Space for Life x Skinny laMinx

Space for Life shares the re-use, re-create and re-invent philosophy being adopted by many forward thinking interior design, décor and manufacturing ventures today. Their specialty is bringing beautifully designed and well-crafted Scandinavian furniture pieces from the fifties and earlier, made by gifted Scandinavian designers and crafters, to an appreciative South African audience.

Space for Life also has a range of Scandinavian designed and made ceramics and glass object ‘art, such as table and floor standing lamps, vases and bowls as well as home ware that include wood & stainless steel bowls, dishes and trays. In addition to being a gallery and retail outlet, Space for Life also offers a comprehensive interior design and décor service with a qualified and experienced interior designer always on duty. The interior design service include aspects such as custom made furniture design and manufacture, space planning and layout, drawings and project management.

Part of the Space for Life philosophy and mission is to support and create opportunities for local designers, artists and crafters to showcase their work. They combine locally designed and manufactured fabrics, art and craft with upcycled design items to illustrate harmony and poise between South African and Scandinavian various cultures, and the relevance of these mid-century modern furniture pieces today, designed and manufactured, on average, 60 years ago.

These collaborations also create mutually beneficial professional relationships, working together on increasing market awareness, especially in the challenging retail environment, where creative thinking in retail will contribute towards commercial success.

Space For Life’s most recent partnership is with Skinny laMinx, whose fabrics adorn a new range that exemplifies this collaborative philosophy. We really love the new shades and patterns that have cropped up in Heather Moore’s first comprehensive collection of silkscreened fabrics, entitled Flower Dreams. Her work has also referenced the bold minimalism and subdued colour palette that typifies retro-Scando design, so the pairing of her fabrics with Space For Life’s furniture is a match made in heaven. In fact, Moore chose to launch Flower Dreams at Space for Life specifically because this establishment shares her enthusiasm for beautiful vintage Scandinavian design. Moore explains, ”What sets them apart from stores carrying goods from the same era is that they are not interested in the nostalgic or ‘retro’ aspects of the pieces, but simply in the fact that they are beautifully designed, well-considered and expertly made”

The sophisticated, feminine palette of pinks, plums, lemons and humbugs that make up Flower Dreams can be used to create a range of moods flowing effortlessly from a little girl’s bedroom to a folk-inspired boudoir. And despite launching in Autumn, this flower-themed collection definitely has the breath of Spring in its step.

The Flower Dreams fabric collection is made up of three new designs and a re- issue of the popular Orla print:

Flower Fields

This design came about after Moore made a paper cutout of a flower, inspired by a Dutch vintage fabric, turning this into a repeat design with a pop-tastic 60’s flavour. Flower Fields is the first two-colour print to be produced by Skinny laMinx, and is available in three colourways: Rosy, Penny Black and Goldenrod.

Wild Flowers

Moore decided to create custom wallpaper for the bathroom of her new studio using hand-cut sticky vinyl. After living with it for a while, it occurred to her that this might be the starting point for a large-scale repeat she had wanted to do for some time. Wild Flowers is a design that is a little bit mad, very playful, and certainly a strong design around which to build a look. Although it is a two-colour print, it reads as three colours, as the base cloth is used as one of the ‘colours’. Wild Flowers is available in four colourways: Strawberry Plum, Lemon Plum, Strawberry Humbug and Lemon Humbug.

Pincushion

This design is based on Moore’s paper cutout of a Pincushion protea. The sweet ditzy print makes a great South African-flavoured print coordinate for this collection. Pincushion is available in Humbug and Wedgewood.

Orla

This was one of the very first textile designs from the Skinny laMinx studio, and is effectively a bit of a fancy stripe. Including a reversed version of this print in a range of colourways, including the soft Strawberry pink and Lemon, helps to frame the collection and tie the pieces together. Solid Orla is available in Lemon, Strawberry, Plum, Fog and Olive

Flower Dreams is Skinny laMinx’s first foray into multiple coloured prints. All fabrics in the collection are screen-printed in Cape Town on a sturdy multi-use cotton/linen blend basecloth that has been woven in South Africa.

Find out more at spaceforlife.co.za / skinnylaminx.com