Slow House

During our visit in Tokyo, we had a chance to discover few of ACTUS stores. 

Ouur by Kinfolk was hosted in one of them, which was so nice to see personally. 

If you are not familiar with Ouur, it is lifestyle publisher and agency creating print and digital media for young creative audience. Under theIR roof you can find Kinfolk. A slow lifestyle magazine which explores ways for readers to simplify their lives, cultivate community and spend more time with their friends and family.It is all about homemade, handmade, the craft-made and the self-made.  The idea of creating a product that satisfies a particular use or user rather than the global population, is very close to Rafa-kids concept too.  

ACTUS also hosted in 2016 collaboration with one of my favourite designers Cecilie Manz, called Moku. The series includes chair, bench, table for everyday life. It’s all about simplicity, pure materials and beauty. 

“ … That’s one response to society’s increasing speediness: making designs effective rather than efficient. We don’t want to waste time trying to do things, find things and make things happen when they’re completely unnecessary. At the same time, we don’t want to live like machines: We want to feel “at home.” We want to prfioritize the unmeasurable stuff: things like atmosphere, tactility, beauty and comfort. These qualities slow you down; they really embed your body in a place…” 

Ilse Crawford 

We go to Japan!

I can’t keep this secret any more from you. 

We booked tickets to Japan!  It’s going to be Rafa-kids business trip to visit our partner there - Actus store, but we will also have few days to explore Tokyo and Kyoto. We are so exited! As you can imagine! We are going in Spring time, just beginning of April, so we have a little hope too see the Sacura blossom….I know I know….

It’s a very long time that we both Arek and me, love the Japanese culture. It is not only from our studies time at the university of Architecture, but for me since an early art school actually. It was always a dream to go to this unique place and touch it and feel it in real. When two years ago, we were contacted by the prestigious Actus store from Japan, with an interest in Rafa-kids design, we could not be more happy. I wrote a post about Actus kids collection here.  Rafa-kids beds are in their stores since half a year and we are so ready to learn more about our partner and their culture. 

If you have any tips for us, what we really need to see in Tokyo or Kyoto, please let me know. We are making plans as I speak. I think I will share a lot on our Rafa-kids Instagram in exactly 2 months time, when we will be there. I still can’t believe! 

the Good Design kids products - Actus store - Japan

This was probably one of the longest break in blogging for me, 3 weeks. I’m afraid that it will be here a little quiet time in the coming weeks, since all our energy is going into Rafa-kids at Maison&Object preparations….but I miss blogging a lot! and I hope I can bring you  more inspiration and great content very soon.

Today I would like to show you one of the most beautiful kids' furniture catalogs I have seen since ages. I found it in my post box few days ago. It was sent to us by our Rafa-kids' Japanese stockist Actus store. This little book has a lot of content that I price itself  : simplicity, playfulness and high quality producst for children: a good design. On each page, 2 images next to each other complete the story of the furniture.  Our Rafa-kids' F&R set of beds is shown next to cute, sleeping baby…should I say more? We are very proud to be presented in this unique catalogue in the other part of the world. 

We are glad to announce that RaFa kids has a stockist in Japan. 

Our beds are available at prestigious ACTUS stores in Tokyo. Rafa-kids is thrilled to have this representative partner on the other site of the world.

Blueprint project by ACTUS&Milk Japon

Rafa-kids has been selected for a very unique project in Japan!  

BLUEPRINT

is a new collaboration between a lifestyle brand Actus and Kids' magazine milk Japon. They have started this new project to present a selection of children's furniture under a theme "Good Design Kids Products" As a first step 12 Japanese and International designers were selected for their personality, abilities, concept and outstanding designs. You can see and touch their products at the first design event taking place coming weekend in Tokyo 20-21st of September in Futako Tamagawa Rise/Galleria.

If you are there, please take your kids to touch and see our furniture! 

We wish we could come to play with you! 

 <Actus> kids 

nendo rain bottle at maison&objet 2014

"...Giving people a small moment.

There are so many small moments hidden in our everyday.

but we don’t recognise them.

and even when we do recognise them, we tend to unconsciously reset our 

mind and forget what we’ve seen.

 but we believe these small moments are what make our days so

interesting, so rich..."

nendo

I’m back from my little trip to maison&object 2014 in Paris, 

where I saw so many things that I don’t know where start to show and talk about. 

Let’s begin with the most simple and staying in my mind exhibition made by Japanese Nendo. 

Can you imagine that in Japanese language word 'rain' has hundred of meanings depending on the condition and time of day, and also a season of the year ?  To illustrate that, we had a 20 beautiful clear acrylic bottles and each of it contains a variation of rain. In front of every bottle was a little note with the word and description about the sort of rain …like “sigure” cold rain that falls in the end of autumn to early winter….Imagine , this serene space painted totally in white. 

Taking my telephone out and making picture, actually felt awkward.....and after all these things I saw at the fair, I finally found rest and a magic moment, I don't want to forget. 

“ kisame” is rain that drips from the ends of tree branches

“ samidare” rain that falls consistently between early spring to early summer

muji furniture

I still remember my first visit to the muij store few years ago. I was spending weekend in London with my Danish friend, and she told me, it's a place I have to see. Well, I wasn't much impressed. Everything looked kind of recycle and made out of gray paper. It took me a while to understand and appreciate the concept of this Japanese store which was born in 1980 ! Muji’s products are all beautifully designed. Their furniture collection has a strong Scandinavian minimalist's look and their clothing selections consists of basics that could sit next to any high end designer pieces. Their goal is " offering products that excel in quality at lower prices has been achieved by avoiding the waste typical of much product-manufacturing and distribution – in the form of unnecessary functionality, an excess of decoration, and needless packaging " .

 " … MUJI is simplicity – but a simplicity achieved through a complexity of thought and design." 

floor bed

I didn't try to create a sleeping corner for my kids with matters on the floor.  

My boys got their toddler beds, when they were around 3 years old. I know that some mums are struggling with sleeping issues with their kids in normal beds, and they try the montessori bed ( floor bed ) which in many cases is working very well. Low beds and in general sleeping low, directs my thoughts to Japan. I really like the modern beds, which have sort of minimal podium made out of beautiful wood. They look good but personally I will not go for it…. And you ? do you like this idea? 

photo's 1/2/3/4/5/6 

japanese paper balloons

When I saw this new big fish paper ballon, it reminded me of minirodini bedding set ;-) I liked the Japanese paper balloons for ages and I would get them from time to time ( mostly around my birthday)  They make such a beautiful and colorful decoration element in a room. I can assure you that they are not reaching my boys' room, but stay close to my desk.

If you are interested in some history, you can read it here : sistersguild

and if you would like to get them, which is not so easy! hereby few links :

in NL : engelpunt England: notonthehighstreet  

and Japan: uguisustore but with shipping to Europe ( fast one!)  

Happy weekend to all of you! 

photo's via: 1/2/3/ 4/ 5