Wire birds by Henriquez Lara

Inspired by birds which stand on Mexican electric wires, Henriquez Lara, one of the most promising designers from Latin American came up with this cool light....

More birdie inspiration...Birds on a Wire blind and eco-friendly Birds Clothes pegs.

Lotus pendant light by Studiomold

Studiomold was founded by Brendan Young and Vanessa Battaglia in 2003. Since the outset the studio's inventive approach has achieved international recognition, working on projects for both local and international clients.

Brendan & Vanessa

Originally trained in industrial product design, Young and Battaglia have expanded their portfolio to include interiors, gardens and graphics as well as home accessories and ceramics for clients including Next Home and John Lewis (how pretty is this Lotus candle holder they designed for John Lewis?!).

Lotus candle holder for John Lewis

Heralded as one of the top 10 design studios of the future at 100% Design London's 10th anniversary, Studiomold has won a host of awards and attained a reputation for creative vision through a presence in many exhibitions worldwide including New York, Milan, Tokyo, Paris and London. Their work has also been published in books, most leading design magazines, and selected for prestigious shows and collections such as the V&A and the MOMA.


Our favourite design is the Lotus lampshade in black here or cream here, which was shortlisted for the Elle Decoration Awards.

The Lotus folding lampshade is made from one sheet of fabric and was inspired by the Japanese art of origami, the shade forms and supports its own shape without the need for a rigid support frame.

The other very noticeable and striking lighting design is the Spaghetti Princess Chandelierin black here)
Spaghetti Princess Chandelier by Brendan Young













Designed by Brendan Young, the inspiration for the Spaghetti Princess Chandelier came from the beautiful chandeliers of the 17th century. Young tried to capture an essence of their silhouette and continuous movement using the electric flex itself. By drooping and looping the cables through a transparent disc of plexiglas the cables themselves give it form.

Tom Fowlks' gorgeous swiming pool shots

I'm loving these gorgeous shots of swimming pools by Tom Fowlk, a photographer and friend of Sharon Montrose, another photographer I mentioned earlier this year and who inspired me with the way she was using her blackboard to express herself.
Wouldn't they be absolutely fantastic on a grand scale and hang onto a wall...I know the perfect bedroom for it.
I just wish Etsy sellers would think of European buyers...all the dimensions are in inches and I can't work out if they are going to be the size of a postcard or a decent size.

Utah

Gamboa, panama

Bozeman, Montana

via Poppy on Twitter

BODIE and FOU interviewed by Enterprise Nation

I'm a regular reader of Enterprise Nation, a free online business resource that provides great tips and information on pretty much everything from SEO, working from home, social media, RSS to setting up a business etc so it was a very nice surprise when Emma, the Editor contacted Elodie and I to run a profile on BODIE and FOU.
Emma's questions sent us back on memory lane. 4 years seem like a century when you run your own business.... so many things have happened since we launched.
Although, we no longer work from home (thank God for the sake of my personal relationship!), I have fond memories of us having to move Mila's cot into our bedroom each morning so we could access the office & stock room we had set up in her bedroom.
Here is the interview, I hope you enjoy it....

Q&A with Bodie and Fou

Sisters, Karine and Elodie, could be twins if there weren’t a 5 year age gap between them. They are now business partners and applying their complementary skills to build a super stylish business that’s not quite the internet café they envisaged running from their parents shed.

When did you start the business?

Elodie and I launched www.bodieandfou.com in May 2005, two weeks before I gave birth. We were super naive and thought it would be this amazing 'wow' in cyber space but in fact the first month we got one sale and the in the second month our sales increased by 100% and we got two! Luckily things picked up pretty quickly after that with the business growing around 100% per annum – even last year in the tight conditions, and it also looks like it is on track to do the same this year.

What were you doing before starting the business?

Karine: I was International Manager for Universal Music International and before that Universal Pictures International. Two great companies to work for.

