It's a cover-up

Time to say thank you!

It's time once again to acknowledge all those lovely, design savvy people out there who have taken the time to feature Bemz.

Cover for Klippan sofa in Real Red Kavalkad, design by Strömma for Bemz

Following a series of launches, including our new Artist Series cushion covers, new retro 20th Century fabrics, and new made-to-order bedspreads and other bedroom products, Bemz has been given some sweet airtime in the cyber world, and we wanted to be sure to show our gratitude.

Bemz cover for Abelvär headboard in Blue & White Kokeshi topped off with a selection of Bemz Artist Series cushion covers

Firstly, thanks to all those who like Bemz and what we do in general. Among them, the popular Swiss family magazine Schweizer Familie for such a nice write up on Bemz. Vielen Dank also to the Germany-based Für Sie, Zimmerschau and Alsterleben. Bemz made it into the German business press too, in an interesting article in WirtshaftsWoche.

Bemz cover for Karlanda sofa in Hästkastanj by Viola Gråsten

Merci bien to Europa 1, Maison & Déco, La Déco Décodée, Maison et Travaux, Maison Magazine, Arts et Decoration, Maison Cote Ouest, Marie Claire Idées, Femme Actuelle and Grazia in France. We're also delighted that the France-based ma.moi.zelle finally found us!

Bemz cover for Stockholm sofa (older model) in Folklore, design Göta Trägårdh

Many thanks to the folks at Apartment Therapy, Bungalow Homestagers, Bright Bazaar, Sabbe Interior Design and fellow Ikea furniture upcycler Panyl in the US of A. Thanks also to Canada-based writer Matthew Hague. And Tack så mycket to our friends in Sweden, Mitt Liv på Landet, Inredningshjälpen, Doktor Molly, Qreate, and Vita Huset och Elvis for your mentions.

Needless to say we were thrilled with Country Style Australia and their 8-page feature on our in-house designer Katarina Wiklund, showcasing her summer retreat in Roslagen, Sweden, with lots of beautiful pics.

Bemz Artist Series cushion covers in Brown Kvarter, Beige/Orange Stockholm Stripe, Silver Grey Vallsta, Rose Dellen, Jet Black/Pink Stockholm Stripe, Orange Fiskis, Pink Fiskis, Orange Kvarter, and Yellow Fiskis

News about easy, effective and affordable design tweaks travels fast and our new collection of digitally printed and specially designed Artist Series cushion covers continues to create quite a media buzz.

Bemz Artist Series cushion covers in Orange Fiskis, Pink Fiskis, Orange Kvarter

Danke schön to Living & More Sonderheft for doing a fab two page feature on the series and to Schöner Wohnen for featuring the cushion covers as a design tip of the day. Thanks also go to Family Home, a German home renovation portal, for their write up.

Bemz Artist Series cushions in Chocolate Brown/Bamboo Green New Baroque and Rose Dellen

We'd also like to thank Simply Grove, Fancy Crave, Design you trust, and The Fancy for their shout outs about the series.


Bemz cover for Söderhamn sofa in Comedin Går, design Stellan Mörner

Bemz cover for Klippan sofa in Birds, design Strömma

Our stylish new 20th century fabrics continue to make headlines.

Annika Malmström’s Harlequin is a never-before produced design made up of pen strokes that fuse and connect to form a spectacular geometric pattern.

Thanks go to the magazine Journal des Femmes and the blog spot CR Decoration in France, Wohn Idee and Das Haus in Germany, and Trendspanarna in Sweden for their fun retro raves.

Klappsta armchair in a Dusty Rose Houndstooth cover from Bemz

And thanks to Swedish Damernas Värld and the UK-based Homemaker Magazine for sharing how Bemz helps people embrace their inner designer, taking looks they love straight from the catwalk into the home.

Bemz bedspread. Loose Fit, in Medium Grey Rosendal Pure Washed Linen

Bemz bedspread, Regular fit, in Unbleached Belgian Linen Blend

Our new bedroom products, including made-to-order bedspreads, matching cushion covers and a new headboard cover, have been stirring up a lot of excitment of late. In France, thanks go to Carnet Interieur, Luxe Daily and MyDZ, whose writer Vincent Layerle has previously said that "Bemz products are for Ikea furnishing what a shell is for an Iphone: Essential!"

