The Beat That My Heart Skipped – A blog dedicated to daily design inspirations. By Rohini Wahi.

Trade fair season has officially kicked off with Maison et Objet in Paris – the place to pick up a good dose of new-year inspiration for the newest and most exquisitely designed interior and home products from the world’s most innovative brands.

I returned from Paris last night tired but happy after a wonderful stay at Hotel Amour – straight out of a chic Parisienne film – a bag full of goodies from Merci and a brain full of inspiration from Hay, Paola Navone, Society and Studio Potomak.

New York lighting brand Apparatus’ lighting collection is created using vintage lighting fixtures, aged brass, painted glass and natural materials . I love their poetic use of the utilitarian and the delicate.

Earlier this year I wrote my first piece for the independent publication Midcentury Magazine without actually having ever picked up a copy myself…the issue I worked on went to print this month and earlier this week I opened my mail to find a surprisingly beautiful, compact tome filled with poetic imagery and packed with super useful information on Midcentury design.

Distributed in small batches the magazine is a biannual publication, set up by Tabitha Tuema and her partner at the start of this year, following their quest to furnish their own 1960s flat on the Dulwich Estate. Created with modern design enthusiasts in mind, whether experienced collectors or complete novices the magazine aims to champion this popular period of design and highlight its continued relevance to modern living.

From useful features on Midcentury dealers in London to beautiful spreads of stylish lived-in homes and [my feature] spotlights on mid-century furnished guesthouses in Devon the mag is truly great read. Pick one up here!

Last week I went to the press preview of for The Way We Live Now at The Design Museum marking the 80th birthday of Sir Terence Conran who is one of the most pivotal figures in British design history. It’s was a truly moving and impressive exhibition showing the remarkable extent that Terence Conran has impacted on interior design in our homes and where we eat, from the high end to the high street and on the way we live now!

Most people don’t even realise that the mug they are holding now or the shape of the sofa they are sitting on was possible because Conran introduced intelligent, modern design to the general British population in the 60’s and 70’s – revolutionizing the UK high street with Habitat selling trend-driven household goods and furniture. Taking command of the Storehouse Plc group of companies in the 1980’s Conran oversaw Mothercare and Heals. Retail ventures also included the highly successful Conran Shop and modern venture Benchmark Furniture.

Conran is also responsible for many restaurant ventures that have influenced our current design landscape – Bluebird, Skylon, The Boundary to name a few.

At the press event Sir Terence spoke reflectively at the preview about the exhibition reminding him of achievements that even he had forgotten and how he thought design and manufacture was absolutely fundamental to the recovery of this country. Everyone should go see this exhibition… from nostalgic Habitat catalogues and teapots that evoked my university days, I am proud to say Conran is a part of my design landscape!

We haven’t had an Inside Life feature for a really long time so I’m pleased to kick start them again with someone who has been on my radar for a while. Blaire Dessent is the founder of beautifully curated online design store The Vitrine. Based in Paris The Vitrine operates online and also holds occasional pop up storesthat presents a selection of housewares, editions, & personal accessories from artists and designers.

I really love Blaire’s aesthetic of handcrafted pieces using natural materials mixed with contrasting bright neon shades. Fresh and modern I think she’s got it just right. Over to Blair…

Before The Vitrine I worked in the contemporary art world in New York City so I have tried to present work that reflects the crossover and the relationships between art, design, craft and handmade.

I live in Paris now with my husband, (who was living here when we met), but I often travel to the United States for Vitrine related work. I currently have a 6-month shop called Product Porch with Brooks Hudson Thomas of Specific Merchandise at the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego (my hometown actually), that is a combination of work on The Vitrine, as well as handcrafted furniture and art books.

I collect… works on paper (mostly drawings) with my husband

I cant live without… good face lotion

My guilty pleasure is… The TV series Weeds.

Our house is filled with… Books

I treasure my… pendant necklace recently inherited from my grandmother.

Right now I can’t stop thinking about… cooking. I think it’s a winter nesting thing but I am obsessed with food site these days like Food52 and Let There be Bite.

Currently I am reading… Wanderlust by Rebecca Solnit about the history of walking.

My favourite item of clothing is… A grey and black knit Vena Cava dress I bought at Tenoversix this year.

At the top of my furniture wish list is... A new sofa.

The last thing that really inspired me was… Being in Joshua Tree, California for the High Desert Test Sites weekend in October. Great people, amazing art and installations, and in stunning landscape.

My comfort food is… cookies of any sort

On my desk are… Adonde’s stationary boxes, my Mac laptop, and too many post-it notes

This weekend I will… Go to the flea markets. It’s been too long.

Tonight I must… buy my plane tickets for the holidays! So late.

I love what I do because… I love working with such talented artists and designers and seeing so much great work.