Famille Summerbelle

Love Locks

Hundreds and hundreds of cadenas d'amour (love locks or wish locks) on the Pont des Arts in Paris.To symbolise their love couples are hanging a padlock with their initials on the barriers of the bridge and then throw the keys in the river Seine!

Surexposer

We are very proud to be part of the first edition of new French magazine Surexposer. Launched by brother and sister Audrey + Matthias Sorge, the magazine highlights the savoir-faire (know-how) of designers and artists around the World: from the enigmatic London based musician and illustrator Keaton Henson to six French sisters Six Soeurs customising handbags to the large scale graffiti Portuguese sculptor Alexandre Farto (Aka Vhils) who scrapes off walls to reveal anonymous faces.
Vhils, Lisboa.


Available in Paris in Palais de Tokyo shop and Artazart or online here.

Hanna Konola

Beautiful prints and illustrations from Finish designer Hanna Konola.

Enjoy your weekend and/or the holidays with your children. Tomorrow we are going to London for few days to spend time with our dear friends and family.

Our new collection, Morning in Manhattan.

"He adored New York City. He idolised it all out of proportion….no, make that: he - he romanticised it all out of proportion. Yes. To him, no matter what the season was, this was still a town that existed in black and white and pulsated to the great tunes of George Gershwin"
Woody Allen, Manhattan 1979

I seem to always drift back to Woody Allen when I'm thinking about New York City and the start of the movie Manhattan is just about the best tribute to this beautiful city!

Today we launch our new collection Morning in Manhattan, a very own homage to brownstone buildings, wrought iron fire escapes, rooftop water towers, bustling streets and an unforgettable skyline.

Let us know what you think!

Morning in Manhattan, Yellow Taxi Cab & Silver.

Morning in Manhattan, Sky Blue & Hudson River.

Morning in Manhattan, 100% cotton Tea Towel.

Morning in Manhattan, Tray made from Scandinavian birch wood.

Morning in Manhattan, Mug. Fine bone China made in the UK.

Styling and photography by Aurélie Lecuyer.

When it rains

Another very autumnal weekend in Paris with grey sky and rain. And yes, it rained all day non stop on saturday. I was quite happy reading magazines and browsing around Pinterest but Ophelia was sitting next to me very bored! She wanted to draw and paint mermaids (she is 6 years old). So I grabbed some paint and large paper from the studio and set her up on the kitchen table. Ophelia drew fishes, mermaids and some interesting sea creatures to make an underwater scene...and I went back on the sofa...

What do you like to do with your children when it's raining outside?

Slow Wood

Slow Wood, handmade wooden furniture crafted in Fryslân (Netherlands).

Enjoy the weekend!

Window shopping, Le Marais.

I started my day in Merci meeting up with the lovely Emilie from Lait Fraise chatting about work, children and the difficult task of finding a home in the East side of Paris!
Afterwards I had a little look around Merci, Bonton next door and few shops in the charming rue de Bretagne.


This cane and leather chair is on my wish list...


Beautiful dinnerware colours designed by Russel Wright (Made by Bauer pottery, Los Angeles)


Malle W. Trousseau is a present made to last a lifetime offering in one huge box the finest ever made kitchen utensils.


Love neon sign, Bonton.


Cute cat rug from Bobo Choses at Bonton.


I quickly jumped on a Velib to check French Trotters and Little French Trotters, rue de Charonne. They have a great selection of some of my favourite brands Polder, Médecine Douce, Avril Gau, Bobo Choses, Blah Blah Kids...


Lunch at Cuisine de Bar open sandwiches served with Poilâne bread, rue Debelleyme 75003.

Ikko Tanaka

When I was in Tokyo a couple of weeks ago, I was lucky to see the exhibition on one of Japan most admired graphic designer Ikko Tanaka (1930-2002) at the 21_21 Design Sight Museum (located in Tokyo Midtown).
The exhibition presents a selection of colourful drawings, paper collages, logos, packaging, bold postwar posters as well as some if his different projects with Issey Miyake and Muji. Ikko Tanaka created a style of graphic design that fused Western modernism principles and aesthetics with the Japanese tradition. As he used to say he was "totally committed to the aesthetics of design".

