Alabasta designs at upcoming Maison et Objet and Top Drawer trade shows

If you are a trade buyer there will be a couple of opportunities in the coming weeks to view and order the entire range of Alabasta products:

MAISON ET OBJET Paris, Parc des Expo, 6-10th September 2013
Åry Trays, Hall 6, Stand Q25
Avenida Home, Hall 8, Stand Bbis77

TOP DRAWER  London, Olympia, 15-17th September 2013
Avenida Home, Stand A96

Åry Trays will be showing the current collection of Alabasta trays in all sizes including Folk Stripe, Love Birds and Blue Fish. Avenida Home will be showing the current range of Alabasta placemats and coasters including the brand new Forest Leaves design (see photos below) plus hopefully the launch of some very lovely jacquard woven Blue Fish kitchen textiles of which you can take a sneak peek at on my Instagram page. I'll be blogging about those when they are officially launched very soon.

Alabasta Forest Leaves placemat from Avenida Home

Alabasta Forest Leaves 10cm coaster from Avenida Home

I'm intending to visit Top Drawer on the final day but I'm missing Maison et Objet this time sadly - I love seeing what's fresh and new out there and that show covers it all.

Alabasta Blue Fish tray in Ideal Home magazine, August 2013

There I was in the dentist's waiting room this morning, casually flicking through Ideal Home's August issue, and what should I notice on the Style Editor's Shopping Spy page but an Alabasta tray! There is no doubt blue and white is a classic combination for interiors and the best selling 49cm Blue Fish tray gets a lot of press attention at this time of year because it conjures up thoughts of al fresco eating and holidays. Here again it has been promoted by the Coastal Home webshop who are the go-to people for any nautical interior accessories it seems. Having been brought up by the coast I do miss the sea and it is the one thing land-locked Bath lacks. One day I intend to own a coastal home, as there's nothing like a dip in the 'invigorating' British sea in the summer to de-stress you..

Ideal Home magazine, August 2013

detail

Thank you, Coastal Home and Ideal Home magazine.

PS If you ever see any Alabasta products in any magazines, do please let me know (via the contact page) as I am not always aware of what is out there - thanks!

New Alabasta design: Forest Leaves

The newest design in the Alabasta range is going to be officially launched next month at Top Drawer in London and Maison et Objet in Paris but I'm showing it now because it has just been put on the Avenida Home website for ordering. This one is another deceptively complex pattern, this time showing exotic foliage and fluttering blue butterflies and is entitled Forest Leaves. It is inspired by lush rainforests and mid century Scandinavian ceramics and comes in colours that sit well with the existing Alabasta designs. The darkest shade is a very deep green-black and it is on the same ecru background as the Love Birds design. With flashes of chartreuse, cerulean blue, ultramarine and a vivid jungle green we think it looks modern and strong with a playful element to it and we hope it will prove as popular as the other designs.

This design will be available to order in the rectangular 29.2 x 21.6cm placemat and 10cm square coaster with a matt finish and black baize non-slip base from Avenida Home:

Alabasta Forest Leaves placemat

Alabasta Forest Leaves 10cm coaster

It has already been featured in the upcoming trade show Top Drawer's promotional poster (top right image) so we have great hopes for this new design and hope you like it as much as we do:

Top Drawer retail trade show, 15-17th September 2013

Visit the Avenida Home stand at the following trade shows to see the entire Alabasta ranges for Avenida Home:

6-10 Sept 2013, Maison et Objet, Paris, Hall 8, Stand Bbis77
15-17 Sept 2013, Top Drawer, Olympia, London, Stand A96

www.avenidahome.com

Alabasta design on Instagram

Now there is another place to see my inspiration, surroundings and Alabasta products in situ and that's my Instagram page. It's a visual diary of snapshots taken when I'm at home and out and about of things that make me tick as a designer. Mixed in with that will be Alabasta products seen in shop displays and in use every day in my home, showing how they can brighten up the dullest environment. When I've been doing this for a while you will see some consistency in the subjects I photograph - I am especially interested in linear pattern and interesting colour combinations, and I do love a fancy font. Everything around can inspire and trigger off ideas - it's never healthy to work in an insular bubble!

Alabasta on Instagram

 Feel free to follow me on Instagram to see the images as they are uploaded - my user name is @alabasta_design

Alabasta Blue Fish tray in Good Food magazine, August 2013

Amongst some delicious looking recipes in this month's BBC Good Food magazine is a summery collection of kitchen accessories including the largest Alabasta Blue Fish tray on page 16, collated by Holly Brooke-Smith. This time it's being promoted by Coastal Home, online destination for all things beach orientated, which also sells the Blue Fish tray in the 27x20cm and 43x33cm sizes plus 11cm mini tray. All are made carefully in Sweden from sustainable birch wood and dishwasher proof (if you can fit them in) with intricate blue fish patterns on an ivory background. The magazine is worth getting if you're into cooking as it is packed with inspiring ideas such as some Rick Stein Indian curries and an indulgent gluten free raspberry cake. My stomach is rumbling...

BBC Good Food magazine, August 2013

49cm Alabasta Blue Fish tray

Alabasta stockist focus: Dovetail Living

One Alabasta stockist where you can purchase a selection of the Folk Stripe collection is Dovetail Living, a webshop that specialises in carefully selected interior accessories from both world renowned and up and coming designers. We are delighted that they have chosen Alabasta as one of their designers - they now stock the best selling red 38cm tray, 10cm coasters and glass platter in the Folk Stripe range as well as the Love Birds tablemats. These sit alongside such design classics as the Secto Design range of lighting - another example of innovative use of steam bent Scandinavian birch wood. I also really like the Variopinte range of enamel dishes which have simple stripes of colour so they coordinate well with the concentric circles of the Folk Stripe range. Owner Samantha Mureau is an ex TopShop buyer and has done a lot of trend forecasting for the industry so has a keen eye for new products and trends. According to Samantha, now that summer is around the corner it's all about French style market shopping and mixing up your platters and your plates for effortless casual dining...

30cm Folk Stripe heatproof glass platter - ideal for cheese, breads or even as a hotplate for saucepans

Dovetail Living - see their Blog post here

Alabasta Folk Stripe tray in Plaza magazine, Sweden, April 2013

This month the white version of the 38cm Folk Stripe Alabasta tray has been featured in the Swedish interiors magazine Plaza, in a lovely al fresco photoshoot styled by Sandra Hamilton and photographed by Karin Foberg. It makes me hope that Summer is round the corner, although here in England we haven't experienced much Spring like weather yet. Anyway the photos clearly show how useful these trays are and how they can add a splash of colour to everyday dining.

Plaza magazine, Sweden, April 2013

Thank you, Plaza magazine.

The trays are made, sold and distributed by Åry Trays. See the stockists page for where to buy them.