When love is a Scandinavian Typography poster

I have been in love with  graphic and typography posters for a very long time but until now haven't actually  been selling any in the shop. All that changed when I got in touch with Tobias one of the creative people behind HOWAREYOUSWEDEN!  They brought out  "Aa", their first ever poster earlier this month and I immediately knew that it had to go on our shelves ....

I must be honest here..  my first love goes to Playtype! I've been an admirer for a long time and have often been swooning over their posters when reading Danish magazines. It would feel like a betrayal to stock the "Aa" poster without also bringing in Playtype so I'm very proud to say that Skandivis has now become the first UK stockist of these posters too! 

You may not have come across Playtype...but Playtype is an online type foundry started by the Copenhagen-based design agency, e-Types.  Quite apart from their range of amazing typeface they sell these fabulous posters with blown up letters in a range of fonts.

The above roomshots are photos from as featured in the book Northern Delights as well as in Danish magazines Rum(top) and Bo Bedre (bottom)

A Finnish design treat

I love beautiful packaging and will buy absolutely anything just to get my hands on a gorgeous jar or box! So Imagine my excitement when I learned that the  Finnish design label Marimekko is launching beauty products in collaboration with  the amazing Australian brand Aesop! The products are said to be inspired by the Scandinavian bathing culture are packaged in recyclable plastic jars and come in a cool cotton bag made from Marimekko's Vellamo print.

Sadly my birthday isn't in a while but no guessing what's going right to the top of my wish list!

The Marimekko-Aesop beauty products will be available from the end of April from www.aesop.com 

Swedish design talents

We all know that the cool Swedes are at the top of their game when it comes to designing furniture! Only this time I'm not thinking Ikea ...  Check out some of the amazing Swedish designs that got me swooning lately!


The "String" shelving by The architect Nisse Strinning, one of the designers who in the middle of the 20th century started what today referred to as Scandinavian design. String first came on the market 60 years ago, the white version is new though.

The minimalist "Frame" Table designed by Anya Sebton & Eva Lilja Lowenhielm. The  filing cabinet is designed by Jessica Signell Knutsson.

Staffan Holm has created this unique shelving unit that concertinas flat for Scandinavian brand One Nordic.

The Mikado cupboard is designed by Sofia Lagerkvist, Charlotte von der Lancken and Anna Lindgren  the  girls behind the Swedish design group Front.

Scandinavian posters in black & white

I'm mad about posters especially those in monochrome! So of course I was very excited to discover these limited edition Danish prints.  Each print has a personal statement from either Hulda, Tine and Allan the bloggers behind the successful Danish blog www.Bungalow5.dk. 

I'm with Allan and hope that all bloggers go to heaven too! 

The limited prints are available to buy from www.frohundfrau.dk 





Via Bungalow.5

Easter eggs in monochrome

I've fallen in love with these edgy monochrome Easter eggs! And as it's a Danish tradition to paint eggs on Easter Sunday I now feel sufficiently inspired and brave to break away from the traditional Easter colours and  have a go at creating some fresh and contemporary looking eggs for myself. The eggs have been decorated by the Swedish blogger Anna-Malin for the Swedish Magazine: "Skona Hem".

Source: Sköna Hem  photo by: Anna-Malin

Skandivis goes off piste

Being married to a South African guy I'm a regular visitor to  Cape Town and have long been impressed and inspired by the creativity of the place. So to me, it is no surprise that Cape Town is the designated  Design Capital for 2014, as the place is absolutely buzzing!

As Skandivis is all about living the Scandinavian way,I'm never more excited than when I find Scandinavian influences in unusual places. My latest find is the creative hub the Woodstock Exchange located in Cape Town.  Apart from housing my favorite  Scandi/African brand: Pedersen & Lennard, it's also home to some of the most amazing cafes and workshops in Cape Town right now!

The design partnership Pedersen & Lennard  sells  hand-made as well as  machine-made products that have all been put together in their Cape Town  workshop. Their range is influenced by their fascination with South African craft and the clean aesthetic of their Scandinavian forefathers. Below are some of my favorite products from their current collection.

