Being at Home Photo competition winners

Here they are! The winners of the photo competition featured on the blog this Summer! Together with nine European bloggers from Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, the Netherlands (yep that's me) Austria, Switzerland and Italy we asked you to answer what does #beingathome mean to you? as part of the global photo contest in collaboration with the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM) 

From 5 to 18 August 2019 you were able to submit photos of your favourite places in your home in ten categories based on #zuhausesein /#beingathome. A total of 232 entries were received from 19 countries during the competition period. In addition to a piece of furniture from a German furniture manufacturer, the winners can look forward to a visit to imm cologne 2020 at the expense of the VDM and the winning pictures will also be on display in a photo exhibition at the VDM stand at imm cologne 2020 and published in a design book in 2020. 

Follow The Association of the German Furniture Industry at the VDM website as well as on the social media channels: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter Let's have a look at the winning pictures in the specific categories.

Reorganizing my kitchen | bulthaup accessories

I am so looking forward to this new kitchen of mine! I won't bother you with the slow progress stories, but I am sure you will believe me if I tell you that in my head I am already redecorating and reorganizing all things 'necessary'. I have lived with very little appliances over the last few months, and I can't wait to bring back in those little extra things that will make the space my personal kitchen again. Something I really miss are my Serax x Merci plates, my ceramic collection and of course cooking on more than one burner, not to mention my dishwasher.

Every kitchen need some personal items and beautiful accessories don't you think. Something that tells your story and shows your personal taste and made out of materials you love, wether it is wood, ceramic, linen or leather. I have very few leather accessories and I think the leather pot cloths from the bulthaup accessory line are a really stylish addition to every kitchen and of course handy for protecting hands from hot temperatures, that's why a second layer of leather is stitched in the middle.

Curious to see the other accessories we styled and photographed for bulthaup? Here you can see all our work for bulthaup so far, more to come next month!

This post is written in collaboration with bulthaup | Pictures © w/ Style | Concept w/ Style | Photography Wen van Woudenberg | Styling Desiree Groenendal

A minimal Aesop store | Covent Garden London

I made it into my personal tradition to look for an Aesop store in every city that I visit, and so I did when visiting London last week! Over the years my love for Aesop has only grown, I have written about several of their stores and I use many of their products on a daily base. 
Most Aesop stores are located in beautiful and sometimes historic buildings and are a must see in general, next to trying their product line of course, which I highly recommend if you haven't yet! London was no exception and I particularly liked the minimal style of this location, natural walls and a green tiled floor combined with dark wood. 

In Amsterdam I have been walking past a building for months where our very own first Aesop store will come and I cannot wait to see how the old 'Jamin' candy store with its beautiful interior will be used by Aesop. For now an impression of the Store at Covent Garden, London. Previous posts about the different stores I visited can be found here

pictures ©vosgesparis

Spaces Designed for the Senses | 'The Touch' by Kinfolk and Norm Architects

As a huge admirer of the work of Vincenzo de Cotiis, spotting the image of his home in Milan, earlier featured on the blog here: Palazzo Milanese from Vincenzo de Cotiis, can only be a harbinger that we are dealing with a great new book filled with outstanding interiors. 'The Touch' is the first book to emerge from the longstanding friendship and creative partnership between Kinfolk founder Nathan Williams and Jonas Bjerre Poulsen of Norm Architects, both people I love for their good taste and design.

'The Touch' is a 288 pages book and exploration of human-centric design published by gestalten. Stunning photography, interviews and over 25 selected interiors that exemplify how haptic design elements can provide a richer quality of living.The Touch also details philosophical and art history references that reflect the tradition of design and color theory.

I personally can't wait to see the book with my own eyes and get inspired by the different interiors. The Touch is available for pre-order via the Kinfolk store and in stores worldwide from October 10th.

Pictures Norm Architects

Infini bed by Belgian designers Nill Spring

Remember my post about that amazing headboard in which I talked about the use of narrow wooden slats at home and showed some examples, including a table and kitchen island. I had to think of this again after spotting 'Infini' one of the box springs by Belgian Nill Spring.

