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

Design spotlight: AGA

We started this design spotlight series in the beginning of the year, with the hopes of featuring some real dandies. As a starting point, I ask Bemzies to tell me what designer item would top their wishlist. First up was Production Manager, Lisbeth with her Royal Copenhagen dinnerware then Project Manager, Sara's cabinet from Svenskt Tenn. So far, so good! Now it's Customer Service Rep, Emma's turn and her choice: the iconic AGA oven.

Photo via AGA: Classic two oven AGA in cream

I'm really glad this feature made it to our list, as the AGA is a stunning piece of furniture for the kitchen that suits many different styles, despite first being launched in 1929.

Photo via Ideal Home: Updated Shaker style kitchen with modern handles and pure white AGA

Photo via Homes & Gardens: Country style kitchen with a splash of colour

Photo via Sylvarna Kitchen Designs: Classic black AGA completes a modern kitchen design

Plus, we at Bemz have more in common with it than we perhaps first suspected: it was invented by a Swede! Nobel Prize winning physicist Dr Gustaf Dalén, who was house bound after losing his sight due to a failed experiment, created a cast-iron cooker capable of every kind of cooking simultaneously through its two large hotplates and two ovens, otherwise known as the AGA.

Photo via AGA: Cream coloured conventional AGA

Photo via Beautiful Homes: Earthy tones and rustic touches give this fisherman's cottage kitchen a coastal feel

Photo via Livingetc: A country kitchen with a modern edge

More importantly however, an AGA sets the standard for kitchen design and gives this heart of the home a stunning focal point. Like any clever company, AGA has made changes to meet customers' more modern demands over the years without ever losing sight of the all important look of this iconic appliance.

I think Emma put it perfectly when she informed me that the AGA cooker topped her designer wishlist: Something I would love to have but do not actually need is this iconic appliance, although I would prefer it in Duck Egg Blue.

Photo via AGA: 3-oven in duck egg blue

Photo via Henry Gorden Jones: Duck egg blue AGA

Read more about the history of AGA and their range of cookers. And thank you Emma for your brilliant choice providing us with another intriguing Designer Spotlight!

PS FYI: Dalén contributed more to this world than this iconic piece - he was awarded the Nobel prize for his work in developing automated lighthouses, an invention which saved countless lives.

Go large or go home? Designer furniture you can afford

Let's be honest - there's plenty we covet. In my book, a lot of it is designer labeled. But coughing up the cash isn't that easy. Mostly because there is no cash... The beauty with Bemz is the proverbial can't have your cake and eat it too does not apply here. Yay! See below...

Check out this gorgeous armchair I just saw featured in the March 2012 issue of Livingetc: the Norton armchair in Marimekko's Unikko fabric. The ideal springtime boost for a white space, they write. Couldn't agree more. Except this one will set you back a clean £1800 (US$2820).

Or how about this sweet number: a Karlstad armchair from Ikea with Marimekko's Unikko fabric in red from Bemz. This baby, all said and done, will set you back £279 (US$440). I can think of a few things I could do with that extra £1500 (US$2300)... 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). Karlstad not the chair you have? No worries. There are over 20 different styles and models to choose from at Bemz.

By the way, this is not the first time I've made this kind of comparison. And, if you found this insightful, you may also be interested in playing our which of these is more expensive game! Check it out here.

Top tips: How to dive into the blue

Blue never completely goes out of fashion. This is because it fits into many styles, is multi-functional, practical and beautiful. And it's back at the top of the popularity charts! 

From the coolest pale, powder blue to the deeply warming and intense sapphire, blue reaches from one end of the colour and emotional spectrum to the other. It is the colour of the sea and sky. It is happy thoughts. It is electric and invigorating. It is escapism. It is holidays. It is coolness. It is sadness. It is calming and relaxation. It is distance. It is abstract. And it is this very myriad of shades and the emotions they evoke, that makes blue so powerful.

Having read that, it may now feel like using blue is not easy - but it is, and here's how:

- Step one: think about the purpose of the space you are decorating. What kind of feel do you want to create? Do you want it relaxed or invigorating? Do you want to glam it up or keep it simple and rustic? To help you with this we have a few styles and idea palette choices listed after step three.

