He'll forever be a romantic hero to millions of BBC-watching Jane Austen fans—but I found out last week that there's a lot more to actor Colin Firth than brooding gazes and frock coats.
The actor's chic wife, Livia Giuggioli, recently invited a clutch of London journalists to the launch of Eco, the new green-minded housewares store that the couple (together with business partners Nicola Giuggioli, and financier Ivo Coulson) have set up in the leafy West London suburb of Chiswick.
Sadly, filming commitments kept Mr. Darcy—er, Colin—from the event. But still there was plenty to ooh and aaah over. Chic glassware, vases and furniture. Graham & Brown's wallpapers made from managed timber sources. Even a plasma screen television encased in rich Sapele wood, made by the Irish company Iameco.
For those interested in further "greening up their homes," as Livia put it, there's a consultancy area where customers can choose fabrics and wood floors or get advice on economical heating. So while Firth might not be a regular fixture in the store, he'll still be raising customers' temperatures.
