Ikea improved - meet Bemz and Prettypegs

Last time I promised to write about another Scandinavian brand, but well, it´s not completely true. Or rather, it is true only in part.

By now I am sure you have realised how much I like Ikea. Not necessarily and at least not nearly always because of their products or the design thereof, but because of the fantastic job they are doing branding themselves.

So the people want quirky, limited edition stuff - they give them just that with their limited edition collections. Which is so intelligent, because then they can keep their normal range as it is (admittedly, quite generic) and even improve sales by adding that extra cushion which pretty much nails the entire feel of the era.

A couple of years back, before the launch of their new catalogue, Ikea photographed people in their setting. For free, of course. Then you received a receipt for the photo and could claim your very own, personalised catalogue from the store on the given dates. Obviously, with you on the cover of the catalogue. Ingenious.

Luckily, there are other ways to feel that Ikea is personified and not just the mega store selling the same goodies all over the world to millions of people. Which also brings me to the subject of interior decor personified. I do not know if it is a global trend, but at least in Finland the repetitive interiors featured on blogs is more than daunting. It is actually frightening. We all are different, in so many ways. I have always thought that your home should represent you (and that is why professionally I find interior design of homes to be a concept that is in big need of improvement), not the trends you see at the blogs, magazines or stores.

I realise it is not easy to find something that is not trendy. At least if you do not want to invest in a Design Product - which then again also can create that generic feeling.

Anyway, enough of the rambling (for now ), see this cool way to pick the things you like, trendy or not, and add the personal touch at the same time.

First in line, Bemz. Another ingenious brand selling custom designed covers for Ikea sofas and chairs.
http://www.bemz.com/en/


The covers not only allow you to have a different look, but they are also good ecologically. You don´t necessarily have to buy a new couch, a couch cover might be all you need.

Last spring they started working with Littlephant, another favourite of mine (and also Swedish).



They do not stock many of the Littlephant fabrics, but they also have a wide range of other fabrics from plains to Marimekko and Designers Guild.

All photos from bemz.com




And then there is Prettypegs. Not only for Ikea furniture, but others too, they sell furniture legs for beds, chairs, storage and tables.


I love this shape and the colour. And - they ship free worldwide.

So pretty.



All photos from Prettypegs
http://www.prettypegs.com/sv/

Ikea Christmas 2014

Today it is only (?) 3 months until Christmas - what better excuse to introduce the Swedish take on this year´s Christmas?

So please, have a look at the Ikea Christmas of 2014. From what I hear, it is already showcased in the stores, too.

Nice, big golden star. Really like the smaller stars, too. Maybe those are just cut from golden paper? Not sure. Should go to Ikea and check out what they actually have!
Anyway, looks like this Christmas is golden, at least according to Ikea.




This really captures the Scandinavian winter light at its best. You can almost see the snow outside.



Christmas stockings, too. I predict these will run out fast. Get yours now if this is something you have been looking for.

Happy Movember. This cookie cutter set has to be purchased before November, I am sure. Looks like these shapes will be nice to garnish.





All photos from ikea.com

Design and colour trends for autumn 2014 from Marimekko

One of these days I am going to write about interior design and how it should be done to avoid having a catalogue home - which at least to me is a nightmare.

But to form a basis for my thoughts, let me first write a series introducing the trends of this era, starting from the Finnish Marimekko.

(All photos from Marimekko)



The black and white and the graphic elements are still represented. I speculate the Christmas 2014 will be black-white-grey again, too.

I quite like the design of this fabric, called Ararat. The harlequin motives have been all over for quite some time now and to find something that is even a slight variation of it, seems refreshing.

To me, though, all the black and white is really harsh combo. In Finland the daylight is not as bright and warm in colour as in the more Southern based countries and I have always been dubious as to why Scandinavians feed on white on white. Nowadays people have realised that there are others shades of white than only the white with a hint of black, or maalarinvalkoinen as it is known in Finnish.

Even the Ararat fabric base colour is not pure white, the base is somewhat beige. And that is good!





Saivu, here in two different shades, showcases another trendy colour of this autumn, purple, in pretty much all its shades. Again, in Scandinavia, block colours do not seem to work because the natural light is blueish in its tone, too. I love the quirky Marimekko designs. And the bold use of colour. IN comparison to many other fabrics by the meter, the price is not too bad. Especially considering the good quality of the cotton they sell. But sometimes I wonder who are the fabrics meant for?

In Saivu, the design is very 70´s style which I guess is the new trend. Or do they want to make it into a trend and put on store shelves the fabrics that were designed in that era? To  me, I understand the success of the harlequin-lead circus theme which has been in quite some time now. But the dungy 70´s..?

Yea or nay?





Next time I will continue on this note with another Scandinavian brand.

Habitat to open a store in Helsinki, Finland in November

Habitat is about to arrive in Finland!

News of the opening were revealed in June already, but people, we now have a location:
the store will be opened in Makkaratalo, right in front of the Helsinki railway station, on Keskuskatu/Kaivokatu, in Helsinki City-Center.

We also have a date, or somewhat of a date;
the store will be opened in November. The grand opening date is yet to be announced.


Photos from habitat.co.uk



Copper, so trendy right now. I love the largest pendant. Just beautiful.



I think I had similar chairs in my playhouse as a kid. Could gladly get one now, too!


