Material whirls and statement fabrics

By Helen Kirwan-Taylor 27.04.09

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Beauty matters. A Dutch study found that urban decay was contagious. Where there was graffti on walls and broken windows, more graffti and shattered glass appeared. When the buildings were cleaned up, people even put their rubbish in the bin.

Visual symmetry is a big part of beauty. But it's the combinations that really get us: grey skies above a green valley feel very different to us from grey skies over snowy peaks.

Like music, we need contrast to take in the big picture. I have been to many supremely modern houses with cement floors and pigmentless white walls only to come back a year later and find colourful carpets, Farrow & Ball walls and patterned curtains throughout. Beautiful objects, fabrics and natural colours make us feel good. Choose the right fabric and you change your mood.

I believe in statement fabrics. They're much cheaper than paintings. Manuel Canovas (now owned by Colefax & Fowler) offers nature, colour and summery brightness in elegant abundance (a little goes a long way). The new Marly Parme (£67) and Babylone linen prints (£113) are to die for (020 7887 6400; manuelcanovas.com).

For instant sunniness, nothing works quite as well as Tony Duquette's Golden Sunburst (£124 per m) for Jim Thompson, distributed by Fox Linton (020 7368 7700; foxlinton.com).

Modernists should check out the Christopher Farr fabric collection, which gets constantly updated. I recently used the Ilse Crawford-designed 36-24-36 in bright orange and it changed the mood of the whole house. The brave love nature-inspired Carnival, Curica and Diva prints (all from £90); they also make great thick linens (020 7349 0888; christopherfarrcloth.com).

Cushion maestro Thomas Paul's latest 2009 collection is full of beautiful colours and contrasts (thomaspaul.com). Bright prints, including Broderie (left) and Metamorphosis (both £65), are available from Supernice in Bethnal Green (020 7613 3890; supernice.co.uk).
I saw the groovy, metallic two-toned purple and white Calista sidetable (£2,700) in a store window and walked right in without realising it was Sunday and the store hadn't even opened yet. Collection Pierre, designed by the late American designer John Hutton, has just arrived in London from Paris. This elegant, beautifully crafted wood-based furniture is at once old-fashioned and modern. Get it from Alexander Von Moltke in SW1 (020 7730 9020; alexandervonmoltke.com).

Secret service

Part of feeling good is knowing things are clean. Method - Brad Pitt and Stella McCartney's favourite natural cleaning product company - has just launched oMop. It works on most hard surfaces with a special detergent and no water (the mop head can go in a washing machine afterwards). The kit retails for £29 at John Lewis (johnlewis.com).

Print out

My favourite fabric in the world, and one of the very last to be handprinted in America, is by Philadelphians Galbraith & Paul (galbraithandpaul.com).
Founded in 1986 by the utterly charming Ephraim and Liz Galbraith, it's worth skimping on food, clothing and heat just to own some. There is simply nothing quite like the colours and textures of their Sweet Pea, Ivy, Donuts and Mountains fabrics (all from £170 per m plus VAT).
Designers use them in their own homes - the fabrics make a room. Order at Tissus d'Hélène (020 7352 9977; tissusdhelene.co.uk).

THE INSIDER: Vanity mirrors

CASH
Above left: Hand-held mirrors are ideal for the dressing table. Surprisingly, this Venetian-style engraved one is from Tu Home at Sainsbury's. £4.99 (0800 636 262; sainsburys.co.uk).

CHEQUE
Middle: Laura Ashley is full of charming treats and this floral-detail mirror is the pick of the bunch. £14.69 (0871 223 1424; lauraashley.com).

CREDIT
Right: Scour antiques shops for a vintage mirror like this Art Nouveau one (1918) from Goldsmith & Perris. £60, from a selection at Alfies Antique Market (020 7724 7051; goldsmithandperris.co.uk).