Styling At Folklore London

Folklore is one of my favorite interiors stores in London. I have visited the store a few times (and I have never left it empty handed) so you can imagine my happiness when I learned that Folklore has teamed up with us and asked us to visit them and do some blogger stylings as part of our recent Design Bloggers Tour to London. So one sunny Saturday morning we set off to Islington and arrived in a beautifully curated store ready to get creative.

Folklore was founded by Danielle and Rob Reid in 2012 with the strong ethos that better living is possible through design. To follow this ethos, Folklore champions design to create a lasting change and curates products that are made with care and built to last. The product range comprises furniture, lighting, home and kitchen accessories, apothecary products and home textiles - in a nutshell: a stylist's heaven!

We only had one hour to finish our stylings and photos so we had decided to come up with four stylings focusing on the kitchen, the bathroom, a workspace and a living space. My choice was to create a bathroom styling with a selection of Folklore products. With the help of Susanna's fantastic photography skills all our stylings have come out pretty beautifully, don't you agree?

If you're going to London any time soon, I strongly recommend you visit the Folklore shop in Islington. And if you can't make it to London, just hop over to their webshop and pick your favorite products. You won't regret it!

Folklore, 193 Upper Street, Islington, London

Photography by Susanna Vento, stylings by Design Bloggers United

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Super Normal: Tiipoi

What is Tiipoi? First thing I learned during our DesignBloggers Tour in London last week: it’s a young and thriving British design brand with Indian roots. Second learning followed immediately while Spandana Gopal, the founder of Tiipoi, told us about the word’s meaning: it actually signifies a sort of small tripod stool that the British colonist interpreted as a tea table (well of course). Since Tiipoi seems to be an obvious link between India and Britain from a design perspective, this seemed an appropriate name for this up-and-coming lifestyle label.

The tripod stool is a typical Indian object for daily life that qualifies as the ‚super normal’. This concept has been picked up by Tiipoi in the sense that they refer to a very Indian design ethos – the celebration of the normal objects that are designed and made to last for a lifetime and beyond. Influenced by this Indian tradition as well as the contemporary vision of Jasper Morrison and his ‚super normal’ concept, Tiipoi has launched a small and fine selection of objects for the daily use.

Their current range of products encompasses kitchen accessories like bowls, containers, jars made of materials typical for India like wood, brass, copper, stainless steel. As a London based label these object also juxtapose the cluttered big city life and reduce their appearance to the very essential in design and aesthetics combined with a longevity that raises its voice against today’s throw-away mentality and consumerism. Our design blogger group was also asked to contribute a 'super normal' object from our daily lives which was then exposed on a gallery wall highlighting the simplicity and functionality of design. Can you guess my 'super normal' object on this wall? 

Photography by Susanna Vento

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Happy Interior Blog Recommends: Rude x Urban Outfitters

Today's recommendation comes with a full package of goodies for you my dear readers. Think of a blast of colours and pop art patterns, think of goodies for a giveaway and a great promotion code for your home accessories shopping. To be able to offer you this cool interior loving package I've teamed up with one of my favorite homewares shopping address: Urban Outfitters. 

I've been an Urban Outfitters fan for quite a while. Remember my black and white zigzag rug in my living room (this one)? It's been there for quite some years and I got it at Urban Outfitters. Now the team of Urban Outfitters has launched a new range of homewares designed in collaboration with the graphic designers Rupert and Abi Meats of the design studio Rude. The new 'Rude x Urban Outfitters' collection is very loud - visually speaking. Bright colours, pop art patterns, bold graphics and slogans portray a unique and individual expression. It is probably not everybody's style or taste, but it adds a very vivid dash of funk and a certain London vibe into bright interiors and colour loving homes.

The collection's catch phrase is 'Love Your Stuff' and is based on the idea of 'Home is where your stuff is'. The designers are famous for their funky and bold designs on t-shirts and have now extended their designs on a full range of home textiles, mugs, posters and more. No matter if it meets your taste or not - one must admit it has a funky and fun energy in it!

Join the giveaway & promo code:

Now if you'd like to win a great package of goodies from the new 'Rude x Urban Outfitters' collection just leave a comment under this post until coming Wednesday, midnight CET - we are giving away a 'Hat Cushion', a 'Shoes Cushion', a 'Love Your Stuff' washbag and mug! And if you like other goodies from Urban Outfitters, make sure to use the promo code HAPPYINTERIOR for your online shopping in the 'Home & Gifts' section (applicable to all normal priced articles). The promo code is valid from now until October 3rd.  Oh and by the way, my rug is still available in their online store! It's now or never!