- Step two: pick the right shade of blue to achieve the purpose you defined in step one and introduce tones of that shade. In descending order, it goes colour, shade, tone. To further clarify - a tone is the varying degrees of a colour that make up a shade. So, if sky blue is a shade of the colour blue, then just as the sky is never composed of a single flat colour but rather a myriad of tones, so is the shade of colour you've chosen made up of a myriad of tones. And it is with these tones you want to work. 

- Step three: layer with the appropriate tones using patterns and texture. The key to success with blue is working with a mix of patterns and tones. This will keep it interesting without ever overdoing it.

Are you ready to dive in? 

Ultramarine and turquoise shades are vivid, versatile and trendy. They are the ones we are seeing most on catwalks and are great tones to use if you want to inject a feeling of spring/summer into your home. Layered tones will provide texture and interest.

If you are looking for a calm, coastal feel, pale aquamarines, denims paired with sandy beiges are the way to go. They are restful and soothing - well suited to rooms made for relaxing, like the living room or bedroom.

At the other end of the spectrum, an invigorating cobalt or electric blue paired with brilliant white is another take on the traditional monochromatic look. This is a great combination for a space that requires you to be productive, like a home office or kitchen. 

If you love glam, opt for teals, paired with turquoise and petrol blues for sophisticated bling. 

If pretty is more your thing, sky blues should be your palette of choice. They can have the effect of increasing a sense of spaciousness.

Whether you're an urban angel or a country romantic, love rustic or retro, there's a blue for you. Check out our collection of 35 blues by filtering colour choice in our webshop.

Photos: all from Bemz

Pop into our Urban Inspiration Store

With the launch of our new Loose Fit - Urban collection, the Inspiration Store has been given a facelift. We realise that most of you won't be able to make it in person into our store so we thought we'd share some photos here: 

Loose Fit - Urban covers in Rosendal Pure Washed Linen on Henriksdal chairs

Loose Fit - Urban cover in Rosendal Pure Washed Linen Medium Grey on a Karlstad sofa

Loose Fit - Urban cover in Rosendal Pure Washed Linen Absolute White on a Karlanda

Loose Fit - Urban covers in Rosendal Pure Washed Linen Medium Grey on a Kivik sofa and Klappsta chair. Karlstad footstool in Absolute White.

But if you are in Stockholm, then please pop in!

Trend alert: Urban decay revisited

As defined by Wikipedia "Urban decay (also known as urban rot and urban blight) is the process whereby a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude." This definition may leave you wondering how this could ever become trendy! However, as a result of our love of the environment, our passion for the three Rs, followed hot on the heels by the instant hit upcycling, it seems an almost natural progression. 

Urban decay New York City via Wikipedia

Urban Decay, in the fashion and interior sense, also known as Industrial Vintage and Industrial Chic, is really about embracing the tarnished and somewhat old and used pieces and making them your own. I posted about this back in December but it's high time for a revisit! Bemz's Loose Fit - Urban covers are set to go live momentarily and they are core to this look.

Industrial look c/o Bemz

What do you need to achieve the right amount of decay you ask? Well obviously, as with any design, personal taste will guide you here but basically think about these three things:

Industrial style kitchen c/o Livingetc

Industrial style conservatory c/o Livingetc

Industrial style bedroom c/o Ideal Home

1. Take cues from old, defunct factories and rustic surroundings: Furniture choices are sturdy and functional, with straight lines and simplistic design, ideally a little worn with either rust or peeling paint to give it the proper tarnished look and a genuine factory feel. Use a balanced mix of concrete, untreated wood and tarnished metal, ideally in their crudest, unpolished form to provide the industrial base for this look but then soften it with personal details like framed black and white photos, fresh cut flowers and supple fabrics.

Loose Fit - Urban slipcovers in Rosendal Pure Washed Linen Medium Grey on Henriksdal chairs from Ikea

Loose Fit - Urban bed skirt in Rosendal Pure Washed Linen Sage Brown on a 160x200 cm bed

Daybed cover in textured Sybary Light Grey and cushion covers in Sand Beige and Graphite Grey

2. Fabrics are key: It is the softness and versatility of fabrics that interprets the industrial theme for home living. Shades of grey, with white, black and blue accents, especially denim-like textiles build a solid base for the colour palette of this look. Injections of soft pastel colours, particularly "dirty pastels" such as mint green or light yellow, can break up the predominantly grey colour scheme. On-trend metallics are the ideal partner for offsetting the less refined materials used in this style. Patterns should be used sparingly so that the subdued, monochromatic grey, white and black colour palette remains uninterrupted. To achieve the right, worn look, opt for interesting textures instead, such as washed, tactile fabrics in any and every shade of grey.

