It's a cover-up

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!

Books to Inspire: The Perfectly Imperfect Home

This is a book written by Deborah Needleman, former founding editor of Domino magazine. With beautiful sketchy watercolours of decorators' own homes by Canadian artist Virginia Johnson and great advice on how to make your house your home - what's not to love!

Needleman's starting point is that great homes breathe signs of life, rather than a perfect, impersonal and unlived-in look crafted by a decorator. In each chapter she takes readers through the basic steps for creating a comfortable, stylish, and relaxing home.

I love her philosophy of embracing the imperfect and quirky — and having faith in your individual sense of style.

Simple tips show you how to put it all together - for example how to style a beautifully made bed, an inviting reading nook, or an effortlessly chic display of pictures.

Original watercolour illustrations by celebrated artist Virginia Johnson bring inspiring rooms of world-famous tastemakers to vibrant life.

Again, what's not to love!

Besides writing interior décor books, Deborah is the editor in chief of WSJ Magazine and creator of the Off Duty section of The Wall Street Journal. You can read an interview with Deborah chez CasaSugar. The perfectly imperfect home is available to buy here.

Photos c/o Amazon

 

Covergirl: Loose Fit Urban Karlstad!

Bemz slipcovers recently graced the cover of popular Swedish interior décor magazine Sköna Hem. Needless to say, we were thrilled!

The focus of the feature was a new take on white. Karlstad Loose Fit Urban sofa and armchair covers in Absolute White Rosendal Pure Washed Linen from Bemz were on the cover as well as feautred in the cover story. With the white trend as prominent as ever, Sköna Hem takes a look at white in a new way, beyond ‘bright and fresh,’ embracing warm white – a marriage of worn light beige charm and crisp white new design.

The Bemz covers featured here fit right in with this relaxed, stylish look. Casual yet elegant, these on-trend loose fit linen covers in warm white add a touch of understated luxury, lending movement and texture to the monochrome room.