In line with the slow-burn 1970s revival that's been bubbling under for a few years, cork features heavily as a material.
Showing posts with label ikea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ikea. Show all posts
Ilse Crawford vs Ikea + cork
In case you hadn't heard this deeply exciting design news: Ilse Crawford is launching a collection of rather beautiful looking nature-inspired furniture at Ikea this August.
In line with the slow-burn 1970s revival that's been bubbling under for a few years, cork features heavily as a material.
The range has been called Sinnerlig and will feature more than 30 pieces, which look as if they've been beautifully designed with a heavy Crawford stamp on the details. (The Ikea press info alludes, intriguingly, to the "challenging" creative journey Ikea and Crawford have been on together, as two different approaches to the design process have slowly had to find a way to come together.)
Cork, I am reminded by the Ikea blurb about this newsflash, is "renewable, durable, an acoustic softener, waterproof and easy to clean". And terribly cool. But how to choose just one piece from this collection? I foresee a cork overload coming to my gaff this summer...
Loosely connected fact: Crawford's design company, Studioilse, was one of the trio of creative collaborators with Air BnB during last year's London Design Festival to produce an installation in London's Trafalgar Square. The Studioilse construction was an empty shed, inside which the words "what does home mean to you?" were painted on the floor. The many answers – from cups of tea to messy shelves – were flashed up on the walls in giant tweets and in photographic form, and I spent a strangely comforting few minutes gazing through the windows. You can read more about that and more Air BnB niceness here.
In line with the slow-burn 1970s revival that's been bubbling under for a few years, cork features heavily as a material.
The Insider: Pretty Pegs does table legs
You may recall my previous posts about Pretty Pegs, a Swedish company that ingeniously makes gorgeous, unusual replacement legs for Ikea sofas.
It's a sort of interiors perfectionist's version of the classic fashionista trick of buying a high street coat and replacing the buttons to designer-ish effect.
Well if you liked those, you'll be excited to know that the company has just launched a new range of legs – but not for sofas...
Yep, you can now buy Pretty Pegs for your Ikea tables.
Each leg design – there are five – comes in three different colours and, like the sofa legs, are pleasingly off-beat (love the asymmetry in the Alfred design, above). But although the legs are made for Ikea tables, a set of them will set you back considerably more than your original Swedish mega-brand purchase – at 160€ (£130 or $218). Is it worth it?
I'll let you be the judge of that – would love to hear what you think.
Meanwhile, I really like that they've made a series of videos to inspire your inner Ikea pimper. Here's one visual guide to creating your own striking bespoke table from a basic black number (an idea for sprucing my own chipboard desk, perhaps...). You can check out more like it on the Pretty Pegs YouTube channel.
Read more about Pretty Pegs
It's a sort of interiors perfectionist's version of the classic fashionista trick of buying a high street coat and replacing the buttons to designer-ish effect.
Above, from left to right: Otto; Siri; Otto; Carl; Alfred; Carl; Estelle; Otto; Alfred
What a classy transformation. And the classic gold-topped Estelle legs are rather reminiscent of this Ikea mid-century original.
I'll let you be the judge of that – would love to hear what you think.
Meanwhile, I really like that they've made a series of videos to inspire your inner Ikea pimper. Here's one visual guide to creating your own striking bespoke table from a basic black number (an idea for sprucing my own chipboard desk, perhaps...). You can check out more like it on the Pretty Pegs YouTube channel.
Read more about Pretty Pegs
#Cheaphometricks: when is an Ikea sofa not an Ikea sofa?
When Saustark Design has been at it. This Munich-based company has taken the Ikea hacking trend to a clever, commercial level.
Now you can pimp your Swedish buy by adding a customised loose cover in the fabric of your choice (as well as colourful new legs), to take the edge off the ubiquity of your purchase... I wonder how many of us do have an Ikea sofa? (And you can check the rest of your home against this ubiquity list.)
I've written about a company called Pretty Pegs before, which has been selling lovely legs that fit Ikea sofas and armchairs for a few years now. Yes, Saustark has kind of swiped that idea (though with fewer design choices) but it was only a matter of time. It is a fantastic idea, after all. But Saustark cunningly also combine their legs with its own, fairly extensive range of alternative loose covers too. So far, the legs are only available from the German online store, details below, but the company is open to helping buyers from further afield if that's what you're after.
