It's a cover-up

New style of cover from Bemz for the urban lifestyle

There's something exciting happening today at Bemz: the Inspiration Store is closed for business as we are hosting a by invitation only press event and spilling the beans on some pretty exciting and cutting edge news. Bemz has created yet another unique and exclusive look for slipcovers for Ikea furniture. Today's press announcement is that we are adding a completely new look to the Loose Fit range: an Urban inspired loose fitting slipcover made from 100% washed linen.

Originally launched as a Shabby Chic-inspired style in May of last year, these new 100% washed linen slipcovers are an extension of the Loose Fit collection.

The Loose Fit - Urban look is characterized by an edgier, more metropolitan influence in contrast to his kinder rural counterpart. The look is taken from the latest in interior design trends: subdued and elegantly worn with a sophisticated, slightly looser fit. Seams are purposely apparent, with every aspect of the cover cut and sewn by hand with extreme precision.

"The Loose Fit collection allows us to transform an IKEA sofa using both colour and form in an exciting way. It will be great to see how our customers adopt this new urban look and make it their own", says Lesley Pennington, CEO and founder of Bemz.

Both the Urban and Country Loose Fit collections are manufactured using an exclusive linen from Belgium, a country with a centuries-old tradition of flax cultivation and processing. The fabric, Rosendal Pure Washed Linen, is pre-washed to give it a beautifully soft and vintage-like look, and comes in Absolute White, Soft White, Unbleached, Medium Grey, Sage Brown and Lavender.

Loose Fit - Urban covers will be available from early 2012 for a selection of models within the Karlanda, Karlstad, Klippan, Henriksdal, Nils, Klappsta and Kivik furniture ranges and as bedskirts.

Top tips: It's okay to be blue

Have you ever heard of chromatherapy? Me neither! Apparently, it is the art of healing through colour. And why not? We react emotionally to lots of colours for a variety of reasons. If I say red, you say hot (or Christmas or love...). If I say green you say ecological (or money or jealousy...).

But let's talk about blue. It's associated with cold as well as with sadness but did you know that hues of blue can help soothe pain and promote relaxation?

It doesn't stop there! A blue room is even said to make people more thoughtful and productive!

All this and beauty too. The soothing shades of tropical waters like Oceanic Teal and Crystal Bay will help create a dramatic statement. 

And the fact that many of the names given to the various hues of this colour are derived from natural resources is evocative and telling.

And how timely: Bemz has just added a new colour to the Tegnér Melange texture fabrics collection. Mineral Blue (pictured above). It's a stunning dove-blue with a hint of sand and spot on trend for this ever-popular mellow yet intense colour palette. 

As with all nine shades included in the Tegnér Melange textiles, Mineral Blue is a yarn dyed fabric from Italy, made from a blend of cotton, viscose and linen. By mixing these natural fibres in different colours, a stunning weave with a unique structure and a soft, comfortable surface is created.

Credit: Elle Decoration, November 2011 issue; Photos, except Bemz: House to Home

Bemz Inspiration store needs to lie down

The Bemz Inspiration store tends to get a facelift to mirror the latest trends and any new products with each changing season, but this time around I think it would qualify as an extreme make-over. Here are pictures from the way the Inspiration Store looks now, taken at a press event for our upcoming launch.

With our imminent, very exciting move into bedrooms, a completely new area for Bemz, the sofas have had to take a backseat (see what I'm doing there!) to allow beds to take centre stage.

As outlined in an earlier post, we're now introducing a series of bed skirts and headboard covers in a variety if styles, sizes and designs opening up a whole new variety of options for personalising your bedroom.

The really unique aspect here is the fact that these bed covers are made to fit certain IKEA models but also to suit standard bed sizes, opening up the Bemz collection to those who do not have IKEA furniture.

Any princesses out there?

This has left me wanting my bed... Available from the end of June 2011.

Bemz opens the door to your bedroom

Florö bed frame cover in Lisa Bengtsson's Sir Harald - Multi

Exciting times! We're taking our first steps toward new and even more innovative products that can be used by those who have IKEA furniture as well as those who do not, alike. First was our new Multi-Fit chair slipcovers. And now we are making our way into your bedroom...

Florö bed frame cover in Tégner Mélange Ink Blue; Cushion covers in Panama Cotton Silver Grey and Tégner Mélange Ink Blue

We're now introducing a series of bed skirts and headboard covers just in time for summer 2011.

Bemz bed skirt with box pleats in Designer's Guild Bayshore - Magenta; Bådalen headboard cover in Designer's Guild Bayshore - Magenta

This new collection for the bedroom will enable Bemz customers to add their own personal touch to the most important piece of furniture in the bedroom: the bed. The bedroom series includes innovations for both bed frames and headboards, and also different kinds of bed skirts.

Bemz bed skirt with frills in Rosendal Pure Washed Linen - Lavender

While the covers for the frames and headboards are made to fit IKEA models, the bed skirts are suitable for most standard beds. You can check the sizings online and below.

Florö bed frame cover in Soft White Belgian Linen blend

Lesley Pennington, founder and CEO of Bemz, says:"We have been working for a long time on the development of our concept of 'individual design'. We began in the living room, continued into the dining room, and it now feels wonderful to be able to invite our creative customers into the bedroom and offer a new kind of furniture."

Grimen bed frame cover in Unbleached Belgian Linen blend

The wide range of fabrics at Bemz designed by our in-house designers as well as globally renown names like Designers Guild, Swedish Bantie and Lisa Bengtsson ensure a variety and choice to suit every taste. The bedroom products can be freely mixed and matched with all the existing Bemz fabrics and slipcovers for sofas and armchairs to create the maximum personal look.

Grimen bed frame cover in Frescati Plaid Grey

There are four models of bed skirts in either 40 cm or 50 cm skirt height: a straight model without pleats, one with pleats and a classic model with box pleats. There is also a model in a softer, romantic style, with ruffled frills.

All the models fit standard beds (200 cm in length) with the following widths: 90, 120, 140, 160, and 180 cm. Two standard American sizes (US: Twin Size & Queen Size) are being introduced for our North American customers.

Bemz bed skirt with frills in Rosendal Pure Washed Linen - Medium Grey

As for the IKEA models, these new bed frame covers fit the Florö, Vanvik and Grimen beds, and the headboard covers are made to fit the Bådalen model from IKEA.

In other words, this bedroom series includes products for both IKEA models and beds from other manufacturers.

Florö bed frame cover in Moss Green Belgian Linen blend; Karlstad footstools in Bantie Bubbel - Brown

These new covers will be available from June 2011, with more than 180 different colours and patterns from the Bemz standard range of fabrics as well as some designs from the Bemz Designer Collection, including British Designers Guild.

Romantic vintage chez Bemz: new Loose Fit designs

Bemz’s very own Loose Fit – Country Style slipcovers, a completely new design of cover available to fit IKEA furniture, were first introduced almost a year ago. Inspired by the Shabby Chic interior design trend, it combines a looser fit slipcover with the exclusive Rosendal Pure Washed Linen fabric, a pre-washed 100% pure linen.

By increasing the number of furniture models within the Loose Fit – Country Style range, we are making it easier than ever to introduce a touch of “romantic vintage” into your home, especially with the addition of our new Multi Fit chair cover which fits most standard size kitchen and dining chairs.

You can now get Loose Fit slipcovers from Bemz for the following models: the Ekeskog 3 seater sofa, sofa bed and armchair; the Stockholm (older model) 3 seater sofa, 2 seater sofa and armchair; the Ektorp chaise longue series (right armrest, left armrest and no armrests); and, the Jennylund armchair. Slipcovers from the Loose Fit range are already available for the Tomelilla series, the Nikkala sofa and the Henriksdal dining chair.

We've also added a new color to this collection: Lavender, a perfectly rich pastel, just in time for spring and summer.

To be true to the romantic vintage style of this range, we not only use beautiful 100% linen fabric and a looser fitting slipcovers, but we also cut the fabric by hand and use ties rather than zips (but to mention a few details!). All this and still machine washable!

Trend alert: Pastels with punch

Just in time for summer, delicious shades of your favorite ice creams are popping up on everything from iconic pieces to radiators binging a new sense of fun and the chance to really personalize your home!

Iconic LC2 by Le Corbusier is now available in an array of colors, including many pastels. The powder blue pictured above softens the angular look of the chair. Much like at Bemz, you can test drive the various colors, both for the frame and the fabric to find the perfect combination for your home.

The components of Mia Hamborg's Shuffle side table twist off so that you can arrange them in the order you like best (more personalization!) and comes as a collection of lovely pastels.

Philippe Starck's Parrot speakers come in this apple green.

Key designs have been reinvented and transformed thanks to these punchy pastels. Just look at that KitchenAid mixer!

And right on-trend, Bemz has just launched it's own range of pastels, including the very latest Lavender in exclusive Rosendal Pure Washed Linen, a 100% linen fabric. You don't get much more summery than that!

The Rosendal Pure Washed Linen range also includes Absolute White, Soft White, Unbleached, Medium Grey and Sage Brown, and is available as Loose Fit slipcovers, 50x50 pillow shams or as fabric sold by the meter. This beautiful, pure washed linen fabric comes from Belgium, a country with centuries-old tradition of flax cultivation and is pre-washed to give it a lovely, soft, vintage feel.

And right now you can get 10% off this and all other linens in the Rosendal range, as well as Graphite Grey, Zinc Grey, Soft White, Unbleached and Sage Brown in our Belgian Linen Blend (51% linen, 49% cotton) fabrics.

Have you seen something reinvented and given new life thanks to a lick of color? Tell us about it.

Credit: Living etc, May 2011 issue

Pastels are hot this spring

Update your furniture with the latest color trend: pastels.

Angby sofa in Vanilla Yellow Belgian linen

Pastels are popping up everywhere - in spring clothing collections, as well as interior colour palettes. We are seeing a lot of soft, playful colours that add warmth and imagination to last years colder winter colorways.

