Hooray a new happy brand has arrived at Spektakulär, welcome Jangneus. Owner Marie is originally from Sweden but now settled in Oxford where she lives with her family. I love her idea behind her brand, feels happy and I must say quite Swedish. I have seen them here and there, but when I saw them in person, I was convinced that we had to give them a try and hooray am I glad we did. Jangneus motto is “We can’t do the washing-up for you but with colourful and fun accessories even the most simple domestic chores can become an everyday pleasure”.
During the years we have had a few customer mentioning they like us to stock Swedish dish cloths, but I have been reluctant even though I always buy some with me from Sweden which does not really makes any sense at all. So finally for all you who have been waiting, the Swedish dish cloths has finally arrived. But not only dish cloths but also happy tea towels and trays. I think Jangneus is a brand that is here to stay with us.
Now what is so special with a Swedish dish cloth and what is the big idea? I mean it is just a dish cloth…or is it?
Well not really, these dish cloths are ultra absorbent, machine washable, long lasting and eco-friendly. The cloths are made from natural and renewable materials; cellulose and cotton and are also 100% biodegradable so after their long and useful lives, they can go straight onto the compost heap. Now does that not sounds great?! And to top this up Jangeus dish cloths have the most delightful and happy designs. Now already it sounds a bit more fun to do the dishes (one of my least enjoyable moments of the day).
One of our most loved brands is Linum! I fell in love with this Swedish brand years ago and I am so delighted we were able to stock their beautiful designs in our little shop. Linum is well know for its fantastic quality! We have cushions covers at home which have been though the washing machine a few times and they still look and feel the same. My friend Anna who runs the Swedish bars, Boda, Victoria, Sofi’s, Joseph Pearce and Hemma buy our Linum cushions and they love them in the bars (pretty hard wearing). When we open we decided to do what we do in Sweden, give the option to buy just the covers. We Swedes love changing our homes after seasons and why have to buy inners all the time. Invest in a few really good quality inners (Linum ones of course) and then just change covers after seasons or atmosphere. Sometimes a few cushion covers change a room completely.
This season Linum has introduced a really strong collection! We love it, it is happy and bold yet stylish and elegant. We are excited to try something new, we have left our safe Scandinavian stripes and introduced a few beautiful abstract patterns in velvet and cotton. As well as more single colours in velvet.
Beautiful bold and happy designs this AutumnSuch a homely look, stylish, happy and welcomingHappy colours that brighten up any room
Even though Linums’ cushion covers always have been our best sellers we do stock their rugs and runners and sometimes other products as well. This season you will not be disappointed when you come in for a visit to the shop and in a few weeks their winter collection will arrive, then we will be back to our lovely Scandi stripes in reds and grey since hint hint that will be our colour theme this winter.
I don’t know what happen suddenly it is dark in the morning and I struggle to get out of bed! Glad I have two little ones who happily let me know it is time to get up. Maybe it is a good thing, got a massive to do list and since we got back from our Sweden holiday I don’t have the same happy energy. To be honest I have felt very low, did not enjoy leaving Sweden this summer and would have loved to have stay there. If I did not have the shop and the love for it I probably would have pushed a bit harder for us to take the next step and actually move home. I guess it does not help that it is getting darker and just a bit greyer. However there is probably nothing that beats a crisp Autumn day, when the leaves are colourful and the air is fresh. So the best way for me to get back on track is to write lists. So you could probably guess, our house, the shop my bags are just covered in lists, Richard does not like it, well he is a proper IT man and thinks I could use my smartphone or the computer and have it all in same place but I don’t know I rather write by hand a little to do list and I am getting there. For the last two weeks I have trying to sort out all our Christmas orders and one by one they are off and delivery has been booked in and soon the shop will jammed packed, which I love!
