I just got back from a trip to Northern Sweden now where I’ve visited several cozy flea markets and made the best of bargains..! More about that later. Next on the agenda is – tada! – a trip to a picturesque little Italian fishing village. I have a feeling a good deal of interior design inspiration is awaiting there. In addition to the warm sun and sea, for our Swedish heat wave is now replaced by cold winds and pouring rain…In the meantime, keep enjoying fabolous Henen, the other half of the Trendey duo, serving you the uniquest and trendiest decor inspiration!

like this

|pic: pia ulin for elle interiör |

There is quite a lot in this picture that is interesting. The ottoman, the sofa, the person (!), the antlers….but what I think of right now is the coat rack. Here and there it pops up (still, I believe the peak was in 2008), there’s even wall decals of a coat racks! I would count myself a fan of the coat rack, it’s a nice and functional piece of decor. It has a distinct decorative value. Trees have been popular, and tripods, but I particularly fancy the simple ones. Like this green one from UO.

This is a print by one my favourite Etsy artists, Jen Renninger. She always has something wise to share. Like ‘everything is going to be ok‘ and this – Be Creative: An ‘everyday reminder’ to serve as a little nudge to get you to look at each and every small thing as a world of possibilities. We can never tell what small seemingly insignificant moment will inspire something profound in us. Inspiration is everywhere. (and especially at Jen’s! )

{red} inspiration – a modern, pretty kitchen.

| left pic via pia ulin’s true scandinavian, right: mixr.se |

| left pic by trendey, right pic via bolig |

| image via Shootfactory |

I think the wallpaper above is well worth mentioning although it is not brand new. The Listen and Record wallpaper by Australian designer Ilias Fotopoulos has this year been selected for the permanent collection at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in NYC. I think it’s beautiful, ultra cool actually, and the design idea is very interesting. We’ve seen braille-looking design before, like in these braille wall flats from Inhabit…

…but while the wall flats in braille lack any (known) meaning, Fotopoulos’ braille project aims to question notions of decoration and accessibility of design. This is done through a clever role reversal: While sighted observers can appreciate the dots’ decorative effect and feel their flocked three dimensionality, the wallpaper only makes sense to someone who is able to read the tactile language. Fotopoulos asks “As designers, do we really address important issues or are we decorators, players of pattern and colour? What can we do to give at least some out of work purpose?” His quest is to bring meaning, thought and awareness back into design.

One of my favourite jewelry is this one, below. I got it for Christmas a couple of years ago. It’s designed by the Swedish silversmith Efva Attling. The braille tags say ‘make love, not war’.

| photo: pia ulin |

Research has shown that flowers have a positive impact on emotional health. The impact of flowers in interior design is likewise undisputed. Flowers add, like nothing else, life in home decor. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, make spaces welcoming and contribute to a sharing atmosphere. Indulge..

| summery floral splendour by norwegian photograhper trine thorsen |

…and btw, I just made flowers its own category.

| left pic from RUM, right pic from Sköna Hem |

Supply is large and varied in this compartment. And there’s so much beauty! I picked a few darlings from Haute-house, Neiman Marcus, Restoration Hardware and Urban Outfitters respectively (if only UO would ship furniture overseas I’d click home the Estelle Ottoman immediately!!)

…and speaking of friendly. On behalf of me and my big sis I’d like to extend a huge THANK YOU to lovely Emma who told about Trendey on her excellent design blog. We sincerely appreciate that and your great intro! Any new readers visiting from Emma’s – you are very warmly welcome. I hope you feel at home here, browse around, find some inspiration, agree or disagree with us, and every now and then check back. Stay tuned. :)