It's a cover-up

Design-It-Yourself: Place setting à la Josephine

Another guest post! This one comes from the lovely Maura of the UK. Maura is one of our Facebook fans and she uploaded the picture below onto our Facebook page. Needless to say, we were impressed and I thought: This is something our readers will love! 

Ask and you shall receive: read on as Maura walks us though this Design-It-Yourself project. Thanks Maura! (Oh yeah - and check out another idea, right at the bottom, that she made from a swatch of Herbarium - Deep Navy Blue by Stig Lindberg from the Bemz Designer Collection. Isn't she creative?)

After filling in an online questionnaire, the good people at Bemz were kind enough to send me a tote bag made from one of their prints: Josephine by the Swedish designer Göta Trägårdh (1904-1984), one of the founders of the Beckmans design school in 1939 & known for her "pencil line look".

I make my own bags, so I used the beautiful fabric to make a placemat, coaster & napkin ring set for two. If you have any Bemz fabric scraps left over from your last project, this would be an ideal way to use them up. If you are buying new, then 30cm of 150cm wide fabric will be plenty.

You will also need:
- Felt in a toning colour – about 30cm if bought from a roll, or 3 x 30cm squares
- Fusible web (e.g. Bondaweb, Steam-a-Seam 2 or MistyFuse)
- Bias tape, 4cm wide, cut from a Fat Quarter of quilting cotton (50cm x 55cm). If you are buying bias tape, you will need about 4m.
- Toning thread.

Just to let you know, the placemats are the easiest to make, the coasters are a little fiddly, and the napkin rings are maddening, so bear this in mind when you plan your sewing.

Placemats:
For the placemat template, I drew round a large plate with tailor’s chalk. Cut out 2 circles in Bemz fabric, leaving a margin of about 1cm round. Cut out 2 more from the felt.

Following the instructions for your brand of fusible web, bond the fusible web to the felt, protecting your iron with a sheet of baking parchment. Remove the backing paper from the fusible web (now attached to the felt) & place (fusible side down) onto the back of the Bemz fabric circle. Press again with your iron (from the felt side, as the heat will penetrate more easily). Allow to cool. Cut out your circles neatly.

For the bias binding, I cut all I needed from a Fat Quarter of fabric (that’s a piece about 50cm x 55cm). Cut the 4cm strips at a 45 degree angle to the selvedge, as this allows the fabric to stretch around curves. Join the strips with a diagonal seam, as it is less bulky (overlap 2 strips at right angles and sew as shown – trim, then press the seam open).

Begin sewing on the front of the placemat, and with a small fold on the end of the bias tape. Sew with a 1cm seam, curling the bias tape around the circle as you go, and taking care not to stretch it. Keep sewing until the tape overlaps at the beginning again. Trim the end.

Ease the tape over the edge of the circle, fold the overlapping fabric in half and pin to the felt on the underside of the mat. Work carefully where the ends of the tape meet, folding to make a neat finish. Sew by hand to the felt. Press with plenty of steam: this will help the mat to lie flat.

Coasters:
Follow the placemat instructions, cut 2 coasters using a CD as the circle template and make them up in the same way.

Napkin rings:
Cut a rectangle of Bemz fabric 9cm x 17cm, and the same again in felt. Bond the felt to the Bemz fabric as for the placemats. Cut this into two pieces 4.5cm x 17cm. The example in the photos is smaller, as it was all I had left to use as a demonstration piece.

Using a strip of bias binding about 7cm long, sew to the Bemz fabric on one of the short ends, taking a smaller seam – about 0.5cm. Fold the tape to the back and back on itself again, trapping the other end of the ring – the binding will form roughly an “s” shape in cross-section. Sew by hand through all the layers, attaching the binding to the felt on both sides of the length of tape.

Sew bias binding to both raw edges of the ring. Turning the ring inside out may help it to fit under your machine, otherwise, sew by hand.

Here's the finished product again: all that from one tote bag? Impressive!

And here is the pin cushion Maura made from a simple swatch. Now this is a very clever woman! Thanks again Maura, for sharing your time and creativity and your idea. Find out more about Maura's own creations on her blog, Sky Parlour Designs or pick up something made by Maura here.

If you have a great Design-It-Yourself idea that you would like to share, send it along to me at blog [at] bemz [dot] com. 

 

Design-It-Yourself: Upcycled vase thanks to Luzia Pimpinella

Yea! Today's blogpost comes from Germany's very own blogger extraordinaire, and the creative mind behind the much-loved Luzia Pimpinella. Nic, the-woman-behind-the-blog, is über creative and has a wonderful eye for detail. She always includes breathtaking photos - the kinds I wish I could take, and captures the essence of that vintage, nostalgic, 50s-inspired look many of us embrace. Needless to say, we were sehr, sehr flattered she agreed to write a post for us.

