Nankeen Cloth, Anyone...?

Was browsing through as usual when I came across this website. Afar.

Click on it.

Click. Afar (Collected by Kate Space New York) : Shanghai

Bam! Your guide to all interior, decoration & design in Shanghai.

First stop that got me attracted was this...

Photo source from LuRu website itself. Sorry if we use it without permission

Printed fabric pillows on a stone wall background?! Ever since we stayed here in Shanghai, I've been cray cray with this Chinese printed fabrics. Like the old meeting the new. So much characters & so eye-catching.

" Nankeen, also called Nankeen cloth, is a kind of pale yellowish cloth, originally made at Nanjing from a yellow variety of cotton, but subsequently manufactured from ordinary cotton which is then dyed. Also in the plural a piece or variety of this cloth.[1] The term blue nankeen describes hand-printed fabric of artistic refinement and primitive simplicity, which originated on the Silk Road over three thousand years ago.

Hand-carved stencils, originally made from wood but now from heavy paper, are prepared and a mix of soya bean flour and slaked lime is applied through the openings of the stencil onto the 100% cotton fabric. When dry, the fabric is then dipped numerous times into the large tubs containing the indigo dye. After the desired colour is achieved and the fabric has dried, the paste is scraped off, revealing the white patterns on the blue cloth. The fabric is then washed, dried, and ironed before fabrication."

- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Check out their website LuRu Home. I think these two smart & gorgeous ladies, who are the owners of this business, made this classic, traditional & artistic fabric making-method into a whole lot of modernism in it. WE LOVE IT! Below are pictures taken from their Instagram : LuRuHome

Art Deco-ly Chanel?

I know this was like so "2000 & late", but, I told myself I need to write about this. I'm sure you guys watched Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky directed by Jan Kounen, a Frech film back in 2009. I loved it so much as it's a well-acted and a beautiful filmed. And yes, the passion and the brief love affair is dramatically directed in this period drama film.

Anyways, I'm not here to talk about the film nor about the affair, but I feel in love with their used for Interior and Architecture. In particular, it has to be the scenes shot in The Villa "Bel Respiro" in Garches. I am not sure if the interior was designed in the original state, but I think they might tweak it a bit from the 2002 novel written by Chris Greenhalgh. But they sure used the famous black & white theme. 

Igor Stravinsky: A Creative Spring : Russia and France 1882-1934, By Stephen Walsh (Page, 318)

I mean, Coco Chanel herself invented a fashion vocabulary :- white camellias, the little black dress (LBD), the double-C logo, the elongated octagon shape of the Chanel No. 5 perfume, checkered, simple lines, etc. Her designs are minimalist, elegant and forever green. So I assume, the interior designed in the film was somehow related to her fashion. Interior-ly fashionable, I shall say. :)

Gabrielle "Coco" Bonheur Chanel herself, looking elegant, stylish and grace. Form Follows Function.

So much elegance and class. The little black dress, the tweed suit, the quilted leather handbag, and the first-ever designer perfume, Chanel No.5.

It was in the year 1920's, French revolution time, the time where Art Deco was introduced to the ID & Architectural world, expressionism and surrealism in paintings, sculptures, coloured films, dance and of course fashion. Thanks to you, Coco Chanel. 

"...French speakers called it the "années folles" ("Crazy Years"), emphasizing the era's social, artistic, and cultural dynamism..." 

 - Roaring Twenties, Wikipedia 

Art Deco is one of my favourite era for designed. Back in Uni, this was the best subject I ever was introduced. Hehehehe! Oh, uni days. All young, crazy and motto was "C'est la vie". Nothing to worry but assignments and getting them pocket money to party! Ooook, back to reality! (Sorry for the 'Out-of-Topic' moment.)

Art Deco is an eclectic style that combines traditional craft motifs with Machine Age imagery and materials. The style is often characterized & described by such rich colors, bold and bold geometric shapes, and lavish ornamentation. Loads of octagon, streamlines, squares, forms, zig zags and many more. I mean, if you were to look at it in depth, there are few categories involved. You can get those really crazy BOLD and screams  of  LOUD style, or, you can get the clean modern streamline, simple with a class, in which my opinion, is what Chanel brings the best of fashion.

