It's a cover-up

My home, my way: Bemz - only one month left!

With only one month left to enter our My home, my way: Bemz competition, now is the time to get your entry in if you haven't already done so. Don't forget, it's the votes that count and if you want to give people the chance to vote for your entry before the competition closes on March 31st then don't delay. If, like these people below, you want to get in on the chance to win a 5000 SEK* shopping spree at Bemz (not to mention your a bit of fame, being featured right here on It's a Cover Up!) enter now. 

Vote below for the entry you like most this week. If you want to vote on entries from previous weeks, please click here.

*5000 SEK (Swedish Crowns) is approximately equivalent to €500 / £400 / US$700 / CND$800. The actual value will be given at the exchange rate on the day of the draw.

Tone Elisabeth Lærum of Norway wrote in to say: Bemz helped make my home my way because we will love to chance colors and styles for our tv sofas in different seasons.

And Malin Trotzig of Sweden says: Bemz hjälpte mig att göra mitt hem på mitt sätt genom att ge min soffa en make over så att den blev en hörnsten i min funkisinspirerade inredning.

Roughly translated: Bemz helped make my home my way by giving my couch a partner that became the cornerstone of my functional-inspired interior.

Over in France, Marie Le Garrec says that: Bemz m’a aidé à personnaliser mon intérieur… jouer les grandes surfaces colorées avec des motifs par touches ou le contraire. Mon canapé s'adapte à mes humeurs pour avoir toujours envie d'enlever ses chaussures pour se lover dedans !

Roughly translated: Bemz helped make my home my way by playing with colors and tangible and intangible patterns on a grand scale... My sofa fits my mood and makes me want to throw my shoes off and curl up on it!

From Ronan Gac also of France: Voici mon canapé karlanda recouvert du tissus Sprezzatura Orange de Bemz. C’est du soleil dans la pièce a vivre.

Roughly translated: Here is my karlanda sofa with a Sprezzatura Orange cover from Bemz. It's like sunshine in the living-room.

And another from France, from Flore Vicaire who kept it brief with: please find below my Bemz customized sofas. ([Christie from Bemz] Check out those cushions! Flore must have made those herself! Inspirational!)

Help choose our Fall Collection

Our very own founder and CEO, Lesley Pennington, recently attended the Stockholm Furniture Fair, "The Premier venue for Nordic design", and was inspired by some of the trends she saw there. Although the fair takes a Nordic angle, it has representatives from all over the world, as exhibitors and as visitors. Her objectives here are two fold:

"We are planning on incorporating some of the really key trends we saw at the Fair into our collection set to be launched this autumn. We'd love to know what you think about them as well as which trends you prefer. If you want to have a say then please vote!" (see below)

"This photo depicts two really prevalent trends: one was the use of modular sofas which was reinforced throughout the show. They bring to mind Ikea's Tylosand, Kramfors, Mysinge and the new Vaxholm models. The other trend shown here is the fabric. We saw checked fabric everywhere and really loved it! Also, a kind of sub-trend within the checked fabric one was the use of textiles reminiscent of men's suits. Very striking."

"Another very key trend which we found interesting was the focus on detailing and craftsmanship. The beautiful colored fabric buttons on the sofa above, and the intriguing 'inside-out' stitching on the one below, highlight the hand-crafting details as an important upcoming style."

"We actually saw this 'furniture as fashion' trend introduced two years ago at the Furniture Fair in Milan and I think this is a direct reaction to mass production. People are stepping away from the inflexibility and lack of variety of this standardized process to pursue products that are able to specifically reflect themselves and their tastes; really the whole raison d'être for Bemz."

"And finally, the Mix and Match trend, which was already featured as a hot trend for 2009 here on It's a Cover Up, was further reinforced at the Fair."

So, do you have an opinion about these latest "catwalk" vogues? We want to know what you think: vote for the trend you like the most and who knows, maybe you'll see your choice launched this fall.

