Koko Classics | Giveaway!

About a year ago I introduced you to one of my now sponsors, Koko Classics, the Auckland based company who specialise in vintage and industrial inspired furniture. Having been a frequent visitor to their retail store in Mt Eden well before I started the blog, I really enjoyed interviewing them and taking photos of their gorgeous shop for that post. Since then, there have been lots of changes, including the opening of a new store in Ponsonby and most recently the launch of their online store. 

With an eclectic mix of furniture and objects sourced from around the world, the range is constantly evolving and expanding. The most recent arrival includes leather occasional chairs, additions to the reclaimed Elm furniture range and exotic hides.  All beautiful, timeless pieces to treasure, here's a small taste...

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1 Springbok Hide
2 Winchester Occasional Chair
3 Recycled Elm 2-Door Cabinet 
4 Reclaimed Elm Farmhouse Dining Table
5 D'Appoint Side Table
6 Calf Skins
7 Grange Chesterfield 2-Seat Sofa 
8 Recycled Elm Trunk
9 Classic Black Winged Chair

Koko Classics also offer consistently great service and affordable prices. When I last popped in to the Mt Eden store I was as always met with a visual feast of vintage and industrial goodness. Friend and manager Heather eagerly showed me the new arrivals but it was the mention of reindeer hides being on their way that really got my heart racing! Soft and luxurious, I've long admired these beautiful skins from Scandinavia. 

Reindeer hides look amazing both indoors and out, as a floor rug or draped over furniture. Originating from the Sami people - nomadic tribes of Sweden, Norway and Finland, reindeer provide meat, milk and raw materials for clothes and tools. They are still important to the Sami people's culture and existence today, making them an eco-friendly, sustainable product. 

The fur is incredibly soft and each skin has unique markings. Hollow hair makes them perfect for heat efficiency. As far as winter warmers and authentic Scandi-style goes, these reindeer hides are the perfect accessory for your home. The best news is, Koko Classics are giving away a Large Reindeer Hide valued at NZ$595.00 to one lucky reader! 

To enter, pop over to the Koko Classics Website, choose two of your favourite products (other than the Reindeer Hide) from the online store, and name them in the comments below. You must also like the Koko Classics Facebook page and The Design chaser Facebook page. For extra entries share to Facebook and Twitter and let me know you've done so in the comments below so that I know to count you twice.

The winner will be chosen by Random.org on Monday, 8th July and announced on The Design Chaser Blog and Facebook page. Please leave your full name in the comments. Once announced, the winner will need to contact me within three days, otherwise another winner will be selected.

Note: This competition is open to New Zealand residents only. 

To keep up to date with new arrivals, make sure you subscribe to the Koko Classics Blog. For store locations Pop over here.  

Good luck!! 

Images: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10


UPDATE: The competition has now closed. Congratulations to the winner, Jolene Van Wonderen! x

Izzy and Jean Co. | New Online Store

Merino Trapper Throw from Izzy and Jean Co.

Rugs, blankets and warm socks all scream winter and with Auckland being as freezing as it is right now, these are my current home comforts. So when I received an email from Claire Ongley telling me about her newly launched NZ online store Izzy and Jean Co, I was very happy to find all three on offer. Not only that, but they are also some of the loveliest I've seen!

Truly unique, and so very beautiful, this colourful handwoven Kilim Rug is a one-off sourced form a small desert village in South Eastern Tunisia. Imagine being able to tell your visitors that! 

I can't resist black and white stripes, but it's the touches of bright colour that make this Rug stand out from the crowd. Also made in Tunisia, it is woven in thick, soft sheep's wool. So cosy! Take a look at the small textile mill where it is made from hand. Designed in Denmark, I love the Scandinavian style of this one. 

Izzy and Jean Co stock a great range of blankets, throws and Turkish bath towels (which can also be used as throws). With the option of wool, cotton or merino and a range of fabulous colours and patterns, the hard part is deciding which one! 

I have a bit of thing for socks, especially in winter, and I'm really big on buying good quality. These babies are right up my alley. Designed in New York and made in Italy, I'm loving the fun polka dots and stripes which were featured in Vogue Magazine. The six pack bundle of baby & toddler socks are adorable! Made by Etiquette Clothiers in New York from the finest Italian cotton, your little one's tootsies will be warm, snug and stylish!

Based in Oakura, at the foot of Mt Taranaki, Izzy and Jean Co. stock a range of gorgeous goods, many of which are handcrafted and sourced from around the world. Created by people who have unique skills or are following generations of tradition, the underlying theme is that the products all tell a story, and are the result of a person's love and dedication to their craft.

A few more things I love...

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1 Vegetable Brush
2 Trapper Wool Scarf
3 Bathtub Shelf
4 Klars Linden Flower & Rhubarb Soap
5 Stainless Steel Dustpan and Hand Brush
6 Twill Tea Towel
7 Turquoise Stripe Cushion
8 Toast Tong
9 1940s Cardinal Chambray Skinny Tie

There's a bit of an ethnic vibe going on, and I also think that Claire's location 'beside the wild black sand beaches of the North Island's west coast' is an influential component of the store's brand and feel. I wanted to find out a bit more about how Claire came to open her online store...

Tell us a bit about your background and the path that led you to launching Izzy and Jean Co?

