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The First Meet The Blogger London

Posted by deardesigner in Events - (9 Comments)

Last weekend I attended the first Meet the Blogger event in London.

It’s the third event I’ve attended (Amsterdam and Stockholm previously) and I’ve got to say they are going from strength to strength.  It all took place in the brand spanking new ME London hotel on the Strand (Wow, is all I can say).

meetthebloggerlondon 2013 ME London

We had inspirational talks from keynote speakers, the lovely Yvonne Eijkenduijn of Yvestown Blog, and the effervescent Will Taylor of Bright Bazaar.  Followed by various workshops including Restoring your Vintage Furniture (Louisa Blackmore of West Egg), Design Terminology (Ana Aguilar-Corney) and Telling a Visual Story (photographer Paul Craig).

Dulux were also present telling us about the Spring/Summer trends, letting us try out the current craze for ombre effects (this was a lot of fun) and treating us all to a manicure.  Dulux colours only of course.

meetthebloggerlondon 2013 dulux workshop

And I can’t not tell you about stylist Joanna Thornhill (who has a feature in the latest Heart Home mag) who did a brilliant presentation on how to turn the Dulux trends into blog posts.

meethebloggerlondon 2013 ME London 2

We were then treated to a guided tour of the fabulous swanky hotel, including the rooftop bar.

meetthebloggerlondon 2013 ME London roof top bar

It was such a lovely day mingling with blogger friends old and new.  I can’t wait for the next one in Amsterdam again this summer.

meetthebloggerlondon 2013

It may have been cold and grey outside but in the ME London hotel there was a warm glow.

You can see the official photos here.

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The Scandic Grand Central, Stockholm and Meettheblogger

Posted by deardesigner in Hotels - (4 Comments)

Last weekend the Heart Home team went to the first Meetthebloggerstockholm event.

The schedule was packed with inspirational talks from Will of Bright Bazaar, Thea and Toni Neubauer, the editors of Sister Mag, and of course Heart Home :-) And there were workshops from the lovely Jeanette Lunde of FrydDesign about photography styling and others that I sadly didn’t get to go to about SEO and creating inspiration boards. You can see all of the photo’s over on the official website.

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One of the highlights of the trip, it has to be said, was the Scandic Grand Central Hotel.

Grand Central, facade, day1

We couldn’t have had a warmer welcome and the fact that it’s open to Stockholm residents as well as hotel guests means that the bar, restaurant and bistro is vibrant and bustling.  In fact there is live music 3 to 5 days a week.

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The interior was designed by one of Stockholm’s most prestigious architecture firms, Koncept and we loved the muted colour schemes, the artwork that used lines from well-known songs and the gorgeous bathroom tiles.

Grand Central bathroom suite

And if that wasn’t enough the food was exceptional.

Grand Central, bar, entreplan

Oh, and one other thing that you might be interested to know.  The Scandic Grand Central has a ‘Bloggers Inn’ which was developed with the help of Frida Ramstedt of Trendenser.se.  The room’s amenities and fixings are carefully tailored to the needs of digital entrepreneurs.

Bloggers Inn Rummet

We’ll definitely be going back to make use of that!

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Meet the Blogger Stockholm

Posted by deardesigner in Events | Interior Design - (3 Comments)

It’s official.  The Heart Home team are off to the next Meet the Blogger event in Stockholm next February.  In fact we have been invited to be guest speakers and we’re over the moon with excitment!

I have never been to Sweden and I’m looking forward to my first visit although I expect it’s going to be colder than I’ve ever known before.  So here’s a little Swedish inspiration, courtesy of Skona Hem to get the creative juices flowing.  Enjoy.

If you haven’t booked your ticket yet and you’d like to go, hurry because there is a limited number.  Click the logo below to go to the registration page.

We’ll see you there.

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BlogTour NYC – Sponsor – Blanco America

Posted by deardesigner in Events | Interior Design - (0 Comments)

Next up, in the line of wonderful BlogTour NYC sponsors is Blanco America.

A family owned business established in 1925, Blanco’s humble beginnings included making copper parts for cookers and hot water bottles. Today they have produced more than 40 million sinks and are recognized as a world leader of quality kitchen products.

They are rightly proud of their reputation for unsurpassed service, quality and innovation but you only have to look at their products to know that they also recognize that performance and good looks can, and should go hand in hand.

Their Truffle range of sinks and taps look luxurious and fashionable. The taupe shade works with both warm and cool shades in the kitchen and they bring out the natural beauty of stone countertops.

