Makers
Dutch Design Week 2017 | Day 1 Favourites
You may have seen on my Instagram, that I was part of a group of bloggers #BlogTeamDDW organised by Holly and Desiree, covering the Dutch Design Week over the weekend. It was so great to catch up again with friends, some of those I hadn’t even met in person, yet I’ve known for years. I also got to meet some lovely new faces. I love this online blog world for that, it is the perfect tool to bring people together with the same interests. With that in mind, we were bound to have fun together exploring our love! That we did, with two full days exploring the Dutch design scene and a very special evening at the launch of the new NLXL wallpaper, Timber Strips by Piet Hein Eek. Piet’s friend, the one and only, Paola Navone cooked for us (!!) and Rossana Orlandi was also a guest. But more of that, and day two, coming up in a later post.
The Flower Whisperer | Markantonia
Before arriving at the Kingsland studio of Markantonia – given the nature of their business – I was naturally expecting to see a lot of dried flowers; but I never envisioned the sheer volume that was actually there. Flowers and branches were hung from every conceivable beam or door; hydrangeas filled vases, buds and leaves that had been carefully clipped filled the glass jars on the shelves. A veritable wonderland for the floral enthusiast.
The Designer | David Trubridge
Before moving to New Zealand, if someone were to ask me to name an industrial designer from here, David Trubridge would have be the first one to pop to mind. His lighting, most notably the Coral light, is recognized around the world as a design classic and its geometric design creates a playful pattern on the walls and ceiling when lit. The Coral, and much of David’s lighting and furniture is on show in some of the finest interior and commercial fit-outs worldwide.
The Rug Maker | Nodi
While the story of Nodi rugs might begin in the flea markets of Milan, it’s really about Olivia, the founder of Nodi’s journey. It’s about how she created a business that is a reflection of her love of textures and craftsmanship along with her strong ethics. One thing is for certain, she’d listened to her instincts and took some chances for everything to unfold into the business it is today. It’s early days yet. Her workspace is her home. She works from the kitchen table, surrounded by glass walls and ceiling, albeit it’s not the type that’s holding her down.
The Ceramicist | Gidon Bing
Since the earliest days of this blog, I’ve wanted to photograph and write a story about ceramicist and sculptor, Gidon Bing. My very first introduction to his work was seeing his water pitcher, which, along with most of his other creations, I have coveted ever since. This jug has a very particular style; beautifully rounded and smooth, almost like a very modern take of something that might have been used during the Roman Empire. Quite often his work is oversized and dramatic, yet without any fuss and easily recognisable as his.
Utzon & Le Corbusier’s Sydney Opera House Collaboration
As a child, a visit to the Sydney Opera House was always a highlight. Visits were fairly regular as each year my parents bought the family season tickets to the Australian Ballet. While they might have been the cheapest tickets available and we were right up the back of the concert hall, I didn’t care, I was there in all of its magic.
Read more on Utzon & Le Corbusier’s Sydney Opera House Collaboration…
Pickled Whimsy Kokedama Workshop
Rewind about two years and I was taking photos of an Auckland interior store when I saw that they sold Kokedamas. I was so excited because I fell in love with this Japanese plant art way back here, yet nobody in New Zealand seemed to be doing it. It seems that Coraleigh, from Pickled Whimsy caught on and was making them in her Tauranga studio, about two and half hours south of Auckland.
WON Design
Today I’m excited to be sharing a new Danish design brand, WON. If you’re a lover of beautiful clean Scandinavian lines that not only look stunning but are also functional, you won’t be disappointed.
