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Design-It-Yourself: Christmas - Part V: getting creative

In this last installment of our Design-It-Yourself Christmas series, I am throwing some simple creative ideas out there. Have some ideas of your own? Share them with us - in fact, we are having a bit of a competition on the Bemz Facebook page. Post your own creative decoration and you could have it featured right here, as well as the chance to write about it and a Christmas cushion cover from Bemz to boot.

Who knew post-it notes could be so festive!

Hang retro paper wheels on thread from the ceiling to create a magical blizzard scene. If you stick to white it not only looks festive but also highlights their delicate structure.

 

Leave no surface undecorated! Suspend decorations from the back of a chair or baubles on ever lengthening ribbons around a drum shade, securing with masking tape.

Free up your mantelpiece with a simple card display. Wind ribbon around drawing pins to form a star or a tree outline, then use mini pegs to attach cards.

The advent calendar is the biggest hit in our house and really helps kick start the festive season. These make-your-own ones are simple yet clever, the right one is made from matchboxes!

Greet your guests at the door with a simple wreath that smells of cinnamon. Tie lengths of casia bark with ribbon to for a star and attach a small silver bell for a more festive touch.

Crackers and card displays. Keep your best cards and give them their dues by displaying them in frames on your mantle. 

Work that Scandi style with fresh baked cookies from ribbon on your tree, or from some potted twigs or why not even from the ceiling to add festive cheer over your dining table? If you're pressed for time, you can pick up ready made gingerbread hearts from Ikea, with a hole in them, ready for hanging!

When I was a child, we always strung popcorn for our tree. I would imagine marshmallows would be a lot easier! And don't forget your outdoors. Oh tannenbaum, oh tannenbaum...

Photos c/o Livingetc

The woman behind it all: Lesley

Our final interview from the Bemz Inspiration Marathon was with Lesley Pennington, the woman who one day thought 'Wouldn't it be nice to be able to achieve your own personal look in your home without having the exclusive price-tag attached? Something the whole family could enjoy' and voila! Bemz hit the ground running and Lesley hasn't looked back.

There are also video interviews available with Tina- Bemz customer service manager, Lisbeth- Bemz product manager and Katarina- in-house designer. Just click on the link to watch them.

The mysterious mind of Katarina, in-house designer

The inner workings of a designer's mind are a mystery to me. How do they visualize changes to a room? Is it something you are born with or is it down to a trained eye. Get a taste of how it works from Katarina Wiklund, in-house designer at Bemz and fabric connoisseur extraordinaire.

There are also video interviews available with Tina- Bemz customer service manager, Lisbeth- Bemz product manager and Lesley- founder and CEO of Bemz. Just click on the link to watch them. 

Next up - How did Lesley come up with this brilliant business idea.

Lisbeth, product manager, shares the sofa

Find out more about the who, what, where and when of Bemz fabrics and slipcovers in this interview with Lisbeth, product manager, as she walks us through how Bemz textiles are produced and where the slipcovers are actually sewn. We also get a hint of some upcoming products.

There are also video interviews available with Tina- Bemz customer service manager and Lesley- founder and CEO of Bemz. Just click on the link to watch them.

Next up - How do designers do it with Katarina Wiklund.

Meet Tina: Bemz customer service manager

As you know, you can still visit the Bemz Inspiration Store live via webcam on our website, but not for much longer! Only a few days left. In conjunction with that we've been running our Inspiration Marathon where you can vote for your fave fabric and if it gets the most votes then it'll be available at 20% less the normal price: a little pre-Christmas gift for you.

In conjunction with the Marathon we've been taking the opportunity to introduce a few of the Bemzers to you. Here's the interview with Tina, our customer service manager.

Next up, production manager Lisbeth followed swiftly on by our in-house designer, Katarina and then the brains behind the company: founder and CEO Lesley Pennington who will walk us through how it all started. Watch this space.

Bemz Inspiration Marathon - Halfway there

We are now halfway through our Inspiration Marathon where we feature a different cover on a Klippan sofa every 6 hours. If your favorite fabric has not yet made the cut, don’t lose heart. It may well be among the four new designs being added now. Check out our newcomers and vote for your favorite one to increase your chances of being able to buy it at 20% off!

Bemz Inspiration Marathon - Can you make it?

It's today - it's finally here! The Bemz Inspiration Store in Stockholm will throw open its doors to the public in a matter of hours. A meeting point, test lab, store and inspirational workshop all in one.

You don't live near Stockholm? No problem. This is the modern world: you can visit the Inspiration Store by going to our website. We've set up a webcam enabling you to visit the store in real time at any time, day or night, over the next seven days. 

And in order to properly celebrate the opening of our Inspiration Store, we’ll be running the Bemz Inspiration Marathon too. Well, that's a virtual online marathon, not the sweaty pavement pounding kind. Throughout our marathon, you’ll be able to visit the Inspiration Store via live feed where a Klippan sofa will sit center stage for the duration of the event, sporting a different Bemz fabric every 6 hours, round the clock for a week.

Want to see your favorite fabric? No problem. You and your friends will be able influence the choice of fabric featured by voting for it online. But that's not all: any fabric that stars in this show will be discounted by 20% while on display. 

Also, throughout the event you will be able to "meet" some of the Bemz staff; tune in weekdays at noon to find out who the daily "guest" is.

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!

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?

Top tips: Moodboards - do we need them?

Moodboard c/o most inspired

I say 'Yes!' I love the way moodboards enable you to visually illustrate the look and feel you're after without having to come up with all the appropriate adjectives. It's hard to be establish that your interpretation of 'classic' or 'bohemian' or 'shaker' is the same as another's and this is one way to ensure you are on the same page (punny!).

Moodboard c/o most inspired

All kinds of designers from graphic to web to interior designers start their projects with a moodboard. Why is that? Because using this visual tool clearly lays out the direction of style being pursued and these professionals need to be sure they are delivering what the client is after or run the risk of losing precious time and money.

Moodboard c/o stuff and nonsense

OK, but do you need a moodboard, even when you are not enlisting the help of a pro? I still say 'Yes!', even more so, in fact. A moodboard is exactly what will help you stay on track when picking out colors, fabrics, accessories so that the end result in front of you reflects the image you had in your mind, whether it's updating your living room or introducing a nursery to our home.

Moodboard c/o webdesigner depot

So how do you make a moodboard? It's easy: collect examples that show what you are after. These can include everything from textures, colors and any general attributes, including emotional ones, of the project you're undertaking. There are no limits here! It can include cuttings from magazines, photographs, fabric samples, a favorite quote, words, anything that helps form your vision. I've included pieces of jewelry and even the odd leaf and stone. Collate your treasure trove onto a board and voila! Moodboard complete.

Moodboard c/o mydeco

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and in this case it's definitely the truth.

Now onto the project itself...

Moodboard c/o mydeco

PS If you are looking for the chance to try moodboarding out, Swedish clothing giant H&M are having a competition in conjunction with the launch of their Jimmy Choo collection (yes, Jimmy Choo!) Put your moodboard together and you'll be a shoe-in! ;)