Monthly Archives: March 2009

wabi sabi

Posted on March 31, 2009 by Danielle| 3 Comments

Many of you enjoyed yesterday’s post about Japanese shop Fog. If you a drawn to Japanese design you might want to read more about the Japanese philosophy Wabi Sabi. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete” (according to Leonard Koren in his book Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers).

The translation of wabi is “lonely”, in current usage it means: “a taste for the simple and the quiet” and incorporates rustic beauty, such as patterns found in straw, bamboo, clay, or stone. It refers to both that which is made by nature and that which is made by man. Sabi refers to the patina of age, the concept that changes due to use may make an object more beautiful and valuable. This incorporates an appreciation of the cycles of life and careful, artful mending of damage. Emma recently had a great post about wabi sabi on her blog, which you can read here.

(images from Skona Hem)

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Posted in design, inspiration, trends

japanese store fog

Posted on March 30, 2009 by Danielle| 6 Comments

I love browsing through Japanese (web)stores. Most of the time I just look at the pretty pictures as the pages are in the Japanese, a language that I can not read. Fortunately Japanese store Fog’s website is in English. And there is more good news: they do ship internationally!

About Fog: Yumiko Sekine started her first business in 1993 importing used books and house ware from Europe and America to Japan. In her search for more products, she could not find affordable every day linens that she had used during her childhood. She visited Lithuania, a country that has been producing and exporting linen products to other European countries since the Middle Ages. Sekine contacted several linen producers and started to have them produce her own product designs in Lithuania. Her first collection started with only seven items. Now after ten years, Fog Linen Work produces a large line of linen products for the home and linen clothing. Its products are leading and defining the natural life style trend in Japan today.

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Posted in home accessories

collection of photo frames

Posted on March 30, 2009 by Danielle| 4 Comments

Another lovely collection of photo frames. More can be found here and here.

(image from Skona Hem)

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Posted in inspiration, interiors, walls

toast

Posted on March 28, 2009 by Danielle| Leave a comment

Today some sunny images (from Toast’s summer catalogue) as day-light saving time starts this weekend in The Netherlands. I can’t wait for those long warm summer days!

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Posted in inspiration

bouillabaisse

Posted on March 28, 2009 by Danielle| Leave a comment

I found a great recipe for bouillabaisse on Pia’s blog to try out this weekend. Doesn’t this classic French dish look delicious? Have a wonderful weekend!

(recipe from from Yvette van Boven, photo from Saskia van Osnabrugge, styling by Annemieke Paarlberg, via Pia Jane Bijkerk)

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Posted in food

gorgeous stairs

Posted on March 26, 2009 by Danielle| 10 Comments

I love these stairs (actually, I love the entire room..)!

(image by Richard Powers)

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Posted in inspiration, interiors

a colourful norway home

Posted on March 25, 2009 by Danielle| 13 Comments

With Spring arriving I am in the mood for showing more colour here on the style files. On Design*Sponge I found these images from Tonje Holand home in Norway. The image above shows Tonje’s living room. Most of her stuff is bought at fleamarkets.

Tonje has her own stationery line called Darling Clementine which can be bought from her Etsy shop. She is inspired by everything -from the costumes in Hercule Poirot to old Czech animation, Bauhaus, flea markets in October, vintage table wear, contemporary fashion, camping and things made out of felt.

(via Design*Sponge)

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Posted in home accessories, inspiration, interiors

kindred spirits

Posted on March 25, 2009 by Danielle| 1 Comment

Holly from Decor8 and Ez from Creature Comforts colaborated in a new project called Kindrid. A few days ago their website was launched showcasing desktop wallpapers from artists and designers and printable paper designs created exclusively for Kindred. You can sign up for a free member account, login and participate in a fun forum where you can interact with us and make new friends, download the complimentary artist wallpapers, and more. What a great intiative girls!

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Posted in design, other

clustered lights made from teacups

Posted on March 24, 2009 by Danielle| 5 Comments

Domestic Construction is a multi-disciplinary design studio based in Brooklyn, New York, specializing in alternative surfaces, interiors, environments and one of a kind fashion and home products. These clustered lights made from teacups can be custom ordered. Check out Domestic Construction’s website and/or Etsy shop!