Interior design inspiration in Stuttgart: Rolf Benz Store

My trip to Stuttgart included also a couple of short, but insightful searches for some local interior design and fashion brands. Rolf Benz is the most famous in the region, and in the last 50 years, all over the world, for its famous sofas.

The company was created in 1964 in Nagold, a locality in the Black Forest. His main focus was always to offer comfortable, pleasant and multi-functional sofas. In the first post-war decades, the frugality was an important driving force between any creative efforts, but at the end of the 1960s, the West Germany recovered little by little and was more eager to experience a bit of pleasure too. 

The store I visited is located at the ground level of the elegant super-store Königsbau Passagen and display a diversity of interior items, besides the sofas. For instace, those Moroccan-inspired tables are a discrete but colourful add to the home, without taking too much place. In case you don't have enough space for a big livingroom table, you can add some of those tables and create a small setting. Meanwhile, one can use each of them separately for other purposes: as night table, computer table, newspaper table etc.

This goes with the main idea behind the design projects developped by Rolf Benz: creating sofas where you can enjoy the sheer pleasure, relaxing your feet but adapted to different contexts. The sofas can be upgraded to luxury levels, only by changing the covering fabric, adapted either to classical living or to open spaces - including outdoors.  

Many of the furniture presented at the store are following this complex relationship between comfort and elegance. This closet is organised so smartly that you can store your wine glasses and bottles generously - including in a small fridge, without taking too much space from the room. 

Every decade, Rolf Benz developped his concept and therefore nowadays it is considered one of the most successful and famous German brands in the field of interior design. Many of its creations are hosted to architecture museums from all over the world.

The usual prices are medium to high, but it is considered that buying such an item is a life-long investment that can even be passed from a generation to another. 

The visit at the Rolf Benz Store was very inspiring and taught me some important lessons about a famous German interior design brand and concepts.

Interior design inspiration in Berlin: Habitat Store in Potsdamer Platz

I rarely fell in love with a design store. In most cases, I am particularly looking for inspiration for various pieces of furniture, seldomly for a full room set. Unfortunately, in the case of many such stores - IKEA including - the setting is neglected for the chaotic accumulation of products. After all, the thinking might be that the customer is interested in buying not in visiting an exhibition. Habitat store in Potsdamer Platz, Berlin makes a well deserved difference in this respect.

Expanded on two storeys, the store offers everything you need for your modern house: from chairs and various office items, to full living or bedroom sets. The employees are running up and down, ready not only to convince you to buy a specific product, but knowledgeable in interior design affairs. Therefore, if you are looking for a particular advice for a dramatic challenge to your house, you will most likely find the right person here. You don't need to pay a 'consultant'.

The items are available in different colours - like the red chair that is also offered in yellow or gray or cognac, among other culours. The furniture suits the modern houses and spirit, when you want to fill a small space with as few objects as possible.

Sometimes, one single colourful item can definitely change the entire mood of the house. At Habitat you can easily bring more life into your kitchen or living room, with one single object. The products are medium to high prices, but if you make the right decisions, you can easily satisfy even the strictest budget. 

Comfort goes hand in hand with practicality and multi-functionality. This sofa from the picture can be easily made into a guest bed. For the long winter days, one can spend the working day at home there, while enjoying the full comfort without leaving the room. I am not so happy with this colour, but materials are also available. 

The store offers everything you need for your house, for bathroom decorations to colourful carpets. Don't expect Persian quality at those carpets, but at least a modern piece with a lot of colours. Don't expect elegance or high-end choices, but at least some youthfoul and friendly vibes. Sometimes it can be enough.

In addition to carpets, the pillow section is also worth an eye, for the same reason.

You can easily spend a couple of good hours strolling the various sections of the store. Leaving home with at least one item is also possible. For instance, the copper-coloured lamps are so elegant and simple. Or the leather brown sofa, perfect for a business-like house or even an office lobby.

One of the products that I definitely fell in love with is this very practical desk. It is the right investment in terms of space and comfort. You can set up your laptop with enough space left for some files or a book you are working on. It can easily be moved in different parts of the house and when not used for work, it can be an elegant decorative table or a good writing spot. 

Another interesting section richly represented at Habitat gathers beautiful photographies and paintings, many of them travel- and nature-inspired. Some can be purchased for over 200 EUR. but sometimes only this small investment can dramatically change the perspective in your room. The customer service is there to help you to choose the right one as well as to establish the details of the delivery or other technical aspects.

My visit at Habitat was a revelation. Besides the good practices in terms of customer service, I've found a couple of interesting ideas and products that would love to have in my own house. As soon I am planning a dramatic re-design of my home, this visit was more than a professional investigation, it seems. 

Fish glass sculptures by Lalique

Source: www.lalique.com

An exquisite French brand more than a century old, Lalique extended its production in the last years, including also fragrances as well as houseware. Created by Rene Jules Lalique at the beginning of the 20th century, the enterprise was initially focused on glass and jewelry production. Inspired by Antiquities and Japonism, Lalique permanently expanded its arts and techniques, including by adding traditional enamel layers to the glass, as well as patina and used stained glass. 

In 1921, he created the Alsace Glassworks - Verrerie d'Alsace - the world's only Lalique factory until today. His art received international recognition at the 1925 International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts. 

Among other products part of the brand, the Fish is a historical and iconic piece of the Lalique world. It first appeared in turquoise, and re-issued in an extensive palette of colored crystal, among others saphir, lilac, khaki, pink, fuchsia, antinea, like green, opalescent or mint green. Nowadays, there are enough fish variations to populate a special crystal acquarium. The fish - or cachet poisson in the original French language -, a delicate presence weighting around 500 Gr. can be purchased from the website of Lalique or from any Lalique stores - in Berlin, it is available at the KaDeWe for 75 Euro. Colourful and created by simple lines, it is a stylish decoration for any part of the house, particularly the living room. If placed near a source of light, it can create even greater effects. 

Until the 2000s, Lalique remained a family business, until it was acquired by Art&Fragrance managed by Silvio Denz. Since 1977, it also included fragrances as part of the brand, offering a variety of perfumes carrying the famous label. A special Art Division was launched in the last years, aimed at attracting young glass artists and creative minds. 

The transforming power of Birdie Foscarini Lamps

With offices in Milan and New York City, Foscarini is an exquisite Italian design brand, actively involved in various artistic project. For the development of its products it collaborates constantly with famous designers and experts, in order to deliver the fittest and the most creative items. Their products are usually matching a variety of spaces, from living rooms or bedrooms, to hotel rooms and lobbies to bars or special restaurants. Everything is about finding the right place and creating the maximum effect for an unforgettable ambiance. 

I like many of their products, but nothing impressed me better than Birdie, created by the Milan architects Ludovica and Roberto Palomba. Their inspiration: a bird on a branch, an impression of elegance and delicate movement their lamps are producing. The models are either suspended in the air, or set on the floor, wall or table. Each lamp weight maximum 3 kg and uses either LED or halogen lamps

The small delicate lamps create special effects into a room, either it is a single one, or many of them. Especially the reflection of light on the light-metal materials brightens the space. The special effects create a cozy warm ambiance, exactly what you need for the coming long winter evenings. Each version is unique and can be easily removed. It usually suits the simple furniture, and a simply decorated interior. 

You might discover that just a simple lamp can completely change your mood and make you love your home more.

10 Wallpapers from Cole and Son

I am very interested in wallpapers, as more than the simple paint on a room wall, it can be a simple yet very creative investment in the interior design and general look of a room and house in general. In addition, you can change it often, without too much of a hassle, as it is the case with general painting. In terms of financial investment, it is also fine, as you need only to pay for the wallpaper and the special glue, without spending money on workers or other tools that you need time to learn how to use yourself. After a while, you can call yourself a wallpaper expert and in one day, your entire house can look completely different.

My latest discovery, with models that suit any room and type of house - from small apartment to mansions - is the Cole and Son, producing fine and high-end designed wallpapers for decades. You can order them online, and the website is available in both English and Swedish.

Here are my top 10 choices, out of too many to mention, but you have a look on the website to find the right wallpaper that suits your budget and your style.

1. Bamboo

Delicate prints, available in different colours, that bring a touch of elegance to any corner of the room.You can choose a complete make-over or to cover only one corner, the effect is the same.

2. Archipelago Border

It is a world in itself, that this wallpaper brings into your home. Think about the Alice in Wonderland lost in a forest of colourful vegetation. It is definitely my favourite design for my working room or for the library.

3. Luxor Geometric

Jazzy geometric labyrinths, creating the feeling of movement. This is what you need to give more depth and dynamism to your space. I see it as a wall in the lobby, as an invitation to the visitor to start the journey of discovering your world.

4. Plume

Inspired by tribal art from around the world, it has fine brushstokes of greys, charcoal black and metallic gold. It matches an elegant minimalist living room, preferably with pastel furniture.

5. Balabina

Named after the Russian ballerina Feya Balabina, this beautiful elaborated design with peacocks covered by a luxuriant vegetation are a good adornment of the bedroom, or some walls of the living room. It indulges stylish vintage furniture. It is available in different colour combination.

6. Orchid

This design of orchid resting on stylish leaves is available in different colour combination. It can embellish the lobby, or a corner in the living room, with a stylish colourful chair or couch part of the landscape. For fixing, a special glue is recommended.

7. Flamingo

When it comes to flamingos, my objectivity fades, as I can see them everywhere in any corner of the room. Thankfully, I can choose between different colours - blue, grey or yellow, for instance - and patterns, and why not, have a house full of them! As colours on screen might be different from the real design, it is recommended to order a sample - for 1.5 pounds - to figure out if the pattern is what you are looking for.

8. Woodstock

Brought to you from the psychedelic times of the hippy revolution, this wallpaper - available in different colours - makes you feel forever young and ready for a change. It suits simple yet colourful pieces of furniture. Where do you want it fixed, it is up to you, as it suits any kind of setting, as long as you are into pop-art.

9. Opera

A bit of sophistication and style are always in need. For a stylish furniture, this wallpaper created in 1959 remains in fashion. The luxuriant combination of flowers and fruits, resting lasciviously on three-tired structures can suit your living room very well. With such a view in the front of your eyes, even the long family dinners are tastier. 

10. Bellini

Named after the Italian composer Vicenzo Bellini, this wallpaper uses the motif of tiles, broken by curves forcing the eyes to follow the various shapes into a labyrinth of flowers and leaves. Out of the four simple colourings, this is my favourite, and I see it very well embellishing the kitchen. I bet it can make me more creative when cooking something new.

Pictures from the Cole and Son website, English version

Interior design inspiration in Osnabrück: NeuLanD

My travels often bring me near interesting stores where I can easily find inspiration for my next interior design ideas. One such happy encounter was at the beginning of the summer in Osnabrück, where I've discovered the happy-go-lucky NeuLanD store in the central Neu Markt area. 

The colours are inviting the passer-by to have a look and discover a different world of colours. The window might be not very stylish decorated by it has some interesting pieces of glass that will call your interest, at least if you are from my tribe of people in love with pastel colours.

On the other side of the threshold, the mosaique of colours and diversity of objects is inviting. As in the case of the window, do not expect some special set-up of the shop either, but once in a while I can ignore such a failure, for the sake of beautiful colours (again).

I've spent a couple of good minutes around, taking pictures and looking at the items, but no one didn't bother to ask me anything, which might be a problem when you are really looking for something special. But probably in such cases you just have to scream your needs and for sure someone will show up.

The prices are for everyone, from 2.5 Euro until close to 500 Euro, for the pieces of furniture. 

The bowls and cups of different sizes are always an elegant and stylish addition to your naked wooden shelves. 