Bemz bedspread in Grey Frescati Plaid, Bemz cover for Abelvär headboard and Bemz bed skirt with box pleats both in Zinc Grey Raffia Textured Cotton

Thanks to the Simply Grove blog (again!), HusoHem in Sweden, CityBlick24 in Germany and the UK-based Déco Mag for their props on our bedroom products too.

A lot of love has been circulating around the blogosphere about our bedroom products thanks to a recent visit from some 80 bloggers, who got a sneak peek at our new collection at the Bemz Inspiration Store in Stockholm in February.

A big thank you again to all of you including ELCE Stockholm, Pink Flower Love, Happy Home, Décor by Design, Un*Due*Tre*...Ilaria & IDA Interior Style, Mocca & Me, Chalk Board Living, Lyckans Ost, Formfront, Purple Area, Design & Splendours, Arianna Interiors, Swoon Worthy, Scandinaveries Parisiennes, Stylizimo, Interior Novice, Dear Designer, and naturally to the Meet the Blogger organisers for sharing the love.

Books to inspire: The Natural Home

Love understated elegance and a casual lived-in feeling to your home - one filled vintage finds, old juxtaposed with new and nature as a decorative element? Then The Natural Home by art director and stylist Hans Blomquist is the perfect book for you. With sublime photography by Debi Treloar, this book is an ideal rainy day read, an invitation to sit down and unwind. Truly captivating.

Blomquist starts off by exploring the essence of his evocative, painterly and quirky yet comfortable style.

In Texture, he revels in the textures and patinas of natural materials. Still Life reveals his passion for creating displays that showcase treasured pieces, while Plants and Flowers celebrates the beauty of nature and the cycles of the natural world. Colour presents his favourite earthy, natural colour palette, which provides the perfect backdrop for hits of brighter natural hues.

In the second part of the book, Blomquist brings us into real homes that showcase the natural look—including a converted button factory!

As Blomquist himself puts it: "The book celebrates a home where style, through furniture and materials used, is very natural, celebrating vintage objects with patina that aged with time and use [...] The homes shown are furnished in a very spontaneous way... unplanned or un-staged, where the style and setting have evolved with time, where furniture and objects found their place, almost by accident. [...]"

The Natural Home is the perfect read to curl up with a pot of tea. Look forward to an afternoon of dreaming!

Photo and text credits: French by Design, Amazon, Ryland, Peters & Small and Decor8

Design-it-yourself: A blackboard wall

A blackboard wall is fun, striking and handy - whether as a practical noticeboard in the kitchen or common areas, or a more creative statement in other parts of your home. It’s also very easy to make – just buy a pot of blackboard paint and choose an appropriate wall or surface. Here are masses of photos to inspire you on how to introduce a blackboard wall into your home.

Trendy in matt black, a splash back is easy to keep clean and simple to update.

Think big - paint a whole wall including the door, creating a moodboard for the entire family.

A blackboard wall is a low maintenance update to a child's or teenager's room - or any room for that matter, which can be modified constantly, keeping kids of all ages creative.

Isn't this a fabulous idea for a closet door?

Not willing to commit to a whole wall? Make a stand-alone structure or paint part of a piece of furniture.

Let the kids doodle while you cook. The perfect height for toddlers!

Create a blackboard at the back of your desk. Rather than the oodles of post it notes and to do lists littering your desk this is a simple and highly organised way to keep track of your to-dos.

Credit: Elle Decoration,October 2012.
Photos: Hover over each photo to see source.

 

Before & after: Bemz makeover in Journal des Femmes

Bemz has been making quite a splash in France of late. Here's yet another makeover by interior decorator Laurence Garrison featuring covers from Bemz, this time in Journal des Femmes. No need to speak French to appreciate how impressive the makeover of Gaëlle's home is - the before and after photos speak for themselves. Needless to say we are très heureux!

Before photo.

