It's a cover-up

House Tour: Summer in Canada for Ektorp and Bemz

Who doesn't love taking a peek inside other people’s homes? It's not just about curiosity - it's a great way to get ideas and inspiration, especially if it's a home done up by a professional. You can imagine how thrilled we were to find out that Canada's design star, Samantha Pynn decided to include a Bemz cover in not one, but two episodes of this season's Summer Homes on HGTV Canada.

In this episode, entitled Room to Grow, Samantha tackles a small charming cottage and turns it into a family-friendly summer home full of character. A cover in Eggshell Blue from Bemz for the Ektorp sofa plays a central role in giving the room that coastal feel.

The clean lines of the main living area are cool to the eye but warm to the touch thanks to Samantha's use of a variety of textures: solid wood and rattan, fabrics and other natural elements. The wonderful high ceilings and the sea-inspired palette bring the outside in and create a fresh, relaxing and airy oasis. By grouping furniture into functional areas in the open plan, Samantha ensures definition and order without sacrificing on cosiness or functionality - perfect for family dinners, entertaining and playing games.

Adding a covered porch is a great way to extend your living space and provides a graceful transition to the outside. Get more ideas on how you can achieve this look from the Bemz Simple Life Lifestyle, as well as previous posts highlighting how to use on-trend blues for spring and summer 2012. You can see the rest of the photos on the episode gallery or watch the episode.

If you enjoyed this house tour, then why not take a tour of Bemz founder and CEO Lesley's home or the Scandi country charm in France house tour both recently featured in France’s Journal Des Femmes. And stay tuned to find out what Samantha Pynn chose from Bemz next!

Credit and photos: Samantha Pynn, Summer Homes, HGTV Canada

House Tour: Scandi country charm in France

This house tour featured on France's Journal des Femmes immediately caught my eye, perhaps because of its lovely simple decor with a definite Scandinavian influence, so I had to share.

From the outside it looks like a French country house but once inside it is all about simple lines, clean spaces and a monochromatic palette. Enjoy!

A couple of simple Klippan sofas paired with an upcycled table in untreated wood and hints of industrial vintage give the room a sense of calm and character.

Modern meets traditional in the kitchen diner.

In the den, the owners stick to the simple colour palette for their Tylosand sofas paired with untreated woods and vintage accents keeping the aura of calm throughout.

Again, the bedroom is kept simple yet inviting with its stone coloured walls and floor reminiscent of the seaside. The wood cladding also brings that coastal feel to mind.

The minimal colour palette and simple look continue into the ensuite... And finally, a pop of colour!

To see more of this house tour or other really inspirational house tours visit Journal des Femmes.

Credit: by Elodie Rothan at Journal des Femmes

House tour: Bemz founder, Lesley's home

As you can imagine, we at Bemz often need to 'borrow' people's homes to do our photoshoots and it'll come to you as no surprise that a few Bemzies' places have been used. The most recent photoshoot and the house tour featured here, is Bemz founder and CEO, Lesley's house. You'll also find it in French Journal des Femmes, where an in-depth interview along with a competition are featured. One lucky winner* (*residents of France only!) will win a new cover, from Bemz bien sur, as well as a personal consultation from an interior decorator. If you live in France, enter to win today!

Enjoy the tour... You may notice a few few Bemz products along the way.

The living room is an eclectic collection of colours, patterns and textures mixed and matched as covers, cushions and throws - true Bohemian Chic.

The open plan space has clearly defined areas thanks to the positioning of the furniture. The dining room mixes iconic designer chairs with a traditional Scandinavian side table and utilitarian dining table - perfect for family dinners, entertaining and doing homework.

The kitchen, which sits just off the dining area, echos the wood seen in the rest of the room and is kept simple. Splashes of colour and personal detailing give it character.

Would you like to see more? The bedrooms are tranquil havens of calm without sacrificing on personality, while the office is practical and personal. And what design aficionado's home would be complete without an über iconic piece sitting pretty there like a piece of art framed by the window? If you want to see these last photos and the rest of the tour, visit Journal des Femmes.

If you enjoyed Lesley's house tour, then why not take a tour of our product and production manager, Lisbeth's home.

Books to Inspire: Alvar Aalto Houses

Finnish Alvar Aalto is perhaps best known for creating stunning glassware, furniture and textiles, which are still sought-after pieces today. From his iconic vase to his cantilevered birch wood chairs, we see his creations everywhere. But did you know he was an architect?

Alvar Aalto Houses by Jari and Sirkkaliisa Jetsonen, presents 26 innovative single family homes built according to his designs between the 20s and the 60s. These were built in Finland, Estonia and France and are still considered architectural gems today.

With a hugely successful career that spanned half a century, Alvar Aalto was one of the 20th century's most important architects. He designed almost 100 houses taking a new and unique approach that cleverly combined modernist principles with traditional Finnish architecture to create a  individual style that is both exclusive and desirable.