So back to the clever loose covers. Taking the Karlstaad two-seater sofa – pictured below in just four of the fabrics Saustark offers – as an example, your new cover will cost at least half the price you paid for the furniture initially: a cover could cost anything from 166 Euros (£136) for, say, the man-made corduroy type textile, up to around to 239 Euros (£196) for plain cotton.
It's a lot of money to pay on top of buying the sofa in the first place, but if your sofa is old but structurally sound it's a great way to get a new sofa without getting a new sofa. Equally, if you buy covers when you buy the sofa, you'll still probably be paying less than you would for a sofa from pretty much everywhere else – but it won't look like the Ikea sofa that everyone you know has in their front room.
The downside is that you have to choose one of their fabrics (which you can request free samples of to see how it looks in the flesh). There is a lot of choice, but it's a shame they don't offer a service where you can choose fabric elsewhere or send them some and personalise your sofa even more.
Check out Saustartk Design's website for more info. To find the legs, you'll need to go to the German version of the site here.
Oh yes, and if you want to read all about the Ikea backstory, here's a piece I wrote about the brand for the Independent a while back, which features Modern Toss and expletives in the first paragraph.
Post by Kate
Now you can pimp your Swedish buy by adding a customised loose cover in the fabric of your choice (as well as colourful new legs), to take the edge off the ubiquity of your purchase... I wonder how many of us do have an Ikea sofa? (And you can check the rest of your home against this ubiquity list.)
The downside is that you have to choose one of their fabrics (which you can request free samples of to see how it looks in the flesh). There is a lot of choice, but it's a shame they don't offer a service where you can choose fabric elsewhere or send them some and personalise your sofa even more.
Oh yes, and if you want to read all about the Ikea backstory, here's a piece I wrote about the brand for the Independent a while back, which features Modern Toss and expletives in the first paragraph.
Post by Kate
Before & after: Ikea mini drawer unit revamp
I've had these Ikea drawers so long that they no longer sell them (though they're in the ilk of the Moppe series).
I put wheels on them back in the day, and thought often about painting them, just like the ones I overhauled in the bathroom – using odd old drawer knobs found on eBay and some white gloss paint. Years passed, procrastination flourished. Finally I have got around to fixing them up.
Motivation came largely from an empty space in the bedroom where my make-up and general female paraphernalia needed to live. It had been in a large re-usable shopping bag for too long.
Also, I couldn't see what I was doing to my face in the mirror as the lighting wasn't good after dark. I dabbled with the idea of a giant Anglepoise kind of thing (like this, from Habitat/Argos), or an extendable wall light, but as the idea of the Ikea drawers came into focus, so did the far easier idea of topping them with a regular-sized Anglepoise.
Anyway, first of all, here's the transformation. What do you think?
It was very quick and easy to do. Rather than using sticky varnish, I painted the drawers with two coats of tinted Colron Danish oil (Georgian Medium Oak, only because that was what was I had and I was too lazy to go shopping). You're meant to use at least three for more of a shine, but I gave them a little polish and thought they looked good already. If you've never used Danish oil, it's nice to use – you just paint it on, let it dry, then buff with a soft cloth. Ideally a lint-free one so you don't get a surface covered in soft bobbles.
The frame is painted with black Ronseal floor paint. I love this stuff. It gives a tough finish because that's what it's made for, it has a very soft sheen – softer than eggshell even – and you can paint it onto anything. Apparently you don't even need to prime the wood but I only read that bit after I'd already done it, using two-in-one primer and undercoat. Then two coats of the floor paint and it was ready.
I have it on good authority from a lighting designer that overhead lighting is rubbish for doing make-up: what you need is something directed at the mirror and reflecting back at you. Anglepoise-tastic. It also means that this corner of the bedroom gets a cosy glow at night now. And the lamp can illuminate the strange charity shop painting when not in use helping me to avoid over bronzing. The lamp is borrowed from downstairs, so the hunt for another is still on. I'm scouring eBay and Etsy with no joy so far. Any budget tips? Do share.
Meanwhile: dark, messy corner sorted. Now I just need to get greener fingers so the plant doesn't put the whole arrangement to shame.
Woof.
Words & pictures: Kate
I put wheels on them back in the day, and thought often about painting them, just like the ones I overhauled in the bathroom – using odd old drawer knobs found on eBay and some white gloss paint. Years passed, procrastination flourished. Finally I have got around to fixing them up.
The drawers (almost) before, sad and naked
Motivation came largely from an empty space in the bedroom where my make-up and general female paraphernalia needed to live. It had been in a large re-usable shopping bag for too long.
