entrepo BluBird – if I could rewrite my wedding registry & you can WIN…

I’m sure, like me, you’ve seen the entrepo stores around. I’d popped in once or twice so I knew they were about “home” stuff but I didn’t really fully get what they were about. Also, I wasn’t really that interested until we moved into our new home. So when I was invited to their recent new BluBird “department style design store” launch I was keen to have a proper look-see around for myself.

Now entrepo‘s flagship store, the BluBird branch is their biggest yet at 300 square meters & allowed for including small furniture, lighting & an even broader range of accessories than before.

“Shout if you need any help” the staff said as I walked in and boy did I take them up on that! Some 2 hours later I probably the 2nd/3rd last person to leave the launch and let me tell you now, that I wanted so, so many things! I realised then that besides perhaps for a handful of boutique-y stores, our homeware chain stores in SA were pretty drab.

The store is laid out in different “zones” of  home, living – dining & kitchen where you can drool over their exclusive European and Scandinavian brands some of which I’ve only ever seen in design magazines before. Entrepo describe their own overall style perfectly as “functional art”

So when entrepo invited me back shortly after to tell them my favourites and pick out and item for myself (eek! And for you – keep reading!) I couldn’t get back there fast enough. I forced myself to choose 12 items – some out of my pocket’s reach (why must my life be so hard?!) so take a look…

Bottle Salt & Pepper Grinder Set R999

It took me a while just to figure out what these were. They come is a slightly bigger size too…

Herb Garden R899

I would need 7/8 of these the way my veggie garden is going at the moment! (post soon I promise!). I love the detail of the scissors built-in – so smart!

Magma Hot Plate R599

So basically you pop this “plate” in the microwave for around 2 minutes & it can then keep food warm for up to an hour.

Ballo Toilet Brush R999

Being OCD, this is usually an item in the house I prefer not to think about so I cannot for the life of me believe that I am about to say that a toilet brush is beautiful but it really really is!

Cappucino Crumpled Tumbler R199

I’ve liked these ever since I 1st saw them at entrepo. It basically looks like a plastic tumbler but its made of porcelain (comes in an espresso version too) & in heaps of colours & designs

Normann Copenhagen Sumo Pouf Ottoman R5499,95

So I’m thinking this will work well is my (new) walk in closet (still under construction organization). You know,  just a place for me to pause & decide on what shoes to wear for the day 🙂

Normann Copenhagen dustpan & broom R399,95

This dustpan (or skoppie if you grew up in my house!) makes me want to put on an apron & get sweeping!

Muuto OTO 100 storage system R4499,95

Now if I had this (made of fibreglass) instead of my current storage rack I would surely keep it looking amazingly ordered instead of the mess of keys/candles/mail/magazines mine is today.

Muuto Unfold Pendant Lamp R2999,95

This really made me wish entrepo had opened just a couple of months earlier. Since we ripped out the ceilings in our entire house renovating, all the lights had to be replaced too. While I do like antique touches this stuff was so old my gran would probably be wondering what year it was from. I spent a good deal of our Durban holiday(!) going from store to store looking at light fixtures.

Mastrad Macaroon Kit R699

I’ve always said I wouldn’t try & make macaroons in my lifetime. I’m suddenly tempted!

Muuto Table Leaf Lamp R4499,95

For my bedside table since my antique one didn’t survive our move. Made of aluminium & brass, it’s so simple & elegant…

And then… my pick for us….

*insert drumroll*

Normann Copenhagen Washing Up Bowl R799,95

When I saw the Normann Copenhagen Washing Up Bowl all I could think of was “why didn’t I think of that!?”. As much as I have celebrated having a dishwasher for the first time in my life these last few months (if you don’t have one you are compromising your quality of life!) there are many items it’s not safe for. In our house this is mainly fancy coffee paraphernalia like chemexes (we have ones with wood/metal and even leather trim) that a dishwasher would ruin in a second but need to be cleaned well & are quite delicate because the glass is very thin. I’ve had a few near knocks with washing them in the sink but lining it with this rubber bowl instead = problem solved. You can also use it to was delicates like crystal/china & it comes all set with a beech wood brush that has natural bristles.

However the main way I plan to use mine is to house all the gross odds and ends of washing up equipment: the mushy soap, the liquid, the 5 different types of (always wet/dirty scourers), the brushes, gloves & that super gross wet cloth. Mine are all strewn across the shelf just below the sink and it’s time they got a beautiful/clean/non smelly home.

If you don’t have the issue I have you can use it as a storage container, an ice bucket or for use outdoors/camping. Ironically (& thankfully) the bowl itself is completely dishwasher safe.

All you need to do to enter is comment below telling me what colour you’d like your Normann Copenhagen Washing Up Bowl in if you won. Check out the colour options here. Competition closes Monday 27th October 2014.

PS I’ve come to realise by the end of this post that I definitely have a thing for Scandinavian design (Normann Copenhagen/Muuto) – I just love the minimalist lines & simplicity. My car is Scandinavian and one of my favourite antique pieces in our house, our dining room table & chairs is G Plan (Danish inspired)

PPS entrepo also do wedding/gift registries, have an online store (free delivery over R500 & 5-7 days lead time) & a  Warehouse sale on at the moment in store (Jhb & Cape Town).

Good luck!

W