I'm so loving this bedroom....

It just feels very calming and peaceful...

via Stilinspiration

Masking tapes

So that's it, we've sent the pdfs of BODIE and FOU's first catalogue yesterday to the printer and last night, in bed at 8.30pm, I managed to sleep 10 hours. 

I'm glad I did because 10 min. ago, our printer called us in a state of panic saying that we had only done 32 pages instead of the 32 + 4 pages cover he had quoted and it would be more expensive to print 32 only...

Over the past few weeks, I've been practising plan B a lot...something is not working, you move on and work on plan B, sometimes I even had to work on plan C but having a plan B, C or D really helped me to move this first catalogue along and focus on the outcome rather than on the problems. Within 5 minutes, I had a plan B for this disaster news but in the end, the printer said it would cost the same so we've decided to run with it. Our catalogue will be 4 pages shorter than it should have been but at least it will be printed and on people's doorsteps on time!

Now the good news is that all our MT masking tapes are available here. I'm so excited by this. I love masking tapes, you can decorate a corner in your home so quickly with them and make it very personal. At home, I used the matte black masking tape to do our family moodboard in our lounge but Vosges Paris did hers using this blue one and Stilinspiration used this Cosmos pink and this soft grey and I thank them both greatly for their contribution to our catalogue (their moodboards look perfect in it!).
Last but not least, we have a new sponsor Curtains Made Simple and I recommend them you either pay them a visit or bookmark them because it's the kind of company that makes you life easier and you want to have in your little Interiors black book.

 

I love this kitchen!

The first thing that caught my attention on Pinterest was this wooden beam and a bit of writing on what looked like a blackboard....Then I went one and discovered the whole kitchen....It's beautiful! But my favourite corner remains still this wooden beam with a few postcards on it next to the family blackboard.

 

Source: Bolig

De Gauche...a droite {By Sophie}

Super cute! From our lovely, eco-friendly Birds Clothes pegs (check out how I use them to display Mila's masterpieces in her bedroom) to these adorable little birds.

Our welcome page...

Forgiving me for posting just about the catalogue but that's pretty much the only thing I'm working on at the moment to meet our deadline. Our Welcome page is now signed off and with the printer but I really wanted to thank you all for the comments you left here and there. They were incredibly useful and really helped me to put the moodboard to bed. I listened to what you said and added a winter cardigan (didn't have a photo of a blanket or plaid) and you were right, it works a lot better!
I also love this new, very stylish shot of La Tropezienne tote bag shot by CHS yesterday at the last minute (they've been so incredibly supportive, I feel v. lucky) and YES in our catalogue, you will discover Shanna Murray's wonderful stickers. I'm so excited by this. Shanna's work has been on my radar since last November and I'm over the moon to work with her.

Veuillez m'excuser de n'ecrire en ce moment qu'a propos du catalogue mais je ne travaille pratiquement plus que sur ca pour tenir nos delais. Notre Welcome page est terminee maintenant et avec l'imprimeur mais je voulais vraiment vous remercier pour tous vos commentaires laisses ici et la. Ils m'ont ete vraiment tres utiles et m'ont vraiment aide a finir le moodboard. J'ai ecoute vos suggestions et ajoute un cardigan d'hiver (je n'avais pas de photo de couverture ou de plaid) et vous aviez raison, c'est beaucoup mieux avec!

J'aime aussi beaucoup ce superbe shot de La Tropezienne tote bag photographie par CHS hier a la derniere minute et OUI dans le tacalogue, vous decouvrirez les merveilleux stickers de Shanna Murray. Je suis super contente. J'avais son travail en tete depuis November dernier et je suis ravie qu'on travaille ensemble.

Almost there...

