Esprit ‘Lounge’ Lamps
The Esprit ‘Lounge’ lamps are a nice modern take on a retro look. Very affordable and stylish. Comes in 3 wood veneers - zebrano, wenge or maple.
Floor Lamp - 175 x 44 cm - 299 euro
Pendant Lamp - 120 x 44 cm - 239 euro
Table Lamp - 60 x 44 cm - 259 euro
d-living ships internationally from Germany
Website in German
French Touche - French Indie Design
Opened in 2002 by Valérie and Emile on the rue Jacquemont, 75017 Paris, French Touche, is a Parisian boutique and online shop for French handmade products from approximately 200 indie designers and artists. The product range is extremely versatile with objects from retro ceramic jewelry to funky fun paper goods to adorable children’s clothes and toys.
Salt and Pepper Shakers - Porcelain - 26 euro
Japonaise Wall Lamp - 22 x 22 x 10 cm - 74 euro
Biche Cushion - 28 x 28 cm - 38 euro
Ceramic Bowl - diam. 14 cm - 18 euro
Money Purse - 14 x 8 cm - 22 euro
French Touche ships worldwide from France
Website in English and French
P’Home d’Amour Finds
For the lovers of a romantic, nostalgic look then you should not miss P’Home d’Amour of France. Although their collection is small each item is a real delight. I particularly love their vintage photo hang tags and engraved tea light latern. Pretty.
Vintage Hang Tags - Petite Fille - each - 3 euro
Vintage Hang Tags - Joyeux Noël - each - 3 euro
Engraved Container - large: 24 cm - 26.50 euro
Tea Light Lantern - 25 cm - 14 euro
Salt and Pepper Shaker - Silver - 6 cm - 15.50 euro
Suspension Vase - Glass - diam. 7.5 cm - 8.50 euro
P’Home d’Amour ships internationally from France
Website in French
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SitOnIt Lounger
The Belgium design company, SitOnIt, has designed a really nice bean bag lounger. This oversized lounger is filled with expanded polystyrene pellets that are much more comfortable than the original “beans” of yesteryear and is available in 18 contemporary colors. SitOnIt can do custom sizes up to 3 meters. The cover is made of water resistant 100% polyester and may be used both indoors and outdoors.
SitOnIt Lounger - 145 x 180 cm - 159 euro
SitOnIt sold through Cramer Moebel in Germany
Shipping internationally. Website in German.
SitOnIt Company website is in English.
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SuckUK MyCuppa
I love the irreverent design by Jude and Sam, the founders of SuckUK in Britain, always a clever take on an everyday item. The MyCuppa Tea / Coffee Cup has color bar markings for the various shades of milk that you can add to your cup of coffee or tea. Practical and funny.
MyCuppa - Coffee or Tea - £10
SuckUK ships internationally from Britain (free delivery for UK addresses)
Website in English
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The Collection France
The Collection founded in 2000 by Allison Grant on the rue de Poitou in Paris has an online site offering a selection of design pieces by both well- and lesser known talented European designers.
Escalier - Kavel Rafferty - heat transfer on tablet - 15×15x3.5d cm - 129 euro
Little Bang Lamp - by Black + Blum - 26h x 48d cm - 66 euro
Eat Series - by Tracy Kendall - 56w x 3.30m long (motif 2.2 m) - 169 euro
T-Towel Drainer - by Unity Peg - 76 x 46 cm - 17 euro
Bird Ball - By Blue and Grey - Ceramic - 17 cm diam. - 59 euro
T-Towel Débardeur - by La Cerise sur le Gâteau - 79 x 53 cm - 26 euro
The Collection ships internationally from France
Website in English and French
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Voyager Suitcase
Harking back to former days of travel the Voyager suitcase, an exclusive through Couverture in the UK, is a one of a kind piece. The suitcase is made of vinyl coated board, wood and metal trimmings with lock and 2 keys. Each suitcase is individually customized.