Elodie: I was a Business Affairs Lawyer at Universal Pictures International.

What encouraged you to go into business together?

Karine: We adore each other. If there wasn't 5 years difference between us, we could be twins. We love pretty much the same things when it comes to fashion, interiors and the way we live our family life. We also admire each other for different reasons.

Elodie: It started a bit as a joke in our early years, like a dream.... First we imagined starting an internet cafe in our parents' shed, then each summer we would come up with a new idea. At some point, we wanted to produce massive candles and dreamt of amazing trips to Morocco where we could source them. Then after countless hours of discussions, drinking litres of black tea, the candles became smaller and we started mentioning other type of products and after a couple of months, the idea really took shape.

Also Karine has THE eye for things, she was gifted and still is. I have blind faith in her tastes as she is the only one capable of choosing a gift that I was not expecting and that I would love.

Do you run the business from the same or separate home offices?

Karine: From different countries! I take care of the day-to-day running of the business (www.bodieandfou.com and our sister site www.WhereDidYouBuyThat.com) from our warehouse in north London, and Elodie and I work together on the BODIE and FOU collection, finding new designers and see what areas we ought to develop to make the business grow.

We're launching BODIE and FOU in French in September, a mail order catalogue next year and we are daydreaming about a BODIE and FOU organic cafe and a boutique hotel...

Elodie: Yes that 's the beauty of it, we can basically do it from anywhere and as far as I am concerned I did. I moved 5 times since the business started and I'm now in Barcelona.

Are any of your other family members involved?

Karine: Yes our brother Francois joined the company this year as Warehouse Manager.
Elodie: Yes my partner works from time to time on the creative part.

What has been your most effective marketing activity to date?

Karine: PR, a unique collection of beautiful, well-designed products and great customer service.

Elodie: Karine is the marketer...but we live & breathe BODIE and FOU. It's our name, our reputation on the line and we genuinely care about our customers and their shopping experience...The new Franco/English www.bodieandfou.com will have a wealth of options that will make online shopping easier for our customers around the world.

What would be your one piece of advice to other sisters or family members thinking of starting a home based business together?

Karine: Make sure you can be honest with each other without consequences. Bodie and I are very honest with each other but we also value our family. BODIE and FOU was a means to an end so we could do something creative together, something we could be proud of but when the business side of things becomes less fun, just remember why you started it in the first place.

Elodie: Start small, think twice, stay focussed on your goal but make sure you balance it properly with family life. Starting a business from home is exhausting and can be a long process. It reminds me of a marathon (although Karine and I only ran a half marathon), the idea is the same. You need to be prepared for it, and when it starts then it gets more tiring because you spent hours on it and it's just the beginning…. You will need all the support you can get. Make sure you give them as much as they give you.

Enterprise Nation

DIY project: gorgeous lighting al fresco

I have obviously DIY projects on the brain! It's 2am in France and I'm still up, blogging about some jars...err hello!!

Well, I couldn't help sharing this lovely idea....I'm looking at these gorgeous jars and I'm thinking casual al fresco parties with my friends, romantic diners with Steve on our terrace or even weddings like Ben and Chelle did it for their wedding.

Alternatively, you can also use the beautiful Cap-Ferret tea-lights and hurricane lamps currently at 20% OFF in the Summer Sale.

(C) Photos Ben & Chelle Kutil/Chelle paperie

BODIE and FOU Summer Sale

Can this room be as gorgeous with tiles?

I totally love the relax vibes of this room, the light, the space and the white metal lockers. I've seen a couple in the brocante nearby and I may check them out again to see if they would work inthe kids bedroom but I can't help wondering if this room would look as fabulous and relax with tiles or carpets for instance.

