Images via my Pinterest boards
Happy Easter
3.29.2013
Images via my Pinterest boards
Scandi Style Revolution | & Other Stories
3.28.2013
Flora recently attended the London opening of & Other Stories and is going to tell us a bit about that and also the huge surge in interest in Scandinavian style. That's right, seems us Scandi-style addicts are not alone!
Over to you Flora....
It seems that Scandinavia is increasingly taking up the style torch as the world’s most sartorially powerful region, basically acting as the modern barometer of cool.
Endless Scandi brands have recently enjoyed immense global success, from the likes of Day Birger et Mikkelsen and Cos to artistic brand Dagmar, the young brainchild of three creative Swedish sisters. And now the effortlessly and faultlessly chic Scandinavians have opened up another future fashion powerhouse, ‘& Other Stories’.
Yet the debut collection was varied, sharp and most importantly, affordable. The designs were all bold yet wonderfully simplistic and manufactured to an impressively high level of quality. Having already opened in Paris, Stockholm and Copenhagen and with all clothes designed in unique creative ateliers, under the ethos of ‘empowering women to create and emphasize their personal style’, it’s a brand that’s bound to be a huge success.
Not to mention the incredibly designed shop space itself. A huge amount of time, money and thought must surely have gone into the creation of the 1000 square metre, two-level flagship on Regent Street. Classically Scandinavian of course, the minimalistic decor was stylish, classy and modern. With items displayed as if they were works of art curated in a gallery, the shopping experience felt calming, interesting and exciting all at once.
But this fashion launch is only the latest in a long list of recent Scandinavian cultural exports.
We are undoubtedly having a truly Scandinavian moment, and this is merely the very beginning. Regardless of the fact that Europe is sinking ever deeper into a vast recession; Scandinavian brands seem to be riding a high wave of success and showing no signs of flailing.
When it comes to interiors Scandinavians have been leading the way for years. Obviously the most popular and well known of all the regions interiors brands would have to be Ikea, which seems to have a Europe-wide monopoly on affordable furniture. But there are also numerous incredibly successful more highbrow Scandinavian interiors brands, renowned for their simplicity, practicality and sensational aesthetics. There’s something pure about Scandinavian style, bare yet warm, minimalist but homely and often centred around an intelligent use of light.
With such panache, it seems impossible that Scandinavian design won’t continue to reach further and further afield; so sit back and enjoy the coming of the Scandi style revolution.
Images via www.stories.com
Interiors via emmas.blogg.se
I certainly intend to. How about you? Huge thanks to Flora for her brilliant post. I might have to borrow her again!
Interview | Jane Denton
3.27.2013
Are you originally from Wellington? What do you enjoy most about living there?
In my early twenties I made jewellery that was so popular with my friends it became my first business.
Later, after living in Australia we came back to NZ and bought our first home. I couldn’t find any art in our price range that I loved so I set out to make some. I set up a space to create something myself but at the time I didn’t actually know what I was going to make. I’d originally thought I would design some patterns on the computer and print them, but it didn’t feel like enough, the pictures were too “flat”. I wanted more texture and a point of difference with my work.
One day I found some old wool I’d kept from years before from a Jennifer Pudney cross stitch kit and I absolutely loved the colours. Around the same time I was driving through Wellington (down Vivian Street) and saw a wire fence where people had wound wool around parts of the fence in different shapes. And I guess that’s where it all began. I came home, got the wool out and started stitching onto linen, the same long stitches I’d just seen on the fence.
Again they were very popular with my friends at first and it quickly grew from there.
I still absolutely love bolder colours and making a statement but I’ve become increasingly drawn to a softer, more neutral palette. As a creative person you’re always wanting to move out of your comfort zone, and moving into a new colour palette introduces a new set of challenges for me which I really enjoy. It’s been exciting to move away from stronger colours and take things even further in terms of simplicity - when things are simple the design really has to work! I’ll definitely be back working with brighter colours in the future but for now I’m loving the lightness and prettiness of a more pale, subtle palette.
Do you have a favourite artwork from your current range?
Yes! I’m really excited about ‘X’ (a white X on white), I’ve tried to achieve a woven affect with the wool. I love its subtlety, and the feeling of softness created by the white merino wool on white canvas. I think the simplicity of this piece is quite beautiful.
I’m working on a whole new series based on my ‘X’ pieces. I’m currently making an inky blue piece - it’s been challenging to use a single dark colour and achieve a light, fresh, delicate look.
Where do you find creative inspiration - local or international design, the web, magazines etc?
I love reading about creative people and seeing what’s new – I often look on Pinterest, (LOVE Design Chaser boards!), blogs like The Design Files, The Design Chaser and another favourite is Cush & Nooks.
