Black walls and a fire place at home | Masterplan 2.0

I am still working on my masterplan 2.0, a lot slower then I thought it would go though but let's face it, there aren't just enough hours in a day right! I have nothing to complain work wise except for not getting any further with things at home as fast as I would like. Finishing the changes in my kitchen is now taking some months, despite the hard work of my friend who is coming over to do magic with her paint brushes when we find a little time to continue the job.

I did made some changes though though! I have a new kitchen bench instead of the numerous amount of chairs and I love it! I am still looking for some small tiles for the backsplash and other things too and I hope to share it with you later when the wall is finished and when making some new pictures. 

Meanwhile I came across an amazing fireplace by Ewald Bosgoed .... I am so in love and need to go back to his store some day soon to see if we can collaborate on something, I posted the picture below on Instagram where you might have been drooling over it already.

I love this time of the year and luckily I started to feel better over Christmas when the kids and some friends came over, I even managed to cook my kids favourite dishes for dinner and we had a lovely evening after all. 

For Christmas we got a Philips 4K Oled television and I know it's a bit cheesy and it's not a real fire place but oh my.... Since taking the television out of the box I have been enjoying the different fire places available through Netflix in between watching my favourite series these days. The moving fire, the sound, I love everything of it and with the amazing Ambilight effect it all seems so real, what else can you wish for this time of the year.

written in collaboration with Philps 

Forest house by Fearon Hay

Dark timber floors, spacious areas, enormous cast concrete pillars and different zones for working, living, eating, entertaining and sleeping. I am pretty impressed by this home found on The Local Project, an Australian website born out of a desire to showcase New Zealand's rich design industry. Read more about this home here.

pictures Simon Wilson & Amelia Holmes

Best Wishes and Happy Holidays

That moment of the year when you feel you need to do and finish a thousand things, but just feel like hanging on the couch. Not feeling to well I have been in a really slow mood these last days and spent most of the time in bed or on the couch trying to get in the Christmas mood and recovering before having dinner with the family. Some years are more Chrissy then others I guess. Minimalism is still key and some greens and lots of fairy lights and candles will do the trick for me to create a homy Christmas feeling... including some Wham and John Lennon on repeat of course

Like last year I have a big cozy Nordman tree with lots of lights on my patio since early December, a few green mini trees indoors and two hundred Christmas lights above my table. I planned to add some green along with them but not feeling like moving at all.... I will keep that for next year! Meanwhile I came across the home of Maja of the fab blog Musta Ovi who made this green hanging for her living room and also the decoration by Signe Bay is very classy and simple, love those grey and concrete walls of both their homes. For a darker Christmas mood check out the ladies over at Our Foodstories

Hope you had a great Christmas eve and wishing you a happy Christmas with the ones that are close to your heart. 

picture 1/3 by Signe Bay found via AMM // picture 2 Musta Ovi 

Objects by APPARATUS

Founded in 2012 and with showrooms in New York and Milan, APPARATUS explores the relationship of lighting, furniture and objects in immersive environments, threading the historical and the cultural through a modern lens. Materials like marble, suede, horsehair, lacquer and porcelain are combined with patinated brass to create the studio’s distinctive collection.

Embracing a tradition of studio craftsmanship, each sculptural piece is hand-finished and assembled in an historic New York space that encompasses gallery, development and production. A selection of  my favourite objects and more to be found at APPARATUS

pictures via Apparatus

Subhuman Inhuman Superhuman | An installation by Rick Owens

I got some pictures sent from Milan while one of my Italian friends was at the opening of Rick Owens  “Subhuman Inhuman Superhuman” at the Triennale Di Milano in Milan. A unique exhibition dedicated to visionary designer Rick Owens. 

The Curve, the Triennale’s signature exhibition space, is transformed by Rick Owens into an involving pathway through two decades of endless creativity: a selection of more than 100 garments, objects, accessories, furniture and runway videos will be displayed and connected through a spectacular site-specific installation created by the designer for the occasion. The exhibition is open to the public until March 25, 2018 at Triennale di Milano.   

pictures courtesy Owenscorp | first picture by Stefano Gaggero

“The clothes I make are my autobiography. They are the calm elegance I want to get to and the damage I’ve done on the way. They are an expression of tenderness and raging ego. They are an adolescent idealization and its inevitable defeat.” 

Rick Owens

Ceramic crush and hallway inspiration from Ferm Living

When I was in Copenhagen recently I got the chance to visit the Ferm Living apartment just around the corner from my hotel. At the apartment Ferm Living presents it's most iconic pieces and new collection in a real house setting which gives you instantly many ideas on how to use the different products at home.... it even gives you an instantly growing wish list!

There were a few things that really stood out for me, ceramic in many beautiful and right on spot colours and the wall filled with 'antic' mirrors with candlelight reflecting in the mirror, the candles were all lighten, we had a nice coffee and I felt so welcome.

A new still at home
I couldn't bring anything home by then but this week I got myself a set of Sekki scented soy candles while having Christmas drinks at the Miscellaneous store downtown, the small plate is from the Hasami Porcelain collection, also available at Misc-Amsterdam and totally fits the still life I created around the object I got sent by Arno de Clercq, derfinitely someone to have a closer look at as well, find my blogpost and his work here: Bespoke objects by Arno de Clercq 

If you are curious to see the new collection by Ferm Living I would love to invite you to come over and follow me while I will be visiting the imm interiors fair in Januari, find your discount tickets and more info in my previous post The new Scandinavian | Trade fair tour for imm 2018 Thank you all so much for making December even more festive, I hope you all have a great time so far.