Also, I couldn't see what I was doing to my face in the mirror as the lighting wasn't good after dark. I dabbled with the idea of a giant Anglepoise kind of thing (like this, from Habitat/Argos), or an extendable wall light, but as the idea of the Ikea drawers came into focus, so did the far easier idea of topping them with a regular-sized Anglepoise.
The empty space in the bedroom, and bad make-up lighting
Anyway, first of all, here's the transformation. What do you think?
The frame is painted with black Ronseal floor paint. I love this stuff. It gives a tough finish because that's what it's made for, it has a very soft sheen – softer than eggshell even – and you can paint it onto anything. Apparently you don't even need to prime the wood but I only read that bit after I'd already done it, using two-in-one primer and undercoat. Then two coats of the floor paint and it was ready.
Meanwhile: dark, messy corner sorted. Now I just need to get greener fingers so the plant doesn't put the whole arrangement to shame.
Words & pictures: Kate
The Insider: The best Ikea hacks ever?
"Things are not always what they seem," state Elia Maurizi and Francesco Pepa, the duo behind Italian design company, Teste Di Legno (which means, by the way, "blockheads").
"Ask yourself: is it possible to revolutionize the furniture of Ikea, the company that revolutionised how millions of people live? Yes, it is." And thus they explain the thinking behind their incredibly brilliant new range of furniture, Lato B: almost certainly the best Ikea hacks you've ever seen.
It was after a trip to the Swedish behemoth to furnish their office that inspiration struck. After assembling the first piece of furniture according to Ikea's instructions, the pair decided to assemble the rest in their own way.
As such, the magnificent construction you see above is: an Ekby Valter bracket, an Ikea PS cabinet and drawers, a Lack wall shelf, a Lampan table lamp, a Micke drawer unit, a set of Moppe mini drawers, a Rimlig napkin holder, a bottle of Ikea mild mustard and a Tarva nightstand.
Or, in the Blockheads' own words: "To quote the famous René Magritte's pipe painting on which it is written 'This is not a pipe', observing our proposals would suggest the comment, 'This is not a table'. It is not a table in the way (idea) that we usually imagine (see) a table. Ours is a table with something else inside, above, below and around it."
Check out the rest of the range and be very, very inspired.
Find out which Ikea products have gone into each design at Testedilegno.eu
Post by Kate. Images: Teste Di Legno. Source: PSFK
"Ask yourself: is it possible to revolutionize the furniture of Ikea, the company that revolutionised how millions of people live? Yes, it is." And thus they explain the thinking behind their incredibly brilliant new range of furniture, Lato B: almost certainly the best Ikea hacks you've ever seen.
As such, the magnificent construction you see above is: an Ekby Valter bracket, an Ikea PS cabinet and drawers, a Lack wall shelf, a Lampan table lamp, a Micke drawer unit, a set of Moppe mini drawers, a Rimlig napkin holder, a bottle of Ikea mild mustard and a Tarva nightstand.
Or, in the Blockheads' own words: "To quote the famous René Magritte's pipe painting on which it is written 'This is not a pipe', observing our proposals would suggest the comment, 'This is not a table'. It is not a table in the way (idea) that we usually imagine (see) a table. Ours is a table with something else inside, above, below and around it."
Check out the rest of the range and be very, very inspired.
Post by Kate. Images: Teste Di Legno. Source: PSFK
On the ninth* day of Christmas... Ikea butcher's block
I featured the new and stylish Ikea Trendig range when it came out a couple of months ago.
And one of the standouts for me (among some really great bowls and unusual tea-towels) was this chunky bamboo chopping board. A good unisex present for anyone who enjoys their time in the kitchen.
Trendig butcher's block, £16, Ikea
Bamboo is hardwearing, so it should last the distance too – which is not always the case with items from the Swedish mega-brand. (I was sad to throw away two nice Ikea metal lamps in recent weeks after the electrician deemed them unfixable.) But this handsome chap looks pretty robust.
Post by Kate
* See this previous post
And one of the standouts for me (among some really great bowls and unusual tea-towels) was this chunky bamboo chopping board. A good unisex present for anyone who enjoys their time in the kitchen.
Bamboo is hardwearing, so it should last the distance too – which is not always the case with items from the Swedish mega-brand. (I was sad to throw away two nice Ikea metal lamps in recent weeks after the electrician deemed them unfixable.) But this handsome chap looks pretty robust.
Post by Kate
* See this previous post
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