SHOP VISIT : THE MODERN

The really great thing about Scandinavian furniture and design is that you can have a lot of it and it doesn't clash with anything else you have. They're the perfect 'foundational' pieces to build upon with other styles, colours and eras of design 

Such a photogenic way to display all the prints

Loving this set up right here. That green vase is beautiful, and the oval coffee table is a nice spin from the round one featured a couple of photos below this one 

When will winter come and deliver us from the stinking mess that is summer? These throws look so soft and warm and the colour selection is perfect! I love the bright orange, pink and green ones the best

I was really motivated to go out last week to visit more furniture stores and to actually ( gasp ) try and talk to some of the people who work there to get to know their furniture and design story. I feel like the best blogs always involve others in some way...

Pretty crazy about this vase. I love this shape and have seen lots of shoots and spreads where Hydrangeas look amazing in this shape of vase 

I came across The Modern ( visit their website here ) by chance when I was wondering from Fitzroy towards Collingwood. I had seen many Scandinavian furniture shops ( haven't we all? ) but I felt like The Modern really was the best take I had seen for a while, especially in a shops setting. First of all, I think part of that was because everything was brand, spanking new. Secondly I just think the particular pieces that they chose were just really quite excellent. It gave a soft, balmy sheen to the entire store which I loved. Thirdly, they had a super comprehensive collection of Marimekko homewares. The sales assistant, Meg kindly let me take all the rolls of fabric and lay them on a counter to take photos of.

I spoke to Meg about what kinds of things she liked to decorate her home with. I found out she was an eclectic decorator like I am and was into vintage furnishings. She also expressed her interest in the Punk movement of the 70's and how she began her career in Fashion. When I posed the question of whether she enjoyed buying clothes or decorations for her home more, she said clothes because with your home, you can't switch things up as often as you'd like. I had to agree, although I love interiors and furniture, you can't swap your old sofa or dining table whenever you wanted to like you can with your coats, tops and shoes. An old filing cabinet re-painted with a pink finishing was her item that she wanted most right now as a new addition to her home. 

I think this along with the big green vase were my two top picks from The Modern. I love a good desk for working. I think the prestige of any job is having your own 'space' to work and having a handsome desk just adds to that. Working in a space which makes you feel good will only go to improve your quality of work, in my opinion. I work best in a space which looks good and feels good and having a good desk is totally a part of that. You can put your favourite knick knacks or flowers on the top ledge of this desk and its the perfect size to force you to be mindful of the things you choose to put on it. Too big of a table allows you to bring in more which isn't conducive to being tidy.

I love a side table! Especially a well styled one by your bedside. Like clothes, we shouldn't be confined to categories ( I browse mens styles openly and will be open to buying children's sizes if they fit ) and if you see a ______ that would be better as a ______, then by all means do it. Bar carts make great side tables and in this case, what looks to be a mobile kitchen drawer ( or seems like it should be ) stands in as a living room side table perfectly. 

One of the best looking and well set up furniture shops I've seen in a while 

You get sort of excited when you go into a store and you like more than four items which was definitely the case in this shop. The sofas, dining tables and side tables were excellent. Meg also shared a tidbit with me about one of their small side tables. An inconspicuous article accompanied by a small photograph of the table ran in a Sydney newspaper to a rave response. They sold out the entire warehouse of that particular side table within days. It's crazy how such a small article created such a wave of success. 

Loved this long dining table. The gathering of friends and family in a home seems so warm and nice to me, it's really such a shame that cooking and I just can't get along

I'm really into round tables right now. Round dining tables and round coffee tables too. They have the power to soften any space. I'm also really into the cow skin rug here as well although I've begun to move away from them and be more into zebra skin lately. 

If you really like Marimekko, then you should definitely come here to see their range of Marimekko wares. Their choice of wares is just as good as the Marimekko store itself! The Modern is definitely a must if you like Scandi furniture. As I mentioned before, Scandinavian furniture is versatile and can be incorporated into a home easily because the style is neutral. Some of the best things are always chanced upon and this is definitely the case with The Modern! Thanks Meg for letting me take photos and share the store on P.F.F!

The Modern Furniture Store
176 Johnston Street, Fitzroy, VIC
9416 0564

P.F.F Feels : ARE YOU A STYLE SNOB?

 

How open minded are you about other peoples tastes? 

Maybe you're not that open minded or maybe you're willing to see it with a pair of un-judging eyes ( good move ). For me, I've tried to accept different tastes, ones that I didn't like and it kind of doesn't work. It's like forcing yourself to do something you don't want to do. I do believe however, in being able to see things on other people and appreciating it on them. Something that I would never wear or put into my home, looks perfectly sensible in someone else's home. That being said, my tastes and choices for basically everything that can be seen and touched is narrowing down more and more as time goes on. I know what I like more and what I don't like more and it's making shopping to be a whole lot easier. Whereas I used to throw out things all the time, now, things are being savoured and kept because they align to my values which are clearer than they would've been years back.

This set up right here is obviously five out of five if you're into this style. It sums up the moon goddess gypset vibe perfectly and I can appreciate that on someone else. I've met people who have defied my thoughts about styling. On the right person ( aka context ) things look good and this is an example of that. I've found that all style no matter what kind, has items which underpin it. They're like symbols which convey that particular style and you can tell right away what that person likes even if you're not a design or decorating nut like I am. If you can tick all the boxes by having that landmark item, then you're subscribing to that style in full force. Although I'm not a gypset moon goddess, I appreciate the fact that the person who made this set up has their values intact and blasting at full force. There's respect to be had in knowing what one likes, even if it's not traditional.

So maybe I can't put a positive spin on this particular look. I have to go so far as to say I really dislike this style. It's completely soulless. I know warmth and colour isn't the objective for this kind of architecture and vibe. It's a very 'million dollar home' look, which to be frank yet again, I'm not a fan of. If I were to ever walk into a property like this, I'll admit the first kinds of feelings i'd have would be peace and restfulness. It has a calming effect and you can tell the location here is really quite amazing. But too much grey stone and concrete, especially in the outdoors setting has a new housing development chic vibe which I can't get on board. But what I want to also add is this. Even though this particular style isn't my thing, the owners are obviously super successful in their chosen fields. They're enjoying their life by the beach with the breeze ruffling their hair and who am I to denounce whoever they are just because they like what they do?

I feel like the Scandinavian trend has sort of had its time and is on its way out. I enjoyed it because it proved that maximum impact doesn't necessarily equate to maximum effort. However, because it got so out of control in its popularity, it left its mark in the furniture and homewares industry for good. This isn't really a negative thing but what its created is a 'generic' blue print for people to rely on. Again, this isn't bad per se, but it starts to all look very bland and the same. Grey rugs, Beige couches, Birchwood shelves, Minimal Art, White ceramics, etc, etc. This living room above has all the staple items of a Scandinavian living room that it literally looks like something out of catalogue ( I think it is... ) I think the challenge for everybody who enjoys styling things is to be able to convey a look without relying heavily on the prescribed items of things because then it starts to look ' obvious '.

I like this room and think that its done up in great style. But that doesn't mean it actually is. The thing I want to point out is that everybody thinks that they have good taste and is justified in their vision. I do and so does the person who bought that million dollar home above and the gypset moon goddess maker. It doesn't mean I, nor anybody else should get precious about it. If somebody defies my idea of what I think is good, I shouldn't get defensive. Even more importantly, I shouldn't show distaste in their preferences in any form. I think being a good decorator or just enjoyer of the visual means having an open mind. No, we don't have to love everything but we do have to see everything.

Is there some styles, motifs, colours or vibes you just can't stand? Tell me about it below!