Laurence got started by rearranging the furniture in the room, moving the sofa back against the wall, to create better flow and harmony in the room.

She then enlivens the mainly white monochrome interior with pops of colour and pattern - choosing two new sofa covers from Bemz for Gaëlle's Kivik sofa - one for summer and one for winter, topped off with colourful cushion covers.

Summer look

For the summer season, Laurence chose a Loose Fit Urban Cloud Brera Fino cover from Bemz for Gaëlle's Kivik sofa and assorted cushions in Cobalt Brera Regato and Cobalt Brera Quadretto. All fabrics are by Desginers Guild from the Bemz Designers Collection.

Playful patterns and stripes

For the winter, Laurence chose a cosy cover in Zinc Grey Tegnér Melange textured cotton from Bemz.

Layering texture adds interest and depth to the room. Laurence also adds stylish seasonal details like a garland with coloured balls that can be changed to reflect the time of year.

Isn't it amazing how a simple change of sofa cover can make such a major change to the room, creating very different looks for summer and winter.

Un grand merci to Gaëlle, Laurence and Journal des Femmes. To see more of this makeover or other really inspirational interior décor tips visit Journal des Femmes.

Photo credits: All photos from Journal des Femmes.

TV France 2 does full feature report on Bemz

TV France 2 recently did a full feature report on a Bemz makeover as part of its popular C'est au programme lifestyle series. The feature, called Change sofas...with a cover, was put together by the show's talented interior design reporter Sylvie Adigard in collaboration with the equally adept interior designer Laurence Garisson, the face behind the popular interior design site La Décorruptible.

TV France 2 backstage

The program features the makeover of an apartment belonging to Mathilde, a married mother of two, who opened up her doors to share her Bemz experience. Needless to say we’re thrilled!

Before Bemz makover

Mathilde has two sofas in her living room. One is an Ektorp sofa, which has been sporting a white and beige slipcover for the past 6 years. Here, under the guidance of Laurence, Mathilde takes it from drab to fab in a Loose Fit cover in Lavender Rosendal Pure Washed Linen from Bemz. A heap of colourful throw cushions, also from Bemz, completes this simple yet amazing transformation.

Unpacking Bemz boxes

As Laurence explains the choice of lavender is perfect for Mathilde’s interior, which veers towards a warm, vintage chic with a soul. She also points out that compared to the previous rather flat, monochromatic look of the room, the new colourful cushions break against the taupe wall, adding texture and interest, while bringing the room together as a harmonious whole.

After the Bemz makeover

Laurence’s colour choices were inspired by Mathilde’s blue Eames chair and notes of red throughout apartment. Not wanting to remain with a monochromatic colour scheme, she chooses cushion covers from the new Bemz Art Series Cushions, picking the Brown Kvarter geometric print to create movement and energy.

Mathilde sitting pretty on her Ektorp sofa in its new Bemz cover

Laurence adds vibrancy, bringing out the rosy notes in the lavender sofa cover with a cushion cover in Fuchsia Tegnér Melange, which slots in perfectly with Mathilde’s red accessories and antique statement pieces. A final touch is grey, to link the taupe of the wall with the lavender of the couch cover.

“It's all about creating a unique and harmonious look that is true to the character of Mathilde and her family,” says Laurence calling it a wrap.

A big thank you to Mathilde, Sylvie, Laurence and TV France 2 for a super show and great coverage! All you Francophones and multi-linguals out there will be happy to know you can watch the feature report here.

Home styled by Bemz designer in Marie Claire Maison

On Fridays, we generally share one of the many, many photos sent in from our satisfied, or should we say proud, Bemz customers, who open the doors to their homes and inspire others.

This week's post is slightly different as we're sharing a house tour of an apartment styled by Bemz in-house designer Katarina Wiklund. Recently featured online, chez the fab French Marie Claire Maison, it showcases how layering fabrics, textures and colours can transform a house or apartment into a truly welcoming home.

Entitled 'A patchwork apartment in Stockholm', the article provides a lovely introduction to Katarina and describes how she transformed this Gustavian era flat into a haven of tranquility and character using a charming mix of vintage and new.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Katarina's secret weapon is textiles: a blend of bold colours and patterns used in measured amounts.

