Wednesday, 31 August 2011 by Irene Hoofs
I hope you remember this Let's Get Personal Tour with Dutch ceramic artist Carola Zee. Carola makes all her ceramic products in her studio in China... yes that's right all the way in China! In the city of Jingdezhen Carola has found a great place in a former school building inside "The Sculpture Factory".
Carola told me that in Jingdezhen the main industry is in porcelain and ceramics. which gives her the ultimate possibility to work together with many skilled craftsmen to create new products and work on special projects.
I love these pics, makes me want to work with clay too. It must be such an amazing adventure to work as a Dutch person all the way to the other side of the world, learning not only true craftmanship but also the customs and traditions of a different culture.
I believe this experience give so much more personality to the beautiful designs by Carola Zee. You can find her collection right here.
If you would like to sell Carola's ceramic pieces in your shop, online or brick and mortar than please send Carola an email.
All images are by Carola Zee.
A big fav of mine online to look for beautiful products is The Vitrine. Because here I find many beautiful products mainly designed by young emerging talents from around the globe.
Founder of the shop Blaire Dessent only selects products for her shop when they are made with high quality materials and very important only when they are handmade.
Blaire informed me about a wonderful pop-up project she recently opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego. It's called
Product Porch and it's a collaboration between Vitrine + Specific Merchandise. ...
more about it right here...
What do you think... you like my new living room? I'm super happy, exhausted and excited.... last SUnday the big move to our new place here in KL finally took place. All our furniture and boxes made it safe and sound to their new place.
I really love the open, bright and spacious feel of the new living room... and yes pinching myself to be so lucky to call this place 'home' for the next couple of years. My mom says we deserve it after working hard for the last 15 years, but I still feel very very lucky!
The next couple of days I will be busy unpacking, decorating and putting everything in place. So my posts will be there but not on a regular base like normal.... but please come back for more updates of our new place and Tiffany will be posting too!
Just wondering do you like to move house? I have done it 8 times in the last 11 years and still find it exhasuting but very rewarding and fun... irene xoxo
Monday, 29 August 2011 by Irene Hoofs
Art in the home of Sasha Prood
A: Art means to me...art is my creative outlet.
R: Reading books, blogs, magazines...I'm working through two books right now - Pygmy by Chuck Palahnuik and The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. I also regularly check out a few blogs including Illustration Saves the Day and Grain Edit.
T: Trends I see in art or graphic design are...I don't really follow trends - I just like what I like whether it's in, out or in between. I'm a huge fan of handcrafted anything whether it is drawn, painted, sculpted, etc.
A: Artists I admire are...a list of artists that I admire could go on for days, but I will try to keep it short. I'm obsessed with the work of James Turrell - the environments that he creates with light blows me away every time. I love the work produced by the late Jean Michel Basquiat. I'm also a fan of Aurel Schmidt and Swoon. Tim Walker creates the most amazing fantasy photographs. And I hugely admire the illustrations of the late Edward Gorey, Charley Harper and William Steig to name a few.
N: Never will I...I will never stop challenging myself.
D: Dreams for my own work are...I hope to have a long career, in which my work continues to evolve.
P: Projects I'm currently working on are...I'm working on illustrations for Bon Appetit Magazine, a commissioned painting, promotional illustrations and a few self initiated projects. I like to keep busy!
R: Relaxing I do at/when/if...to relax I like to hang out with friends and go to brunch, a museum or thrift shopping. I also like to escape the city (New York City) and visit my family.
I: Interesting art-places online are...I can always find something interesting and artistic at Grain Edit.
N: New in my home is...I recently upgraded my laptop to a beautiful new 15" MacBook Pro. Very needed and probably more exciting to me than most everyone else!
T: Tomorrow I would like to go to...I'm planning a two week vacation at the end of September to Zurich and Tel Aviv. I wouldn't mind leaving a little earlier…say tomorrow?!
S: Studio, my studio is...my studio is my home and my home is my studio.
Thank you so much Sasha for this lovely tour of the art in your home, I know Irene was hoping we'd see you again.
If you would like to learn more about Sasha check her about me page here. You can find Sasha's gorgeous work here, and you can luckily buy it here.
I know my walls are aching for Sasha's Batanica Caps Poster.
Thursday, 25 August 2011 by Irene Hoofs
...is it the photography, the products or the way the lady behind miki organics has put her collection together?... I don't know for sure but I do know I like this shop very much...
miki organics was set up in 2008 by me Claire Watson, who was looking for stylish ethical and eco friendly interior design products, unique accessories and lovely gifts.
I like why Claire choose 'miki' for her shop... it's Japanese for beautiful tree'
which summed up to her what she is trying to achieve with her shop; 'a harmony between the natural and the beautiful'
You can start shopping at miki organics right here... enjoy!
Wednesday, 24 August 2011 by Irene Hoofs
...if I'm looking for inspiration and ideas for choosing materials in your home... that is for flooring, walls and build-in cabinets... you know the basics in your home ... than I always visit i29. I believe they are one of the best interior architects in the world and I understand why they win so many awards.
Here are just some screenshots (I took from their website) of different homes they have done in the past. I know it all looks so basic, simple and clean but believe me this is all so well-thought through (is this how you say this in English?)... like Charles Eames once said: "The details are not the details. They make the design"
So sit back enjoy these images and visit i29's website for more eye-candy and ideas...
All above images are from i29, one of the best interior architect agency's in the world based in the Netherlands!
