I just cannot stand wire hangers. And I cannot think of any excuse for using them. Can you?

In fact, I dedicated my column in the September issue of Beauchamp Estates’ newsletter to a lamenting session about the dreaded things. You can view the full newsletter here.

Have you found a wire hanger useful? Ever?

Today on Achica Living, Colette shares her top design tips, ahead of her talk this coming Sunday at Decorex. Be sure to pop by the Royal Hospital in Chelsea at 4.15 to attend Colette’s talk: From House to Home: Drawing Design Inspiration From Anywhere….and Everywhere!

I have just had a meeting with two very dear clients/friends of Nicky’s and wanted to share a few things.

First of all…Rodney and Frances Smith are the brilliant visionaries behind the small Luxury Hotel Soniat House in New Orleans (see tantalizing pics), as well as Soniat House Antiques. Their wonderful house in the French Quarter features in Nicky’s Sheer Opulence. They are currently embarking on a new, ‘younger’ interior and I find them entirely inspiring.

Not only do I think everyone should make a sojourn to New Orleans to see how Soniat House is run and decorated and the sheer magic of it all (not to metion the legendary biscuits!)….but what I really love about these two is how super cool they are. We met here at our offices in London and Frances immediately clocked my bronze/gold leggings and ordered some on the internet.

Over lunch, Rodney wanted to know where he might be able to find the latest Comme de Garcon Macintosh designed by Junya Watanabe. The point really is that, like Marie Antoinette, Billy Baldwin, and of course Nicky Haslam, there are certain people who just understand that it is vital in life to enjoy what is NEW.

This keeps our minds young, and the Smiths are living life in a way I admire.

In this segment on Canadian House & Home‘s online version you can learn how Canadian-born Colette van den Thillart - creative director of NH Design - added warm, European touches to her family’s classic Ontario cottage without losing its rustic feel. Barn boards and crockery lamps work beautifully with Windsor chairs, antiques and pretty designer fabrics to create a style that is truly Colette’s - with that unmistakable touch of charm and wit.

I’ve just commented on another terrific post at ‘The Peak of Chic’ regarding the demise of elaborate curtain dressings….which of course are alive and well in our office!

Having said that, we do a lot of simpler treatments too, and I’m currently mad about this Brisby heading as an alternative to French pleats, which I loathe. Curtain design is a real artform and some of the best workrooms we use are really akin to couturiers.

John Fowler looked to antique costumes in the V&A as a regular source of inspiration and while some of these ideas may no longer suit modern tastes, I still find clothing a great way of thinking about windows with a fresh eye. Chanel, and Prada especially…but Topshop too, who keep turning out mens suit jackets with entirely clever grosgrain trims etc.