Get their look: Pied-à-terre kitchen on a budget

Pied-à-terre kitchencredit

This pied-à-terre kitchen in Lyon has been redesigned on a tight budget. However, despite this restriction, the results are functional, attractive and interesting. This requires real skill to execute well. The most obvious feature is the use of OSB or orientated strand board. Sometimes this material is used to construct the fabric of a building and then covered with other finishes. It’s left in its ‘raw’ state much more commonly these days. In this space, it’s used for cupboard doors & drawers, drop-leaf tabletop and bench seat. It’s hard-wearing with natural wood shades and real texture.

The supporting table legs & chairs were sourced from Ikea. The minimalist slimline pedal bin fits in neatly and unobtrusively. The colour palette is light and bright with acid green highlight around the window – picked up cleverly on the map of Beaujolais – the wine making region local to the area. We also like the paint detail where the green graduates into the white along a rather unexpected line.

Behind the bench is a shallow, 3-tier cupboard that reaches all the way up to the double-height ceiling; a fantastic storage solution for a small space. Visit the designer’s website to see lots of before & after photos of the space.

  1. 10 Elgin Marble white wall gloss tiles – 248 x 398mm
  2. Carte des vins du Beaujolais
  3. Farrow & Ball Arsenic No.214 matt estate emulsion paint
  4. simplehuman slim pedal bin, 55 litre – brushed stainless steel
  5. Ikea HILVER cone-shaped legs
  6. Ikea LAVER dining chair
  7. Hairpin bench legs
  8. Oriented strand board (OSB)

Get their look: Pied-à-terre kitchen on a budget | H is for Home

Designer Desire: Lefor Openo

Lefor Openo artwork mosaic | H is for Home

Welcome to our new blog series, ‘Designer Desire’, where we’ll feature one designer per week whose work we love. We’re kicking off with Lefor Openo who we’ve mentioned once or twice before.

Lefor Openo comprised of two French women, Marie-Claire Lefort and Marie-Francine Oppeneau. They met while studying at Lycée Claude-Bernard Paris, and collaborated from 1955 to 1967. They were primarily poster artists; their designs were used extensively by Loterie Nationale (the national lottery of France). They designed posters for Charles de Gaulle – for the 1958 constitutional referendum and again for his 1965 presidential election campaign. They also produced advertising artwork for other organisations and brands such as Electricité de France, Kodak, Singer Sewing Machines. They designed a poster for the 1959 film Babette s’en va-t-en guerre, (Babette goes to War) starring Brigitte Bardot. Apparently, she is the one upon whom they based most of their ‘models’.

As well as posters, very occasionally you’ll come across postcards and tea towels bearing their designs on Etsy and eBay. We’ve also seen evidence of a doll and a couple of pin dishes from the era and we have a tin in our shop which we believe to be one of their designs – we’ve never seen another!

Marie-Claire Lefort died in 1971 and Marie-Francine Oppeneau is now 81 years old. Once upon a time, there was a basic website with information and images of some of their designs but it seems to have been allowed to expire. If you know (or want to find out) anything more about them and their designs, please leave a comment below.

Marie-Claire Lefort & Marie-Francine Oppeneau of Lefor Openo

World Dolls Series: France

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front cover of the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

Bonjour! We’ve hopped across the channel to France in our World Dolls Series tour.

front inside cover of the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

Illustrations for this edition are by Janet Meeson from the Birmingham School of Design.

French dolls Marie and Pierre from the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

Are guides for this trip are Marie & Pierre – resplendent in their traditional costumes.

French dolls Marie and Pierre from the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

A bit of gentle sun on our faces – we’re all relaxed and mellow – so the large shillelagh stick to keep order on the coach that Patrick had in Ireland has been dispensed with!

illustration of town-houses from the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

Marie & Pierre have joined us from their toy shop window in Paris.

illustration of a tree-lined avenue from the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

All the classic Parisienne sights. Wide, tree-lined avenues…

illustration of a pavement café from the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

…colourful cafés, classic architecture, beautiful bridges, the River Seine….

illustration of a steamboat from the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

…and of course – the Eiffel Tower.

illustration of town-houses from the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

We then head into the idyllic countryside to take a look at the vineyards & orchards.

illustration of a castle in the hills from the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

Then onto the coast for a spot of sunbathing – where we can all get very brown!

illustration of people sunbathing on a beach and sitting under umbrellas from the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

And finally we take in a festival – the Blessing of the Boats.

illustration of the festival of the Blessing of the Boats from the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

We just love the illustration below.

illustration of priests standing on the harbour and fishermen in boats from the France edition in the World Dolls Series of children's books

Join us next time when we’re arriving in Germany.

Etsy List: La Fête Nationale

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La Fête Nationale Etsy List curated by H is for Home

At the start of this month, we commemorated the USA’s Independence Day with a Star Spangled Banner Etsy list; so it’s only fitting that we do the same for our near neighbours, the French. Today, they celebrate La Fête Nationale – better known over on this side of the Channel as Bastille Day. Vive la France! Vive la République!

La Fête Nationale
Curated by H is for Home


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