There is also garden furniture, from the metal category, that can be embellished by pillows and simple uni table covers.

The items in the shop suit every room, from the kitchen to the bathroom. Not that much though for the children room, but just because you can buy for your little one, one of these chaotically colourful towels. Wish I was prepared for some shopping this trip! 

As a hobby artist myself, I've learn from this shop how important is to use the right colour for creating special effects without too much of a financial investment. Those fish may look very boring and unattractive in their first appearance, probably some colourless-metal, but the myterious turquoise changed completely the mood and the appearance.

If you are from the more sophisticated group of people that want to keep everything immaculately white, NeuLanD has some items for you too: those glasses that suit very well your Friday evening mood maching wine.

What to do with pillows? Some inspiration

Pillows come in different sizes and colours and patterns. Some of them are big enough to keep you company and offer comfort after a busy day at work, some may just catch some big dirty or destroyed corners or just to bring some life to a room. Here are a couple of ideas about how to use them. The samples of pillows where photographed during a recent visit to the German city of Osnabrück.

The pillow is a very mobile accessorize. You can change its location either in the room or in the house. The bigger ones can be just placed on the floor for watching your favourite TV series or for playing something interesting with your kids.

I personally prefer the pillows with a changeable cover. Thus, with a minimal investment, you can bring change into your room. In this picture, I am very much in love with the velvet covers, which are so elegant. Such a texture suits very well a lavish bedroom but also the living room.

Particularly for small children, the pillows can provide many funny activities and be a source of inspiration. The funny images can push forward their imagination without borders. However, funny covers aren't only for children, If you are a couple or individual with a good sense of humour, your pillow cover can be a healthy source of well being. I do have at home both variants, with the rectangular ones for the night sleep, and the squared for the decorations. The round ones are, in my opinion, well suited for sitting, but do have a decorative value as well.

The rectangular pillows are elegant and inviting, while the square ones can be a bit possesive and selfish. As in the case of matrasses, it is recommended to buy the best in terms of medical and health recommendations. Who wants to wake up with a bad head day?

What about you? What are your pillow choices?

Interior design inspiration: Fashion for Home

Wandering through this beautiful shop, situated in the very center of Berlin, I realized how important colour is for dramatically changing an environment. A single patch of colour can make a terrific difference in a space. This is the main lesson learned at Fashion for Home store.

The distinctive note can be given by a big piece of furniture, or by small accessories, such as a shining lamp or a creative carpet.

Two pillows of two from two different ends of the colours spectrum can bring life into an otherwise sober and I dare to say boring couch.

This chair is not only comfy - I had the chance of testing its welcoming hug - but eye challenging in his simplicity.

As I am trying lately to explore various chair sizes and designs, I've found interesting their collection. Either for the kitchen, the office or the cozy corner, there are many attractive models that make the room an intelligent geometry game.

I underestimate sometimes the power of discrete lightning. In this case, it beautifully highlights the carpet patterns and thus gives a completely new dimension to the room.

I am not a big fan of white rooms, but when you have only one piece of colour - the blue couch - the life in a white cube is much more bearable.

The pastel combinations are more than a seasonable fashion. Managed in right quantities, it brings joy into the room.

The keyword that applies to many of the items presented here is: elegance. Of the colours, lines or volumes, while keeping the standards of the practical needs of the modern space and the simplicity of style.

I particularly appreciated the copper lights, for the potential to reflect and therefore magnify the environment.

The colour of this chair reminds of some old times furniture, from the 1960s, but in fact added to the modern armchair, it cries modern life. Most pieces can be delivered in different colours.

The shapes are simple and easy to fit in even the smaller space. Economically designed, they answer the needs of modern families, looking for comfort and simplicity, quality and elegance. The prices are usually middle to high. The customer service is more than friendly, with knowledgeable personnel not only in matters of shop supplies but with an eye for interior design advices as well.

The visit at this store proved very inspired and a great opportunity to learn more and educate my eyes in the spirit of colours joy and modern design.