Big in Japan...too!

The My home, my way: Bemz competition has really gone large with an entry in all the way from 'The Land of The Rising Sun'! Here it is featured on It's a Cover Up this week, along with the other picks from Europe and all the way over the other side of the pond in the USA. Vote for the one you like most below, and if you want to vote on entries from previous weeks please click here.

Annabelle Desse, recently of Japan wrote in and said: Bemz m’a aidé à personnaliser mon intérieur a 10 000 km de chez moi, au Japon. Il manquait une petite touche de couleur a mon interieur nippon et Bemz l'a fait, je me sens tout de suite chez moi, dans un canape confortable a mon gout et en naviguant sur le site internet afin de trouver d'autres housses pour mon canape ou ma chaise. Alors, merci BEMZ !

Roughly translated: Bemz helped make my home my way 10 000 km away in Japan. Bemz brought the touch of color that was missing to my new Japanese inspired abode and helped me immediately feel at home, on a comfortable sofa that is to my taste while browsing your website to find more covers for my couch or even my chair. So thank you BEMZ!

Meanwhile, back in Germany, Jan-Peter Lüffe had this to say: Bemz helped make my home my way finding the track by feeling shining.

Helena Schaeder Söderberg of Sweden sent in this: Bemz helped make my home my way by providing me with the perfect cover for my Tomelilla armchair. That way I could make a cozy corner in our newly decorated bedroom.
([Christie from Bemz]: which btw, was also featured in Swedish design magazine Sköna Hem and on a couple of blogs: Skönt Hemma and Paint Colours for Bedrooms. Well done Helena!)

And on the other side of the ocean, Sophia Perera of the USA said: Bemz helped make my home my way by infusing style into an old sofa and still keeping it oh-so-puppy-friendly!

And finally for this week, from Barbro Ridderlöf of Sweden: Bemz helped make my home my way by the color of the new cover for my old sofa Klippan. The pink shade is a nice background for all my embroidered cushions.

To win in February

The entry in the My home, my way: Bemz competition with the most votes this month will win one Prisma Stripe Eggshell Blue and one Hounds Tooth- Sand Beige cushion cover. This combination is a great example of how you can achieve a uniform yet diverse look through matching subtle color and pattern similarities in fabrics - one of the hot ticket items for 2009. 

To see and vote on entries from the competition, please click here.
To find out more about the competition and enter, please click here.

And yes, let the kids eating on our covers. Bemz fabrics are machine washable, stain resistant and pre-shrunk: ready to deal with whatever life throws at them! Care labels are always attached to our covers but you will also find washing details by clicking on "Textile Facts" under each fabric description. Find out more about caring for our fabrics through our Care Guide.

Their homes their way!

Have you entered our My home, my way: Bemz competition yet? If, like these folks below, you want to get in on the chance to win a 5000 SEK* shopping spree at Bemz (not to mention your moment in the sun: being featured right here on It's a Cover Up!) then enter now. Time is running out fast: the competition closes March 31st, 2009. 

Vote below for this week's entry that you like most. If you want to vote on entries from previous weeks, please click here.

*5000 SEK (Swedish Crowns) is approximately equivalent to €500 / £400 / US$700 / CND$800. The actual value will be given at the exchange rate on the day of the draw.

Florent Koures of France said: Bemz m’a aidé à personnaliser mon intérieur, le large choix de housse permet de changer de decoration quand bon nous semble!!! Merci à vous.

Roughly translated: Bemz helped make my home my way by allowing us to change covers whenever it suits us thanks to the great range of fabrics on offer. Thank you!

While Malin Meijer of Sweden wrote: Bemz helped make my home my way by letting us keep our big Karlanda-sofa with a new cover that matches our new house!

And back in France, Stéphanie Barreau writes to say: Bemz m’a aidé à personnaliser mon intérieur avec des couleurs en harmonie avec mon tableau préféré!