What was so unique about Alvar Aalto's approach in architecture was that he and his wife Aino Aalto, also an architect, saw it as a complete body of art. Their designs progressed beyond the shell of the building to demand special treatments to interior surfaces as well, including furniture, lamps, furnishings and glassware. It is this holistic approach to his works that made him so successful and his works so instantly recognisable.

"There is an ulterior motive, too, in architecture, which is always peeping out from around the corner, the idea of creating paradise. It is only purpose of our buildings. If we do not carry this idea with us the whole time all our buildings would be simpler, more trivial and life would become - well, would life amount to anything at all? Every building, every work of architecture, is a symbol which has the aspiration to show that we want to build a paradise on earth for ordinary mortals." - Alvar Aalto

Even the Alvar Aalto museum showcasing his works was designed by the man himself. Truly holistic.

Child friendly and styling in Stockholm

Here is a home that was featured on Swedish Hemnet. Not only is it a beautiful home, full of ideas to steal and beautiful things to look at, but it is also child-friendly (in part thanks to a Bemz slipcover). Read on and be inspired!

That's a Karlanda in Dusty Rose from Bemz. It's subtle yet still setting the tone for the room. The cushions in a variety of vintage and retro Scandinavian designs give it character and personality.

The attention to detail is evident throughout the house. White is the base for a clean, happy palette.

It is a home that is at once stylish yet lived in, modern yet colourful, design conscious yet humorous.

The children's rooms are like a dream come true! Look at that Pez collection. So sweet.

The owner's grandmother's old dressing table has been painted white. 

The boy's room is colourful and vibrant but designed to stand the test of time and is easy to adapt to the changing demands of a growing boy. 

The adult bedroom is an oasis of calm with flashes of colour and flair.

That is a great way to make the most of a landing. 

Inspiring!

Credit: Erika Norberg; Photographer: Patrik Söderman

From Scandinavia with love, indeed

Do you ever jump from one link online to the next and the next and end up somewhere wholly different from where you started? Sometimes that's a good thing: I was doing that today and came across this beautiful shot on From Scandinavia with Love.

Nice place! Very contemporary but not without a bit of playfulness and lots of vibrant colours. I love the way the room has been built on a monochromatic palette of white with black highlights and then brightened with injections of a gorgeous sun yellow and real red. By sticking to those two colours when choosing accessories and even pieces of furniture, the overall look is a clean, sophisticated and modern one.

By the way, those two free standing Karlstad chaise longues are in Stockholm Stripe - Jet Black.

Top tips: how to mix modern with vintage

Today's interior often embraces a number of styles: an eclectic collection of furniture amassed over the years, souvenirs of travels and pieces one can't be without, whether for practical or emotional reasons. Eclectic is cool - no worries there, but how can you be sure the overall effect works?

Here are 10 ways to get the balance right when mixing modern and vintage, so that the end result is neither fuddy-duddy nor soulless and cold:

Make clutter look chic: use unexpected pairings of modern and vintage accessories to get that 'modern vintage' look. If you have any design classics, they'll straddle the two eras and make the old and new cohesive. Or pick a theme and collect similar pieces to create your own display.

Harness the power of textiles: Fabrics add warmth, color and interest, and can be used anywhere in the home. Textiles can soften hard-edged modern and conversely add a splash of contemporary to the more traditional homes. Let's face it: textiles transform a house into a home: quilts, thick blankets, piles of cushions and flowing curtains add character for sure, but also add coziness.

Give me room: Both modern and vintage pieces that can wow should be given the space to bask in the limelight they so rightly deserve.

Opposites attract: By the very fact that the things in your home are yours, chances are they reflect your taste so they will work together. Embrace the contrast of some of the things you have picked up along the way: pair modern with vintage, traditional with contemporary. To achieve visual harmony in this, look for a shared design ethic to pull it together.

Source from the high street: Many of the chic-retro reproductions hailed on the high street will help highlight your vintage finds.

Personalise: If you like something but it needs tweaking, don't be afraid to change it to meet your needs. You'd be amazed at what a new coat of paint or a new slipcover can do! Check out our Design-It-Yourself series for ideas and inspiration. If that's a step further than you are willing to go, pair heavy, dark vintage pieces with chrome or galvanized steel to get that urban cool look.

Find new uses for old things: You may have some pieces that have been around a while. Look at them with new eyes: can they be used for something other than they were intended? I recently decided that an old antique Asian cabinet that used to house glasses would store my shoes!

Books and nooks: Instead of settling on the predictable shelf, pile books on the floor or intersperse them with ornaments and other decorations. Quirky, difficult nooks and crannies are ideal for this. And embrace any other ready-made curiosities in your home, such as exposed brick, old peeling wallpaper and paint (very hot right now thanks to the King's Speech!). Balance the old with the new for the right modern vintage decor.