Unexpected combinations and colour contrasts reinvent the space and create a unique and highly personalised home that is warm and inviting.

We hope you enjoyed the tour and found lots of inspiration along the way. Un grand merci à Marie Claire Maison!

All you Francophones and multi-linguals out there can read the original article here.

Books to inspire: The New Artisans by Olivier Dupon

With the DIY crafting trend gaining momentum worldwide, The New Artisans by is Olivier Dupon is a timely, must-have for all arts-and-crafts buffs out there looking for inspiration or for people who simply love beautifully made objects. What a treat!

Adeptly capturing the new mood - a return to the unique and the artisanal - Dupon showcases designers and makers who use craft techniques rather than mass-production methods to create unique, covetable objects.

Some pieces have been created from scratch, some are old things put together in novel ways, and others are upcycled from the growing mountain of abandoned objects out there, a consequence of today's throwaway culture.

In itself, the book is beautiful, a massive lush tome of 300 pages that is a pleasure to pick up and leaf through. Featuring 75 designers from all over the world whose products are available online – you’ll be sure to find a few favourites yourself.

It is also an excellent reference guide for your own crafting, including an invaluable directory of products, divided into categories: art, ceramics, furniture, glasswork, jewellery, lighting, metalwork, paper and woodwork, stationery, tableware, and textiles.

More than 800 colour photographs illustrate the huge variety of design work available — knitted scarves, handblown chandeliers, wooden table lamps, delicate paper flowers, handthrown pots and jugs, beaded necklaces, embroideries, and more.

Enjoy!

The New Artisans sells online from Amazon and Thames & Hudson.

Pictures c/o Amazon,Thames & Hudson,Cool Hunting and Hi Arts

Designer armchair without the designer pricetag

We recently read in Livingetc that the UK based furniture company Multiyork has introduced new easy living “linen-effect” slipcovers for their sofas and armchairs that look just like the real deal.

Currently on sale, the Multiyork Vouvray chair and "linen-effect" cover pictured below can be yours for a total of £645.

Now, wouldn’t it be wonderful to get the same look at less than half the price with real linen to boot! Enter Bemz. This sweet number: a Karlstad armchair from Ikea with a Loose Fit Urban style cover in Soft White Rosendal Pure Washed Linen from Bemz will set you back just £130 for the chair and £189 for the cover.

I can think of quite a few things to do with that extra £326. And the beauty of this solution, you don’t have to buy the chair – just cover the one you already have (but if you do buy the chair, you might want to know that you can buy it without the Ikea slipcover and save a few bills there too.) What's more, our lovely Rosendal Pure Linen comes in 13 lovely colours and patterns including some by Designers Guild from the Bemz Designer Collection.

Karlstad not the armchair model you have? No worries. There are over 20 different armchair styles and models to choose from at Bemz.

If your a regular reader of It's a cover up you'll know that we do this kind of comparison quite often. Check out two other thrifty designer furniture alternatives here and here. Or you may also be interested in playing our which of these is more expensive game! Check it out here.

Right back at you! Thanks for all the shout outs.

Bemz has a whole lot of thanking to do for all the fab coverage we've been getting of late.

Lori Fralic's lovely article Room Freshener in the Vancouver Sun reminded us how lucky we are to have so many wonderful journalists and bloggers supporting us. Thank you Lori for being so positive about Bemz and our wide range of slipcover fabrics and patterns as well as our Designer Collection.

We've been feeling the love in Germany, with Bemz being featured in Wohn Idee magazine and blog article about interior decor and personalisation, as well as Tiny Treasures, Augen Pralinen, Das Kleine weisse Haus, Das gelbe Schaf, timrasmus, Helpster, All about easy living, Schöner Wohnen, Best Practice Business, fairplanet and Bella Wunderweib. Herzlichen Dank!