Established in 1999, Couverture specializes in covetable one-off designer pieces for the home, European fashion collections for women, cute knitted toys and children’s clothing and accessories, as well as an ever changing flow of vintage finds
Voyager Suitcase - 12 x 23 x 39 cm - £35
Couverture ships internationally from the UK
Website in English
Rosa L’Inde Textiles
The Rosa L’Inde Collection of France is a colorful mix of textiles with styles ranging from romantic to contemporary to bohemian. The fabrics used include organza, silk, cotton and flax with appliques, sequins and embroidery to create a lush collection of bed and sofa fashion pieces. Well worth a visit.
Waves Carpet - Wool and Cotton - Hand woven - 120 x 180 cm - 299 euro
Anna Bed Cover/2 pillow covers - 250 x 260 cm + 2x 50 x 70 cm - 319 euro
Rêve Quilt - Cotton - 160 x 160 cm - 199 euro
Cushions - Variety of Sizes / Colors - approx. 29 to 79 euro
Rosa L’Inde ships internationally from France
Website in English and French
Perigot Market Bags and Carts
When I arrived in Germany 11 years ago I was surprised to see the tiny kitchen refrigerators and the small quantities purchased at the super market but with time I came to realize that unlike Americans, Europeans have a tendency to shop not on a weekly basis but rather daily.
Why would this be I wondered. My best guess would be that culturally this has been the case for most families for generations (a large proportion of stay at home mothers) and secondly most European cities have at least one if not several fresh markets selling fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, exotic produce and everything in between where people purchase the ingredients for their meals on a daily basis. I have come to really like this way of shopping and the fact that often Europeans bring along their own bags, boxes or shopping carts to carry their goods home. Fresh food and environmentally conscious shopping is always a nice feeling.
Several stylish market carts and bags I found today at Perigot of France. All carts and bags are foldable for easy storage and transport.
Perigot Caster Roll Bag - Variety of Colors - 32 liters - 50 euro
Perigot Market Cart - 40 liters - Thermo-insulated - 135 euro
Mini Foldable Bag - Variety of Colors - 10 euro
Perigot ships internationally from France
Website in English and French
Environsax
Founded by Belinda and Mark David-Tooze Envirosax® eco-friendly bag originates from Currumbin Valley in South East Queensland, Australia. The Envirosax team uses renewable and recyclable products where possible, and is committed to operating on ecologically sustainable principles. The bag can hold 2x the amount of product as a regular grocery store plastic bag and can be folded down to a hand-held size to fit in your handbag or glove compartment. A smart and beautiful choice to help our environment.
Over 35 choices of prints, including a bamboo/linen and hemp version, to choose from.
Environsax (in Netherlands) - 42 x 50 cm - 6,95 euro
Environsax (in Germany) - 42 x 50 cm - 9,90 euro
Bagazoo ships internationally from the Netherlands
Website in English, French and Dutch
Taschen Kaufhaus ships internationally from Germany
Website in German
Pia Baastrup Porcelain
Pia Baastrup, a self-taught ceramic artist from Denmark, has the most lovely and fragile looking porcelain tableware collection. Pia starts all of her designs by folding paper until new shapes and models take shape. Once a piece is conceptualized with paper she then rolls the porcelain into thin plates, cuts them to size and marks, bends or folds the porcelain until she has assembled the pieces into cups, bowels, plates or dishes.
Each pieces is made by hand without moulds. The technique is 3 to 4 times more time-consuming than if casts or a wheel are used. The colours are white and celadon, and the models are made in different, stackable sizes. Pia Baastrup’s workshop is located in Copenhagen, Denmark, since 2003.
Collection purchasable through Craft2eu.net:
Square Plates - 3 Sizes - Small 12.5 x 16 cm - 52 euro
Japanese Bowl - 4 Sizes - Large 15 x 15 cm - 73 euro
Boat Plates - 3 Sizes - Medium 19.5 cm - 52 euro
No. 6 Bowl - 4 Sizes - Small 3.5 x 8.5 cm - 32 euro
Craft2eu.net carries the range. Shipping directly from the workshop of Pia Baastrup in Denmark
10-16 weeks are needed for production and delivery
Website in English and German
Engel und Bengel Baby
Engel & Bengel carries a beautiful selection of children’s furniture and clothing from such producers as Théophile & Patachou and Leander. I am particularly fond of the the crib that later converts into a child’s bed - the contemporary design allows the crib / bed to work in an interior that grows with the child.
