My Trip to the Vitra Haus!

I've been meaning to write this post about my trip to the Vitra Campus for far too long now, and I can't believe that it has taken until now! Sometimes life just takes over doesn't it?

Anyway, last year I was invited on a trip to the wonderful campus in Weil am Rhein, and below is my round-up of my time over there.

The Vitra Campus not only holds the manufacturing facilities of contemporary furniture manufacturers, Vitra, but also its design museum (designed by Frank Gehry, no less), a show-house by Herzog + De Meuron, and various other architectural structures. Armed with this information, and having seen some wonderful images from friends and colleagues who had been in recent years, I was beyond excited!

Vitra were wonderful hosts on our trip - they provided us with insightful tours of the manufacturing facilities, of the campus architecture, and finally of the much-photographed, Haus. And it was here that you can really see what good design can do for an interior. Below are some of my pictures inside the Haus, and around the campus.

The exterior and interior of Herzog + De Meuron's 'stacked' Haus.

Below are images of the fourth floor in the Haus - my personal favourite. Look at that wallpaper!

Next up is the mini 'studio flat' on the third floor of the Haus - this small space showed how clever design can work wonders for small spaces.

As I wandered freely around the spacious Haus, I came across a mixture of fabulous displays - from elegant dining spaces, to colour-filled kids spaces. Below are a few snap-shots I took whilst walking around - which is your fave?

 Check out the GIANT Alexander Girard Wooden Dolls on the kids floor!

As it was a beautiful sunny day in Weil am Rhein, we took a final wander around the campus. Below is Frank Gehry's Design Museum, which, interestingly, was the prototype for his Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and the entrance to Tadao Ando's Conference Pavilion.

Private trips and tours are available at the Vitra Campus, find out more on the Vitra website.

{All images: Laura Blanksby}

Pretty Pegs

In an ideal world I'm sure we'd all like to own designer or bespoke furniture. However, for most of the time, we have to make do with what the high street or Ikea has to offer. Don't get me wrong, I love Ikea - I think the way they offer great design for a reasonable price is fantastic - but sometimes it's nice to own something that no-one else has got. So when I came across Swedish accessories company Pretty Pegs who make add-on legs for Ikea sofas and beds, I was quite ecstatic. The little add-on legs add a nice bespoke feel to your existing furniture and can make a mass-produced piece feel a lot more you. They come in lots of different shapes and colours from natural ash to acid yellow so there's bound to be something that suits both you and your décor style.

Above is just a selection of the different shapes and colours on offer from the pink bobble 'Siri' (for the sofa) to the yellow-dipped 'Carl' (for beds). The pegs are predominantly made for Ikea furniture, but they can fit other brands, just check the product information on-line.

Here's how the 'Estelle', with brass tips, look on a simple bed. I like the mid-century feel the pegs create.

And here's the 'Dagmar' in black on a sofa.

I know these pegs aren't going to magically transform your Ektorp sofa into an Ercol studio couch, but they will make it make it feel a lot more unique and personal. What do you think?

{Images: Pretty Pegs}

New at Muuto

Scandinavian furniture designers Muuto have released a new collection of elegantly designed furniture and accessories. There's a lovely fresh colour scheme running through the collection with plenty of light ash wood, pastel pink textiles and white accessories. Photographer Petra Bindel shot the new products and the results are wonderful.

My favourite new designs are: the 'Corky Carafe', designed by Andreas Engesvik; the 'Under the Bell' pendant lamp, designed by Iskos-Berlin; and 'The Dots' coat hooks (not shown) designed by Lars Tornoe.

{Images: Petra Bindel for Muuto}

9 of the Best... Armchairs

We all love our Eames and our Bertoia chairs, but sometimes, after a long day, all you want to do is just collapse into a squishy armchair by the fire, right? So I have put together my pick of the best comfy (but still stylish) armchairs out there at the minute. One of them costs over £4000 however (eek!), but can you guess which one?

1. Little Moo, John Lewis, £999
2. Mr Bright, John Lewis, £899
3. Astrid Posey, Anthropologie, £1298
4. Stockholm (in Blad Brown), Ikea, £239
5. Oslo, Dwell, £399
6. Alberton Leather, Laura Ashley, price on request
7. Vitra Heart Cone Chair by Verner Panton, Heals, £2064
8. Quilt armchair, Established and Sons, Nest, £4260
9. Bump, John Lewis, £1400

Did you guess right? Pricey, yes, but just look how COMFORTABLE it looks! I want to collapse into it now! (You may be able to tell that I am writing this post after a very exhausting day at work!)
My personal favourite from the selection is the cowhide chair from John Lewis. I really like this as the cowhide print will suit most interior styles (it would suit my fairly industrial style apartment and it wouldn't look out of place in a country style decor either) and it gives the room a statement piece without taking over the room. It doesn't scream 'look at me!' but is a gorgeous piece to swoon over at the same time.
Although armchairs in general are quite expensive, I do think they are a investment piece that will be part of your home for a long time. They are comfortable, practical and will last forever. You can even reupholster most chairs if you get bored of the colour or pattern.
Which one do you like the best?

ON TREND: Fade-Out Furniture

Dip-dye furniture seems to be catching my eye everywhere I look this month. Take a look at Ercol's classic Love Seat which has been updated with a striking blue dip-dye effect. The timeless design is brought back to life in a really modern and beautiful way. I love how the timber, the signature Ercol material, seems to emerge from the blue dye. Very pretty.

As well as Ercol embracing the dip-dye trend, Berlin-based designer Judith Seng has a gorgeous collection of dip-dye furniture from her TRIFT range. These pieces are wooden logs which are lacqured in high gloss paint on only one side, making them look run- down and giving them an almost 'unfinished' feel. The result is an impossibly beautiful piece of furniture.

I love how the paint seeps into the grooves of the wood, creating a beautiful and natural pattern. The cracks and splinters in the wood also add to the 'unfinished' and decayed feel of these. My favourite is the bright yellow, high gloss small stool below.

These are mainly used as stools and tables, but Judith has also created some more abstract pieces which are purely for decorative purposes. Judith exhibits her collections worldwide, but you can also see her collections on her website, Judith Seng. 

{Images: judithseng.de}

ON LOCATION: Barcelona

With it being Valentines Day and my birthday last weekend I got to go to Barcelona for a good old city break. It must be said, the boyfriend is good to me! Whilst I was there I found Vinçon, a beautiful interiors shop specialising in quirky homewares with an industrial edge. The store is situated in Eixample, an area famed for its beautiful architecture, and this can certainly be seen from the outside.

Though on the more pricey side, especially on larger pieces of furniture, Vinçon has a great range of products from kitchenware, homeware, lighting, bedding, accessories and children's furniture as well as some novelty items. Here are some of the displays that caught my eye whilst wandering around.

Vinçon has only two stores, one in Barcelona and the other in Madrid.  Though the good news is that they ship to the UK. To see their full range head over to their website. Happy shopping!

{Images: Laura Blanksby, except image 1 from Vinçon}