But first let focus on Autumn and even though it is such a beautiful season it is very short for us retailers, visiting Dobbies the other day and walking around in a Winter Wonderland does make me sad and no we will wait until after Halloween before we change the shop in to Christmas. I do love the shop at Christmas time, it is so cozy, homely, welcoming and warm. But so is Autumn, and this week a beautiful delivery by Linum arrived and their Autumn collection is so strong with bold colours and patterns. We have left out comfort zone with the Scandinavian stripes and tried abstract and happy designs and wow it sure has made a change to the shop already. And Zuzanna sold cushions while unpacking the delivery so it has already proven it self popular. Tomorrow Monday Ruth and I will do a new window and change the whole shop around and make it warm and welcoming for this beautiful season we have ahead of us so lets enjoy it.
After my London visit to Top Drawer and HOME we have also started to introduce a few new brands and designs and I am very very excited. Oh I do love the shop and I do love spending time in the shop, am so happy that this little Scandinavian shop is mine. I am also delighted that we have grown to become a popular little shop and we love how personal the atmosphere can be. I need to be a bit better at posting what being delivered to the shop so you can see and of course we do mail order.It has been quite a long day but a good day. I managed to grab a bargain at Maddie & Marks shoe clearance across the road from us. Stina went to a birthday party saw friends who left for school in August and was very happy to see them again. I hope you all had a great weekend, I shall now finish mine with an episode of Downtown Abbey (yes I am a massive fan of period dramas).
Join us and celebrate our birthday with 10 % off everything in the shop. (Perfect opportunity to get some Scandinavian designs for your home)
We made it to four years and yes we are extremely pleased and happy! It sure has its ups and downs being a shop owner and self employed, but there is such a joy to be at the shop so it is worth it! I love all our amazing customers and the support, the friendly and positive words from you. Returning and new customers, you make us smile and we love our conversations. It is what a small business is all about. It is personal and pleasant and we do sincerely hope we come across as that and we thank you!
Yes we are a small independent shop and we do sometimes feel very small but we keep working hard and have lots to look forward to this rest of the year. With our small girls growing fast, we have started to reclaim our evenings and soon, well hopefully soon we shall be able to get cracking with the webshop (yes I know we promise this every year). But first we are looking forward to a stunning Autumn with warm and welcoming colours and then a Scandinavian Christmas. We have replaced a few brands but are excited to introduce new brands and products.
I found this photo from 2010 on our FB page and the shop sure does look different now! Pop in and have a look for yourself.
Don’t miss our amazing competition on our Facebook page! Like us and take part.
Hooray! Time for another Pappelina order. They are so popular and I am so pleased how delighted our customers are with their plastic rugs and coming back for more, just like us working here at Spektakulär. We all love our rugs!
I am so excited to let you know that Pappelina has introduced a new size, so now there is two designs with the new 85 cm width size. Some of you find their standard 70 cm too slim and I am so pleased to see the new size. Hopefully it will make some of you very happy. The two new designs in 85 cm is called MONO and DUO and their lengths are 160 cm or 260 cm. The designs are simple yet classic. MONO is plain with two similar colours to create a warm and welcoming feeling and DUO is a lovely stripy design, we Swedes do love our stripes.
MONO Pappelina rug in Olive and Lime green. Image by PappelinaDUO in Warm Grey and Vanilla. Image by Pappelina
Not only is Pappelina incredible at making beautiful plastic rugs at a high standard, together with with Swedish Klippan Pappelina has created the most stunning blankets in high quality. The Honey blanket is a new favourite for me. In 50% Wool and 50% Cotton Chenille, the softness is amazing and to be honest, how sad this may sound, I am looking forward to a dull dark Autumn evening with a cup of tea, candle lights, cuddling up in a warm cozy blanket with a good book.
Beautiful Honey Blanket in Turquoise/Vanilla. Image by PappelinaStylish Marre in Black/Vanilla. Image by Pappelina
Oh the shop will look fantastic in a few months, lots of cozy blankets, stunning rugs and I love their super stylish cushions. Pappelina has introduce more cushions in pretty designs and bold colours. These cushions are printed in Sweden at Rydboholmstextil and the cover is in 100% cotton canvas. The cushions come completed with a feather inner.