Crib / Child Bed - 70 x 120 cm converts to 70 x 150 cm - 748 euro
Mobile with Timer - 50 x 35cm - 112 euro
Child Chair - Blue or Beige - 70h (Seat 30h cm) x 40w x 50d cm - 275 euro
Crib Bumper Set - 60/70/60 cm x 40cm - 149 euro
Engel und Bengel ships internationally
Website in German
Make up the Wall
Make up the Wall was designed by Danish designer, Maria Kirk Mikkelsen, as a conceptual wallpaper. Make up the wall is based on different design-kit templates that help you decorate walls and fabric in endless variations, the limit is only your imagination. I could see using these also to trace onto window glass, which could easily be filled in with a variety of marker colors.
Each kit contains aluminum templates that you use to trace onto the surface of a painted wall or textile. There are 7 kits to choose from - Gekko, Western, Spirograph and 4 different flower templates. Recommended marker pen is the Posca marker 3mm, which is sold through Make up the Wall for 4 euro each.
Template Kit - 1 to 3 templates per kit 30 to 45 euro
Make up the Wall ships from Denmark
Website in English
Esprit ‘Life’ Couch
Nice Price!
Esprit not only does clothing but has expanded to furniture, accessories, lighting, bathroom furniture and textiles. The Esprit Furniture collection is a really affordable option and the Esprit ‘Life’ couch is definitely a great deal. Comes in 3 versions: 2, 2.5 and 3-seater versions with 9 color choices.
2-Seater - 165 x 85 x 96 cm - 645 euro
2.5-Seater - 195 x 85 x 96 cm - 677 euro
3-Seater - 235 x 85 x 96 cm - 699 euro
d-living ships internationally from Germany
Website in German
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Discovery Online Collection
Discovery has over 800 products ranging from contemporary to french country. Discovery was founded in 2003 with the motto “to expect the unexpected” - the online shop carries an ever changing lineup of furniture and accessories.
Vitrine - Wood - 120 x 40 x 40cm - 229 euro
Baroque Chair - Mango Wood - 87 x 70 x 63cm - 499 euro
Bowls - 5-pc. Set - Ceramic - 39.90 euro
Asia Wardrobe - Wood & MDF - 180 x 90 x 50cm - 499 euro
3-Drawer Console - Recycled Wood - 123 x 47 x 82cm - 249 euro
Bottle Carrier - Wood - 43 x 22 x 34cm - 24.90 euro
Rug - Felt - 3 Sizes Available - 120 x 180cm - 169 euro
Sit Sack - Polyester beads and Covering - 110 x 110 x 70cm - 99.90 euro
Discovery ships only throughout Germany
Website in German
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Autre Shop
Some tremendously yummy graphic textiles to be found at the Autre Shop from France. Carrying designs from La Cerise sur le Gâteau, Laissez Lucie Faire and VL Créations.
Coussin deco Bulldog anglais Pillow - 40 x 40 cm - 49 euro
Coussin deco Paris Pillow - 40 x 40 cm - 49 euro
Coussin Barbie Pillow - 40 x 40 cm - 49 euro
Housse de coussin blanche Alice Pillow - 50 x 50 cm - 33 euro
Chemin de Table La Bonne Ménagère Table Cloth - 45 x 150 cm - 85 euro
Torchon de cuisine Alicette Bleu Dish Towel - 50 x 80 cm - 14 euro
Autre Shop ships internationally from France
Website in French (English coming soon)
Les Petites Emplettes
Some sweet little finds at Les Petites Emplettes.
Felt Sacks - 27 x 27 - 40 euro
Passport Covers - Linen - 22.50 euro
Pillows - Cotton and Linen - 30 x 30 cm - 40 euro
Backback - Cotton - 34 euro
Les Petites Emplettes ships internationally from France
Website in French
Car Moebel Chair Choices
Since I bought my first Brigette Magazine back in 2002 and discovered Car Möbel, the German producer of wood and metal furniture and accessories, I have always thought of them as a great find. Car Möbel has been producing furniture for over 45 years and in the last 5 years they have expanded their collection and updated their website making Car Möbel an even better resource.
