Bespoke Wallpaper from Elli Popp

While in Paris for Maison et Objet this January I had the pleasure of meeting Katja Behre, the woman behind Elli Popp.  Her booth was part of an exhibit of emerging designers, many of which were English, so not only was I excited about Ms. Behre’s beautiful designs, I was able to converse in my native tongue.  Don’t get me wrong, I eagerly practiced my French with the vendors in other halls, but let’s put it this way --  my French design vocabulary still needs a little help.

Elli Popp's Booth at Maison et Objet, January 2009

Back to Elli Popp -- Elli Popp was founded in 2007 and features wallpapers with neo-romantic designs that use traditional, and some not-so-traditional color combinations.  One of Elli Popp’s goals is to create products and designs that meet their specific client’s needs -- this bespoke philosophy allows Behre to explore changing themes, sizes, colors and repeats.

In addition to wallpaper, Elli Popp also offers fabric, wall stickers, cushions, ceramics, tiles and rugs.

Elli Popp has been featured in Elle Decoration Germany (March 2009), Ariadne at Home - Holland (April 2009), idFX (September 2008) and Elle Decor Italia (October 2007) among others.

Here are some of my favorite papers pictured on Elli Popp's website, but I highly recommend you check the site out for yourself!:

Foxy Flowers

I think the Foxy Flowers pattern would look divine near a woman's vanity or in a powder bath -- just a sprinkle of sass, not a huge dose!

Crazy Ostrich

Crazy Ostrich is rather clever in that, from far away, it looks like an abstract repeating pattern, but close up it becomes, well, a crazy ostrich!

Haiku

Haiku in the Berries colorway is hands down my current favorite.  Could it be because the colors are the same as Design Babylon's?  You be the judge. {*wink*}

Spring Flowers

Spring Flowers is magical -- I would love to see it in a dining room or a long hallway.

If you like what you see, be sure to contact Katja Behre  at info@ellipopp.com or +44(0)7957135041 !

I am so infatuated with all wallpaper that I am sure this will not be the last swoon-worthy wallpaper vendor that I will profile, so stay tuned!!!

Creativity + the Classics

The above photo is from the Inspirations catalog I picked up at Maison et Objet.  If you haven't figured it out yet, those are éclairs.  Those amazing, sinfully delicious pastries that have been around since the 19^th century.  Notice that with some creativity and imagination, these traditional, classic pastries have been completely over-hauled, but they are still éclairs. 

It is the same idea of taking a very traditional, classic form or design and shaking it up, whether it is via an unexpected paint color, wild fabric or both.

Chair: Dransfield & Ross



Chair: K'ush Home

Top Photo: Cahier d'Inspirations N14

Images d'Orient

For those of you that have been reading this blog for a while, you already know that I have a certain proclivity for all things cocktail and cocktail-related.  I find myself constantly on the hunt for attractive functional coasters and am often disappointed in what I find.  Perhaps it’s the annoying circumstance when you can’t find what you are looking for when you have a very specific idea in mind.  But I digress....

While wandering the gazillion square feet of exhibition space at Maison et Objet last week I happened upon the Images d’Orient booth.  I immediately fell head-over-heels for their entire line of PVC coasters, chopstick/knife rests, bottle holders, place mats and trivets.  All of Images d’Orient’s designs are inspired by patterns and designs from Mediterranean, Bedouin and Moroccan cultures.






L to R: Coaster - Zafaf Burgundy, Bottle Holder - Zafaf Pearlbird, Trivet - Ferronnerie Verte

 





L to R: Coaster - Moucharabieh, Placemat - Sejjadah Pink, Chopstick/Knife Rest - Sejjadeh Pink

Visit the website to see where you can buy this fresh and fun tableware.

(All images courtesy of Images d'Orient)

Iconoclash

Photo Courtesy of Bloom-Spirit

At Maison et Objet, there were several free-standing exhibits by various artists and interior designers that were created to make you think and start a dialogue about the state of the design world. 

One of the exhibits was called “Iconoclash” and was designed by Vincent Grégoire for NellyRodi.  The idea behind the exhibit was that the recent global economic crisis ripped the rug out from under us and has left us unbalanced, our normal ways of thinking didn’t make sense anymore. 

Rather than giving up the fight while waiting for Apocalypse or recovers, Grégoire’s exhibit is a kind of “safety valve” to alleviate some of the pressure we find ourselves under.  Philosopher Gilles Lipovetsky discusses the existence of a “humoristic society” in his book “The Age of Emptiness.”  In an absurd world that is desperately searching for meaning, nonsense creates a new order and scathing humor mocks the situation destabilizing us.

In our society, decoration is the flag-bearer of messages -- think advertising slogans and graffiti.  Iconoclash was very quirky and subversive in its recycling of old things to create fantastical new ones and displayed a healthy sense of irony.  The main message of Iconoclash is to give more weight to things that are not so serious.  The proverbial “spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down” espoused by everyone’s favorite governess Mary Poppins.  This kind of insolence puts the things in our world that take themselves too seriously in its place.

Below are some images I took at the reception held by Nelly Rodi in the Iconoclash exhibit.  Please keep in mind that I’m not a professional photographer!:

I tracked down some of the really interesting pieces used in the exhibit, so stay tuned!

À bientôt!