Famille Summerbelle

Snow & Sun

Our dream week in the Alps...
Ophelia and Lucien are now following us everywhere on the slopes, it's such a pleasure to ski en famille!

You can see more images on my Instagram!

ColoRing by Schemata Architects

Tokyo based Schemata Architects are renowned for the coloured resin tables that I have previously mention on the blog. Jo Nagasaka has also designed a unique furniture line called ColoRing using the lacquering technique of Udukuri.
Udukuri is a traditional Japanese wood craft technique that consist of polishing wood surface with a brush made of sew grass to scrape off soft tissue so that coarse grain pattern is revealed.
Nagasaka then uses leftover paint from other constructions to apply three layers of different colors on the surface. After this process, the object will be polished flat, leaving a unique pattern of wood and color in a functional vibrant design.
Photography by Takumi Ota.

As seen on Dezeen and No Rest for the Obsessed.

Un dimanche à Paris

It was such a perfect day.

Studio Bertjan Pot

The last couple of weeks my youngest sister Charlotte came to work with me on some FS projects at my new studio in De Pijp area in Amsterdam. Charlotte is finishing her 4th year at the Design Academy in Eindhoven.
Our ritual was to meet every morning at 8h30 in our local coffee shop on Van Woustraat. We would slowly wake up with a latte chatting about design ideas and she'd introduced me to the work of several amazing dutch designers.

One of them is Bertjan Pot, most famous his Random Light edited by Moooi.
But what caught my eyes are his mask series. As always in his work he starts to experiment with materials. On this particular occasion he wanted to find out about stitching a rope together to make a large flat carpet. Instead of flat, the samples got curvy and this is how the idea of masks was born. The colours and facial expressions are so powerful yet some of them are rather disturbing.

Masks at the Tricks and Flicks exhibition at the Villa Noailles in Hyères.

Downstairs lighting series are a sort of Stairway to Heaven. 'This is certainly not your average chandelier and you might be very surprises to see an upside down safety ladder with carnival lights. This chandelier won the 1st Frame-Moooi Award in 2012 and the 8 step ladder has been taken into the permanent collection of the Dutch Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam.'

Disco Dome uses half an outside-in mirror ball as a faceted reflector. It creates the perfect atmosphere for a private party over a dinner table or in a hallway.

I love the Triangles patterns Studio Bertjan Pot created for Golran a family business with a long history in persian carpets. 'When weaving a Kilim, horizontal and diagonal lines are easy to create but vertical ones are hard to make. So the easiest shape to make is a triangle. Starting off with a triangular grid we build a lot of patterns. Kilims go a long way back in the nomadic tradition, Triangles are of all ages.'

Studio Bertjan Pot consist of Bertjan Pot, Vladi Rapaport and Marjolein Fase.

Say it with a flower this Valentine's day

Just a little offer for anyone looking for a Valentine's gift...20% off our birch wood Flower tray up until Friday.

Paper cut map of Paris

Next weekend we are going to Paris with the children as it is the start of the school holidays. I really look forward to seeing these two exhibitions: Decorum at the Musée d'Art Moderne and WallpaperLab at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and maybe (if we can get a table) go for dinner at Septime. Have you seen the beautiful photographs of the interior and the delicious dishes on Griottes?
For now I leave you with images of our paper cut map of Paris. The paper cut is available in 3 colours: a vibrant blue, pink and black.
Enjoy your week!

Anna Kövecses

Ábécés könyv is the latest book I got for myself (and I'm sure it will end up on the children bookshelf). It is a delightful book self published and designed by the very talented Hungarian graphic designer Anna Kövecses.
Anna lives in Cyprus in a small village with her boyfreinds and daughter Rebeka. She designed Ábécés könyv for her daughter to teach her the 44 letters of the Hungarian alphabet.
All photos credit This Is Paper.

While ordering her book I discovered the site Blurb. Have you heard about it? You can create and publish your own book but also make photo albums with the quality of a hardcover book (you can also publish an online book or photo album).
I am so behind with my photo albums, but this has motivated to start - as soon as I get some free time -really?!

Mobiles by Alex Palenski

I love mobiles. A couple of years ago I made a paper cut mobile with Ophelia's drawing.
Today I wanted to share with you images of exquisite mobiles designed by French sculptor Alex Palenski.
Alex only makes unique mobile pieces that are made with metal and hand painted. You can discover more of his work here.

Elisa Strozyk ceramic tables

Everything Elisa Strozyk touches turns into something truly unique and beautiful. Remember her Wooden Textiles that won few numerous awards.
On her latest project Ceramic Tables she experiments with the process of firing. Under the influence of rotation and blown air, the different colours of liquid glazes are mixed together to leave traces of fluid movement and smoke-like patterns which are solidified in the heat of the kin.