For this Design-It-Yourself project, Nic takes us from plastic yogurt drink pots to beautiful spring vase. Thank you Luzia Pimpinella for sharing your creativity and ideas with us! Take it away Nic:

Take the empty plastic bottles and a glue-gun and glue them together in a bunch.

Like this one for example.

Measure off the outline of your bunch of bottles and add 2-3 cm for some overlapping of the "fabric belt" ... determine the width as well.

Cut some fabric straps for the outside and the lining according to these measures. Look for some matching embellishments like ribbons and/or lace. You will also need a pretty button and a piece of elastic cord for the closure.

Sew up the outer fabric straps, fix the embellishments with stylefix if you like.

Then sew the ribbons to it.

Sew up outer fabric and lining right to right side. Fix a loop of elastic cord between the fabric layers of one short side.... Leave a hole to turn-over on the other side.

Minimize the seam allowances and turn over the fabric.

Iron the fabric strap carefully and stitch a seam close to the edge... Close the hole to turn-over with this step.

Then go to the flower shop and come back with some SPRING at last! :) Have fun!

Like what you see? Visit Luzia Pimpinella here (she writes in German and English - impressive, eh?). And if you're wondering where she found those gorgeous ribbons, well she has a shop too!

Dank so sehr, sehr viel Nic!

Design-It-Yourself: Wall art

I am really pleased to say this Design-It-Yourself idea comes straight from one of Bemz's favorite PR reps, Sue of Fluency out of the UK. Sue had some leftover swatches which she put to good use:

I had some Bemz fabric swatches spare, in bright splashy colours – including two large swatches of Lisa Bengtsson designs, which I love. I’d been wanting to brighten up my hallway for some time – it’s quite wide, and decorated in plain white with a bamboo floor, so was a bit bare. I thought the swatches would make great pictures – so decided to use them to create canvases to fill the walls.

It takes just a few minutes to do. You'll need:
- a canvas to fit your fabric
- a staple gun – fairly robust, and spare staples
- a flat, stable surface to do it on!

I went off to an art shop nearby; they had a large selection of plain canvases in various sizes. I took a couple of swatches with me to make sure I got the right size – you have to make sure the fabric is big enough to fold over to the back of the canvas frame on all sides.

I then borrowed a staple gun from my sister, and set to it! It’s an idea to press the fabric first if there are any creases. All I did was place the fabric with the pattern facing down and put the frame face down on top of it. Then you fold the edges of the long sides first over the frame, fairly tightly, and staple to the wood – not too near the corners. Then fold over the shorter sides and staple them firmly. The corners were the trickiest bit: I found the best way – after a few goes – was to fold the fabric flush with the edge, rather than at an angle, but you need to try it yourself to get the neatest result. You need to get it as flat as possible, and staple firmly down, otherwise it shows when you hang it on the wall.

Then all you need to do is put up a picture hook, hang your wall art and stand back to admire!

I did two big ones – the Lisa Bengtsson fabrics: Baronessa - Pink and Sir Harald - Multi – and a number of smaller ones with Marimekko designs, and just put them up randomly to create a really colourful display. I’m delighted with my new wall art – and it’s a great way to show off the Bemz fabrics to my friends.

Have you got a Design-It-Yourself idea that you think is the bees' knees? Tell us about it; send me a description and some photos to bemz [at] blog [dot] com and we can feature it here on It's a Cover Up.

Tricia Guild visits Sweden - and Bemz meets her!

And speaking of beautiful designer textiles...

Malou von Sivers, one of Sweden’s darlings and host of Efter Tio, a morning TV program on Swedish TV4, had a particularly exciting guest recently – at least all of us at Bemz think so: design guru Tricia Guild!

Tricia Guild is famous the world over for her colorful designs and vibrant, eclectic collections of patterns available in a wide range of home wares, from wallpapers to fabrics, bed linens to rugs.

Earlier this year, Bemz launched seven fabrics from Designers Guild, the company she founded in the 1970s: Sagrada Lime, Aqua and Blossom; Barcelona Crocus, Cobalt and Ecru; and, Castellar Indigo.

The purpose of Tricia’s visit was to launch her latest book in Sweden, A Certain Style. Pick up a signed copy here. This is Tricia's fifteenth book! They range on the subject of colour and design, from soft furnishing to flowers, gardens and city living. And, of course, are all littered with beautiful, inspirational photos.

The highlight for us? Throughout the interview, Tricia sat on a Karlanda 3-seater with a Bemz slipcover in Designers Guild Barcelona Ecru (pictured above)!

Maison et Objet and gaie Paris

The perfect round off to a week dedicated to trend watching and design festivals, is this wonderful blog post written by our very own founder and CEO, Lesley Pennington on her visit to Maison & Objet and Paris:

I’m just back from Paris, city of fashion, culture and beauty at every turn. Karin, our marketing manager, and my main objective was to visit Maison et Objet which is undoubtedly one of the most important and successful European events for all sectors relating to interior design. I wanted to share our impressions with you. But I confess, I had a few other secret objectives, the likes of which I will only divulge here.

