BoB Best of BLogTour
LONDON 2012
Table of Contents
Letter From the Editor
05
The Bloggers
09
Arrival Day
14
Interview with Marcel Wanders
17
CitizenM
20
100% Design Favorite Finds
22
Amtico
24
Lapicida
26
And So To Bed
28
Brunch with Mr. Steam
30
Design Junction Favorite Finds
32
Free Afternoon
34
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Image credit: Nyla Free. Cover image: Lynn Byrne
Table of Contents
Maggie’s Night Hike
36
Modenus MyCity
38
Tent London/Superbrands London
40
Blanco, Mr. Steam, & Du Verre Hardware
42
Dinner at Tayyabs
44
Samuel Heath
46
BlogTour Illuminated
48
Victoria + Albert
50
Decorex
52
Thoughts from Christopher Guy
54
Farewell Party
56
Modenus Q&A
58
Image credit: Nyla Free
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BLOGTOUR SPONSORS
MEDIA PARTNER
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Letter From the Editor
Sharing the Wealth... There’s a wonderful wealth of design out there, a world brimming with creativity and inspiration that varies from country to country and from continent to continent. Finding and sharing that inspiration is what BlogTour is all about. It was during a dinner with a group of bloggers in New York City in March of 2011 that I thought, “these people are amazing, each have their own background in design or journalism, some are stylists and still others are art connoisseurs. What connects them all is a love for finding and offering design inspiration – all with a different angle to their subject matter and delivery.” This particular group was New York based and exceedingly knowledgeable of design venues and resources in their hometown and in the US. I couldn’t help but think how much fun it would be to see them at a design venue they may not know as well, to find new inspiration and an opportunity to share design Image credit: Nyla Free
from other countries and cultures with their audiences. It was with this thought, supported by a few glasses of my favorite Pinot Noir, that the idea of BlogTour was born. A few months later we launched our first ever BlogTour London which was soon to be followed by a second tour, this time bringing mostly UK based bloggers to New York City and now our third tour, back to London Design Festival. I hope you enjoy BoB Mag, our Best of BlogTour London 2012 digital magazine with reviews from the shows, blogger favorites, interviews, product showcases and, of course, more information about upcoming tours in 2013. Thank you to our bloggers for all their hard work in helping us share so much design inspiration and thank you to our sponsors for making BlogTour possible. — Veronika Miller, Editor In Chief MODENUS 5
MEET THE TEAM Veronika Miller - Modenus CEO & Editor in Chief Very much the Pied Piper of BlogTour, Veronika Miller is the founder and personification of Modenus - so much so that she gets called “Mrs. Modenus.” She gets bookmarked, favorited and probably has her own URL. She considers herself a seeker of the perfect Bloody Mary and her blogs draw on her extensive experience as a professional interior designer as well as her role as impresario of all things social and digital.
+ Tim Bogan - Director & Editor Modenus UK Tim Bogan somehow finds time to blog between drinking beer, confidently walking in the wrong direction, hailing cabs, and singing obscure disco hits in a voice that scares small children. Tim is the incarnation of Modenus in the UK, BlogTour fixer and irrepressible builder of digital communities.
+ Erin Tye - Art Director & Assistant Editor Erin Tye is the newest member of the Modenus team having recently graduated from Syracuse University. She is rarely found without headphones in and, on occasion, has been known to unconsciously sing along in the office. Her level of happiness is directly proportional to the number of books and yellow things in her immediate vicinity.
+ Florence Von Pelet-Narbonne - Director of Sales & Marketing Florence is the Modenus secret weapon. Not only is she the woman behind the inspiring and rather beautiful Modenus newsletters, she is also the last person smiling and enthusing at even the most arduous trade show. When she isn’t working hard to promote Modenus, she can be found on the beach or in search of a Cranberry Vodka. We are told that there are occasions when she even manages to combine the three
+ Dex - The Dog Dex is a dog who lives in the Modenus office. He likes FOOD. He has very little to say about BlogTour, Modenus, social media or anything else. He enjoys barking at trucks and throwing himself in the pool. And, he has asked us to reiterate, he does like FOOD.
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Image credit: Jennifer Mehditash
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The Bloggers LYNN BYRNE Decor Arts Now, follow me @DecorArtsNow
Lynn blogs for love and it shows. While her blog, Decor Arts Now, covers the decorative arts, fine arts and design trends, it is really all about the beauty she finds in the everyday world around her. Lynn has worn many hats in her day: attorney, mother, interior designer, and, now, blogger, but she credits her time spent working at Sotheby’s as having most influenced her point of view.
IGOR JOSIFOVIC Happy Interior Blog, follow me @IgorJosif
Igor is the man behind the Germany based Happy Interior Blog. He blogs, curates, and features everything that inspires him for a happy home. Colorful homewares, quirky decorations, and inspiring interiors are whisked together with his gleeful personality and stories from his latest trips. The result is a truly happy blog.
JENNIFER MEHDITASH Dec-a-porter, follow me @decaporter
Jennifer is an interior designer at Mehditash Design LLC. She’s also a co-host for a live TV design segment and a regular contributor to monthly design magazines & seminars. Jennifer was selected as the spokesperson for Coca Cola’s national design campaign. Her blog was a finalist of Design Bloggers Hall of Fame for “Best New Design Blog of the Year 2011.”
Image credit: Jennifer Mehditash
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The Bloggers PATTI JOHNSON Chatti Patti Talks Design!, follow me @PJohnsonInt
An experienced Interior Designer in residential and commercial disciplines, Patti is an expert in “Transforming Spaces Into Beautiful Places” and served as President of the Interior Design Society of Ohio. Currently she serves as Chief Ambassador for the popular twitter based #IntDesignerChat, Editor of a popular lifestyle/design blog, Chatti Patti Talks Design, a contributor to At Home, a local lifestyle publication, and as a public speaker in her community.
