Simon och Tomas blogg

As you all know, I like to take time out to answer some of your questions. Here is today’s go:

One question that comes in often is how to get in touch with us, or how to apply to the show. We still don’t know if there will be another season, but if you want to contact us just write to TV3, att: Simon & Tomas, Box 17054, 104 62 STOCKHOLM.

Madelene asked:
”Jag behöver hjälp! Behöver tipps om hur jag och familjen ska lyckas dela en trea (två sovrum) på fyra familjemedlemmar?!”

 Get rid of any skräp lying around. Rensa is the key  word here. If you are four people, and have two bedrooms, the fact of the matter is someone is going to have to share. If it’s children a good solution would be perhaps to have two beds on each side of the room, then to create privacy, one could hang beautiful curtains around which could be opened and closed. There is of course also the option of moving to a place with more bedrooms, but I understand this is not always possible. 

Another major issue is storage. People in my experience think they have no room and then just throw everything into cupboards. For clothes I think if they have not been worn for 12 months then give them away to charity….no point in being badly dressed and cramped for space!

Maria wrote:
“ Jag är 18 år och tar snart studenten och skulle själv vilja bli inredare när jag blir äldre. Min fråga till er är; Hur gjorde ni? vilken väg gick ni för att komma dit ni är idag? Hur ser marknaden ut? finns det bättre eller sämre vägar att gå?”

We are pretty much self taught and it has taken years of hard work to get where we are, including working for other people and experts in the field. It is always great to learn from those who really know what they are doing. It is a tough market however so be prepared for that. As for studying, there are options here and abroad. Do a google search and I am sure you will find some great alternatives.

But perhaps more importantly than this, be interested, subscribe to international design magazines, when on holiday visit every stylish restaurant and hotel, make a habit of turning plates over to see who made them, (do this carefully so as not to be arrested for shop lifting). I believe interior design is not something that can be taught MEN it is something that can be fine tuned by education.

Also ask yourself why do you want to be an interior designer. In my experience it is 80% administration and only 20% swishing around with fabric samples ………..sadly

Vanessa asked:
“Did you buy your dogs here in Sweden? If yes we would like to have the name of the kennel.”

Yes we bought P&P here in Sweden. It was a beautiful farm in Skåne to be precise, so no kennel involved. However we made very sure the boys came from a very good home, met the breeders, their children, P & P’s parents. Buying puppies is an enormous responsibility one that should be taken very seriously.

Elisabeth asked:
“Vilken tidning”
I believe it was Hennes that was here to photograph.

Had another meeting today which was somewhat different to the last meeting I had with Skanska. It was out at a dagis that had 50 children. You can tell they were nippers from the photo below.

I have never ever seen such a small toa, where do they buy these things. Love the prut clouds.

I must confess if I was designing a dagis I would never of thought of putting the sink at this height…I guess one has to compromise sometimes with 5 year old children.

This guy will go far in life as a philosophical exestensialist….you must read what he has written. This is one to watch out for.

Looked everywhere and could not find a single kid that looked like this.

Design, form and a childs environment can affect their learning and enjoyment and what can be done to change the way people (adults) think about these things.

Will let you know how it goes.

S

Sorry for the late posting of this, I am so hopeless at this stuff that I can not always make it work….but here it is anyway.

Åre has been great and we have managed to achieve very much with the guys we work with, plans for the year for W8 and A L’Olivier. Have stayed at Copperhill which was so impressive, the best designed spa in sweden I think.

Acres of copper, big in scale but perhaps not totally the “swedish alps”

I think the people might feel a little overwhelmed in this space, a mountain hotel should feel perhaps a bit more mysigt.

Last night we stayed at Hotel Grannen which was very different but glorious, open fires, library, big deep sofas, a real flavour of Åre. Personel were friendly and the service first class, a glass of wine never took more than 30 seconds to arrive once ordered………thank god. The food here was also really first class. I think it makes a huge difference when it is people who are actually from Åre who own and run the place as they quite obviously love their hotel.

Sadly Marianne who work with the economic side of the business fell over and broke her wrist after 24 hours. She was a real trooper, I nearly fainted when I saw how out of line the bones were, and then nearly fainted again when they gave her an anaesthetic and finally nearly fainted from the noise when they re-set the bone. The hospital was very effecient and they have quite obviously done this millions of times before.

For those of you with a medical background you can see here the extent of the break.

I would however say that when we turned up at the reception and Marianne put her hand on the counter, was white as a sheet and about to faint, I would suggest the first thing to do is NOT present a bill for 150 kr. This paperwork can undoubtedly be dealt with after the injury and pain have been fixed.

We met up with Tobbe  who runs Bygget, Kalbadhuset and Gute and he really showed us the sights. We have done quite a lot of work in Bygget and it is now time to start planning the renovations for the next winter season. A great guide who showed us all the best places to ski and where the best anow was. He also knew all the best restaurants and bars to visit on the slopes. Good to know the right man who can get you in everywhere and straight to the best table.

Here is the old train that runs through the village, I believe this has been in operation since 1918, at least the paintwork suggests this.

Here are happy campers enjoying the snow and the magnificent sunshine, Åre was at it’s most beautiful.

Utterly beautiful, you really could not ask for more. After this photo it was straight back to Granen for hot choclate and calvados in front of the fire in the most wonderfully comfortable sofa…..sometimes life is good.

S

Had lots of questions about how to get onto the show and I am afraid T and I do not know if there will be another show. The best thing I can suggest however is keep an eye on the TV3 website and if they make another season they will ask for homes there.

We obviously have no control over this and can not really give you anymore information than that. By the stream of comments we are getting though there seems to be lots of people who need help.

Sorry this is as much as we know.

On a slightly lighter note friday is ghastly day, not quite sure which subject to attack, have done trolls and curtains but am quite sure we have not exhausted the world of dreadful design

Will put on my thinking hat.

TTFN

S

A magazine is at London W8 today to do a photoshoot with Sanna Bråding. Even Percy and Pooter got to be in on the fun…our little stars. Here’s Pooter and Sanna.

We are off for our own interview and photoshoot in a little while. A different magazine though.

S