trendey

The popular Swedish slipcover company Bemz has today released a dream collaboration: Two fabrics from the talented designer Lisa Bengtsson are set to enliven almost any bland IKEA couch or armchair. It’s the rosy fabric Baronessa (top pic, on an IKEA Karlanda sofa) – a pattern reminiscent of blooming gardens and romantic castles. It’s also the modern nostalgia fabric Sir Harald (bottom pic, on IKEA’s Klippan sofa) – a pattern inspired by Lisa Bengtsson’s ancestors.

Baronessa is – together with the pattern Ros-Mari - on my top list of this season’s absolutely nicest fabrics. Baronessa is developed in collaboration with the textile company Mairo. The pattern comes in two colour options as runners, pillows, panels, lampshades, etc..

“My time has no inhibitions
my mind has no limits
I provide the scent of the loving life.”

Here’s our other Lisa Bengtsson stories.

Today’s chew in the Swedish decor-blogosphere regards the release of two new (old!) Josef Frank textile patterns. The two topical patterns, Aramal and Ceylon, were created by Josef Frank in the 1940s and has never been in production – until now. Svenskt Tenn is in the process of pressing textile rolls that will be sold per meter for a price of approx. $185.

Press photos from Svenskt Tenn via Hemmariket.

Upper pic Aramal, bottom Ceylon. Now, what say you?

Personally I say the significance of the work of Josef Frank (and Estrid Ericson) in developing the Scandinavian style must be fully acknowledged, appreciated and admired. Josef Frank’s interior design philosophy is immortal. Second, I get allergic itches from the notion that having Josef Frank design in your home ensures and signals “good taste”. It is ok to feel aversion towards, or get dizzy or puke-ready by, the highbrowish patterns and upper-classy concept. There is no such thing as free-thinking! I think Aramal is too much, it wouldn’t even queue at the dentist’s!, but I can very well imagine Ceylon as clothing on a single chair or stool cushion…

Name a Swede that isn’t proud of the fresh and oh soo creative designer Lisa Bengtsson. She left Berghs School of Communication in 2007 with a graduation project (the wallpaper above) making future career come self-evident. The wallpaper is named Familjen (The Family) and has a pattern of frames. It wants to tell a story about how we live and frame our lives. You can decorate it with photos of loved ones, you can put knobs on the wall that you hang things on, you can do anything that expresses your story, or you can just leave the design as it is. A roll (length 10m, width 0,53m) has a pricetag of approx £70 (795 SEK). Also keep your eyes out for the Special Edition Gold version of the wallpaper.

I just love this poster “Drottningen von Savannen”. I do not have one in my possesion yet, but it’s on it’s waaay! It will be hangning in my study room. Soo cool, no explanation needed =) Well, maybe one thing: the ornate, guilded frame is printed on the poster as well! Price approx. £17.

Wait, there are more lovely things. The fabric of this cushion to the left is named “Sir Harald”. Harald is Lisa Bengtsson’s great grandfather. Next to that super-trendey fabric, a piece of Peacock cup & plate designed for Indiska (and yes, there seems to be birdcages painted on it!). A list of Lisa Bengtsson retailers can be found here. And btw, here’s a short interview with Lisa Bengtsson, from the Formex fair.

Nature transformed into warm colourful interior details. Ready to move in to a September home. To use as curtains, table cloths, miscellaneous decorations – here’s two autumn favourites from Marimekko: