Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Marimekko’

Using spots and stripes in your home may not be something you automatically gel with, I certainly didn’t; in fact spots and stripes had to work pretty hard to win me over. When it comes to spots and stripes it’s all about finding the right balance; for spots I think it’s about avoiding that twee and cutesy look, and for stripes finding a style that isn’t too traditional or beachy. I’ve found a few ideas of stylish spots and stripes that can be a great way to give a home a touch of the fun, patterned effect.

‘Fitzroy Black Stair Runner’ from Roger Oates

For me, when I think of stripes in the home I immediately think of Roger Oates and their fabulous stair runners, which in fact was major part in changing my opinion on stripes. The Fitzroy runner is smart, sleek and contemporary. The stripes bounce of the stark white stairs and walls, giving it a really punchy effect, it’s a great feature to see when you first walk in the door, showing off a relaxed but sophisticated sense of style.

If you don’t want to use stripes in such a dramatic way, this mirror from Barker & Stonehouse is an interesting twist on the pattern. With strips of mirror formed into one large piece, it gives a subtly to the motif, whilst still creating an intriguing design.

‘Cattelan Striped Mirror’ from Barker & Stonehouse

I love this spotted pattern by Marimekko, the dots squished together on rows is a simple design, but really gives the tableware a fun character, the jug is a great one-off piece in the collection to buy if you want a stand out item on your table.

‘Oiva Siirolapuutarha Pitcher’ from Marimekko

These Louis Poulsen pendants bring just the right amount of a coastal vibe, with a shell-like shape and beach tones, but with a sophisticated and contemporary design. They’ll hang elegantly alone or in a group, the three colourways could be mixed over a kitchen island unit for an eye-catching feature.

‘Cirque Pendant Lights’ from Louis Poulsen

Although polka dots in interiors aren’t something I would necessarily put in an interior, I’m a little smitten with the Polka Square wallpaper design by Farrow & Ball. It’s a delicate style that would look really sweet in a kid’s room or hallway.

‘Polka Square Wallpaper’ from Farrow & Ball

Sticking to wallpapers, this wavy stripe by Elitis, is a modern and fun way to make a strong statement in a room. Its design can hold its own style wise, but would work as a backdrop for your furniture as well.

‘Parure Memoires Wallpaper’ from Elitis

Margo Selby always has some beautiful designs, with just the right amount of colour, texture and retro design to give you a fresh look. I love this throw with its geometric circular pattern, it would make a great accent of colour in a living room.

‘Galeano Throw with Textured Velvet’ from Margo Selby

For a smaller addition of a few spots to your home, this little ceramic salt pot has an abstract spotted design that’ll look great on your dining room table, or next to your hob among the spices.

‘Selborne Pottery Blue Spot Salt Pot’ from Trouva

To keep stripes to more of a traditional form, William Yeoward has some classic designs. This stool has beautiful pink and cream stripes, and the curved wooden legs and the bouncing seat pads gives it an extra spark of personality.

‘Triple Elka Stool’ from William Yeoward

Finally, I had to pop in this sweet cushion from Houseology, the colourful stripes have begun to run like water colours, giving the cushion a softer look. A quick and easy way to add stripes while giving a chair a splash of colour.

‘Bluebell Gray Lomond Cushion’ from Houseology

A spot and a stripe here and there in your home is a great way to add character and break up a space, while offering an alternative pattern and design to a room to keep it looking fresh. Whether you want to stick to traditional styles, or test out some more contemporary looks, there are all sorts of ways to have a little fun with a few spots and stripes.

Read Full Post »

One of the great pleasures in life, I believe, is really good bed linen and fresh sheets each and every day (not orchestrated by me) would certainly be near the top of my list following a spectacular lottery win. Slipping between very beautiful sheets not only helps towards a good night’s kip, it also makes you feel like a princess (or prince of course) and that in my book is pretty important.

The Linen Works

I love this bedding from The Linen Works as you get the great feel of linen without the need to iron – the whole look is relaxed and feels better the more it is used. I also think it looks great when you mix the colours up – here is Parisian Blue and Cassis Rose – divine!

Ginger Lily

Silk bedlinen is not to be confused with nasty nylon. Silk is not only good for regulating body temperature, it is also regarded as a youth preserver as it does not absorb moisture from the skin and so helps to prevent aging. This beautiful 100% silk bedlinen from Ginger Lily is also fabulously glamorous.

Designers Guild

What’s not to love about a bed strewn with flowers and ferns and this delightful bedlinen from Designers Guild adds colourful femininity to a bedroom in a fresh sophisticated way.

Cologne and Cotton

Flannelette has had a very bad press in the past as somewhat of a passion killer but let me tell you, that is not true. Flannelette is soft and inviting and perfect for snuggling up in, especially when it is chilly. This wonderful Chamonix bedlinen is from Cologne and Cotton and is shown here is single but more importantly is available in double.