JAMES BEDELL Lighting Design by James Bedell, follow me @JamesBedell
James Bedell is a lighting designer with over 10 years of experience spanning NYC theater, event marketing, high-end residential and global retail. He is passionate about helping people live in beautiful sustainable light. His website is jamesbedell.com where you can find a portfolio, blog, and a description of services. He has a tumblr jamesbedell.tumblr.com and of course he tweets too much.
NYLA FREE Nyla Free Designs, follow me @NylaFree
Creativity is her love, interior design is her focus. Nyla drinks coffee late at night and takes chocolate any time of the day. Her bags are packed and ready at the door waiting for her next travel adventure whether by car or plane. She journals her world of design at nylafreedesigns.com and writes about the reality of an interior designer for Dabble Magazine’s “Reality Check” column.
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Image credit: Nyla Free
The Bloggers JILL SEIDNER Material Girls Blog, follow me @JSInteriorDes
Jill has her own design firm, Jill Seidner Interior Design, based in Los Angeles & Orange County, CA specializing in commercial and residential interior design services. Jill is also the Los Angeles blogger for the Material Girls blog.
VITANIA LISCIO Verdigris Vie, follow me @VerdigrisVie
Vitania is a furniture maker, design aficionado, mother, wife, and general lover of all things beautiful and simple. She is the author and curator of the popular blog, Verdigris Vie. Vitania also has a secret (or not so secret now) love of fantasy novels.
CHERYL KEES CLENDENON Details and Design, follow me @InDetailSays
Cheryl Kees Clendenon, DGD, is a designer, blogger, boutique showroom owner, mom, wife, and part time psychologist for six employees. Cheryl has won numerous national design awards and has had work published in over 60 magazines and books. She was recently selected to write a bi-monthly column, “Sketching out loud,� for regional magazine Coastal Lifestyle, which will detail her sassy observations on design and the inner chaos of a design firm.
Image credit: Nyla Free
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The Bloggers RAINA KATTELSON A Stylist’s Life, follow me @astylistslife
Raina specializes in interior and still life styling with a sophisticated, lively and colorful eye. Raina has produced, art directed, and styled for a diverse range of clients. Her work has been featured in Thom Filicia’s American Beauty, Be Your Own Decorator by Susanna Salk and Living Traditions: Interiors by Matthew Patrick Smyth. She curates A Stylist’s Life, a blog about all things design as well as her travels as a stylist.
ROBIN HORTON Urban Gardens, follow me @UrbanGardens
Robin is the Creative Director at Robin Horton Design and Founder & Publisher of Urban Gardens: Unlimited Thinking for Limited Spaces, a design blog at the intersection of city life, design, and nature: blending and extending the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces.
CHRISTIAN MAY Maison 21, follow me @Maison21
Christian is the founder and principal designer of Los Angeles interior design firm, Maison 21. He has decided opinions about design and enjoys sharing those opinions with readers on his blog. Christian hopes to make the world a little bit prettier for the good of all mankind.
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Image credit: Patti Johnson
The Bloggers MARYAM MONTAGUE My Marrakesh, follow me @MyMarrakesh
Maryam is the author of the award-winning blog My Marrakesh and Marrakesh by Design: decorating with all the colors, patterns and magic of Morocco. She also runs a vintage carpet and textile business, Red Thread Souk, and lectures on Islamic and Moroccan design. When she is not working, she lives at Peacock Pavilions, her home and boutique hotel in Marrakesh, with her architect husband, two rascally children, and several naughty peacocks.
RASHON CARRAWAY Mr. Goodwill Hunting, follow me @MrGWHunting
Rashon Carraway the voice behind the blog, Mr. Goodwill Hunting, is a design expert in both homestyle and men’s fashion. He has an eclectic sense of combining both the new and the old to create a timeless presentation of style. Carraway started in interior design after appearing on the Nate Berkus Show as a design expert. His style motto is “it doesnt have to cost a lot to look amazing.”
Image credit: Robin Horton
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Arrival Day
T
here is no such thing as a day off in the world of BlogTour. Even before the trip officially started, we had the early arrivals running all over the city exploring London Design Festival in the uncharacteristic sunshine. Our first stop was Moooi where we were treated to unique and irreverent design, delicious cake, and some personal time with Marcel Wanders himself (his interview is featured later on in BoB Mag). We then moved on to Tom Dixon’s which was stuffed to the brim with drool-worthy designs and was showcasing the remarkable works of up-and-coming young designers. Drooling completed, we hopped into cabs and headed to Berkeley Square for the fabulous LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair which featured every kind of beautiful antique imaginable. Thinking we should probably feed the bloggers at some point, we headed upstairs for the 1st Dibbs luncheon. Talk about being spoiled! The food was unbelievable, eclipsed only by the company and conversation. After practically licking our plates clean, our motley crew headed to CitizenM to greet the rest of the bloggers. We gathered together for the first time in a conference room in the hotel, putting faces to Twitter pictures
and personalities to writing styles, the overall feeling in the room like that of an extended family reunion. The Deputy Director of London Design Festival, Max Fraser personally came to welcome our group and give us the insider’s scoop on what not to miss during our stay. Orientation over, we revived a couple of particularly jet-lagged bloggers and headed to the welcome dinner, chatting about everyone’s trip (especially those lucky bloggers that got to enjoy Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouse pre-flight). A quick boat ride down the Thames later, we arrived at The Gun, a lovely and historic pub sitting right on the water across from the iconic O2 Dome. I can’t think of a better way to have kicked off BlogTour London. A sumptous English dinner, sweet and friendly wait staff, and hours of conversation that covered everything from social media to politics to childhood stories. The boat ride home was a more subdued one as the bloggers succumbed to jet lag. We wondered at a nightime London while dining on the strawberry cheesecake The Gun had been gracious enough to send home with us. We even shared the extra with the pleasantly surprised boat crew! — Erin Tye Image credits: Robin Horton, Lynn Byrne
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The Turkish Towel Company - 34 Railroad Avenue, Peabody, MA 01960 - 866-631-1676 - www.TurkishTowelCompany.com MODENUS 15
Magnetic attraction.
From the sleek closed coil to the quick release magnetic hand spray, BLANCO CULINA™ Semi-Professional faucet is everything but expected. Inspired by the world’s finest kitchens, the BLANCO CULINA Semi-Professional features an innovative, energy-efficient 2.2 gpm design and durable solid brass construction, just a few of the well-thought out details sure to tempt you with high performance and high style. www.blancoamerica.com
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blancoamerica.com/culina
MARCEL WANDERS BlogTour had the opportunity to sit down with the enigmatic and brilliant Marcel Wanders of Moooi, nicknamed the “Lady Gaga of the design world,” by The New York Times. Lynn Byrne of Decor Arts Now brings you the exclusive on what inspires him, what his dream project would be, and why exactly he stripped naked during a presentation to make a point.
Image credit: Erwin Olaf
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I had trouble sleeping my first night in London. Sure, there was a little jet lag involved, but I also was a bit nervous about my BIG interview the next morning. Meeting and interviewing a design great such as Marcel Wanders (you do know his knot chair in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, right?) seemed a bit overwhelming. Turns out my nerves were unnecessary. Marcel Wanders is one heck of a nice guy. He exudes optimism and good will. He was even a bit humble (ok, sort of ) at times. Before it was all done, I had a little crush.
LB: You once said that the design process should make you feel like your life is exploding. What is exploding in your life right now? MW: We are opening a hotel in my home town, Amsterdam, called the Andaz Hotel. There will be video art in the wall for the very first time. That is exploding for me right now.
“When designers put out a new idea they are like someone naked. Still they should never fear.”
LB: Moooi, your company’s name, derives from the Dutch word, beautiful. You added an extra “o” for extra beautiful. What do you find extra beautiful right now? MW: Today we celebrate all of the many beautiful products here at Moooi. We are bringing Big Ben home (a new for 2012 design by Wanders), which is especially beautiful. It is a new thing that helps reminds us of the importance of time in our lives in an 18 MODENUS
old fashioned way–as a giant wall clock.
LB: You do it all–designing both products and interiors. Is the process different for you?
M W: T he process is entirely different. When I design a product it is like one block of marble that I carve out until I am done. With interiors, I pull together multiple ideas from many different sources. It is much more like making a painting–I think about many colors, shapes and form. LB: So you flunked out of your first design school. Do you have any advice for new designers on how to overcome obstacles?
Image credits: Peer Lindgreen, Erin Tye
MW: Well, I think the people who threw me out of design school were right. I wasn’t ready for design school–yet. They wanted to teach me design–how to draw a nice curve, a perfect box–but I kept thinking outside the box. I made all of the mistakes that you could possibly make–you have to make mistakes. But, I did finally graduate from a design school. You must keep trying, but remain true to yourself too. LB: You once streaked naked across a stage at the end of a major presentation. Tell us what that was all about. MW: I wanted to make the point that when designers put out a new idea they are like someone naked. Still they should never fear. Plus, I think designers should always give more than people expect. I wanted to show that. So, while I was giving this talk, I kept removing pieces of my clothing. When I was down to almost nothing, I left the stage. Then, I made sure all of the lights were out. Boom, it was completely dark, no lights. Suddenly, I ran naked across the stage throwing out a big box of candy.
LB: What would you like to design that you have not designed yet? MW: The thing that I want to design that I haven’t designed yet is a mosque. I think design has the ability to speak volumes–to say something. If there is one thing this world needs is more respect for each other. If someone would give me the respect to design a mosque, I will give back that respect by doing it very well. That is why I want to design a mosque. I should do it one day. LB: Tell me about the very interesting necklace you are wearing. MW: My daughter likes beads and one day we started to make a necklace together. But very quickly I realize I want to make my own necklace. I start to collect and search for beautiful beads with an interesting story [He takes off necklace to show me]. There is delft blue, kidney stones, viagra [laughter], birthstones, lava, meteorite, baccarat. It has become the story of my life. If that necklace represents Marcel Wander’s life, I would like to see it every year! I can only imagine how very interesting it will get.
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CitizenM Hotel
W
e were very lucky to be hosted by one of our BlogTour sponsors, London’s latest design hotel - the CitizenM Hotel in Southwark. CitizenM Hotel did an amazing job making our group feel welcome.
Everyone got one of these funky little guys in their hotel room!
Design-savvy folks will enjoy every bit of the hotel. The CitizenM hotel is entirely furnished by Vitra so your eye will spot design classics in every single corner. The lobby is an inviting open space and represents a great melange of a library and book store, lounge, bar and restaurant area. The restaurant itself is a combination of a deli store, bakery and local farmer market and boasts some yummy treats for the guests. And what about the rooms? Well, they are compact in size but perfectly designed to guarantee a comfy stay. A huge king size bed with a big window front feels like a homey nook whereas the glass covered shower is a highlight itself - the rain shower can be thoroughly enjoyed with a changing mood light atmosphere. And everything in the room is controlled by a tablet PC - one that welcomes every guest by his name after entering the room. Like! One last word regarding the hotels location: It is situated on London’s south bank and just a stone’s throw from the famous Borough Market. Well, if you happen to plan a trip to London and love design, this is the place to stay!
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— Igor Josifovic Image credits: CitizenM, Igor Josifovic, Jennifer Mehditash
citizenM says:
London, you look like you need a new place to sleep
affordable luxury for the people www.citizenM.com
citizenM Hotels now at Bankside 20 Lavington Street SE1 0NZ MODENUS 21
100% Design Favorite Finds We launched BlogTour with a visit to the re-vamped 100% Design show. Between the breathtaking lighting installations by Mackay Design Studio and the effective, streamlined layout, 100% Design set the bar high for the rest of the tour. Some popular favorite finds were the highly portable and inexpensive lamps by Vita and the Credenza O by JiB Designs that fused interior design and the great outdoors.
DeVol Kitchens “Air” product line
Vita “Silvia”
Klickity “Tilt” Candlestick
Interior ID
Emma Britton
Bespoke kitchen for 100% Design 22 MODENUS
“Foxglove” splashback
JiB Design Studio “Credenza O”
Zsolnay “Cratered Metallic Wall Tiles”
YO!Company “YO! Home”
Plant & Moss “The Original Clamp Lamp” The star attraction of 100% Design was the YO! Home exhibit, it was the design’s worldwide debut. YO! Home is a futuristic solution to widespread urban congestion and ever-rising real estate prices. The 800 square foot space contains a bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, office, guest room, bathroom, spa, and storage area - all in the same, unified space. The living room, for example, is underneath the master bed - which rises into the ceiling! The company utilized stage scenery technology in the form of counter weights to facilitate easy changing between rooms/functions. It will be interesting to see whether this truly will be the way of the future. — Erin Tye
Climar “Chess”
Amtico
A shot of the lovely lunch Amtico provided for us.
T
he best thing about our exclusive visit to Amtico‘s stand at 100% Design was our time with their head designers. How often do you get to meet the creative minds behind a major brand, to hear what motivates them and what goes into the creation of their product? One of the lead designers, Karen Quarterman, gave us some insight into what goes into the creation of a new line of Amtico’s vast offering of vinyl flooring. Cue the inspiration boards. They’re like a cross between a mood board and a scrapbook. Amtico’s designers travel all over the world to document and study emerging style trends across different industries. They then filter through their discoveries and isolate those trends that can be used as inspiration for a new flooring product. That’s how an inspiration board is born, kids. A bold, circus-themed feature in a Stockholm hotel 24 MODENUS
translates as inspiration for the fun, new colorful tile options. Irreverent mixing of concrete and wood flooring in Japanese retail stores influence new ideas for combining different tiles and textures to create bespoke flooring options. Amtico designers source inspiration from any and all industries, locations, and designs. If I had to define a main point of Karen’s talk with us, it would be that not enough people have fun with their flooring. We pick bright colors to paint our rooms, luxurious fabrics to decorate them, and statement pieces of furniture to fill them. But how much thought do we really give our flooring? Amtico’s created entirely unique flooring options and combined them in ways you’d never think to try independently. If they have their way, flooring will become the most important consideration in your home or business – and I have a sneaking suspicion they’ll be successful. — Erin Tye Image credits: Amtico, James Bedell
Create, express and define your design vision with amtiCo. select any pattern from our extensive range of innovative finishes. use products individually or mix together in endless combinations for a truly unique floor. www.amtico.com
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Lapicida
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morning of modernist design at 100% Design at Earls Court was followed by an afternoon of traditional tea and scones paired with a tour of one of the most inspiring showrooms I’ve ever seen. UK based Lapicida boasts the largest natural stone showroom in Europe at its headquarters in Harrogate England and we were able to visit the company’s flagship store in London. To call it a tile and stone showroom is, even by English standards, an understatement. Lapicida pride themselves in creating or supplying only the most exquisite natural and reclaimed stone and tile and their commitment to excellence is reflected in every detail of the showroom with its beamed ceilings and pitch-perfect lighting by famed lighting designer Sally Storey. The expansive space leads from a columned marble vestibule, through the main showroom and then into a series of the most awe inspiring vignettes, fully designed bathrooms and a separate gallery of Lapicida’s dramatic carved stone panels. BlogTour team member James Bedell says it best: “As designers we’d all been to showrooms and some are more beautiful than others. I can personally say no showroom I’d ever been in was more amazing than the brand new Lapicida showroom [...] the showroom was filled with truly stunning examples of what Lapicida is capable of as artists and procurers of stone. Walking their showroom was a real experience, how often can you say that?” — Veronika Miller
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Image credit: Amtico
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And So To Bed
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have long admired the beds from BlogTour London sponsor And So To Bed from afar. I am a regular reader of the UK design glossies and I drool over the And So To Bed ads. So I was thrilled with the news that And So To Bed’s products are now available in the USA and I eagerly looked forward to BlogTour’s visit to their showroom in London. I wanted to see their stuff up close and personal. What I didn’t know about the company until our tour is that they satisfy the complete sleep experience by supplying top drawer mattresses as well. We learned all about the production process including the different fibers that make up the mattresses. Everything looked so inviting and comfy that us jet lagged bloggers simply wanted to crawl right in. Which, of course, was just what we did. And did I mention there was tea too? A truly proper English tea complete with scones, jam and clotted cream. Yum. We had to be pulled out of there! — Lynn Byrne
Meet Truffle, Dog Model Extraordinaire 28 MODENUS
Image credits: And So To Bed, Nyla Free, Patti Johnson, Erin Tye
USA: TEL (214) 484 4444 andsotobed.com usainquiries@andsotobed.com
UK: FREEPHONE 0808 144 4343 andsotobed.co.uk enquiries@andsotobed.co.uk
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A Steamy Brunch
The Steams!
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o trip to London would be complete without a proper English breakfast and thanks to BlogTour sponsor Mr. Steam the bloggers received the full British experience! We treked to Bill’s in iconic Covent Garden for brunch, accompanied by the lovely Martha Orellana of Mr. Steam and her equally lovely wife, Susan (they were affectionately dubbed “the Steams” by the BlogTour crew.)
cabbage. Before long the tables were groaning under plates of piping hot food, cups of freshly brewed tea, and jugs of mimosas (this is BlogTour after all.) The food was so good, the bloggers even put down their iPhones to better facilitate the fork-to-mouth motion. It was the perfect start to another long day of design, thank you Mr. Steam! — Erin Tye
After the picturesque Bill’s had been suitably instagrammed, we took turns guessing what certain menu items like “Bubble and Squeak” might involve until Tim took pity on us and informed us it’s potato and
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Image credits: Erin Tye, James Bedell, Jennifer Mehditash, Nyla Free
www.mrsteam.com
Design Junction Favorite Finds Design Junction was a show that oozed cool, from its location (an old sorting office within walking distance of Covent Garden) to the minimalist, industrial feel of the interior. They showcased every level of design: conceptual, bespoke, commercial, and student. It would have been easy to spend an entire day there but, alas, time waits for no Blogger and we had a (busy) schedule to follow!
Kate Hume for When Objects Work “Pebble Vase”
Baccarat “Marie Coquine Chandelier”
Lucy Turner “Parakeet Sideboard”
When these beautiful gleaming jewels caught my eye at design junction, it was love at first site. Designed by Kate Hume for When Objects Work, these pieces of art are known as pebble vases. They are delightful sculptures of blown glass, hand made into the most beautiful form. — Vitania Liscio
Atelier Areti “Alouette Collection” 32 MODENUS
The light fixtures by Atelier Areti. I was drawn to the mix of cool urban chic and industrial design. Their lighting combines functionality and an arty aspect - a great piece for a cool home. — Igor Josifovic
At Design Junction I fell in love with the exuberant and charming pillows of Nichollete Yardley-Moore. Heck, I feel in love with Nichollete, who was even more charming - if that’s possible - than her pillows. Nichollete explained that the idea for her pillows came to her in a dream. I wish my dreams were that vivid! — Lynn Byrne
Nichollete Yardley-Moore Vintage Cushions
Gandia Blasco “GAN” textile firm Alexena Cayless “Fish and Chip Condiment Case”
Mal “Mal 1965 Chair”
Darkroom
Mal 1956 Chair by Mal. An honorable tribute to Charles and Ray Eames’s famous lounge chair in this Eindoven-based studio’s reinterpretation of the iconic design for outdoors. — Robin Horton
“Fredericks & Mae Large Tassel” MODENUS 33
Free Afternoon After we’d thoroughly explored, photographed, and tweeted Design Junction, the bloggers were let loose on the streets of London to terrorize the locals and enjoy all that London Design Festival had to offer. Bloggers scattered in every direction: towards museums, pubs, castles, and, of course, towards the shops. Raina Kattleson of A Stylist’s Life was one of the latter and documented her shopping excursion for those following along with BlogTour at home. Abigail Ahern
Abigail Ahern
A
s a stylist, a large part of my job is keeping an extensive list of the most amazing sources and props available. I am always picking up interesting finds, whether it’s in the course of my daily travels, going to flea markets or traveling the globe. I have shopped flea markets in almost every country I’ve gone to and come home with suitcases full of interesting bits that will someday make their way into a shoot. I keep running lists of interesting shops and flea markets in cities across the states and beyond.
Merci
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Image credits: Raina Kattelson, Amazon.com
I was lucky enough to spend several aerobic shopping hours with Will Taylor (of Bright Bazaar) and Igor Josif (of Happy Interior Blog) as we raced across town to see Will’s most coveted shops. On our rapid-paced tour we managed to squeeze in: Ben Pentreath, where I picked up some lovely marble plates; Darkroom, where I wish I had bought that African brush; Summerill & Bishop, Tom Dixon and the Merci pop up shop.
I
f you are heading to London or lucky enough to live there, definitely head to Folklore, where a perfectly edited collection of lighting, pillows, tableware, and accessories awaits you. In our race to get to Folklore we passed Abigail Ahern’s shop, Ahern’s shop is another one of my dream stores. A few bowls in the most delicious shades of teal, plum and black made it into my bag there. A visit to London wouldn’t be complete without getting up in the pitch black and heading to a flea market. We took a bit of a drive and went to Kempton Market. Here is where I managed to do the most damage to my wallet, loading up on dishes, crockery, several vases. Although I managed to cover a fair amount of London shops I still missed so many amazing ones, such as Few and Far, Stella Blunt, Ryantown & Skandinteriors. BlogTour London 2013 anyone? — Raina Kattelson
Summerill & Bishop
S
aska Graville’s new book, London Style Guide, is a thorough, stylish guide as only a native Londoner could write. The book is divided into neighborhoods and then further into Shop, Eat and Sleep, all with an eye on great design. It also includes a “Meet the Londoner” section highlighting various Londoners and their fave places. I would love similar guides to this for other cities!
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Maggie’s Night Hike
A couple of years ago my mother died of cancer. I miss her and always will. Her diagnosis came a decade and a half previously and her life-preserving care was a testament to British National Health Service. There was, however, something missing. Like anyone else with a loved one undergoing regular, intensive, medical intervention I got to know my way around my local hospital better than I had ever wished to. I am saddened that no one found more than the occasional moment to talk to us as human beings and, as far I know, no one was available to talk to my mother about anything that wasn’t directly concerned with the medical treatments she was going through. I don’t blame them. The medical staff are totally focused on saving lives. That human touch, the optimism, the time to listen simply wasn’t in anyone’s job description. My resolution to make the case for a more thoughtful approach, for a better environment, for a focus on what is good about life was lost amongst the many things that need to be done when someone dies. But the frustration remained. Then, largely thanks to Katie Treggiden, the woman behind Confessions of a Design Geek, I discovered Maggie’s Centres. There are so many things they so clearly get right. They work on a very human level, giving support and information when people need it. They focus on the person, not their illness, and they do it in an environment which is both welcoming and uplifting. They believe in design and architecture; they believe in the creation of an environment that will positively impact the well-being of those who enter it. 36 MODENUS
That’s why the organization has collaborated with legendary architects such as Richard Rogers, Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas and Paul Smith, to name a few. When Modenus realized that a Maggie’s fundraiser, Maggie’s Night Hike, was occurring during BlogTour this year, we leapt at the chance to participate. While the rest of the gang signed up for the ten mile hike, James Bedell and I decided to challenge ourselves and complete the twenty mile version. We spent a night walking through central London, chatting to each other about lights, England, and life. We met some lovely, impressive people, walked off a few of those BlogTour meals and raised some cash for Maggie’s. Please find time to learn a little more about Maggie’s. The more you learn, I am sure, the more you will see that what they are doing is impressive, important and inspiring. — Tim Bogan
Image credits: James Bedell
Maggie’s to Maggie’s Challenge
Whether you are already an intrepid trekker, a keen cyclist or even a long distance runner, join the Maggie’s to Maggie’s challenge, a great way to raise money and challenge yourself plus a fantastic opportunity to navigate some of Maggie’s stunning architecture from Richards Rogers to Rem Koolhaas. It’s your choice whether you want to walk, jog, cycle or run this challenge - you can take it at your own pace or push yourself to the limit and break a personal record. It’s not just a challenge – it’s a journey that you won’t forget
T ofind o ut mo rev is it w w w . maggie s c e ntre s . o rg/ c h alle nge o rc all 0 30 01 2 31 80 1 maggie s to maggie s Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Centres Trust (Maggie’s) is a registered charity, No. SC024414
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Modenus MyCity: The Highlights
The English Restaurant
Katie Tregidden poses with her book The Lollipop Shoppe Modenus MyCity is all about local design, local culture and the local bloggers that know all about it. Modenus is always asking bloggers to share design inspiration and resources from their home town. If you’re in the know about design in your city and want to share it with our readers or a BlogTour team, please get in touch! Our MyCity tour in London was headed up by BlogTour NYC alum Katie Tregidden, author of Confessions of a Design Geek blog. Katie regularly contributes to Design-Milk, Heart Home Magazine, We Heart and Living Etc and has authored her first book “Interviews”. Katie’s tour lead us through the eclectic blend of shops and classical architectural in London’s East End as we walked from Spitalfields Market toward Brick Lane. — Veronika Miller
Inspitalfields
Lomography Gallery Store
Town House
Christ Church, Spitalfields Hanbury St. Graffiti MODENUS 39
TENT / SUPER BRANDS LONDON Favorite Finds Located in one of the funkiest neighborhoods in London, Brick Lane, it comes as no suprise that TENT London and SUPER BRANDS London were incredibly cool shows. At no other venue were we more tempted to empty our purses of our freshly converted money. Unfortunately, due to airline luggage and financial restrictions, we weren’t able to bring all our favorite things back home with us. So we settled for the second best thing - featuring them here!
Flux “Gold” Collection
The one product I would truly love in my own home is to set my table in the fine china from Flux. I want to collect all of the many patterns, and you can never have too much blue and white in your life. — Lynn Byrne
Fay McCaul “Lyra Table”
Daniel Heath “Reclaimed Welsh Slate”
Rami Tareef for Gaga & Design “COD Chair” 40 MODENUS
Emerging talent may have been hidden downstairs at this fair, but Israeli designer Rami Tareef ‘s COD Chair for Gaga & Design was not lost on me. Woven of interlocking synthetic cords and chrome steel tubes, it’s suitable for outdoor use even for a cold snowy winter. — Robin Horton
Daisuke Motogi “Lost in Sofa”
Belle and Bespoke “Box 18mm Wenge Chamfer Matching”
Melody Rose “Skull on Gold Espresso Cup” &ON “The Fernando Bench
KSW Studio “East Meets West Lundunar Kort Globe”
The colourful patterns by Mini Moderns - I love their cushions, rugs, tableware and the new reclaimed paint collection is super happy and environmentally friendly. — Igor Josifovic
Mini Moderns Various Pieces
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Blanco, Mr. Steam, & Du Verre Hardware
H
ere at Modenus, we’re of the opinion that our sponsors are the world’s greatest. Want to know why? Because our sponsors believe so much in BlogTour and the value of bloggers that they were willing to sponsor BlogTour despite not having a presence in London. Blanco and Du Verre Hardware, returning sponsors, and Mr. Steam, who was initiated into the BlogTour fold as of London, all fall into the “world’s greatest” category. And though they may not have been a physical presence during BlogTour London, unless you count the lovely Steams, they nevertheless have made an impression. Cheryl Kees Clendendon, designer, blogger, and new member of BlogTour class of 2012, has long been a fan, and has used Blanco, Du Verre Hardware, and Mr. Steam products in both design projects and her own home. Here she shares with us her thoughts and experiences with these most awesome of brands.
MEET CHERYL
If you have read any of my posts or ever looked at my portfolio, you will see I also love and adore the Blanco Silgranit line. This is my “go to ” sink. Silgranit is affordable and complements any countertop with one of the colors offered. I LOVE the fact that water spots are practically non existent. I have specified this sink so many times with zero complaints.
Blanco SILGRANIT II Sink
Another new favorite is the Crystalline, referred to as the vanishing sink! Perfect for space-challenged kitchens, this award-winning compact sink exemplifies the beauty of form meets function. With a safety glass cover that doubles as a cutting board, a small upper tray for sponge storage, an ultra-thin MicroEdge™ sink rim, and a “pop-up” European strainer button for hands-free draining, this state-of-the-art sink almost does the dishes for you. Which since my last free dishwasher is going to college next year, could come in handy! I really like the idea of using this in a design where you really are limited on usable counter space. What a great idea and I thought so in Germany last year too! Image credits: Cheryl Kees Clendendon, Blanco
The older I get, the more I emphasize to my clients, the best bath design is not just about how gorgeous the space looks but how well it functions. And, how well the investment will function for aging-in-place considerations. No brainer really. For my eventual bath redo, my first purchase will be a steam shower unit from Mr Steam. Mr Steam is recognized as a leader in innovation and design in steam therapy. I think the benefits of steam therapy make it a not a luxury but a necessity especially with any client wanting a true aging-in-place design. Steam therapy promotes restful sleep, cleanses your body better than just soap and water, helps with muscle tightness, and most importantly to me...is a natural ( no pills needed) de-stressing tool.
Mr. Steam custom installation
When I first started my business 14 years ago, it was strictly design based. No products. But then, I began to realize I was in a much smaller town that San Diego and did not have the same resources especially for cabinet hardware. Having always felt that the biggest sin in kitchen design is the ubiquitous round silver or (GASP!) brass knob being installed everywhere, I needed to find some good looking hardware! Thus, the first product lines entered my business. I needed the unique pieces I saw in my mind for my projects. Fast forward to today and you can see many manufacturers of hardware in my shop. All sizes and shapes and price ranges.