Super Stylish Cushions in stunning designs and colours. Image by Pappelina
What I personally love about Pappelina is the quality. Just the feeling and the look at a Pappelina product make you warm inside. It is good quality design that lasts. While I was home this time I saw many plastic rugs by other brands and I am so pleased that I never ever thought of stocking anyone else then Pappelina. I have seen horrible copies, no edges (basically just cut off, and then folded and sewn over to create an edge). And then if you feel them, they have been thin and far less comfortable underfoot.
I am saving up for a new rug or perhaps two more. One large for under my dining table and one super long for my hallway, but since I have a kind of funny shaped hallway I might need a super long and two small ones…oh I better set up a secret Pappelina saving account, I hope Richard does not read this!
If you like to know more about Pappelina, check out their website. It is a very stylish website and their images are beautiful. There you can find all their designs, colours and sizes. However do pop in, call us on 0131 629 0941 or email me at hello@spektakular.co.uk if you like any more information, we are happy to help. Our next order will be placed on Monday and we normally say about six weeks for delivery, but recent orders has turned up within three to four weeks. If they don’t have them in stock they will make the rug for us. If you can not make up your mind straight away, we place orders regularly and I am ordering in quite a few rugs to the shop so you can always come in and have a feel and look.
There is no denying that Menu is a stunning brand with sophisticated and stylish designs. Menu collaborate with talented designers who more than often produced award winning designs. The thought behind each design is carefully consider and loved. The passion behind Menus’ products are reflected in their designs. Menu are obsessed with clever solutions and functional details They believe it is “because that’s the originality that makes it a true Menu product”.
When I see my agent (lovely Carole) I always feel so excited, it is different to see a design online or in a catalogue compared to see and feel a beautiful product in real life. And with Menu I never get disappointed! It is SOOOOOO hard to choose what to introduce to the shop.
But as with every brand I can not stock it all I have to pick what I believe would do well with you our customers. And now I am delighted to introduce two new collections in their table top designs. Stitches and Leaf! It was love at first sight when I saw these.
Are these not just so elegant?! Clean lines, simple and yet sophisticated! Menu is well know for its crisp designs and they call their designs for soft minimalism, I would agree!
Oh I can just picture these wonderful designs in a minimalistic and modern kitchen, great when hosting an elegant afternoon party or why not in a homely and warm kitchen. A cup of tea, scones, knittings and lots of gossip among good friends. The big Stitches bowl will end up in my own home, ready to be filled with Clementine at Christmas.
Oh beautiful SuperLiving! What a joy to unpack these stunning designs!
We first got introduced to SuperLiving while on holiday back home in Sweden a couple of years back and then one of our agents here in the UK decided to take them on, much to our joy and excitement!
Last Autumn we were delighted to order in their amazing candle sticks and wow, I was so happy when I unpacked them. The colours, shapes and sizes can create something stunning. I would easily mix a few together to make a wonderful centrepiece for the dining table, on the mantelpiece, occasion table or anywhere you like…oh options! And they look even better with our stunning Ester and Erik taper candles.
Love SuperLivings Stuning CandlesticksLove the bold colours of these stunning candle sticks by SuperLiving
Behind the amazing Danish SuperLiving designs is the husband and wife team: Anette Stabel and Jesper Binger. With love of organic shapes and colours from the 50’s and 60’s they create wonderful, happy, fresh and retro inspired designs that makes us smile. Not only talented designers, they also run a very successful shop Superlove in Copenhagen, why not visit next time you are in Denmark.
Sadly no candlesticks (we are waiting until the Autumn with bringing them back) in the latest delivery, but the retro inspired Amanda and Olivia tableware collections. They are such a wonderful addition to the shop and we love them. So do you since this is was our top up order and we also took the opportunity to add a few more designs. We LOVE these designs!