Backa sofa in Tea Green (left) and Henriksdal chair with armrests and medium length skirt in Vanilla Yellow (right)

This spring, Bemz brings you pastels - new fabrics that are as deliciously sweet as Parisian macaroons and as wonderfully smooth as Italian semifreddo: Tea Green, Lavender and Vanilla Yellow in our Belgian linen/cotton blend, and Straw Yellow in Panama cotton.

Kivik sofa in Lavender (left) and 1-seat Kivik in Dusty Rose

As pastels are such a diverse color group, it’s easy to find the combination which will ultimately best suit your home. Let the new linen collection inspire you.

Kivik 3-seater sofa in Lavender and Kivik 1-seat and footstool in Raffia Sand Beige

If you are looking to optimize feelings of calm and light, take a leaf out of our in-house designers’ book and mix different shades of pastels. Alternatively, brighten up darker greys with accents of soft Lavender and sheer Tea Green.

Grazie - Kiitos - Tack - Danke - Thank you blogosphere

With the launch of our new Designers Guild MiMo collection we've been receiving some nice accolades in the virtual world and for these we want to say thank you. Dankeschön to German Deluxe Label and tusen tack to Swedish Room and Serve, a fave blog of ours, who were first to pick up on the news.

Not far behind were France's Marie Claire Maison which gave Bemz the seal of approval for the Designers Guild collection (as well as the other collections), for which we were thrilled, needless to say! This was then picked up by other French blogs including Caroline Ruffini Decoration, La Deco de Felicie and French IKEAddict. All the while they continued to pile on the acclaim in our own backyard with Swedish blogs mobler.se, Inred Hemma, C'est la vie and Ellas Inspiration all picking up on the new collection. Tack allihoppa!

But it's not only been about the new launch. Some of you are just sharing the Bemz love. 

One of our fave blogs, Apartment Therapy, included Bemz not once but twice recently! They put us first in their list of 10 Ways to Customize Ikea Furniture and featured Bemz as one of 10 Home Improvement Sources for non-DIYers. Big thank you to AT!

Another favorite blog, CasaSugar, posted a Tour of a Swedish Home where Bemz slipcovers featured widely, in order to show how the various patterns and covers can coexist in the same apartment. Brilliant! That's solving one of the biggest hurdles to buying slipcovers. Thanks CasaSugar!

Popular Swedish interior magazine Sköna Hem's blog posted about getting stains out of grimy sofas but also offered up an array of slipcovers from Bemz as a suitable alternative solution. Tack för det!

Italian blog Lavorincasa.it included Bemz in an article about how to bring your living space bang up-to-date. Grazie mille!

And finally, MTV3 of Finland posted about Bemz on their blog, particularly excited about the offering of Bemz slipcovers in Marimekko fabrics - this world-acclaimed design-house calling Finland home. It's nice to get to share in that national pride. Kiitos MTV3!

Miami meets Scandinavia - New Designers Guild collection at Bemz

Introduce a taste of post modern Miami style into your living room, and your Ikea furniture, with four new designs from the Designers Guild Miami Collection.

With its characteristic mix of glamour and veracity, this ocean side city has influenced designers and artists alike since the early 1920s. This influence has stretched across the ocean, inspired predominantly by its modern 50s and 60s architecture, and taken root in Britain in the brand new MiMo (Miami Modern) collection by Designers Guild.

And Bemz has just launched a whole range of slipcovers to fit a number of Ikea sofas, armchairs and dining chairs in fabrics from that very collection. The pictures below showcase the new fabrics included in the Bemz Designers Guild Miami collection. Go to bemz.com to get full details and to try them out on your sofa.

Flamingo Park in Fuchsia (left), Lemongrass (right) and Natural.

Coconut Grove in Black & White (PS chair on the left) and Acacia (PS chair on the right).

Espanola Way - Cobalt

Bayshore - Magenta

You will instantly recognize the archetypal Designers Guild larger-than-life, coordinating, colorful patterns in this Miami collection. Furthermore, its vibrant color scheme paired with daring organic and geometric shapes, works beautifully in combination with the existing Designers Guild and Bemz collections alike. 

Miami Beach here we come!

Looking for a change for 2011 - try Bantie

At Bemz, we are ringing in the new decade by launching a brand new designer partnership: Hello Bantie!

We leaked the news back in December about this launch but these fabulous fabrics are now up and available to order on bemz.com.

Bantie was established in 2007 by the current Managing Director, Wilhelmina Wiese, and designer Ulrika Gyllstad. Their style represents an expression of modern design, with a dash of humour and a nod to the past. Their inspiration stems from a wide spectrum of influences, with Scandinavian colour combinations pulling the whole collection together.

Bemz recently launched four prints Kokeshi, Salamander, Bubbel and Korall, in a total of seven different colour schemes. The playful Kokeshi, with its Japanese wooden doll arrangements, hints at a modern Toile de Jouy. While the lively Salamander reminds us of a bubbling garden pond. Bubbel and Korall combine retro-inspired colour and design in a manner which is both organic and graphic.

The new patterns are printed on our 100% Panama cotton, machine washable of course, and are available as sofa, armchair, and chair covers at bemz.com. With the seven new designs and colour schemes from Bantie, there are now over 170 different fabrics to choose from in the Bemz range.