I really was inspired by Habitat UK´s new collection "Affordable Cool". I already asked Habitat Finland if the collection would be featured in Finland, too, but they would not tell me.







 The Blossom side table, available in blue and yellow, might find it´s way into our home.

The best part about this collection? Well, as the title says, it is not only cool, it is also affordable. The Blossom side table is £50, so I am expecting it to be around 60-70 €.



A warm welcome to Finland, Habitat! (And please feature the Affordable Cool. Thank you.)

Kind regards,
Maija

Colour me polka on Facebook

Please follow Colour me polka on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/colourmepolka?fref=ts

Gluten-free donuts

Gluten-free donuts

I swear, Finland is the mecca of donuts. Wherever you go, you can count on one thing - there will be donuts for sale. Really, every gas station at the outskirts of sheer existence sells donuts, or rather munkki as it is called in Finnish. 

The Finnish version usually is a round bun-like donut which is covered with sugar and sometimes filled with jam or custard cream. The garnish can also be pink or white sugar-water mixture, but then the munkki is called "Berliinin munkki" (Berlin donut) or "Piispan munkki" (bishop´s donut).

Growing up eating donuts, I sometimes miss the flavour so much. I remember being on maybe 3rd grade in school and how we had handicraft amongst us girls on Friday mornings for about 2 or 3 hours. Our teacher let us leave the school yard during the break to go to the nearby grocery store. Every Friday we would buy a Berliinin munkki and eat it before getting back to our needleworks. The store was called Vähänen, I think, and I doubt it exists anymore in its´s lovely, quirky appearance, at least.

Anyway, Yesterday I tried out the actual donut with the hole in the middle.

Ingredients:

5 dl milk

1 egg

1 dl sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cardamom

22 g dry yeast

about 9 dl of gluten-free flour mixture

75 g melted vegetable shortening

Coconut butter for frying.

Sugar for sprinkling and/or chocolate and sprinkles.

Heat the milk to about 40 degrees. Add the egg, sugar and cardamom. Mix.

Add the yeast to about 2 dl of the flour and add to the mixture.

With an electrical mixer, beat the ingredients until fully combined.

Add the salt and the remaining amount of flour. With the mixer, beat the mixture for a couple of minutes.

Add the melted shortening and mix well.

Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes before pouring it over gluten-free flour.

Roll the dough and cut it into about 18 pieces. With plenty of flour in hands, roll the pieces into balls and leave onto a baking sheet for about 20-30 minutes to rest. If you want to make donuts, make a hole in the middle and stretch it out carefully. Cover the donuts with a piece of cloth.

Place the coconut butter into a pan and heat it to 180 degrees.

Place the donuts into the hot oil and fry them on both sides.

If you want sugar-covered donuts, cover them with sugar immediately. Otherwise leave them to cool and cover as you like once room temperature.

Enjoy while still warm, crunchy and fresh!

Coconut butter heating up.

Frying.

 Frying the other side.

Gluten-free red currant - white chocolate cake

The perfect cake for autumn! This is such a fresh cake - and super easy to make.

Red currant – white chocolate cake

BASE (Traditional Finnish oatmeal cookie recipe.)

Ingredients:

50 g vegetable shortening or butter

1 dl sugar

2 dl rolled oats (gluten-free)

1 tbsp of gluten-free flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

Method:

Place the butter / shortening together with sugar in a pan. Heat the mixture until the butter melts. Add the rest of the ingredients and quickly mix them together.

Spread the mixture over a lined cake tin with loose edges. Bake for about 10-15 minutes at 200 degrees (Celsius) or until golden brown and set.

Note that the “cookie” is supposed to stay a bit chewy so do not overcook! Once baked, set aside to cool and continue with the white chocolate mixture.

CAKE

White chocolate filling:

200 g white chocolate

2 dl heavy cream

200 g quark (plain yoghurt is a good substitute)

0,5 dl sugar

4 gelatin leaves

1 tbsp boiling water

Red currant filling:

300 g red currants

1 dl sugar

2 dl heavy cream

200 grams of quark

5 gelatin leaves

First prepare the white chocolate filling.

Place the gelatin leaves in cold water.

Whip the cream. Add the sugar and qaurk.

Melt the white chocolate. (I always do the following: I boil water in a pan and place a steel bowl on top of it. Once boiling, I remove the pan from heat and only then place the white chocolate in the bowl. White chocolate liquefies already in about 40 degrees so you need to handle the chocolate gently to prevent it from turning grainy.)

Pour the melted chocolate into the cream-quark mixture. Mix well.

Dissolve the gelatin leaves into a small amount of boiling water and add to the mixture.

Pour the mousse into to cake tin and refrigerate for about 60 minutes. 

For the red currant filling, place the gelatin leaves in cold water. 

Bring the red currants and the sugar to boil in a pan. Sieve the berries and leave to cool.

While still somewhat warm, dissolve the gelatin leaves into the berries.

Whip the cream and mix with the quark and the cooled berries (should be about room temperature).

Pour the pink mousse over the white chocolate mousse and place back in the refrigerator. 

Let the cake set completely (at least 3 hours) before removing from the cake tin.

If you like, garnish the cake with whipped cream and/or red currants. Last time I made this, I did not use any garnish and I still think it looks great.

The cake is served here with white chocolate chip cookies. Recipe to follow!