Photos c/o PFSK

Photos c/o PFSK

My favorite part of the show is always, without a doubt, the New Designers hall, dubbed NOW! A trip through this hall provides wonderful insight into trends and the direction design is taking. Natural materials dominated, not new as a trend, but with a fantastic twist! The materials chosen were unusual and used in unexpected, even playful, ways.

The interior design section of the show rang in another year for the environment with upcycling at the heart of it.

Photo above and below, left c/o Rededition

The best part about upcycling is that the results bring one-of-a-kind treasures into the world – like the teak furniture from the 60s and 70s transformed into modern, beautiful one-of-a-kind pieces by French company, Rededition which caught my eye (pictured above). I’ve seen similar ideas in the UK and think that this holistic approach to interior decorating is spot on.

Unique perhaps to France was the African influence. There was an abundant use of warmer, tribal colors and patterns paired with warm woods of which we are seeing injections on other shores.

I would love to incorporate a taste of this into the Bemz collection.

Photos above and below c/o Mama Shelter, except top right of myself and French PR rep Virginie

What other secret objectives did we satisfy on our trip, you ask? One was the Mama Shelter boutique hotel we stayed at: designed by Philippe Starck and über cool.

So cool in fact, that I almost wanted to sneak in the back for fear of letting the place down! Staying there gelled perfectly with the whole one-of-a-kind vibe we experienced throughout the show.

The real sign of a successful and important show is in fact, what happens around it. Paris itself came alive with design – whole neighborhoods, cafes, restaurants, shops turned into galleries. We walked everywhere but our visit to Marais allowed us to touch the very pulse of the French Design scene first hand.

And what trip to Paris would be complete for anyone even remotely interested in interior without a jaunt to Merci? Spilling over with philanthropic inspiration, ideas, uniqueness and intrigue, this shop is something everyone should experience when they visit gaie Paris. Just look at these pictures!

What was once called eclectic style has become mainstream and the mixing of old and new, kitsch and classic, contemporary and traditional has been widely adopted. I love that! It allows each of us to really put our personal stamp on our homes without being restricted by one defining style. That’s really what Bemz is all about so it sits close to my heart.

Credit / photos (unless otherwise indicated): Lesley Pennington

Pimp your reading corner Iro-Ivy style

I first came into contact with Iro-Ivy when she entered a few of her beautiful creations for our crafty Christmas post. She won a little gift from us and was offered the chance to guest write a post about something she designed herself. And here it is:

Indecisive?
Short of money?
But still eager for good design?

...hmmm....there might be some help here.

This is the reading corner before

First of all, I'm referring to the above personality characteristics only as short term traits, like when going through a period of change in our lives. Then maybe every single penny that can be saved is important and worthwhile! Should we cut down on our wishes? Definitely not! Actually it's an opportunity to get creative!

Wallpaper samples are up!

As for the indecisiveness issue, here is how it goes: let's say you really want to wallpaper a wall.... you order samples.....you stick the sample on the wall to try and imagine how each would work in the space. And of course depending on their darkness / lightness and the various patterns, they will give to the room a totally different look, depending on what you choose...But ...oh my!...almost all the samples you chose are so nice and would work so well in the space!....so now what do you do? I'd say simple mathematics:

Eight Ikea Ram frames all in a row

1. Costs of covering the desired wall with wallpaper > not ordering wallpaper at all!
2. Possibly living in a rented apartment = wallpapered wall stays with the next tenants when you move out, probably making them very happy, coz you have great taste, BUT the time and money you invested is gone!

So what's next? ...well how about staying with wallpaper samples and we decorate with them instead? Yes? ...but off course yes!

A lick of white paint...

Framing them as pieces of art, can give a very nice tone of interest to the room. In addition, you get to look at every one of the wallpaper designs you so much loved all the time!

Nearly there

As for the framing issue, here is something to be cautious, too, as frames can vary in prices quite a lot! No need to be downhearted, as the simplest and cheapest wooden frames can be transformed into stylish ones, with a brush, some paint, a little bit of time and lots of motivation!

Tada!

So, the costs of the overall project presented here were as low as €33. To be more exact:
-> 9x Ikea RAM frames ( €2,99) = €27
-> 9x 0,50 cents ( cost of every sample ) = €4,50 ( + 2,50 for shipment if you order online)
-> white paint and brushes always exist in the cellar so I didn't have to spend for that, am sure though that it's not a great expense!

The good thing is that these frames stay with you and can follow you wherever you go, not to mention that you can add a new design if you like to refresh the grouping.

Beautiful... But wait - it feels like something's missing...