The Solon composting system integrates seamlessly with the countertop so that you hardly know it’s there. It traps odors inside and is incredibly easy to install so that you don’t have to re-do your kitchen to incorporate composting into your life.

And the Culina tap is the ultimate chef’s faucet. It looks elegant and it has a magnetic hook that stops it getting tangled up.

Something tells me I need a new kitchen.

Other Blogtour NYC sponsors include: Miele, Samuel Heath, Du Verre Hardware, Rotsen Furniture, MMPI (organisers of AD show 2012), Scholtes, Poggenpohl Kitchens, Spirit of Sports, Victoria and Albert Baths, Jenn Air, Big Ass Fans, Modern Aire, Mix Magazine.

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BlogTour NYC – Sponsor – Scholtes

Posted by deardesigner in Events | Interior Design - (0 Comments)

Continuing my little mini series of Blogtour NYC sponsors…

Scholtes is an Italian manufacturer of innovative, professional appliances for the home chef and is joining the other sponsors as it launches its products into the North American marketplace. Here in the UK we are more familiar with the parent company Indesit.

“Our appliances have beautiful aesthetics and are backed by years of European success in technology and performance,” states Marco D’Arsie, North American Sales Manager.

The new product line consists of cooking products (built-in electric ovens, gas hobs and electric hobs), ventilation, dishwashers, refrigeration drawers, wine cabinets, beverage centers and coffee machines.

But I think it may be fair to say that this is my favourite…

Other Blogtour NYC sponsors include: Miele, Samuel Heath, Du Verre Hardware, Rotsen Furniture, MMPI (organisers of AD show 2012), Blanco America, Poggenpohl Kitchens, Spirit of Sports, Victoria and Albert Baths, Jenn Air, Big Ass Fans, Modern Aire, Mix Magazine.

 

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Blogtour NYC – Sponsor – Rotsen Furniture

Posted by deardesigner in Events | Interior Design - (0 Comments)

Another wonderful sponsor of Blogtour NYC is Rotsen Furniture.

A US company founded in 2005 that creates instantly recognisable one-off pieces of furniture.

Often found in high-end hotels and residential settings, the individually hand-crafted pieces are strikingly modern and yet they are created from wood rescued from decaying bridges, old barns and demolition sites.  Some wood comes from fallen, well-preserved trees and well-managed forests.

The warm natural forms are often combined with metal, glass and plexiglas to create truly beautiful future heirlooms.

Rotsens pride themselves on making furniture that will stand the test of time and fleeting fashion.

Personally, I cannot wait to get up close to these sensuous organic forms.  The urge to reach out and touch will be irresistible!

Other Blogtour NYC sponsors include: Miele, Samuel Heath, Scholtes, Duverre, MMPI (organisers of AD show 2012), Blanco America, Poggenpohl Kitchens, Spirit of Sports, Victoria and Albert Baths, Jenn Air, Big Ass Fans, Modern Aire, Mix Magazine.

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Blogtour NYC – Sponsor – Miele USA

Posted by deardesigner in Events | Interior Design - (0 Comments)

Number 2 of my featured Blogtour NYC sponsors is Miele USA.

They don’t really need an introduction.  Mention Miele and inevitably premium kitchen appliances spring to mind, but did you know that they were founded in Germany in 1899 with a single promise of Immer Besser a phrase meaning Forever Better?  They are now the world’s largest family owned and operated appliance company with representation in nearly a 100 countries.  Phew!

Miele are exhibiting their steam ovens, built-in coffee systems, countertop espresso machines, under counter wine storage systems and MasterChef®* technology at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show but they are also hosting a couple of special events especially for us lucky bloggers.

We will be the first to see ‘Miele’s Manhatten Table Artist’ before its formal launch at the show.  This is to be a year-long national campaign celebrating the finest in regional cuisine prepared by the country’s most promising new chefs and focusing on Miele’s ‘Better Living’ philosophy.

We will also be treated to a tour of One57, a luxurious billion dollar, 90 storey skyscraper containing NYC’s most expensive condominium ever.

Good food, good design.  What more can a happy blogger want?

 *MasterChef® technology allows users to select the type of food, weight and desired result. Then, Miele’s intuitive technology transforms the ingredients into a delicious meal. Available on all Miele ovens, MasterChef® is like having the combined knowledge of all great chefs of the world into one easy-to-use reference tool.

Other Blogtour NYC sponsors include: Samuel Heath, Rotsen Furniture, Scholtes, Duverre, MMPI (organisers of AD show 2012), Blanco America, Poggenpohl Kitchens, Spirit of Sports, Victoria and Albert Baths, Jenn Air, Big Ass Fans, Modern Aire, Mix Magazine.