We're almost done with the catalogue and I can't tell you how excited I am!!
Tonight, I received this double page from our totally amazing design agency CHS and it was love at first sight. It was SO what I had in mind, it's just perfect! A few tweaks, copy changes, etc and we're good to go. I will spend Monday in Dorset with CHS to go through everything as we have to hand the pdfs to the printer on Wednesday.
On the double page below, you may recognize some fabulous mood boards from my friend Desiree at Vosges Paris and Marjon Hoogervorst who took gorgeous shots in Paris and I can't thank them enough for their contributions.
We are still after a gorgeous mood board using colour masking tapes for the 'Creative' double page spread which features cool things like the books by Edition Paumes, our new MT masking tapes and other goodies so if you wish to contribute and have high-res images of your mood boards, please email them to me at leblog(at)bodieandfou(dot)com.
However, I really need to receive your contributions by Sunday evening.
- they need to include colour masking tapes (pink, blue, hot pink, yellow, stripes, dots, etc)
- the mood board should preferably not feature in an obvious way pages from magazines (because of copyright issues)
- In exchange for your contribution, we will credit your blog or name (whatever you prefer) on our catalogue. Many thx!

PS: You can pre-order our gorgeous catalogue here

Facebook competition: WIN KELLY HOPPEN'S BOOK

I have genuine admiration for Kelly Hoppen as an entrepreneur. She never stops and when it comes to this, yes she is and good for her!
Besides receiving an MBE from the Queen and driving a very successful interior business, this year (only) she launched her App, wallpapers with Graham & Brown, another must-read book, is doing regular TV appearances on QVC and still look A-MA-ZING!
Her latest venture is Superior Interiors, a TV show which will air on 27th Sept at 8pm on Channel 5 and I can't wait to watch it!
I have been told that the first episode is with the Dimartino family. They wanted to turn their garage into a family space which had to fulfil a lot of requirements. First they needed a special area for their son with learning disabilities, next up was a space for their daughter to chill with friends, then it was a space for mum to do the laundry and Dad wanted a bar to entertain friends….Apparently, they had pretty strong ideas on 'theme' decorating (they have a tiki bar in the back garden) and wanted the room be 'Italian American' a la The Sopranos.
In the end Kelly created an amazing family space like she knows how to. I wish she would come to my place and finish a few room. I wouldn't mind a kitchen a la Kelly Hoppen...They are always stunning!

Anyway, the good news for you is that you can win Kelly's latest book: Creating a home for the way you live.
How to enter:
All you need to do is to leave a comment on BODIE and FOU on Facebook, tell us which is your favourite book by Kelly Hoppen and share this with all your friends.
This give-away is open to anyone around the world and will end on Friday 07/10/2011.
Good luck!

New moodboard

Thank you so much for all your constructive comments on my first moodboard over the weekend. It was very helpful and you were totally right....it was feeling more summery and not Christmassy enough. So I've done this new one which personally I love. It makes me crave for Winter to come and snuggling at home with Mila by the fireplace....
Right, so verdict...How is this one making you feel?

Merci beaucoup pour tous vos commentaires constructifs sur le premier moodboard que j'avais realise ce weekend. Cela m'a beaucoup aide et vous aviez totalement raison...Il sentait plutot l'Ete et les vacances que Noel. Donc, j'en ai fait un truc et celui-ci franchement je l'adore...Il me donne des envies d'Hiver, de weekends au chaud a la maison, a faire des calins a Mimi sur le canape pres de la cheminee...
Bon le verdict...qu'est ce que vous ressentez en regardant celui-ci?

Moodboard for the catalogue

Given that mood boards are such a part of my life, our design agency has suggested we put one on the welcome page of our first mail order catalogue and the idea is that if we do more catalogues next year, the mood board will change each time to reflect the season and our new finds, passions etc...
I like the idea! Although when it came to do a mood board with a deadline, suddenly I had a creative block that lasted a couple of weeks. I just couldn't come up with anything that I found satisfying until this morning...So here is the baby.
It is still work in progress but as it is for our welcome page, I really wanted some nice, simple and warm. A mood board that would make people feel happy and inspired. Christmas is such a frantic season for us and stressful for a lot of customers who worry they won't get the right gifts in time that I thought it would be a nice feel for our welcome page....
I would love to hear what you think about it. Not just if it's nice or not but how it makes you feel...Many thanks

