February 28, 2011

Berlin capital of vintage ?


Here in Berlin, vintage is a way of life.
It's a common tradition to go to the flea market on Sundays. There are lots of them everywhere in this huge city. Berliners go there to find furniture, clothes for the whole family, home decor or whatever object they can use for their underground art project. Berliners also like to rent a stand and sell their own stuff every once in a while. The best time to do that is in spring, with a bunch of friends and a nice picnic. People sell all the stuff that don't fit anymore or that they want to get rid of, and sometimes treasures found in Grandma’s cellar. Some of them sell all the stuff that they bought on flea markets during the year, to make some room to buy some more cool stuff from the markets again…
Vintage in Berlin is not just about the flea markets or the shops which are everywhere. But also cafés, restaurants and even night clubs or cinemas.
Almost every café we know is decorated with vintage furniture and dishes. When you go out for a “Kaffe und Kuchen” with some friends, you often have the choice between sitting in a cool vintage Formica chair or drowning into a big old rusty sofa. And all the cups are different from one another.

People love to dress in vintage too: at the moment the BIG trend are vintage glasses.
This overwhelming vintage atmosphere in Berlin comes from its history and architecture. The wall fell in 1989 and ever since, all kinds of objects from former DDR became collectibles. People cherish them, and give them the chance to fulfill their purpose again and again.

Meaning space

Öppning is the Swedish word for "space". Not in the astronomical sense, but as in “room”.
Space is a meaningful word, depending on your perspective. If you want to see your space differently you may want to read this delightful book from Georges Perec "Espèces d'espaces".

Then you may want to visit öppning, our online shop to fill your empty space with cool vintage objects.
I read my copy of this book every now and then, it helps me remember how to look around me.
I love the fresh air it brings me everytime.

February 25, 2011

How it all began

It all began with my father taking me to the flea markets when I was a kid, every Sunday at around 7 am. It was still dark and we used to look for treasures with a flashlight. We found tons of antiques, especially this small closet painted in Swedish white that followed me ever since. It now has the place of honor in my baby's room.