Interview with..... Bold & Noble

Last Saturday, we were really lucky to get the beautiful Make and Do Mend print featured in the Telegraph...all prints have been flying off the shelves since then but we will get more stock the week starting 06th April.

In the meantime, enjoy the BODIE and FOU interview with the two talented designers Jane and David, behind this beautiful and affordable range of prints lovingly made in Britain

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

Jane: When I was about eight, our teacher asked us to make an animal mask for a school play, my grandfather who was a wonderful illustrator and cartographer created this brilliant monkey mask and I guess that is where the magic started. It was such a beautiful object and I knew I wanted to be a part of that creative process.
David: I always made pictures as a kid but only fully understood what designing was on my foundation course when I'd left school, so probably then.

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

Jane: When I started my first job, my Creative Director said 'if you want inspiration you should go to the launderette' and I'm a great believer that ideas should come from within, by taking the time to think, doodle and draw – though it is a luxury to find the time when you're also managing a business and have a family. Naturally I'm also influenced by things I see whether that be a newly coppiced hedgerow that makes a graphic shape or some vintage London Underground poster – it all goes in.
David: Everywhere, junk shops and markets are good for old leaflets, maps, ephemera.

bodie and fou: Describe your studio/workplace? Can you show us some pictures?

Jane and David: We have various spaces, the 'designed by david' office where the book cover design business is, and our home come studio where we run the day to day operations of Bold & Noble. Neither of which are glamourous enough to share, but we're working on it.

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

Jane: People's reactions to our work. You start out creating these artworks, not knowing if anyone will want to put them on their walls and when they do it is brilliant, quite overwhelming in fact.
David: The hand drawn parts

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

Jane: We already had 'designed by david' and were getting commissions from most UK publishers, we thought if people buy the books because of the covers maybe they'd like to have artworks too.
David: a natural progression from what we were already doing and was just a case of using the skills we had to try and widen the areas we could work in.

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

Jane: Perseverance works – it is true with anything, work away at it and it will come good.
David: Work hard, play hard (Eddy Gainford!) or get something down on paper and go from there.

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

Jane: For me I'd say it has been gradual, bit by bit rather than a one off lucky break. Obviously the good press we are getting at the moment has been fortunate though.
David: My first job was designing book covers for Harper Collins, thrown in at the deep end straight away and it is a very direct way of suddenly having your work on shelves, in shops and people deciding whether they like it enough to actually spend money on it.

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

Jane: Previously when I worked in a design consultancy it was all about creating something that was right for the Client so you were focusing on their needs, which aren't always the same as yours. So it is a luxury now we have Bold & Noble, we only have to think about what we like and what we think others might like too.
David: I think if thats ever the case then you aren't doing your job properly, I wouldn't be happy for the product to go ahead at all if I wasn't happy enough to put my name to it.

bodie and fou: Who is your favourite designer?
Jane: I don't have favourites really, there are so many inspirational people out there (past and present) it would be impossible to choose one.

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

Jane: Play. When you're a child you experiment, you explore, you have fun and come up with some crazy stuff in the process. When you're an adult it is easy to get bogged down in the detail and the process, answering e-mails etc... so my advice is 'have fun and play' and you'll be much more creative.
David: Don't neglect the hand skills

bodie and fou: What would your dream project be?

Jane: Making ceramics. I used to throw pots and it is so therapeutic, but we just don't have the studio space for a wheel (and the mess) at the moment.
David: Designing running shoes

bodie and fou: How do you achieve a good work/life balance?
Jane: I'm writing this when I should be in bed, say no more.
David: With difficulty

bodie and fou: Your most precious belongings at home?

Jane: Everything I own has a memory attached to it and I can be quite sentimental like that, so probably easier to say our son, Wilf.
David: Not really precious about objects.

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

Jane: Functional
David: Messy?

bodie and fou: Can you cook and what's your signature dish?

Jane: Mmm, I'm not so good that I have a signature dish. Marmite on toast maybe?

bodie and fou: Name something you can't resist...

Jane: Any kind of transport map
David: Chips

bodie and fou:What is next on your design journey?

Jane: the new collection
David: more prints

bodie and fou: And the mantra that keeps you going...?

Jane: Perseverance works

(C) BODIE and FOU www.bodieandfou.com
Photos credits: Bold & Noble

It's my birthday today....

Bon allez I say it... It's my birthday today...I'm 'the new 30' and if you have the same age, you will work it out...and this morning Mila-Sienna came to kiss me holding a beautiful orange paper bag from Hermes my favourite French shop

I love my present....a bit rock'n roll but not bling-bling and very classy...I'm a happy girl

Just Do It tea towel

I'm loving the JUST DO IT tea towel...it wouldn't work on Steve because he actually does stuff around the house but it's fun, simple and brilliant....great for Father's Day

My kind of place

I've just commented on El Beso that Tamara Mellon's home (owner & founder of Jimmy Choo) wasn't exactly my style but the loft below is right up my street!

Via Le Brocante

Cheerful house in Norway

Today has been a crappy day....IT stuff to sort out, things not going as quickly as I would like too so here are some shots of Tonje Holland's beautiful house in Norway to cheer us up...
Tonje is one of the designers behind the beautiful stationary line Darling Clementine

Tonje got most of her things from flea markets. She bought her sewing machine from a secondhand shop in Angel in London and the red cushion looks very similar to something Ikea was doing a few years ago.

Via DesignSponge

Up to 70% OFF in the WhereDidYouBuyThat.com Spring Clearance

Click here to grab a bargain...

Hotel Basico in Mexico

We're off to New-Zealand on 4th April for about 20 days with a stop-over in Hong Kong so I should start planning what to see in Hong Kong (any suggestions??) but I couldn't resist the Award-winning Hotel Basico in Mexico spotted on Designer's Block

Although the down side is that they don't accept children but they accept pets....go figure

New math by Craig Damrauer

I love these artworks/prints from Craig Damrauer.

My favourite is the one.... It's quite often that a blogger will fall in love with the simplicity and creativity behind a simple yet beautiful design like the ABC love art print and some people will just comment...'I could do that'...yeah you could...but you didn't....

Harrington & Squires

Harrington&Squires is a small private press founded in 2002 by designer/ typographers Chrissie Charlton and Vicky Fullick based in London.

They do simple, nice looking, unfussy stationary for business, wedding etc...

Unfortunately, they have a super small selection of things to buy but I love their handmade calendar. It has just enough space to scrawl a few words or write notes, and the perforated days means you can tear them of as the day passes....something to bear in mind for next year....

A boeing 747 converted in an hotel

So how does a Boeign 747 get converted into an hotel? Well, first it takes the vision and guts of Swedish entrepreneur Oscar Diös, who decided to give a second lease of life to a very old long-haul plane that was meant to be destroyed.

Jumbo Hostel has now 25 bedrooms of about 6 sq m2 and one luxury suite in the converted cockpit with a panoramic view of the airport. Located 15 min away from Stockholm airport, this hotel is ideal for business people who need to catch an early flight or those who wish to try something different and affordable! Frankly, I think it's worth a try...

Amazing review in Apartment therapy

We had a very nice write up by Maxwell from one of US interiors bibles Apartment Therapy (see below) but today I'm fighting some kind of flu so all I have energy for is sitting on the sofa and catching up on Brothers & Sisters and Gossip girl...so there will be more posts when I feel back on top of the world. Have a nice weekend wherever you are

'If you love European design and interiors like I do, then you'll like this find: a blog and an online store by the super cute sisters, Elodie & Karine Kong. Shooting apartments this week, I was tipped off to the sisters by my photographer, Jim Franco. He's got a great eye. Bodie and Fou is originally a business, an online store featuring "some of the most stylish, contemporary European designs for the home and some of the World's finest luxury gift ideas," but then Elodie and Karine added a blog which they call their "little black book". It's here that they share all the "places, photos, architects and designers that inspire us to be more creative and adventurous."
As with all blogs sprung from stores, there's the inevitable focus on products they're selling, but not too much. The sisters enthusiasm for connecting people to great resources comes through and you get the feeling that their store benefits from this spirit.
They don't post every day, but their stuff is totally fresh (even though a few pics are of Brooklyn!). I urge you to check them out (and urge them to post more ;-)).

Atelier154 Industrial design & furniture

Atelier 154 is a French company based in Paris that specializes in sourcing vintage industrial furniture like metal letters, Tolix chairs & stools (more about Tolix here), French mail sorting shelves, metal filing cabinets and stuff that you wouldn't think you would need until you saw them....

If you like the vintage style of Paul Massey's house, but are more into the industrial look, then Atelier 154 is a great place to source unique, industrial pieces like this table and bench seen in this small Parisian loft.

They can also make bespoke furniture in metal or wood like these simple yet superb tables.

Atelier 154 is only open from Thursday to Saturday .....I think this shop deserves a little trip to France.....

La vie en Green and Yellow at WhereDidYouBuyThat.com

With Spring around the corner and beautiful daffodils slowly showing up in every garden in England, we can’t help falling for yellow and green all over…
Here are a few gorgeous, unique and quirky accessories and gifts that will give your home a Spring touch in no time
Yellow rubber washing-up bowl: £42.50 (also available in green, red, blue, brown, pink and black), Fatboy catbag: £50 (also available in orange, turquoise, red), Yellow rubber collapsible colander: £38.50 (also available in red, green and black), Green rubber collapsible funnel: £19.50 (also available in red, yellow and black), An Exciting Life Limited Edition art print: £250 (5 other designs available) Click here to view the full range, Fatboy Junior beanbag: £104.95, Harry Allen Roller Stop: £78.50, Lexon rubber Tykho radio: £45.49 (also available in blue, red, grey).

Nice review in the London magazine - Paul Massey's house

Yesterday, I picked up a copy from The London Magazine and I came across this nice review about us....
"Karine and Elodie are two French sisters behind charming e-boutique BODIE and FOU. Their collection of stylish homewares is a must-see. Particularly fun is Love is Blind, a unique range of roller blinds, £65 each, designed to enhance the exterior as well as the interior of your home"
It's always nice to get little surprises like this when unexpected....

Back to the blog, last Summer I showed the house of Paul Massey, a UK interiors photographer who has an amazing track-records and started taking photos when he was 5. His interiors/lifestyle work is regularly featured in Elle Decoration, Living Etc, GQ, Vogue, The Times, The Observer, The New York Times etc and has shot the house of John Pawson but also took beautiful portraits of Michael Caine, Quentin Tarantino, Ryan Giggs, Paul Smith and many more.
Paul has a new house which is available to hire and it's just as stunning as the one I showed last year.







(c) Photos: Paul Massey
Click here to find out how you can rent the house for a photoshoot location