Etant donne que les mood boards ont une grande place dans ma vie, notre agence de design a suggere d'en mettre un sur la page d'introduction de notre premier catalogue et l'idee est que si nous continuons a produire des catalogues l'annee prochaine, chaque mood board refletera les saisons mais aussi nos envies, nos nouvelles trouvailles et passions.
J'aime beaucoup l'idee! Par contre, quand il fallu creer un mood board avec une deadline, la le blocage total! Pendant 2 semaines, je n'arrivais pas a pondre un truc qui me satisfaisait jusqu'a ce matin....donc voici le bebe.
Il n'est pas encore tout a fait fini mais comme c'est pour notre page d'introduction, je voulais un truc simple, joli et chaleureux. Un collage heureux et inspirant. Noel est une periode tellement agitee pour nous et stressante pour nos clients qui s'inquietent de ne pas trouver les bons cadeaux de Noel a temps que je voulais commencer le catalogue par une image douce....
J'aimerais beaucoup avoir votre feedback....Pas juste si c'est beau ou pas mais qu'est ce vous ressentez en regardant ce petit montage...Merci beaucoup

Mima Le Chat

Sometimes, you just get very very good days where everything is just working together and today was one of those for us at B&F. 

Sophie and our creative team are putting together an amazing mail order catalogue and I can't wait to show you the end result. I really hope this is going to be a success because if it's not, I'm not sure we will be in a position to produce another one as it is incredibly expensive to produce but we will cross that bridge when we come to it....

We also received the Mima Le Chat print (featured below in the minx's bedroom with her new shooooees bought by her papa), the Bat print and Le Chat print and I frankly love them all!

I got samples last month to shoot them for our catalogue and framed them all in Ikea's white RIBBA frame. Next to each other they look stunning. 

In the end, Mila selected Mima for her bedroom and I put Le Chat above our family mood board in the lounge. The Bat may end up in our kitchen...I don't know yet. We have 6 new gorgeous prints from a new designer and I'm kind of wait to see how they all come together.

We've also received boxes of gorgeous japanese masking tapes in lots of colours and I'm taking a couple of pink and blue rolls home tonight to have fun over the weekend. The masking tapes will be online next week. 

We have so many gorgeous new products in the pipeline from French, American and Swedish designers that I can't tell you how excited I am. I'm totally restless! 

Luckily I have started this 4-week fitness plan from Marie-Claire to channel my energy. I'm on week 1 so I will let you know if I manage to do it until Week 4 and have then an amazing body....we can all live in hope!

Have a great weekend

Emmanuelle Alt

Emmanuelle Alt, new Editor of VOGUE France. Beautiful, stylish, cool, warmer than Carine ....I love everything about her...and this portrait of her by Patrick Demarchelier is just sublime

Unwind with...Hush

Last Summer, I was asked by Hush Homewear to do an interview for their September newsletter which was great because I'm a big fan of Hush.
This Summer, when our little family went on our 'back to basic' holidays spending 2 weeks on a boat without TV, internet and bathroom, I spent most evenings hanging out in their harem trousers and I really fancy their cream stitch snood and the cream hat for this winter. Anyway...here is a sneak-peek of their newsletter and you can read the interview on their blog.
In response to my last answer in their interview, someone told me... 
"Poor Steve. Left in a burning house to watch rugby whilst you rescue the pink converse. I am quite sure my wife would do the same to me when given the choice between me and Charlie's purple Converse."
Errmm....yeah of course! :-) Would you save your husband who can run from the burning house by himself or your kids and their first little shoes? ;-)

14 kids...

Yesterday, lucky me! I got lots of cuddles from Mila who was telling me how much she missed me when I was in Paris...
Mila: "Mamaann, I would LOVE to have 14 brothers and sisters..."
Me: "errm....la tu vois....ca va pas etre possible..."

This little girl is just adorable!

Via Pinterest

Moodboard inspired by Paris...

