This blog is written by the folks at Bemz.com — a fine place to visit if you want to transform your ordinary IKEA sofa, armchair, dining-room chair or barstool into something extraordinary!
Fellow blogger Heidi of Swedish Liten Pyret recently posted these before-and-after shots of her Tomelilla armchair.
Here's what it looked like before it was given a lovely make-over:
Heidi chose a slipcover from Bemz in Fuchsia Panama cotton; and here is the stunning result:
On her blog, Heidi wrote: I've wanted to invest in a new cover for our old "Tomelilla" armchair from IKEA for a long time now. It's finally happened and I chose a lovely fuchsia color that gives the room a splash of color. It was previously a shabby blue and dull. Now it feels as though I have a vibrant, new armchair! It cost 899 SEK and I received it within two weeks despite the noted 4-6 week delivery time. I highly recommend Bemz!
Thanks Heidi! If you have a slipcover from Bemz you are proud of, then share it with us. Send a photo to me at blog[at]bemz[dot]com or upload it directly to our Facebook page.
Here's a great interior book by Naomi Cleaver, one of the UK's most prominent experts on home design and decoration. Naomi guides you through the whole process of interior design with a keen eye on what is good value, what is good taste and ultimately shows you how you can create somewhere that is uniquely your own. You will learn how to create a space that looks good and makes you feel good. The Joy of Home gets down to the nitty gritty. What is your style and how does it fit with the style of your home? How to do you do a scale drawing? Once you have a concept how do you know what it will look like and how do you budget and timetable work?
“Everyone is a designer, but you just need to allow yourself to be that person. Keep your eyes open, and remember: observation and curiosity are key.”
Naomi sees her job as helping her clients realise their own dream. “The first stage of my design process is about understanding the person because everyone wants different things. I ask lots of questions – and that is what the book is all about. Ask yourself lots of questions, analyse how you live and use your space, what works and what doesn’t work, and how you would live in your dream home.”
The chapter entitled ‘Décor recipes’ aims to make Naomi’s philosophy more accessible to everyone. “What I am really saying is don’t rely on magazines and TV shows. Investigate your real likes and dislikes, be confident and do what suits your personality and your lifestyle.” Good advice!
Naomi’s seven key décor recipes each demonstrate a different style, from architectural to camp, eclectic to retro. Each recipe has essential ingredients, which when combined result in an often dramatic and striking result. Something for everyone! Recommend - tick.
At Bemz, we are ringing in the new decade by launching a brand new designer partnership: Hello Bantie!
We leaked the news back in December about this launch but these fabulous fabrics are now up and available to order on bemz.com.
Bantie was established in 2007 by the current Managing Director, Wilhelmina Wiese, and designer Ulrika Gyllstad. Their style represents an expression of modern design, with a dash of humour and a nod to the past. Their inspiration stems from a wide spectrum of influences, with Scandinavian colour combinations pulling the whole collection together.
Bemz recently launched four prints Kokeshi, Salamander, Bubbel and Korall, in a total of seven different colour schemes. The playful Kokeshi, with its Japanese wooden doll arrangements, hints at a modern Toile de Jouy. While the lively Salamander reminds us of a bubbling garden pond. Bubbel and Korall combine retro-inspired colour and design in a manner which is both organic and graphic.
The new patterns are printed on our 100% Panama cotton, machine washable of course, and are available as sofa, armchair, and chair covers at bemz.com. With the seven new designs and colour schemes from Bantie, there are now over 170 different fabrics to choose from in the Bemz range.
Martina of Germany sent in this photo of her newly covered Falsterbo sofa and wrote: It took some time with the renovation. Now we are almost finished and the sofa is sporting a new look - thank you, the cover fits well and looks smart.
Martina chose a slipcover in Sybary - Charcoal Grey for her two-seater sofa and footstool. The Sybary line is from the range of textured cotton fabrics at Bemz and offers a wonderful woven textile combining two colors giving it that rich, deep and characterful structure shown here in the photo. Paired with the plush cream carpet, the thick, velvety throw and silky cream cushions the room oozes sophistication and warmth thanks to the layered and varying textures incorporated into the layout. Thank you for sharing your lovely home with us Martina!
If you have a Bemz cover and would like to share it, send a photo to me at blog [at]bemz [dot]com or upload it directly to our Facebook page.
I don't know whether it is because we are converting our home office into a nursery (baby number three's arrival is imminent!) or whether it's just that time of year but I seem to be obsessing about rocking chairs. There's something delightfully comforting about a rocking chair and it can easily be move beyond the nursery so is a worthwhile investment. And nowadays there's one to suit everyone, no matter style or budget. Here is a list of my faves:
Lillberg rocking chair form Ikea with Graphite Grey slipcover in Belgian linen from Bemz
Budget but beautiful: this Lillberg rocking chair from IKEA provides all the comfort and beauty of a more traditional rocking chair without sacrificing on style, especially when you put your personal stamp on it by choosing a slipcover from Bemz rather than the bog standard IKEA option.
Antique: There is a whole range of antique styles to choose from - from the classic Laura Ashley distressed version (top left) to the Swedish antique (top right), to the very classic 19th century Thonet rocker (above), there's an antique to suit every taste. Most of these are beautiful pieces but many come with a heavy price tag attached! It's an investment worth making though as you'll have it for life and their beauty never fades.
