Le Typographe - old fashion printer

The Typographe is an old-fashioned printer that only uses old-style mobile leaden and wooden characters. Everything is handmade to order, from printing to assembling ...

Rue Américaine 67
1050 Bruxelles
(00)32 2 345 16 76
http://typographe.org/

This post via http://ensuiteblog.blogspot.com/

Let's get inspired

Sometimes its hard to get inspired, thankfully the I Love Belgium team is lucky to have informative readers. That’s how the Inspiration Pad by creative director Marc Thomasset of advertising agency TM has come our way.

Why is it that notebooks end up with curly drawings, sketches and other randomness in the corners…because they’re dull. If a notebook is meant to be an empowering document, then the generic college-ruled spacing ruins it all. For those who want the fine balance between lines and freedom, there’s Marc Thomasset.

The Inspiration pad reinvents the age old sketch pad notebook by small modifications. A variety of angles, curves, and perspective lines open up a whole new world. That’s why this pad is an excellent tool for laying down the foundation of inspired sketches.

In Belgium you can find the Inspiration Pad at the Bozar Shop and Cook & Book. For those abroad: the TM online shop will let you buy 24/24.

This post via http://www.ilovebelgium.be/

Malvini - Puur and heavenly simple furniture

Loving the look of malvini's simple pieces of furniture inspired from the past ...

"Impassioned by furniture from the past, as well as natural materials, we, at Malvini create our own, contemporary furniture. All our furniture is produced in our own workshop and is manufactured from massive wood, according to the classical method of furniture making.

Models are still drawn by hand, on scale, in order to achieve ideal proportions. Malvini only uses functional constructions, not ornamental ones. Malvini can offer you several classical pieces, for both indoor and outdoor use.

Malvini prefers working with natural, hard-wearing materials, which give the furniture a rich and timeless look."

You can see the whole line and read more @ http://www.malvini.be/index.html

Ronald van der Hilst - Part 3 (landscapes)

"For me, design is a language. When I design gardens, I ‘translate’ what the client puts forward and requests into a garden that fits like a custom-made suit - where I have shaped the style, the characteristics, and the forms into a single story, a harmonic whole. The lines of force form a stage for the poetry of the garden: the incidence of light, moments of time, the seasons, scents, and so on. So many elements constantly play a role in the garden ... every day of the year. Therefore, the garden should be arranged so as to radiate every day of the year! Design begins (for me ) with language: I start by writing a text in which I crystallize for the client and myself what the lines of force will be. That is the concept."

This post and more @ http://www.ronaldvanderhilst.com/

Ronald van der Hilst - Part 2 (planters)

This post & more via http://www.ronaldvanderhilst.com/

Ronald van der Hilst - Part 1 (Vases)

"The crystal tulip vase 'Bulbe' that I designed in 2005 for Val Saint Lambert, is to me proof of a new path that I have chosen. The open-mindedness in which I've made this design for Val Saint Lambert inspires me and gives me new energy for product designs as well as for the garden and landscape designs."

This post via http://www.ronaldvanderhilst.com/

The Vase re-imagined!

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The exaggerated over-abundance of Valentines love may be gone, you still have the physical proof standing on your table. Whether you received flowers from your lifelong partner or that desperate “I won’t be alone on this day” one night stand! A reason for the I Love Belgium team to make a selection of vases, going from plastic to crystal, stressing the beauty for love and flower.

*Let’s start with the classic bouquet. Instead of jamming the flower stalks in a narrow vase opening, designer Stéphane Rouffart created his Brero vase. Its power lays within its simplicity. The central point of the vase is bloqued amongst the stems allowing only the water tank to be seen. An a-typical vase design which perfectly adapts itself to all sorts of medium size bouquets. For those romantic souls who can’t have enough, you even have a lush red version for those red roses.

**But maybe your guy/gal isn’t the type who’ll buy you a bunch of red roses, instead he/she’ll carefully picks out that one perfect blossoming flower. Almost a hidden sign of love, just like the hidden vase by .MGX. A complex sculptural design made possible through Rapid Manufacturing. If you look carefully you can just about see the actual vessel; hidden deep within an orderly disorder of vein-like structures. In fact, you could be forgiven for thinking that here’s the model of a human artery feeding the living organism placed inside it. Or how love can be translated in so many ways.

See more here.

This post via http://www.ilovebelgium.be/

Cushionized Sofa

Lazy (sun)days, don’t we all like them? Preparing for one is quite easy as they only demand a few ingredients. A good movie, finger food and a whole bunch of pillows. If you want to bring this recipe to a higher level, then the I Love Belgium team found the perfect solution. The Brussels based designers Linda Topic and Christiane Hoegner created pieces that will bring you to that highest level of laziness!

Christiane Hoegner’s cushionized sofa uses the smallest element of the sofa as main component. When it’s usually used to adjust and customize your personal comfort/laziness level, it is now multiplies and piled up to the shape of the sofa. Dealing with our everyday life and the search for the lo-fi sensations in the necessity of a high-tech world. A piece well succeeded! Maybe you’ll want to add a loose pillow to cover your eyes (Scary movies, you know).

This post via http://www.ilovebelgium.be/

Mini Egg House by dmvA

"This project is one that is hard to name so I am calling it the “Mini Egg House”. The project scope was to create a mobile office unit for Xfactoragencies. The architectural design firm behind the project was dmvA of Belgium. I cannot be certain how an egg was chosen as the inspiration, but I am sure there is a great story behind that. Despite its small size, the house has a kitchen, bathroom, a bed and a lot of shelving for storage. It is interesting the way that the nose can open to provide a way to open the house to the outdoors. The photographs can be credited to Mick Couwenbergh, Rini Van Beek and Vercruysse Frederik."

This post via http://www.furniturefashion.com/

http://www.dmva-architecten.be/

Humble Ceramics

Love these simple, earthy ceramics made here in Los Angeles.

“The simplicity comes from my own preference and frustrations (of what I don’t see in the market place) as handmade pottery has a tendency – in my opinion – to be too busy (in colors and shapes). The simplicity of the piece allows for the element that is put inside to shine.”

And with most pieces ranging from $25-$50, they’re totally affordable (mother’s day, ahem). If you’re interested in purchasing or finding out more you can email Delphine at austerechic@gmail.com. She’s also looking for stores to carry the pieces.

This post via http://laurejoliet.com/blog

More @ http://humbleceramics.blogspot.com/