Du Verre Hardware Polar collection
One of the more creative and unique lines my design crew and myself like is Du Verre Hardware. Their hardware is crafted from recycled aluminum (who doesn’t like something recycled these days?) and finished by hand. With a kitchen full of knobs and pulls from them, no two pieces would be identical. MODENUS 43
Dinner at Tayyabs
S
o I’ve had the post holiday blues, but the post BlogTour blues? Well after returning from New York in March I honestly think I suffered this for a while. Stopping normal life and enjoying a week with like-minded design friends was a high point of 2012. Hence returning home was a downer and it took a while to get back into the designing groove.
Thankfully though we are now part of the growing number of BlogTour alumni and Modenus is happy to include us in their ongoing adventures. This recently included BlogTour London 2012 where fourteen design and lifestyle bloggers flew into England to explore the London Design Festival. It was lovely to receive champagne brunch invitations (oh if we must!) and meet the new bloggers at various events. There were nine of us on BlogTour New York in March who are based in the UK. Given the small scale of our country, reunions are relatively easy to arrange. So one night during the Design Festival I planned for the first full scale reunion with Will, Ari, Carole, Stacey, Hannah, Katie, Kate and Emily. Obviously we had to include our wonderful friends from Modenus, Veronika and Tim.
44 MODENUS
Over a wonderful, if rather chaotic, dinner at Tayyabs in the East End of London we all caught up. Memories of New York were relived, and we all shared our news about the opportunities that had come our way since our trip. It was an evening of non-stop laughter and one I am sure we will repeat many times. We come from diverse backgrounds but the love of great design binds us together - and also gives us hours of things to talk about. So remember, the invitation onto a BlogTour isn’t just about a going on a trip - it’s about joining a special group for life. If you want to join this club make sure you apply next time Modenus shout about it - you won’t regret it! — Andrew Dunning
Image credits: Tayyabs, Robin Horton
One Venue. Two Shows of Pure Design.
19-22
SEPT 2013
www.tentlondon.co.uk
Media Partner
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Samuel Heath
A
lthough Samuel Heath is synonymous with tradition and quality, a new collection aptly named “Style Moderne” has also made a distinctive mark in the bathroom design industry. The inspiration of the shape and lines of the Style Moderne collection are influenced by the Art Deco era. During my recent visit to the Samuel Heath showroom in England during Blog Tour in September, 2012, I had the opportunity to examine for myself the bathroom faucets and showers that have become Samuel Heath’s trademark of quality. The showroom is located in the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour London. Seriously, doesn’t just the sight of these gleaming fixtures make you want to change yours all out? Or at least get a loved one to shine and polish the ones you have? I was impressed with the depth of knowledge that the staff exhibited during our visit, fielding questions left and right from a group of 14 inquisitive bloggers. — Patti Johnson
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Image credits: Nyla Free
Faucets, showers and accessories. Beautifully handcrafted in England since 1820.
or callMODENUS 212 599 475177
BlogTour Illuminated
O
ne of the most challenging things about being a lighting designer is the amount of sheer education and justification I have to engage in with clients and collaborators before I’m even signed onto a project. In this day and age of tightened budgets, anything that is perceived as an added cost without a profitable benefit is seen as a waste of money. My job is to make the lighting of a space as beautiful and sustainable as possible - to make the space come alive through lighting. Yet, for many, I spend lot of time trying to explain why that’s even necessary in the first place. After all, they say, if the lights turn on, surely that has to be good enough?
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Well, it’s not enough. Beautiful lighting makes the spaces we live and work in more healthy, more productive and more inspiring, whether it’s our kitchen at home or the cube farm we we work in 65 hours a week. That’s why taking part in BlogTourLDN and LDF12 this year was such a tremendous inspiration. Seeing so many designers taking the time to design and build fixtures of stunningly unique beauty reminded me that there are those that love lighting and take the time to create beautiful, innovative fixtures. Over the last ten years I’ve seen a lot of lighting fixtures, but more than once a fixture stunned me with it’s combination of innovation and beauty. BlogTour afforded me the ability to see these things, to meet their makers and to get inspired again - for that I’ll always be grateful. — James Bedell
Image credit: James Bedell
The UK’s biggest design event
2013 18-21 September Earls Court
100percentdesign.co.uk MODENUS 49
Victoria + Albert
V
ictoria and Albert Baths are all about seeing, touching and...getting in. This iconic collection of freestanding bath tubs is not only about the stunning shapes that create an instant focal point in any high end bath design. Websites, blog posts and even this article cannot do them justice because you simply have to feel the silky surface of these volcanic limestone tubs or, better yet, climb in – something Victoria & Albert encourage visitors to do. The newest, and most unconventional, design in the lineup, the Cabrits tub, is a tub you must sit in to believe and the only tub that keeps your body perfectly cradled whilst you enjoy a leisurely bath. If you prefer a more traditional shape you can stay with any of the classic designs in their natural soft white or request a custom finish. We’re pretty drawn to the black piano gloss finish ourselves and may have spied a tile clad V&A tub as well. Pretty chic, we think. — Veronika Miller
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Image credits: Jill Seidner, Victoria + Albert
volcanic limestone baths
Discover a new approach to bathing. Contoured to fit the body, the new Cabrits offers enhanced support for bathers of all sizes thanks to its special 'double-dip' design.
Victoria + Albert Bath LLC 4750 Goer Drive Unit A North Charleston SC 29406 USA
Tel: 800 421 7189
www.vandabaths.com
Decorex Favorite Finds Decorex was the final and perhaps the most luxurious of all the design destinations. From the stunning Vivienne Westwood mannequin display to Lapicida’s 645 sq ft. structure to Andrew Martin’s stand featuring the set of Prometheus, Decorex was over-the-top and dressed to impress. While the venue was packed with inspiring design finds, we could only select a handful to share in BoB Mag.