Today I would like to show a small selection of their wooden chairs. Car Möbel carries 35 different styles of chairs with up to 3 options for seats (upholstered or 2 types of weave). The prices are extremely reasonable and since each chair can be purchased in unfinished wood then you can customize the look of the chair to fit your decor.
Be sure to see the rest of what Car Möbel offers for their collection is extensive and always priced just right.
TUTORIALS:
You can find Car Möbel online tutorials for painting, staining, reupholstering 1 and reupholstering 2 the chairs here.
Chairs - Price range 109 to 179 euro
Car Möbel shipping throughout Germany only
Car Möbel website in German only
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Gemma Comas Photography
Inspiration can be found everywhere. When I was doing research for my post regarding DIY Pillow Covers I discovered that Gemma Comas had photographed the book The Pillow Book. Her photos are so lovely contained within those pages I thought I would take a peek at her professional website. I am so pleased that I did. Lovely work by Gemma Comas. Also be sure to visit Gemma’s new blog to see some of her images that do not appear on her professional site - a real treat.
Corsarini Berlin Shop
Looking for a German source for the Danish design company Ferm Living and the British company Mibo then visit the Corsarini Studio shop and online presence located in Berlin, Germany.
Branch - 1 roll - 53w x 10m - 65 euro
Feather - 1 roll - 53w x 10m - 65 euro
Ribbed White - 1 roll - 53w x 10m - 72 euro
Walldots Light - 1 roll - 53w x 10m - 72 euro
Claket Lane Shade - 31d x 20h cm - 81 euro
Selsey Pillow Cover - 40 x 40 cm - 47 euro
Corsarini ships internationally
Website in German
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Do it Yourself Pillow Making Resources
Want to freshen up your decor with pillows but can’t seem to find that perfect cushion? Well, maybe you could sew your own. It really is not as hard you might think. The first sewing project I ever did was a simple knife-edge pillow at the age of 11 on my little mini sewing machine, given to me as a Christmas present. I really cherished that pillow for years because I had created it on my own. Sourcing how-to books, patterns and fabric is a breeze with the internet. Here are some of my favorite choices.
Book One: The Pillow Book
The Pillow Book written by Shannon Okey, also the voice behind the blog knitgirl.com, and photographed beautifully by Gemma Comas is a real delight containing 25 simple to sew patterns, with step-by-step directions and a front pocket containing the sewing patterns.
Book Two: Handcrafted Pillows
Linda Neubauer and Joanne Wawra’s Handcrafted Pillows: Sew And Embellish Pillows In The Decorator Looks You Love provides a set of some thirty projects achieved using five basic sewing styles. I think the layout and the instructions were really thorough and straight forward, great for the beginner.
Book Three: The Sewing Edges and Corners Book
Another book I think would be great to have is The Sewing Edges and Corners book written by Linda Lee. This book details how to sew corners, piping, flanges and bands on the edges of your pillows giving them that extra professional touch.
The Pillow Book - Through Amazon - $17
Handcrafted Pillows - Through Amazon - $28
The Sewing Edges and Corners - Through Amazon - $13.50
Amy Butler offers several free patterns, such as the Hourglass Pillow project, which can be downloaded in pdf format. If you are looking for Amy Butler fabrics here in Europe you can visit Still Water Designs, selling several of her fabric designs by the meter. For an American fabric resource my favorite shop would be PurlSoho.
Hourglass Pillow Pattern - Free
Midwest Mod Pillow Pattern Book - $13
Amy Butler Fabrics - 1 meter - 16 euro
Also Etsy and DaWanda are good resources when you are looking for fabric. Often you do not need to buy a whole meter or you can buy several pieces at one reasonable price. Here are just two of the many sellers that I found: Etsy - FabricCloset and on DaWanda: EduBrasil.
For my German readers, see this post regarding tariffs for shipping fabric from the USA to Europe on the beautiful blog Nähsucht (Addicted to Sewing) by one very, very talented crafter. The blog is in English and German but the post regarding tariffs is in German only.
Also you can check online for video tutorials for crafting your own pillows, one nice resource is Expert Village and the series How To Make Pillows.