Royal Copenhagen is launching a new children’s service with history, in the exciting world of porcelain, portrayed in a new children’s book.

Does porcelain have a secret life when we’re not looking? Shane Brox has spun a magic tale based on this idea in his book Masquerade, which introduces the new service from Royal Copenhagen for children and the young at heart.

In Masquerade well-known characters from Royal Copenhagen are brought to life as soon as granny leaves her cottage:

The gallant little seahorse from the Seagull service is the principal character and is surrounded by a cast that includes the dreamy polar bear, the motherly Blue Fluted plate and the cunning sneaking cat - all figurines and icons from Royal Copenhagen’s treasury that have been brought to life by author and designer Shane Brox.

In granny’s absence the porcelain holds a fancy dress party and the hunt for the best costume is on; the towers and spires of Copenhagen, swirling Royal Copenhagen patterns and beautiful, varied colours, also make an appearance in Shane’s clever illustrations.

There are two versions of the children’s service: one for a boy, the other for a girl.

The service contains two plates (flat and deep) retailing at £51 per set and a mug at£20.25.

The book Masquerade published by Politikens Forlag is priced at £15.00.

All would make superb Christmas presents.

Web: http://www.royalcopenhagen.com

Tel: (0800) 963 763

Villeroy & Boch offers a delightful range of festive decorations and tableware to adorn the home in a sophisticated and elegant style this Christmas.

The variety of traditional style decorations adds a touch of nostalgic festivity:

Featured here are:
Tree Decorations Winter Dreams £10.50 and Winter Fun £7.50.

A wealth of charming Christmas decorations in Toys Pattern are on offer from £19.95:

Christmas Toys Engine £24 and Railway Carriage with Santa Clause or Teddy Bear £24.95.
Christmas Toys Circus £39.95.
Christmas Toys Christmas tree £75.00.
Christmas Toys Gift Boxes from £19.95(also featured).
Christmas Teddies £7.95.

Ginger Cake & Cookies and Ginger Charm Tableware from £18.50.

This fascinating and inspirational collection can be viewed online in the Villeroy & Boch Christmas Section:

Web: http://www.villeroy-boch.com

Tel: (020) 8875 6060

Culinary Concepts have replaced Summer’s minimalist and simple interiors with this Autumn’s need for layers of luxury in accessorising the home.

The company is taking a step away from it’s traditional and ever-popular Silver Plated range and giving their customers the opportunity to experience the “Midas touch” for themselves.

A special make over for the Autumn season is applied to some of their classic designs in the dazzling new Midas range, in a striking polished brass finish.

The stunning Midas Champagne Goblets featured here are sure to impress your friends; boxed in pairs priced at £39.95.

Other pieces available in this magnificent Midas range include:

• Champagne Bottle Holder £119.95.
• Leather Handled Champagne Bath £149.95.
• Stylish Wine Goblets £39.95 the pair.
• Glamorous Large Domed Butter Dish £24.95.
• Charming Egg Cup £19.95 and more….

These beautiful accessories are the perfect way to light up any room and will add a touch of sparkle and decadence to every table top – perfect for the fast approaching festive period. They would make delightful gifts too!

Web: http://www.culinaryconcepts.co.uk

Tel: (0870) 2411689

Villeroy & Boch have launched Vivian, a sophisticated luxury tableware collection evoking the glamorous and popular Art Deco style; a simple and elegant design with accents of the distinctive geometric, angular shapes from the 1920’s.

Richly decorated, with gold and brown highlights, Vivian is the perfect choice of tableware to create luxurious table settings for formal dining and entertaining.

Featured here are:
Saucer sauceboat £49.95, Soup tureen £275.00, Soup cup & saucer £79.90.

Also available are:
Salad plate £59.00 Vivian espresso cup and saucer £59.90, sugar pot £79.00, creamer £49.95.
Salad dish £55.00, salad plate £45.00, flat plate £29.95, buffet plate £99.00

Vivian plates and mugs are offered in stylised floral designs: Vivian Gold, Vivian Bourbon and Vivian Tobacco, which can be combined to create various colour combinations.

The ideal accompaniment to Vivian tableware, is Pegasus Aureus cutlery, also from Villeroy & Boch, inspired by Art Deco design and coated in 22 carat gold.

Web: http://www.villeroy-boch.com

Tel: (020) 8875 6060

Royal Copenhagen is launching Blue Fluted Half Lace tableware in a captivating new black version, nearly 120 years after it was created.

The black pattern sets off the white porcelain and creates an elegant, sophisticated unity that radiates both exclusivity and respect for history.

Black gives the lace border new life and brings the service up to date with haute couture 2007 style.

“Blue Fluted Half Lace is a Royal Copenhagen icon, which makes it extremely exciting, to be allowed to use this new service to shake people’s perceptions that Royal Copenhagen is blue and white. ” explains Niels Bastrup, Royal Copenhagen’s Creative Director.

The History - The Blue Fluted pattern is the very foundation stone in Royal Copenhagen’s amazing history-it was the first service to go into production in 1775 and was revitalised and celebrated once more in the late 1880s, when the legendary artist Arnold Krog created Blue Fluted Half Lace.

The pattern is famous for its abiding popularity, its timelessness and the painstaking craftsmanship - 1,197 brushstrokes on a single plate!

Initially the service is being launched with the five most essential items: coffee cup, teacup, dinner plate, lunch plate and deep plate; available from late October.

Prices range from £78.00 for a coffee cup and saucer.

