Tagged: Ikea
Up lift..
This is one to add to the thought book….remember this post regarding upcycled Ikea furniture? Well, the Swedish company Bemz has taken that concept, combined it with soft furnishings and sprinted with it round the proverbial fabric park.
Now your basic Ikea sofa, arm chair, dining chair can have it’s very own facelift in a huge variety of colours, fabrics and textures…including the trend of the hour..velvet.
Eco friendly and kind on the pocket? It’s a modern day romance made in heaven.
It’s just up to you to marry them together.
(All pictures Pinterest)
(And did you notice the feet?? More on that tomorrow..)
Laters, Kate x
For Katerina x
We’re back on English soil, but more of that later – because I was chatting to a friend yesterday trying badly to describe these shelves – part of the new collaboration between Ikea and Hay.
There’s an air of lust permeating from them that suggests a potential design classic: Perfect for a kids bedroom, ideal for an office, there’s an intriguing play between focal point and curated clutter.
And at a mere £12?? Why not have 3….The only fly in the ointment is waiting till October when they actually hit the shops.
Damn.
Laters, Kate x
Leg Lift x
Prettypegs is a simple concept – to bring the option of individuality to mass produced furniture just by changing the legs. It’s the idea that changing one small thing can have a huge impact – effectively it’s the metaphorical butterfly effect for furniture. But without the chaos.
Like Superfront and Bemz before them, Prettypegs main products are designed around anything Ikea makes that has legs – sofas, tables, chests..even beds. But because they have a universal bolt available, other brands can work as well.
(All pics Prettypegs)
On the notion of individuality, it would be nice if they offered a pic ‘ n’ mix option…within similar height options of course….
Laters, Kate x
Design Classic x
Camilla Lundsten is a former designer for Ikea who then published a highly successful series of childrens books’ based around a little red elephant called Littlephant.
Demands from friends and family persuaded her to launch of her own homeware/toybrand…and the making of this drool house and future design classic.
Her philosophy presses many happy polka dot buttons: ‘To simplify everyday life with long-lasting objects that are practical and as eco-friendly as possible’.
Combine that with the alchemy of faultless design, iconic textiles, hours of play, rampant imagination and the urge to make more yourself just to add to the ongoing joy…and it’s product made in heaven.
(All pics from Littlephant.com)
Bella doesn’t get a look in. I want.
Laters, Kate x
Doubling up..
It was a long night last night – after birthday celebrations it was home late to a very sick Charlie with projectile vomiting and diarrhoea..in his sleep..you can just imagine the amount of bed linen/antiseptic spray we got through. Finally we both went to sleep on the bathroom floor – the easiest place to keep clean. So it feels appropriate to look at clever, space saving beds – for which I have to thank the Sunday Times for coming up with these finds – but they’re just too good not to pass on. The bed above is from Noa and Nani – a really good, affordable £129 brucie bargain, chic choice.
They do other designs too, including this very cunning one at £249..
There’s storage..
with a trundle bed above. Genius.
Or what about a space saving bed for three? A bunk bed with a simple trundle you can add for a mere £59.
Or just a trundle you can keep out of sight?
I heart this bed. Disguised as an ottoman it comes up trumps with a padded headboard. From Sofa.com. Although a little bit more expensive at £530.
An Ikea classic. At £349?
Or this one at £499 – apparently flips open to make a double. Check out Made.com for more information.
I’m liking the smaller size option of a chair-bed. This ‘ched’ (my word..) is from Willow and Hall at a currently reduced price of £393
I like the chunkiness of this option…but I’m never sure of the design virtue of armrests shaped as wheels….but if it floats your boat it’s from Loaf at £875.
Maybe you will be able to squeeze that extra guest in this Christmas..ho ho!
Laters, Kate x
Fur coat..
There comes a point in every house renovation when Ikea becomes a must not a want. It’s that line in the concrete dust between Pinterest dreams and harsh reality. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with Ikea – a huge percentage of what they do verges on the genius. It’s just that, chances are, everything you like will be replicated a hundred times over in millions of homes around the globe, even in your next door neighbours, which as an individual, never sits comfortably. But that’s where Ikea hacks kick in – the idea of taking the basic Ikea form and transforming it into something with Icarus-like wings. A concept the company Superfront has taken a whole leap further..
They design and manufacture fronts, handles, legs, sides and tops that fit Ikea’s most common cabinets.
And they do it with style and panache.
What’s not to love?
Except there’s a mental leap to get over..you’re buying Ikea because it’s cheap..and then you’re going to spend lots of money on it to make it special? Why not cut the middle man out and buy something expensive in the first place?
Or let these designs stand on their own two feet and cut out the Ikea bit? Except then they’d be unhitching from the global gravy train…
Hey ho. At least what they do opens up the opportunity to follow suit and nick pay homage to all their ideas too..and so the dog eat dog world of design continues…
Laters, Kate x
Thing of Beauty 2
Baby it’s cold outside – but there’s always a little bit of summer in my house…
This is the statement light in our hallway which also creates the most amazing natural wallpaper..
Now for the truly amazing bit…I made it myself. Blush…well, not entirely myself…it started life as this :
The Makros pendant from Ikea…which I love, but then everyone knows it’s from Ikea..and it was screaming out for a tweak…and to be honest, I have a fascination for silk flowers..
Which actually start life as these:
Those terrible plastic imitation wannabees you walk straight past in the pound shop…
But pull them to bits and the magic happens…ta-daa!
(Little tip: Exceptionally useful and essential arsenal when wrapping presents…dip them in glitter for a Christmas variation..)
The middle bit of the flowers on the light? Those glass beads that come in plastic string bags and catch your eye in a devious way because you strangely want to like them but you know they have absolutely no use unless you want them as algae gatherers in a large vase….until now.
The glass beads and flower petals were stuck onto the saucer shape at the end of the long prongs with a HOT glue gun (as supposed to a cold one with is less powerful) – I left some of the prongs with just beads to increase the light and add variety. I also used a selection of flower types as I was in an experimental mood and thoughts of summer meadow fields were running rampant..but the choices are really endless..single colour flowers, single colour beads, single colour with multiple varieties…your imagination is your limit…
And now their moment to shine comes every time I turn on the light!
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 
