Ghent mmmm...

The Ghent Design Museum is home to some fabulous items, varying from famous Belgian Art Nouveau furniture designs to modern international kitsch. Here are just a couple of items that caught our eye, and our imagination perhaps...

First, three stunning fruit bowls, clearly the coolest way to present pears, apples and bananas ever:

I'm sure eveything would keep sliding off the curved edges, but you would feel like an astronaut working at this desk:

She-who-must-be-indulged insists that this is how she wants her next kitchen to store and display its implements. Looks like I'll need to learn how to carve enamel, or something...

And who wouldn't want this art deco stained glass screen, especially if you can arrange shadows from a skylight like this:

And then there was the complete set of house fittings and furniture by Henry van de Velde, Belgian architect and teacher who ranks with his compatriot Victor Horta as an originator of the Art Nouveau style. Mmmm...

Just a shame I couldn't get far enough away from this to get it all in!

And finally in the old part of the museum, where the original Hotel de Connick is presented in all its 18th Century glory - including this modest fireplace. Now where were those tiles we bought at that fleamarket? Hmm...