Web: http://www.royalcopenhagen.com

Tel: (0800) 963 763

Ella’s Kitchen Company now offers an entire range of kitchen accessories that are unique, simple and useful, inspired by her Norwegian background, with its emphasis on purpose and ease of use.

The Individual Cafetiere/insulated mug featured here, is a multi- tasking commuter press mug offering real coffee anywhere; it has a built in storage container at its base to hold extra ground coffee or leaf tea and it fits into a car drinks holder. Choice of six attractive colours at £21.00.

How does it work? Put the coffee or tea leaves in the mug with boiling water, milk and sugar and then plunge - the plunger lid is left in place and you drink from it through a little gauze covered hole; the mug comes with an extra lid, should you prefer another hot or cold drink that doesn’t need the plunger

Another novel cafetiere is the Table Top Version, which makes your fresh coffee just as you would in the glass version, except this stays hot; it also has a rubber base so its great for travelling as it won’t slip off the table.
It comes in 2 sizes and several pretty colours.
The 3 cup £24.95 and 5 cup 27.99.

Also available are Nordic Bird medium size, fluted rim, coffee mugs, which compliment the cafetieres and have a pretty light blue hue on the inside. £ 7.50.

Web: http://www.ellaskitchencompany.com

Tel: (01588) 673976

Take crisp white linen as your base, then simply add some stylish cutlery, china and glassware and arrange neatly; decorate with a festive centre-piece and candelabras and for the perfect finishing touch use glitzy napkin rings and fun crackers. Then just add that delicious Christmas food – your recipe for the perfect Christmas table!

Opulence rules when it comes to celebrating; a heady mix of Plato china (plates £40 each), Ellipse cutlery (£17 set of 4 pieces) and Loop candelabras (£16) and the centrepiece hurricane lamp (£30) from John Lewis all present the ideal setting for the Christmas feast.

Villeroy & Boch Flow tableware and black crystal goblets offer an altogether more contemporary, cutting edge inspiration for a Christmas table; ideal for a minimalist look as featured here.

Alternatively go completely over the top and team with black linen, decorated with elements from the pearlescent Christmas theme from John Lewis.

This uses silver as the core colour combined with white, soft chambray blue, and oyster, all of which beautifully complement the ultra-sophisticated and stylish platinum tree; Wow Goblet £12. Plate from £6.95, Bowl £9.50, Glover & Smith Pewter salt and pepper bowls £21 each.

The 2007 John Lewis Christmas ranges include gorgeous trees, wreaths, decorations, lights, gifts, cards, packaging and foodie treats - in fact everything you could possibly need to make your Christmas as enjoyable as possible.

Web: http://www.johnlewis.com
Tel: (08456) 049 049

Why not add some style and luxury to your dining table this winter with the fine crystal collections from Lalique?

Lalique has a number of fabulous ranges including stunning wine glasses, champagne flutes, carafes, decanters and water tumblers.

Choose from elegant and classically plain pieces such as the Royal Stemware collection, or if you prefer more contemporary pieces, the Roxane or Perles collections offer striking designs.
 
Featured here is the Neolalique Icy Vase Champagne cooler, with frosted ice-like crystal, which would add a final touch of splendour to your Christmas table. Priced at £1,375.

Some pricing examples:

• Perles Champagne Flute £55.
• Langeais Champagne Flute £109.
• Diamant Cocktail glass £49.
• Roxane Champagne Flute £129.

Web: http://www.lalique.com 
Tel: (0207) 245 9090

Mercury Appliances based in Lincoln, are leading manufacturers of professional catering equipment, using the best materials and skilled craftsmen.

New from Mercury and available from their online shop, is a range of IITTALA cookware.

Featured here is one outstanding example; designed by Sarpaneva and inspired by his blacksmith grandfather, it celebrates a contrast of natural materials – the detachable wooden handle is used to lift the lid and the pot.

The IITTALA 3ltr Cast Iron casserole pot with wooden handles, will look as beautiful on the dinner table as it is functional in the kitchen.

This is a must have kitchen accessory for all serious cooks, either for entertaining, or everyday use Priced at £121.60. (Introductory offer)

Also available, IITTALA 3 & 5ltr Cast Iron Pots with lids in a handsome contemporary design, just perfect for stews soups or curries. Introductory prices are £61.60 & £78.40.

Web: http://www.mercury-appliances.co.uk
Tel: (01522) 881717

Smallbone of Devizes is involved once again with The London Design Festival, from 15th to 25th September 2007.

This year, the company will be hosting an exhibition by artist Mimi Joung, in which she reinterprets traditional British china, now discarded in favour of mass produced alternatives.

The exhibition named ‘Displacement’ is part installation, part sculpture and explores the memories, rituals, skills and designs associated with these neglected pieces of traditional decorative china.

Mimi Joung comes from Korea where she trained in ceramics; she gained her Masters degree at the Royal College of Art and is currently artist in residence at Sunderland University.  She says of her work, “My intention was to rethink the history of the object and create new possibilities for its future.”

Chairman Charlie Smallbone says “We are passionate about British design and pleased to support Mimi Joung as a new creative talent, as she explores the history of these everyday objects and the tradition of craft and design in Britain.”

The exhibition will be held at Smallbone of Devizes flagship kitchen showroom at, 220 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London SW3 2BB.

Exhibition opening times:
9.30am - 5.30pm Monday-Friday ;  10am - 5pm Saturday ; Closed Sunday.

Web: http://www.smallbone.co.uk
Tel:  (020) 7589 5998