I'm asking this because I see a lot of gorgeous, inspiring rooms but they all have wooden floors and frankly even if your floorboards are old and distressed, with wooden floors, your decoration job is half done.
So I'm really interested in finding out what you've managed to achieve with your house when the Decoration Fairy God mothers were not on your side.
How creative were you to overcome something that you felt was a major eye-sore without breaking the bank?
(c) Polly Wreford

Blue, blue. blue and more blue

Frankly doing DIY with a laptop nearby may not be the most efficient way to get things done but it is certainly the most fun and inspiring...
I keep taking breaks from my painting jobs to get ideas and inspirations from the net since all my decoration mags in London. I was planning to paint the small window in the toilet in pale grey but I've just seen this on Danielle's blog and now I'm totally in love with the blue from this Italian house...

Does it scream holidays or what?? It's just perfect for the look I want to achieve in our holidays house...
Once the walls I've just painted are dry, I'm planning to glue pages from a book on one wall only to achieve this kind of look....

So painting the window in blue should finish the job nicely...
(c) Photos: 1) Living Etc, 2) Bedroom of Shanna Murray, Designer

DIY projects - Gorgeous ideas

At the beginning of the year, I mentioned these two gorgeous DIY projects from Dutch magazine 101 Wooniden. The bathroom cabinet was a very simplified version of the Inside Out bathroom cabinet which won the Elle Decoration British Design Award Winner in 2007 and I loved the simplicity of these lights.

Today, I came across this gorgeous, contemporary piece of art that you can make too.

With a bit of help from Babelfish free translation service, I translated the Dutch instructions so to do this, you will need:

* To buy a large piece of MDF from your local DIY store (not too thin so it doesn't bend, I reckon 2.5 cm thick as a minimum should do the trick but go thicker if you can afford it).

* Paint the board with magnetic blackboard paint.

* Buy stencils from your local art supplies shop or online or magnetic letters and then make your own meaningful sentence like 'Today is the perfect day for a perfect day' which I read somewhere but can't remember where (sorry!)
My experience is that you can get alphabet stencils with the CargoD font at a relatively small cost but it's a bit too bulky for my taste.
If like me, you prefer a more contemporary & creative font like Arial ou courier, it's going to cost the earth especially if you want the letters to be big like on this board. So I suggest you type each letter you need on your computer to the size you want, print them and spend some time cutting them out to make your own stencil.
I'm also loving this coffee table made out of an industrial pallet and fitted with wheels, especially since we have a few of those in the B&F warehouse.

Art to download

I have no idea what it says since it's written in Dutch but I thought it was a nice little piece of artwork you can download and frame or to pin to your mood board.

Available to download here from 101 Woonideen magazine.

Gorgeous interiors shot by James Merrell

James Merrell, is a photographer who is credited for many of the gorgeous photos found in Tricia Guild's books. He also regularly contributes to magazines such as Elle Decor, Vogue Living, Domino, Elle Deco. I love his interior shots but looking at his website, I was seduced by his portraits too and how personal, unique and beautiful each of them were, but don't take my word for it, just go and check his site for more eye-candy.
Here are my favourite interior/lifestyle shots...pure, simple lines.... a bit of vintage, wood....a touch of white, blue, grey and black....

(c) Photos: James Merrell

Rich and Poor by Jim Goldberg

Rich and Poor is a book that compiles shocking and gripping portrait of contemporary America . Jim Goldberg took photographs of rich and poor people and asked them to handwritte comments about themselves on the prints. The result is a fascinating, touching inside look at the American dream at both ends of the social scale.

Goldberg's pictures reveal his subjects' innermost fears and aspirations, their perceptions and illusions about themselves, with a frankness that makes the portraits as engrossing as they are disburting.

Via Oliver Weber (C) Photos: Magnumphotos.com

Sea, Sun and DIY.....

This week I'm staying in our house no 2 in France.....and today temperature outside reached 26 degres, I'm heaven....My head is buzzing with decoration ideas and the urge to do some creative things in the family home but a quick look at our house no 1 and I realized that really I ought to give this cutie some TLC before the rental season kicks in.