In about 30min, I will head off to Gare du Nord to catch the Eurostar and go back to London. I had such a cool time. The weather was fab, I caught up with lots of friends at the weekend and still managed to run 3 times with Elodie early in the morning which makes me very happy but usually, I can't be bothered doing anything when I'm travelling. 

M&O was tiring, it's a massive show and you spent a lot of time walking but I have found some really gems, some beautiful things for kids that give me butterflies, a gorgeous bag for men and lots of ideas. Until I see you on the other side of the Channel, here is a little mood board inspired by Paris...

 

1. Paris map print 2. Decorative hearts 3. Industrial clip on light 4. Birds clothes pegs used as paper clips

Dans 30min, je vais aller a la Gare du Nord pour prendre mon train direction London. J'ai passé 4 jours géniaux. Il a fait super beau, j'ai vu mes cops' pendant le WE et Elodie et moi avons réussi a bouger nos fesses 3 fois pour aller courir, ce qui me rend tres contente de moi. Le salon était fatiguant, c'est tellement grand et on passe beaucoup de temps a marcher mais j'ai trouvé pleins de petits trésors, des choses magnifiques pour les enfants, un sac absolument canon pour nos hommes et plein d'idées. En attendant de vous retrouver de l'autre coté, voici un petit moodboard inspiré by Paris...

I'm loving this..

The handmade calendar via Skona hem and this note about Monday...Have a great one!

 

via Pinterest

Un Samedi a Paris...

Of course, we went to MERCI on Saturday and we found the concept store celebrating Japan with gorgeous packaging, calligraphy like the Japanese know how, celebrating simple, utilitarian objects, beautiful to look at. 

I kept graviting around their corner for the men, soft, industrial...how I like them, with cashmere jumpers, beautiful leather bags that will last a lifetime and of course the linen corner upstairs that keeps me dreaming and where little by little I'm building my linen collection for our home in London...

To finish our inspiring shopping trip, Elodie and I had a drink at MERCI's cafe, watching people coming in and out of the shop, then a quick visit to Bonton and we ended up running to Zadig & Voltaire's outlet in Le Marais before closing time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lily

My niece...jolie comme un coeur

 

Les étagères de Caroline

Les étagères de Caroline are...simple, beautiful, made at home (I mean in France). Made of oak, they have the particularity of having a central grove that allows you to slide your favourite photos, drawings or prints as well as adding a few things like this little cute robot or this pretty vase. They look wonderful in a workspace at home or in a kids bedroom.

I hope you like them...

Les étagères de Caroline sont ...simples, belles, et faites à la maison (je veux dire en France). Faites en bois de Chêne, elles ont la particularité d'avoir un rail central qui permet de glisser vos photos préférées, dessins et illustrations et d'ajouter de tous petits objets comme cet adorable robot ou ce joli vase. Elles seront parfaites dans un coin travail à la maison ou dans la chambre des enfants.

J'espère que vous les aimerez...

Paris I love you

I'm so excited to be in Paris!
I have been longing for this trip since my last one with Mila...4 months without seeing my sis' seems a bit long but I woke up this morning feeling really happy. Elodie and I went for a 6.30am run through the Parc Monceau which felt magical and this weekend, I'm planning to hang out in a lovely flat which has an amazing view on St Marie des Batignolles Church (it will be featured in IKEA Family Live magazine as they did a feature on Lily's bedroom), a few inspiring shopping trips to MERCI, Bonton and all the little independent boutiques in her area and seeing my friends.
So armed with my converse, my camera and a bottle of water, I'm now ready to pace M&O (which is a MASSIVE trade show), catch up with a few of my designer friends and tonight, I'll end the day on a positive note with a drink with Lau before she heads back to Lille.
I leave you with this gorgeous Parisian loft that belongs to Isabelle Puech and Benoit Jamin. I'm totally in love with this gorgeous industrial space that feels so warm and friendly at the same time. The kind of inspiring workspaces we always try to achieve....Have a great Friday!

(C) Source: Marie Claire Maison