21_21 Design Sight Museum in Tokyo Midtown, designed by architect Tadao Ando.

Ikko Tanaka, Graphic Master book.

Left: Hiroshima Appeals, 1988.
Right: World Commercial Design Exhibition, 1959.

Left: Original material for Graphic Art
Right: "Ikko Tanaka Graphic Art Botanical Garden" Poster ginza graphic gallery, 1990

Left: Japan poster design
Right:"Music Today '73" Poster

Charvin, Paris

As we were crossing Le Pont de Arts last weekend, we stopped in this charming little shop Charvin specialised in extra fine oils, acrylic and gouaches. The range of colours is very impressive. The minute I walked in I wanted to start painting again...

Little village

A little bit of time, a little bit of clay, et voila! the first few houses of my little village...

Let's play!

We are so happy to show you our latest photos from our new collection The Performers. We have teamed up with the hugely talented stylist/photographer Aurélie Lecuyer from Le dans La. She had carte blanche to shoot our collection. We were blown away by all her images. Merci Aurélie!

Ludo le Lapin and Maximilien le Magicien, hand screen prints.

Maximilien and Ludo cushion cover.

Flower tray made from scandinavian birch wood.

Boom le clown and Flower tea towels (sold as a pack).

Boom le clown fine bone china mug.

Ludo le Lapin and Maximilien le Magicien fine bone china mug.

My 16 top addresses in Tokyo

Here is my selection of some of my favorite places to shop, visit, see and eat in Tokyo. I wish I had extra days to discover more hidden places as Tokyo is so vast. If you would like to add to the list please leave me a comment!


CIBONE
Magnificent interior design store located on the basement floor of Bell Commons shopping center in Aoyama. Metro: GaienMae on Ginza Line.
ACTUS
Few doors down from Cibone. This store has also a very good selection of interior accessories and clothes.
Minato-ku, Aoyama.
Metro: GaienMae on Ginza Line.
QUICO
Cute store with a selection of Scandinavian furniture, accessories and books.
Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
Metro: Omotessando
TOKYU HANDS
A must see if you visit Tokyo.The best place to find anything you want!
4 different stores in Tokyo: Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Ginza.
GALERIE DOUX DIMANCHE
For the best of European home accessories and for their famous Edition Paumes book collection. Galerie Doux Dimanche has two stores in Tokyo. One located in Jiyugaoka, a residential area. The other shop and gallery space is in Aoyama.
Metro: Omotessando or GaienMae.
KITCHEN TOWN
A 800m street with shops only selling kitchenware and plastic food! Just incredible and not to be missed (See my previous post).

MINA PERHONEN
Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
Metro: Gaienmae
ISSEY MIYAKE
4 stores on the same street: Minami, Aoyama.
Metro: Omotessando
TSUMORI CHISATO
Minami, Aoyama
Metro: Omotesando
GOOD THINGS
Men's fashion store near Tokyu Hands.
PAUL SMITH SPACE
Just to see the interior and exterior of the shop!
Jungu Mae. Metro: Omotesando
JIKAN
Scarves and hankershief
Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
Just round the corner from Quico shop.

SPIRAL
Metro: Omotesando
CRAYONHOUSE
Minato Ku, Aoyama.
Great selection of children books + a nice cafe

KIDDYLAND
Not just for kids...It's so much fun!
Jingu-mae, Shibuya
Metro Omotesando
PARK SIDE CAFE
For a nice lunch in Ueno park. Fresh food and a great selection of herbal teas.
MUSEUM DESIGN SIGHT 21_21
Founded by Issey Miyake. The building is designed by Tadao Ando. I went to see a beautiful exhibition on Japanese graphic designer Ikko Tanaka.
Tokyo Midtown
Metro: Roppongi

The images used to write the text are taken from Mina Perhonen 2013 A/W textile collection.

Tokyo's kitchen town

Kappabashi street is a 800 meter long street devoted to kitchenware. You will find anything you need to open a restaurant, from rice cooker, crockery, knives, disposable chopsticks to plastic food (realistic-looking plastic models of dishes that are displayed in many restaurant windows in Japan).
Subway stop: the Ginza Line’s Tawaramachi station.

You are welcome by The Chef and on the right you can see the new Tokyo Sky Tree tower.

All plastic food!