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}

A Compact London Flat

Hi all, happy Monday! Today I want to share with you a beautifully decorated London flat which proves that you don't need a large space to have a beautiful home. This compact space has been given an airy feel using lots of white and soft greys, with hints of neon pink to keep it fun. It's possibly one of my favourite homes I've featured on High Street Home so I hope you like it! My favourite piece in the flat has to be the Ercol 203 Windsor Armchair which has been modernised with a mid-grey fabric - a great piece that mixes old with new.

What do you think? I love everything about this space from the neutral colour scheme to the vintage touches and bright pink accents. And that kitchen is EXACTLY what my future kitchen will look like!

{Images: The Guardian}

Introducing OYOY

Hello, hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to NYE! I've had a great break, but must say I'm glad to be back blogging again :-)

Today I want to share with you a new Danish store called OYOY. The recently-established store has a wonderful mix of Scandinavian and Japanese-inspired homewares and I think you are going to love it.

The company takes its name from the letters OY which are written on every Danish aeroplane. These letters are well-known in Denmark to signify Danish nationality, which is why it was chosen. OYOY's vision is to create fun, innovative products that focus on form, function and colour. This philosophy can be seen in all their products, which includes textiles, storage and accessories. Here are a few of my favourite pieces from the collection.

I love the mix of natural beech with bright colour - especially in the Tippetop Candleholders above. Another favourite is the Honeycomb Bedlinen, an item that I will be buying in the new year. I've only shown a small selection of what's available, so if this has tickled your fancy, head over to their on-line site. There's more cushions, tea towels, storage boxes, placemats, hooks and even a cute Christmas Elf... Happy Shopping!

{Images: OYOY}