d istinctly talented Swedish designer Lisa Bengtsson delivered her graphic design graduation project – the wallpaper Familjen – only a couple of years ago, and has since then received many awards for her adorable and clever designs (one of my favourites along the way has been the Ros-Marie wallpaper). Lisa Bengtsson derives inspiration from people around her and the atmosphere of bygone days. Now, as a mother of twins, she has pondered questions of family resemblance, similarities and differences. This has resulted in a brand new design, featuring a multitude of dachshunds!

These illustrations are sold (in limited editions) in cooperation with Save the Children Sweden – Design for Children’s Rights. The dachsies all originate from different corners of the world and the design shows that despite our differences and regardless of where we were born – we are all very much alike.

These sweet personalities also form a fun medallion pattern. Three of them in close-up, in either blue or gold, are available through textiles company Mairo as fabric by meter and as cushions. There is also a pattern with 12 dogs, which is also available in oilcloth. The pattern is called Tillsammans (Together). This one is definitely a new favourite!

Speaking of art and patterns, I actually really like this old textile pattern by Josef Frank called Marble 4420. Svenskt Tenn reintroduced it today, in velvet, for the Stockholm Furniture Fair. Designers Förster & Kusoffsky also made some new products interpreting this pattern. It’s not a typical Frank pattern – they say, I think it’s Franky! – story goes it was sketched when Josef Frank had encountered the art of Jackson Pollock, during this stay in New York in the 1940s. By any means it has a fresh arty vibe. Almost graffiti-ish yet very tidy.

| pics via décormag |

A modern minimalist white kitchen (stylish, yet rather discrete and unremarkable) turns much more interesting with the help of colourful and fun textiles from Swedish designer Josef Frank.

The splashback in the kitchen was created with the textile ‘Brazil’, protected and kept secure by a glass sheet. Such an excellent idea for creating an original feature in the kitchen! Same textile pattern for the blind and cushions. Very light and pretty…and those Wegner Wishbone chairs look right at home.

The home above was featured on Skona Hem.

In a different home (also from Skona Hem), Josef Frank makes another appearance. This time in the form of a the wallpaper pattern ‘Springbells‘. Much more retro, much darker… Not sure whether I’d be able to live with this design style, it’s a bit full-on… But hey, I’d love to visit in a kitchen like this and I do love the colour bravery!

M for moose, monkey, melon…

You get the idea! :-)

[Alphabet cushion from Elsie Dodds (55 GBP)]

A week or so ago, Henen wrote a post about how to go urban cool and decorate with a piece of London. This urban coolness is really hot at the moment! And has indeed been for quite a while. I love splashes of this kind of decor. I got a New York graffiti building – cushion for our sofa when we had just bought it (can be viewed in this post, the leftmost one on the sofa, fromTeo Jasmin).  And I wouldn’t say no to the garvey chair pictured above, from the news shelf at Anthropologie. A cool piece of furniture! Cloaked in upholstery printed with the names of New York City subway stations. It’s scuffed with an antique finish, and it’s low. Yummie :)

Urban coolness and city charm need not be only New York or London. Anthropologie news are also these nice cushions below with the streets of Paris and streets of Brussels:

…and I wish I could tell you about all the cool and charming Stockholm items, but sad to say: I haven’t seen any. (and as a side note: I swear they would be white anyway..=)) hope I’m wrong)