Roughly translated: Bemz helped make my home my way with colors that agree best with my favorite painting!

And let's stay in France, where Christine Charles sent in this: Bemz helped make my home my way with a great contrast between sofa and parquet floor !!

Finally for this week, we have this last entry in from Barbara Ellingsen of Norway who says: "Bemz helped make my home my way... because Bemz makes it so easy when it's time for a change. Yes we can." On one photo you see my Klippan 4 seater sofa with  textured cotton in Sprezzatura-Fuchsia. On the other photo you see a cushion I made myselv, by scanning in a swatch of the fabric,  then I inserted a deer with photoshop,  printed it out on transferpaper and ironed it on a cushin. For the spring I have the same slipcover in Sybary-Dove Grey and will make as well my matching cushion covers. Attached one idea for the spring-cover.

Smart shopping for a recession

When times get tough, we all try to cut back and tighten our belts but that doesn't mean you have to say no to style! Here are five top tips to help us mere mortals shop smart during the credit crunch:

Hunt for freebies:
Most countries now have regional sites where household items can be picked up at no cost. For example, snaffleup.co.uk, freecycle.org and even gumtree.com advertise furniture that people are giving away. You may need to check on a daily basis to find the piece you are after, or something close to it. It will likely require a lick of paint or a new cover to turn it from shabby to chic but in doing so you'll be able to give it your personal stamp.

Revive your old stuff:
Just because you have some furniture that is no longer to your taste doesn't mean you need to toss it. Give it a new lease of life with a coat of paint, a change of knobs or new upholstery. You'll save on cash and give the landfills a break too. If you want to go large, paint or wallpaper one wall to change the look of a whole room at minimal cost and effort.

Second-hand stores:
With vintage back with a vengeance, mixing some second-hand finds in with the rest of your furniture can result in a very stylish and characterful room. Shopping for second-hand furniture can be fun and the result is often surprisingly trendy, not to mention that it is the 'greener' option. Along the same lines, scour auction houses, charity shops, car boot sales and even recycling centers for bargains.

Discount shops and budget stores:
If you decide to buy something new, check out discounted branded home wares stores like HomeSense (in the UK and Canada, HomeGoods in the US), the homewares sister company to TK Maxx, where you'll find branded homewares with smaller price tags attached. Or outlet villages which often have fantastic merchandise on offer as many manufacturers now produce goods specifically to sell through the outlets. Furniture warehouses often discount last year's stock and lots of supermarket chains now offer homewares at really good value. Also, it's always worth checking on eBay where you may even find brand new items at bargain prices to be had from professional sellers (and the competition is limited as bulky items require pick-up!).

Buy online:
If you know what you are after, you will likely find it at a lower cost online than in the shops. First, search a few price comparison sites (e.g., kelkoo.co.uk, pricerunner.co.uk, pricegrabber.co.uk and shopping.com) to identify who is offering the best bargains. Try a few as not all sites have agreements with all retailers. Then look out for potential discount vouchers that can be used for the purchase. In the UK, you can sign up to vouchercodes.co.uk and access them all from the one place. Or go the direct route: I often contact the seller directly and ask if there are any discounts available. You would be surprised by how often they pass the discounts on to guarantee the sale. If there are no discounts you can always haggle or get them to throw in something extra, like free delivery. Many sales people are willing to go the extra mile right now to make the sale.

There's another silver lining: you can make these market conditions work for you!

PS If any of you can help out by providing some local or regional links relevant to the tips above, that's be really super! Thanks.

Credits: Laura Howard from Moneywise; Livingetc and Susan of IkeaFans. 

New entries... and more pets!

Here are this week's entries for the My home, my way: Bemz competition that we've picked to be featured on It's a Cover Up. Vote for the one you like most below. If you want to vote on entries from previous weeks, please click here.

Espen Hånes of Norway writes: Bemz helped make my home my way my style.