Last time I did anything in this house, was 4 years ago when heavily pregnant I was painting the kitchen and my waters broke while I was on top of the ladder. Needless to say that someone else had to finish painting the house but once Mila came out, she and I spent the first two months of her life in this house, napping under the tree, having breakfast & lunch in the garden and feeling extremely lucky to be together under the most gorgeous weather while Steve was joinig us every Thursday evening.

Then we bought house no 2 (the one that has been shot by interior & lifestyle magazines) and well...I have to say that I found it hard to get inspired, let alone do anything while living in London, running a business and spending the little spare time we had in house no 2, but this week I'm on a mission.

While I havent made it to the beach yet, I hope these beautiful pictures will enlighten your day while I bore you with my DIY ventures.
So today has been a very productive day....first we said goodbye to the lovely family who was renting out our house, then mum and I went to check out the local brocante and came back with heaps of treasures (vintage toys, wooden stools painted in blue, white bone china mugs, vintage sheets, storage files for mum's atelier and even a very 'Carry Bradshaw' necklace with the word Love, ....photos to follow tomorrow) and then I finally started doing some work!

I stripped the wallpaper off the walls from the toilet - which incidentally is one of the hardest room to make interesting - and after my dad has done a bit of plastering tomorrow I'll paint it. I've also started cleaning the deck with a high-pressure water thing and aim to finish this tomorrow so I can then paint the concrete bench by the master bedroom (see pic) and then oil the deck again.

Gorgeous beach photos via Sfgirlbybay and Bliss

I like to rock prints

I love these 'I like to rock' prints from Jaimers on Etsy

Loving this

via inspiration bubble

House of fashion stylist Johanne Riss

Fashion stylist Johanne Riss was born in the north of France then went to Belgium where she sets up her label and came back to Paris to live in this old workshop in Le Marais, one of Paris' most interesting, fashionable and creative areas. I had read somewhere that she was mainly designing wedding dresses so I went to check her site (not that I need one anytime soon) ... the timeless section was 'soon to be available', so was the wedding and bags sections. When it comes to site navigation, I'm not the most patient person and I was about to give up but I tried my luck one more time and then nearly fell of my chair....euh hello!! Where do these drop-dead gorgeous black dresses come from??!!

In contrast with her sublime black dresses, Riss's house is very white but as beautiful. Given that she uses this beautiful space as a showroom and studio during the day, her apartment has been styled with the same flawless perfection and sense of luxury.

I love how these floor-to-ceiling white drapes frame the entrance of the bedroom and give the room a much lighter, fairy-like look than the doors Riss got rid of. The wall lights are the 'Lucellino' by Ingo Maurer which you can get from here and the gorgeous lighting column called Mobile 01 is made of ceramic and is by Isabelle Farahnick (Fat Galerie).

I have to say when it comes to lighting, whoever was responsible did a fantastic job. The light in each room is great and I'm in love with the glossy black lavabo which goes perfectly well with the all-white bathroom and the Noguchi lamp (check Galerie Sentou).

The kitchen was fitted with stainless steel units used by the pros but you can now get a similar look with the stainless-steel range from Ikea. During the day, the lounge becomes Riss' office and like VIPs looking up a mini catwalk, an ecclectic cluster of chairs are gathered together around the long wooden table. You can see the "One" chair by Konstantin Grcic, the "DSW Eiffel" by Charles et Ray Eames, the "Série 7" by Arne Jacobsen at the end of the table, then on the right the "Heaven" chair by Jean-Marie Massaud and another DSW.
Like the Brides to be she dresses, Riss uses white, cream, ivory to dress her home and combines lightness and harmony....love it, love it, love it!

Almost time for sale sale and more sale

Tin Collector series

Do you remember my little post about vintage toy at the beginning of the month? For those who've just joined in, I was just saying that vintage toys have a unique charm to them and from a decoration point-of-view, they just look fab on a shelf.
A couple of years ago, I started a little collection of vintage toys in Mila's bedroom (on a shelf she can't really reach)...well vintage cars actually. I don't know why I'm so attracted to cars but it just happened... some are proper vintage ones picked up in second-hand shops other are just beautiful replicas so imagine how excited I was when I came across the Sunbeam car, the Lilliput robot and this other cutie in blue!!
Err...hello....look how gorgeous there are! I'm super excited....Elodie and I were trying to find some really cool and unusual gifts for men for this Christmas and I think they are just perfect...

The Lilliput robot (below) is acknowledged by collectors to be the World's First Toy Robot. It appeared in Japan in the 40s and was originally manufactured by K.T. Japan. This little yellow cutie is thought to be the first mass-produced robot toy and marked the start of a long line of tin robots.

And the Sunbeam car is a replica of the car that holds the world's speed record...200 miles per hour. Well obviously this is a few years back and I'm still trying to work out the exact year but if you know this, feel free to let me know.

They will all be available in September but of course you can pre-order them now if you wish.

Found in the street this morning...

I went for a run this morning at 6am and on my way back home, I spotted something which I thought was a foldable stool but when I opened, it turned out to be better than I thought!
It was a little deckchair for children...

I know....if you're not into vintage, this is hardly going to rock your boat but those in the know will appreciate my street find :-)
It doesn't look very fresh right now or clean....but a bit of TLC and a new fabric and it will be perfect for Mila who has decided she wants it white and yellow.

Have you ever find something in the street that made your day? What was it? What did you do with it? Feel free to send us some before and after photos...

House in Ibiza

I love spending time there but frankly giving the longing I have for the sun, heat and white houses of Ibiza, I wonder some times why we didn't buy a house there instead (oh I know....spur of the moment purchase....near my family....the beaches of my childhood.....bike rides through pine forests....). Anyway, last night, Elodie and I skyped each other and we agreed to go to Ibiza together for a week so if you know any nice villas to rent in Ibiza or Formentera (my favourite), let me know. In the meantime, let's dream about Ibiza's beautiful fincas looking at this one that belongs to a parisian TV producer. Michel bought this finca a few years ago. At the time of his purchase, it had no water, no electricity and it was really in a sorry state but it was on top of a hill and it reminded Michel of the little houses that Marcel Pagnol described in his novels...The house looked like an old, wrinkly and tired, little turtle...but Michel was seduced and bought it.

As the house was too small, he called architect Pascal Cheik Djavadi to help him to transform it into a family home.....so plans were drawn, ideas discussed and agreed and off they went. Pascal Cheik Djavadi started adding beautiful volumes to this little house and little by little the little turtle (3.50m high) turned into a giant one (7m high) and suddenly things weren't great anymore between Michel and Pascal so they went separate ways and Michel finished the renovation with his partner.
If divorcing, moving, losing its job are on top of the most stressful things to experience (beside illness of course), disagreements with builders, architects or anyone involved in a renovation project can't be far from the top of the list. When we renovated our house in France, we had the builder from hell. Each time, I was discussing an idea with him and asking him to quote before going ahead, I would come back the day after and he would have started banging into the walls, knocking down the fireplace without my approval and then would tell me that it would cost $$$$. The first time, I lost it, the second time we fired him. I found out later on that he was making an habit of it and drove our lovely local baker to tears when she asked him to work on the bakery's oven. Thanks god, it's all behind now.

However, I'm not implying that Pascal Cheik Djavadi was the architect from hell. On the contrary, Pascal is a very talented architect and it is not the first time I come across his name but at some point, they misunderstood each other. Although now looking at it, I think this house in Ibiza has benefited from the owner and architect's differences in style and expectations and is now a wonderful and unique blend of traditional architecture with simple, beautiful contemporary lines. The kitchen for instance is fitted with state-of-the-art appliances from Gaggeneau while the sink is made of a very old stone imported from Portugal and the kitchen island from a local black stone, fitted with stainless-steel cupboards.

I love the large windows of this house. They emphasize the outdoor scenery like giant picture frames and look at the light and the perspective in this bedroom! Doesn't it look superb? The bath is by P. Starck for Duravit and is fitted in a concrete block just high enough to make the most of the view outside.

What about you? Have you had stressful experience on a renovation project? What did you do in the end? I would love to hear from you....
(C) photos: Marie-Claire Maison/Cote Maison/PERE PLANELLS

The sensuous Fin chair ....

Loving the Fin chair featured in Home Plus Scotland...

Camping by Normann Copenhagen

Taking glamping (glamour camping) to the next level of Luxing (luxurious camping), Normann Copenhagen is launching the exclusive Camping series designed by Jesper K. Thomsen.
A collection that includes a chair, table, stool and daybed and consists of chairs, table, stool and daybed in moulded beech wood.

Jesper K. Thomsen explains: 'The archetypical camping equipment has been my inspiration. The design has a recognition factor that brings the thoughts over to leisure and togetherness, that many think are typical of camping. I like the thought of bringing outdoor pursuits indoor or, perharps more correctly, freedom into the living room. At the same time, the icon, camping furniture, has been refined in my interpretation. Against all odds, I have been successful in making the chairs and the daybed without frames beneath the seat, which makes part of its unique expression.'

CAMPING is part of New Danish Modern - Normann Copenhagen's furniture collection, which combines traditional Danish crafts and manufacture with modern designs.

We love this video that shows how the Camping series is made...It was recorded at Kvist – one of denmark’s oldest wooden furniture factories dating back to 1896 and it's pretty cool and amazing how the series is made.

Last chance to get Cote Bastide's gorgeous canopy bedframe

We are very sad to hear that Cote Bastide's gorgeous canopy bedframe will no longer be available....

It's a real shame because this has been such a popular piece of furniture and we had among others, a couple of UK customers ordering them for their house in Ibiza (would love to see some pictures!!) but unfortunately the economic downturn keeps affecting some businesses and Cote Bastide's manufacturer has closed down.
As you may know, finding the right manufacturer is a very long process so we're getting one last canopy frame and after this one, this item will be discontinued.
So here we go, first comes, first served. If you want it, click here

Interview with.....Famille Summerbelle

Last week, we added two gorgeous maps of Paris and London by Famille Summerbelle to the site but what was most amazing and took us by surprise is how quickly they sold out on pre-orders alone....In just 2 days, we received heaps of orders (see update) from New-York, San Francisco, LA, Canada, Australia, London and the rest of the UK so we can safely assume that London and Paris are still a big hit around the world :-)
The prints are due to arrive in the new few days and we had to email Julie, the French Designer behind Famille Summerbelle, twice to top up our stock order. Given the huge success of these prints, you'll be pleased to know that Julie is also planning to work on a New-York map for a potential September launch so stay tuned...
In the meantime, enjoy this lovely interview with Julie, who kindly took the time to answer our usual B&F interview about inspiration, family/life balance, dreams with beautiful photos of her studio and family home just outside Paris....

This is a paper cut Julie did for Xmas and New year greetings in San Francisco, the last place, she, her husband Simon and their daughter Ophelia visited during their World Tour last year.

bodie and fou: When did you decide you wanted to be a designer?

Julie: Very early on. I went to a Steiner School when I was little and it was very creative. I think from the age of 6-7 I wanted to draw and make things all the time. After my A Levels I went straight to study in Art school in Paris (Ecole d'Art Appliques, Plasticen de l'Environnement) and then in London at the Saint Martin School of Art. I've never looked back!

bodie and fou: Where do you find inspiration for your work?

Julie: Everywhere: blogs, magazines, everyday life. My daughter inspires me a lot as well.

Julie's studio (with a little desk for Ophelia to join in and starts being as creative as her mum) is located at the top of the house under the roof. It's a very light room and she gets the sun all day long...mmm doesn't this sound like the perfect place to work from

bodie and fou: Describe your studio/workplace?

Julie: I work from home. My studio is located at the top of the house. It's very light and spacious. I have on one side my desk with my computer/scanner/printer and on the other side a long desk where I do all my paper cuts and drawings.

bodie and fou: Which aspect of your work gives you the most pleasure?

Julie: I love the research and design aspect. When I'm making things. I also love when I see that my products makes other people happy. Blogging is great for that, you get direct feedback from people all over the World.

bodie and fou: Launching your design studio/company was.....?

Julie: Pretty straight forward. It was a slow process. We're been learning along the way and we're still learning...

bodie and fou: Best piece of advice you were given?

Julie: Do what you like in your life and enjoy yourself. The rest will follow.

bodie and fou: When did you get your 'lucky break' ?

Julie: I've been quite fortunate. I had lots of 'lucky breaks' along the way

bodie and fou: How often do you end up with a finished product that you don’t want your name attached to?

Julie: Never. If I am not happy with a product, an illustration then I work harder to make it good. Or I bin it, and try again. I can't do a job half done, I am a bit of a perfectionist in that sense.

bodie and fou: Who is your favourite designer?

Julie: I admire a lot of designers/artists/architects. Just to name a few: Georges Rousse, Mies Van Der Rohe, Robert Wilson, Charles and Ray Eames, Hella Jongerius, Tord Boontje, Thomas Heatherwick, Saul Bass, Marcel Breuer, Alexander McQueen...

bodie and fou: What is your favourite piece of design?

Julie: Difficult to name just one. I like simple and practical designs. It could be an Eames classic rocking chair or the Imac.

bodie and fou: What advice would you give to aspiring designers?

Julie: Believe in yourselves, work hard and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

bodie and fou: What would your dream project be?

Julie: Design and build our own house.

bodie and fou: How do you achieve a good work/life balance?

Julie: Working from home is great as I can spend more time with my daughter and I don't have to commute every day. The downside, it's hard to switch off from work! Running a small business and having a toddler around means working evenings and sometimes weekends. Working also freelance means there are time when it's a bit hectic and then more quiet. Family life is also very important for me so I make sure that I'm not working when i am not supposed to.

The pink Family Tree (available to buy here) was inspired by Ophelia's enthusiasm for family pictures. As Julie had too many pictures to hang into Ophelia's bedroom (in addition to Ophelia's little masterpieces), the Family Tree was a fun way to resolve that problem....I think it's such a cool and original gift idea for a new mother or for a baptism.

bodie and fou: Your most precious belongings at home?

Julie: My photo albums, or I guess my computer that stores all of my photos...I haven't really had the time to do photo albums yet!

bodie and fou: How would you describe your style at home?

Julie: A mix of modern and vintage furniture and lots of personal things.

Julie loves displaying her collection of glass candle holders on the mantelpiece (get the look here). She bought the table cloth from an antique market in Paris and the chairs from Ebay (they were from a church). The big green jar (top photo) was purchased in the south of France and the black & white photo is one of Julie & Simon's wedding day.

bodie and fou: If your studio wasn't, describe your ultimate dream workspace?

Julie: A ground floor space with white walls, lots of storage behind doors, a big desk and a massive window with direct access to a lush garden. A view of the mountain would be great too.
bodie and fou: Can you cook and what's your signature dish?

Julie: I can cook but my husband cooks really nice things so I let him do it. I like baking cakes. Rhubarb cake with meringue on top.
bodie and fou: Name something you can't resist...

Julie: My bed.
bodie and fou: What is next on your design journey?

Julie: I have lots of things I'd like to do, so I am going to explore a bit.
bodie and fou: And the mantra that keeps you going.......?

Julie: Keep on making things and have fun. Everyday.
(C) BODIE and FOU www.bodieandfou.com
Photos credits: Famille Summerbelle

Inside Out Bathroom cabinet...soon in stock

Important customer announcement from our sister site WhereDidYouBuyThat.com

Dear All,

Winner of the 2007 ELLE Decoration British Design Award for Best in Bathrooms, the 'Inside Out' Bathroom cabinet in white is due to arrive in the UK at the end of July.