How would you describe your personal style and how is this reflected in your own home?
I’m always drawn to simple things which have an element of fun but are still stylish and well designed. Our home is comfortable and inviting and it incorporates my love of design and colour. I don’t like things to be too fussy, so the colour palette is neutral with splashes of colour and pattern.
Do you have any advice for other artists or creatives who dream of going into business themselves?
To always go with your gut feeling, and I think persistence is key - doing what you love is the best job!!
Such great advice and I'd have to agree, the white on white 'X' artwork is just stunning. I can't wait to see the new series. Huge thanks to Jane for her time and for the beautiful images. Jane's home is actually going to be featured in an upcoming issue of Your Home & Garden so keep an eye out for that!
To see more of Jane's collection visit www.janedenton.co.nz where you'll also find information on buying and stockists. Follow on Facebook for updates and loads of interior inspiration!
Home Build | Workspace Inspiration
3.26.2013
I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I'm super excited about this room. Once we've completed the build I can't wait to start transforming it into a stylish and inspiring work environment. For me that means a bright white space with bold black accents, softened by touches of pink and yellow and a little bit of copper.
Essentially the forth bedroom, I knew from the start that I wanted it to be an office but also a guest room. With that comes a few key factors, firstly space or in our case lack of! Once you put in a desk big enough for two workstations it doesn't leave a lot of extra room for a bed. Stealing the idea from a friend who has an amazing set up in her kid's playroom, we'd love to install storage cupboards along one side of the room, with a foldout bed. You'd never know it was a bed when you walk into the room, the simple white cupboard doors look great and and of course the storage is a handy feature. Yet when it folds out, the double bed also looks fantastic. It's not something we can afford to do right now but it could easily be added in at some point in the future. In the meantime, I'm on the hunt for a stylish foldout sofa bed that won't break the bank.
The next factor is the desk. I've wanted a trestle table for as long as I can remember, but because we want to fit two chairs ideally side by side, it makes sense to do away with trestle legs to allow for more leg room. When I suggested to hubby that we get one custom made he was dead keen, however in light of our overspending on the house itself we've also had to put a hold on that idea at least for now. The good news is I've sourced this great trestle table from The Trestle Union which is a decent length and totally affordable.
The third factor is the flooring. Initially we decided to carpet all the bedrooms, this one included but being that it's an office I quite like the idea of wooden flooring. Because it's on the same level as the kitchen, dining and living which all have the 'white ash' wooden floorboards we've chosen, I think it would create a lovely seamless look.
Recently however I came across the home of blogger Liz Buchman of Grey and Scout via one of my regular haunts Glitter Guide, featuring her beautiful home office/guest room. Seeing how cosy and inviting it looks with carpet, I'm now undecided! What are your thoughts?
From the many inspiring images I've pinned over the course of this project I've cherry picked a few to demonstrate the features we want or are still deciding on, starting with Liz's home mentioned above.
Spotted on Weekday Carnival, I already have my Z lamp by Leitmotiv from Let Liv (1) and although I'm yet to get my hands on an Apple iMac (2) it will happen one day! I thank Jennifer Hagler of A Merry Mishap for introducing me to artist Leigh Viner and this gorgeous print (3) which I purchased some time ago after writing about Leigh here. I can't wait to put it up on the office wall.
01 Workspace details via Stylizimo
02 Eames House Bird
03 Stendig Calendar
04 Shelves via The Super Ordinary
05 Washi Tape from Sweet Pea Parties
06 Copper Cup from Ferm Living
07 Stationers Trestle Desk from Freedom Furniture
08 Workspace details via Nordic Leaves
09 Set of boxes by Hay from La Maison d'Anna G
10 Akita concrete & copper Tape Dispenser
11 Brass scissors by Hay from Hviit
12 Kasbah Wool Rug from West Elm
13 Kartell Masters Chair from Nest.co.uk
14 Unfurl Sofa by Per Weiss from Danish Design Store
15 Hay Plissé archive folder
16 Copper Tray from Ferm Living
17 Wire Basket from Ferm Living
18 Pin Board from Ferm Living
Goodness, I am a greedy girl. I wonder if I can pull it off?!
Monday Mix Up | Design Loves
3.25.2013
Despite this cheery moodboard, my day hasn't quite gone to plan. This morning I managed to break a mirror, and even though I'm not superstitious, and it was a cheap handheld, having to clean up broken glass is never fun. Somehow I managed to get my son to school on time, early in fact, which for me is quite an achievement on a Monday morning. After dropping my other son off to creche and sweating my way through a Pump class, I dashed off to pick up a sidetable I had on hold, only to find half the store on sale. Oh no!! I then completely lost track of time, got stuck in the undercover car park, and when I finally got to my car I couldn't for the life of me find the exit! Even worse, I somehow managed to break my beloved Dita Sparrow Sunglasses. GRrrr... It was however, the blinding sunlight that saved me, showing me the way out and well, I eventually made it home.. with a new pair of Ray Bans (oops!). Thanks Sunglass Bar.
