It's a cover-up

Top tip: gift for the person with everything?

There's a lot from this throw-back to the 80s rehash that I could probably do without (shoulder pads for one!) but my memories of putting together a mixed tape for a friend (more likely someone I wanted as more-than-a-friend) are heartwarming. I'd spend hours pouring over the tracks, ensuring they reflected my taste and appealed to the recipient's taste. The order of the tracks was critical and timing was down to a science: you didn't want the end of a song to get cut off nor did you want too much dead time at the end of one side of the tape...

 

There were few gifts you could give that required as much effort and time as making a mixed tape and that's why I think they were one of the nicest, most personal gifts you could give. And guess what? They are back! Just in time for Christmas too...

If you're stuck for the ideal gift for your lifelong dance partner (or someone you'd like to have as a dance partner!) give this a go. Make a Mixa provide you with the nostalgic look without the awkwardness of mixed tape technology, or lack thereof. It looks just like the old tapes but with a hidden 1 GB USB stick. Make a Mixa have really captured the essence of the old world mixed tape era by giving you the opportunity to completely personalize the gift: you get to decide on the color of tape, including a totally retro turquoise, design the sleeve and even include (I quote) fancy pants stickers for that added touch. All that, and delivered in a box for only £19.99 (+shipping).

And let's be honest - copying a playlist from your iTunes directly onto a USB sure beats recording them off old LPs!

We are on the move... And people know it

Here are a couple of sneaky shots from the new office space where Bemzers have relocated. Everyone's excited but it still needs a little loving...

That looks like Lisa closest to us, then Sara hunched in front of her computer, then Emma I think, and finally Ben.

There's a space waiting to be filled... But what a space! 

And very big thank you goes out to Swedish Fixa och Dona, Åtta Små Plommon, Tingelings, Jane's Dreams, Lillasystern Liten, Home Grooming and Hus & Hem for sharing in our excitement about our new Inspiration Store. Grand opening tomorrow 11 am. See you there!

Pssst! Along with the opening there's going to be an event open to all you Bemzers not near enough to Stockholm to take part in the festivities. Tune back in tomorrow before 11!

Very limited edition IKEA furniture

My colleague, Sara, sent me this link this morning. What a great start to the week! Have a close look at the picture to the left and tell me if you notice anything unusual about it...

Ivar shelving. Check. Lack table. Check. Klippan sofa. Check. It's all IKEA furniture. So what's the hitch you ask? This is official IKEA furniture, produced by IKEA in 1/6th scale for a doll's house! Apparently, it is made for IKEA staff only but was bought on eBay by blogger Nat from Milkshake a la Mode, a blog about dolls, video games and life in Japan. Nat obviously takes her doll's house very seriously - check out those accessories! I wonder if she baked those little mini cookies? Amazing.

"This klippan is so roomy!"

Included in the purchase was a paper pattern for making your own new slipcover for the Klippan sofa. Something for Bemz perhaps?

Even the dolls love the Poäng armchair (although I would perhaps get a cover for them in Prisma Stripe- Moss Green to add a little color and tie in with the cushions on the sofa).

My daughter has a doll's house but none of her dollies are nearly as cool or as fashionable as that gaggle of girls. Well done Nat!

The ultimate tree house

Check out this home made of whole trees. Not only is it super eco-friendly, it's also architect designed and most importantly, beautiful. Architect and 'inventor' of Whole Trees Architecture, Mr. Gundersen uses small-diameter trees as rafters and framing in his airy structures, and big trees felled by wind, disease or insects as powerful columns and curving beams.

First of all, a whole, unmilled tree can support 50 percent more weight than the largest piece of lumber milled from the same tree so these whole trees are more efficient. Secondly, when the trees are left whole, they sequester carbon, a ton and a half  for every ton of wood to be exact. Compare that with producing a ton of steel which releases two to five tons of carbon. Thirdly, these passive solar structures also need very little or no supplemental heat.

And if all that weren't enough, Gundersen's method is even beneficial to the forest as taking small trees from a crowded stand allows the remaining plants get more light, air and nutrients.

Find out more about this project through the New York Times or via Inhabitat. 

Photos by Paul Kelley for The New York Times

Stockholm Stripe in pink?

Just saw this picture of the Black & Spiro shop in Brisbane on their blog Absolutely Beautiful Things. Indeed! That sofa looks like it's covered in a Stockholm Stripe fabric, except Bemz doesn't offer pink. Perhaps an option to entertain?

A home to inspire

Came across this post on a fave blog, design sponge - it featured an excerpt from Canadian House & Home and I really liked the pictures. Inspirational! So thought I'd share.

These are photos from their assistant style editor and fellow-blogger, Michael Penney's own home (which happens to be in the very same city that Lesley Pennington, the Bemz founder and CEO, calls her hometown: Toronto, Canada). 

Those baskets are a great solution for making the best use of the space available in a small kitchen, without leaving it looking cluttered. And I love the contrast provided by the window frame painted in a glossy black against all the white of the kitchen.

He certainly makes the brown and blue combo work!

This is my favorite picture. Don't you love how those bold brown stripes bring the room up-to-date, giving it a contemporary edge without sacrificing its cozy feel?

You like?? See the full slideshow and Michael's own comments on why / how he made certain design choices here.

Photos by Angus Fergusson

Watch Lesley in action: CEO twittering

Just out, Lesley's presentation on the use of social media from The Really Realtime Disruptive Media Conference.

Moodboards con't - my attempt

My most recent Top Tips post about the usefulness of moodboards was a call to action for me. I put together this moodboard for the said H&M Jimmy Choo competition. I chose some shots from the H&M website, some from their Facebook page and some were random words or imaged that helped underline the overall mood I was after. What do you think?

Do CEOs tweet?

I know there are some famous people out there who use Twitter to keep in touch (Stephen Fry, Ashton Kutcher), but do CEOs use it? This one does! On Tuesday, Lesley gave a talk about twittering and the use of Social Media at The Really Realtime Conference put together by Disruptive Media. As one would expect from a bunch of social media savvy people squeezed into a room for a day, the action was available almost simultaneously online: tweets, blogs, Flickr photostreams, videos, you name it. 

A warm mention goes to Jon Buscall whose praise of Lesley's talk left us all beaming like proud parents witnessing their first born's first steps. Also, Christopher at bjornalberts.com put together a nice summary (in Swedish though) of top tips for small businesses thinking about including social media in their marketing portfolio.

If you are ready to dip your toe into the social media sea, join us on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Photo c/o paulamarttila

Thanks for the shout out!

Photo c/o M2JL with Tullsta chair with Bemz cover in Marimekko Unikko- Red 

We've recently been getting some great coverage from some fab blogs. Thanks to M2JL, A Chair in a Room, Rented Spaces, Swedish Våning & Villa, Inspirera Mera and Villa Varm, and Norwegian Fjellrosa & Livet Under Stjernene.

Left: Residence from Sweden; right: Your Home UK

On the newsstand you will have found some of our models gracing the pages of some fave mags. Swedish Residence put together this great orange ensemble with a Klippan dressed in Gotland Stripe- Mandarin Orange by Bemz which, combined with the wood, really warms up the otherwise white room. Meanwhile, the UK's Your Home opted for a greener look with an Ektorp armchair in Marimekko Kirsikka- Turquoise by Bemz.