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Blog Tour NYC – The Facts

Posted by deardesigner in Events - (8 Comments)

What is BlogTour? 

The brainchild of the super talented Veronika Miller from Modenus, which is a networking platform and resource catalogue for the interior design community.

BlogTour NYC is the second event.  Last September a group of bloggers from the US visited London during the Design Festival and I was very lucky to be invited to events and to get to meet them all.

“The mission of Blogtour is to further the understanding and awareness of design in the US, UK and Europe and support networking and information exchange between design bloggers, designers, artisans and manufacturers while providing more exposure for international design events.”

Where is it Taking Place? 

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NEW YORK!  Of course. I can hardly believe it!

Why NYC Exactly?

  March 22-25th sees the 11th annual Architectural Digest Home Design Show and nearly 350 premium brands will be exhibiting.  Expect a lot of blogging, tweeting and facebook updates, not just from myself but from the other 14 bloggers attending BlogTour.

So Who’s going?

And here we all are.  In no particular order:

  1. Stacey Sheppard – Stacey Sheppards Blog
  2. Hannah Coleman – Dreamwall Style
  3. Arianna Trapani - Arianna Interiors
  4. Cecy Brooks – CECY j
  5. Will Taylor - Bright Bazaar
  7. Emily Peck - ACHICA Living
  8. Kelly Morisseau – Kelly’s Kitchen Sync
  9. Marilyn Russell-Grant - Design Magnifique
  10. Andrew Dunning – APD Interiors
  11. Katie Treggiden – Confessions of a Design Geek
  12. Kate Baxter – The Fabric Of My Life
  13. Pippa Jameson – Pippa Jameson Interiors
  14. Moi!
  15. Toma Clark Haines - The Antiques Diva 

Who Else is Making this Possible?

None of this could be possible of course without the generosity of our amazing sponsors – Miele USA, Blanco America, Poggenpohl US, Modern-Aire, Scholtes,  Duverre Hardware, Spirit of Sports, Big Ass Fans, Samual Heath and Victoria and Albert Baths.

All that’s left for me to say is a big thank you to Veronika and the sponsors for inviting me to participate in this once in a lifetime experience.  I will blog my little heart out!

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Saturday Share – Christmas Inspiration……….

Posted by deardesigner in Saturday Share - (3 Comments)

Some of my favourite holiday decoration ideas and images this week, from all of those lovely blogs out there.

spring bulbs,hyacinths,christmas,decorations

Gorgeous spring bulbs and a single polar bear form the basis of a simple nordic scheme from Nina at Stylizimo.

table decorations,christmas,pink,silver

The very talented Manvi from Mochatini shares fabulous table decoration ideas over at Bright Bazaar.

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The lovely Kate from The Fabric of my Life styles a shoot for Heart Home magazine using pops of neon.  Photographed by Sarah Hogan.

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A very sophisticated idea from This is Glamorous.  What could be simpler?

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Another simple idea shared with us by Helena from A Diary of Lovely. Styled by Selina Lake and photographed by Sussie Bell.

christmas,baubles,craft,decorations

Super stylist Sania Pell is generous as always with her tips and talents.  Photographed by Uli Schade.

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And last but not least.  Getting It Swoonworthy gets super stylish with leopard print on her Christmas table.

What’s your style for Christmas Decorations?

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Strangers Bearing Gifts……….

Posted by deardesigner in Dear Designer's Own - (8 Comments)

It’s not every day that you get an email inviting you to be the subject of a photo shoot.  So when I received an invitation to be just that I had to investigate a little further.

Manasi Kashyap calls herself a Lifestyle Photographer but that doesn’t even to begin to describe the talents of this interesting lady.  She prefers to shoot with film saying that she prefers the colours and warmth that it conveys and she is so right because her photographs are simply beautiful.

She is fascinated by the way in which people occupy the spaces where they live and work.  She doesn’t want to shoot just the objects in a room – to her it’s the people who are more interesting.

And so it came to be that Manasi and I spent a few hours together last weekend at my home and I’m just delighted with the results.  It was interesting to see my familiar territory through the eyes of a stranger and believe me she missed nothing!

I wish I’d smiled more, but that’s not Manasi’s fault, I’m just not that comfortable in front of the camera.  I hope you like the few I’m sharing here.  If you want to see more, you can find the whole series over on Manasi’s blog here.

And as if that weren’t enough.  I was also interviewed this week over on the Freshome blog by the lovely Ronique.

Thank you ladies, you have made my week.

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