Boycott the January blues!

Well hello 2013, and good bye 2012!

2012 was a great year for me, and 2013 will struggle to top it – but if it’s even a fraction as good as last year I’ll be happy.

Ever heard of January blues…? Of course you have! I wouldn’t say I fall into that category, but I see this as being on the right side of winter. At least the days are getting longer and lighter from now on!

On the other hand I’m struggling with my inspiration in January, (you know, after the laziness of Christmas and all) so I thought that I would make this first blogpost of the year into one that is filled with inspiration!

I’ve made this collage of gorgeous pieces – everything from mirror frames and shabby chic furniture, to nurseries and clever storage solutions. I’m not going to comment on them, but I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

I hope this will inspire you too!

Happy 2013!

Baroque wallpaper

As I've mentioned before I moved into my boyfriend's house (which he owns) last year, so as you can imagine I had nothing to do with the choice of house, but since I moved in I've changed so much! The house really needed a woman's touch since it looked very bare and bachelor like before.

I've changed everything from curtains and wall paint to furniture, and now it's time for me to change a bit more in the main bedroom! 

The bedroom is actually quite nice as it is, with a theme of black, white and purple. But since we had some plumbers in our house earlier this year we had had to open up one of the bedroom walls, and it now looks horrible!
It's white plastering all over my nice purple wall, and this really needs covering up!

Rather than repainting the wall purple I'm thinking of spicing it up with a quirky wallpaper. As most of you know I am a sucker for the Baroque era and all the swirly patterns that come with it, so I'm looking to get a wallpaper of that particular style, just like in the picture above. It's either going to be purple or black, and at the moment I've got my eye on these 3 Baroque style wallpapers that I've seen at Robinson and Neal.

They've got some really lovely designs in their online store. Not just Baroque wallpaper, of course, but lots of pretty designs. Click here to see the full collection.
I'm hoping that my project will result in something like the below pictures. I think it looks absolutely beautiful! Keep your eyes peeled for an update on our main bedroom coming soon!

The dream of living in a tree

No words are really needed for this post, because the pictures really speak for themselves.

Just see them as inspiration – something we’re probably all dreaming of (of not actively, then at least subconsciously)

I mean, who wouldn’t want a tree house that you can live in?! It would be like a childhood dream come true!

I was crazy about climbing trees when I was a little girl, and I would really love to have a house stuck in a tree! So very creative, and playful.

See below, get inspired, and dream away…

All tree houses featured, except for this last one, are of typical cabin styles - all made of chunky wood, or even logs. Very picturesque, I would say. 

The last one is a designer tree house that you can find in Sweden. That's if you can actually find it! The outside of the tree house is actually made of mirrored glass, so that it will blend in with the nature.

Kitchen trends for 2013

The minimalistic trend is on its way out – the kitchen trends for 2013 will be more rustic, and ”alive” kitchens with solid wood and a countryside feeling to it. 

The contemporary style with glass and stainless steel has been swapped for a more old fashioned style with a modern touch. 

Imagine the kitchens of the 1970’s – dark colours and lots of wood – but mixed with the shabby chic style white paint.

What I really love about old fashioned kitchens is the brick walls, the rough wooden surfaces, and the open shelves with pretty “status” pans made of copper that are really worth showing off. It’s all about the open storage trend, so that’s definitely worth considering.

Another kitchen trend that has been very popular for years is the kitchen isles - a focal point in the most important room in the house where people can socialise. Opt for matt white or warm hues, earthy colours, and solid wood (not too light, not too dark – but just that perfect in between colour).

Italian design

When you think of Italian design the first thing that pops up in your head is clothes or cars… Am I right?
However, Italian designed furniture is hugely popular as well. This is just a short and sweet post to tell you about an Italian designer collection I discovered recently. It’s called Porada. (I wonder if the resemblance to Prada is just a coincidence…)

I like the whole thing about the quirky shapes, with the “windswept” effect and the asymmetric look. Have a look below for some great pieces of furniture;

The "Cell" bookcases from Porada are circular open framed tables in different height, that look great grouped together.

 This solid ash bench is super stylish with its slender seat and curved slatted open ends.

 

I must say these free standing open back bookcases in white walnut are my favourite! The asymetrical shapes are just my style.

After having browsed through the Porada collection I've realised that the minimalistic and stylish designs remind me quite a lot of Scandinavian furniture design. It's all about wood as the material, with sleek and simple shapes. These coat stands are absolutely fantastic, and would fit right into a contemporary home.

What do you think of this solid wood dining chair with a curved back and legs? I'd say it has a bit of a playful feel to it, and a "windswept" look.

"Infinity" coffee table with wooden base and glass surface. I'm not too keen on glass furniture, but I'm absolutely sold for that curved wood!

Last but not least I wanted to show you this Domino TV stand, which is part of Porada's modular shelving range. It's made from floor and wall fixed vertical poles with a choice of shelves that are fixed to the pole. Amazing, or what?!