Secret Linen Store

Contemporary interiors can also take a little pattern and colour, if applied in a considered way, and this teasel design from the Secret Linen Store hits the mark creating a smart and luxurious feel.

Marimekko

Marimekko’s wonderful unmistakable designs translate perfectly into bedlinen and I love the mixture of patterns and restrained colours here that look oh so inviting.

Luma

Finally who can resist the mixture of pure linen and fair trade organic cotton that make up this bedlinen from Luma, ensuring that you not only sleep in style, you also sleep with an easy conscience.

Nighty night and sleep well

Read Full Post »

By Leonie Walker

Recently I have come across several designs that take inspiration from urban living and city landscapes, offerings some refreshingly original design motifs and patterns.

One example is Timorous Beasties fantastic Toile collection. Unlike traditional French toile designs of charming pastoral scenes, Beasties’ toiles offer a contemporary twist on the French classic. Their wallpaper and fabric motifs display a surprising and honest depiction of city life. Iconic cityscapes, park life, crime scenes, promenading and rude boys are just a few of the engaging narratives that take place in these designs. There are differing toiles for London, New York, Glasgow and Edinburgh, and each with its own feel and cityscape.

3865346

The New York Toile

229914

The London Toile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

226754

The Glasgow Toile

 

226322

The Edinburgh Toile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another example of urban themed decor is Marimekko’s new Siirtolapuutarha range. Made up of a selection of crockery and textiles, the pieces have a lovely illustrative design motif that eludes to cityscapes and urban living. Sure enough, the design for this range is inspired by city life, in particular small city gardens. The word siirtolapuutarha is a Finnish term that refers to small community plots of land in the city that are used for gardens and allotments. Each piece tells a different part of the siirtolapuurtarha story, from ‘a morsel of nature in the urban jungle’ to the ‘tiny gardens tucked into the nooks of urban life’ – Marimekko.

marimekko-siirtolapuutarha-black-and-white-3.75-bowl

Siirtolapuutarha bowl, available at Skandium

 

16HyvassaSeurassa_iso

Oiva Siirtolapuutarha coffee cup, available from Nord

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1633

Siirtolapuutarha plate, available from Skandium

 

063987_120_42763

Siirtolapuutarha red coated cotton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So you need look no further than out onto the street to find something new to be inspired by.

This article first appeared on the Cambridge Evening News website.

 

Read Full Post »

UK Company, Sunbeam Jackie, make the most wonderful, bespoke parasols and canopies. Their elegant and bohemian designs make for a beautiful garden setting, and their enchanting collection are already making me dream of long afternoons spent outdoors.

Their design success is in part down to their fantastic fabric archive, which is ever evolving and which they use to make all their pieces. Handpicked from their select network of textile collectors and dealers, their inspiring collection is definitely something to brag about, including fabrics from Liberty prints, William Morris, Barbara Brown, Sanderson, Marimekko, Designers Guild to name a few. What a fine way to make use of these gorgeous antique and designer fabrics!

contact-us-page-head-image

_DSC7005-banner

_DSC7179

_DSC7116

barn-doors-new

the-daydream3

_DSC7145-banner

_MG_0858-banner (1)

Read Full Post »

Autumn is my preferred time of year because of its dynamic celestial weather and my enhanced appreciation for cosy interiors. The recent blustery winds and bright rains have reminded me of some of my favourite designers that have used this to inspire their designs for the home.

First example is Marimekko and their fantastic current WeatherDiaryRange, which consists of a variety of collections. This range of fabrics, home textiles and dishes are designed using Aino-Maija Metsola’s gorgeous observational paintings and sketches of changing weather and autumnal colours, and they definitely communicate the dynamic seasonal mood. Here are a few examples.

kuuskajaskari-autumn-3

Kuuskajaskari Fabric, by www.marimekko.com, from Skandium.  The colour scheme has been taken from the autumnal season and depicts autumn winds.

teepannu_46019_1kahvikuppi-korvallinen_46005_1

Oiva Saapaivakirja Tea Pot and Mug, by Marimekko, from Skandium.

The design captures highlights of autumnal weather patterns and colours, and evokes an image of reeds swaying in the wind.

emmi_46011_12

Oiva Saapaivakirja Plate, by Marimekko, from Skandium.  This is one of several attractive plates in the Saapaivakirja collection, and was inspired by rainfalls and sunrays.

emmi_47572_12

Jussaro Fabric, by Marimekko. This last example of Marimekko’s WeatherDiaryRange, gives a wonderful impression of rolling storm clouds and thunder.

Clouds-11

Cloud – Autumn Rug, by Luke Irwin.  This stunning rug is one of a set of four cloud rugs, with one for each season. The cloud shapes for autumn are a dash more manic than the others!

09_large

De Gournay’s luxurious wall papers are always striking and dynamic and often inspired by weather.

Windswept Blossom, by De Gournay. This enchanting blossom tree captures the transition from summer to autumn perfectly.

