Famille Summerbelle

Our next move....

I'm typing this post sitting on the floor of our empty house, with only 10% of battery left on my laptop I have to be brief.
We are moving...to Amsterdam! Big news and so little time to think about it as we had to make the quick decision at the beginning of September to start a new life over there. More on this crazy move in a few days with pictures. The removals guys have just left the house, and on Thursday I'm driving with the children to our new home, next to the Vondelpark in Amsterdam.
We are so excited.

Lex Pott & David Derksen

Dutch designers Lex Pott and David Derksen were exhibiting their Transcience Mirrors at Tent a few weeks ago. They are truly beautiful and I was so pleased to see them for 'real'.
Transcience shows the beauty of the natural oxidizing process inherent in mirrors. This process can be regarded as degradation, however this project exhibits the beauty of this material transition of silver.
By accelerating and manipulating this process, the Transcience mirrors illustrate the various stages of oxidation through the repetition of fundamental geometric shapes. Depending on the time that the silver is reacting with sulphur, different colour tones can be achieved, ranging from gold to brown, to purple to blue.

David Derksen was also showing his Copper Light and Wooden Light (made from wood veneer and a brass colour film backing). The sheets of copper and wood are folded by hand and made in David's studio in Rotterdam.

Dewar Light and Wooden Light.

Flask Lights. The Flask objects are reappropriations of the familiar Thermos flask. Despite their complexity these containers can be found inside all common coffee flasks. Through the addition of specially designed rubber components, the beauty of this often concealed, everyday object is revealed and displayed in the Flask Light and Flask Vase.

Le Petit Atelier de Paris

A few days ago I met my friend Helena from Agence Violette for a coffee in the lovely café Loustic (decorated by the interior designer of the moment Dorothée Meilichzon: Café Pinson, Mojo, Fish Club...).

Café Loustic 40, rue Chapon Paris 3ème.
© crédit photos KRISTEN PELOU


We then walked to Le Petit Atelier de Paris which I have heard about but never had a chance to visit... Unfortunately it was closed when we got there (it is only open from Thursday to Saturday from 13h until 19h). The window display was so charming with the hanging ceramic house & the dog made of wire, the lighting star and delicate bowls. I will certainly go back but in the meantime you can have a look here to discover more designs.

Le Petit Atelier de Paris, 31 Rue de Montmorency, Paris 3ème.

Kosmos Project

Collective Unconscious is the latest project presented at Tent in London by Polish designers Ewa Bochen and Maciej Jelski from Kosmos Project Design Studio.

Ancestral spirit masks of a wolf, bear and bird.

Handmade in natural wool kilim.

Kilim and chandeliers made of metal and glass.

Planning the next family holidays?

It has been a month since we came back from our long Summer break and I am already thinking of the holidays and where we could go next with the children. When we go abroad for a family weekend break or longer holidays we always try to rent an apartment instead of staying in hotels as we like to have the comfort of a home.
The newly launched Kid & Coe is what we have been waiting for since we had children. It says it all 'A vacation holidays rental that simplifies family holiday travel'.
This beautiful website has carefully selected kid-friendly homes around the World to rent for one night or more.
Simon and I have been talking about going to Italy for ages and I think I found the perfect place here...
Copenhagen:

London, Primrose Hill:

Tel Aviv: