Our first BODIE and FOU video....

Last week, we had a film crew from 90secondsTV in the office to shoot a video about BODIE and FOU and our workspace at The Light Box....
It was our first BODIE and FOU video and we had a lot of fun making it with the guys. I think Aurora comes across very well...

Less is more

I torn this page from an old Elle Deco ages ago and put it on my bedroom wall next to our linen curtains ages ago. I love it. I don't know...there is something very calming about this image of these old boots, neatly organized against the wall. They look simple, they are just shoes and yet I think it is a beautiful image. I also love the courier typeface used...everything works very well here. It's simple things like these that inspire me. I have another shot on my mood board at work with a quote from Flaubert that says: "Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work"
And for me, that summarizes my creative process...I need order, I need whites at home to then take my mind onto more colourful places. See you tomorrow

Life with Mila...

is wonderful, fun and full of love...I have the memory of a goldfish but she has the memory of an elephant and will remember things we told her 6 months ago. I hope she remembers her childhood as happy and full of love.
One evening Steve and I went out and here is what we found on Mila's door when we came back...My heart sank...in a good way :-)

(C) Francois Kong, Bird clothes pegs to display Mila's drawings from here

DIY project: Little foot prints

Not that I would like to do this right now on my pristine white stairs but I really like the idea for a kid bedroom and it's an easy little project to do to add a personal touch to your home.

Sources: Allt I Hemmet, Levis via Liberty Deco

My home in London {The stairs}

Earlier this week, I was explaining in our e-news that rather than feeling totally depressed coming home after two amazing weeks in the South West of France, we (actually more me than Steve), felt totally inspired when we opened our front door.
You see...the smart cookie that I am, booked decorators in to strip the stairs and paint them in white while we were away. So when we opened the doors onto these gorgeous all-white stairs, it was like walking into our holidays home again.
This wasn't an easy decision....I have been pondering about white stairs since February and when Steve took off the carpet after a diner en tete-en-tete fuelled with wine, I fell in love with the distressed/industrial look of our stairs a la House Doctor. But the reality is that it is our family home and as much as I love industrial spaces, I had to make a decision.
So this weekend, I'm planning to take a few pics of our new white stairs and maybe have a go at this Ikea hack project Jan posted on Poppytalk to add a touch of blue in our entrance and make our London home even more like a holiday home. Wouldn't this be good for the soul?...
Below is a photo of the stairs BEFORE they got painted

(C) Photo: Francois Kong
La Tropezienne bag (back next week), New-Zealand type map

In VOGUE HOUSE...

This morning, Sophie and I had a meeting with House & Garden magazine in the iconic Vogue House building which is home to VOGUE magazine (of course!), Vanity Fair, House & Garden, GQ, etc...It wasn't my first time there but this time, I took photos of the gorgeous, old shots they have in their very long corridor...Here are my favourites....a young Gwyneth Paltrow, the famous 5 in the 80's with Naomi, Linda, Kelly, Christie, Cindy...Mick Jagger, Kate, Uma

Ce matin, Sophie et moi avions une reunion avec House & Garden magazine a Vogue House, un building iconique et qui abrite aussi VOGUE magazine (of course!), Vanity Fair, House & Garden, GQ, etc...Ce n'etait pas ma premiere fois la-bas mais cette fois j'ai pris des photos des portraits magnifiques qui ornent leur long couloir...Mes preferes....une jeune Gwyneth Paltrow, les plus belles top-models des annees 80 avec Naomi, Linda, Kelly, Christie, Cindy...et pui Mick Jagger, Kate, Uma.

Inspiring B&W moodboards....

First day at work...Trying to be focused. I have so many people to get back to, deadlines to meet, a catalogue to finish...but I couldn't resist these B&W moodboards by Stil Inspiration...they are gorgeous and very sensual.

Premier jour de retour au travail...J'essaie d'etre concentree. J'ai une liste incroyablement longue de gens a contacter, des deadlines a la noix et un joli catalogue a finir...mais je ne pouvais pas resister ces moodboards en noir & blanc par Stil Inspiration...Ils sont sublimes et tres sensuels.

At home...

I'm back from holidays. Far from being depressed, I'm feeling energized, my head buzzing with decoration ideas to make some changes around the home...until then, here is a picture of my bedroom shot by my brother

(C) Stylism: Karine Candice Kong, Photo: Francois Kong
Cluster light by kathleen Hills, mini sac by Clare Vivier

De gauche...a droite {by Sophie}

It has been an eventful week in London in Karine's absence, and we could all do with a relaxing weekend, but we are looking forward to her return on Monday.
Here is a little bit of Interiors inspiration for you all, we really love this stunning modern take on a library room at Asia Gwis's home (via decor8) you can get the look with our Sofie Refer bulb lamp.