As one if the few exclusive stockists of this product, we have been working hard with the supplier to make the Inside Out bathroom cabinet available to our valued customers and have now been able to secure stock coming at the end of July.
However we have only been able to secure a limited amount, so to make it as fair as possible to everyone who has tried to order this, or expressed interest in it, we have introduced two methods of payment on the product page here:

1) You can either pay in full £230: please note that your card will be debited within 5 working days and you will receive the cabinets as soon we they arrive
2) You can pay a 30% deposit of £69, we will contact you towards the end of July to settle the balance: a second payment of £161 based on the cabinet + free uk delivery

If you have already placed your order online, it is very likely we will have your records on file so simply call us on +44 208 450 5600 and we will be happy to take your card details over the phone.
We look forward to hearing from you

The team at WhereDidYouBuyThat.com

Marrakech...j'arrive

Mint tea, mosaic tables, gorgeous amber beads, hand-dyed carpets, colours and noises from the market.....Morocco is one of these destinations that has a magic, chaotic attraction and if you're planning for a fabulous and inspiring Moroccan trip, I recommend you spend some time reading My Marrakesh, a blog I discovered a while ago via Di's blog, and recently revisited thanks to a Twitter follow.

My Marrakesh is Maryam's baby, an American lady who is a Human Rights and Democracy Specialist and who regularly writes about Moroccan design, shopping, restaurants, spas, gardens, as well as other wowza lifestyle experiences. This week, she shows the amazing photos taken by Oliver Weber

There are some destinations like Morocco or India that are so rich in colours that one would find difficult to imagine how beautiful they could look if photographed in black and white but Oliver's photos achieve just that...beauty simply.

I love the little twinkle in the man's eye on the last picture and if I could be a little French fly on the wall, I would love spending afternoon drinking mint tea, just observing these beautiful, wrinkled old men interacting with each other.
For a bit of aMoroccan adventure in the heart of London, head to Momo's
(C) photos Oliver Weber

Dwarf Wired lamp

If you remember last month, I mentioned this uber cool loft in Holland which had a stunning yellow flower painted on the wall and a beautiful, oversized lamp that really caught my attention... Well after a bit of research, I'm pleased to say that this gorgeous Dwarf wired lamp is now available from BODIE and FOU.

Designed by Mark Irlam, a British Designer who went to study at Falmouth College of Arts, the Dwarf Wired Lamp design came from the process of model making, using wires to 'draw' in 3D rather than using pencil and paper. I love the oversizeness (is there such a word in English?) of this lamp and how it looks striking but not overpowering.
Finding a nice, contemporary table lamp is not an easy task and I think, with its simple, modern lines that come from the wired base and the contrasting colours between the base and the shade, the Dwarf Wired lamp achieves just the right balance at a very affordable price for a table lamp of this size.
Available in White/White here, Green/White here and Yellow/Black here

How to survive a zombie attack..

Loving these jumpsuits

I'm loving these Jumpsuits from Urban Outfitters

Spotted by Normann Copenhagen

Normann Copenhagen loves us and we love Normann Copenhagen very much too.

Normann was one of the first brands we stocked when we launched BODIE and FOU 4 years ago after we fell in love with their rubber washing-up bowls designed by Ole Jensen.
If we had listened to our friends who told us that never in a million years, people would buy a washing-up bowl at £40 (price back then) and that we didn't know what we were doing, well B&F wouldn't exist. But as it happens, we don't really listen and we just believed it would work and it did. To this day, the Normann washing-up bowls and their Cognac glasses are still our best-sellers.
Beside having fantastic products, Normann Copenhagen is one of the most entrepreneurial and innovative company we work with and an inspiration to our business so Vive Normann!