A CSN Stores Giveaway!

** Update: Holli, you are the winner - Congrats! **

I love partnering with CSN to host giveaways! Why? Because CSN Stores has over

200 online stores where you can find everything for your interior design ideas from

stylish furniture to modern rugs! One lucky winner will receive a

$70.00 gift certificate from CSN Stores.

Please read the instructions below .

To qualify, leave a comment below.

Also Click on the Facebook

"like" button (right above the comments)

for an extra entry.

Winner will be announced on Friday, February 25th at 5pm EST.

More ways to follow BB&B

shop * facebook * twitter * bloglovin * lauratrevey.com

Poly Stackable Chairs by Bonaldo

It's almost 2011, and you know what that means. Time to update and get organized! Bring in the New year with these sleek and modern poly stackable chairs by Bonaldo from Spacify.

More organization blog posts and

Home office posts

More ways to follow BB&B

shop * facebook * twitter * bloglovin * tumblr

While we are on house hunting tour in Asia ... our Italian home progresses ...

Angelo, my Father-in-law, has unpacked some stuff, and felt like interor decorator ...

So funny ...  Although these Shanghai style deck chairs don't belong into this room, I wish I could relax there NOW! 

And Angelo continues to paint wrought iron gates blue.

Even if I have posted this view before, I can't get tired of it (now with new blue balustrade).

Here we got a wooden 'battiscopa' - and please note the professional fresko cover protection. 

Yes, I confirm, these tiles are for the master bathroom's floor (pavimento) and not for the bathroom wall.

This one is hilarious :

Angelo o-tone:  'I have engaged a cheap and competent woman for the final cleaning and waxing of the master bed room'.   (Editor's remark: this cheap 'room cleaner at work' is my dear moterh-in-law)

Super finish : floor after final cleaning and waxing

My husband loves antique shopping

A while ago, when we still lived in China, my husband was on a business trip to Europe. Over the weekend he went to see his parents in Venice, Italy. One of their favorite activities is "antique shopping". Sometimes they just stop by their friend's restoration warehouse in the industrial zone of Mestre to say hello and check the "new" arrivals and lately restored furniture. And sometimes they would drive to one of the monthly antique markets in the area.

Anyway, while I was not around, my husband found antique chairs and beds for the "palazzo". He bought four chairs which his father wants to refurbish himself. The "beds" were only header and footer for one or two beds.

Well, not a bad habit, isn't it ?!

Experiment: post auf Deutsch - Rote Sitzmoebel

Gruess Gott, Guten Tag und Servus auf diesem Blog !

Ich heisse alle deutsch sprachigen Leser herzlich willkommen, die diesen blog post gefunden haben und vorallem diejenigen, die aufgrund der beiden 1richtungsblog posts, hier und hier, heruebergekommen sind.

Wie gestern versprochen, blogge ich heute mal auf  Deutsch, um zu sehen, wie sich das anfuehlt. Lockere Sprache ist auf Englisch ja voellig normal. Aber auf Deutsch ? Vielleicht muss ich mich da erst eingewoehnen ? Zeitungsdeutsch hat auf blogs wenig zu suchen. Zumindest nicht unbedingt in der Katergorie Haus&Garten.

Jetzt aber die Frage an Euch Leser : wuerdet Ihr diesen blog lieber auf Deutsch haben ? Oder macht es nichts aus, dass ich auf Englisch schreibe ?  Englisch versteht doch fast jeder. Zumindest meinen begrenzten Wortschatz, oder setze ich da zuviel voraus ? Ausserdem, wer liest schon all die Artikel Wort fuer Wort -  wenn doch die Bilder schoen sind ? Zugegeben, ich ueberfliege sehr oft, auch in Zeitschriften. Daher also die Frage: Wie haetten'S denn gern ?

Und nun schnell 'was Buntes bzw. Rotes - 3 x rote Sitzmoebel - passend zur kalten Jahreszeit :

Sofa Alcove, Design: Ronan und Erwan Bouroullec, 2006 fuer vitra

Ei Sessel, Design: Arne Jacobsen, 1958 Daenemark

Ameise Stuhl,  Design: Arne Jacobsen, 1952 Daenemark
(mit Filzauflage auch im Winter gemuetlich!)

