Adeline Klam is a French designer who is passionate about Japan, origami paper and bright colours. She has the most beautiful shop in Paris in the 11th arrondissement where she sells a variety of colourful Japanese papers, fabrics, stationeries and books and also offers workshops to make beautiful paper flowers like these:
Make your own paper flowers kit.
Agenda planner and Colour block pens by Poketo.
House shape block book end by Present & Correct. Colour block planner by Poketo.
Geometric sets of cards by Present & Correct.
Aino-Maija Metsola is the designer who created the beautiful Sääpäiväkirja collection of tableware and fabric for Marimekko. The starting point of this collection was a fascination for rain, fog, wind, light and water and how we perceive the weather surrounding us.
Aino-Maija Metsola spent several months creating sketches and patterns and colour palettes using different type of media such as aquarelle and ink.
Here are some images of her research:
I first visited Tokyo four years ago during our world tour travels with Simon and Ophelia (do you remember this post?!) I fell in love with this vibrant City and how welcoming Japanese people are. Four years later I come back to the same area we stayed last time (Aoyama) and to my surprised nothing has changed much. Today Coco (the editor of Edition Paumes) and Hisashi (the owner/creative director/photographer of Edition Paumes and Doux Dimanche) took us out to visit the area. It was very pleasant to be guided around the busy district of Omotesando, Harajuku and Shibuya. They took us to various shops and to a delicious sushi restaurant (only locals would know about as it was hidden away on top of a high staircase). We did a lot of shopping (like I haven't done for ages- no children bored or crying - just my mum, heaven!). I actually bought lots of silly stuffs for the children in Kiddy Land and Tokyu Hands...stickers, Hello Kitty note books, paper soap, garish pink pencils and stupid things that they will both love. I had a fantastic time in Tokyu Hands (the best lifestyle store in the World!!) buying A LOT of MT Tapes - they cost only €1 each over here! I also bought some colourful vinyl adhesive by the meter. I am planning to do a lot of cutting on my return home!
Kiddy Land.
Tokuy Hands in Shibuya.
Quico Store.
Jikan Style.
Vibrant and crazy Harajuku!
Cointreau, cranberry juice and Prosecco was the drink of the night; the opening night of our month long residence at The Collection boutique in Le Marais, Paris.
This is the first time that we have had the opportunity to feature our entire collection in a single shop, and this is not just any shop!
The Collection is a reference in Paris for high quality wallpaper and interior products (think wallpaper designed by Aurelie Mathigot, Deborah Bowness, Studio Ditte and Custhom, furniture designed by Mint, lighting by Matthieu Challières and Petite Friture...).
The shop itself has so much character: beautiful wooden flooring, exposed beams and original stone walls.
The Collection will be selling products including the new City maps laser cuts, our screen printed cushions, wallpaper, tea towels and prints exclusively during the month of November.
Merci à Allison, Pia and Guyonne!
ps the Prosecco cocktail was divine - a recipe courtesy of Nigella Lawson!
In Eindhoven the designer Piet Hein Eek has converted an enormous former Phillips factory into a stunning design space. It includes his workshop, a showroom for his recycled wooden furniture, a restaurant, a shop, art gallery and studios for young designers from the Design Academy.
He opened the space last year during the Dutch Design Week events. I had a little chat with him, and found him to be a very genuine and down to earth guy. He was telling me that last year he was completely exhausted from the overwhelming effort - the scale of the project is phenomenal! He has converted 10,000 square metres of completely run down building into a huge white space divided by glass walls. The walls and floors were recycled from another of Phillips' enormous warehouse buildings.
He loves to reuse materials like wood and give them a new life: large tables, a high chair for children, benches, stools...
I was so impressed by this building and the concept behind it. It's a real design hub full of inspiring people and projects.
His shop sells a mix of products: vintage glasses, Aesop beauty products, his own collection of furniture, bikes and a mix of products by Dutch and International designers.
On the left lampshade by . On the right Tent Lamp by Lotty Lindeman (seen in the studio shared by Lotty Lindeman and Wouter Scheublin) wire lamps in tie silk hanging in the restaurant, designed by Piet Hein Eek.
An impressive wooden sink part of a bio kitchen and metal rusty chair installation.