Inspired much? Well, I sure do. After watching the film and falling for the interior, I couldn't help but to do my research and get my hands on all them B&W's. But not just a simple B&W space, I was looking for the style and theme from the year where Chanel started her career, hence the Art Deco era. In the film, the set designed was fantastically monochromatic and yes, black & white it was. Just look at the photos them below. :D

Taken from Coco Chanel & Igor film scene. Lines, lines and lines. Loving them black pipping borders. Concept of modern twist of Art Deco.

Here's what I got from the film. Besides strips of black lines, there were some ornamental shapes used. It's like the set was an art of Chanel. Her taste and style. There was a scene where Igor's wife Katarina Stravinskaya asked, "Don't you like color?", and Coco replied, "As long as it's black." Everything in Chanel's world is black and white. That should be a warning., If the walls could speak, it will says, "I am Chanel!" LOL!

Bring those Art Deco into your home. I hope the images I posted help you guys get inspired. Get creative, but remember, BLACK & WHITE as main! It's Chanel! hehehehehehe!

A modern Art Deco style. Mostly geometric shapes used. Such contrast against the white.

Some of the interior images found online (thank you to those who posted them)

“..Women think of all colors except the absence of color. I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony...”

- Coco Chanel 

Addicted to Ombre?

I was wondering what was this "Ombre" all about till I did some research online. When I typed "Ombre" the first thing that popped out was from Wikipedia:- 

For them Spanish, it means, 

om·bre /ˈämbər/

Noun

A trick-taking card game for three people using a pack of forty cards, popular in Europe in the 17th–18th centuries

And I was like, "Eh..", that makes no sense. Kept looking for answers and found this While for them French, Merriam Webster explained as:-

om·bré adjective \ˈäm-ˌbrā\

having colors or tones that shade into each other —used especially of fabrics in which the color is graduated from light to dark

shade, shadow
darkness
ghost

So I guess, people understood the French's "Ombre" compare to the "card-game-for-three-people-using-a pack-of-forty-cards" Spanish's Ombre. Si? hehehehe.

I read online that it all started with the "Hair". It was a hair trend for the Hollywood fashionista celebrities. And it had gone viral. But read in Cosmopolitan that :- 

"...For the last year, it seemed like every starlet in Hollywood was rocking ombré hair—that half brown, half blonde look. While the style is sexy in an edgy way, it also feels kind of lazy (like, "do you just really need to touch up your roots?")..." 

- Cosmopolitan

Hey, but how about this? Vogue Magazine Online said differently..?

This hair trend was introduced like way back in 2008! It's yours to verdict. Whether you like it or not. I think them girls down here, looks good. Maybe its more like, if you can pull-it-off kinda thing. You guys got guts!

 Ombre Fashion Hair Trend.

That doesn't stop the "other" trend, though. Like I said, it went viral, that it not only hit the hair stylist, but this Ombre thingy hit them design, food & of course fashion itself. And it's like bye-bye red velvet cake, hello coloured ombre velvet cake, bye bye natural monotonous interior, hello shaded of ombre hues! Bye bye colour block, hello shaded ombre wheels of wonders!

 

Ombre Interior Trend

Ombre Clothing Trend

Ombre Dessert Trend

Gosh, it's so colourful that I can do this all day. I love the colours used! So vibrant and gradient and pretty. Aren't we very fortunate enough to live in a world full of colours!

Gorgeous Donghia!

 I was introduced to Donghia by my previous boss. (Thank you. You know who you are) And fell in love instantly. Donghia brings in such beautiful and ever lasting pieces. Having a Donghia in your house or your office or anywhere in an interior, it will never go out of place.

Donghia is like Massimo Dutti. Matured, subtle, down to earth, but yet very smart contemporary & very "in". I love this year's Spring 2012 Collection. You can see more here : Donghia website. 

I know I shouldn't be doing this, but I had to cause these pieces are gorgeous!

Love them furniture!

The bold Flirt textile used as curtain really pops up!

Flirt. Inspired by Japanese Kimono.

Witty. Bold stripe.

Gleam. Subtle texture & slight twinkle.

Bavolo Table Lamp

Forma Table

Gorgeous, ain't it? I love every one of 'em! Oh, by the way, went to Massimo Dutti and saw their latest collection. Couldn't take away our eyes. Such a beautiful soft candy like pastel ray of colours. I know this is suppose to be an Interior & Bread blog, but I couldn't help post these babies. Love it!

Sheer Accordion Pleated Skirt

Enjoy your Spring/Summer everyone.