 

Next door in France, we were thrilled with the Bemz headlines, not the least of which was the feature about chic and cheap shopping shot in Valérie Barkowski's riad in Marrakech and shown on the very fashionable French show Interieurs on Paris Première. Bemz covers were also featured on France 2's C'est au programme with Sophie Davant and on M6 TV's 100% Mag program. Merci bien à toutes et à tous!

We were delighted to hear our Loose Fit covers in Country and Urban styles floating around on the French air waves on Marie Montuir's La séquence du consommateur. Merci à vous Marie and to Jennifer Hebrard at Deco France, Luce Rosso, La maison poétique, Amenagement design, IKEAddict, OIVA and Caroline Ruffini Décoration from the French blog scene.

Un très grand merci goes to the host of glossies that presented our products in print and online, including Elle Deco, Maisons du Nord, Vie Pratique Maison, Madame, Quelle Santé, Réponse à tout, Prima, Home, Arts & Decoration, Plein vie, Maison & Travaux, Marie-Claire Maison, Le Blog Deco My DZ, DKO Maison, Le Site Malin, Côté Maison, Midiune, Journal des Femmes, My Home Design, Marie Claire's le Jardin de Claire, Paper Blog, Le Journal de Marilyn, Deco Crush and Maison Déco. Phew! We heart France!

Moving onto the UK, where Bemz has had lovely shout outs in Home shopping spy, Knitty Mummy, Ridley and Dowse, House to Home, Beautiful Kitchens, and The Independent. We were particularly thrilled by the wonderful feature by Will at Bright Bazaar about personalising Ikea furniture. Thanks all!

In the US, Bemz has been making headlines in This Little Street, Design Curiosities, D-I-Y Design Diva, Inhabitat, The Renovation Diaries, 508 restauration and design, Family Style Babble.com, Dwelling Gawker, Decorating fusion, Chamelion Interiors, InteriorDesignSense, MyBIGtopics, I heart interiors, Casa Sugar, House Design, stylish serendipity, HelloBrit.com, tidbits, sfgirlbybay, Shelterholic, Bambino by the Bay and LOCZIdesign. Thank you all so much! And to the folks at Restored Style: we're glad you finally found us! 

Hats off to Deco Total in Spain, Sisustusblogi in Finland, RoSaliGa in Norway, Fete in Australia, Waslijn.com in the Netherlands and Life&Style de Standaard in Belgium, for spreading the Bemz word.

And last but not least, a lot of love has been coming to us in Sweden too. We are delighted to say that Bemz was featured in an Allt i Hemmet editorial about new Swedish country style. Tack för det!

From Allt i Hemmet, No 8 2012

And tack så mycket also goes to Kavallinskan, Lantligt på Svanängen, Kickis Blogg, Sanna & Sania, Annettes skimmer, Trendspanarna, Fröken Eila, Möbler.se, Kreative Inredning, Annikas inredning, Flex Inredning, Formfront, E-handle.se, Salong K.se, Life as I know it, emmyflander, Mina glädjeämnen, Fairy of inspiration, Obstinatus-obstinatus, Designnörd, Joys and Inspiration, Mammas lilla blogg, INKVISION, Bonny & Me, Kvinna Med Smak, by mildred, Husligheter Elle.se, Mitt vita hus på landet, Craft & Creativity, Skanska Nya Hem, Confession.devote.se, Mixathem, lotta&dom, Malin Inredare, Formfront, and my evolution for their wonderful mentions.

Bemz News: Vanvik makes the cut

Elle Decoration recently featured a line up of the best upholstered beds for a blissful night’s sleep and the Vanvik bed frame from IKEA made the cut. All you Vanvik owners out there will be happy to hear that Bemz recently added the Vanvik bed frame to our bedroom series, allowing you to further personalise your bed with a designer cover from Bemz.

The Vanvik bed frame cover is available in two sizes, 160 cm and 180 cm and with or without a bedskirt. Choose between a host of machine washable fabrics made in 100% natural fibres available in a myriad of colours and patterns to add your own personal touch to your bed.

For more inspiration read our recent blog post on how to decorate your bedroom, looking at five distinct styles and stay tuned for more on the essentials of creating your dream bedroom. Sweet dreams!