I had an exciting week last week, lining up interviews and guest posts which I hope will come to fruition this week and next. In between, I've come across lots of design finds and inspiration so rather than choosing just one, which I'm struggling with today, I thought I'd round them up and show you all at once.
More light love, this time with Jennifer Hagler's new light that she posted on her blog A Merry Mishap over the weekend. Classic in white with a touch of brass the Pendant Lamp A110 by one of my design heroes Alvar Aalto, is now also on my wish-list.
I've been bowled over by the 3D interiors I've seen lately such as those in my recent post Virtual Interiors. This 3D cafe Creative Coffee is another one. Created using 3DSMAX, Vray and Photoshop, you have to see it to believe it!
Spotted on Plastolux, I can't get this beautifully elegant Sofa by Jorge Zalszupin out of my mind.
Some stunning photos shot by Line Klein, for Alt Interiør, featuring a living room styled in three different ways, with one amazing couch. I clearly have furniture on the brain right now, but you really must see these. Take a look here.
Interior Styling | Concrete + Wood
3.22.2013
I find the combination of concrete and wood in interiors really appealing so when I came across the beautiful photo series Where Concrete Meets Wood some time ago, I bookmarked it to share with you. Styled by Amanda Rodriguez, the Stockholm stylist whose work I've long admired, (she was even one of my first Pinterest Picks) the way she describes the two raw materials tells you a lot about how she sees the world, finding beauty in simplicity and the small details that surround her. Usually thought of as being strong and robust, she sees them turned into something fragile: the concrete into warm ash and the wood into light pink powder. Take a look and you'll see what she means.
Photographed by Elin Strömberg and featured on This Is Paper, you can see the full series here.
This is actually a very impressive DIY lamp found via Nimi Design. See instructions how to make it here.
I'm so excited - we've got our roof shout this afternoon! Things are moving quickly which is great but there are still so many decisions to make. Eek! Look out for another installment of Home Build on the blog next week. Happy Friday everyone.
La Donna Moderna & Moodboards
3.21.2013
This week I had the pleasure of writing a guest post for the fabulous website La Donna Moderna, a fantastic resource for the modern woman and her family. Always fun, stylish and informative, I love receiving both my regular email and Facebook updates from them. For great product and service reviews which will keep you up to date with what's hot right now, I highly recommend checking out their site. They cover a wide range of categories such as interiors, fashion, food & drink, travel, entertainment, inspiring women, weddings, health & beauty and more! If that's not enough to entice you, they also have loads of exciting competitions. Here's a collection of inspiring images from some of their recent features. How amazing are those wedding cakes?
Head over to the La Donna Moderna homepage to sign up to their newsletter and receive subscriber only specials. For daily updates that will make you smile, 'Like' their Facebook page. While you're checking out their site, you can read my guest post featuring some gorgeous Scandi style living room inspiration!
To finish off I thought I'd share a couple of Pinterest moodboards with you, firstly with some minty inspiration.
I curated this one today for all my Facebook followers. I reached a milestone this week by passing the 2000 'likes' mark and it's made me super happy! Thank you to everyone for your support with the blog, Facebook and Pinterest! It means so much to me.
Have a wonderful day everyone. See you back here tomorrow ♥
Interior Styling | Bedside Tables
3.20.2013
The bedside zone is an important one. Serving as a place to put things like books and reading glasses, it should also compliment the room's decor. I'm currently trying to decide on both bedside tables and lamps for the master bedroom of our new home. Today I thought I'd start with beside tables by showing you my shortlist of ideas.
The Kartell Componibili Module is a strong contender. I've admired this design classic for a long time and when I showed my husband and got a positive response it further confirmed that it would be a great choice. Even though I like the look of mismatched bedside furniture, this unit is so cool it seems only fair that we get one each, don't you think?
Gorgeous Moroccan styling here with a lovely leather pouffe as a sidetable...
For a sleek modern look, beds with built-in headboards and night stands are a great option...
1 Bed with Night Stand by Morten Georgsen for Bo Concept
2 Winsome Ladder Shelf
3 Kartell Componibili Modules from Mildred & Co
4 Hans Wegner CH34 Wishbone Chair from stardust.com
5 French Connection Driftwood Stool
6 French Connection Stump Tree Trunk Stool
7 Aalto C60 Stool from Finnish Design Shop
8 Let Liv Moroccan Leather Pouf
I'd love to know what you use for a bedside table. Any favourites from the examples above?