Traditional: I view traditional rocking chairs as solid wood ones which range from Shaker style to Adirondack and can be used indoors or out. They are timeless and versatile.
Organic modern: These are organic in form — simple, comfortable, but still streamlined and somewhat modern. You can pick up affordable reproductions like those pictured above (left: Urban Outfitters; right: Nurseryworks) but you may even be able to find the vintage version at thrift stores — all it takes to make them new again is some cleaning and perhaps new cushions.
Streamlined: Bentwood-frame rockers have a simple, streamlined design that fits well in a modern room. On the high end, look for classics by Jens Risom (left) and Ralph Rapson. On the low end, there's the ever-popular IKEA Poang Chair (right) with a Bemz cover, of course...
Cutting-edge: If you care a lot about design and you want to invest in a piece that stands out and will have no trouble surviving beyond the baby years, search the selection at cutting-edge companies like Droog, Generate, and De La Espada.
Industrial: Even the religiously minimalist have an option. Here's Philippe Starcke's contemporary take on an iconic designs. Perhaps not the most comfortable chair, but it looks great and ticks the right boxes for those looking for a minimalist urban solution.
Classic Modern: My personal favorite... The Eames RAR rocker is probably the most iconic rocking chair, and is hugely popular. You can get a fiberglass reproduction or a newer, molded plastic version. In a plethora of colors, there's one for each of us.
The Barbour quilted jacket has been kicking around for a while and the quilted Chanel bag is a classic but this modern quilting trend has spilled over from the runways to the indoors and has added its stuffed stitched style to all kinds of products, well beyond the uh-hem... horsey-set.
Lounge chair by Jehs & Laub for Knoll
French designer Mathieu Lehanneur's take on storage.
Ruché sofa by Inga Sempré for Ligne Roset
There's even something for those of us not willing to invest in a big ticket item on this trend. Try one of these:
Regent Savoy Wellies by Hunter and a stuffed quilted ceramic vase by Petra Sajkas
Perhaps a quilted laptop case will suffice for you? This one is H by Harris at Darkroom.
So what do you think? Is this a trend you would like to see integrated into the Bemz collection?
Kim of the USA sent us this photo of her Stockholm sofa which she transformed with a Tegner Melange Sage Brown slipcover from Bemz:
Here's what Kim had to say: Our move from Germany back to the U.S. was a good excuse for new furniture. I purchased our Bemz cover in the beginning of August, even before we ordered our new Stockholm sofa from IKEA. LOVE the cover. Professionally sewn, excellent fit, fabric seems extremely durable for our family. The cover was extremely easy to put on the sofa. The IKEA Stockholm sofa was exactly what I wanted, but the store-offered covers are not machine washable, the fabric did not look durable, and the colors available were a poor selection. I am so very happy I discovered Bemz and now I can keep this fabulous sofa for years and know that each time we move, as a military family we move often, I always have the option to purchase a new cover to coordinate with any home. Thank you so very much, Bemz!
What can I add to that? Other than thank you Kim and well done on making your home look so inviting and warm!
If you have a Bemz cover and would like to share it, send a photo to me at blog [at]bemz [dot]com or upload it directly to our Facebook page.
Anything can be a catalyst for a great interior scheme. To provide you with a little bit of inspiration, we are going to take a look at this season's pick of great colors, textures, patterns and paints that work well together and help show you where inspiration meets practicality.
Bubbel by Bantie at Bemz on an Ekeskog sofa
The inspiration: Figs, plums, damsons and grapes... All have a dusty depth that gives their skins an almost luminescent glow. And it's these cool and calming qualities that we're trying to capture in our winter palette: depth and richness. Think winter days, mulled wine and sticky jam on toast!
Josephine - Strong Pink by Göta Trägårdh at Bemz on an Ekeskog armchair
Overall: Plums and purples can be used in any zone of the home. By sticking to the same tonal family as you mix, i.e., choosing shades that have the same degree of grey (coolness) or pink (warmth) in them will help you avoid clashes.
Despite the sludginess of purples and plums, the end result will be far from dull with the requisite greens and tones of grey.
The details: They don't have to be limited to fabrics and paints. Remember lamps, bowls, vases and other accessories.
This one in from a mystery German customer who really put the effort in when transforming this dining-room into the beautiful contemporary yet classic and chic room that it is.
The traditional Chateau style chairs have been given a new lease with different yet matching fabrics that mix traditional and modern. The Gustavian Flowers - Black from Bemz nod to the past while staying bang up-to-date when paired with the glossy white painted wood of the chairs. The mix of classic and contemporary fabrics really jazz the room up and give it a warm and inviting feel, topped off by the modern chandelier that just makes the whole look pop.
Herzlichen Glückwunsch zu einem fantastischen Job!
You may have noticed the change we made to our homepage. We wanted to provide you with a bit of inspiration as well as share our in-house designers' expertise with you. To start, we set up two styles: a sophisticated and a playful one. Pick from one of these styles and then Katarina and Lisbeth guide you through some suitable fabric choices.
Playful is just what it says on the tin: colorful and vibrant yet stylish and design-conscious. Here, you will find Fuchsia, Pink and Greens along with a stunning pattern that ties them all together.
You don't need to fall into one of these two styles though - we hope to tackle more. What would you like to see? Do you have any questions for our designers?
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