Nill Spring got the inspiration for this model from two natural elements: the infinity of water and the durability of wood. The signature of Infini is the harmoniously wavy structure that surrounds the box spring and gives its unique shape and made me want to find out more about it. I think it is really different and excellent for standing alone in a room as the curved backside creates a cozy and secure feeling even when a wall behind the bed is missing.

Nill Spring is the result of the combination of many years of experience and expertise. For over four generations, the Cornille family shares the knowhow and passion for the manufacture of box springs.

In 2006, Frank Cornille and Guy Dupont developed Nill Spring. The partners brought together their expertise and passion for sleeping comfort and started a flourishing business. Guy Dupont's many years of technical experience and sense for innovation and handmade customisation results in an impressive collection of box springs and mattresses. Text:Nill Spring

pictures courtesy Nill SPring

SLOW | A/W19 collection by TineK Home at Kinfolk Studio

TineKhome was among one of the first brands I got to know and meet when I started the blog more than a decade ago and I still use one of their products on an almost daily base. It has been a few years I last showed new collections by Tine K home on the blog. When coming across a picture for the new AW19 collection shot at the beautiful Kinfolk studio in Copenhagen though, I had to have a look at the new collection!

I really like the direction the brand has chosen for fall, based on honest materials and harmonic colours for a calm and fundamental yet sophisticated atmosphere, totally fitting the atmosphere of the Kinfolk studio. Four new colours are introduced as well, Amber, Ocean, Terra and Walnut. Deep colours that bring a sense of nature inside, the green and blue hues of a stormy sea, the burned browns of the autumn leaves in the forest. See the full catalogue here

Styling Pernille Vest | Photography Mikkel Adsbøl | Art Direction by Sigrid Gry Laursen 

full catalogue here

Late Summer bedroom inspiration and thoughts

After a few weeks in Sardinia together with my family, I am back home again and will force myself to take up things again in the coming weeks... No need to say, I enjoyed every minute being back at my second home. As far as I remember I never stayed two full weeks without posting anything on the blog, or looking on Instagram only now and then, in the last few years.

It felt really good to be three weeks away from home and enjoying that much time offline together with my kids and their partners. We hadn't been on holiday together as a family in years and it made me realize again how much I love their company and how little time we actually spent together during the year besides our occasional dinner meetups. Staying in the same home for a longer period is something we all really enjoyed.

Luckily back in Holland, Summer hasn't finished yet and I am full of energy to finish the different projects at home. I have a few nice travels coming up in September, sadly also had to cancel a cool trip to Valencia I couldn't finalize from my holiday address without wifi but all good things to come. Half September I will be at Incoda where Wen and I will be covering the show and tell more about how we work as w/ Style. Also stay tuned for the reveil of the contest winners in the #Beingathome challenge in collaboration with The German furniture Association next week on the blog!

The best of coming home....
I don't know about you but the best thing of coming back home after a holiday is definitely to sleep in your own bed don't you think! Nothing can beat our own cushions and sleeping on our own mattresses under the bedding we selected ourselves.

With this in mind, the pictures styled by Kirsten Visdal and Per Olav Sølvberg at the event for the press release of well established Norwegian brand Høie caught my eye. The concept «Bedtime Stories» was launched as an art exhibition – and each styling had its unique story - telling the story of different personalities: The dreamer. The environmentalist. Look at me! Future. Split. Ascetic. Freedom. Who am I? More pictures of the press event by Høie can be found at Elisabeth Heijer. 

Styling Kirsten Visdal and Per Olav Sølvberg | Photography Dag Randen 

The architecture of the building is by Vera Wyller. And sculptures in tree are by Sverre Wyller. Fotos are by Dag Randen. Please credit.

Minimal design by Jake Arnold | Shani Darden LA studio

You could say that this Parisian SPA in wabi sabi style I showed on the blog last year is a huge inspiration for me personally and the pictures appear in almost every moodboard I made for my home lately. I simply love the use of colours in the Parisian Spa and had to think of it when spotting the bassin above on Instagram.  

Being a lover of minimal spaces with a bit of raw and sophisticated touch I had to find out more. The studio belongs Los Angeles based Shani Darden, a skin expert who had this beautiful place to welcome her clients designed by Jake Arnold, who kindly sent me these pictures of his work.

photography Michael Clifford