Beautiful Bugs in Trends, Art, Interiors & Jewellery

A friend shared something with me on Facebook recently and it got me thinking, about bugs, about how wonderful they are in interior design and jewellery etc... There has been are really strong trend for insects over the last few years and not just the pretty ones like butterflies and dragonflies but also the beetles and ants and all sorts of creepy crawlies. So, I thought I'd take you through my favourites and show you how much I've been inspired but them and share some scuttley stories.
Lets start with one of my latest fabric designs called Beautiful Bugs...

Butterflies and dragonflies have been popular on jewellery since folks started making jewellery but none did it better that René Lalique and here is my favourite piece

There are lots of interesting treasures to be found on Etsy and here is a pretty necklace I rather fancy to own...

Bugs have been used in lots of beautiful art too, here's a fantastic assemblage by Kathy Moore

How I would love to snip my threads with some of these beauties although they look more sacrificial than hobby related!

So, back in my early 20's, in the days of mattresses on floors, I awoke to a weird tap tapping, very near my head. My mattress was against the radiator and it sounded like something was tapping the radiator. I picked up the pillow next to me and there was the most enormous stag beetle, tapping the radiator in beetle morse code for 'I'm trapped under this pillow, get me out!' I jumped back in surprise and the big fella took this as his queue to take a short flight out of the room into the hallway. So then I had a massive beetle on the floor, I was in a hurry to go to work so I made the impulsive decision to put a cup on him and deal with him when I got back. I wonder about this decision to this day...it baffles me why I didn't put him outside, but I think I was very frightened or something...anyway, when I got home he had escaped the porcelain prison! He was so strong he lifted the cup! Amazing!

This might not be a stag beetle but no selection of my favourite things would be complete without something by  Magnus Gjoen 

Here is another gorgeous thing by artist Mab Graves.. I like so much of what she does too..

And these Litter Bugs by Mark Oliver are also wonderful, such great detail...

Now we are going to get into the slightly icky territory. I love this Gilded Invertebrate tiara by Gil Haddi but it wouldn't be to everyones taste..

And when does a statement piece get too big? ...Um...now I think...

 I do love pretty porcelain and especially these kind of home madey type ones...

But perhaps these by Evelyn Bracklow are going a bit far... 

Could be very confusing at picnics! More likely to put you off your food really... 

yes, that cucumber sandwich doesn't taste quite so good now...

How about this amazing bed? This is a sphinx moth bed built in 1904, part of a photo tour of a French magistrate's home shared by Alexandre Prévot

I am having a really obsessive blue phase right now and love the colour of the walls! But also think that Timorous Beasties Bee blinds are pretty cute too...

Blair Harris Interior Design / wall colour!

But here is by favourite interiors insect themed thing...just look at these doors Oh my word!!

Mews 04, in London's Hyde Park