The power of light: Create symmetry by pairing opposites - chrome lights with floral shaded side lamps, industrial with retro. When the different details come together they just work!

Color me beautiful: By picking a color theme that features or matches both your modern and vintage details can hold the whole look together.

Credit: Elle Decoration, May 2011 Issue; Adapted & photos from Modern Vintage Style  by Emily Chalmers; Photos also from Bemz

 

Books to Inspire: Pale & Interesting

Pale & Interesting comes just in time - with the launch of our new pastels. Here's a book dedicated to decorating with whites, pastels and neutrals. Spring is here!

This is a book, by stylist Atlanta Bartlett and designer Dave Coote, dedicated to helping you create a relaxed and comfortable home that reflects your individual lifestyle and personality. Who doesn't want that? According to Pale & Interesting you just need to follow these 12 simple steps for lasting appeal:

1. Functional furniture: Make sure your dinner table is large enough to accommodate the whole family plus guests and be used for family meals, dinner parties, homework, hobbies... Another big ticket item is your sofa: spend as much as you can afford and opt for something that will stand the test of time. (With Bemz slipcovers you can easily change the look to suit your decor, season, mood...)

2. Think about form: Form gives a room structure, perspective and visual appeal. Juxtapose forms, like a mismatched selection of dining chairs, helps add depth.

3. Use color carefully: Color adds contrast, warms and softens, or can accent and highlight. A couple of blue cushions in an all white scheme add interest, while a strong neutral shade on one wall will bring depth and structure to a room.

4. Less is more: Don't lose sight of really matters in making a happy, comfortable home and celebrate the simple things in life. Keep only what you need,use or truly love. (See the seven deadly sins, sin number five!)

5. Ways to display: Choose one or two key pieces and let them have center stage. If it's something ornate, give it space to breath, if it's a collection group it to give it coherence.

6. No stress decor: Anything that makes you worry is a no-go in a relaxed home, like white carpets, surfaces that need a coaster, pale-colored upholstery that cannot be thrown in the machine (we hear ya!). Work within your frame of reference. If you have kids, pets, parties then plan accordingly.

7. Keep it real: Don't succumb to trends that aren't true to you. Create an interior that is honest, soulful but also functional and durable and works for everyone in the house.

8. Work with texture: As a general rule smooth, shiny and silky equates with formal while heavier, coarser textures portray a more relaxed look. Combine them, like mirrors and wood, or silk and linen, to add depth.

9. Plan the space: Open-plan gives a more fluid, laid-back look, and great for keeping an eye on children, but remember you need areas for privacy too, especially if those children are teenagers!

10. Become a curator: Display your treasures without cluttering by grouping items. 

11. Storage is key: A tidy, well-organized home, free of clutter will look, and more importantly feel, bigger. Build in storage so it appears to be a part of the architecture of the room or invest in statement pieces that give the room character.

12. Cultivate contrast: Identify the focal point of the room and then add something that will juxtapose it. An elegant, antique gilt mirror would look stunning in a sleek, contemporary, minimalist room.

Credit: Elle Decoration UK; Photos: Pale & Interesting

Books to Inspire: Small ECO Houses

Can one live ecologically without sacrificing on style? Apparently, yes is the answer!

Small ECO Houses - Living Green in Style, by Cristina Paredes Benitez and Àlex Sánchez Vidiella, really kills the proverbial two birds with one stone: it not only helps with the daunting challenge of making the most of small living quarters but also provides environmentally sensitive solutions at the same time. In it, they profile more than fifty residential spaces from woodsy houses and repurposed barns to cool apartments and urban lofts, featuring the inside and out, with beautiful photographs to help inspire the imagination.

The book showcases design solutions such as creating color schemes to enhance the feeling of openness, taking advantage of high ceilings to make multiple levels, and using collapsible furniture and sliding doors to maximize space.

Trend alert: Decorated ceilings

Reading this month's Elle Decoration UK (March 2011), I discovered that it is no longer ok to just give your ceiling a lick of white paint but that it too should be given the same thought and care when deciding on decor. Here are some photos of decorated ceilings to show you what they are talking about.

1. Trompe d'oeil style

Photo c/o Contemporist

Photo c/o Bloodhound

2. Metallic tiles

Photo c/o Soho House

Photo c/o Apartment Therapy

3. Warm woods

Photo c/o Loft Magazine

4. Embellished whites

Photo c/o Autoban

Two photos above c/o Stevensons of Norwich

Photos c/o Bo Reudler Studio

5. Back to a coat of paint

Photos c/o Autoban

Photo c/o Apartment Therapy

What do you think? I'm not convinced. It works beautifully in restaurants and bars (as we see from many of the dramatic and impressive examples pictured above) however I am afraid that an overly gregarious ceiling will simply cheat the rest of the room of the much deserved attention as that's likely where you've already invested your blood, sweat and tears (and hard'earned dosh!).