Aren't the coupled candleholders just to cute, at the apartment the small dark hallway between one of the rooms and the kitchen was magically illuminated with a couple of them. The ceramics salt yars below are part of the same Sekkie collection.

Have a look at the pictures of the apartment by Ferm Living in this foto album

pictures ©vosgesparis

The new Scandinavian | Trade fair tour for imm 2018

It has been a bit quiet on the blog over the last weeks, behind the scenes though I have been working really hard on a few major projects for 2018 at the same time. I will reveil more about all these exciting collaborations over the next few weeks, starting of today with one of the fair collaborations plannend for 2018.

After designing my dream space and very own stand at the Bloggers’ trend show at imm cologne earlier this year. I have been invited by imm to be part of the Bloggers' Trendshow again to share my personal design highlights and develop a Trade fair tour for the 2018 fair. 

Early Christmas dinner with Iittala | Top 5 wish list for Christmas

Last year I visited Helsinki Design week and Habitare and got the opportunity to visit the studio of Alvar Aalto, a beautiful white building where we got to see lots of drawings and work by the hand of this famous Finnish designer, have a look here for a sneak peek Hello from Helsinki designweek.

Not only did he designed major public building and public homes, he also designed several functional furniture and houseware. Aalto hallmarks include a harmonious relationship with nature, his famous Savoy Vase for Iittala for example was inspired on Finnish lakes.

Alvar Aalto Collection and a Christmas dinner 

Alvar Aalto  created some of Iittala’s most iconic series and additional items inspired by Aalto and created by Pentagon Design such as steel bowls, wooden platters and votives can also be found in the Alvar Aalto Collection. Recently a new Aalto glass bowl is released in five different colours.

A very special Christmas event was organised by Iittala last month where we got to surprise a friend with a present from Iittala at an early Christmas dinner. I brought my friend Muriel who is a real design aficionado and once told me about her wish to possess a real Alvar Aalto vase, My decision of what to choose her as a gift for this special Christmas dinner was quickly made.... nothing better then being able to make a friends wish come true right. Thank you Iittala!

My Top 5 wish list for Christmas
To select the present for my friend Muriel I visited the Iittala store downtown and found a few really beautiful items that I would love to find under my own Christmas tree. I think the copper coloured glass definitely adds a warm touch to the cold December month. The green festive wreath is made by Anastasia Benko

In the picture above:
- Leimu Lamp in copper and concrete
- Iittala X Issey Miyake plates in dark green
- Alvar Aalto vase in colour desert
- Latern candleholder in colour copper
- Nappula candleholders in dark grey


moodboard by Vosgesparis / last picture © w/ Style from our photoshoot for forestrywool

A contemporary home with contrast and character | TRNK New York

Some time ago my eye caught the beautiful daybed pictured above from the TRNK collection, I think it actually was the total image that did it for me, the beautiful colours of the daybed, and the industrial window. An image that brought me to the website of New York based TRNK, I immediately fell in love with their style and have been following them on Instagram ever since. The other day when reading an article on Decor8 by my friend Allan of Bungalow5 I came across them again and it reminded me of the pictures I saved some time ago. 

The home of co-owner Tariq Dixon is located in Stuyvesant Heights, the landmark leafy section of Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy neighbourhood and has been shown in Rum magazine before. I think it is a great place and just like their collection shows a beautiful curated selection of furniture from both their own brand, Frama and more, art work, nice photography, amazing lamps, displayed objects and again my favourite rug from Nani Marquina. Check out their website for lots of inspiration and their carefully curated collection.

TRNK Philosophy

Our ideal home is considered, yet approachable. It’s masculine, but not trite. It feels collected, not decorated. We’ve hand-picked a unique assortment that together strike this rare balance - a contemporary home, rich with contrast and character.

pictures Courtesy TRNK

SPRDLX | Leather bags and interior goods

Looking for a new tote bag I came across SPRDLX and their collection leather goods which are an unique combination of functionality and style with a tough look. When looking at their home collection I realized I had seen their leather cushions before at Pols Potten, a store near my home.

SPRDLX was founded in 2012 by Anita Stam after falling in love with leather and the work of craftsman at Ibiza where she worked in the eighties. Both bags, cushions, poufs and smaller interior and lifestyle items are handmade in The Netherlands. SPRDLX sells ready made cushions, and on request in any other size for both private homes and horeca. The premium leather and minimalistic designs are significant for the collection.

cushions at Pols Potten

SPRDLX Alkmaar
At Alkmaar you can visit the actual SPRDLX store, a green oasis filled with the leather home collection and lots of plants, plant holders, vases, small furniture by amongst Serax, Pols Potten and more, in Amsterdam you can find their cushions at Pols Potten, more sale points at the website of  SPRDLX Scroll down for an  impression of the Alkmaar store.

SPRDLX Store

Huigbrouwerstraat 5A Alkmaar

Opening hours Wednesday - Friday 11AM-6PM, Saturdays from 11AM-5PM

pictures by SPRDLX | first two pictures by vosgesparis

written in collaboration with SPRDLX