A chair as a nightstand and a trolley as a coffee table

Industrial style home office c/o Livingetc 

3. Repurpose pieces - think outside the box! Stacked boxes provide unconventional storage; a slightly worn metal stool can be used as a bedside table; an upcycled pallet finished with a glass top and casters is a coffee table. These details define that urban decayed look while making it personal too.

Have a look at our Loose Fit - Urban collection on Pinterest for more inspiration and follow us on Facebook to find out when this new collection goes live.

Design Spotlight: Svenskt Tenn

It's time for the second installment of our new Design Spotlight series where we look at all those classic, iconic as well as up-and-coming design pieces we covet, and the creative minds behind them.

The first installment came from our very own Lisbeth's wishlist. Officially called the Product & Production Manager, Lisbeth is the Bemz in-house design specialist so suffice it say, she knows design. And what a great start it was with a look at some stunningly beautiful and timeless, retro inspired Royal Copenhagen dinnerware.

Svenskt Tenn shop today

But let's move onto our next feature which comes from the wishlist of the person I work most closely with - our fabulous marketing extraordinaire, Sara. Project Manager Sara has also chosen a piece from an iconically Scandinavian design house, Svenskt Tenn. More iconic still, Sara has chosen a piece by the superlative of designers, Josef Frank and his Cabinet 2192, pictured below. 

Cabinet 2192 by Josef Frank

What makes this cabinet design so unusual and fresh is the shadow effect formed from the corrugated cardboard-like doors. Josef Frank designed this in 1954, yet it still looks contemporary and fresh. That's talent.  

Svenskt Tenn is an interior design shop located on Strandvägen in Stockholm, Sweden, but a shop with a great history. It was founded in 1924 by Estrid Ericson, who recruited Austrian architect and designer, Josef Frank to the company 10 years later. The pairing of Viennese elegance and Swedish functionalism, brightly coloured patterns, unabashed borrowing from high and low cultures and eras defined Svenskt Tenn’s design philosophy and completely went against the ideals of the day. This creative duo designed the elegant and boldly patterned style that continues to pervade the collection today.

In 1958, Josef Frank wrote in the magazine Form: “There’s nothing wrong with mixing old and new, with combining different furniture styles, colours and patterns. Anything that is in your taste will automatically fuse to form an entire relaxing environment. A home does not need to be planned down to the smallest detail or contrived; it should be an amalgamation of the things that the owner loves and feels at home with.” A sentiment that is as current today as his creations.

Josef Frank is still held in great repute and continues to be a source of inspiration for many young designers today. In fact, textile designer Stig Lindberg, whose creations are included in the Bemz Designer Collections (pictured above), quoted Josef Frank as one of his sources of inspiration. 

Estrid Ericson and Josef Frank have succeeded in creating that timelessness which so many strive for but few manage to achieve.

Thank you Sara for your wonderful choice and providing such a fascinating Design Spotlight!

Read more about the history of Svenskt Tenn, about shop founder Estrid Ericson, and Josef Frank.

World Design Capital of 2012: Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki has been officially designated the honour of World Design Capital for 2012 and we are thrilled. This Finnish capital has long been a mecca for design aficionados, but it's wonderful to see it finally get the credit it deserves!

Light show on Helsinki Cathedral

Back in the 90s, a group of über creatives were drawn to the rough charm and low rents of the west of downtown Helsinki so decided to set up shop and call it their own... The Design District of Helsinki was born.

Minna Parikka in her shop in the Design District in Helsinki

In the heart of the Design District, where cutting edge boutiques and studios abound, you can often find the creative minds behind the wares on hand, ready to provide personalised advice. One example is designer Minna Parikka and her extravagant shoes (pictured above) which are popular with the likes of Lady Gaga and Dita von Teese.

This is not to say that Finnish designers are contemporary new kids on the block. Au contraire! Much of this Nordic country's design success is rooted in a very well established portfolio, one that has held its ground for decades.