Piet Hein Eek children's furniture designs.
A collection of vintage green bottles and on the right view of the cafe at the top of the building.
Cars and boats by Floris Hovers.
Old lampshade lamps Chandelier in the restaurant.
Lunch served on wooden plates.
I wish I did this more often: yesterday I went to Paris to meet my friend Helena for a morning coffee in Merci (it's only 25mn on the train from my home so no excuse!). They had a wonderful selection of mix products in indigo colour: suitcases, bed linen, note books, cushions and more. Then I was off to Bonton (10m away from Merci) and for a nice walk in rue de Bretagne, Rue Vieille du Temple, rue des Archives (stopped on the way to have a hair cut) and then back home to pick up the children from school. The sun was out, the coffee terraces were full of people enjoying the lovely day. I love Paris in Spring time.
Merci shop, Boulevard Beaumarchais.
Bonton shop, boulevard des Filles du Calvaire.
I loved the colours used in the Ferm Living collection.
From the top left:
Wine bottle candleholders, Remix Yellow cushion, Molecule Building Set, Copenhagen tea towel.
Danish designs from Hay.
from the top left:
Plopp stool by Oskar Zieta, Display Me Box, Nobody chairs for adult and child by Komplot Design, Fold Unfold table cloth by Margrete Odgaard.
We had the pleasure to be invited yesterday evening to the bookstore La Cocotte (Paris 11th arrondissement) for the launch of Chocolats à Paris by Edition Paume. Fumie Shimoji and Aya Ito were there from Japan with their team who worked on the book. There was a large table full of delicious chocolate delicacies. Lucien and Ophelia had a great time as you can imagine! I love La Cocotte bookstore, they specialize in very creative cookery books and they have also a good selection of design books. We left the party with 3 books: The Genius of French Poster Art by Hervé Morvan, London Kitchens and London Family Style books by Paumes (to add to my growing collection!).
Deyrolle House rue du Bac in Paris 7th Arrondissement is a very unique place with a one of a kind collection.
It was founded in 1831 by Jean-Baptiste Deyrolle and his son. Both lovers of Entomology they developed a thriving business based on the sale of insects and hunting equipment for natural history collections while developing a parallel activity of taxidermy. Anything that is collected in Deyrolle in the atmosphere of a huge private collection of curiosities, is for learning and knowledge of natural things.
By 1870's the Deyrolle House was also well known for providing schools and universities with scientific equipment and educational charts.
In 2008 a devastating fire destroyed the first floor of the shop. Almost all of the collection was destroyed. It has now reopened and it has been beautifully restored. We went this weekend with the children as we were in the area. Ophelia was so amazed to see so many wild animals (tiger, elephant, polar bear...) in an apartment!
Taxidermy is definitely not normally my cup of tea, but a truly unique experience. It's worth a visit if you're in Paris.
The beautiful shop The Collection, rue de Poitou in Paris has now launch The Little Collection for your little ones. I love the colourful box set, perfect to have a tidy desk, and this fab harvest coat hanger.
Very cool designs by Norwegian design Agency Darling Clementine. Ingrid Reithaug and Tonje Holand are inspired by their Scandinavian design heritage. Check their beautiful collection: cushions, cards, notebooks and prints.
Have a nice weekend! We're hoping to go away for few days on the French West coast as it's half term here in France (vacances de la Toussaint)...well I say hoping...because of the strikes most of the petrol stations are closed. We have enough petrol to get there...but maybe not to come back :)
I love all the products Present and Correct select on their website. They have such a good eye for vintage prints and stationary. Their graphics are always so nice. This is my selection this week:
1.P&C paper bag, a selection of old stencils, labels, stickers...every single bag is different!
2.Make your own little town out of 4 sheets of corrugated screen printed cardboard.
3.Dots tape set to decorate and customize your packages and anything you fancy!
Dolls by Marilyn Neuhart. Originally designed in 1959, these dolls were popular items at Girard's Textile & Objects Shop in Manhattan during the 60's. Hand sewn by the artist herself, each doll is unique and sold exclusively by MaXimo.
You can customize your hat in 3 clicks on the online boutique La cerise sur le chapeau. Chose the style of hat then add the colours! Seen in One Day One Plan blog.