Das Bildmaterial kommt von cairo, einem deutschen Design-Versandhaus, das auch schoene Kataloge versendet. Die Bestellung vom Katalog geht online und ist kostenlos (wahrscheinlich  nur innerhalb Deutschlands). Um Produkte bei Cairo zu bestellen, muss man nicht unbedingt - wie angegeben - Freiberufler, Dienstleister, Gewerbe oder Handel sein. Man muss auch gar nichts bestellen -  nur schmoekern ist auch erlaubt!

Und bitte sagt Bescheid, ob Euch dieser Artikel (post) auf Deutsch gefallen hat. Und, ob Ihr wieder kommt, wenn ich auf Englisch blogge. Entschuldigt auch, dass ich keine Umlaute kann mit meinem Computer aus China, wo ich drei Jahre lebte und hier bloggte.

Auf Wiedersehen (bzw. -lesen) und schoenes Wochenende !

*

Iron Furniture

Wrought iron furniture is furniture made by bending, shaping, and welding wrought iron. It has a long history, dating back to Roman times (source: wikipedia)

There is almost no French country home or Tuscan farm house without an iron bed.
I do like their romantic charm !







Other popular iron wrought furniture and accessories are chairs, tables, shelves, lamps and coat racks. Here a small selection:






Wrought iron work is predestinated for outdoor use of course. I like iron chairs in gardens, so often seen in French parks with white or green finish. And not to forget the beautiful pergolas by Unopiu which offer us shade in hot summers:






Photo source:
1) shootfactory (UK)
2), 3) Caporali (Italy)
4) shootfactory (UK)
5) unknown
6),7) Caporali
8), 9) unknown
10) Caporali
11), 12), 13) Unopiu


Address/links:
*
Caporali
Enzo Caporali, Santa Mama, 110 Arezzo Italia +39 0575 487033
*
Unopiu
*
shootfactory
*

Stacking bed for guests

There are two popular stacking beds made in Germany. The first and original one is the modular stacking bed (Stapelliege) designed by Rolf Heide in 1966, produced by Müller Möbelswerkstätten.


It is not only practical in a guestroom, but also for a kids room. We decided to take the short version of 1.90 m length for our son's room (because the room is so small). For future sleep overs he can accommodate his friends. Or when we have guests over night his room will transform into a guestroom.


As the stacking bed became so popular for kids the manufacturer now also provides it in colourful and real small sizes:



The alternative to Rolf Heide's 'Stapelliege' is the 'Lönneberga' bed designed by Alexander Seifried in 2007 for Richard Lampert.



At the furniture Messe in Cologne in January 2009 a low budget version in white was presented. It will be available soon:



The overall size of this bed is 2.10 m x 0.95. No shorter version is available.

BTW, the name of this young stacking bed comes from the famous Swedish character 'Emil of Lönneberga', a tale by famous kid book author Astrid Lindgren. All accessories have names from the tale like 'Alfred' the cushion that stores bedding and serves as backrest for a fine daybed.

**********
This stacking bed is for our home in Germany. I am still busy with the fine tuning of its renovation. But hope to be back to the blog more often now. However I have no news on our 'Palazzo Project' for now. The outside is done. The inside to come.

Use a New Slipcover to Transform and Refresh Your Furniture

If you need a quick and easy makeover for a room or need to freshen up drab furniture, you might want to consider slipcovers! A slipcover can really transform a dreary piece of tired furniture to look fresh and new.

Many homeowners turn their noses up at slipcovers at first mention. But after getting an over-the-top bid on having a piece of furniture reupholstered, a slipcover becomes a very reasonable alternative.

In addition to being a budget-conscious way to freshen up a piece of upholstered furniture, a slipcover can hide unattractive upholstery, add a dash of color to a room, introduce a new style, or perform a seasonal makeover by adding a holiday mood to a room.

With so many choices on the market, you can find slipcovers in colorful washable cotton, durable denim or faux suede, elegant velvet, snuggly chenille, faux leather, and many more.

Here are some tips on using slipcovers in your home...