Happy shopping!

Photography by Urban Outfitters

This post has been brought to you together with Urban Outfitters

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Exclusive Discount By Ebury Home & Garden

It's Friday and my home is getting a mess again. Not that I am a weekend messy, it's just the fact that I always do all my photo shootings during the weekend as it's the only time I get to photograph with daylight. So Friday after the office it's time to throw together piles of props and think of different vignettes I'd like to shoot for the blog. Props is the key word here - I always like to buy little, beautifully made home accessories, not only to adorn my home but also to use them as props for stylings. One of my favorite online sources for new props is UK based Ebury Home & Garden.

Just in time with the approaching spring they've updated their online boutique with unique homewares and interior accessories. Most of their items have a rural influence and a earthy, neutral colour palette. I particularly love their glassware - they have the most delicate little vases for floral stylings. 

Today I've teamed up with them and I am happy to offer you, my dear readers, an exclusive discount for your spring and props shopping with them - every order over £30 will be discounted by 15% and a special little gift will be added to your parcel! All you have to do is to enter the promotion code HIB2014 in the coupon field when ordering your goods. The promotion is available to all E.U. orders.

Enough said, I am busy shopping myself now! Let me know if you've found something for you too!

Happy shopping & happy weekend everyone!

Photography via Ebury Home & Garden

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Schoolhouse Electric: Get A Hipster Home!

Last Tuesday I took you to Portland, Oregon, the so-called capital of hipsters. Now, if my pictures haven't been proof enough, hold on - I have the coolest address to make your home a hipster home! Schoolhouse Electric is a Portland based treasury for hip furniture, home accessories, lighting fixtures and hardware. The product range is carefully curated and has a great hipster vibe to it, don't you agree?

Their online store is a constant 'click-teaser' - you will be repeatedly tempted to hit the buy button while browsing their cool collection. The overarching vibe is probably typical for the Pacific Northwest: It is a tad vintage yet contemporary, it is cool yet unpretentious, urban yet natural, and everything seems to be rooted and balanced. No frills, no fuss. Just plain cool style. 

I couldn't help but curate a little collection of my personal favorites. These would definitely make my home a hipster home. Ok, maybe I would grow a mustache and get a tattoo, too. How about you? 

Photography via Schoolhouse Electric

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Happy Guest: Happy London Lifestyle Guide

Hello Happy Interior Blog readers. My name is Tina and my blog is called Colourliving. I feel honoured to be here and will try my best to bring you inspiration in Igor's absence.

I thought long and hard about what to post here as Igor's blog in an online encyclopedia for a Happy Home and everything that goes with it. Colourliving embraces colour, creativity, design, interiors, real food and inspired ideas for slow living.

For some time now I was thinking of creating some curated Colourliving lifestyle guides. These guides will be themtic and show ways of creative and inspired lifestyle. To kick things off I tailor-made a little guide here for you dear readers and will be your own personal tour guide:-) Igor and I share a love for colours and for London, so hopefully he will enjoy this too:-).

London - a 24hrs shopping spree. Don't worry if you can't make it to London. All shops featured here have online stores for you to be able to indulge, should you wish so. Let's go...

We're starting out on the famous Kings Road in Southwest London. The Shop at Bluebird is an eclectic lifestyle store offering an exceptional edit from the world of fashion, interiors and beauty. It has evolved a lot since it first opened in 2005, and has become very much a destination shop for finding untapped brands and the latest must have items.

A new concept to the shop is a series of pop-up concessions. I was delighted to see this first one on my visit: YCN is close to my heart and I have blogged about them here.

You'll find many interesting products as well as funky shop displays.

I'm a huge Fornasetti fan and the Shop at Bluebird carries a large range of this most fascinating artist.

They have a sofa upholstered in one of my favourite fabrics. It's called Jerusalem by day and I have it as a picture frame hanging in my bedroom.

Just opposite you will find the exquisite Rococo Chocolates. This year they're celebrating 30 years in business and it's not hard to see why. Founded in 1983 by Chantal Coady, Rococo Chocolates is a heaven for chocoholics. The packaging, the variety of flavours, and the design make Rococo treats highly desireable gifts.