As for the overall creation of this cozy reading corner, except from the interesting patterns of the different wallpapers, a little bit more was needed....some surface area where books and magazines can be temporarily put while someone is reading, also a place to put a cup of tea and a small plate of cookies and of course, place for a reading lamp and a few carefully chosen objects to brighten up the total space. I chose a pot of seasonal flowers (there are hyacinths now) and a favorite object, such as the vintage, wooden deer, which belonged to previous generations of my family. Candles are also added, as their light sweetens up the artificial light used at night.

In the last picture, the addition of the long shelf can be seen, which made it possible for all of the above to find their places. Now the little table is free to be pulled close to the chair, when for example, we want to use our laptops sitting in the corner...

The finished product. For now at least!

Last but not least, have you noticed the...unexpected addition of the wooden bowl on the top right corner of the grouped wallpaper samples? Well, this place was intentionally left "blank" as I didn't want to make a perfect rectangle, avoiding the overall outcome to remind of a wallpaper shop catalog. I waited and waited until something was found. The bowl used is one I adored from the the first sight! It is put there to calm the austerity of all the rectangles with its friendly uneven circles, which are actually slices of tree barks. More over, two of the wallpaper samples display trees, so these dissimilar objects are brought and connected together through their common theme: nature! And of course the natural tone of the wooden bowl also corresponds to the fabric of the lampshade.

So, creating a cozy, stylish space can take place even when some indecisiveness and shortage of money is involved. Motivation, vision, ability to make it happen and some patience are needed though!

That was pretty inspirational: A great big thank you to Iro-Ivy, who did such a fantastic job at walking us through her creation - great tips too! Do you know what? I think we'll have her back!

Judges' choice - Leslie, formerly of Apartment Therapy

Here is the second installment of "Judges' Choice", where the judges from the My home, my way: Bemz competition (now closed), let us know which of the over 100 entries published (!), they liked the most. This one is from Leslie, a founding editor of Apartment Therapy San Francisco, who has now moved onto pastures greener:

"...this was so tough!

For me, it's a tie: I really like Sofia Nilsson's green sofas -- the color's perfect for the light and airy living room. And I'm sure that Beate Terrier's cat is not the only one to appreciate her comfortable chair -- what a great, cozy reading area.

Thanks so much for allowing us to do Judges' Choices!"

It is us who are thankful Leslie, and well done to Sofia and Beate!

How white is white?

Frida of popular Swedish design blog Husmusen and one of our esteemed judges from the recently completed the My home, my way: Bemz competition wants to buy a new cover from Bemz for her Goteborg sofa but can't decide on which.

She's torn between Raffia Soft White, Chenille- Soft White and Soft White in Belgian Linen/Panama Cotton. She needs your help. Visit her blog and let her know which you think she should go for!

Judges' choice

Following the success of the My home, my way: Bemz competition (now closed), we were talking about what worked and what we'd like to improve on for our next competition. One bit of feedback that we all agreed with was that the judges hands were a little too tied re: the final selection. There were a lot of really great entries and we'd like them to have a moment to shine too, so we asked the judges to let us know which, of the over 100 entries published (!), they liked the most.

Here's the first installment, from Elka of Casa Sugar:

"My personal favorite entry is Flore Vicaire’s customized sofa and pillows. I love that she made her own pillows, and they contrast so nicely with the pattern on the Bemz sofa cover. Overall the whole room is dreamy, and the Bemz sofas really provide the central inspiration for the whole look."

Thanks Elka, and well done Flore!

Meet the judges VII - Bemz's in-house designer

Our coverage of the judges for the My home, my way: Bemz competition would not be complete without our very own in-house designer, Katarina Wiklund.

 

Katarina chose this picture of herself because:
"Although this is an incredibly bad picture of myself, I chose it because it shows my new "favorite": the wallpaper by artist Elisabeth Westerlund. She makes house calls to analyze what she thinks will best suit your home with regards to colors and patterns. She then buys a variety of wallpapers that she uses in unconventional ways to best suit the room and wallpapers' new home. A mixture of art and interior design, permanent art as an integral part of the home." How cool is that?

Where are you from and where are you living now?
Hässelby, a suburb of Stockholm. Becoming more and more central.
Favorite toy as a child?
Lego. Especially the pieces that you used to make windows in the house.
A night in on the sofa with good wine and a DVD, or clubbing with friends at the latest hot spot in town?
Sofa, wine and friends.
Occupation?
Artist, designer.
Favorite designer or design piece?
None.
Urban minimalist or country romance?
Unfortunately both. Or rather a sloppy minimalist: I like the strictness of minimalism as well as the eclectic touch of country romance. There's something disturbing about interiors that are too premeditated.
Favorite brand?
Ikea, Bemz, mac.
Latest download to your MP3?
Elvis Presley's Christmas songs.
Best Christmas gift ever?
My canary called Klas.