• Coordinate a roomful of mismatched furniture by slipcovering everything in matching or coordinating covers.
• Experiment with a new style by covering furniture in white slipcovers. If the original upholstery color shows through, try putting a white sheet over the furniture to camouflage the fabric underneath.
• For extra seating in the dining room, add some style and color to plain folding chairs with slipcovers that match your dining room chairs. It will be much less expensive than buying lots of new chairs.
• Slipcovers instantly make over hand-me-down furniture. If you have inherited your parent's old sofa but just can't live with the 70's plaid Herculon fabric, cover it with a slipcover in any color you choose. It will be instantly up to date.
• Cover an ugly recliner, update a wing chair, and freshen up an ottoman. You're not limited to basic shapes and sizes any more.
• To hold a slipcover in place and keep the fabric from shifting, secure the fabric with a tucking tool. It will help you push the fabric into hard-to-reach corners.
• If you're having a party or celebrating a holiday or special occasion, decorate your dining room with festive chair slipcovers. Not only will the room look festive, you'll be saving wear and tear on your regular upholstery.
• Slipcovers are great for protecting delicate or expensive new upholstery from kids, pets, or careless house guests.
• Add warmth to a rental space, an apartment or other temporary quarters with bright colorful slipcovers.
• Consider your personal style before selecting a slipcover. You can choose styles with ruffled skirts and gathered arms or simpler, contemporary styles with a straight skirts and tab tie closures.
• To keep your slipcover wrinkle-free, stretch it over your furniture while still warm from the dryer.

Add Budget Art to Your Home and Don't Spend a Fortune

There are many ways to stretch a budget when it comes to decorating a home, and one of the easiest may be to create your own budget artwork.

If your finances have been blown on a move, wedding, furniture, or other necessities, you may be looking at bare walls and no money to decorate them.

You'll have to get creative and find or make some of your own budget artwork. How should you begin this project?

If you already know what style of decorating you like, you're in luck. It will make it much easier to select subjects, colors, mats, and frames for your art. If you're unsure or have an "eclectic" style (sometimes also known as a hodgepodge) you'll have to choose as you go along.

Floral artwork in carved, light-colored frames fit in with a cottage style. Black and white photos framed in simple metal work well in a contemporary setting. Country themes, weathered wood, antique or old fabrics go well in a country style home. Landscapes, botanical prints, and floral still life pictures fit into a traditional interior.

If you're ready to save some money and get something attractive up on your bare walls, read here for some creative ways to find artwork at budget prices, or no cost at all!

• Frame What's Free
  I get at least 5 calendars from companies at the end of every year. Many of the images presented are beautiful. Other sources of free art are creative menus, pretty party invitations, a puzzle you've put together, a collage of postcards from a trip, a diploma that you're proud of, or a patriotic or decorative flag. Pieces that are just decorative can be put directy into a frame off the shelf. Pieces that are more special should be mounted on acid-free mat board before framing.
  
• Items from Mother Nature
  You can mount any number of natural items in a standard frame or a shadowbox style. A beautiful arrangement at little or no cost can be made of pressed flowers or leaves, shells you've collected on a trip to the shore, interesting pods and seeds, pine cones, dried flowers, or even a freeze-dried corsage. Mount heavy items to a mat board using hot glue. White glue or a spray adhesive will work for lighter items.
• Use Your Camera
  Amateur photographers can capture the most interesting images. But if you're not feeling secure, ask a friend to take some pictures of flowers, houses, interesting buildings, sports equipment, or pretty settings. You can see that the possibilities are endless! Take the camera disk to a copy store and have the images printed in either black and white or color. Have the images enlarged to fit the space you have. For a series of photos, frame them in simple, identical frames, with coordinating mats. Be sure to shop around for frames. You'll be more likely to work within your budget if you select standard size frames. When assembled, the photos can be grouped on a large wall, hung along a hallway, or placed on shelves in a bookcase.
• Check Out Your Personal Library or Go to a Bookstore
  I know this may sound shocking to some of you who were taught to never deface a book, but you can find wonderful photos of famous paintings in large books. Subjects could be birds, furniture design, architectural structures, Impressionist era art, landscapes, quilts, and trains. Select pictures that will coordinate with your decorating scheme. You can find books with beautiful illustrations at garage sales, used book stores, or neighborhood library sales.
• Hang It Up
  Hang items directly on the wall. Beautiful plates are a natural, either in a vertical arrangement or randomly around a wall. Garage sales and flea markets offer lots of beautiful or interesting options for dishes, tableware, and other household items that can adorn a wall. Other choices might be flags, hats, model airplanes, pages of music, musical instruments, or toys.
• Creative Crafts
  If you do needlework, draw, make model airplanes, or have a collection of small items, they make a wonderful piece of art. Be sure you have the pieces mounted carefully and do not damage them when you frame them. This will provide a great way to display things that mean a lot to you and to show off your talents.

