We Love Geometrics! A peek at some of our china hire collection

Detail from the Thomas Pinwheel Design from our hire collection

Geometrics. They manage to convey a sense of the modern and the retro at the same time. Geometrics look best in the brightest colours, and it's no surprise that some genuine examples of geometrically patterned 60s and 70s china have made the hire collection.

We have an entire tea set in the Eclipse design by Empire Potteries

A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes which often tend to repeat themselves, although this is not always the case as with our Empire Potteries Eclipse set.

Geometric patterns, with their neat uniformity appealed particularly to the mods in the early to mid 60s, not just through the surface pattern but also in the shapes of a-line skirts. 

It's no surprise then, that Peace, Love & Daisy Chains' hire collection includes some wonderfully vibrant examples of genuine 60s geometric china. 

We have several pieces in the bright Thomas Pinwheel design of repeating circles - a dinner or cake plate in orange, and a whole set including dinner plates, tea plates, mugs and a sugar bowl in shades of purple and pink. As well as orange and purple, this pattern also exists in blue.

The Thomas Pinwheel and Empire Potteries Eclipse Designs

Our ex-Yugoslav milk pail and enamel teapot, scavenged from the flea markets of Ljubljana, make perfect containers for flowers - a modern-retro twist on using rustic metal pails and containers.

A 1970s Slovenian enamel teapot 

....and our Slovenian geometric milk pail

Geometric pattern is a key tenet of Islamic and Moorish design; geometric patterns in Islamic art is often used to symbolize the transcendent, indivisible and infinite nature of God. Artists would even intentionally make mistakes in the patterns as a way of proving that only god could produce perfection.

As soon as I saw this Staffordshire tea set I knew it had to join the collection. It brings to mind sunny mornings in Southern Spain in a tiled courtyard. Indeed, as the 60s and 70s heralded new, easier ways to travel both for the hippies traveling the Silk Road and the less hip looking for package holidays, patterns which brought to mind foreign shores were reflected - in fashion, textiles and pottery.

Staffordshire Tea Set and Mug

...and did you know that we also have salt and pepper pots to hire? These are in the Kalabar design by Palissy, and look super 70s and also channel the southern Spanish-Islamic geometric look!

Kalabar by Palissy salt & pepper pots

Geometric shapes for clothes became fashionable in the mid 60s. Rather than the geometric shapes being reflected in the pattern of the fabrics, the fabrics were made up of panels of block vivid colours. The idea was that the fashion was centre stage and took most of the attention, rather than the wearer, transmitting a sharp, contemporary look.

From Vogue 1967, via Peter Harris on Flickr

Clockwise from top left; geometric makeup via Eyeshadow Lipstick, via Green Wedding Shoes, via birthanddriver on Etsy, via Style Me Pretty.

There are so many ways that Geometrics can be incorporated into a modern-retro wedding or party - from handmade bunting made from geometric-patterned fabric, strings of shapes made from coloured card, to napkins and cushions in geometric patterns. They can be mixed and matched with other styles from the era like our bold flower power china, or pop against more minimal decor. How about using vintage tiles as pot holders for your wedding breakfast?

If you are interested in adding a bit of retro geometric pizazz to your tea party then check our our website and get in touch on hello@peace-love-and-daisy-chains.com.

We are collecting all sorts of geometric inspiration on our Pinterest board.

Five alternative ways to flower power up your wedding 

It should come as no surprise that here at Peace, Love & Daisy Chains we are huge fans of flowers. We have our roots in the flower power movement, with the vast majority of our retro china hire pieces dating back to the late 60s and 70s. The obsession with flower power was not only shown through flowers in hair and embroidered kaftans, but also reflected in the china of the day, with brazen blooms and kitschy blossoms adorning the porcelain. 

In our journey we have seen so many fabulous ways to incorporate flowers, both real and faux, into the big day, which go beyond the usual bouquet of roses and vase displays. Here is a round up of the most inspiring ones we have seen recently!

1. Eat them!

Stuck on choosing favours that you want to guarantee will be taken home? Who could resist the flowery lollipops created by Eat My Flowers?!

Eat My Flowers started growing and selling edible flowers from their farm in the Dee Valley, Wales, in 2011. These lollipops were originally created as a thank you gift to their crystallised flower customers, but were so popular that they decided to continue to produce them to sell. 

They come in a variety of delicious sounding flavours, including strawberry swizzle, raspberry  ripple, orange zest, rose-y-posy, peppermint dream and violet haze. 

Isn't this pansy pop so cute?!

2. Drink them!

There are many more edible flowers than you probably realise (such as cornflowers, tulips and even the humble daisy). They make a beautiful, bohemian accompaniment to a cocktail or even a glass of champagne.

You can buy edible flowers from Maddocks Farm Organics, who have a beautiful selection of flowers, not just for cocktails, but also wedding cakes and they sell fresh foraged salads. They can be bought as a wildflower mix or one single variety. Alternatively, you can pick the flowers yourself from your garden or country lanes - what a lovely way this would be to tie in a country theme? Just make sure you know what you are picking and whether it is edible or not, and try to keep away from polluted areas such as the side of roads - you don't want to poison anyone after all! Maddocks have a really useful guide to using edible flowers here.

Another alternative is to create ice cubes with flowers in them - make sure you use boiling water to ensure that the ice cubes freeze clear. If you want to reduce your stress then you can order them from Maddocks Farm Organics.

3. Throw them!

I have always been in two minds about confetti. While it's beautiful and a unique wedding-specific tradition, there's the little problem about its impact on the environment. Many churches forbid the use until you are already outside the church gates, and I remember many a childhood summers day collecting the confetti left over from that weekend's wedding.

Coloured and bleached paper, while paper is biodegradable, is never going to be wonderful for the environment. Step in Natural Favours, who grow and dry beautiful mixes of flowers for throwing. Not only do they have beautiful, non uniform colours and shapes, they smell much more wonderful than tissue paper.

Note: make sure you check out the policy of your wedding venue to see what is permitted.

4. Adorn your Walls with them!

Who says that flowers have to be real? I had the pleasure of meeting Paper Flower Wedding at the Vintage Wedding Fair in Stoke Newington recently. Offering a completely bespoke service, this company creates the most amazing paper flowers. From flower arches to stunning walls covered with flowers of different kinds, colours and sizes, this is certainly one way to add a wow factor to the room.

There is also the option to add details in lace, crystals and pearls, and flowers can also be made in plastic to withstand the whims if English weather. How amazing would plastic flowers in bright saturated colours look behind the top table or on the dance floor?!

5. Eat off them!

Last, but not least, why not incorporate bright, vivid flowers into your table decor by mixing and matching dinner plates, side plates and cups and saucers? From sunflowers, to poppies, to kitschy mod flowers and Romanian folk flowers, our collection of mismatched china creates an eclectic flower power feel. 

If having a smaller reception, we can colour coordinate to your specific colours, while bigger parties look bright and stunning all mixed up together! We excel in bright, bold colour, like this yellow cup and saucer and purple dinner plate combination.

Take a look at our pinterest board or the kodak moments on our website to see more fantabulous ways to add a bit of flower power to your wedding or event as we spot them!