You'll find they'll use all kinds of combinations like chocolates with flowers, spices, dried fruit and teas with dark, white or milk chocolate. I'm sugar and dairy intolerant but if I want something special, Rococo is certainly the ticket!

A few minutes down the road you'll stumble across an iconic shop that I've loved since they first opened many many years ago. Wild Ones is an Aladdin's cave of New Age gifts sourced from around the world. They also have a massive selection of Native American jewellery and artefacts, as well as world music and spiritual books.

This jewellery is designed and hand made by Michael Van Moppes and each piece is unique.

New are the biggest collection anywhere of hand-made Navajo Rugs. They are all one-offs and when they're gone they're gone. It seems that the new generation is more interested in computer devices than hand-spinning rugs so it's a dying craft out there. I must admit they look far better in real life than in the photos online but that goes for a lot of products, right? Wild Ones used to be famous for their second-hand native cowboy boots. They no longer sell those.

Hopping over to Central London, we'll make a pitt-stop at Content - an organic and natural apothecary. For those of you interested in organic cosmetics and skin care, you won't find a better place. You can read a far more in-depth interview I did with Imelda, the founder here.

This deodorant is my absolute favourite product and I cannot recommend it enough!

Arriving in Hoxton, we pop into the Goodhood store. Made up of a lifestyle store and a separate fashion store (directly opposite) it's another refreshing and welcome addition to truly creative independent retail shops in London. Their product ranges are expertly curated and it's got more of a feel like one of those enviable Japanese shops, full of clever and well made products. You'll find everything from mens and womens fashion to accessories, homewares, footwear, divine stationery and much more.

I love these plant hangers.

This Log Stool is by the Japanese Collective Gelchop and, apparently, rather difficult to obtain. It's beautiful but also carries a hefty price tag!

Now we're moving over to the darker side of things:-) We're off to Stoke Newington and the eclectic Pelicans and Parrots. There are 2 shops, one concentrating heavily on fashion and the other (this one here) sells stylish vintage furniture and ornaments, as well as the odd bit of clothing. Ochuko, who runs this shop has a great eye and it's not hard to want to buy most things.

Painted black, the shop oozes a rather dramatic appearance and makes the wonderful selection of objects and furniture stand out.

I particularly love all the rather ingenious contextualising by using taxidermy and other artefacts to display and show off products. It's one of those shops that you will return to over and over again and that makes vintage clothes shopping so much more attractive!

If you're a lover of 'making a home' than you absolutely must visit the fabulous Abigail Ahern and her emporium of seriously gorgeous homewares on Islington's Upper Street. If you can't get there, then take a look at her rather 'yabberish' but full of wonderful tips and tricks blog. And, if by any chance you fancy becoming the next Ms. Ahern, then attend school, either online or offline (with the design guru herself in her most lavish house). If all else fails, buy her new book, have a cup of tea and indulge in her world!

I'm lucky to live a few minutes away from the shop so am a regular visitor. I'm also lucky to have attended one of her classes in her house. Going to the dark side is her thing! Whether it's your thing or not, what is clear is that Abigail has an incredible style, a great eye for detail and loves sharing her knowledge.

Just look at this wonderful lamp.

Yep, the tin tiles are actually wallpaper.

I'll never tire seeing those animal lamps. If your budget doesn't stretch to these, Abigail has just launched a more affordable edition range for Debenhams so don't worry! They ship worldwide.

Some fab patchwork dog cushions.

I dare you to walk out without buying something.

Ok, to round it all up and because by now you'll be tired and a little broke:-) we'll nip across the street to the one and only Ottolenghi for a quick snack. Another emporium, but this time it's food. I've been a big fan since the first time I visited the very first one on Ledbury Street back in 2002. Since then, Yoram has gone to super stardom so if you don't already know this fabulous place that essentially wants to make people happy with good food, take a look and indulge next time you're in London. You won't be sorry, I promise. Alternatively, buy all of his books. You will treasure them.

Phew, that's it. We made it. I hope you've enjoyed my curated guide and that you found some new inspiration here.

I want to thank Igor for inviting me over to his virtual home and am sure he's having a whole load of inspiration while on vacation. I'd love you to leave comments and let me know which shops you know, would like to visit or simply what has inspired you. I hope we meet again. Bye from London!

Photography by Tina Bernstein

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