{ Posts Tagged ‘denmark’ }

flensted’s marvellous mobiles

horses11 flensteds marvellous mobiles

Prowling through Copenhagen’s legendary Illums Bolighus last summer, I fell deeply in love with this mobile from Flensted. Not only did the gorgeous grown-up silhouette offer a slice of Danish design on a dime (I snagged it for a mere $25 CAD), but it made the perfect souvenir, as mobiles are a traditional Danish craft. It was Christian Flensted, back in 1954, who conceived the mobile as a moving work of art for the home (and not just something to hang above the crib), and his legacy of perfectly balanced and sophisticated hanging sculptures is now carried on by his wife and son.

Flensted launched his collection over 55 years ago with “Lucky Storks” - a design that’s just as popular today. Now that’s staying power!

storks1 flensteds marvellous mobiles

This design, “Flowing Rhythm”, featured prominently in the bedroom of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in the film “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?”. Very midcentury modern!

rhythm1 flensteds marvellous mobiles

I love “Andersen’s Ballet” - a nod to famed Dane Hans Christian Andersen.

f nutcracker flensteds marvellous mobiles

But it’s the swirling, twirling animal mobiles that first got me hooked…

“Feline Mobile”

f buddy flensteds marvellous mobiles

“Seahorse Mobile”

f seahorses flensteds marvellous mobiles

“Swallow”

f swallows flensteds marvellous mobiles

“Swans”

f swans flensteds marvellous mobiles

And no, you don’t have to catch the next flight to Copenhagen to get your hands on these graceful works of art – they’re now available at retailers across Canada from about $27 each. Call Euro Design Canada at 866-932-0261 for your closest dealer.

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the romance of rosenborg castle

It’s hard to believe that a month has passed since I was in Copenhagen… Where did June go?!?  I’m still sorting through my snaps from my Adventures in IKEAland, and came across these shots of the unbelievably beautiful (and incredibly romantic) Rosenborg Castle.

rosenborgcastle the romance of rosenborg castleSituated in the middle of the King’s Gardens, which itself lies in the heart of Copenhagen, Rosenborg was built by Denmark’s King Christian IV (the founder of much of Copenhagen as we know it) as a country summerhouse in the early 1600s. Not a bad pile of bricks to call a cottage, eh?

One of my friends commented on how the building reminded him of Amsterdam, and there’s a reason for that: the castle’s built in the Dutch Renaissance style that was all the rage in the early 17th century, and informed a lot of Danish architecture of the period that still stands today.

rosenborgtower the romance of rosenborg castleRosenborg now houses the Danish crown jewels, which although breathtaking, take a back seat, as far as I’m concerned, to the architecture…

  rosenborgwindow the romance of rosenborg castleI mean, check out the woven-cane-patterned mullions on this window… The attention to detail is mind-blowing!

rosenborgbust the romance of rosenborg castleThere’s barely a stretch of 10 feet across Rosenborg’s facade that doesn’t fascinate with an intriguing little gem, including this weather-beaten bronze bust, constantly keeping a baleful eye on visitors.

brett’s adventures in ikealand – part three

Sometimes a picture just speaks for itself.

rhododendron bretts adventures in ikealand part three

A brilliant azure sky, soft pink rhododendrons (they grow like weeds throughout Copenhagen!), and the vivid cyan of a tarnished bronze statue conspire to form a lasting impression in the King’s Gardens at the heart of Copenhagen.

The King’s Gardens, Copenhagen

brett’s adventures in ikealand – part two

nyhaven1 bretts adventures in ikealand part two

I don’t think anything could prepare me for the experience of dining at a waterside cafe in Nyhavn. A harbour canal in Copenhagen (the name “Nyhavn” literally translates into “New Harbour”) that’s dotted with moored old sailing ships, it’s possibly the most atmospheric place in the Danish capital. It’s along this canal that world-famous fairytale writer, Hans Christian Anderson, lived for a time; but now it’s packed with posh eateries and antique shops.

nyhaven2 bretts adventures in ikealand part two

Most of the houses along the canal are more than 300 years old, and have been restored in breathtaking colours (some of which actually reminded me of the new Hacienda Style palette from Pittsburgh Paints that I mentioned last week). A feast for the eyes! 

nyhaven3 bretts adventures in ikealand part two

One of the sweetest surprises of dining on the canal? Once the evening chill sets in, restaurant staff provided us with blankets so that we could remain outdoors. Naturally, they were IKEA. icon wink bretts adventures in ikealand part two

What a thoughtful idea for your next al fresco soiree! 

Here I am modeling the latest in Nyhavn evening wraps with the fab Olivia Stren. (Thanks to Canadian Living’s Karen Kirk for providing the shot!)

irmathrows bretts adventures in ikealand part two

imra bretts adventures in ikealand part twoIrma 67-by-51″ fleece throw blanket, $4, IKEA

what’s new at ikea

I’m really loving the new Edland collection at IKEA, and 99% of that love affair lies in the lower half of each piece — those cabriole legs are such an elegant detail, providing a light, graceful contrast to the otherwise imposing stained pine. I’d love to pair the dressing table with a prettily-printed skirted Parsons chair… It could even double as a home office workstation… 


Edland dressing table, $249

edlunddesk whats new at ikea

 

Edland bedside table, $129

edlundbedside whats new at ikea

What I’m most pumped about, though, is my exclusive preview of the new IKEA PS Collection next week… Tomorrow, I leave for Almhult, Sweden (the worldwide base of operations for IKEA!), to interview the delightful Wiebke Braasch, a designer behind two of the products in the exciting new line. Can’t wait to see what she’s cooked up for us this time, as her resume for IKEA includes the popular Skimra lampshades (the ones with that you can switch out in any number of colours)…

skana whats new at ikea

And the Vano easy chair…

vano whats new at ikea

Following that, I’m off to Copenhagen to soak up Danish design in its natural habitat… So crazy cited!

I’ll be blogging throughout my trip, so stayed tuned over the next week for some Scandinavian sweetness…



hotel chic – copenhagen style!

My style-sleuthing is leading me to Copenhagen this summer and I came across these crazy Danish digs…

Hotel Fox is situated in the heart of the Danish capital, and touts itself as “the world’s most exciting and creative lifestyle hotel”. Designed by 21 international artists from the fields of graphic design, urban art and illustration, Hotel Fox is a gallery of 61 no-two-alike rooms of sheer, wacked-out whimsy… 

My fave room is the “King’s Court 1″, designed by Birgit Amadori of Germany. A little bit fairy tale, a little bit Manga, it’s spare but strangely sumptuous at the same time. I’m also a sucker for great blue-and-white combos. And the Medusa on the walls is so very Versace!

kingscourt1 hotel chic copenhagen style!

 

Andreas Mindt’s startling “Highlights” room breathes life into the stark simplicity of an achromatic scheme with flowing lines and a real sense of motion. Not a room you’d want to be in after a dizzying night of partying, though.

blackandwhite hotel chic copenhagen style!

 

Brisbane design collective Rinzen, conceived the “Dryads” room as a playful little fantasy-land. The raised bed is intended to suggest “walking into the heart of the forest”, surrounded by trees and fallen foliage. 

dryad hotel chic copenhagen style!

 

Light, bright and refreshingly bonkers! I wonder what it would be like in person…

Check out the other 58 rooms here!

 

All images courtesy of Hotel Fox

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