Photos from the Pedersen & Lennard cafe in Woodstock

Below the totally amazing restaurant Superette where I've spent hours people watching and taking in the super cool environment!

I'm planning to  be back at the same time next year to see what's in store during Cape Town Design Capital 2014, can't wait!

Wood lovely wood...

I'll never get tired of wood and I love how it's used in so many ways to create some gorgeous design! The maple wood knife from The Federal is a beauty and the way wood is used in its design is totally new to me!

1. via 2. Oyoy  3.  Fjellby 4. Ferm Living 5. Muuto
6.  The Federal

Cool restaurant - Nordic designed

Really, what's not to love about the cool Copenhagen restaurant "Höst", the result of a successful collaboration between two well know Danish brands Norm Architects and Menu? Above all, I totally love its unmistakably cosy Scandinavian feel! Höst means harvest in Danish and autumn in Swedish! The restaurant has  definitely got that unique autumnal weathered look largely achieved by using materials such as recycled wood and old cast iron that have been left to age gracefully.


 Notice the black scissor spring hanging lamps designed by Menu

  Black  bar Stools from &Tradition

    Gorgeous tableware from New Norm in nude natural colours

 Innovative use of Euro-pallets

Images via  Rum

Rough on the ouside smooth on the inside

I've just  come across these beautiful photos in the Danish magazine Bo Bedre. Love the contrast between the rough exterior brickwork and the smooth monochrome interior. 

Photos:   Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen

The day I met Lotta Agaton

Just back from Meet The Blogger event in Stockholm. I'm still  feeling fully charged after meeting some truly inspiring people.

I've been a huge fan of Lotta Agaton for a very long time so just imagine my excitement when I discovered that a visit to Lotta's shop was part of the Design tour organised by Meet The Blogger! The shop was every bit as cool as I had imagined it to be and more....

Swooning over the Therese Sennerholt prints, prominent throughout the shop!

OYOY inspired Danish Design

I love the name OYOY a newly established Danish Interior design company.  The letters OY have since 1929 been written on every Danish aeroplane  so the founder Lotte Fynboe thought the letters would  be an indication that the brand is Danish! 


I am very excited to say that Skandivis will now be stocking quite a few of the gorgeous OYOY products! 

Oyoy Design now at Skandivis

All Nordic Now

Freezing temperatures and the promise of more glorious snow to come...

 are you getting that Nordic 
feeling too?

Images via   l-ucia,  silver-blonde 
thatnordicfeeling

Nordic bed linen By Nord

Feature walls the African way...

Far away from Scandinavia - I know! But simply couldn't resist showing you these cool feature walls! 

Striking - right?

Via Elle Deco South Africa

Louise Roe SS2013

Here's a little glimpse at the spring collection from Louise Roe. 

Gorgeous copper bowls , urban prints with splashes of colour are soon to arrive in my boutique! 

Splashes of colour in Copenhagen

As you all know,  I do love my "shades" of black,  white and grey ,but when I first saw this apartment I'll confess to have experienced an urge to run to the nearest DIY store and grab a few tins of something bright and gorgeous!

 

Via  Alt For Damerne
Photo: Lisbett Wedendahl

My top design shop in Copenhagen...

It's well know that Copenhagen has lots of amazing design shops including Hay, Casa Shop and Illum's Bolighus but for me Stilleben stands out from the rest! This gem of a shop stocks loads of textiles and ceramics as well as unusual  prints and posters by artists  such as Berit Mogensen Lopez and graphic designers Playtype and ATWTP. Watch out this shop is highly addictive and you will find yourself going back for second and third helpings....

Omaggio designed by Stilleben for  Kæhler

Stilleben dk

For the love of LEGO

I spent the first 20 years of my life living in Vejle,  a Danish town less than 30 minutes drive away from LEGOLAND in Billund, so as you can imagine it'll always have a special place in my heart!

Today these small colourful bricks inspire anything from  handbag to furniture design!  

      Have a look at this...

   

 

1. Chanel Lego bag via,  2. abgc 3 & 4 Photos by Thomas Loof/Art Department Via Nymag