France: Inspired by...

This is a piece of the moodboard I did last time I was in France shooting our mail order catalogue which my mum left on her wall.
Having spent a week on our boat, I've already read a lot of French decoration magazines but I'm constantly drawn into the relax vibes of these two images. The left image is from a house that belongs to Jacqueline Morabito and I can not remember who was the photographer of the right one but it is strongly becoming my main source of inspiration for our kitchen in London.
I love the soft industrial touch from the Tolix chairs which could easily be replaced by these industrial stools in white, the big, comfy French armchair, the linen table runner on the wooden table, the walls half painted in soft grey and the mix of wooden utensils and white crockery....
An simple, relax look easy to achieve...
Right! We're off to the food market in La Teste near Arcachon. Have a great Sunday!

C'est une partie du moodboard que j'ai fait la derniere fois que j'etais en France pour photographier notre catalogue et que ma mere a laisse sur son mur

Ayant passe une semaine sur le bateau, j'ai deja lu beaucoup de magazines de decoration mais je suis constamment attiree par l'atmosphere relaxante de ces deux images. L'image de gauche est celle d'une maison qui appartient a Jacqueline Morabito et je n'arrive pas a savoir qui est le photographe de celle de droite mais elle devient ma source d'inspiration principale pour notre cuisine a Londres.

J'aime les petites touches industrielles qu'apportent les chaises Tolix qui peuvent etre facilement remplacees par ces tabourets blancs, le gros fauteuil au style bien francais , les chemins de table en lin sur une vieille table en bois, les murs peints d'un blanc et d'un gris tout doux et le melange d'ustensils en bois et d'assiettes en ceramique blanche....Un look simple, relax et facile a realiser....
Bon, on part au marche de La Teste pres Arcachon. Je vous souhaite un bon Dimanche!

Des Petits Hauts....

A cool boutique nicely decorated discovered in Arcachon with things I like to wear...a little grey dress with a golden belt to rock London party scene (yeah OK.... my own lounge...), a nice tank top to show off my tanned shoulders and this gorgeous heart brooch to jazz up a black jacket back in London.

Une boutique cool et joliment decoree, decouverte a Arcachon avec des trucs que j'aime porter...une petite robe grise avec une ceinture en or pour mettre le feu dans les soirees Londoniennes (yeah OK....dans mon salon), un petit t-shirt pres du corps pour montrer mes epaules bronzees et cette sublime broche en or pour egayer un blazer noir une fois de retour a Londres.

Summer Food {By Sophie}

We are such big fans of Sweet Paul magazine and are constantly salivating over his delicious looking recipes, when I saw this I thought it would be a perfect rustic style dinner party meal. To save time I would replace the tiresome task of hand making pesto to using our Jacqueline Morabito Pesto which is so delicious and authentic tasting and certainly better than if I made it myself!!!

Leak, pesto and ricotta pie

Serves 6-8
1 large leak, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
4 tablespoons cream
1 cup ricotta
3 tablespoons pesto
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
coarse salt and freshly grounded pepper
8 sheets filo pastry, thawed
cooking spray

1 cup of Jacqueline Morabito Green Pesto.

Preheat oven to 375F.
Saute leaks in butter until soft.
In a medium bowl, combine, eggs, egg whites, cream, ricotta, pesto, parmesan and parsley.
Season with salt and pepper.
Lightly coat a 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray.
Unroll filo, remove one sheet, placing in prepared pan.
Coat lightly with cooking spray.
Repeat with 7 more sheets of filo, spraying between each layer.
Trim edges with scissor.
Spoon filling and leaks into the pan.
Bake until golden brown and set, about 45-50 minutes.
Cool before serving.

Recipe and image from www.sweetpaul.typepad.com

Marie-Claire Maison's favourite blogs!!

A little break from our wonderful holidays on the boat because the news is worth it....Our little blog is included in Marie-Claire Maison's 10 favourite blogs this month....bliss!
Have a wonderful week! Bises

(C) Francois Kong

Une petite pause pendant nos vacances de reve sur le bateau parce que la nouvelle en vaut le coup....Notre petit blog inclus dans la selection des 10 blogs preferes de Marie-Claire Maison...que du bonheur!
Passez une bonne semaine! Bises