Great stuff at mum and dad's

I'm blogging from my mum and dad's in Stavanger where I'm spending the last week of my vacation. I'm using the Blogger app for the first time, and have finally found a way to change the font, it startes out looking very strange. I just thought I'd show you a couple of things from my childhood home that I really love and at the same time try it out:-)

Every time I'm visiting, I'm drooling over this rye (the Norwegian term for rya) that they made in the 60s. I hope some day it might find it's way to my home... You could buy sets with the pattern and the materials you needed. Sellgren is one of the well known brands that made these, but also Husfliden had some great ones, that's where this comes from. I absolutely love the modernist abstract tree pattern and the colors, cream, different shades of grey, black and teal. Mum told me yesterday that the background was supposed to have more pattern, but I love how it turned out.

My parents were married and set ut home in the late 60s and consequently have a lot of scandinavian 60s stuff. They have this great pendant, a brass “Nova,” designed by Jo Hammerborg for Fog & Mørup in 1963. It has some dark spots, and they have been looking for a replacement several times, but can't find a lamp that matches the colors and style of their living room and that gives the same beautiful light as this one. I think they're convinced there's no other lamp quite like it:-)

Among all the Figgjo and Stavangerflint they have (after all, this area is the home of those goodies), there are also some great pieces of studio pottery. I've always liked this Danish vase they got as a wedding gift in 1966. I don't know who the maker is, maybe some of you might know?

I've been thrifting too.... I found a box full of goodies yesterday on an op shop round with my mum and the guys. I also got some great planters that belonged to my grandmother. I'll show you when I get home and get them cleaned and photographed:-)

Living room snaps

The gorgeous spring sun seeping through the blinds inspired me to take a few pics around the livingroom.
I'm constantly arranging and rearranging my String shelves. I love them to bits, but never seem to get the setup just how I want it. But I guess that's part of the fun, right? I've never been big on color, especially not red. I've always leaned towards neutrals, however, these crazy colored germans have really won me over (they're all Scheurich). Apart from the crazy germans the shelves are currently holding WG planters, a Pantella lamp, a Muuto vase (a birthday present chosen by my dad!!), vintage Hadeland pieces, danish studio pottery, small model Panton chairs and books... My comfy leather chair is a Siesta chair, designed by Ingmar Relling in 1965 for norwegian manufacturer Westnofa. It's still in production, although by another company. Relling was the norwegian Wegner, a great designer from the Scandinavian design movement. You probably know that The Chair by Wegner was made famous by Kennedy in a tv debate, but did you know there are 16 Siesta chairs in The White House?

 

 

 

Ingmar Relling also designed these great daybeds for norwegian manufacturer Ekornes in the mid- sixties. They're called Combina and were part of a vey successful line of furniture that could be combined in many ways, hence the name Combina. We used to have them at home when I grew up, and one of them became my bed when my parents got new couches. The seat could be lifted to store my pillow and duvet when I had friends over. It's a classic mid- century piece of furniture, similar to several other daybeds of the era. These are not the ones we had back home, I found them in the exact same color after I put an ad on FINN (the Norwegian equivalent to Craigslist) What are the chances?

 

The aerial photos on the wall are for a project I did a few years ago. It's the last time I did one that didn't have a client. These are diagrams of the energy content and direction of waves and mapping of the topography on a site for a wave powerplant. I did it out of pure obsession and a solid dose of concern for landscape preservation and it turned into a thesis....

 
There's gotta be a solid dose of greenery in a home, right? I looove plants and planters. My most treasured planters are the 100 year old brown storage jars from Sandnes, near my childhood hometown. They were made by Graveren (later Gann Graveren) while they were still producing ordinary storage jars, baking bowls and roof tiles, before they started attracting artist and produced more colorful, patterned pieces. They're so rustic and cosy and remind me so much of home. My parents were kind enough to pick up these for me from an antiques store back home, they sometimes prefer driving instead of flying when they come to visit. They even found me a really large one.

 

My mom and dad are so sweet. They even found me this credenza in ... you might have guessed ... Stavanger!! It was made by a local furniture factory called Svena møbler, that was really big in the 60s. It's got such a great shape and so many gorgeous details, I just love it! Through the door you can see my new kitchen. My goal was to get a better connection between the living room and kitchen, color and material- wise, and I'm so glad it's finally done! I'm trying to convince my husband to paint the wall behind the credenza black. It would be such a great contrast to the teak and the kitchen wall that you see through the door. No luck so far... The big old radio next to the door used to belong to my husband's grandparents, and we were so lucky to have it handed down to us. I'm not sure if it's working, but it sure is a great place to put some pottery.

 

Finally, I'm sneaking in some pics from the kitchen counter- new use for old pottery, Stavangerflint Sera and Brunette. Have a great week!! 

  

Thriftin' weekend

I found some great pieces this weekend. It's funny, it was one of those weekends when you think not much will happen, thrifting wise, but then it turns out to be quite the opposite. Even at my oldest son's soccer game in a neighbouring city, I stumbled upon a thift store when I went to get some take away coffee with some of the other parents.

I think my favorite finds in this post are the two pieces of orange and brown pottery. Believe it or not, I actually didn't notice before I got home what a perfect pair they make! The bowl is a Scheurich, the vase is made by Ekeby, Sweden. I don't know a great deal about swedish pottery, but I've seen a lot of pieces marked Uppsala Ekeby, there might have been a merger of two companies at some point. Pieces og information will be greatly appreciated! Anyway, I really love them, the colors are magnificent, as is both texture and pattern. 

 

I really love Arabia Ruska. It's so rustic and the texture, the gorgeous effect of the different shades of brown and the almost metallic surface, is amazing. I was so thrilled when I found this large serving plate and lidded dish. I guess most of you already know the facts about this great Ulla Procope- design, but it never seizes to amaze me that it was designed as early as  during her time with Arabia from 1948- 68. If I didn't know, I would easily have guessed the 70s. Does anyone know the exact year? It was, deservingly, in production for a long time, I'm guessing much due to it's modern and rustic appeal.

I lived in Belgium for a period of time back in the 80s. I was in my mid- teens and had the greatest time there. I still have a soft spot for anything Belgian. I remember Marbell Stone Art Belgium, my mom bought a couple of pieces before we moved back to Norway. They're made of sandstone and have a lovely porous surface. The pieces very from figurative to abstract, I prefer the abstract ones, they have a bit of a modernist vibe. There's very little to be found on the web about the company, I wonder if they're still at it? Does anyone know? I instantly fell for this one when I saw her in the window of a local thrift, she's a bit "Henry Moore- ish", isn't she gorgeous?

I found two more great Scheurich pieces. The light brown one is in a pattern called "Koralle" (Coral). I managed to dig up from the web that it was designed in the 60s by A. Seide. The color has a little bit of a greenish yellow mixed with the brown, it's quite an appealing color, but a bit too peculiar to blend in with other browns easily. It looks good with the reds, though. The new red one is really shiny, and has found it's place with my other red- themed Scheurich pieces and my 60s red ceramic lamp. I don't yet  know the name of this pattern, but I'll keep digging.

I found a Haldensleben piece that I already have, but couldn't leave behind. It's one of my favorite WG pieces, and what if it'll break one day... My husband now calls me the hamster, I wonder why?

Finally, I found this really cute little Stavangerflint sugar bowl in sea green and cream. I don't know what this pattern is called, if anyone of you out there knows, please drop me a line! I'm quite sure it must be early 60s or 50s, the shape resembles their earlier production. I love the delicate leaf pattern!