Pinch “Joyce Cabinet”
The lighting and furniture from Pinch was a stand out for me at Decorex. I am thrilled that they will soon be carried in the USA at Future Perfect. — Lynn Byrne
Bernie de Le Cuona “Relaxed Decadence”
Terzani “Atlantis”
Benchmark “Albin Console” 52 MODENUS
The trend at Decorex was luxury and glamour with a profusion of sumptuous textiles and opulent forms and shape. — Veronika Miller
Julian Chichester “Pollock Vellum Cabinet”
Cox London “Spherical Lantern”
Munna “Rose”
Cox London was one of the most eye-catching brands at Decorex. Their lighting fixtures are unique, beautiful, and sure to start a conversation. — Erin Tye
Collection Pierre
Graham and Green
“Troy Armchair”
Pondicherry Mother of Pearl Desk MODENUS 53
Thoughts from Christopher Guy When we took BlogTour to Decorex we were very excited that Christopher Guy himself agreed to meet our group and talk to us about his story, his vision and his business. Interestingly, his preoccupations seemed to be more about the business of building his company than about designing furniture. But he did talk about both. So here are the thoughts of the man who has created a luxury brand that is recognized throughout the world. On Asia When I am in China I see our stuff everywhere – unfortunately, much of it isn’t my stuff! We are copied everywhere. What do you do? We go over in China and we sell very well, but we are heavily copied as is, for instance, Barbara Barry. Now, we realize we have to find different solutions for the Chinese market. Their wealth is still a new wealth that they like to show off. The Chinese market is very different, a bit like the Middle Eastern market used to be, lots of heavy carving, lots of gold. 54 MODENUS
The Middle East has meanwhile become very sophisticated, as has the Russian market but China is still too new to appreciate some things. On creating collections When you move from a mirror collection which is about individual pieces, individual jewels, to a lifestyle collection, everything changes. When I started moving into lifestyle in 2007, it took some adjusting to do it. When you make a mirror frame it has to be the single centerpiece of that room, but with a lifestyle collection you need a centerpiece as well as everything else. You have to have a special piece with everything else supporting its statement. On his Decorex stand design If you look at the stand we made, we carved everything out of Styrofoam, it is an excellent R&D tool, you can shape it in miniature. The display took 270 pieces. What inspired the design? Harry Potter. There was a scene with Image credits: Lynn Byrne, Cheryl Klees Clendendon, Patti Johnson
a room full of furniture piled high – so yes, I was influenced by Harry Potter. On Elegance I like to work on elegance – because elegance is understood. When I travel to any country they recognize what elegance is. If you go to Indonesia, they may not speak your language, they may come from a small village, but they recognize elegance. Elegance is understood throughout all cultures. Take, for instance, Audrey Hepburn who would be recognized as elegant anywhere. On The Future I am 52 now. What changed at 50? I thought before that my glass was half full, now I realize it is half empty and I realize the urgency of getting things done. I had a serious accident about two years ago. And just before
the accident I was writing my first will and I said to myself, the company would only have two years of existence without me at the helm because I am involved in so many areas. After the accident I set about structuring the company in a different way. I was modulizing it. I thought if I asked a designer to do a Christopher Guy collection they wouldn’t understand how. So I decided to break it down. On Success. I always think when you are climbing, never look down. I never think I have achieved a lot because I am thinking where I need to climb to. It is not success that drives you forward. It is the fear of failure. Success is nice but failure tastes horrible. There is never enough time to accomplish everything we feel the need to accomplish. Transcribed by Tim Bogan
Christopher Guy!
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Farewell Party
BlogTour is all about design, inspiration and as many diverse influences as we can cram into five days. But it’s also about fun. For our last night in London we brought in two of the Western World’s most eminent party consultants, Troy Hanson and Megan O’Reilly from MMPI. These are the people behind the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, venue for what promises to be the largest gathering of the extended BlogTour family to date at their annual “Mary’s and Mimosas” Tweet up next March.
In a display of great taste, generosity and insider knowledge, Troy and Megan took us all out for a night at East London’s legendary Lounge Lover club. The club is as camp as a row of pink, sequined tents, the cocktails were as delicious and potent as, well, a night out with Troy and Megan! A great time was had by all, I look forward to seeing everyone in New York next March! — Tim Bogan
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Image credits: Lounge Lover, Patti Johnson
the interior design show for professionals
SAVE THE DATE!
Organised by
REgiSTER YOUR iNTEREST AT www.DEcOREx.cOm MODENUS 57
MODENUS Q&A What is Modenus? Modenus is curated resource and community hub for interior designers, design enthusiasts, manufacturers and artisans. Follow the link and have a look!
Is it somewhere Interior designers strut their stuff? Sure is. Interior designers can upload their portfolios or submit their best work to get featured in our Designer Spotlight Series and ‘Before and After’ case studies. And there’s more for design pros. Registered – and approved – interior design pros can see trade terms and pricing as well as manage entire projects, directly on Modenus.
So is Modenus a blog? There is a blog on Modenus. It is where we share inspiration, ideas, excitement, fun and thoughts. And we do feature guest blogs, in case you were wondering. But there is much more besides.
How do product designers and manufacturers get involved? At the heart of Modenus is a curated product showcase that may be of interest. If you are interested sharing your work with thousands of designers and design lovers every day then please get in touch to apply. We’d love to see your!
Haven’t we met somewhere else? Probably. Modenus is on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and we even have a group on Linked In. Social media is what we have used to build our community and social our social media platforms are where we share great design.
So how do I get to go on BlogTour? Sheeesh, this is meant to be about Modenus. Have a great blog, have an impressive Twitter following, be a dynamic and engaging person, all of that helps, and send an email to talktous@Modenus.com
How do I find out more about Modenus? That’s better. Feel free to have a look around the site and send any questions to the same place talktous@Modenus.com 58 MODENUS
WHO WILL BE NEXT TO JOIN THE BLOGTOUR COMMUNITY?
? ? ? ? Stay Tuned For BlogTour Cologne 2013 1.13.13 - 1.18.13 MODENUS 59
For more information contact Modenus at talktous@modenus.com USA: 321-280-6868 | UK: +44 207 193 6835 60 MODENUS
Image credit: Igor Josifovic