Vitra @ Stockholm Design Week 2012.

Not much to say about Vitra, the brand we all love, wish and care for.
Get inspired. Make your space your own.

Façade's 

Inspiration to create your own interior garden

I would love to have a vertical garden 

Home office, do you have one?

Love the wallpaper

More ideas for a Spring garden 

Totally fell in love with a rug. It really looks a layer of wood

Grey as a starting point

Meetings, don't we love meetings?

Muuto @ Stockholm Design Week 2012.

When I look for new brands or products I always wonder the commercial side of the business, their business. For instance, how much do they need to sell to survive (specially with all the competition in this business), costs (where and what's made off, quality, etc) and what's their commercial strategy.
Of course I could ask or research the subject, but I think it's more fun to wonder. It makes me think and sometimes find solutions for my questions.

Anyway, when I bumped into Muuto I wondered, and wondered a lot. It's a brand with lots of little (and great) things, therefore volume must be something quite difficult to achieve. Though, I don't think it's difficult for them to survive.
Muuto's design and product quality are high and the product versatility, like the Stacking Self, is a product fairly easy to live in many spaces around the world, not to mention "Designed in Scandinavia" it's a great selling point.

The smaller and versatile the product is, the easier it gets to travel around the world. Maybe that's their strategy. who knows?

Stacking Self
Restore Basket (under the wall shelving)

Unfold Suspension (grey ceiling lamp)

Muuto's accessories 

Detail on Stacking Self - The clips

Stand's overview

Keep Table, one of the most interesting products they have

Fresh Blood @ Stockholm Design Week 2012.

I fall in love very easily. Not only with people but with objects too.

This amazing sofa grabbed my eye instantly. The idea of having my books "on" my seat next to a big window made me fly. Imagine how fantastic it must be to be laying on it, reading my favorite book, with a view to the infinite...

A perfect corner in the real world, isn't it? The colour is the detail, the form its function.

TELEPORTAL - A furniture designer's interpretation of escaping from reality designed by Maria Jonsson

Linnaeus University

Studio Ilse @ Stockholm Design Week 2012.

What makes products better than others? The mix between colour, form and material need to be balanced.

Studio Ilse | Modern and Emotional Design

Inga Sempé Talking About Her Work.

Last Wednesday the Stockholm Furniture Fair held an amazing talk. Inga Sempé spoke about her work and I was all ears.

She's not only one of the best designers but very funny too. Between serious things, like her design process and the frustration that a few ideas would never be built, she would make a joke about French mentality and how they complaint about everything (I actually think its true).

With a very nice and clean presentation she spoke about her work and the whole process. New projects, old ones and where her inspiration comes from. A must!

A few tips I could take from what she said:
1st - Know exactly which detail you like in a product and explore it (she likes classical mechanicalm systems)
2nd - Invest every penny in materials and research (she spends every penny to improve her work)
3rd - If you want to get your products manufactured, make sure you're ready to compromise. Your manufacturer might decide to change your design, even if a little bit.
4th - Think of things you personally need (she's working on two great ideas - a trolley which becomes "shelves" because she travels a lot and a stool which becomes a ladder because she never has patience to grab a ladder to climb and change a bulb) 
5th - Do it with love, lots and lots of love. And in case you think it's not enough, add some more. Ah, when you think IT'S enough, add even more because success is hidden within love.

Luceplan Plissé

Luceplan Plissé being tested 

Work In Progress - The Trolley 

The Trolley

Work In Progress - The Stool Versus Ladder 

My favorite lamp

The cabinets which remind me containers. Love it. 

Project Development 

Probably the most famous sofa to Ligne Roset

Sketches on a project she did for Amorim, the leader supplier in cork (Made in Portugal)

Again, the "Cork Project"

And one more time

Stockholm Design Week 2012 - Note.

First time I went to the biggest design fair in Scandinavia. It's been a surprise, a good surprise. 
I've lots to show you. From products to talks, I had it all. Three days enjoying good design. Yes, I know! Three days? You could have done in one and a half, but I always love to go back and enjoy again my favorites, plus I had work meetings to attend. Good meeting too though.
Anyway, I have indeed many pictures and a few tips on trends as well. Today I attend to this amazing seminar with Rita Nakouzi, the trend forecaster from New York. Good one.
In the meantime I leave you here a photograph to celebrate what Stockholm has best to offer - cosy hotel lounges to have a cup of tea (if it's still early) and write down all your notes about this amazing visit.
Have a lovely evening.

Nobis Hotel

Stockholm Design Week 2012.

From tomorrow until Saturday, Stockholm is probably the most international city in Europe.

One of the best up and coming design events, Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair is the world's largest meeting place for Scandinavian furniture and lighting design, for both home and public environments.

With Inga Sempé as the Guest of Honour (and one of my favorite designers ever), I'm sure it's going to be one of the best design events of 2012.

Stay tuned, I promise to post the best designers and brands.

 

LEMA @ imm Cologne 2012.

MDF @ imm Cologne 2012.