Just hangin': Quirky handles, hangers and hooks

My parents have completed a massive rebuild of their house and there are still lots of things to finish, but perhaps one of the most surprisingly urgent tasks is to find hangers to put up here, there and everywhere.

Hangers are one of those things in the house that you don't really notice, unless they're suddenly absent.  Then where do you put that dressing gown or towel? (Luckily for me, Waffles the cat is happy to look after these things for me!)

Not normally the most exciting of interior design decisions, there are some interesting hangers out there:

RAKE 'EM IN: The Harvest Rake Hanger (currently €20 down from €28) from deadly Irish store Designist. The re-appriorated rake is polished and powdered for a sleek finish.

FIRE EXIT: Saw the Bang Bang door handle by Nikita Kovalev featured on Broadsheet.ie earlier this week.  It is based on the 9mm Makarov semi-automatic pistol, weapon of choice for the Soviet and post-Soviet armed forces and law enforcement from 1951 to today. I don't where it can be purchased and for how much.

CAPS LOCK: Vintage style alphabet letter hooks (approx €11.50 per hook plus delivery) from Not on the High Street

UNLOCK YOUR FUNK WITH THIS TRUNK: This Elephant Screw-in Handle is approx €11.70 plus delivery from Etsy shop Fluolido

EVERY COAT OF PAINT: Designed in 1953, the Hang It All Coat Hook by Ray Eames is a design classic.  Manufactured by licence-holders Vitra, it costs approx €185 in a 20 per cent off sale at Nest.co.uk

KILLER HOOK: The Ninja Coat Hook is by Spinning Hat and is available from Amazon.co.uk for approx €9.43 plus delivery

Purrfect present

Waffles has been our cat since May and he has impressed all who have met him mightily in the seven months he's been living with us, judging by the presents he received.

Cian and Babs knew that our tired tabby likes to spend a lot of his time on the sofa. Now he can snuggle up to the beautiful Mog cushion cover from one of my design heroes, Donna Wilson.

GO THE WHOLE MOG: Waffles and his Donna Wilson cushion.
Photo: Eoghan Writes

PAWS FOR THOUGHT: Waffles mulls over the design of the Mog cushion.
Photo: Eoghan Writes

His dining area has also been transformed with this gorgeous Tigrito Cat Bowl by Miriam Mirri for super fun Italian design brand Alessi, which he also received from Cian and Babs.

EIGHT OUT OF TEN COOL CATS PREFER IT:
The Tigrito Cat Bowl by Miriam Mirri for Alessi.
Photo: Eoghan Writes

DIFFERENT KITS: The Tigrito Cat Bowl also comes in blue and yellow. 

Previous arrangements included old plastic trays which once housed microwave meals and unsatisfactory double bowls, making throwing out less than desirable fresh cat food a chore and resulted in dry food falling all over the place after an enthusiastic dining experience.

Miriam Mirri has also designed the Lula and Lupita dog bowls and Mio cat bowl for Alessi (photographed below). Alessi products are available from Arnotts and Stock in Dublin.

BOW WOW: The Lula dog bowls by Miriam Mirri for Alessi

TAIL-WAGGING APPROVAL: The Lupita dog bowls by Miriam Mirri for Alessi

CATTITUDE: The Mio cat bowls by Miriam Mirri for Alessi

Update: I think you may have to order the pet bowls online as I'm not sure they're available in Irish stores. However, I could be corrected on this. Alessi sells them, as does Amazon.

Tree-mendous collection

FIR REAL: My friends Aoife and Rob's majestic Christmas tree

Is it just me, or are far more people sharing photos of their Christmas trees on social media than ever before? It also seems that we have re-embraced the tradition of sending Christmas cards, judging from the nice envelopes hitting the doormat this week.

The following Christmas trees are aesthetically pleasing, but seem a little cold.

JUST ALL WHITE: This modernist tree via M2JL Studio

A LITTLE FLAT-PACK: An IKEA Christmas tree via DigsDigs 

In contrast, my friends Aoife and Rob's tree (pictured in all its glory at the top of this post) had me transfixed when I visited their home recently. It's a real Christmas tree decorated in ornaments which each have a story to tell. They pick up decorations on their travels, including India, San Francisco, Boston and Paris.

Some of their eye-catching tree decorations:

Other Christmas ornaments at Aoife and Rob's:

WAX LYRICAL: The heat from candles powers this helicopter house

TWIST AND OUT: A classic nutcracker

'Rock the house

Tonight is a fitting finale to an incredible year at Shamrock Rovers as the Hoops play host to Tottenham Hotspurs in the Europa League. The club has a new sponsor and seeing the revamped jersey got me thinking about how to decorate our second bedroom, a.k.a. The Football Room, over the coming months.

NET-A-PORTER: Miss Ireland Holly Carpenter and mid-fielder Stephen Rice model the new kit

I love this framed poster (below) that celebrates the centenary of the club. Himself has had it some years. This will, some day, hang in The Football Room.

GLORY YEARS: The framed poster depicts Rovers through the decades

Indeed, the green and white palette of the Hoops makes for a striking combination in home decor.

EL CLASSICO: A formal heritage look via Country Living

BRIGHT AND LIGHT IN GREEN AND WHITE: A creatively painted floor via Apartment Therapy

TOP DRAWER FOOTBALL: A green mid-century chest via LiveBreatheDecor

WALL TO WALL: Ferm Living wallpaper via Burke Decor

Rovers wishlist

This green and white stripes pillow cover (approx €18.60 plus delivery) from Etsy's A Pocket Full of Pillows provides an instant Hoops hit. Just like your favourite player's signed jersey, there is only one available. The fabric used to make it has sold out, so you'd better be quick.

It's Ho Ho Hoops with this cute Christmas stocking (approx 13.68 plus delivery) from Prudence Octavia in Hong Kong.

The hoops of this cushion cover are subverted in this funky number (approx €24.32 plus delivery) by Mi Casa Bella in Southern Maryland, also on Etsy. Again, there's only one left!

For lots of gift ideas, including the new 2012 jersey, see Shamrock Rovers' online store.

22.15 Update: I forgot to include this Ikea Klippan sofa, which I spotted last week in the store. It costs €225.

BAR-STOOLERS NEED NOT APPLY: Ikea's Klippan sofa