Happy Summer with Amanda Amanda in Aqua and Tomato Amanda in Aqua and Tomato Beautiful Olivia in Lime and Mint
I am sure we will have to re-order these soon again since they already finding new homes. These designs are not just a great treat but a happy gift for someone you love!
Hooray, for three long weeks we are heading home! Home to Alingsås where we will stay at my mums off and on. Lots of excitement and of course, gosh three weeks at my mums…how will we cope, how will they cope I guess is the actual question?! At least they are working and obviously have their everyday activities but still! Lovisa is in a lovely stage where she is everywhere at the same time as well as trying out new things that for you and me is actually not normal, such as eating everything of the floor and touching things that could actually hurt you. And yes mum has animals, one dog Cindy and two cats, Princess and the Prince. The Prince is also deaf…great! He wont be able to hear her coming, hopefully the floor will shake enough to give him a warning since she just learnt to walk and balancing can be a bit tricky so a few bumps. She is getting there and it looks so sweet! Soon she will come running, and I bet chasing after her sister.
While we are away the shop will obviously be looked after as always by Zuzanna and Ruth! Am so pleased to have these ladies at the shop, they do a great job and the shop is looking organised and tidy. I must admit it is hard work to juggle family and business life so having the support from your staff is so important and without their love for the shop it would not work.
Three weeks at home should also give me lots of inspiration and a bit of energy to prepare the shop for the next step…the dreaded webshop, well dreaded for us to build but also very exciting to see it take shape at the same time. Oh yes it is on our to do list but keeping being pushed further and further away over and over again. One of the children is not sleeping well, VAT needs to be done, or any kind of admin, the home front is a mess, always something else to put on the list above the webshop. But Richard and I have made a plan and I hope we will stick to it and get our self organised and just do it! Because I know it is a great demand for a fantastic Spektakulär webshop. And it would be amazing to have it up and running soon.
Any plans while we are home? Well I decided not to plan anything this time, just take it as it comes because we get really exhausted running between everyone and we are on a holiday not a stress marathon. Sadly I have already managed to fill three weeks! It is just me and the girls for the first two weeks then Richard will join us for the last week. I have booked in to see family, a few friends, suppliers, shops, outlets and a few other exciting things. I guess I do need to try to entertain the girls as much as possible and bombard them with Swedish!
Our last week we will head to Varberg, an hour south of Gothenburg for a long weekend with my mums family. Cottages by the sea has been rented and everyone is coming. A couple of cousins I have not seen since I was a teenager, my aunties and of course my beloved grandmother. My mormor (mothers mother) turned 80 last year and they did this gathering then and decided this will happen each year from then onwards, so one week in August every year we need to head home. Sound good to me!
Anyway I will do my best to update you, follow us on Instagram since I do try to use that as much as I can or why not follow us on Facebook.
Have a wonderful August and enjoy the Festival, don’t forget to pop in to the shop for gifts or treats. I have arranged for deliveries all August so something new every week. Have fun!
So totally forgot to post this blog. Have been home for a week! Just taken it easy but also done a lot of small things. Looking forward to collect Richard at the airport on Friday! Have seen quite a lot I like to show him and both me and the girls miss him a lot.
Charlotte x
Yes finally! We are delighted to introduce more Moomins to the shop and this time from a new brand (to us) Finnish Muurla! A great company who has created the lovely enamel products with Moomins. Richard and I saw these in London in January and I have seen them a few times here and there and we really love them so thought it is time to bring in the Moomins! So we finally filled the middle table in the shop with Moomins and more is on its way…hooray!
It’s a big year for the Moomins, the centenary of Tove Jansson‘s birth and Moomins are back in fashion, there is no doubt about it. To see the trend here and how Moomin crazy some people are is amazing! Must admit I am glad I have some of Tove Jansson‘s books in the shop so I can freshen up my knowledge, since it was a long time ago I read any Moomin stories and I am also looking forward to read them with my girls. I watched the TV series when I grew up (in Swedish of course). That slow Finnish/Swedish narrator voice and the lovely adventures. But I also remember it as quite scary and dark. Still loved it though!