The timeless Aalto vase

Not so long ago, I posted about Finnish fave Alvar Aalto and a book about his architectural achievements which show no signs of diminishing in popularity. But like so many of his prolific counterparts, he is equally famous for his vase, pictured above.

Kartio glassware collection by Kaj Franck and the Ball Chair by Eero Aarnio

Other Finnish favourites include Kaj Franck and his seminal glassware (left), Eero Aarnio and his coveted Ball Chair (right) and so many other classics to be found under the famous Iittala and Artek design houses. 

Klippan sofa in Unikko Red by Marimekko from the Bemz Designer Collection

Of course, our favourite would have to be Finnish cult brand Marimekko. Global recognition was cemented back at the start of the 60s for this textile giant, when Jackie Kennedy wore a Marimekko shift dress on the cover of Life magazine. They've never looked back. 

What is the secret of these Finnish masters' success? Three words: beautiful, functional and timeless. Who's your favourite Finnish designer?

Trend alert: What's hot for 2012

What January would be complete without the requisite what's hot list? Here's ours for 2012. We see this year in interiors celebrating your personality. This is of course not entirely new but perhaps taking it up a notch: attention to details, unique pieces, pleasant, comfortable interiors.

Get those paintbrushes out! Strong, bold colours are back. We've already seen this with Pantone's Colour of the Year Tangerine Tango, but it's also apparent with the use of more and more what I like to call confident colours. Those bright, vibrant, determined colours that say 'I like this colour and I'm not afraid to use it.' Bam!

Not too shabby: that rustic, worn and romantic shabby chic style remains hot but is being paired with industrial to give the look a bit of an edge. Looks like we are launching our Loose Fit Urban covers just in time!

Handmade and bespoke furnishings are still in high demand. It is after all these items that make one's home so very personal. 

Wallpaper is still holding it's ground - perhaps due to the great versatility of style and designs available to us. From retro, to glamorous to trompe d'oeuil and everything in between, you are sure to find the right paper to finish the look you want in your home.

Exotic eastern influences are spicing up interiors around the globe. Choose from Moroccan style patterns, or an Asian accessory to turn your home a little more bohemian.

Life in high definition, like über real art is making head ways, like the oil painting above. It's hard to believe it's a painting and not a photo. And that's the point...

You could of course kill two birds with one stone by combining this trend with the wallpaper trend.

Plants are hot, as accessories as well as decor-wise. If you're not much of a green thumb then stick with tropical plants that are used to harsher conditions!

Oversized lighting is one to watch this year. No need to break the bank to achieve this - even our blue and yellow Swedish friend has some nice options.

Sculpted mirrors: with personalisation being so popular, we look to have any and every piece somewhat unique, which is why these sculpted mirrors are so big now. They can be used interchangeably with art.

I love the fact that glass is a popular trend for 2012. They bounce the light around the room, add air and a feeling of space. Plus, today there are so many wonderful glass accessories to choose from, in a plethora of shapes, sizes and colours that it can be easily introduced into any interior. Look for lamp bases, vases and decorations. 

Cover yourself! Window dressings, like wallpaper, once felt like a thing of the past but it is back in a big way. Anything from curtains to simple blinds will tick the box.

Credit: For source of photos hold mouse over image

Design Spotlight: Royal Copenhagen

Design Spotlight is a new series I am starting this year in the hopes that it becomes a regular. The aim is to look at all those classic, iconic as well as up-and-coming pieces, we covet. I want to uncover how they influenced design today as well as the designers behind them. Plus, it's always nice to have something pretty to look at!

To start us off I thought I would first turn to the Bemz team and ask what design items sit on their wish list. And who better to start off with than our very own design expert Lisbeth!

Lisbeth picked Blue Fluted Mega Dinnerware from design icon Royal Copenhagen. This is a modern take on a classic Danish design from a 1775 dinnerware service and was lovingly achieved by artist Karen Kjældgaard-Larsen, at the ripe old age of 26.

These hand painted gems incorporate a selection of fragments from the original Blue Fluted decoration which were then enlarged to highlight the stylised chrysanthemum and its beautiful sweeping lines. They are stunning, timeless and classic. The blue and white are so very Scandinavian as well. Nice choice Lisbeth.

Did you know Royal Copenhagen offer a 24-month breakage guarantee where they will replace broken items?