17_large

Cranes, by De Gournay.  I love this chaotic yet elegant display of wind blown cranes.

fd205_l18

Flying Ducks Velvet Sky, by Mulberry Home, from Lee Jofa.  Mulberry’s Duck velvet is another lovely fabric that shows an array of windblown birds, playfully ducking and diving in the sky.

On the subject of flight, Coral and Tusk have got a charming range of embroidered home accessories, many of which feature feather patterns.

2d7bf0c6b2bc3ae3a48617a51781fa95

Large Feather Table Runner, by Coral and Tusk.

Detailed with peregrine falcon, owl and peacock tail feathers, these embroideries have a lovely illustrated style, with gorgeous splashes of autumnal colours.

slideshow_3

Feather Vertical Curtain Panel, by Coral and Tusk.

Cole and Son have fantastic wall coverings depicting scenes and landscapes, including a couple of great celestial designs.

nuvole-82-22034-square2

Nuvole, by Cole and Son.

I always imagine this beautiful mural to be an autumnal scene, combining wonderfully energetic clouds, with glimpses of sunshine.

fornasetti-ii-97-1002-macchine-volanti

Macchine Volanti, by Cole and Son.

This wall paper is another wonderful sky scene with a combination of quirky flying machines demonstrating all sorts of air navigation.

We hope you all survived St Jude storm’s visit safely and are still able to enjoy the blustery autumn weather! 

Read Full Post »

I am always looking for creative ways to add expression and character to my home, and more often than not I rely on artistic work to do this. On my current search for art in unusual places, I have come across a number of inspiring products that have their own painterly quality. Going beyond the canvas, I have selected a variety of furnishings that can offer unusual artistic expression to your home.

MM plate 1

MM plate 2

MM plate 3

MM plate 4

Artist Marlene Mocquet has put together these fabulous plate designs to mark the 150th anniversary of Bernardaud, French porcelain manufacturer. As one of 11 artists involved, her work is my absolute favourite. At first glance they look like an artist’s palette, but upon second glance the quirky characters start to reveal themselves.

Skandium 3

Skandium 1

Skandium 2

Skandium have a beautiful range of Oiva Saapaivakirja plates by Marimekko, with a fluid paint design.

Anthropologie glass 1

Anthropologie galss 2jpg

Anthropologie glass 3

With their watery, striking colour, these Tincture glasses from Anthropologie would be a great match for the Oiva Saapaivakirja plates.

Carafe

Anthropologie colour test 1

Anthropologie colour test 2

You can find this charming Colour Test glassware from Anthropologie. The carafe and glasses serve as both a pretty, but also quirky table piece.

Elodie Gobin Cutlery  Elodie Gobin Cutlery 2

French designer, Elodie Gobin uses an ecological dyeing process to create her attractive Botanic Colour cutlery.

Hilda-Hellstrom1

Hilda-Hellstrom2

Tiles can be a really interesting way to add personality to a space. Designer, Hilda Hellstrom, has started to produce some unique and visually stunning items using resin Jesmonite, such as these Sedimentation tiles. So keep a look out for this emerging talent.

Old Cinema chair

This Upcycled Painted Highchair from The Old Cinema is a characterful example of how, with the help of sand paper and a few pots of paint, you can really personalise an old piece of furniture.

Old Cinema mirror

Here is another, slightly more extravagant, example of a personalised piece of painted furniture. You can get this 19th Century Window Mirror with hand painted glass panels from The Old Cinema.

Merci Linen

Linen bag

I was recently overjoyed to find out that my favourite Parisian shop, Merci, has now got an online store! They stock a range of great design, from clothes to furniture. Merci recently held an exhibition of plastician artist, Aurélie Mathigot’s work called Timeless Linen. She created a limited edition of 111 exquisite coloured and embroidered linen bags. The collection is a fantastic composition of colour.

Merci Bed Linen

Merci Blue SheetsMerci Quilt CoversMerci Cushions

Merci do a brilliant range of coloured linen for sheets, bed covers and cushions, which gives you the chance to get creative with composition and colour combinations.

With the help of a little artistic license and a brave choice of colour, there are countless ways to get a touch of artistic expression into your home design, so stay on the lookout for ways to keep your home creative.

This blog first appeared on the Cambridge Evening News website

Read Full Post »

There are certain interior schemes that just call for a bit of fabulous bold unashamed colourful fabric and at such a time, we look no further than Marimekko. This wonderful Finish company has been around since the 50s and some of their most iconic designs are still available today, although there is also plenty of new work to get excited about. They have a great little shop in St Christopher’s Place W1 which is worth a visit just to see these beautiful fabrics in the flesh but in the meantime, their website is www.marimekko.co.uk

Markimekko fabricMarimekkoMarimekko fabricMarimekko fabricMarimekkoMarimekkoMarimekko fabricMarimekko fabricMarimekko fabricMarimekko fabricMarimekkoMarimekko

Read Full Post »