I have recently moved back from Sydney, where I was living for the last six years. My background is the internet. I have worked in producer and product manager roles for various media companies including Yahoo, Fairfax and the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). My jobs involved managing the development of websites, so it was a natural progression for me to want to start a website of my own. It has always been a dream to run my own business, and to be able to work when and where I choose! I've always envied those people who get to work from home doing what they enjoy, and now I'm one of them, hurrah!

My partner Daniel and I moved to Oakura in the Taranaki, which is a major lifestyle change. Oakura is a tiny beachside 'village' (for want of a better word) with one pub, one dairy and not much else! Quite the contrast from Sydney.

Izzy and Jean Co. allows you to choose from categories including Home Goods, Her, Him, Tots and even Hound. How cute is this little guy, sporting the Mason Tweed Dog Coat?

What inspires you - travel, the web, creative people etc?

I have lived in New York and Spain, and travelled a lot (I am a Kiwi after all) which has inspired me to bring beautiful stuff from overseas back to NZ. In fact, once in my early twenties I found some amazing kitschy bags in a market in Mexico, and bought a ton of them, planning to sell them in New Zealand, but I ended up giving them away as gifts, and some of them stayed in a cupboard and ended up being thrown out. So the idea has been simmering away for a while, but I have only now arrived at the point of actually doing it!

People who have inspired me include Lucy Feagins from The Design Files, Lisa Gorman from Gorman, Kristina Karlsson from Kikki.K, who all started out with their own unique personal vision and style, and became hugely successful because of their smarts, dedication and belief in their ideas.

Claire Ongley of Izzy and Jean Co.

I'm so with you Claire - three incredibly inspiring women right there, and I can attest that nothing beats working from home and doing what you enjoy. Of course there's always the distraction of online shopping... and it just got better! Pop over to Izzy and Jean Co. to do just that, and follow along here and here. 

Kidsrooms | Scandi-Style Inspiration

I have very fond memories of decorating our boys' bedrooms and picking out furniture, toys and accessories. Of course one of the biggest decisions is the colour palette. Choosing to go with white and pops of bright colour has worked really well for us, and we can easily transfer these elements over to the new house. If I did it all over again I'd stick with the bright white canvas but incorporate a bit more grey, natural wood and some black accents. As you know I'm a fan of yellow, especially when paired with monochrome, and I think in small doses this bright and cheery colour is great for little ones. It's also gender neutral, working well in both boys and girls rooms. 

I'm constantly in awe of the beautiful Scandinavian kidsrooms I see online. Playful and fun, they ooze style and personality, combining simple pared back furniture with bright graphics and cosy textures.

I love this black and white bed with built in storage and the cute apple cushions. Open shelves and picture ledges are perfect for displaying kids books. 

The Kilim rug on the wall above is actually a colouring-in poster. With our ever-growing collection of Lego, these storage boxes are high on my wish-list. 

This delightful girls room has been given a big dose of Scandi-style with a simple bed, graphic wallpaper, prints, posters and quirky cushions. 

Wall stickers like this alphabet one look great and can be removed if your kids grow out of them or want a new look for their room. How cute are the paw prints?

Great for wooden floors, rugs provide comfort when playing on the floor. You can never go wrong with stripes.




Kids bedlinen is a key factor and I've spotted some gorgeous monochrome designs around the web. I love seeing graphic duvets layered with playful cushions and warm, textural throws.

Blackboard walls are always are a good idea for the kiddies and storage is a must for keeping toys tidy and clutter to a minimum. 

Images: 1-3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

Taking inspiration from the images above, I've picked out some gorgeous online finds. 

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01 Apple Papple Print by Fine Little Day from Bodie and Fou
02 Bear of Few Words Print by Kerry Layton from Bodie and Fou
03 Do-Wop Pendant by Louis Poulsen from Design Denmark
04 Dropit Hooks by Normann Copenhagen from Design Denmark
05 Face Painted Boxes from Ferm Living
06 Yellow Lego Storage Brick from Design Denmark
07 Black Lego Storage Brick from Design Denmark
08 Clouds Bedding Set designed by Gunila Axén from Rafa Kids
09 Milk Table Lamp by &Tradition from Design Denmark
10 Twist A Twill Blanket designed by Tina Ratzer from Fine Little Day 
11 Karl Zahn Wood Tree Tops by Areaware from Let Liv
12 Gran Black Cushion Cover by Fine Little Day
13 Let Liv Cotton Striped Floor Rug in Grey & Milk
14 Little Ugly Jeero Ugly Doll from Yopie

For more Scandi-style inspiration, check out my Kidsrooms Pinterest board. 

Wool in Style

When it comes to furniture, I have a fondness for chairs, especially the design classics from Bertoia and Tolix. Made from steel, I love their industrial style, however they can be cool to sit on, especially during the winter months. A popular solution, seen a lot in Scandinavia and other cooler climates, is the use of wool. Just throw on a cosy sheepskin and you'll have a toasty warm tush in no time! 

There's certainly no shortage of sheepskins here in NZ but one place I recommend is Ecowool. Their Exclusive New Zealand Sheepskin Rugs are super-soft, and naturally free from harsh chemicals often used in the tanning process. Perfect not only for use as rugs but also throws for chairs and sofas, they can be custom made to any size. They also come in a range of great colours, although I don't think you can go past creamy white. Even better, you can shop online, with free international shipping. 

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