Furnishings

Headphone Stand (Broadcare)

When I saw the photo, I was immediately attracted by this beautiful object. It's hard to explain its appeal: it's modern and clean-lined but also earthy with the gorgeous wood grain showing. Under the elegant sweep of walnut, small rubber pads protect the surface you place it on, and keep the stand from sliding about. I imagine the laminate construction is designed to keep the shape from warping.

The shape and size is such that it will hold your favourite set of headphones scratch-free and perfectly steady in your chosen position (i.e. with the sides tucked in or extended down) so that no adjustment is necessary when you want to use them quickly. Ideal for Bluetooth headphones but also perfectly usable if you have a wired model, as you can wrap the loose cable around the base.

Although it's not what it was meant for, I have improvised another rather irreverent use for it: to hold a wig. My husband was only temporarily amused and has reclaimed the stand for its rightful purpose!

Shabby Chic Picture Frame (UK Home & Garden Store)

A beautiful faux-antique picture frame which enhances anything you place inside it, which is exactly what a frame should do. There are several finishes (brown, off white and charcoal), all suitably distressed, and a phenomenal range of sizes available. I was kindly sent a free sample for an objective evaluation, and I chose the Charcoal shade in a size 14” x 11”. My choice was dictated in part by my cats, who have managed to smash just about all the glass picture frames we had. I knew that this size has plexiglass instead of real glass, and it seemed a safer choice.

The frame arrived amazingly well protected by a cloud of bubble wrap. It's prettier than I expected and there is absolutely nothing plastic-looking about it. Unless you tap it with your finger, you would never guess it's not real wood. There are several advantages to this man-made material, i.e.: durability, lighter weight. Opening the back to insert your chosen print or photo is easily done: there are the usual small metal tabs to bend backwards and flatten again once you are finished. If done carefully, this can be repeated several times before the tabs become fatigued.

On the backing board there are hooks and a fold-out support so the frame can be hung on a wall or propped on a table in both portrait and landscape orientations. Although it looks great by itself, I can just imagine an arrangement of several of these frames making a very stylish statement on a wall.

UK Home & Garden Store Shabby Chic Picture Frame

PU Leather Jewellery Box (Katia Beni)

A pretty jewellery box which has proven very useful as a single place to store all the small items of jewellery that most women like to collect. I don't own too many pieces, but I still find it annoying to have to remember where I have stashed my bead necklaces or rings, and it's a pain sometimes to extract a watch or bracelet from its protective box or pouch.

This box has plenty of small compartments to organize a collection of assorted ornaments and the velveteen lining provides scratch-free storage. What I really like is that opening the lid causes the top compartment to lift, giving full access to the middle layer, while the single drawer slides out from the bottom. I had a sewing box that worked in the same way.

The top level has two open sections and a covered one. On the left are two partitions with small holes to hold stud-type earrings and you can set brooches or small items in the three open compartments. On the right are seven slotted and padded sections to securely hold and display you rings (if small enough, you can put two rings side by side in each slot).

In the middle is a space for bracelets or other medium-sized items, protected by a lift-up lid. The middle level is divided in three and is the deepest part of the box. Bulkier items can go there, like necklaces, bracelets, watches. The shallow drawer is also divided in three, with a long front section shaped to hold small watches, articulated bracelets or perhaps single strings of pearls or beads. A rectangular mirror is set into the interior of the lid. This is useful only if the box is set at the correct height to reflect your face, but is a nice touch nevertheless.

I bought this box at a discount, which made the purchase worthwhile, however, at the current price of £22, I'm not sure that it is the best choice out there for the money. I withheld a star for the following reasons:

I find the flesh pink of the interior at odds with the yellow cast of the pale oyster outer material. A better matched colour combination would have been more elegant.
The outer finish is so shiny as to look plasticky. I prefer a mat leather look.
The lock mechanism does not close very easily and I fear it will not improve with age and use.
The key is small and a bit fiddly. With an item that can be easily picked up (by the top handle) and carried away, a key is somewhat redundant.
The bottom drawer comes out only partially, so the two compartments are only suitable for large objects that can be extracted from the front. Anything small might become difficult to reach.

I am surprised at the cost of these boxes in general. I suppose it's the complex nature of the construction, all those small compartments to line and fit together. Anyway, this box is pretty enough sitting closed on a dressing table and does its job well. You can stash quite a few bits and pieces inside in a way that makes it easy to retrieve what you need. It would make a teen or small girl very happy, and it has solved my immediate problem of having my personal ornaments handy and organized so, all in all, I am pleased with my purchase.

Back to The top