Vintage Furniture designed for Kids

When a kids magazine (Beijing Kids) asked me earlier this year to compile an article about vintage furniture for kids I had to google about 'vintage furniture' as I only was familiar with 'vintage cars' - so far.

That's why the article goes like this:
"A car is considered a vintage car when it is at least 20 years old. The same goes with furniture. Vintage furniture may have the aesthetics of the colorful and playful ’70s or arouse a serene feeling from another time – one that was simpler ..."

The article with a list of addresses can be found online:
Classically Chic - Vintage Furniture designed for kids

It was not easy to find good addresses for kids' vintage furniture. Most finds were French shops - and my favorite address in France is Bianca & Family

Since I was in contact with them for the article I receive their newsletter about 'nouveautés' ...

I always wanted to make a small post about them. They not only sell their finds, they also restore old kids furniture, mainly old school desks and chairs (see first pic above), and they have vintage toys. I am really tempted to get one desk set for my son, although the desk space seems a bit small. Maybe a double desk. It reminds me of my childhood at school.

Bianca & Family
268 rue des Ecoles
35800 Saint Lunaire, France
Phone: +33 (0) 688 790238
info@bianca-and-family.com
www.bianca-and-family.com
Shipment worldwide upon request.

Two more cute French shops with vintage stuff for kids:
Petit Blanc d'Ivoire
Serendipity

Another good address not only for kids:
Maison du Monde

Alternatively register with ebay and define some long term queries and get finds by email - e.g. from Ebay (France)

Further more:
The German Architectural Digest (AD) magazine features in its November issue a 6 pages long article about the 'First four walls', stylish children rooms (Kinderzimmer).
The following brands are mentioned:
Bianca & Family, Richard Lampert, Habitat, Petite Boutique, Ralph Lauren Home, Petitcollin and Oliver Furniture.

More vintage kids stuff in blog land (with further links):

Harry's (New) Room by Anna Spiro


Vintage Kids Room for Pink by Di Overton


vintage furniture for kids by Danielle de Lange

Daybed Upholstery

My Chinese daybed before ...

... and after upholstery.
I am very happy with the result - Chinese style mattress and rectangular cushions - very comfortable!

This is the floor of the 'soggiorno', the room the daybed goes. To check on the colours of the tiles I spread a bucket of water over the floor (last summer), and surprise!

The tiles are well-preserved and will get a nice polishing treatment.

Since fabric and labour for upholstery is so affordable here in China, I wonder if I should do a second cover for my daybed? Matching the floor?

We do not know yet what else will go in this room. It might be a "Chinese Room". But one that meets the West. That's why I have not chosen Chinese silk or Dragon patterns...

So far the mattress and cushions are realised in a nice blue cotton - no idea, how to name the colour appropriately - maybe medium dark blue with a touch of petroleum.
The candy-striped fabric was chosen by my husband, it fits the blue well.
Now, the spare cover I could do in a warm ox red velvet for winter time.
Or maybe I just pick another cotton. Neutral creme white ? Or light blue ? Any idea ?

beds, beds, beds

Classical bedrooms in Hotel Particulier, Arles, France via Desingers Block and bedroom in Casa Fresco, Florence, Italy

Tropical bedrooms in private villa and Burirasa Resort, both Koh Samui, Thailand

Bedroom via Marie Claire Maison and a bedroom in private villa in Phuket, Thailand

Bed from B&B Italia (AC) and bedroom via AD magazine


Bed by Lambert, bed milleunanotte, steel bed, wooden bed by Maitland Smith, bed Arezzo by Niermann Weeks, Louis XVI canopy bed

It is crystal clear, that I want a 4-poster-bed. And I need a good picture for a carpenter in China, where we actually live.

links:
Designers Block
Hotel Particulier, France
Burirasa, Thailand
Marie Claire Maison
B&B Italia
Lambert, Germany
Sorry, for the incomplete source

More beds at my flickr set for interior decoration.