And Beate Terrier of France says: Bemz helped make my home my way, because these are just the colours this old house wanted!

And here's a different story from Florence Michon of France: we have bought an old inn that we have restaured during 3 years. Now it is a "de charm" B&B close to Beauvais (northern part of France). See more about that visiting my website : http://letrentetrois.free.fr. You will see on the page "photos" that we have had a lot of issues in decoration magazines and TV broadcasts. One those being the IKEA FAMILY MAGAZINE in december 2007. We have changed our living room recently and bought an Ikea Sofa with your cover. You will see the photo attached.

And another business, this time from Leo Lospennato of Germany who writes: Dear Bemz, I am a luthier who designs and makes electric guitars and basses, with a retro-futuristic look -a mix of the imagery of Cadillacs in the 50s and the Jetsons comics of the 60s. (Check them out at www.nuax.de if you are curious). A slick Klippan sofa is the perfect companion for the showroom -as seen here- and in the different stands and fairs, where people sit to play the instruments. But always a black sofa...what can be more boring? New colours, new textures and designs would reflect much better the diversity and liveliness of music. If dressed in new BEMZ covers, the sofa would sing "Thank you for the music" whenever musicians play sitting on it!
Thanks for this idea -we hope to make it to the finals!

[Christie from Bemz] FYI: A luthier is is a craftsman who makes or repairs stringed musical instruments - or am I the only one who had to look that up?

Anja Niemczyk of Germany sent in these photos and added: Bemz helped make my home my way for an oasis of the recovery.

Anja also threw in this one: weil unser kleiner Balthasar sich am liebsten unter Kalanda ausruht.

Roughly translated: and because our small Balthasar prefers to rest under the Kalanda.

The silver lining

All this talk of economic downturn and recession can, quite frankly, take it's toll on one's psyche. However, an article from January 5th's International Herald Tribune's Culture section entitled "Design loves a Depression" has cast a little glimmer of hope on all the negativity.

The article highlighted how design thrives in hard times like these, how the focus has to return to functionality and durability if it's going to make it out the other side. Some all time classics, still admired and desired by many today like the Aalto stool or the Eames rocking chair (pictured above), were born not in spite of but rather due to the demands of hardship. Designers needed to come up with practical, durable and timely pieces if they were going to weather the storm. 

So where's the proverbial silver lining to this big economic black cloud? Lean times means good design at an affordable price and hopefully ones that will stand the test of time. That's something to pin a few hopes on.

Credits: Michael Cannell of iht.com; photo Aalto stool from Livingetc

Who will win for January?

Through the power of votes, our readers choose which entry to the My home, my way: Bemz competition should win the monthly cushion covers. It's simple: the entry with the greatest number of votes in that month wins. With 232 votes, Alexis du Roy of Belgium is now the proud owner of one Kaleido Blue and one Mandarin Orange cushion cover.

Alexis sent in this shot of her forlorn sofa looking for a second chance at life:

 

We liked the idea enough to publish it and you liked the idea enough to vote for it! Congratulations Alexis!

We chose these cushion covers, one Kaleido Blue by renown Scandinavian designer Viola Gråsten and one Mandarin Orange, so that their cheerful shine will provide some joy in this dark month. Their deep and radiant colors tick some of the boxes Alexis was striving for to revive her Tomelilla. But which cover should she get?? Herbarium Deep Navy Blue by Stig Lindberg? Fuchsia in Panama cotton? Or maybe a plusher Chenille- Deep Navy Blue? What do you think?

Remember! To win the 5000 SEK* shopping spree at Bemz, it's the entries with most votes by March 31st that counts. Keep the votes coming to ensure the top three entries go through to the final. To vote on entries from previous weeks, please click here.

*5000 Swedish Crowns (SEK) is approximately equivalent to €500 / £400 / US$700 / CND$800. The actual value will be given at the exchange rate on the day of the draw.