In the shop you can already find the Moomin Mobiles by Danish Flensted, Moomin blankets by Swedish Klippan, Moomin Trays by Swedish OptoDesign, Moomin Jewellery trees by Swedish Pluto Produkter as well as bookmarks, hangers and decorations. And of course we stock Tove Jansson’s lovely tales about the Moomins. There have been some beautiful reprints of the original books recently, as well as great collections of the comic strips in hardback.
Moomin Mamma Mug
Moomin Mamma Mug
Moomin Mamma Mug
Moomin Pappa
Moomin Pappa
Moomin Pappa
Snorkmaiden
Snorkmaiden
Snorkmaiden
Moomin
Moomin
Moomin Pappa Relaxing
Pappa Reading
Moomin Valley
Moomin Love
Moomin Love
Little My Mug
Little My Jug
Little My Jar
Moomin Jam Jug
Moomin Jam Jug
Moomin Pappa Reading (Large)
Moomin Valley (small)
And if you haven’t already heard, there is that a film due to be realised in October. And if you have not heard about the Moomin World…. Richard and I have already agreed that one summer in near future when the girls are a little bit older we will do a little holiday trip there, can’t wait.
Happy Summer and pop in and find your favourite Moomin troll.
I am so excited, last year I was in touch with a lovely brand called I LOVE DESIGN who does stunning prints and since she is Swedish as well she does some strong Swedish designs prints I personally love to have on the walls in my own home. However sadly this never got any further than to my “new brand” list (which is way too long).
Last Autumn I got in touch with a Swedish Agency Citronelles Agenturer in Stockholm regarding other beautiful designs. Then suddenly these two teamed up and voilà stunning products was created and to my happiness I could order these in for Spektakulär.
Now finally a small delivery arrived with beautiful trays by I LOVE DESIGN. Happy, stylish, simple and very very Swedish. If you know me you also know that I love a good cup of coffee and of course a bit of cake to go with it. In Sweden we have a word for it: FIKA. One of Stina’s first Swedish words she understood the meaning of was FIKA. It is what we Swedes do, we meet up for a fika. We do see the coffee trend hitting the UK, I have noticed it more since I moved to Scotland, in London it was all about going for a pint. Maybe it is actually an age thing (please do NOT rub it in). I love saying that word, FIKA, lets meet up for a fika rather than lets meet up for coffee or a drink. And guess what just arrived in to the shop: FIKA trays! These beautiful trays are made in Sweden by the well establish company Åry Trays. At the moment we stock the small size tray 20×27 cm in dark grey, turquoise and pink. It is a handy size and a lovely gift.
Fika Trays (20×27 cm)
Citronelles is also the agency for Emelie Ek, a Swedish designer who is extremely talented and make the most beautiful designs and patterns. We have stocked her tea towels before, My Stockholm and My Skåne then in collaboration with Klippan. Last year I saw Emelie’s stunning Christmas trays and fell in love. Sadly I was not quick enough since they sold out in Sweden so fast. This year, yes I shall get a move on and order in early! But for now, lets just enjoy her Summer Strawberry design, we are very pleased to stock the large round tray.
Since I am from Gothenburg (well just outside) I love her Göteborg designs and am happy to stock her small tray in blues as well as the Stockholm tray in red. Love love her Houses of Sweden and Houses by the Sea collections. It just remind me so much of Sweden, Emelie has really nailed these designs. These products are beautiful gifts for anyone who love a great design with a quality finish.
Beautiful Goteborg Tray in stock
Houses by the Sea rangeHouses of Sweden TrayHouses of Sweden (20×27 cm)
As a shop owner it is always like Christmas receiving new deliveries and new brands! You get kind of used to the same product agaib and again, and sadly you do get quite picky with your private taste. But I must admit, this delivery was pure happiness! Maybe I am a bit homesick after all :) I am looking forward to introduce more products, colour and sizes in the FIKA range as well as other stunning products by Emelie Ek. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.
Welcome to Spektakulär 