands such as Vitra, Kartell, Knoll, Moooi, Foscarini and many more. Their prices are the best I've come across and delivery is unbelievably quick and cheap. Repeat customers get incremental discounts each time they shop.
Scandinavian Design Center(www.scandinaviandesigncenter.com) is a Swedish online shop whose mission is to sell Scandinavian design worldwide. Iconic names such as Iittala, Marimekko, Normann Copenhagen, Alvar Aalto and Arne Jacobsen are among the 4,500 products stocked there.
The Conran Shop(www.conranshop.co.uk) opens up London's coolest designer emporium to you. The store has been at the forefront of cutting-edge design for more than 30 years and is famed for its exclusive selection of modern designer furniture and furnishings. Prices range from a few euro to many thousands, so as you browse online, no one can see your jaw drop at the price tags and you don't have to worry about knocking over anything expensive.
Zita Spring blogs at www.homebug.net
